To the church in Laodicea
“To
the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the
ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold
nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!
ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold
nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!
So,because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold- I am about to spit
you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and
do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched,
pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold
refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to
wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on
your eyes, so you can see.
you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and
do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched,
pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold
refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to
wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on
your eyes, so you can see.
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.
Here I am!I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and
opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
Here I am!I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and
opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my
throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the
churches.”
throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the
churches.”
-Revelation 3:14-22
The concept of being lukewarm has been bouncing around in my head for
a couple months now. I can’t get it out of my mind. I don’t want to
be lukewarm, and I definitely don’t want want to be spit out of God’s
mouth. But what does being lukewarm really mean? What does lukewarm
look like? Are there examples of it in the Bible? This last question
is what started the wheels in my brain going on turbo mode. There are
so many passages in the New Testament where Jesus gives us commands
or tells us how to inherit the kingdom of heaven or other things, but
we don’t take them literally. We figure Jesus was trying to say
something really deep and He didn’t mean it the way it came out. But
the question I’ve been battling with is: So what if Jesus didn’t mean
it literally when He told us to do those things that seem crazy to
our generation and culture? How do we know that He didn’t mean it
literally? We just assume that because we don’t want to do what Jesus
said. Would it really hurt to do a little extra for Jesus? I am
positive that Jesus sitting on His throne in heaven would not say,
“She did too much for me.” Then what are we all so worried about?
a couple months now. I can’t get it out of my mind. I don’t want to
be lukewarm, and I definitely don’t want want to be spit out of God’s
mouth. But what does being lukewarm really mean? What does lukewarm
look like? Are there examples of it in the Bible? This last question
is what started the wheels in my brain going on turbo mode. There are
so many passages in the New Testament where Jesus gives us commands
or tells us how to inherit the kingdom of heaven or other things, but
we don’t take them literally. We figure Jesus was trying to say
something really deep and He didn’t mean it the way it came out. But
the question I’ve been battling with is: So what if Jesus didn’t mean
it literally when He told us to do those things that seem crazy to
our generation and culture? How do we know that He didn’t mean it
literally? We just assume that because we don’t want to do what Jesus
said. Would it really hurt to do a little extra for Jesus? I am
positive that Jesus sitting on His throne in heaven would not say,
“She did too much for me.” Then what are we all so worried about?
Most of the passages in the New Testament that seem impossible or
unrealistic are all revolving around money, wealth, and possessions.
There are so many of them! If you ever want to see what Jesus thought
about money, wealth, and possessions, read through all four Gospels,
and through Acts for the heck of it. You will be surprised by what
you find. Take the story of the rich young man, or ruler, for
example:
unrealistic are all revolving around money, wealth, and possessions.
There are so many of them! If you ever want to see what Jesus thought
about money, wealth, and possessions, read through all four Gospels,
and through Acts for the heck of it. You will be surprised by what
you find. Take the story of the rich young man, or ruler, for
example:
“A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to
inherit eternal life?”
inherit eternal life?”
Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good- except
God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not
murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father
and mother.'”
God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not
murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father
and mother.'”
“All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing.
Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have
treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have
treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
When he heard this, be come very sad, because he was a man of great
wealth. Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard is it for the rich
to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go
through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom
of God.”
wealth. Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard is it for the rich
to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go
through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom
of God.”
Those who heard this asked,”Who then can be saved?”
Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!”
“I tell you the truth,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has
left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of
the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this
age and, in the age to come, eternal life.”
left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of
the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this
age and, in the age to come, eternal life.”
-Luke 18:18-30
In that passage Jesus says, “Sell everything you have and give to
the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.” I’m not sure here
if when it says have treasure in heaven it means you will have
treasure, and that treasure is heaven, or you will have treasure in
heaven. But that isn’t what my point is. What sticks out to me is
that Jesus says, “Sell everything you have and give to the poor.”
