The Last Message of Jesus Christ Part One

The message of Christ to Laodicea was the last message He delivered to the Church. These seven messages to the churches in Asia Minor are in a way pictures of times of church history, Laodicea being a type of the spirit that will pervade in the church on earth prior to Christ’s return. Laodicea had become apostate and so nauseated Christ that He warned her that if she did not repent He’d spue her out of His Mouth. Neighbor, that is a warning to us all in these days of harvest, judgment and coming revival.

By Chris McDonald

Rev 3:14 -22 - "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm-- neither hot nor cold-- I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 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. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19        Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 21 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

For those who study their Bibles, we know that in the book of Revelation, John recorded seven messages from Jesus to seven different churches in Asia Minor , or modern day Turkey . The words of our text today present the last message of Jesus Christ to the last of those churches - Laodicea . As Laodicea closes out the seven messages, it is a picture of the church age that will close out the age of Grace prior to the Lord’s return. Laodicea was a type of the latter day church, which I believe is a forerunner of the full-fledge “whore” church that will arise during the first half of the Great Tribulation to persecute and martyr millions of saints prior to the Antichrist.  

Of the seven messages Christ delivered to the churches in Asia Minor , He started each one with a statement about Himself, then commended each one on the things that were RIGHT about them. After commending them, He then dealt with various issues that He was not pleased with, charging them to change these issues through repentance, or face serious consequences. Two churches – Smyrna and Philadelphia – He had no such charge to make. He had nothing but commendations for those churches which typified the early church which came under extreme persecution after the ascension and the Philadelphia Church which commemorated and pictured the Missionary Age with men like Finney, Moody, Spurgeon, Sunday, Edwards, and others.

In serious contrast to Smyrna and Philadelphia to whom He had nothing negative to say, He had nothing POSITIVE to say about Laodicea . There was no word of commendation whatsoever with this church, which made Him, pardon my southern term, “want to puke.” It nauseated Him to see the condition of an arrogant, self-reliant Body of people which had so pushed Him out that He was no longer “walking among the candlesticks,” as He did in the previous six churches – but wound up knocking outside this church’s door, asking to come in.

Laodicea represents the last age prior to Christ’s return. I believe we’re living in those times as we share our heart with you in this journal. The Reformation Church ( Sardis ) and the Missionary Church Age ( Philadelphia ) ran concurrently with the Laodicean Church . The Reformation, started by Martin Luther, began around 1500, while the Missionary Age, which featured such men as Charles Finney, John Wesley, Dwight L. Moody, Billy Sunday and Charles Spurgeon, began in the mid-to-late 1800s and continued till the turn of this century. Exactly when the Laodicean “age” began no one can say for sure. Some point to the church’s decline around the first of the century not too long after the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Azusa Street , Los Angeles , California around 1903. Some believe the roaring 1920s, while bringing America and other parts of the world one of her biggest times of prosperity, took America away from God and she has never returned since. When the Great Depression hit in the 1930s, America was poor, but America came back to God. It was better for America to be poor and honor God than for America to be rich and be lost.  That my friend is also true for us today!

 Other commentators believe that the new millennium which started in 2000 represented the beginning of the end. Whatever the case, we know the Laodicean Church was apostate as will be the church on earth just prior to the Rapture will be. The true believers in Jesus will be a mere remnant, not a great number! How can I say that?  Simply because of what Jesus says in His last message, as we shall see.

The Amen, Faithful and True Witness and Beginning Of The Creation Of God

Rev 3:14

14        "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation.

(NIV)

            The phrase, “These things say the Amen,” presents this word as a title applied to Christ. It means that He to Whom it is applied is eminently True and Faithful. What He affirms is true; what He promises or threatens is certain. Himself characterized by sincerity and truth, He can look with approval only on the same thing in others; and hence He looks with displeasure on the lukewarmness that, from its very nature, always is rooted in hypocrisy and insincerity.

            The phrase “the faithful and true witness,” may be considered as a sort of commentary and explanation of the name “AMEN.” As the Lord is the “Amen” in Himself, He is also such in His testimony. His witness is also Faithful and True. He never makes a mistake. Error is out of the question with Him. Neither must it be expected that he will become unfaithful and cater to the whims and good wishes of men. His ways and thoughts are never our ways or thoughts. He is above the earth, the HEAD of the Body, seated in heavenly places, not earthly ones!

            The result of this is that we know the Lord’s view of Laodicea is based upon TRUTH, not error or man’s opinion. He KNOWS the condition of Laodicea ’s hearts as He KNOWS our hearts today. He KNOWS the validity of the doctrines Laodicea taught and preached as He knows the doctrines WE teach and preach today. He SEES the inward workings of fallen man’s soul and His eyes search the earth without fear or favor, seeking those who would worship HIM in Spirit and in Truth. Laodicea had long stopped doing this. They were consumed with their riches and self-dependency. They had long stopped needing the Christ to “dwell” among them – they had become self-sufficient and self-reliant. In modern vernacular – they had the church "business" down to a tee! They didn’t even need a bulletin anymore to tell them what songs to sing. They already had that planned out long before the services began. The Lord of Glory had long stopped “dwelling” among them and the Holy Spirit had long departed from their midst. Christ found Himself outside this church's door knocking waiting to get in.

