Cure For The Yoyo (aka Lukewarm) Church/Christian

Dear Saints:

Last week, Jesus gave us the diagnosis of the yoyo, lukewarm Christian. Again, the yoyo lukewarm Christian is a spineless Christian. He or she is neither hot or cold but lukewarm. Jesus has a solution: "Therefore be zealous and repent". Be hot or cold but not lukewarm. Good news! Oh Yes; He will get us there through life’s refining circumstances. I am a living specimen like many others throughout Christian history of God's work of grace. Please read on.

Let’s read again from Revelation 2 (please read the entire chapters 2 and 3):

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

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— 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. ¹⁹ As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.

Therefore be zealous and repent. 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. ²¹ To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

²² “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 3:14-22.

For the lukewarm Christian, Jesus has been locked out of the house/heart. Christ is now pleading as follows: “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.

Can you see the restoring heart of God who doesn’t want us to perish? This scripture is for the lukewarm Christian not for the unbelieving. Jesus is now pleading, “Please let me in”. Guess what? Jesus will not stay outside forever. Listen, ”I will vomit you out of My mouth”. This is serious. The mere thought of it is nauseating.

Jesus offers real solution. It starts with recognizing our self-deception. At a point in my life, I may not have said it openly but in my subconscious, I had this feeling and the words of Jesus describes it: “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’.

Have you felt that way? Feeling very comfortable – good job, food on table, roof over your head and etc.? There is nothing wrong in enjoying God’s provisions. We can easily get to the point of trusting our abilities and capabilities. Jesus would say, ”And [you] do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 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. ¹⁹ As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.”

Notice the first thing Jesus offers, “gold refined in fire”. For me, I know that my stroke of 5 years ago was my "gold" and refining fire. The fire of the Holy Spirit has refined and continues to refine me. My stroke has made me "rich" in Christ and it was a wake-up call that caused me to write my book, “From Incestuous Christianity to Making Disciples: Unleash The Power of the Gospel by Evangelizing At least One Sunday A Month”. My motto now is live for Jesus today. No wishy-washy and like Nike, "Just Do It" now for God's glory. You and I may not be here tomorrow.

I can categorically say that my life has never been the same since I got a second chance to live and serve God after my stroke. There are countless wake-up calls in the lives of believers in Christ all over the world and along the centuries. Yours may not be as dramatic as mine but if you are in the state of self-sufficiency and "lukewarm” as Jesus described, neither hot or cold, you will surely have an awakening. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten”. Jesus loves you too much and will not leave you the way you are now.

I believe it is strategic and very important that the Laodicean Church is the seventh and last Church spoken to by Jesus. I believe Jesus wants to get His church ready for His coming. The rest of the book of Revelation starting from chapter 4 to the end, Jesus reveals  “what is to come”. ”Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this” Revelation 1:19. We will start studying chapter 4 next week.  

Are you ready for what is to come? Jesus is coming soon for us. Lord, please remove every state of “lukewarm” in our lives. Lord, I thank you for your wake up calls throughout our lives. Lord, please enable us by your Holy Spirit to be on fire for you. Help me to live the rest of my life hot and with “zeal” for your glory. Amen.

What is the Holy Spirit saying to you? Just Do It Now! 

"Therefore be zealous and repent".