I feel like He doesn’t even need to say, “and you will have
treasure in heaven,” but Jesus is cool like that. Shouldn’t we be
willing to do what Jesus commands us to do without being rewarded for
it? Shouldn’t we be at the least willing to do these things He
commands us to do when we do get a reward…the best reward ever? In
a Francis Chan sermon on being lukewarm, (which helped me gather my
thoughts and help me find the scriptures that I was going through in
my mind but didn’t know where it was in the Bible) he referenced a
scripture about God being the giver and rewarder.
the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.” I’m not sure here
if when it says have treasure in heaven it means you will have
treasure, and that treasure is heaven, or you will have treasure in
heaven. But that isn’t what my point is. What sticks out to me is
that Jesus says, “Sell everything you have and give to the poor.”
I feel like He doesn’t even need to say, “and you will have
treasure in heaven,” but Jesus is cool like that. Shouldn’t we be
willing to do what Jesus commands us to do without being rewarded for
it? Shouldn’t we be at the least willing to do these things He
commands us to do when we do get a reward…the best reward ever? In
a Francis Chan sermon on being lukewarm, (which helped me gather my
thoughts and help me find the scriptures that I was going through in
my mind but didn’t know where it was in the Bible) he referenced a
scripture about God being the giver and rewarder.
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the
name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He
wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could
not,because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig
tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He
wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could
not,because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig
tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him,
“Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house
today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
“Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house
today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the
guest of a ‘sinner.'”
guest of a ‘sinner.'”
But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and
now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated
anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated
anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because
this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek
and to save what was lost.”
this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek
and to save what was lost.”
-Luke 19:1-10
Zacchaeus is an excellent example. He got it right. He found the
Kingdom! “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a
field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went
and sold all he had and bought that field,” Matthew 13:44. This is
such a hard thing. When I ask myself if I would go and sell all I had
JOYFULLY for the kingdom, it scares me. It is such a big deal to me
to get sell, get rid of, or donate everything I have, even if it is
for God. If I was able to do it now, I would be such a sour puss about it. I would not be joyful at all!I don’t understand why it matters so much, but I guess Jesus
expected it to be so difficult for us and that is why He wrote about
it all the time and repeatedly said we are going to get far more in
return for what we give up.
Kingdom! “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a
field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went
and sold all he had and bought that field,” Matthew 13:44. This is
such a hard thing. When I ask myself if I would go and sell all I had
JOYFULLY for the kingdom, it scares me. It is such a big deal to me
to get sell, get rid of, or donate everything I have, even if it is
for God. If I was able to do it now, I would be such a sour puss about it. I would not be joyful at all!I don’t understand why it matters so much, but I guess Jesus
expected it to be so difficult for us and that is why He wrote about
it all the time and repeatedly said we are going to get far more in
return for what we give up.
“I tell you the truth,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left
home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields
for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in
this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and
fields- and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal
life.”
home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields
for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in
this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and
fields- and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal
life.”
-Mark 10:29-30
I guess since this is such an issue with me, I should really be
having this mindset, “For we brought nothing into the world, and we
can take nothing out of it,” 1 Timothy 6:7. But I don’t. What I
need to do, and what all of us, need to do is, “Set your minds on
things above, not on earthly things,” Colossions 3:2. But I’m not . It’s so hard,
and we can’t do it without God’s help. The only thing we can do is
pray for God to help us with this. And the good thing is, this is a
prayer that God wants to answer. It’s something that is parallel with
God’s will. I have such a long way to go, but I can look back and see
how God has already been working from the time I was preparing to
come on this trip to right now, and my plans for the future. I have
faith that God will bring me to the point where I am willing to sell
everything I have for the kingdom of God VERY SOON.
having this mindset, “For we brought nothing into the world, and we
can take nothing out of it,” 1 Timothy 6:7. But I don’t. What I
need to do, and what all of us, need to do is, “Set your minds on
things above, not on earthly things,” Colossions 3:2. But I’m not . It’s so hard,
and we can’t do it without God’s help. The only thing we can do is
pray for God to help us with this. And the good thing is, this is a
prayer that God wants to answer. It’s something that is parallel with
God’s will. I have such a long way to go, but I can look back and see
how God has already been working from the time I was preparing to
come on this trip to right now, and my plans for the future. I have
faith that God will bring me to the point where I am willing to sell
everything I have for the kingdom of God VERY SOON.