Rev 3:20

20        Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

(NIV)

            We will deal with this more in detail later but I want to make a statement here. Modern church has become big “business.” Man, we have the gimmicks and the trinkets and all the right “things” to get people into our doors and make them feel they are in the place they need to be to make heaven their eternal home. Some churches go as far as to state that if one does not belong to “their” church then that “one” is lost and does not know God. We have all the programs, the shows, the concerts, the activities, the ritual, the routine – but the burning question that must be answered and answered SOON is “where is Christ in all this?” Have we become so accustomed to doing things by the flesh and strength of men that we no longer even recognize He is gone? Do we really care? Have we become so deceived into thinking that because we “say” the right things and have all the “right” formulas that God is anywhere close to us???

            Laodicea evidently had reached a point they could carry on without the Holy Spirit. However, they were APOSTATE. They had departed from the faith. They had given heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. They had been “twice dead, plucked up by the roots.” They were “fallen from grace,” going after the tawdry, beggarly elements of this world and it's fallen, hellish system. This Church was “spirit-filled,” evidently but it had rejected the Holy Spirit. To reject light, which is what we do when we reject God’s Spirit, is not only to lose the light which we could have had, but have the light that we presently possess taken away.  (Matthew 25:28)

Matt 25:28-29 - 28 “'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more and he will have abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. (NIV)

            That is the state of the American church. A few days prior to the writing of this journal, the United States Supreme Court struck down a nearly 200 year-old-state-law in Texas prohibiting sodomy among people. It basically opened the door for all homosexual acts to no longer be considered a crime. By its decision,  the U.S. Supreme Court took its fist and blasphemed God. All the talk show radio pundits – conservative and liberal alike – are making this a political issue – but it’s not about politics. Man seeks to override God’s rules of morality by making laws to legalize sodomy and other heathen perversions. Just because the law of the land says it’s right neighbor don’t make it RIGHT!

           Many so-called prophets say America does not face the danger of any peril or loss of freedom, but instead will experience great peace, prosperity and revival because as some put it,  there are too many believers in America for God to do anything bad to our nation. But neighbor, hear what I say to you. Revival is coming to America but the cost of that revival may very well be a shattering of the freedoms we have to chase this nation back to its original lover - the Lord Jesus Christ. Many would say well God cannot judge America because God needs America for the harvest. That statement underlines the arrogance of our present society and modern church world.

            God does not need America to bring the harvest in. It’s just the opposite – AMERICA NEEDS GOD!  You hear me U.S. Supreme Court???????? Hear me homosexual congressmen and liberal lawmaker who slur everything under heaven to suit your political end? You are a wolf in sheep’s clothing, you need to be born again and filled with the Holy Ghost. This nation was not built to be a haven for sodomites and queers. It was built to be a bastion of light for the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ – to shine the gospel light from shore to shore – to the isles of the sea – to the ends of the earth! America has WILLFULLY said "homosexuality is ok," and "sodomy is normal." We have not done this blindly, but with eyes wide open and against the greatest gospel light God has given any nation in the future of Planet Earth.

America was called to be the exporter of the gospel and a protector of Israel. But instead of exporting the gospel these days, America exports her sin and idolatry IN SPITE OF THE GREAT LIGHT AND GREAT FINANCIAL PROSPERITY GOD has blessed this nation with!

To be frank with you, it is the very light my friend said that would protect us from judgment that will be the reason judgment eventually falls. Light rejected is judgment accepted! Our rejection of the gospel light has brought a decreed end to the very freedoms that make us Americans. Too many prophetic voices (the true prophets, not the cotton candy ones who tell you that everything is going to be wonderfully bliss and blessed) are hearing the Lord say to them that America ’s days are numbered. Too many true prophets are feeling deep mourning in their spirits because of various events the Lord is showing them that will shake the nation in the not-too-distant-future.  Neighbor, this is not melodrama – this is the word of the Lord!

Sadly, another group of well-intentioned but misled individuals, who are claiming, “peace, peace, peace, prosperity, prosperity, prosperity,” not only prophesy lies, but label true prophets as nothing more than “doom and glooomers.” I attended a church in Kentucky a few years ago where the pastor there went as far as to say we were not even living in the end times as recorded in scripture. He said that not one single solitary warning of the great apostasy and falling away pertained to this generation and as a result he said - we "need not concern ourselves with the naysayers and doomers,  we need to get rich."   What Bible are these people reading???????????????????

            If Christ’s testimony of Laodicea, or any church today for that matter, is true, and that church’s view of itself clashes with Christ’s view, it is because the LATTER, not the FORMER is erroneous. In that regard, one cannot help but look at this last message of the Lord to see that we are NOT primed for revival as many teach, but in fact are primed for a serious need of deep rooted, heart-felt sorrow and repentance over sin and rebellion. An outpouring of God's grace is coming neighbor - it's already here. But another outpouring will follow on the heels of the grace that will be of such magnitude no one can accurately describe it. God’s Spirit is dealing with the Body first, then He will make on last final call to the nation I believe before the decreed judgment falls. America's judgment may occur along with the judgment of other nations - but I can assure you of this one thing - our judgment will be WORSE! Why? Because we have had greater light and to the measure of light one receives, one receives a similar measure of judgment.

        The Holy Spirit is not called the “spirit of burning” for nothing. He is about to burn out the lukewarmness of our hearts once and for all! This the Laodiceans and the CHURCH OF THE 21rst CENTURY must hear!

