Baby's Bath Water

~~~ Revelation 3:1-6, 14-22 ~~~ Psalm 15 ~~~ Luke 19:1-10 ~~~

Behold, I stand at the door and knock.

If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,

then I will enter his house and dine with him...

Sometimes when we have everything that we need...
that is the comforts of life,
there is a danger of forgetting about our spiritual life.

This is what has God upset with the people in Laodicea.
Everything is going great...they are a wealthy
 industrial and commerce city.
They have a renowned medical school.
They exported fine woolen clothing.
Their cosmetic eye cream made them popular.

They were so well off that they were able to rebuild their city
after a devastating earthquake without outside aid.

They had life all figured out except for their relationship with God.
They were too busy to give it much attention.
Maybe they thought that God would just be there no matter what.
Maybe they thought that because life was going so great there
 was no need to bring God into the scene.
Making room for God can complicate your life.
You cannot be lukewarm when it comes to having God in your life.
Lukewarm may be good for the baby's bath water.
but not when it comes to God.

He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.

Jesus called Zacchaeus down from the tree
and invited himself for dinner.

Jesus could have just showed up at the door and knocked.
He certainly did not send a messenger ahead
to give Zacchaeus a heads up.

Zacchaeus had no idea that Jesus could
have come knocking at his door.

Little did he know that God was knocking
 at the door of his heart.
God led him to be curious enough to come
 out to see Jesus for himself.

Zacchaeus opened his heart to Jesus
and Jesus wasted no time in dining with him.

This meeting led him to hear the truth within his heart.
He was so moved that he gave half of his possessions to the poor.

It is far worse to be lukewarm then to be hot or cold.
It is all or nothing when it comes to God.
If you cannot be completely committed to him
then it may be time to ask yourself why not.

What are you most committed to in your life?

God is totally one hundred percent committed to you...
he would never be lukewarm.

Allow the Blessings of the Lord
to change the temperature setting of your heart.
~~~ Peace~~~

Be Not Lukewarm

~~~ Revelation 3:1-6, 14-22 ~~~ Psalm 15 ~~~ Luke 19:1-10 ~~~

 

"...Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says..."

 

"...I wish you were either cold or hot.
So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold,
I will spit you out of my mouth."

 

Neither being cold or hot is the same as being apathetic or complacent.

God wants us to live our lives with passion.

We need to live a life convicted by our faith in God.

 

If we are neither cold or hot we just go thorough the motions of living.

Look at Paul, he was passionate about persecuting Christians but when God

entered into his life he flipped his passion to doing good.

 

Being lukewarm to God is not acceptable.

It is much more difficult to stand up for what you believe if you are tepid.

For a moment think about the temperature of water.

If the is either hot or cold it serves either to cook or to freeze something.

Extremes are noticed...given attention.

Lukewarm can be swayed either way depending on how the 'wind blows'.

 

 

'Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,
then I will enter his house and dine with him,
and he with me.'

 

Zacchaeus was not satisfied to just hear the words of Jesus.

He climbed a tree so he could also see the person of Jesus.

He took a chance. He was not acting as someone who was lukewarm.

 

By climbing up into the tree he was not in his normal place.

Birds are in the trees not people.

Jesus noticed Zacchaeus up in the tree because it was not

the usual place for a person.

 

 

 

Jesus not only noticed him high up in the tree he also told him...

 

"Zacchaeus, come down quickly,
for today I must stay at your house."

 

The very next knock on Zacchaeus' door would be

announcing the arrival of Jesus.

 

Jesus would be standing at the door;

 having already made contact with Zacchaeus.

Zacchaeus was ready to receive Jesus into his home.

He heard what the Spirit said that day.

 

Even though a tax collector and wealthy

 he was open to hearing what Jesus had to say.

Zacchaeus was willing to change.

Did he have any idea what seeing Jesus would do to his life?

Would he have invited Jesus to dine in his home on his own?

 

This is another example of Jesus making the first move.

Jesus reached out to the small man perched high in the tree.

 

...If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,
then I will enter his house and dine with him,
and he with me.'

 

Neither be cold or hot...

Listen to the Spirit...

If you do hear his voice open the door...

he wants to dine with you.