For those of you who don’t know…I have always been an avid reader. Ever since I learned how to read, I read everything I put my hands on. Magazines, newspapers, even my grandmother’s Avon books. Cover to cover. I learned a lot about what makeup can do lol. I remember I loved Aesop’s fables. You know those childhood stories that always had a moral story at the end. The most famous Aesop fable is about the tortoise and the hare. And the moral was slow and steady wins the race. Which is a moral that we all have learned throughout our lives.
I heard this story earlier this week: made me think of Aesop’s Fables.
A chicken and a pig are at a farm. And they want to do something for their farmer. He
“Takes real good care of them. The pig said he couldn’t think of anything.
The chicken suggests, “Hey, Pig, let’s cook breakfast for him.
The pig says, “His fav is french toast but I don’t know how to fix that.
The chicken replies, “How about we cook ham and eggs’?”
The pig thinks for a moment and says, “No thanks. You’d be involved, but I’d be committed.”
That story had me thinking. This is an example of a lukewarm Christian. Where the lukewarm saints at? The pig knew he would have to pay with his life to give the farmer ham. Now the chicken all she had to do was lay some eggs and be on her way. Even though showing thanks and gratitude toward the farmer is a good idea. The chicken figured how she will conveniently show her appreciation by not putting in much effort. Laying eggs is something she can do every day. And she can do it again the next day. She can do it in her sleep.
Now the pig. He will have to hand his life over to the farmer to get on his plate. That takes trust, loyalty, sacrifice, and commitment. Does this story kinda sound like something else to you? Sound like a life lesson about you and your commitment to God? Well, you are correct if you said yes. Are you lukewarm like the chicken? Are you committing to God when it’s convenient to you.
A “convenient commitment to God” involves a superficial engagement with faith. It prioritizes ease and personal comfort over genuine devotion. It lacks consistent action. Avoiding challenges and having shallow faith.
Just imagine if Jesus was not committed to saving us. What if He just gave the bare minimum to God? In Luke 5:17 to 26 Jesus healed a paralyzed man.What if he healed his legs but not his arms? He was just too tired that day to heal his arms. He just did a little bit so he can then go eat some fish and take a nap. Too much effort in all of that.
In Mark 4 35-41 Jesus calmed a storm in a boat. What if he stopped the wind but not the rain, thunder, and lightning. He had half-hearted faith. His heart was just not into following God’s lead. Would you say He sounds like a lukewarm Christian? Not deeply committed?
The dictionary defines lukewarm as “moderately warm or tepid; lacking conviction or half-hearted.” The synonyms for the word are indifferent, unconcerned, uninterested, not enthused. If these words can describe our trust, faith, and commitment to the Most High. We have a problem!
Revelation 3:15-16 (NIV): “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.”
In Revelation 3:15-16, Jesus speaks to the church in Laodicea, saying, “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.” This stark warning challenges us to examine our spiritual temperature.
The imagery of being “spit out” conveys strong disapproval. It signifies that God finds this state of the heart deeply offensive.
It is important to understand that the city of Laodicea had a water problem. The water that came into the city, was neither hot, nor cold, but lukewarm, and therefore, disgusting to drink. This is the imagery that Jesus used.
What’s a lukewarm Christian really like?
- Spiritual Complacency:
- A lack of genuine passion or enthusiasm for their faith.
- A tendency to be comfortable with a minimal level of spiritual engagement.
- Worldly Focus:
- Prioritizing material possessions, comfort, and worldly success over spiritual growth.
- A greater concern for earthly matters than eternal ones.
- Superficial Faith:
- Attending church and participating in religious activities out of habit or obligation, rather than genuine devotion.
- A profession of faith that is not reflected in their daily lives.
- Lack of Commitment:
- Hesitation to fully surrender their lives to God.
- Setting limits on how far they are willing to go in serving God and others.
- Self-sufficiency:
- Relying on their own resources and abilities rather than trusting in God.