            Laodicea was so full of conceit and delusion that they said “we have no need of this or anything the Lord of Glory can give us.” They gave their glory to “strange gods that did not profit,” and as a result their darkened hearts just became darker and darker. All this happened with the LIGHT OF THE WORLD in the midst of the church, but as a result of their attitudes and actions He was pushed outside the door of the fellowship waiting, knocking, gently prodding to get in. Laodicea never opened the door corporately again. The call of Jesus became individual before it was all over and that will ultimately be His call in these last days – to the individual, not the nation and not even the church at large any longer.

            A spirit of self-flattery gripped Laodicea so much that they would never accept Christ’s view of them. As it is in many churches today, if the preacher preaches what we really are, instead of what we think we are, we likely will have him removed. Laodicea had a similar attitude. So Jesus Himself came to them with this warning to remind Laodicea that HE IS THE FAITHFUL AND TRUE WITNESS speaking the truth in love, the AMEN, to WHOM they may rely on to tell the TRUTH of their fallen condition. The TRUTH had come to set them free if they would but HEAR what His Spirit would say to the church.

            The phrase “the beginning of the creation of God,” corresponds to Paul’s statement concerning Christ, “Who is the Image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.” (Col. 1:15). This doesn’t mean that Christ was the first creature, or is a creature at all! It actually means that He is the Creator of all things! (John 1:1-3).

            “Firstborn,” in the Greek as Paul used it is “prototokos,” which means, “first of all, foremost, the Creator of that of which is being addressed.” It is said by the Greek Scholars that there is no word in the English language that will properly translate “prototokos.” So the word “firstborn” was the closest they came. It means “the first brought forth, the eldest,” and has its root in the Old Covenant typifying the strength of the firstborn son. It was also used of Mary bringing forth Christ as a result of the Holy Spirit.

            What does this say to us today? It speaks to us that what CHRIST produces in the midst of His church is SPIRIT, not FLESH. Only those things birthed of the SPIRIT are eternal and will stand His eternal view and scrutiny. The church tries to bring forth a lot of things nowadays in the flesh to exchange or compensate for a lack of intimate and personal relationship with the Lord of Glory. We somehow think we can become the Holy Spirit to others and do His work in the hearts and lives of the people in our midst by our teachings and doctrine. When that don’t work we turn to the world’s methods to soothe their hurting hearts through the lifeless effort of psychology or the tantalizing sounds of rock and roll music to entertain them. Neither sets men free!

The Spirit begets that which is SPIRIT and the flesh begets that which is FLESH.

John 3:6 -  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

The horror of all of this is when Christ has been removed from our midst and He is no longer the One “bringing forth,” then we become deceived into thinking what we are doing in the flesh is Spirit. There are entire movements out there which specialize in “bringing forth” their own type of worship, doctrines and ideals. We don’t even know the difference any longer between demon spirits and the real Holy Spirit. That is why Jesus will admonish this church later to “buy of me EYE SALVE that you may SEE!” He is admonishing us to do the same today!

I Know Your Works

3:15a - …..I know your works…..

            The 15^th verse states three riveting points about Christ and His church:

1. Christ knows the works of the Church even as He knew the works in Laodicea .

2. This Church, like any lukewarm church, was not totally dead and neither was it totally alive. (This can apply to individual believers as well because believers are what comprise the church!)

3. The Lord Himself says that He would rather the Church be either cold or hot and not in-between.

Whatever the claims might be, or whatever people may say of Laodicea or any church today, it is the LORD Who knows exactly what our true condition, as He always knew the real condition of Laodicea . Do we listen to what men have to say about the condition of the church or to Christ? Man has a tendency to hear what is said, if what is said is to his liking. But if it’s not to his liking, he has a tendency to turn a deaf ear, or in actuality, to not hear what the Spirit is saying to the church! Our lack of hearing will not be an excuse on judgment day!!!!!

3:15b-…You are neither cold nor hot……

            Jesus says “you’re neither cold nor hot,” characterizing both the Laodicea church and the age in which we live today. I want to make several statements concerning this here.

The modern Church world is pretty well divided into two camps, those who believe in the Baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking with other tongues (Acts 2:4) and those who do not. Tongues are not the only manifestation of the Spirit so when we say this we are not holding up tongues as the only evidence of a Spirit-filled life nor are we trying to imply one iota that a person has to speak in tongues to be saved. On the contrary, speaking in tongues as the Spirit of God gives the utterance is one of many attributes and blessings of the Spirit-filled walk and life in God. Being Spirit-filled is a lifestyle, not a one-type wham-bam thank you ma’am moment with the Holy Ghost. Having said that let us make it clear - we believe in the Baptism of the Holy Ghost! We speak in tongues daily as we intercede to heaven. We are not opposed to anyone speaking in tongues. We believe it is a vibrant, vital part of the Christian experience.

There are many who disagree with this. In actuality, the number in each camp that is divided over this issue is split basically right down the middle. We do not include Catholicism in this, because if the Bible is to be our guide, one cannot really label Catholicism as Christian. While there may be exceptions within the Catholic Church, the movement as a whole is rooted in idolatry and demon worship. (To all my Catholic friends out there – I love you but Jesus is the way to God, NOT THE POPE OR MARY OR ST. PETER!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

            Speaking of the Catholic Church, I received an email not too terribly long ago from an individual who took offense at a recent journal where we stated the Pope was showing his true demonic colors when he kissed the forehead of one of the world’s foremost Islamic clerics and declared Islam a “peaceful” religion built upon common ground for all religions to embrace, including Christianity. (What is the world smoking when it comes to Islam?? GOD HELP US) The person’s email stated “you should not be so divisive; the Pope kissing the Islamic cleric was a sign of unity we all need to embrace. Aren’t we all trying to get to the same place the same way?” he asked.

