Growth in Christ is intentional.

Advancing the Kingdom is also intentional.

 

We talked last night about being led by the Spirit but also being intentional.

 

Both work together.

 

I’ve often heard, “I didn’t feel led…”

 

And although we are big on being led by Holy Spirit here and setting good boundaries…

 

Let me be honest…

 

If you’ve slipped into a lukewarm lifestyle…you won’t be led.

 

You’ve gotten out of the habit of listening for the Lord and being surrendered to His voice.

 

A lukewarm lifestyle dulls the hearing.

It’ll give you a list of excuses for not obeying God. Some of those excuses will be laced with spiritual “Christian-ese.”

 

Lukewarm is a stagnant place whereby we don’t pursue more of Christ. We settle into the current place and stay there.

 

It’s the stagnant pool where there is no longer movement.

 

Then we wonder why God isn’t using us like He used to.

 

It’s not because He moved. It’s because we didn’t.

 

“Buy up the time.”

 

We talked about this last night in class.

 

Are we wasting our days and time?

If we scour our schedules where is Jesus in it all? Are we “in service” or rendered “out of commission.”

 

Do we live a perpetual life of “Off duty?”

 

It’s the time card that never got punched into work.

 

Growth in Jesus is tied to pursuit and hunger.

 

He promises to fill a hungry heart.

Luke-warmness is void of hunger.

 

Many don’t take the opportunities to grow when given the place and space.

 

It’s like expecting to graduate college while never showing up for class.

 

Lukewarm no longer listens.

We’ve become numb to the things of God.

 

Lukewarm laughs at commitment.

It almost has a pride in it that we’ve “learned all we need to learn.”

 

We are no longer hot or cold.

Tepid.

 

It’s a scary place to be.

 

I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you would be cold or hot. (Revelation 3:15)

 

There’s no more fire to be in God’s presence in a lukewarm lifestyle. We can take it or leave it. We will opt for meaningless moments and activities rather than the encounters with God.

 

It’s where we love our own company and the company of others more than we love the company of Christ.

 

Lukewarm will overlook hearts in need because the love of Jesus in us has grown cold. We are no longer moved by compassion.

 

We had a good time discussing practical ways to become more intentional last night. It excited us to know God is beckoning us to grand adventures with Him.

 

He wants to use us to advance His Kingdom.

 

Moving in intentionality will often stir up the Spirit of God in you. He knows when you’re ready in season and out of season and He never turns down a “willing heart.”

 

In Exodus 35 and 36 we looked at those who came to help with the tabernacle. Again and again it is mentioned that those “with willing hearts” came to use their gifts.

 

Exodus 35: 21

Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing…

 

…all the men and women whose hearts were willing to bring material for all kinds of work which the LORD, by the hand of Moses, had commanded to be done. (Ex 35:29)

 

It takes a willing heart to walk with Jesus, grow in Jesus, and serve Jesus.

 

A lukewarm lifestyle snuffs out the once willing heart.

 

If God is calling all the willing hearts to “come and see” then what might be waiting around the corner of our willingness?

 

One thing is certain:

If we are lukewarm then we aren’t really living in Jesus fully. We are settling for less than the life He offers.