- A sense of self-satisfaction and a belief that they have no need for deeper spiritual growth.
- Inconsistent Behavior:
- A disconnect between their professed beliefs and their actions.
- A tendency to blend in with the world rather than standing out as a follower of Christ.
- Minimal Spiritual Investment:
- They give what is left over, not their first and best, to the things of God.
- They rarely if ever share their faith with other people.
It’s important to note that I’m not being judgmental, but rather about recognizing potential areas of spiritual stagnation. The goal is to encourage self-reflection and a renewed commitment to a vibrant and active faith.
You are showing God you are tepid. You are a little warm. But when the warm water comes out of the faucet, its cold before the tub even gets full.
When you do the bare minimum for God, you get a bare minimum life. Yeah, you will get some favor every so often, but what if you could get favor every single day? What if Holy Father lights your entire path for you to follow. The light is bright so you can see. Not dim because you keep veering off the path.
Being lukewarm leads to spiritual blindness. You rely on your own truth. Your own comfort. Your own refuge. It’s an inability to perceive or understand spiritual truths, often associated with a lack of faith or a hardened heart that prevents one from seeing the truth of God or Jesus Christ. You put faith in your own works instead of with God.
After being tepid for awhile, you get cold.
You start to rebel. You put your own agenda in front of God. You have left the path that he was trying to keep you on. You have stumbled onto another path that is not well lit. Your feet hurt from walking on rocks and broken concrete. It gets easy to justify sin. You measure sin against sin. One is better than the other.
Sure you say you are religious. But there is a difference between religious and relationship. That coldness makes you apart from Him. Not only do you know it, but you can feel it. You will start to feel the need for God. You are too far away from the most High to feel His presence.
You only called Him out of your convenience. Which has now led to a cold bath, no bubbles.
Lukewarmness is dangerous because it breeds complacency. You are satisfied with the way things are and you don’t care to make them better. You accept what the world gives you. You do not seek God to intervene in any way. In 2 Timothy 3:5, Paul warns us about those who have “a form of godliness but deny its power.” When we become lukewarm, we risk losing our effectiveness as witnesses for Christ. Our light dims, and we become ineffective in sharing the Gospel. Jesus calls us to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16), but lukewarm Christians often blend into the background, failing to impact the world around them.
The Call To Be Hot For God
God desires us to be passionate and zealous in our faith. In Romans 12:11, Paul encourages us to “never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” This zeal is the need for continuous enthusiasm and passion in serving God.
..but keep your spiritual fervor…”: This calls for a burning inner spirit, a consistent and active devotion. Makes me think of one of my favorite scriptures Psalm 37:4 states, “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart Finding joy and pleasure in God leads to God fulfilling your heart’s true desires. To me finding joy and pleasure is learning his Word. Spending time with Him. Having a Bible journal. Whatever you do that is consistent and active. That is spiritual fervor. It’s like your thirsty and the only thing that will quench your thirst is that Word.
“…serving the Lord.”: This clarifies the focus of this zeal: it’s directed towards serving God
To move from lukewarm to hot for God, we must cultivate a deeper relationship with Him through prayer, worship, and studying His Word. James 4:8 reminds us, “Come near to God and he will come near to you.” As we draw closer to Him, our hearts will ignite with passion for His purposes.
Here are a few simple ways you can start to have a consistent, more profound relationship with our Holy Father.
- Daily Prayer and Bible Study: Making time for regular spiritual practices.
- Active Service: Volunteering time and talents to help others.
- Consistent Worship: Attending church or religious services regularly and participating in fellowship.
- Living a Life of Integrity: Acting in a way that reflects one’s faith in all areas of life.
Let us not be content with being lukewarm Christians. Jesus desires our hearts fully devoted to Him. We must recognize the signs of lukewarmness in our lives and take intentional steps to rekindle our passion for God. Let us strive to be hot for Him—fully engaged in our faith and actively living out His calling.
Janice
God Inspired Her 
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