Uh, neighbor, I’m not trying to get to the same place  and go the same way as this world system or the Islamic people are. Islam is of the devil. And if I call this religion like it is - that is not breaking the spirit of true unity. We think unity is everyone just "getting along" which it is not. Unity centers around the Christ who stood in the MIDST of seven golden candlesticks. Our unity is in HIM - not a doctrine or a movement. HE IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH. If a religion does not have CHRIST as the HEAD - then it is of SATAN!

Neighbor, this is WAR!! This is about eternity. The souls of men and women, heaven and hell, life or death, sink or swim, Christ or Satan, salvation or destruction – all of these things are at stake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Preachers, stand up,  stand up for Jesus, YE SOLDIERS of the cross. LIFT HIGH the royal banner – it must not suffer LOSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When you open your dainty little mouth and tell your congregation that all these other religions are ok and we don't need to "offend" anyone by telling them the truth – you are a tool of the devil and a wolf in sheep’s clothing. You’re a hireling in disguise and need to get out of the preaching business and go sell shoes!

Islam has no love loss for Christianity and to be frank we should have no love loss for Islam. I pray the Islamic people come to Christ before it is too late, but the religion itself is rooted in HELL and it is demented, deluded, devilish, hellish, and a whole lot of other terms I cannot come up with at the moment. And before you send me an email telling me I’m not preaching the love of God, you may do well to read Ezekiel 35 and see how the Lord addressees the seed of Esau (the Moslems!) and how He views their ancient hostility towards His people Israel. God loves the world, but His love is not a love that jeopardizes His SON and the Sacrifice our Lord Jesus gave on Calvary's bloody cross. He didn't come to die for the world to "just get along." He came to set the captive free so that we might live unto HIM and not our own selfish, hellish lusts any longer. Friend, if you are born again and the Moslem world had its way – you’d be dead right now instead of reading this fired up journal!

I’m not trying to go the way “everyone else” is going. By the grace and help of Almighty God, I’m going the ONLY WAY given for us to go, I’m depending on the ONLY NAME given under heaven for us to depend on, I’m putting my faith in the ONLY HOPE of fallen humanity which is through the blood stained hands and feet of the world’s redeemer and the SAVIOUR of lost humanity – the LORD JESUS CHRIST. HE IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH and the LIFE – NO MAN, NO MAN, NO MAN, NO MAN, NO MAN, NO MAN, NO MAN, NO MAN, and NO MAN comes to the FATHER BUT THROUGH HIM! Catholics – that means YOU!  MOSLEMS – that means YOU! Baptists – THAT MEANS YOU! Assemblies of God – THAT MEANS YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Are you hearing me????????????

            The part of the church that denies the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is not much better to be frank than any other religion that denies God and Jesus Christ as His Son.  Let me make something perfectly clear. We don’t have to speak in tongues to be saved, but friend when we reject the Holy Ghost we reject LIGHT! When we reject LIGHT, the only thing we get in exchange for that is DARKNESS! You’re not even saved without the presence of the Holy Spirit. The men who deny the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer today do not do it blindly – they do it WILLFULLY. The Bible calls it “willful ignorance,” of the truth. The Holy Spirit is the only agent through which God works on the earth today. For entire denominations to deny the validity of His power is rank heresy and I don’t care what title is on the door. I'm not saying people who don't speak in tongues aren't born again - what I AM saying is that movements, churches and pastors who unashamedly deny the power of God to their congregations are providing an atmosphere where very little operation of the Holy Ghost will go on - and that includes salvation. Most sit in these dead churches - LOST! They have never been born again. You cannot be born again and not have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you. And He is ONE SPIRIT, not divided. He is not going to promote truth and power to one camp and unbelief and resistance in another!!!!!!!!!!!

            The mainline Pentecostal denominations of the Assemblies of God and Church of God are apostatizing over this very issue. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is NOT an option. (Acts 1:4) When one looks at the Book of Acts Church, one comes to the conclusion without much effort, that the early church was a Church which believed in Salvation by Grace, the mighty Baptism in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking with other tongues, Divine Healing, and the victorious, overcoming Christian life. They believed in the power of God as it pertained to winning souls. The LORD added to the church DAILY as such should be SAVED!

Consequently, for any Church to be truly acting as “the Church of the Lord Jesus,” it must have the earmarks of the Early Church. If it does not, I don’t care how much it claims to be a New Covenant church – it is NOT!

Hot Or Cold – I Prefer You Be One Or The Other….

            We can certainly understand that the Lord would desire that Laodicea , and any church, be “hot” and of course, we’re speaking of the spiritual sense. But if we are not going to be “hot,” He said that He’d prefer we be in a state of utter coldness, a state where there is no profession of real love. That is mind-boggling to many until we understand why He would rather us be “hot” or “cold.”

            Lukewarmness is one of the worse conditions a person can find themselves in –under any circumstance – but especially in these last days which Paul called “perilous times.”  Matthew Henry said it this way in his commentary:

“Lukewarmness or indifference in religion is the worst temper in the world. If religion is a real thing, it is the most excellent thing, and therefore we should be in good earnest in it; if it is not a real thing, it is the vilest imposture, and we should be earnestly against it. If religion is worth anything, it is worth everything; the indifference of Laodicea is inexcusable: Why halt you between two opinions? If God be God, follow Him. If Baal (be God), follow him. Christ leaves no room for neutrality. An open enemy shall have a fairer quarter than a perfidious neuter, and there is more hope of a heathen than of such. Christ expects that men should declare themselves in either earnest all out FOR HIM, or in earnest all out AGAINST Him. He cannot stomach those who straddle the fence.”

