Chapter 7: Choices From The Heart

Page 35

In the above illustration, God’s turf is comprised of zones one and

two. Satan’s turf is comprised of zones three and four. In the middle is the line that separates righteousness from unrighteousness [sin], good from evil. Note the one-way arrows in zones one and four. These arrows represent the one-way nature of these zones and people who are committed to either God

or Satan with their hearts. For those people, life’s choices only point in a single direction, towards God or towards Satan.

Zones two and three represent the wide path that leads to destruction. These are the zones where people play around in life, spiritually speaking.

They like to think of themselves as a good person albeit only to the extent that it is convenient in life and it fits in with their own assessment of the situational dynamics in play at any given choice. These are the people who do not stand on the truth and uphold righteousness at all costs. For them,

grace means licentiousness and freedom from all moral boundaries. When life confronts them with an easy pass [sin], which no one will observe, they take it. This could be as simple as accepting extra change returned at the store. I.E. The clerk gives you change for a twenty, but you only gave him

or her a five-dollar bill. After all, it was their mistake, wasn’t it?

Think about those four zones above and the preceding illustrations and then consider the words contained in the book of Revelations chapter 3.

“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, I will spit you out of my mouth!”

Rev. 3:15-16 NLT

God knows those who belong to Him and they operate inside of zone one only. These people are hot for God. God also knows who belongs to

Satan and they operate in zone four. Those people are cold to God. The people who like to operate in zones two and three are lukewarm to God. They have never entered the one-way path that is above the minimum righteousness standard. That is why God says He “will spit them out” [of

Heaven]. That is why Jesus says: “I never knew you.”