Thoughts

Revelation 3:14-18

14 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: 

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold-I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

NIV

Interesting reading today in my devotions.  "I know your deeds, that you are either hot nor cold.  I wish you were either one or the other!"  This represents much of the church today, primarily in Europe and North America.  It's unfortunate.  We are in the Laodicean Church age.  An age where there is a resemblance of power and a moving of the Spirit, but there is none or very little as a whole.  The church following tradition, but not the first commandment. 

Matthew 22:37-38

37 Jesus replied, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 

TLB

Service or "works" is good, helping your fellow man.  The church has been growing by assisting in "causes", but has forgotten about really loving God.  Many churches put out a great product, great music, great children's and youth programs, a great place to hang out, but they don't seem to take that next and greater step.  Spiritual growth.  Holiness.  Numbers are seen as the sign of of a growing church, but spiritual growth of a believer should be a sign also.  But I really think many churches don't know how anymore.  Doing something for the sake of doing something that is just "right" accomplishes nothing.  Doing something because you were compelled by the moving of the Holy Spirit is something totally different.  Yes some individuals are moved differently and you don't have to have some holy aura about you to do something for God, but when someone is totally enveloped into Christ when service is done because of the love for the Savior and Father, it takes on a whole meaning.  That is what the church lacks. We need to have that relationship with our Lord which only comes from deep prayer and the study and meditation of the Word in whatever form, to where "works" that bear fruit, walking in the second commandment to "love your neighbor" is Spirit driven and has more impact and the un-churched see love in a pure form.

Now that I think about it, that's the issue, no love.  Since we are not passionate for God, which should be our first love, we don't know how to love.  Since we do not know how to love, we don't know how to walk.  We then walk in between darkness and light.  We in our flesh feel safe there.  We don't go to close to the light, because we don't know what is "there".  We've heard what was "there", but we have not experienced "there".   So we have a fear of "there".  We don't have love so we have fear.  

1 John 4:18

18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 

NIV

We don't go close to the darkness because we know its bad.  We have been taught that way through tradition. It is not that we fear it.    So we are not hot nor cold.  So what do we do?

It states in 1John 4:18, "perfect love".  What is perfect love, and how do we get perfect love?  Matthew 22:37. "Love the Lord your God".    That is where you find perfect love.  That is what will pull us from center to the Light.  That is what causes us to look at darkness totally different.  Now I am just rambling at that is what blogs are for, but I believe there is some truth in this.  How will the church get things right?  How does the church find its direction?  One way.  Love your God!