            The word “lukewarm” means “tepid.” It’s the state of what Henry described as being “in-between,” neither “hot,” or “cold.” Why does Jesus threaten to vomit this type church (and believer) out of His mouth? The reason is simple. When we are cold or hot we are at these times the most sensitive to the convicting power of the Holy Ghost. That is the Holy Ghost’s NUMBER ONE job – CONVICTION!

John 16:7-9
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. [8] And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: [9] Of sin, because they believe not on me;
 

The person who is “cold” spiritually speaking is no longer even making a pretense. In other words, they have quit on God. The one who is “lukewarm,” has actually quit too but they keep the pretense up. They are a terrible picture to the world. It is the worst testimony of all. The lukewarm believer, or church for that matter, continues to profess they belong to Christ but do not possess the power or the virtue of Christ! As Paul states in 2 Timothy- they have a "FORM of godliness," but deny the saving, delivering power thereof.  The one who is cold makes no profession at all, so whatever he does, he doesn’t bring a reproach on the name of Christ.

            A person who is “cold,” will also react to the Holy Spirit and Spirit-anointed preaching of the gospel.  When under conviction they may get fighting mad, scream and yell, cuss, stomp, snort, walk away, run, squirm, hold their head down, storm out the door and even threaten the man of God speaking. NEVERTHELESS, THESE TYPE PEOPLE ARE STILL REACHABLE BY THE SPIRIT’S WORK!

            The poor drunk you see on the street corner begging for a dollar bill to buy another drink with may be in horrible shape and to the eyes of many in worse shape than the man in a three-piece suit carrying a bible and briefcase.  But the truth be known, the Holy Spirit probably has an easier time with the drunk than the man in the suit. WHY? Because the drunk, even though he is “cold” as ice inside, knows his or her need for God. Yes, they may be sinful, wicked, perverted, lost, hellish, demented and all sorts of other adjectives – but they make NO PRETENSES about who they are and they do not hide their real condition to others. When the lights go out at night there is a cry in the deepest recesses of their heart for help. And neighbor, it is a cry that never goes unheard in heaven.

When the Holy Spirit finally gets through to these type people – He usually finds very little resistance in their hearts. They readily repent, come to Christ with their whole hearts and turn out to be some of the most powerful tools of healing and deliverance used by God and known to the world.

            On the other hand, it is the person, who sits on our church pews Sunday to Sunday with enough religion in them to make them think they are ok no matter how hard the Holy Spirit is trying to break through to their heart and soul and show them their true state, who grieves the Lord the most! These types resist the Holy Spirit to the point that they can literally be lost and on their way to hell while singing hymns or praise courses, shouting, raising their hands, even running down aisles and yes, sadly, even teaching a Sunday School class or singing in the choir. (AND YES EVEN STANDING BEHIND PULPITS)

            A lukewarm person never sees his/her need to repent. They commit the same sins (many times secretly) that the one who is “cold” does, yet when the Spirit deals with them about their condition- they see themselves under God’s arm of protection because of their religious state. They view their sin not as something that angers’ God, and with no remorse, shame or regret whatsoever.

God’s anger is kindled with such a person whose heart is in such a condition that he/she can come to church on Sunday, and then watch dirty, filthy rotten movies on Monday without feeling one ounce of regret or need to repent. The lukewarm man/woman sits on the bar on Friday night and drinks their high-ball liquor, whiskey, and beer, laughing, cussing, telling dirty jokes and all sorts of other things with the devil’s crowd – then pull into church on Sunday and shout “hallelujah.” Lukewarm people are comfortable in either place. The bar doesn’t bother them and the church doesn’t bother them. They are totally unmoved by either circumstance.  Their hearts have become just as Jesus said, “neither hot nor cold,” just in-between, or “lukewarm.” It's a nauseating mixture of heaven and this present world system - which makes Christ SICK.

            Laodicea was a professing “Spirit-filled,” church. Yet, the Holy Spirit was NO WHERE to be found there. They’d done the world a bigger favor had they put gasoline tanks outside the building and pumped gas to those who came by than the spiritual service they gave in this horrible condition they were in spiritually.  This is how  we can tolerate the world’s trash in our midst and call it “Christian” entertainment, put God’s name on it without blinking, and never see anything wrong with it, while trying to align the Holy Spirit with the tawdry, beggarly elements of this world. When we try to mix God and the world in our church, we in essence try to put the Holy Spirit along side demon spirits, which we know will not work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Neighbor, the Holy Spirit will not operate in such a hellish environment. And if you are deceived to think that He does bless such, then you have been infected by the same lukewarm spirit that gripped the Laodiceans.

            Many sadly think what goes in their churches is the Holy Spirit when in reality it is being birthed by “other spirits.” Ok, I’ll go ahead and say it plainer – DEMON SPIRITS! When Christ is no longer in our midst and the Holy Spirit cut off from among us – then we are subject to the other half of the spirit world which is the realm of the powers of darkness.

