Lukewarm?

It's been a while since my last post, because I've just had so much going on, but I have TONS to share so hopefully I'll get back into the swing of things this week! I'm still reading Crazy Love and I just started going to a bible study on Sunday nights called Flame where we are going through Colossians and learning how to be small group leaders. So I've got a bunch of different things on my mind, but I will try my hardest to condense them into one main thought...or maybe a couple of main thoughts. :)



First of all, Crazy Love! The last chapter I read was about being a lukewarm Christian. In otherwards, saying you are a Christian, but not really living like you are one. And by that, I don't mean, that you say you're a Christian but you smart off to your parents or gossip about someone. I mean, you call yourself a Christian and maybe you are a "good person" and you even go to Bible studies and do the "extra" stuff, but do your really live passionately for Christ? Do you have this fire burning inside of you? This deep desire to share the wonderful love displayed on the cross with everyone you see! Do you live with the constant understanding of how we absolutely do NOT deserve the precious grace that our Savior has lavished upon us? Do you have a heart that is deeply burdened for the lost and for those who don't know this great love? That's what I mean, by not being a lukewarm Christian! We should be utterly amazed and in awe of our Savior and His love for us and equally discusted with the filth of this earth that we live in!

My heart has been so heavily burdened these past few weeks! I have been going from one thing to the next and loving my life, but at the same time I always go to bed feeling unfullfilled. I lay down and think, "I did everything I was supposed to do today and I even had time to hang out with friends and have fun, but I don't feel satisfied." And God finally hit me on the head and said, "Hello Katie! I'm right here!! You're trying so hard to be everywhere and do everything and never 'miss out' on anything that you're missing the whole point of life! It's me!!!" I know this sounds simple and it's something I've heard my whole life! But hearing it and believing it are two completely different things!! And I've just been hearing it.

In the book, Francis Chan gives a "Profile of the Lukewarm". I was SO convicted by it!! So I've decided to share it! :) Maybe not all of these things characterize you, but I know for sure that many of them characterize me. Here they are:

LUKEWARM PEOPLE...

1. Attend church fairly regularly. It is what is expected of them, what they believe "good Christians" do, so they go.

2. Give money to charity and to the church...as long as it doesn't impinge on their standard of living.

3. Tend to choose what is popular over what is right when they are in conflict. They desire to fit in both at church and outside of church; they care more about what people thing of their actions ( like church attendance and giving) than what God thinks of their hearts and lives.

4. Don't really want to be saved from their sin; they want only to be saved from the penalty of their sin. They don't genuinely hate sin and aren't truly sorry for it; they are merely sorry because God is going to punish them.

5. Are moved by stories about people who do radical things for Christ, yet they do not act. They assume such action is for "extreme" Christians, not average ones. Lukewarm people call "radical" what Jesus expected of all His followers.

6. Rarely share their faith with their neighbors, coworkers, or friends. They do not want to be rejected, nor do they want to make people uncomfortable by talking about private issues like religion.

7. Gauge their morality or "goodness" by comparing themselves to the secular world. They feel satisfied that while they aren't as hard-core for Jesus as so-and-so, they are nowhere as horrible as they guy down the street.

8. Say they love Jesus, and He is, indeed, a part of their lives. But only a part. They give Him a section of their time, their money, and their thoughts, but He isn't allowed to control their lives.

9. Love God, but they do not love Him with all their heart, soul, and strength. They would be quick to assure you that they try to love God that much, but that sort of total devotion isn't really possible for the average person; it's only for pastors and missionaries and radicals.

10. Love others but do not seek to love others as much as they love themselves. Their love of others is typically focused on those who love them in return, like family, friends, and other people they know and connect with.

11. Will serve God and others, but there are limits to how far they will go or how much time, money, and energy they are willing to give.

12. Think about life on earth much more often than eternity in heaven. Daily life is mostly focused on today's to-do list, this week's schedule, and next month's vacation. Rarely, if ever, do they intently consider the life to come.

13. Are thankful for their luxuries and comforts, and rarely consider trying to give as much as possible to the poor.

14. Do whatever is necessary to keep themselves from feeling too guilty. They want to do the bare minimum, to be "good enough" without it requiring too much of them.

15. Are continually concerned with playing it safe; they are slaves to the god of control. This focus on safe living keeps them from sacrificing and risking for God.

16. Feel secure because they attend church, made a profession of faith at age twelve, were baptized, come from a Christian family, vote Republican, or live in America. Just as the prophets in the Old Testament warned Israel that they were not safe just because they lived in the land of Israel, so we are not safe just because we wear the label Christian or because some people persist in calling us a "Christian nation".

17. Do not live by faith; their lives are structured so they never have to.

18. Probably drink and swear less than average, but besides that, they really aren't very different from your typical unbeliever. They equate their partially sanitized lives with holiness, but they couldn't be more wrong.



I know, I know...it's a lot to take in right?! I was slightly overwhelmed when I read all of that (and there's way more detail in the book so you should read it!), but at the same time it was much needed in my life! I hope that it was as rude of an awakening for you as it was for me!! But now...I must go to class! So I shall post more later. So much more that I want to share, but not enough time! Plus, I'm thinking it's better to do it piece by piece...kinda have to peel back everything that's crammed in my brain one layer at a time. haha. Have a wonderful afternoon and don't forget to ask yourself--Are you lukewarm?