God has been putting the truth of lukewarm believers on my heart of late. It is a sad fact that most ‘Christians’ today are actually going to hell:
The Narrow Way
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” ~Matthew 7:13-14
Last night God gave me a revelation of Himself which I will relate as briefly as I can. Recently I have been swindled out of a lot of money because of a failed business venture of 6 years. It is a relief it is over, but it was also very difficult as a single, poor mother to lose so much money (which could have helped me to buy a small house to live in with my children). I have no savings and no hope to get any at this time. These older Christians who legally swindled me have lucrative resources, a house on the lake, and a large savings account.
As the settlement was being made in the lawyer’s office, God gave me scripture to literally read in front of all those present: my colleagues, the lawyer, and the old rich Christian couple. I read about how this past year they should not have been charging us interest because God does not want his people to charge each other interest. It is a sin. I also gently suggested that perhaps when this business was finally sold, they could reimburse us some of our lost money. Everyone present either said nothing when I read the verses relating to this, or scoffed at me. The old woman scoffed at me and even turned argumentative. Even though I remained quiet after reading my verses and was pretty unemotional throughout the meeting, and I remained pleasant, she kept returning to the subject defensively, trying to pick a fight with me the whole time while wearing a fake smile.
Once papers were signed and we were swindled out of our investment by these rich people, I had peace. I had peace because I know my God will take care of me always, and I had peace because I know it is the Lord’s role to exact judgment and apply justice, and it is my role to trust Him fully, and to move on. I did not know how he would punish these folks, when He would, or if they were even Christians.
Well, it has been a mere two weeks, and I received a text late last night from the old lady saying:
“We have had such a tumult of days, worst case was how sick my youngest daughter became over the Holidays then ended up hospitalized this morning. She has a bad case of pneumonia.”
When I received that text after I was already asleep, my soul rejoiced knowing that my God not only was avenging me, but because justice was served in this case. I further contemplated that God uses our children to punish us at times, just as He killed Pharaoh’s son when he would not free the Hebrews from the land of Egypt. I remembered back to my atheistic years when my fourth son was deathly ill and needed hospitalization. I see now God was punishing me for some unknown sin(s). I was joyous when my son recovered, and I remember the grace God had for this unbeliever in that time.
So when I received this news of her daughter I fell to my knees in fear of my God. Because if that is not fearsome, what is? I then prayed for healing for their daughter, and for their hearts to turn back to the Lord God. I pray that they, like so many, do not allow wealth and riches to keep them from a greater treasure in Heaven. And I also pray God lays it on their hearts to make financial amends with me someday. Because this case has shown me the eerie truth of what Jesus said:
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. ~Mark 10:25
Are these lukewarm Christians? I believe so. I trusted them in the beginning because I believed they were Christians: they prayed before many meetings, they spoke of God and Jesus, they went to church, and they were kind to the homeless. I was so surprised to see that when it came to money however, their Christian behavior went out the window. They behaved like those in the world, out to get all they could get. No matter what the cost.
Sometimes Christians do not hold money too strongly, but something in the world they do not want to give up. I spoke to this in the Co-dependence piece earlier. I believe it is strongholds that make believers lukewarm Christians. And that lukewarm Christians are not even Christians at all, as Jesus states in Revelation 3:16:
So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth.
If we are cold and do not know the Lord, there is still hope for us to be drawn in by the Holy Spirit and know God fully. If we are hot for God, we are one of the chosen few en route to Heaven. But being in-between is a very dangerous place to be because those people will be less sensitive to the calling of God. Therefore He must chastise them to turn them back to His ways. This is the eternal story of the Israelites.
~Song of Mary~ 