Because You Are Lukewarm, I Will Vomit You Out Of My Mouth

Jesus said three things about Laodicea :

1. The Church at Laodicea was lukewarm

2. It was neither hot or cold

3. Consequently, the Church sickens the Lord to the point of wanting to vomit it out of His mouth

What is the real meaning of being “lukewarm?” We have discussed it a little already, but let’s look a little deeper at this condition because it is a serious malady that affects millions today. A lukewarm person is a person who has fallen into one of two categories. He either has rejected the Cross altogether, even as many in the modern Spirit-filled Church have, or else while the individual hasn’t rejected the Cross outright, at the same time, he has not accepted it.

If a person is lukewarm towards something, it means he hasn’t rejected it, but at the same time, he has by no means accepted it. In the mind of God, a tepid response is equal to a negative response.

“Lukewarm,” has to refer to faith, or else it doesn’t apply. Is our faith totally and completely in CHRIST and what Christ has done for us at the Cross, or is it in something else? Faith that is totally in Christ and His Sacrifice is described by the Lord as that which is “HOT!” Otherwise it is “lukewarm,” or it is “cold.” And again we state, “lukewarm,” in the mind of God is in the category of being “cold,” even though the person doesn’t consider themselves as such. In fact, they have a very high opinion of themselves, even as we will ultimately see in Laodicea ’s attitude.

Jot this next thought down and meditate on it day and night – THE CROSS IS THE DIVIDING LINE BETWEEN THE TRUE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST AND THE APOSTATE CHURCH. THIS IS WHERE EVERYTHING IS DECIDED – THE CROSS!

The Lethargy Of Our Hearts

            The cause of Christ is about passion, not legalism. The Lord is looking for burning hearts that serve and worship Him because they want to, not because they feel they have to. Many in the Body are what I term “miserably saved.” In other words, they say they believe in Christ but in their hearts they so desire the things of this world. We do not have to be at the local jook joint on Friday night drinking high-ball liquor to be lukewarm. We can be sitting right at home night in and night out just going through the motions of life without any thoughts or passion towards God.

            Some of you reading this have not responded to the Lord in months, years or worse. You go to church Sunday after Sunday and sit on a pew, soothe your conscience and never take a thought of doing the will of God. Lukewarm people can be very religious people yet without passion and true anointing for the Kingdom of God . In these days of harvest neighbor, we need a Church full of people on fire with the Holy Ghost, laying hands on the sick so they shall recover, bringing the gospel message to the poor, delivering the captives by the power of the anointing of God, preaching under such unction and anointing that devils tremble and backslidden saints tremble even more. Hell is not too concerned with our Sunday morning sermonettes that do nothing but tickle the ears of our worldly-minded tithe-paying members who are so full of the devil it beggars description.

            Not too many years back I was in a church in northwest Atlanta infested by such a spirit. That Sunday morning I was preaching on the true purpose of Jesus coming to this earth which was to “destroy the works of Satan,” and “set captives free.” In my sermon, just out of the blue, I turned to the congregation and said, “There are some of you in this church just plain out need the devil SHOOK right out of you!” In that moment, four people got up and stormed out the back door in anger. Talk about unction!!

That night I preached the same topic again being directed by the Spirit of God which was so strong on me during the message that I uttered a few words in another tongue as the Spirit gave utterance without even knowing it. During the altar call a gentleman along with another man came forward to kneel down at the altar to pray. As I walked over to ask them what I could help them pray for they said “not a thing.” I politely walked back to the front and just shook it off.

            As I was getting ready to turn the service back over to the pastor, this gentleman blurted out and said “I want to know something right here and now – I want to know why this man spoke in those tongues in this church. I went down to the altar to pray and ask God to help this man. He’s not of the Lord in my opinion because of that. I don’t care what he was up here preaching about today – this is wrong and I demand him tell us what he said.” The pastor publicly rebuked the man in front of the entire congregation telling the gentleman that one, he was way out of line and out of order, but more importantly, what happened in the sermon and both services was of God, not of man. Many others had felt the anointing in the service and had come up to us after all this was over and said “we’ve never felt the presence of God so strong in our church as we did today and tonight.” The pastor then said, “this man said this morning that some of you were full of the devil and many of you got up and walked out. I take that to mean you were under conviction. You didn’t need to walk out – you needed to come down to this altar and get right with God!!!!!!!!!!!”

The man stormed out of the church uttering, “That’s of the devil, that’s of the devil,” over and over and over.  He promptly got to the front parking lot, pulled a pack of Winston-Salem’s out of his front pocket and lit up about six cigarettes he smoked in about 15 minutes while uttering every profanity under heaven against me and my family. I am not judging this man for the smoking or the profanity. What I AM saying is that he epitomizes MILLIONS in the church world today that do not know the difference between what is of the Lord and what really is of Satan. I don't know whether he was saved or not - but neighbor in his mind- he was! He was ok because he belonged to that church. He was a member in good standing as so many others are today.

Neighbor, the Spirit of God is moving in these last days. Hearts are being pounded with His love and mercy before He begins a phase on Planet Earth that NONE of us are really prepared for. He’s preparing us NOW to face it if we will HEAR what the Spirit is saying to the Church. Laodicea turned a deaf ear to the Risen Christ – and so has the 21rst Century Church , especially in America .

