8/29/07 - Life Journal - The American Church of Laodicea

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm — neither hot nor cold — I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
Revelation 3:15,16

Again, we see the difficulties facing us comfortable Americans and any affluent people around the world. We lie to ourselves believing we have acquired all of our material possessions on our own. We sit in our suburban caves, venturing out like a naked mole rat every once in a while to check the mail. Man do we have it made. The facade is there, we are happy, Christian families to the world. But we are also lazy, or "lukewarm", with our faith. It's stored inside us and rusting just as our earthly treasures will turn to rust. When Jesus says he's gonna spit us out, the taste of our Church is so bad that the Greek used here literally means vomit! Our arrogance, pride, selfishness, etc, etc, etc makes Jesus Christ, our Savior, want to puke.

Why can't I break this cycle! I'd like to say I'm not materialistic but just buying new shoes when the old ones still have the soles is too much. Driving down the road in my 9 year old Honda I continually find myself looking with lust at all the new cars around me. Heck, fertilizing my yard while killing the environment with run-off just so my grass is green is proof of the mental prison I'm in. I need to find one little habit at a time and break it, end this crap once and for all. I've been a captive of materialism and slave of creditors for too long.

Lord, empty me, break me, tear me down. Then please build be up and fill me with You.