By Tara Beattie
I am writing this out of a place of concern and love, but I am going to be rather blunt, so go ahead and buckle up because this could be a bumpy ride. Let’s just get right to the point, the time has come to choose a side. There is no such thing as a lukewarm Christian. What does the Bible say about Christians being lukewarm? In Revelations 3:16, “So, because you are lukewarm- neither hot nor cold- I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” Let’s be clear, when we accepted Jesus into our lives, he expected us to be fully vested in a relationship with him. He never intended for those who truly believe in him to be sitting on the sidelines just dipping his or her toes in the pool to “test the waters.” Nope, sorry friends. Jesus wants us to be in an intimate relationship with him. I would describe a lukewarm Christian as someone who is not fully COMITTED to a relationship with Jesus. Well, here’s a little wake up call and a spiritual smack in the face that is desperately needed during these times…YOU CANNOT FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT WITH GOD. Stop testing the waters. You guys, I get it, I was you. I cared too much about what others thought of me and I tried to fake it and then life happened as it always does. Life presented a situation that broke me. In the middle of my broken heart, my walls came down and Jesus took control. I prayed, I screamed and I cried; and then did it all over again. You see, things were not really working too well with me in charge. I tried to keep God on the sideline. Not a good idea. Jesus has never gave up on me. He continued to pursue me. You guys, he is actively pursuing you. He wants a real relationship with you. I am here to tell you, I wasted way too many years not pursuing Him. I wasted too many years not going all in. The time to go all in is now. We should be running to Jesus and not from Jesus. Your faith journey will take off like never before. You will begin to grow like you never believed possible. When you quit caring what the world thinks and you start truly living for the Lord…well, that’s when you truly begin living. Jesus will meet us right where we are at and turn it for his glory. The line in the sand has been drawn. The time to go all in is upon you. You know that there is no greater love than the love from God. You know he will continue to pursue you even when you push him away. You know he is in the business of forgiveness and you know HE is the only way Home. Put an end to attending on Sunday for that Christian cred’ with the in laws, your spouse, or your parents. Be present in the moment. It is time to get your house in order. Jesus is the gatekeeper to heaven. We all know that there is no amount of money that will earn your way to Heaven. People have decided to sit on the sidelines and be Sunday Christians. Well, sweet friend, I am here to tell you that the time has come to decide where you stand as a disciple for Christ. Either you are all in or you are going to continue to choose the way of the world. I was a Sunday Christian for years, let me be clear, this is not something that I am proud of. I will tell you that 2020 and 2021 has released a warrior inside of me. I am living my life for Christ. I am living my faith out in the open and I have no reservations about doing so. I decided that I am taking a stand for the things that matter and are biblical truths. There is really something to be said about serving. To be completely in, you have to learn to serve God and serve others and do so with joyful hearts. Let’s take a look at Galatians 5:13, “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” It really is just that simple. Serve with a joyful heart. Get involved. Take the Four Finds class at LP to see the ways you can serve. The days of the ‘Convenience Christian’ or Sunday only Christian are over. It is time to stand as disciples and start moving for Christ. As Christians, we have been tasked with sharing the Bible and serving others. I firmly believe that when you share your testimony, God steps in and begins to stir hearts. We can no longer stand on the sidelines. The days of testing the water they are over as well. We need to rise up as the body of the church and be bold in our faith. We need to be bold in our discipleship of Christ. We need to be bold as we serve others within our communities. We need to live for Jesus and not for the ways of the world. Jesus and all of heaven are rejoicing as Earth is staging one of the greatest revivals in Christian history right now. Trust me, this is certainly something you want to be a part of. I firmly believe that Christians are at a pivotal moment in time. I believe we are faced with an ultimatum. I think 2020 and 2021 have ushered a Great Awakening or a revival among people. What I mean by this is simply that the time has come to choose if you are going to take a stand and be a strong disciple for Jesus or if you are going to be a “Sunday Christian.” The lines have been drawn and now is the time to choose where you stand in your walk with Christ. I mean think about it, every day we are closer to God’s return. I want you all to be ready. I want you to know that I deeply care about your eternal future. The days of the counter-fake Christian are over. The days of the disciple are here. Let’s join together as disciples. It is time for the Church as whole to take a stand. Take a stand for your Christian principles. Simply put, read your Bible and apply it to everyday life. The time to be sheep under the control of man is over. We seek to follow our Heavenly Father. We do not find our identities through the ways of the world and if we are, the time has come to make a change or you will be headed for calamity. God equips everyday folks like you and me. I firmly believe it is because testimonies are real and relatable. I would encourage each and every one of you to be bold disciples. I would encourage to put on the Armor of God and live your life fully for God. Take a stand for your beliefs. There is something to be said about what is going on at Living Proof. God is moving within our community. God is continuing to move and stir hearts. The church is being sent out as disciples to encourage one another, to pray for one another and to love each other well. I know this may strike a chord with some of you and well…I hope it does. Your salvation is not something to take lightly. I hope you are encouraged to get off the fence and go all in for Christ. One thing I know for sure, you have accountability, love and support within the LP Community. It is truly amazing to be a part of something so incredible. Something that is completely organic and guided by faith not man. I will leave you with this thought, the world will fail you; man will fail you, that is inevitable; but God will never fail you. He will never leave you. He is omnipresent. He is the calm during the storm. Remember this world is not our final destination. We are passing through till we go Home. And we know there is only one way to enter that Home. As you contemplate your stance as a believer, you need to be able to stand in judgement as you will be asked- did you know Jesus; did you really know him? I am lifting you all up in prayer today. I am praying that this message hits home and hearts are stirred. I am praying that God is in the driver’s seat. I am praying that God grabs ahold of you and the walls come tumbling down. I am praying that LP continues to reach hearts for Jesus through acts of service and loving on members of the community. I am praying that there is this Great Awakening within believers and that God is on the lips of the masses. I pray that people take a stand in their faith and live out their faith boldly. I pray that the ways of the world fall by the wayside. If you are interested in Baptism, LP is having a Baptism service on April 11, 2021. You can sign up online or go to the Welcome Center on Sunday to get on the list! Wishing you all a wonderful week. See ya at the barn on Sunday.
(We do not own the rights to this video or the music contained within this video).
(We do not own the rights to this video).
There is this incredibly poignant scene in “War Room” that gets me every time. This scene is one of the reasons I have felt convicted to write a blog on this topic.