Mediocre Christianity

Swamp

The church in Laodicea was condemned for being “lukewarm” (Revelation 3:16). They thought they were in “need of nothing” (Revelation 3:17), but they were not healthy spiritually. Jesus told them they needed to “be zealous and repent” (Revelation 3:19).

At times, we may be like the Laodiceans – not what we should be as Christians, but not completely unfaithful either. We may not be zealously serving God, but are also not willfully rejecting Him either. Instead, we are in a state of spiritual mediocrity. What does this look like in our individual lives? When we find ourselves in such a state, how can we change it? That is what we will consider in this article.
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Righteous Lot

Flight of Lot

And if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter; and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment” (2 Peter 2:6-9).

The inspired apostle Peter described Lot as being “righteous.” Yet this righteous man was not without his faults – he pitched his tent toward Sodom (Genesis 13:12), lived in Sodom (Genesis 14:12), and had to be taken by the hand to flee the city before it was destroyed (Genesis 19:16). In Lot we see one who was righteous; yet he too often focused on the wrong thing, tolerated too much, and compromised with the world.

There are some important lessons we can learn from Lot’s example – both good and bad. We will consider these lessons here.

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The Application of Wisdom: Alcohol

Notes on Proverbs

Despite the warnings in the book of Proverbs and the rest of the Scriptures against both the destructive and casual uses of alcohol, many claim that a Christian is free to drink alcohol, just so long as he does not become drunk. In light of this, it is especially important to note what the book of Proverbs has to say about alcohol.
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A Little Wine (12/18)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from 1 Timothy 1-6.

Many professed Christians see no problem with the casual use of alcohol (often referred to as “social drinking”) provided that one does not become drunk. Yet the New Testament does not sanction this kind of drinking for the Christian. Paul’s instructions to Timothy about the use of wine are helpful in understanding this point.

No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments” (1 Timothy 5:23).

In this passage, Paul encouraged Timothy to drink wine. Does this mean that we as Christians may drink alcohol, provided that we do not become drunk? Certainly not! Notice the lessons we can learn from this verse:
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"It Is Not for Kings to Drink Wine" (6/22)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Proverbs 30-31.

It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to desire strong drink, for they will drink and forget what is decreed, and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.

Give strong drink to him who is perishing, and wine to him whose life is bitter. Let him drink and forget his poverty and remember his trouble no more” (Proverbs 31:4-7).

There are at least four points to be made from the instructions given to Lemuel.
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After the Flood

Noah and the Rainbow

Children grow up learning about Noah and the ark. As adults, we study the record of the flood and strive to learn the lessons it teaches – why it happened, how Noah was saved, Noah’s example of obedience, as so on. But there are also important lessons for us that came immediately after the flood. We will notice a few in this article.Continue Reading

Making the Most of Your Time

Pocket Watch

Each one of us is busy with obligations and responsibilities that have been placed upon us and that we have taken upon ourselves. Our lives can be hectic and we sometimes wonder how we will ever have time to do what we need to do. This is just as much of a challenge for Christians as it is for anyone else.

Paul provided some instructions about time management that would be good for us to heed:

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16).

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