Hot or Cold? Choosing Your Temperature in the Last Days

Are you coasting in the "lukewarm" zone? In a world that constantly pulls at our attention, it’s easy to let our spiritual fire fade into a comfortable room temperature. Drawing from the Apostle John’s exile on Patmos and a modern-day encounter with a broken water heater, this blog explores why "lukewarm" is the most dangerous place a believer can be. Discover why the "Last Days" require a radical, all-consuming heat for Jesus Christ.

C. Atkinson

10/7/20242 min read

A thermometer shows a cold temperature with a snowman.

“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water... I will spit you out of my mouth.” — Revelation 3:15-16 (NLT)

Saints of God, I greet you in the matchless name of Jesus!

There is a unique strength found when we dwell together in unity. As the day of the Lord’s return draws near, Hebrews 10:25 reminds us not to neglect meeting together. Why? Because we live in a "cold" and increasingly wicked world. If we aren't watchful, the environment around us will slowly pull us away from the presence of God until we find ourselves led astray without even realizing it.

The Fire for the Mission

We have been called for such a time as this to carry out the Great Commission. But saving souls requires more than just "good intentions"—it requires a fire burning deep within. Unless we are "Hot" for the Gospel, we won't have the endurance to finish the race.

Lessons from the Isle of Exile

Consider the Apostle John. He was exiled to the remote, forbidding cliffs of Patmos for one reason: his testimony about Jesus. In that isolation, John likely faced loneliness and rejection, yet he remained HOT. He understood that the price of preaching was high, but the presence of the Lord was higher.

Like John, the Apostle Paul lived with this same "all-in" heat, declaring, "To live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21). These men understood that the "crushing" of life is often what produces the anointing oil necessary for the mission. They chose to be living sacrifices—daily dying to self so that Christ could increase.

A Revelation from a Water Heater

Sometimes, the Lord speaks through the most mundane moments of our lives. Recently, the hot water heater in my home failed. As I sat there with no hot water, I felt the Lord ask my spirit: “HOT or COLD—which will you choose?”

It was a wake-up call. I realized that in our spiritual walk, there is no safe middle ground. Lukewarm water is stagnant; it serves no purpose. To preach the Gospel "in and out of season," we must maintain a boiling point. It will cost us everything, but as Mark 8:36 asks: “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”

No Such Thing as a "Cakewalk"

A sister in Christ often says, "This walk is no cakewalk." It is a path of constant crossroads where we must choose God's Word over our own comfort. Complacency is the enemy of the soul.

In these last days, standing firm is the only way to survive. Like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, we must be so "on fire" for God that even the threat of a physical furnace cannot move us. Their resolve was simple: Even if He doesn't rescue us, we will not bow.

A Prayer for the Fire

Lord, set a fire in our souls! Keep us from becoming stagnant or complacent in Your Word. We refuse to lean on our own understanding. We plead the blood of Jesus over our minds, bodies, and souls, asking that our hearts never turn away from seeking Your face. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Don't be distracted by the world—it's only a setup. Stand firm on the Word!