My dad pastored a Baptist Church in Atlanta , Georgia for many years that was infested with this same spirit. The deacons would have a cow if someone came into the church with long hair or wearing a pair of shorts. God help us. These same deacons were some of the worldliest, backslidden, gossiping, hateful, rude, arrogant, obnoxious, hellish, demented, ignorant group you’d ever want to be around. They’d made the Pharisees of Jesus’ day blush they were so self-righteous. The church lived in a state of fear and division the entire four years my dad was there. He did all he could during those years to preach Grace to them but he himself will tell you he got caught up in this lukewarm spirit that pervaded the church to the point that he left the entire movement in 1976. My dad told me later on in the years to come he regretted saying and doing many things at this church because of the legalism and lethargy of the people.

He also told me of an experience he had one morning in prayer while in the church sanctuary interceding against these same powers that were affecting the church. While praying, he said he heard literal footsteps walking up and down on the basement stairs in the back of the church. Every time he’d lift his head to see if anyone was there it would stop. The minute he’d go back to praying the footsteps would start again. He just rebuked the devil and prayed the entire morning.

He believes, and so do I, that the very powers of hell itself came into the church to stop him from coming against the powers of darkness that gripped so many in that body. That church never got victory over that spirit and has basically died a slow death over the years. Ichabod, which means "the glory has departed," has long been written over the threshold. It's just a building now where a few folks come - but the GLORY and the PRESENCE of Jesus has long departed. I don't want to go to a building when I come to church. I'd rather sit outside under my oak tree at home and have the presence of Jesus than sit in a million-dollar cathedral where His Spirit and operation are not welcomed.

Neighbor, this is real what we’re talking about. This is not “play church,” and “spiritual tidily winks.” The last message of Jesus Christ to the seven churches of Asia Minor is the message to the LAST generation today – “GET HOT OR GET OUT!” He’s rebuking the lukewarmness of this generation with the same clarion prophetic call He gave to the Laodiceans so long ago.

I Will Spue (VOMIT) You Out.....................

Rev. 3:16a - So, because you are lukewarm-- neither hot nor cold-- I am about to spit you out of my mouth

Jesus’ view of Laodicea so sickened Him it made him want to spew the church right out of His mouth. In modern terms – it made Him want to PUKE! The image given here is intensely strong, and denotes DEEP disgust and loathing at the indifference that prevailed in Laodicea . Could He be any more disgusted and loathing of the modern 21rst Century Church ? Some would say, “Brother Chris, you have this all terribly wrong, Christ loves the church and would never rebuke us for our condition today.” Neighbor, people who say those type things don’t understand what His love really is. He states later in this same passage that to those He loves – HE REBUKES AND CHASTENS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHY?????????????? Because if through His rebuke, we judge ourselves and repent, then He won’t have to do it later at the Judgment Seat!!!!!!!! We need to examine ourselves to see whether we be in the faith!

            Laodicea was utterly cast off and rejected as a Church, at least in the mind of God. To pinpoint this situation as it relates to us today, it is a lack of faith in the Finished Work of Christ that creates such an attitude in our Lord toward ANY church.  Paul said in Romans 8:8 that they “that are in the flesh cannot please God!” In Galatians, (1:8) Paul further stated that if any man comes in preaching “any other gospel” than what the apostle laid out to them in the beginning of the church’s foundation – “let him be accursed.” The Greek language is a little stronger than that – it means “let him be damned to hell forever.” You hear that neighbor? Hear that man of God? Hear that woman of God? Hear that prophet of the Lord? You had better be sure the gospel you are preaching is a gospel that is setting people free from sin and not error laced with New Age humanism. You are under a CURSE if you are!

            The modern church little understands the true meaning of the Cross, little understands the position of the Lord as it relates to His Finished Work, and therefore little understands what attitude we as believers should have towards that “work.” A price was paid there of such magnitude as to defy all description. And considering that price, if man spurns God’s way, which is the Cross and the CROSS ALONE, this angers GOD! As one well-known evangelist put it, “God cannot give victories to fallen man; He can only give victories to His Beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

When we see the SON, we see the Father! The Father LOVES the SON and has given HIM ALL THINGS to state it again and again and again! Neighbor don’t you feel that?

            As we close the first part of this two-part journal, let me ask you a serious heart-probing question. If Jesus was to take a walk around our hearts today, would He say the same thing to us that He said to Laodicea ? In part two of this journal, we’re going to dive deeper into the reasons why Laodicea had gotten lukewarm – Jesus listed them in graphic detail and those details are a microcosm of the church today – RICH, INCREASED WITH GOODS and in NEED OF NOTHING! Neighbor it’s far more important we be poor and be saved, than to be rich and be lost!

            I’m not against prosperity of any kind but just because my bank account doesn’t have 7 zeros behind it, that is not a sign I’m not walking in the will of God for my life. Chris McDonald has walked through literal hell over the past 15 years almost to get to this place in my life where I am at tonight. I say this with tears, fear and trembling, but I am what I am by the Grace of God. There have been many dangers, toils and snares I have already come through, but there is no less days to sing God’s praise than when we first begun. Oh, Glory to God.

The enemy has done many things to fight tooth and toenail. I can’t explain why some people go through this Christian walk with very little resistance while others it seems fight every demon imaginable under hell and heaven itself. I don't seek to put the blame on anyone else by myself for my personal failures in life. I am the one ultimately accountable to God for my life. I heard one preacher tell his congregation on television the other night that their "demons" were not "all their fault." His thesis was our parents' legacies and personal demons are passed on to us through birth. That is a bunch of hogwash and heresy!! Neighbor, that may have a bit of truth in it but Ezekiel says that if the children see the father sinning and don't do what the father did - then the child will live. But if the child follows the father in the father's sin - the child and the father both will die spiritually! ALL SOULS belong to God and ALL souls are individually accountable to Him! There are no exceptions to that!

