A NAUSEATED JESUS
What is nauseating to the Savior with a white-hot love for souls? Souls whose love is not white-hot for Him!
Revelation 3:15 “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.
The church in the Western world is most compared to the Laodicean church. The Scripture above is Jesus’ stinging words to them. They were found guilty of being lukewarm. They were somewhere in between a fiery love for Jesus and an apathetic attitude toward Him! Is there anyone more difficult to reach than one who has just enough religion to imagine that they have enough! There is nothing more deceiving than trying to play the middle! (It is interesting to note that the water springs in Laodicea were lukewarm.)
The thief on the cross was cold towards Jesus and clearly saw his need. John was hot towards Jesus and enjoyed a relationship of love; but Judas was lukewarm, following Jesus enough to be considered a disciple, yet not giving his heart over to Jesus in fullness. ~ David Guzik
Mat 24:11 "Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many (most) will grow cold.
Lawless or iniquity will cause a cooling off or a quenching of love for Christ from literally the majority of those who have been hot with love for Christ! It is because we live in world that is cold toward Jesus, and that can easily impact the temperature of our love for the Lord!
‘Because iniquity shall abound,’ — that is worse than pestilence; ‘the love of many shall wax cold,’ — that is worse than persecution. As all the water outside a vessel can do it no hurt until it enters the vessel itself, so outward persecutions cannot really injure the Church of God, but when the mischief oozes into the Church, and the love of God’s people waxes cold,. (Spurgeon)
What is the answer? I believe the practice of the verse below will help us to keep the fire of love for Christ burning in our hearts!
Psa 39:3 My heart was hot within me; While I was musing, the fire burned. [Then] I spoke with my tongue:
What we need so much in this world abounding in lawlessness, is hot hearts! While I was musing or meditating, the fire burned! While the psalmist was thinking about the Lord, His word, His goodness, His faithfulness, His interventions, His sacrifice, His promises, His unfailing love and mercies, you could go on and on!… THE FIRE BURNED! If you make this your daily practice, your heart will burn with love for Jesus and you will be in the ranks of the few whose love does not grow cold in this lawless world! HALLELUJAH!
Every blessing!
Tom