RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2020-09-22	How Do I Tell If I Am Lukewarm? (Rv.3:14-22)
		Rev 3:14  "And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, 'These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: Rev 3:15  "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. Rev 3:16  So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Rev 3:17  Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— Rev 3:18  I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. Jesus said to the church of Laodicea that they were “lukewarm” (Rv.3:16). So what is lukewarmness? What gauge would we use to measure lukewarmness? The essence of lukewarmness is an attitude that says, “I do not need it.”  “I need nothing!” I have enough of Jesus. I asked Him into my heart, and so I do not need anything. The lukewarm are spiritually self-satisfied. So are you among that number of lukewarm and self-satisfied? To find the answer do not look to your mind and ask whether or not you are a sinner. You already know you are a sinner if you are well taught from Scripture. The way to see if you are lukewarm is to look at your prayer life. Prayer is the barometer as such. How frequently, earnestly, how expectantly, and how extendedly do you strive with God? Do you strive to have a deeper knowledge with Christ? Are you going after God in your prayer life hard and everyday? If not, that is the barometer or measure of your spiritual life. Are you hot, cold, or lukewarm? Again, the measurement is not based on how you feel about yourself in your head. To be lukewarm is a spiritual bondage we usually do not recognize. The picture in Revelation 3 is that if you are lukewarm the Lord will spit or vomit you out of His mouth. If you think you do not need anything, Jesus has a word for you. If there is no sense of desperation for change in our hearts, you are probably lukewarm. Pride has a way of stifling our spiritual life. We think it is too melodramatic to express our desperation for God. Jesus is the One speaking as He describes this church as, “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked”. Jesus is talking about church goers who do not have any passion for change in their life. They are quite satisfied day after day giving the Lord 2 minutes of their time. Jesus gives them needed counsel in verse 18. Christ's will for the church is not to spit it out. His will for the church is that our poverty be replaced with wealth. That their nakedness be clothed with robes of righteousness. There is only one place to get those riches, robes, and sight. It is Jesus Himself! Jesus said, “buy from Me gold”. How do you buy gold when you are broke? The answer is in verse 20. Rev 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. How do you buy gold when you are broke? You pray. Pray that you have Christ in all His fullness. To have more of Jesus is to not be lukewarm, but to be “hot” and zealous for the Lord. To have Jesus is to have everything. Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

An Evangelical Free Church of America

23304 E Wellesley Ave. Otis Orchards, WA 99027 Church Office: 509.926.9552 Church Cell: 509.342.9145 Pastor Cell: 509.828.8843 tomelseroad@gmail.com