Which Side?

Ps.16:⁵ “Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine.”

Believe it or not but even children prefer to have friends who are all in. I had a conversation with some children a while back, I asked them, supposing it is your birthday and you are having a party, would you like your friends to be at our party or stay home and watch cartoons? Both the girls and boys said they will prefer friends who will be at their party and not choose to be somewhere else or do something else. In fact, one of the girls said she will scold her friends who choose something else instead of her party or being with her at such a special time. So, preferring to have people who are all in has nothing to do with age.

What did Jesus say? Rev.3:^15-17 “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other!  But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!  You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.” Jesus was speaking to the church in Laodicea. As a city, Laodicea had a very unique position. They had a mountain and when cold water flows from the top of the mountain, by the time it gets to Laodicea the water is lukewarm. They described it as sickening because the water tastes sickening. They have a hot spring deep down in the valley and if they fetch hot bubbly water from the spring, by the time they get to the city the water is lukewarm – sickening. Whether they get the water from the mountain or from the valley, by the time it gets to their city it is sickening. They have to either boil it or cool it to consume it. Jesus told the church in Laodicea that that was exactly how they had become as a people. When they are not all or nothing, lukewarm, He cannot stand it.

Similarly, we cannot stand spouses, friends, or family who are neither here nor there. We want them to take a stand, we want them to be either in or out, all or nothing. Jesus was saying in the above scripture that they have to make up their minds. The interesting thing is that when it comes to spiritual things, it is either all or nothing, there is no middle ground. It either you are on the Lord’s side, or you are not. You cannot say you are not really on the Lord’s side, but you are for the Lord. Jesus is clear in this scripture that you have to be somewhere. Where are you, are you on the Lord’s side or not? Jesus is either Lord of all or He is not Lord at all in your life, there is no middle ground. Some people reading this today have things in their houses, charms, amulets, or things that have been given to them. Some are even disguised in a cross with a white thread around it. I have been instructed to tell you that you need to get rid of it. it could be a bracelet you claim is not harmful, get rid of it!

Prayer [song]: I will serve no foreign god, nor any other treasure. For You are my (heart’s) desire, Holy Spirit without measure. Unto Your Name I will bring my sacrifice. Amen!