Anything But Lukewarm

So I've been thinking about this article for a few days not sure how to get it down. You KNOW I'm preoccupied when I can't get words out! My mouth has been getting me into trouble my whole life! Being the youngest of five, many of my siblings and I had the same teachers.  On my brother and sisters' report cards, it would say something like, "Lori is an excellent student; if she would just speak up and participate a little more in class."

On MY elementary school report cards, it was pretty much all the same: "Kerri is an excellent student...Now if we could just get her to stop talking so much and be a little less social!" Ha! What can I say? I love words! The spoken word, the written word...love 'em all!

One thing I don't love...in fact, I would  go so far as to say I HATE it: People who won't make a decision. Not people who CAN'T for whatever reason, but WON'T. And I'm not talking about the polite "I don't care where we go for dinner, where would YOU like to go?"; although this can get annoying if you have 2 parties involved who keep doing this....like the cartoon chipmunks, Chip and Dale. "After you!"

"No, after you!"

 "I insist..." Blah, blah, blah.

So what I want to encourage you to do today is live with passion. And I'm not talking about romantic love, either, before anyone goes THERE. 

There are over 200 synonyms for passion in my good ol' Synonym Finder. (No, I won't list them all!!) But think about it. If you lived with fierceness. If you made a decision with vivacity! If you woke up today and said, I am going to live with earnestness.

I'm saying that even if your body doesn't cooperate, even if your finances won't facilitate, make up your mind to make a difference! All you need is your heart and your mind. Have enthusiasm!

When I worked in the trucking industry, we sometimes had to make decisions in the moment; ours was a very fluid job, always changing and moving quickly.  So we had this expression, "Pull the trigger."  If I had to make a decision on whether or not a driver could start heading back to town when he was 200 miles away knowing we didn't have all of our usual customers scheduled yet, that would be a "pull the trigger" moment. It might work, and it might come back and bite me.  But the waiting was just not conducive to profit. 

SOME decisions require prayer, and seeking godly counsel.  I get that. That's Biblical, and it's important.  But MANY decisions can be made... Choices that you KNOW are right for YOU. Don't linger.  Don't meander in the in-between.

Pull that trigger.

I know there are a lot of people out there, myself included, who are going through not so great things right now. But DECIDE. Gather up every ounce of courage you have, and live with PASSION!

Think about what drives you. Concentrate on what moves you. Choose something positive to focus on. And LIVE! 

Many Christians are lukewarm.  About them Jesus said,

 ¹⁵ “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷ For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Revelation 3:15-17 ESV (emphasis mine)

Now those are some passionate words!  Do you love Jesus?  Act like it!  Speak up!  If someone asks you about your faith, tell them about it.  Tell them about the passionate Jesus who died for them.   You can't do salvation half way.  You can't be lukewarm!  If you want to make a commitment to Jesus, then JUMP in and do it.  Don't be a Christmas and Easter Sunday Christian. 

Jesus was a passion man.  He felt deeply.  He loved without reservation.  He gave up His very LIFE so that others could live. 

Today, be brave.  Make that decision.