A. Boys and girls who care what everyone thinks
B. Boys and girls who say they don't care what anyone thinks, yet they do
C. Boys and girls who don't care what anyone thinks
If I were categorized, I think I would fit in the letter A. Typical, right?
I was on my way to work this morning praying and worshiping with my friends, Pocket Full of Rocks. To be blunt, it was perhaps the most saturating, tangible experience I've had in a long time. I would pray in the Spirit, "Abba Father, let me be more and more after Your heart", among other things. As I did, Holy Spirit brought back to my memory some stuff He dealt with me about last night.
First, Holiness is not optional; second, Being after God's heart is like being pregnant. You either are or you aren't. Pretty good stuff if I do say so myself. And I do. So it's good.
In 1 Peter 1, the Bible says as He who is called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, for it is written, be holy for I am holy. Holiness is defined in the dictionary as, "consecrated; devoted; having spiritual purity". If we believe that God is who He says He is and that He is not mocked, we had better find out quickly that holiness is not optional. We don't pick and choose when and when not to be holy. Every second of every minute of every hour of every day, we are to be completely devoted and pure in everything we do, everything we say, and everywhere we go. Holiness is who we are. You can't separate it in any matter from the heart of the Father. Thus, the second thing God spoke to me about.
In 1 Samuel 16, God is dealing with Samuel about anointing a new king for Israel. Read the story of Saul and David and you'll find out why David is called a man after God's own heart (Acts 13). Integrity, respect, genuineness, and so much more. Anyways, I'm sure if you're a Christian, you want this to be tagged onto your name. If you're a dude, you want to be a man after God's own heart. If you're a lady, you want to be a woman after God's own heart. But what I've figured out is that you are desperate with everything inside of you to satisfy Him or you simply are not. Remember Revelation 3:16. Remember Hebrews 12:29.
So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
For our God is a consuming fire.
It's been said that lukewarm is Jesus' vomiting ministry. What do you think? Not only that, but if God is a consuming fire, then He doesn't just take up your hands to lay on hands and pray nor your tongue to preach or speak. Consuming means every part. Holy Spirit takes over and conquers every part of me - body, soul, and spirit; thoughts, motives, and intentions; hopes, dreams, fears, and failures - every part of me. Then we go back to being after God's heart goes back to being holy. Holiness cannot be separated from God's heart if He is holy (1 Peter 1). If He is holy, we are to be holy and being after His heart is like pregnant. Either we are or we're not.
Now, back to the original thought. Three types of people..
Consider what they said about Paul in Acts 26, you are beside yourself and what they said about the apostles in Acts 17 - turning the world upside down. If people can say otherwise about me, perhaps that I'm lukewarm or not practicing what I preach, I have lost my witness both to unbelievers and believers alike. I have no ground to speak into or pour out into someone's life. Understand that the grace of God is a contagious infection. If we're willing to open up to it, it can burn up our circles of influence like wildfire.
What are people saying about you? Are you living out holiness and following hard after the heart of God?
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