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Losing Our Edge
Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Warfare, Complacency Dana Rongione Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Warfare, Complacency Dana Rongione

Losing Our Edge

Did you know a dull knife can be more dangerous than a sharp one? It's true! Without that razor edge, you apply more pressure and risk slipping as the blade catches. Who knew?

Similarly, spiritually dull Christians pose hazards, too, often without realizing it. Now, I'm not suggesting we go around stabbing people with convictions, but lukewarm faith does subtle damage.

When passion cools and vision blurs, we drift along numbly. Rather than piercing darkness, our words and witness lose edge. We fear ruffling feathers with truth. But Proverbs 27:6 says, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend,” meaning caring rebuke holds more value than mute passivity.

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Lukewarm Faith
Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Warfare, Apathy Dana Rongione Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Warfare, Apathy Dana Rongione

Lukewarm Faith

As you can see, Jesus had nothing good to say about the church of the Laodiceans. Even the way he addressed the letter showed his disapproval. With every other church, their letters were addressed to the "church of [insert city]" or "the church in [insert city]." This time, the letter was addressed to the church of the Laodiceans. In other words, the church of the people. The Lord recognized how the people there viewed the church as "theirs" rather than "God's". No wonder this church made Him sick!

That being said, can you imagine Jesus saying He wants to spit you out of His mouth? That's some tough love right there! But the Laodicean church was just going through the motions. They showed up on Sundays but had no passion or zeal for God. Their faith was like a cup of tea that's been sitting out too long—not hot enough to be soothing and not cold enough to be refreshing. In a word, yuck!

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