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Reaching Out

Get Out of the Boat

Two good friends invite you on a day trip on the Atlantic Ocean to try out their new boat, The Laodicea. You are excited to go, although you cannot swim and have a fear of drowning. A major storm is forecast, but not until later. Thirty miles out, the wind comes up, waves start getting rough, and a rogue wave hits your boat, killing the engine. You then discover your friends forgot life preservers, and begin to panic.

As the boat begins to take on water, a large ship in the distance hears your frantic cries on the radio and heads towards you. Close by, they throw a life preserver into the water, and shout for you to jump out of your boat and they will rescue you. You are terrified, fearful you will miss the life preserver and sink into the sea. Will you get out of the boat and try to get to the life preserver?
Just like the scenario above, many of us are in a boat called Laodicea, described in Revelation 3 as “neither hot nor cold,” saying “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing.” But Jesus states: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were one or the other. But since you are merely lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth”.
Just as Jesus invited the apostle Peter to get out of the boat and come to Him in Matthew 14, Jesus invites us to get out of lukewarm Laodicea and come to Him, that we may walk with Him and live extraordinary, supernatural lives, led by the Holy Spirit. We are all in a boat – our culture and the world – that is sinking. Jesus says get out of the boat and live, for He is our ETERNAL LIFE preserver. Are we going to go down with the ship, or are we going to walk with the Lord across the water in an unparalleled spiritual adventure?

Do all of your friends, family, and acquaintances have this eternal life preserver – Jesus? If not, what are you going to do about it? For the hurricane is on the way, the boat is leaking, the water is deep, heaven and hell are real, and eternity is forever.
To God be the glory
Board of Evangelism