Tag: our Sovereign God

Lukewarm Faith

The Risk of a Lukewarm Faith

Have you ever tasted something so awful that you just wanted to spit it out?

For me, it was the barium prep for my CT scan.

I remember it all too well.

spit it out

The nurse handed over the bottle of barium and instructed me to drink it within a certain length of time.

Thank the Lord my wonderful husband was there to keep me on track.

The taste of that wicked brew was absolutely vile – like metallicized milk.

If I think about it too long, I can still taste it. Yuck.

No kidding, it took everything in me not to throw it up right there in a lobby full of other patients.

When something is that bad, naturally we’re disgusted at how offensive it is to the senses.

Speaking of disgusting (and for a more familiar analogy), think of “room temperature” black coffee.

There it is sitting on your kitchen counter.

Without thinking you drink a big gulp – only to realize it had gotten cold and you needed to spit it out.

Barium or lukewarm coffee – no matter – the vile taste of those conjures up a “simplistic” picture of disgust.

Yes, I realize that.

But, at the very least and for me, it prompts a serious reflection of one of the warning verses in the book of Revelation.

The reprimand comes from our Savior Himself.

Lukewarm Faith – Jesus Speaks

lukewarm faith

If you turn all the way back to Revelation, you’ll see how Jesus responded to lukewarm faith.

In the passage, He is referring directly to the church at Laodicea.

After reading it though, do you see how a lukewarm faith is just as offensive to the Lord today?

Check this out.

15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth. – Revelation 3:15-16, (NASB.)1

Many people don’t like to face this, but you have to make a decision when it comes to faith and salvation.

There is only one way – thru Jesus Christ our Lord.

“Doing church” on Sundays and then bowing to the world the rest of the week is a recipe for peril when it comes to your eternity.

It’s obvious in the Bible that God doesn’t want lukewarm believers.

Let’s look at some dictionary definitions of “lukewarm”:

halfhearted

indifferent

wishy-washy

Is that how we respond to our Creator, our Sovereign God?

God’s only Son was sacrificed on the cross to save us from the sin-punishment that we all truly deserve.

How do we respond to that sacrifice and the saving grace of Christ’s resurrection from the cross?

Are we reflecting a “life transformed?”

Are we ready to stand up for our faith in a hostile world?

Which path do we choose?

Cold or hot, either way, a choice is made.

The deeds of the true believer will be “hot” or “cold”—that is, they will benefit the world in some way and reflect the spiritual passion of a life transformed. Lukewarm deeds, however—those done without joy, without love, and without the fire of the Spirit—do harm to the watching world. The lukewarm are those who claim to know God but live as though He doesn’t exist. They go to church and practice a form of religion, but their inner state is one of complacency. – gotquestions.org2

I believe this is something we should continually remind ourselves as we face the daily distractions that life (and the disturbing headlines) can bring.

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1 Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

2 Quotation from gotquestions.org, from “Why did Jesus speak so strongly against lukewarm faith? n.d., para. 5. Web. Accessed January 14, 2026. Retrieved from Jesus Lukewarm Faith

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It’s A New Day

Rise and Shine: It’s a New Day!

Every morning there’s this reassuring thought that comes to my mind: It’s a new day.

It’s a simple little phrase, but it’s based on a passage from the Bible.

21 I recall this to my mind,
Therefore I wait.
22 The Lord’s acts of mercy indeed do not end,
For His compassions do not fail.
23 They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness. – Lamentations 3: 21-23, (NASB).

As the first morning light filters through the window shades, I find it encouraging to think that, no matter what’s happened the day before, each new day offers hope and potential.

God is sovereign, and He is the Author of all of our tomorrows.

In fact, He’s already there.

Of course with the Bible, it’s important to read the entire chapter, but I wanted to point out why this particular passage in Lamentations struck a chord with me.

When you consider what the prophet Jeremiah had witnessed in the city of Jerusalem, you realize that his words in that passage are an incredible expression of faith.

Jerusalem and Judah had ignored all prophetic warnings, terribly sinned against God and, as a Righteous Judge, God allowed the Babylonians to destroy it.

What kinds of sins?

Idolatry was a big one.

Our Sovereign God shares His throne with no one.

People nowadays like to forget this, but there are consequences for sin and rebellion.

How would we feel if we saw our own cities destroyed right now?

Can you imagine?

It would mean that everywhere we looked, we would see destruction. What we knew yesterday as “home” has burned to the ground.

No wonder the prophet grieved.

It’s a New Day: Hope Renewed

Did you know that Lamentations is considered one of the saddest books in the Bible?

