Me: How is the water?
Prodigal: It is lukewarm.
Me: That might be good for swimming but the Lord does not like that.
This is from the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan
LUKEWARM PEOPLE attend church fairly regularly. It is what is expected of them, what they believe “good Christians” do, so they go.
“The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men” (Isa. 29:13)
LUKEWARM PEOPLE 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. After all, God loves a cheerful giver, right?
“King David replied to Araunah, ‘No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing” (1 Chron. 21:24).
“As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. ‘ I tell you the truth, ‘ he said, ‘this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on” (Luke 21:1-4)
LUKEWARM PEOPLE tend to choose what is popular over what is right when they are in conflict. They desire to fit in both at church and outside of church; they care more about what people think of their actions (like church attendance and giving) than what God thinks of their hearts and lives.
“Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets” (Luke 6:26)
“I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead” (Rev. 3:1)
“Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them “Rabbi” (Matt. 23:5-7)
For, brethren, you have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
Galatians 5:13
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodigalpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org
