Red Hot Faith... and a giveaway! - Amy Lively
I grew up in a home that didn’t pay much attention to God or Jesus or the Bible. My dad was emotionally distant, I was teased for my weight, and I didn’t cope well with rejection and other childhood hardships. I journeyed through life with extreme emptiness and loneliness. I tried to stuff and numb this void with everything the world has to offer: food, men, alcohol, shopping, even drugs. Nothing worked.
After college, in an effort to dull my purposelessness and pain, I began to regularly use cocaine. My “bottom” came at the age of 26 when I accidentally overdosed, and nearly lost my life.
Shortly after I gave my life to Christ, I met a wonderful Christian man named David. After a two year courtship, David asked me to marry him, and of course I said, “Yes!” David loved Jesus, and would often share he would give his life for one person to know Christ. Tragically, five months before our wedding, David was killed in a workplace accident. As we planned his funeral, David’s parents and I agreed — we must ask the pastor to share the Gospel message. Would you believe, at David’s memorial, my dad – who had been an atheist/agnostic his whole life – accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior? Remember David said he would give his life for one person to know Christ? Little did he know it would be my dad!
In Red Hot Faith, I unpack Revelation 3:14-22, Jesus’ letter to the lukewarm church in Laodicea. Laodicea was an extremely wealthy city known for three major industries: a banking center, a textile industry, and a respected medical school. Imagine the Kingdom impact the Laodicean church could have made with visitors traveling to this thriving city from all across the land. Yet, the church members of Laodicea were self-sufficient, self-absorbed, and arrogant. Their faith was useless, and they lived just like everyone else, making no difference at all. Like the Laodiceans, our current culture also affirms self-sufficiency and self-absorption.
If we are not intentional, we too may experience a lackluster, lukewarm faith.
This changed my perception of Jesus’ words in Revelation 3:15 when He says, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!”
The city of Laodicea had two sister cities, Hierapolis and Colossae. Hierapolis was known for its therapeutic, healing hot springs. Colossae was known for its cold refreshing streams. Laodicea’s water supply was lukewarm and useless.
I used to think “hot” was “for Jesus,” and “cold” was “against Jesus.” In other words, “be hot” or “for Jesus,” or “be cold” or “against Jesus,” just don’t sit on the fence and be lukewarm.
Now that I’ve traveled to the ancient ruins and studied this passage in great detail, I don’t think that’s what this passage is communicating. Instead, I believe Christ is saying, I wish you were therapeutic and healing (like the hot water of Hierapolis) or refreshing and invigorating (like the cold water of Colossae.) Be hot, be cold, but be something! Church members, be of some use!
The church of Laodicea confused material wealth with spiritual health. Since they were wealthy and needed nothing on the “outside,” they assumed everything must be good on the “inside,” or the condition of their heart, as well. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, Jesus called the Laodicean church members, “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.”
Sometimes when everything looks good on the outside, that’s when we need Jesus the most.
My hope is that every person going through the Red Hot Faith Bible study would remember “Lukewarm is not our norm!” Jesus came so we could experience a full, abundant, purposeful faith life. Today. Not someday— when we get to heaven, when we lose weight, when we get our house all organized, or when know more Bible verses—but today. Christ is warmly inviting us to open the door and invite Him into every area of our life. (Yes, every part!)
If we are struggling with a stale, stagnant belief in God, let’s ask Him to ignite fresh faith in our heart and mind. Once that spark has been kindled, may we fuel the fire of our faith by spending time in His presence, and then look for ways to put our red hot faith in action! Lukewarm is not our norm! Let’s live a life of Red Hot Faith!
Starting October 29th, you can participate in Red Hot Faith (including watching the DVD teaching sessions) from the luxury of your own home through Ignite Women each Wednesday night. And guess what else? In honor of Ignite Women’s national launch, they are offering free membership through November 30th.
To be entered to win the leader’s bonus pack of Red Hot Faith including a DVD, leader’s guide, and participant guide, you can:
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