Devotional
Temperature Check
By Dianne Priest
Our God is a God of strong emotions, and we learn this through the many biblical accounts in both the Old Testament and in the life of Jesus recounted to us in the Gospels. Yet in Revelation 3:15-17 there is an emotion expressed, a very strong emotion that warrants some exploration.
Rev 3: 15-16 TPT I know all that you do, and I know that you are neither frozen in apathy nor fervent with passion. How I wish you were either one or the other! But because you are neither cold nor hot, but lukewarm, I am about to spit you from my mouth.
It’s the emotion of disgust, so strongly felt that He wants to vomit. God expresses a total repugnance and revulsion to the attitude and actions of the church of Laodicea who had become self-satisfied, self-absorbed, and very comfortable in their self-sufficiency. They had, over time, lost their awareness of their need of God. They had lost perspective, humility, and understanding of their true condition, always in need of God’s abundant supply of grace and mercy. Despite their wealth they are instead, “miserable, poor, blind, barren, and naked, (Rev 3:17) according to the Lord.
Yet in verse 19 of the same chapter, we see another strong emotion. All is not lost.
“All those I dearly love I unmask and train. So repent and be eager to pursue what is right.”
And the rest of the chapter continues with an invitation to repent and return to the Lord, open the door to Him and allow Him in to feast with us. No vomiting here. Instead, He delights in being with us. Even more, He invites us to sit with Him on His throne as ones who have conquered and overcome the foolishness of thinking we can ever live the Kingdom life in our own strength, on our own merit, and purely to serve ourselves.
Let’s do a personal temperature check. Let’s pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help us notice when we gradually lose our desire for the things of God. Let’s be aware of our need of His presence, our need to pray, read His Word, fellowship with each other, and give of our time, talents and wealth as an act of humble service to a God of grace and mercy.
Today, He is knocking at the door. Let us open the door to the Lord, repent and invite Him in to feast with us as we see His Kingdom come.
Romans 12: 11-12 TPT
Be enthusiastic to serve the Lord, keeping your passion toward him boiling hot! Radiate with the glow of the Holy Sprit and let him fill you with excitement as you serve him. Let this hope burst forth within you, releasing a continual joy. Don’t give up in a time of trouble, but commune with God at all times.
Our God is a God of strong emotions, and we learn this through the many biblical accounts in both the Old Testament and in the life of Jesus recounted to us in the Gospels. Yet in Revelation 3:15-17 there is an emotion expressed, a very strong emotion that warrants some exploration.
Rev 3: 15-16 TPT I know all that you do, and I know that you are neither frozen in apathy nor fervent with passion. How I wish you were either one or the other! But because you are neither cold nor hot, but lukewarm, I am about to spit you from my mouth.
It’s the emotion of disgust, so strongly felt that He wants to vomit. God expresses a total repugnance and revulsion to the attitude and actions of the church of Laodicea who had become self-satisfied, self-absorbed, and very comfortable in their self-sufficiency. They had, over time, lost their awareness of their need of God. They had lost perspective, humility, and understanding of their true condition, always in need of God’s abundant supply of grace and mercy. Despite their wealth they are instead, “miserable, poor, blind, barren, and naked, (Rev 3:17) according to the Lord.
Yet in verse 19 of the same chapter, we see another strong emotion. All is not lost.
“All those I dearly love I unmask and train. So repent and be eager to pursue what is right.”
And the rest of the chapter continues with an invitation to repent and return to the Lord, open the door to Him and allow Him in to feast with us. No vomiting here. Instead, He delights in being with us. Even more, He invites us to sit with Him on His throne as ones who have conquered and overcome the foolishness of thinking we can ever live the Kingdom life in our own strength, on our own merit, and purely to serve ourselves.
Let’s do a personal temperature check. Let’s pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help us notice when we gradually lose our desire for the things of God. Let’s be aware of our need of His presence, our need to pray, read His Word, fellowship with each other, and give of our time, talents and wealth as an act of humble service to a God of grace and mercy.
Today, He is knocking at the door. Let us open the door to the Lord, repent and invite Him in to feast with us as we see His Kingdom come.
Romans 12: 11-12 TPT
Be enthusiastic to serve the Lord, keeping your passion toward him boiling hot! Radiate with the glow of the Holy Sprit and let him fill you with excitement as you serve him. Let this hope burst forth within you, releasing a continual joy. Don’t give up in a time of trouble, but commune with God at all times.