So I am not completely sure what the point was in even writing this
blog. I guess just to share what I have been thinking, and just to
get you who are reading this to think about those passages
differently. Please talk to God about the things I wrote here. And
please meditate on some of the passages or scriptures that I
referenced. It would mean so much to me, God would love it (I think), and I have faith that you
will get something out if it if you slow down to think about it!!!
blog. I guess just to share what I have been thinking, and just to
get you who are reading this to think about those passages
differently. Please talk to God about the things I wrote here. And
please meditate on some of the passages or scriptures that I
referenced. It would mean so much to me, God would love it (I think), and I have faith that you
will get something out if it if you slow down to think about it!!!
“Do you love Me enough to sell all your possessions for Me?
Do you love Me enough to sell your car for Me?
Do you love Me enough to sell your home for Me?
Do you love Me enough to quit your job for Me?
Do you love Me enough to sell your car for Me?
Do you love Me enough to sell your home for Me?
Do you love Me enough to quit your job for Me?
Do you love Me enough to spend your weekends bringing food
to homeless people downtown for Me?
Do you love Me enough to leave your homes, brothers, sisters,
mothers, and children to go to India and care for lepers for Me?
To go to Madagascar and rescue babies that were thrown out in
the city dump because they were unwanted and too sick?
To go to Mozambique and stand up against the government for
legalizing powdered milk to stop the cycle of Mother-to-Child AIDS?
To go to South Africa and stop the legalized prostitution brought on
by the 2010 World Cup?
To go to Swaziland and bring the love of Christ to the thousands of orphans?
To go to the Philippines and council women and children rescued from the sex-trade?
To go into closed countries, even though it might bring you harm,
to bring the love of God to people who have
never been exposed to our all-loving Creator?
To move to a sketch neighborhood and get a crappy job to
be a light in the darkness?
Would you do these things for Me?
I’ve done far more than this for you“
Cait, it looks like your mind is going a thousand miles an hour. Always thinking…always asking the “whys” and “what ifs”. These thoughts that are going through your head is simply understandable. You are difinately right, not many people are where they should be with God. If you only touch a couple of us back in America, I would say your hard work and dedication has been well worth it.
DAD
Cait, honey you have always been a DEEP person, always thinking. Your dad is right. I know you have made a difference in my thoughts and my friends feel the same. You touch us all. God Bless you sweety. You are one in a million!
Love
Aunt Gina
Good reminder Cait! Many times we need to be reminded to check ourselves and make sure we live in balance. At the heart of it all, are we living the calling God’s given us?
you’re right, your head is full of thoughts! But add this one to it (and maybe it will silence a few of the others): You are only one person, and all God asks of you is not to go to Mozambique or South Africa or the slums or the hurting or anything else. He’s simply asking you to pursue His glory in the world, and to discover day to day what opportunities He presents you with to do that.
That’s it. Just pursue the glory of His NAME.
Then, when big/scary/unthinkable/stretching/life-altering doors open for you, you’ll find with them a supernatural strength to walk through them. When your eyes are on what you’re gaining (His glory in the world) instead of what you’re losing (possessions, freedom, comforts…), you’ll find your heart LEAPING to do such things. FIND REST, busy mind, and know that you are loved and prayed for.
you’re right, your head is full of thoughts! But add this one to it (and maybe it will silence a few of the others): You are only one person, and all God asks of you is not to go to Mozambique or South Africa or the slums or the hurting or anything else. He’s simply asking you to pursue His glory in the world, and to discover day to day what opportunities He presents you with to do that.
That’s it. Just pursue the glory of His NAME.
Then, when big/scary/unthinkable/stretching/life-altering doors open for you, you’ll find with them a supernatural strength to walk through them. When your eyes are on what you’re gaining (His glory in the world) instead of what you’re losing (possessions, freedom, comforts…), you’ll find your heart LEAPING to do such things. FIND REST, busy mind, and know that you are loved and prayed for.
oops, I put your name instead of mine because I was writing to you. haha Sorry for multiple comments!
How easy it is to be selfish and not think of others. There’s a lot to think about in this blog. Thank you for this, and for all your blogs. ILY