REVELATION 3:15-20 – ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

THEME OF THE DAY. FIGHTING SPIRITUAL COMPLACENCY. We are creatures of habit. Routines characterize our lives. And there is nothing wrong with good habits and having routines. However, these things can easily become enemies to the spiritual life. Having spiritual habits are necessary, but if not guarded against may become mindless executions of spiritual disciplines out of mere habit. Here are two illustrations. Have you recently read your Bible out of habit or discipline because that is what Christians do? Perhaps you are on a reading plan with an allocated amount of scripture to read each day. Or maybe you are a person committed to reading your Bible daily randomly, but faithfully. Now, how many times have you read your Bible, finished, walked away, entered your day and never once remembered what you read? How many times have you habitually read your Bible without any meditation, study, or seeking tangible ways to make what you read become part of your life and conduct? If so, you and I have just executed a spiritual habit without spiritual profit. Another illustration. How many Sundays have you gotten out of bed, readied yourself for church, piled in the car, arrived at church, sat in a Sunday School class, then a worship service and by 12:30 p.m., haven’t given a thought to what happened in the morning? Or perhaps you came to church not thinking about why you came, endured, yes endured, the service, and had no awareness the God who is holy, holy, holy, was there in His Word and corporate worship. If so you and I have just executed a spiritual habit without spiritual profit. And should these mindless spiritual habits continue day in, day out, week in, week out, we will become like those in the church found in today’s scripture; the church at Laodicea, a church who received a severe condemnation and warning from the Lord Jesus because of spiritual complacency. When spiritual habits are done out of obligation and executed with mindless repetition, spiritual complacency, or being lukewarm, or becoming a backslider is certain.

Nothing is more spiritually damaging and deceiving to the Christian than to be spiritually complacent and okay with being in that condition. When we don’t read our Bibles faithfully to meet God and are okay with such, we are in a dangerous spiritual place. When we don’t regularly pray alone and with other Christians to know God and His love, and are okay with such, we are in a dangerous spiritual place. When we willfully absent ourselves from the Lord’s Day, miss church, and are okay with disobeying the command to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, we are in a dangerous spiritual place (Hebrews 10:25). When we are indifferent to holiness and allow worldliness to creep into our lives and we are okay with such, we are in a dangerous spiritual place. One of the strongest indictments and condemnations the Lord gave in His letters to the churches of the Revelation was that to Laodicea. They were lukewarm and okay with it, and the Lord soundly and thoroughly warned them about the spiritual danger and consequences of remaining in that condition.

Friends, we are creatures of habit and routines. And that is okay to have habits and routines, but let’s strive to ensure both don’t produce spiritual complacency as simply habits and routines we do instead of spiritual disciplines taking us face to face with the glory of God in the Person of our Lord Jesus.

PRAYER: “Father, please protect me from the subtle danger of growing spiritually complacent.”

QUOTE: “Nothing is more dangerous to a Christian than to be spiritually complacent and okay with that condition”