The name speaks for itself - Rhapsodies and Anecdotes. This is the venue in which I share (often ecstatically) personal stories about what God teaches me as I dive into His Word each day. I hope you like what I post and that it challenges you as it does me.

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4.02.2015

Lukewarm

                                  

I was reading part of Crazy Love by Francis Chan and this section about lukewarm Christians greatly challenged and convicted me. What aspects of this description fit you and your life? I know I have a lot to repent of after thinking through these things.

"Lukewarm people:

  • Attend church fairly regularly. It is what is expected of them, what they believe “good Christians” do, so they go.
  • Give money to charity and to the church… as long as it doesn’t impinge on their standard of living. If they have a little extra and it is easy and safe to give, they do so.
  • Desire to fit in both at church and outside of church; they care more about what people think of their actions than what God thinks of their hearts and lives.
  • Don’t really want to be saved from their sin; they want only to be saved from the penalty of their sin.
  • Are moved by stories about people who do radical things for Christ, yet they do not act. Lukewarm people call “radical” what Jesus expected of all His followers.
  • Rarely share their faith with their neighbors, coworkers, or friends. They do not want to be rejected, nor do they want to make people uncomfortable by talking about private issues like religion.
  • Gauge their morality or “goodness” by comparing themselves to the secular world. They feel satisfied that they are nowhere as horrible as the guy down the street.
  • Say they love Jesus, and He is a part of their lives. But only a part. They give Him a section of their time, money, thoughts, but He isn’t allowed to control their lives.
  • Love God, but they do not love Him with all their heart, soul, and strength.
  • Love others but do not seek to love others as much as they love themselves."
May this challenge us all to "return to our first love" through a deeper understanding of God's own love for us.

"But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
Romans 5:8

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)..."
Ephesians 2:4-5

Without Christ, we are dead sinners, unable to do anything to help or revive ourselves. PRAISE GOD THAT HE SENT HIS SON TO PAY THE PRICE FOR OUR SIN, TO RESCUE US FROM OUR SIN, AND TO GIVE US NEW LIFE IN HIM!
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