Indifference.
Indifference, where God is concerned, is the worst attitude to have….for it means that you absolutely do not care one way or the other.
Revelation 3:16 “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold or hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth.”
And why are they lukewarm?
Revelation 3:17 “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing;…
….and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:”
Have you ever tried to talk to someone who does not care? They do not even listen,….they are thinking and looking to something else.
Matthew Henry said, “If your religion is worth anything, it is worth everything.”
God calls us to:
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart…”(Matthew 22:37)
“Give Me thine heart,”….(Proverbs 23:26)
“…keep thy heart with all diligence…”. (Proverbs 4:23)
“…draw near with a true heart…” (Hebrews 10:22)
The heart in scripture, signifies our souls….our thoughts and reasons, our affections and emotions, and our wills.
These make up our personality.
And our personalities (souls) are able to have a personal relationship with God Almighty….through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Some people talk about having just enough religion to stay on God’s good side!
Really?
Who thinks that God will settle for hypocrisy?
Who thinks that God will be content with double mindedness or carelessness?
Revelation 3:19 “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore and repent.”
And this is to our hearts,……..we are to “be zealous”.
Zealous means to get boiling hot! To have an ardor for….a love that boils over for Christ Jesus….into all that we do!
Titus 2:13-14 “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;
Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”
Most of the time when we find our hearts becoming lukewarm or indifferent to the Lord…..it is because of some sin or iniquity in our hearts.
Iniquity is anything unequal to our high calling in Christ Jesus.
But Jesus came to “purify” us….for when we are cleansed from our iniquity, our hearts can rush forth in zeal toward our Lord, again.
And He purifies us with rebukes…..to correct our hearts with His Words….
….and then chastening…..to correct our ways with afflictions.
Psalms 94:12 “Blessed is the man whom Thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest him out of Thy law:”
God always speaks first….and then…..and only then….if we refuse to “hear”…..will He chasten.
Micah 6:8 “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”
As Christians, we should know and do these things….
Micah 6:9 “The Lord’s Voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see Thy Name:…”
He always speaks first.
Has He not been speaking to us through His Word, His preachers, even through His circumstances?
Let us hasten to His throne….confess our indifference….our lukewarmness….
…and repent and get zealous for the Lord.
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 