   There is a little course we used to sing when we were young, "it' me, it's me oh' Lord, standing in the need of prayer, it's me, it's me oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer, it's ME, it's me oh' Lord, standing in the need of prayer. It's not my brother, not my father, not my sister oh, Lord, standing in the need of prayer - It's ME!"  I must and do take responsibility for the things in my life that have not been pleasing to God and at times been a stumbling block to others throughout the years. I have repented of all these things  and without fear of contradiction, God is reading what I am writing, I stand clean before Him today – not because of my works, but because of His Grace in which I am depending on – 100%. I have learned that His Grace is truly sufficient for the journey ahead.

My Christian walk actually began afresh very recently when the Lord through a ministry the world has laughed and lampooned, opened my eyes as never before to what Christ’s work at the cross means to us as believers. My victory was not in me being a great evangelist or having 20 different Bible translations to read. My victory did not depend on how much will power I could muster up to “just say no” to the demon powers of hell that tried to destroy me through lust, greed and deceiving others through avarice, lying and manipulation. My victory did not depend on man’s view of my life or character. As David prayed so long ago, “Lord don’t let me fall into the hands of man.” David knew how corrupt fallen humanity can be and how unjust people can be in their decisions about us. God is never unfair.

            I’m as happy and free today in Jesus as I have ever been in my 38 years of living on this earth. Do I claim sinless perfection??? Absolutely NOT! But there is such a peace that I have today that I did not have for so many years of my walk with God. I was just like this Laodicean church. I was lukewarm. I went to church, I preached and taught, I sang choruses, I lifted my hands in worship, I was always the first one down to pray for others so everyone could see “how spiritual” I was. But deep downside I knew I was a fake. I knew that something was terribly wrong inwardly but I was never man enough to admit it to myself and certainly not willing to admit it to others. The thing is though that others see the REAL YOU!

Others are not fooled by our lukewarm attitudes. They are blatantly revealed in the character of our lives and by our actions. I remember so many times not being able to look people in the eye when I talked to them because I was always worried they knew the unethical and dishonest deception I lived in day in and day out. Today, I can say without blinking that I don’t have to look in six different directions anymore when I talk to someone – no matter whether they know me or not. There is nothing to hide any more. Jesus Christ is setting me free daily as I anchor my hope and faith in nothing else but the FINISHED WORK OF HIS BLOOD at Calvary . As a result, I have felt a stronger anointing of the Holy Spirit than ever before. I’m not longer a “parrot” just repeating what I hear, but I am hearing the Spirit speak to my heart daily with fresh revelation and warning from the annals of eternity. God's grace keeps us from falling, His mercy covers us when we do fall. But don't take either for granted and think sin doesn't carry a price - it does.

 Neighbor, I don’t say this with any arrogance, God as my witness watching me write this in the wee hours of the morning, but I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I’m born again, washed in the blood of Jesus, saved! Saved! Saved! As the beautiful song goes, “Saved, by His love divine, Saved, to new heights sublime, life now is sweet and my JOY is complete, for I’m SAVED, SAVED, SAVED!”

            I can look you in the eye tonight and say “everything you know about me is under the blood of Jesus.” I can look you in the eye tonight and say “I WAS all those things you’ve heard about me – (probably worse!) and while I am far from perfect and still a sinner saved by grace, by HIS grace and HIS grace alone, I am going to heaven because of what CHRIST did for me at the cross. My faith is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness!

            You too can have that peace tonight. You too friend can be free of the fear of those you love finding out the REAL you and the issues that are hidden in your heart. Listen neighbor – God already knows!! He’s the only one that really counts. But in His mercy today, He has sent this journal your way. Some of you reading this know those issues are there but you’ve become so lukewarm – you’ve become content to allow these issues to lay inside without repenting of them.

            Neighbor, it’s getting late, so terribly late. Jesus said “be hot” or “be cold.” If you’re lukewarm – you’re lost! You hear me? I don’t want to mince words here with you – but if you’re lukewarm today – you’re not saved! You need to be born again. I don’t care if you have been in church all your life, if you’re a preacher, a teacher, a Sunday School teacher, a choir member, a deacon, a preacher’s wife, a preacher’s kid or just a normal church member who sits on the pew week in and week out and never says a word. The last message of Jesus Christ is a call to YOU today!!!

You need to come to the foot of the world’s redeemer, throw yourself on His mercies, which are new every morning – to the repentant –, not the rebellious – and say Lord Jesus, cleanse my heart and mind today. Purge me of the hidden areas of darkness in my soul today. CRY OUT TO GOD – Lord, forgive me for being lukewarm – for having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof. Preacher, God is going to hold you so accountable for preaching a gospel that denies His power in these days of harvest. You’re unbelief does not stop the truth from being the truth, but the blood of the sheep you lead down this path to hell will be on your hands at the judgment if you don’t repent. The truth will set us free neighbor.

            This was the last message of Jesus Christ to the Church. It is very relevant to the day we’re living in right now. Neighbor, that message is for you and it is for me. Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church. God bless, Shalom!

This sermon series is continued in:

Gold Tried In The Fire - (Part Two)

The Great Offer  - Part 3

The Closed  Door Of Revelation - Pt 4