That being said, those verses above are filled with so much assurance.

God is great and He is faithful.

His compassions never fail.

Look at verse 21 again:

“I recall this to my mind,
Therefore I wait.”

That is an incredible example of faith.

What did Jeremiah do?

He waited and remembered God’s faithfulness and past blessings.

He knew that, in God’s timing, He will “wipe away every tear.”

We can rest in that promise too.

# # # 

1 Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

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God – The Great Designer

God, The Great Designer – From the Stars to the Sea

God The Great Designer

From the Hubble Space Telescope – Westerlund 2

Sometimes I look at the stars above and wonder in amazement at how big and beautiful the night sky is.

That’s a lot of stars up there!

Do you ever wonder how many stars there really are?

No one knows exactly, except our Sovereign God who created them.

14 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and they shall serve as signs and for seasons, and for days and years; 15 and they shall serve as lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so. – Genesis 1:14-15, (NASB).2

Here’s an interesting estimate that I saw recently:

Just in our Milky Way alone, astronomers estimate there are about 100 billion stars. (Imagine the Universe, 2015)3

100,000,000,000.

That’s eleven zero’s!

The Great Designer Knows You By Name

We are so blessed that our all-powerful, merciful, loving, and righteous God not only created us and every thing, but He loves us and knows each of us by name – just like the stars in the sky.

He counts the number of the stars;
He gives names to all of them. – Psalm 147:4, (NASB).4

From the stars to land and sea, we can appreciate God’s handiwork all around us.

The Great Designer knows you

Australian poet, Maurice Dyson, captures this reminder beautifully in his poem, “The Eternal Spring.”

Please enjoy.

The Eternal Spring

Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Tell Me, if you have understanding. When the morning stars sang together,
and all the sons of God shouted for joy? – Job 38:4,7.

Before God made His creatures,
Or earth received its form,
It rested with the Mighty One
To formulate the norm.
The universal features,
As much as we can see,
Are so designed to satisfy
A role in history.

The circular attractions,
Of matter large and small,
Are evident by telescope
Or in the science hall.
We marvel at the actions,
Which keep them in their paths,
And from their stable characters
We standardise our maths.

There is a great Designer
Controlling everything:
The many constellations
Or the sparrow on the wing;
The largest ocean liner
That ever put to sea,
Would never reach its port of call
If facts did not agree.

The law of gravitation
That holds us in our place;
The measureless dimensions
That we commonly call space;
All form a grand equation
That echoes and coheres;
Maintaining checks and balances
Throughout the passing years.

This wonderful creation
And marvellous expanse
Was brought into existence
By the Master’s strict commands;
We share the exultation
That angels once portrayed,
The day they sang that joyful song
When earth and sky were made.

Copyright © 2019 Maurice Dyson.5

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1 “Star Cluster Westerlund 2 and Starforming Nebula Gum 29” by HubbleColor {Zolt}. Public Domain Mark 1.0. Web. Accessed 13 March, 2023.

2 Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

3 From the The Milky Way Galaxy | Imagine The Universe! (2015). 100 billion stars reference.

4 Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

5 Dyson, Maurice. “The Eternal Spring” – Christian Poems About Creation, n.d. Web. Used with permission. Accessed March 6, 2023. Courtesy of freechristianillustrations.com.

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Perfect Peace

Perfect Peace Starts With You

Think back.

Do you remember a time in your life when you felt like you were in perfect peace?

For me, surprisingly, it was after our family accident. 

As a family, we had suffered a great loss – the tragic, accidental death of our nine-year-old niece Susanna.

It wasn’t until fifteen years later that my husband and I traveled back to Jackson Hole to get some closure.

One of our visits during that return trip was to head up to Rendezvous Mountain – an incredibly peaceful place right there at the top.

We spent quite a bit of time up there, but the highlight was praying on that mountain to God and thanking Him for letting us experience His grace during a time of great sadness. As long as we stayed focused on God and His promises, we felt that perfect peace the Bible verse talks about.

In Isaiah 26:3, the prophet (and great man of God) speaks to the strength and peace that our Sovereign God can provide if we keep our focus on Him.

Perfect Peace - Isaiah 26:3-4

Everlasting Strength and Perfect Peace Can Be Yours

As Christians, we know that God is good.

We can trust Him to work the circumstances in our lives for the good, even when we don’t understand His plan.

On the other hand, trusting in the things of this world is a losing proposition. 

