“14 And unto the Angel (Pastor) of the Church of the Laodiceans write; These things said the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the Creation of God;
15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot: I would you were cold or hot.
16 So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue you out of My mouth.
17 Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” Revelation 3:14-17
One of the problems with the Ladicean church, the church age of which we now live, is it’s lukewarmness. Being lukewarm doesn’t refer to Christians who are merely slothful in their walk with the Lord. No, not at all.
God says He would rather the lukewarm be cold (or hot) instead of lukewarm. The lukewarm will be spewed out of His mouth.
“21 Not every one who says unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that does the Will of My Father which is in Heaven.
22 Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your Name? and in Your Name have cast out devils? and in Your Name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:21-23
The lukewarm do many wonderful works in the Name of Jesus. They cast out devils and prophesy in His Name…yet He doesn’t know them and would rather spew them out of His mouth. Why?
The Lord would rather the lukewarm be cold or hot because with their lips they worship Him but their hearts are far from Him. They bring reproach to His Name. The cold, those who don’t claim the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour, do not bring reproach to His Name as they don’t acknowledge Him in the first place.
“18 I counsel you to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich; and white raiment, that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness do not appear; and anoint your eyes with eyesalve, that you may see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My Voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:18-20
The Endtime Church does not show a great revival but a great harvest. It shows the Lord on the OUTSIDE knocking, calling for those who hear His Voice to repent (vs.19) and He will come to them.
The Lord will bring those whose hearts are perfect toward Him out from the Endtime Apostate Church IF they want to come out from among them. As with everything in our Christian walk, Jesus has made a way of escape but we have to choose that path; the narrow path that we walk with Him and Him alone.
“10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the Truth, that they might be Saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the Truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12
If we do not choose to walk this narrow path with the Lord, the path which requires the denial of ourselves (our abilities, talents, etc.) and the picking up of our cross; the cross which Christ afforded us at His Cross that He may be glorified and follow Him, we will be sent a strong delusion and believe a lie.
“And He said to them all, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23
The Cross of Christ was a place of great suffering for our Lord but for the Believer, Calvary’s Cross is a place of great blessing. It is the blessings Jesus afforded whosoever will believe that we must pick up but are unable to do so until self is denied.
Jesus is standing at the door knocking because He loves His Children. Those He loves He rebukes and chastens. Are we going to please God or man? That’s a choice we all have to make…no one else can do this for you.
The Cross of Christ is God’s answer, the ONLY answer, to man’s dilemma. Everything that we need is in the Cross. If you think that I’m referring to a wooden beam, you are foolish. No, I’m speaking of the finished work Jesus Christ accomplished at Calvary. The Person (Jesus) and the place (Calvary’s Cross), where our Redemption was paid…the Source and the means by which we receive anything from God IS the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. This IS the power of God unto us who are Saved but unto the lukewarm it is foolishness and they are perishing.
“For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are Saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18
The Salvation of the Saints is drawing nearer and nearer. Soon and very soon that trump is going to sound. Will you be found wanting? Are you lukewarm? Does He know you?
There’s still room at the Cross for you. Jesus stands at the door knocking, will you let Him in? Choose this day in Whom you are going to serve. Be determined to know nothing else among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
-Donna Clark Warren
Living in The Spirit 