I'm sitting here, thinking as to how I fulfill these upcoming verses; no, they're not strictly about me nor anyone else, but can and could be applied to many within these upcoming verses. I was looking over some of my past articles and it dawned on me: I'm writing a bit less now than when I came out of my gall bladder surgery. At that time in my life I felt hot for God; on fire would be the best way. Over time, I cooled off, got cold. But it seems that lately, I've just been...eh...lukewarm.
Let's backtrack a moment before I get to these set of verses I'm going to comment on. Let's put the focus where Paul encourages Timothy to remain in the faith, to keep his faith hot for the Lord. Paul says to the young man, "I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience...I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you...For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound min" (2 Timothy 1:3-7, New King James).
Yes, we are called to have this great and determined faith, and we are to remain in the Lord, desiring to do good, to do the right things. Life creeps up on us, some things get pushed out, while we let other things in. And through this, by doing so, we inadvertently end up finding ourselves no longer on fire for the things of God. We find we're not cold anymore either. We're just...eh...a bit stale. I could say it differently as there are times we all end up feeling, proverbially, "stuck in a rut."
Here's the set of verses this focuses on: "To the angel of the church of the Laodiceans...I know your works...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...I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments...that your shame of your nakedness may not be revealed...As many as I love I rebuke and chasten. Therefore, be zealous and repent....To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on my throne" (Revelation 3:14-21).
It makes sense to me be allow Him, Jesus Christ, to fan the flames of our desire for Him. Has He not purchased from sin, death and wrath to experience life everlasting and His righteousness on our lives for His glory's sake? Did He not expend of Himself so that we inherit the ability to offer ourselves so that others may be blessed and encouraged to find Him and to grow in maturity in and through the Messiah Jesus, Lord and Savior?
I have to love these words of both Paul and Jesus, for they are the actual words of Jesus to us, in love so that we may keep on pursuing Him and His ideals for us, to be shown outwardly to a dying and decaying world so deeply entrenched in sin and death. The whole point is "Stir up the gift of God that is in you." That gift is His Spirit, which is what He gives to all of us when we first come to salvation.
I mainly write this, not only because I feel convicted within myself, feeling the deep stirring of Him in my heart, but also for those who feel that same way. "Why do I feel stuck?" That's the basic essence of what this is all about. So, don't think for an instant I'm charging anyone harshly. Rather, I want to call out in love, we ought to be passionate about the things God is passionate about. Christ came to give sight to the blind, to help the lame be able to walk, to help the weak and impoverished. Regardless what time it is in our history as a people, God's desire is for His glory to be seen even at His return for His elect! Should we not give that glory and honor to Him? We should be wise stewards of the talents He's given us, not like the one steward who hid away his talent (see Matthew 25:14-30).
As this month closes, I look forward to a new month, not only in writing and ministering to all, but I'm still learning web development as well. That would be a first, right? A man of God who designs and develops web sites and apps? But mostly, I want to be excited about the things I know God desires of me, first and foremost. If He allows me to do more with this much, how much more should I be responsible toward the things I know He requires of me? My hope and prayer is that we all get out of "feeling stuck" and doing those things that honor and glorify Him through Jesus our Messiah! Amen?
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