Danger for the Lukewarm Church

Dear Friends:

The LORD has put it on my heart to write this piece about the dire condition of the Lukewarm Church and the urgency of the hour.  Now the LORD led me miraculously to a young woman who created this video below.  HE gave me a huge confirmation of the legitimacy of the vision she received from the LORD about the Lukewarm Church which she produced in this YouTube video.  I believe HE wanted me to get this message about the Lukewarm Church combined with her video out to whoever will take time to read/view these messages and forward them on to others who urgently need to evaluate their current spiritual condition.

Visitation from Jesus/Vision of the Foolish Virgins Youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvsMz54oDQQ

Warning to the Largest Christian Church in the World: the Lukewarm Church (Revelation 7:9-14)

Warning to the Lukewarm church—the Lord is coming soon and the lukewarm are in trouble—here is the definition of lukewarm in the dictionary:

Main Entry: luke·warm

Pronunciation: \?lük-?wo?rm\

Function: adjective

Etymology: Middle English, from luke lukewarm + warm; probably akin to Old High German l?o lukewarm — more at lee

Date: 14th century

1 : moderately warm : tepid
2 : lacking conviction : halfhearted <gave them only lukewarm support>

Other words for lukewarm: cool; unenthusiastic; unexcited; indifferent; subdued; apathetic

In John’s vision, recorded in the book of Revelation, Christ instructs John to write a message to seven named churches in Asia Minor. The message to Laodicea is one of judgment with a call to repentance. The oracle contains a number of striking metaphors.

“I wish that you were cold or hot” (3:15–16)

“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth”

It is thought that the Laodiceans were being criticized for their neutrality or lack of zeal (hence “lukewarm”). Based on this understanding, the pejorative term Laodicean is used in the English language to refer to those neutral or indifferent in matters of faith.

However, some scholars have suggested that this metaphor has been drawn from the water supply of the city, which was lukewarm, in contrast to the hot springs at nearby Hierapolis and the pure water of Colossae (Barclay). The archaeology shows Laodicea had an aqueduct that probably carried water from hot mineral springs some five miles south, which would have become tepid before entering the city. Strabo states that the water was hard, though drinkable. The imagery of the Laodicean aqueduct suggests not that “hot” is good and “cold” is bad, but that both hot and cold water are useful, whereas lukewarm water is useless.

Characteristics of the Lukewarm Church today:

1. James 4:4: You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

The lukewarm church is not willing to surrender completely to Jesus, so that it still resembles the world so much it is hard to tell the church apart from the world.

2. 2 Timothy 4:8: Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

The lukewarm church is not teaching or preparing for the LORD’s return although ALL the signs have all come to pass.  The people seem to be oblivious to the times we are living in because they are too preoccupied with their own lives/interests and are sadly not longing for HIS appearing.

3. Matthew 28:18-20: Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

The lukewarm church lacks compassion for the great commission and does not see that it is their concern to reach out to the lost.  It’s always someone else’s job and not theirs.

4. Acts 19:4-7: Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all.

The lukewarm church grieves the HOLY SPIRIT by denying  or ignoring the existence of the HOLY SPIRIT baptism for the Christian and the power that is available to the believer through this baptism.  This is primarily for fear of the gifts of the spirit and the manifestation of the HOLY SPIRIT through the believer.  The believer therefore is forced to deal with sin by the power of the flesh and works.  Ultimately the lukewarm church arrogantly denies the power of the HOLY SPIRIT in their lives because they have a distaste for the manifestations of the HOLY SPIRIT (tongues; interpretations; prophecy; miraculous healings; signs—all Biblical) and would rather deal with the law/sin ineffectively through their own strength/works.

5. Matthew 7:21-23: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

The lukewarm church does not have an intimate relationship with the LORD and will be shocked when they come face-to-face with HIM and learn the truth.  Unless they alter their course, this will be the sad reality.

6. Isaiah 31:1: [ Woe to Those Who Rely on Egypt ] Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the LORD.

The lukewarm church worries about what men think and depend on themselves or others before turning to GOD for their answers.

There are at least 600 denominations of churches and so many different interpretations of the Bible.  Second Timothy 4:3-4 says: For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. ⁴They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. The only thought behind the WORD in the Bible that counts is GOD’s thought.  That is why the Christian needs to have an intimate relationship with the LORD because according to I Corinthians 2:12-13, the true meaning comes from the HOLY SPIRIT and not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches–Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual . To understand this further go to: www.takehisheart.com/holyspiritspiritualthings.htm

Jesus says to the lukewarm church: “I will vomit you out of my mouth!”—so the lukewarm church is not made up of the children of Christ. They can’t be the LORD’s children because HE spits them out (John 8:42-47).  If your relationship with Christ is lukewarm, then now is the time to tell Jesus you want to break from your tepid condition.  Here are some other resources to check out:

Is Your Oil Lamp Full?:

http://lovethewhirlwind.wordpress.com/2010/06/08/filling-your-oil-lamp/

Called out—Come out of her my people—Take His Heart Ministries:

http://www.takehisheart.com/calledoutcomeoutofhermypeople.htm

Visitation from Jesus/Vision of the Foolish Virgins YouTube video: