What Spiritual Temperature Are You?

I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Revelation 3:15-16

In my house, temperature can be a “hot” topic. In the winter, the thermostat can never be too hot for me, but my husband loves to sleep in the cold. I like foods taken straight out of the fridge but he likes them steaming hot out of the oven. One extreme or the other tends to dominate in several areas in our home, but how extreme am I when it comes to the things of the Lord? What is my spiritual temperature? How many areas of my life am I content with just being lukewarm, especially when it comes to living for Jesus?

We as Christians are often afraid to live at the extremes. We are uncomfortable standing out and speaking out too much. We rationalize our positions by saying that we do not want to offend anyone or come across as too zealous in our faith. We even justify sinful behaviors by telling ourselves that if we blend in with the crowd, then we can be a more effective witness. Where did these ideas really come from? Are they from the Lord? Not according to Revelation 3:16. Jesus says He will “vomit” us out of His mouth if we are lukewarm. He wants us to pick a position; we are either cold or hot, for Him or against Him. We either take up our cross and follow Him with our whole hearts or we follow our own desires. To live in the gray areas is unacceptable, regardless of our human rationalizations.

Where are you today? Do you have a lukewarm relationship with Jesus? I fear greatly for many people who sit in church every Sunday proclaiming to know Jesus but having no evidence of Him in their lives. Many of us look righteous on the outside but are numb on the inside. Our churches are filled with complacent Christians who are quite content to live in the gray areas, not wanting to get too uncomfortable. Will Jesus say “well done good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23)? Or will He say “I never knew you; depart from Me” (Matthew 7:23)?  Ask the Lord to light a fire in your heart today that will set a blaze in any area of your life that has become lukewarm and complacent. Life here on earth is but for a moment, but eternity is forever. 

~Daily Disciples Devotional~