Whatever we trust to the world for, it will be but for a moment: all we expect from it is confined within the limits of time. But what we trust in God for will last as long as we shall last. For in the Lord Jehovah-Jah, Jehovah, in Him who was, and is, and is to come, there is a rock of ages, a firm and lasting foundation for faith and hope to build upon; and the house built on that rock will stand in a storm. Those that trust in God shall not only find in Him, but receive from Him, everlasting strength, strength that will carry them to everlasting life, to that blessedness which is for ever; and therefore let them trust in Him for ever, and never cast away nor change their confidence. – Matthew Henry, Christian Minister and author.2

May you find comfort in this beautiful song, “Stayed on Him” from vocalist Terrian . . .

 

My sisters in Christ, You are His.

Don’t listen to the voice of fear, but trust God with all your heart and mind.

He is greater and stronger.

He is Jehovah-Nissi, our Banner

Through Him we have eternal victory and our salvation is secure.

# # #

1Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

2Matthew Henry quotation, “Complete Commentary on Isaiah 26” – “Henry’s Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible.”[1706.] Courtesy of Studylight.org., Isaiah 26:3-4, n.d. para. 6. Public Domain. Web. Accessed 11 January, 2023.

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Has God Changed His Mind?

Has God Changed His Mind About Sin?

Does anyone even talk about sin anymore?

It’s obvious we’ve become an “almost anything goes” nation, and sadly, much of what appears on television reflects what’s going on in our culture.

Is taking God’s name in vain now okay?

I wonder what God would say about that.

Wait, He already did.

7You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain. – Exodus 20:7, (NASB).1

That’s not just an Old Testament thing.

Discussing how to pray with His disciples, our Lord Jesus said in Matthew 6:9, “Our Father, who is in Heaven, Hallowed be Your name . . .”

“Hallowed” as in He is  “Holy.”

What about lying – to your family, your boss, the public – anywhere? 

How about cheating on your spouse?

Is there any respect for the truth anymore?

Or, is it all about “my truth” and “your truth.” That “PC” concept is so absurd and sad.

God hates sin, (no matter what the false-teaching, self-proclaimed “liberal Christians” say).

almost anything goes world

We’re all sinful in need of God’s grace and forgiveness.

What seems to be so prevalent now is a lack of repentance and remorse.

Has God Changed His Mind? Hardly

The ways of the world are decidedly evil.

If the powers-that-be have their way – there will be no “wrong,” except if you’re a Christian and you honor God.

In fact, many politicians want us to leave our Sovereign God out of everything.

Haven’t you heard?

How about this brazen congressman making the statement recently that God’s will is of no concern to Congress?

On and on this blatant disrespect towards our gracious and merciful Heavenly Father continues, with much of this arrogance shared across the nightly news.

Here’s a question: would the foolish people who so easily mock Christianity be so bold as to also attack non-christians worshipping a different god?

Didn’t think so.

The hypocrisy is obvious.

What happens to a nation where more and more of the populace are turning away from God?

You’re seeing it.

The resulting devastation is clear, as marriages and families disintegrate; the violent death of the unborn is funded with tax dollars; gross immorality is championed; and some of our major cities are filled with bloodshed while entire city blocks are burned down.” – AFA vice-president, Ed Vitagliano.2

No Middle Ground

If you’re a Christian, alarm bells should be going off in your heart.

This ship is sinking.

People have to decide whether they’re with God, or against Him.

There is no middle ground, and time is ticking.

There will come a point of no return for the wicked.

I remember when I first accepted Jesus Christ as Savior. Reading the Bible and learning about fulfilled prophecies and what’s to come in the future of the world, my first question was: Why did no one tell me about this before?”

Good grief, this is important.

Every single one of us has had a hand at piercing His Son on the cross, and yet our Father continues to have patience and mercy with us.

It’s beyond human comprehension.

No one else will ever love you as much as God does. As sinful and broken as you are, He did this for you. 

We need to pray, recognize our sinfulness and repent, and humble ourselves like never before.

The Most Important Decision Of Your Life

If you’re reading this and you’re not yet a Christian, I am praying for you. Please don’t wait to come to faith through Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is the only way to Heaven. You’re going to hear a lot of false teachers and some “religious leaders to come” who will deny that fact.

Turn them off as fast as you can.

Has God changed His mind about sin?

In a word: No.

has God changed His mind

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1 Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

2 Quotation from AFA Vice-President, Ed Vitagliano. Courtesy of AFA Journal magazine, “Revelation 13: Government That Serves Satan – When political power becomes a weapon against God and His people, it has turned demonic.” March 2021 issue, Page 14. Accessed March 2, 2020.

3 Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

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