Hearts Aflame | Discussion Guide
Summary
Pastor Lanny delivers a powerful message about having hearts aflame for God, drawing
from Revelation 3:14-22 and Jesus’ letter to the lukewarm church in Laodicea. He identifies
three heart conditions: cold (spiritually dead), hot (passionate for God), and lukewarm
(indiLerent). Jesus finds lukewarm hearts repulsive and would rather have people be cold
or hot. The pastor emphasizes that in our self-sufficient culture, like ancient Laodicea, we
often become spiritually complacent and lukewarm.
To move from lukewarm to hearts aflame, Pastor Lanny presents three key principles: be
dependent on Christ (recognizing our need for Him rather than being self-reliant), be
dressed in Christ (putting on His righteousness daily), and be devoted to Christ
(maintaining intimate fellowship with Him). He concludes with the promise that those who
conquer will sit with Christ on His throne, emphasizing that we are already seated with Him
in heavenly places and are more than conquerors through Christ.
Intro Prayer
Father, as we gather together today, we ask that You would open our hearts and minds to
what You want to teach us. Help us to be receptive to Your Spirit’s leading and conviction.
We pray that You would stir within us a passion for You that burns brightly. Remove any self-
Sufficiency or lukewarmness from our hearts, and help us to be hungry for Your presence
and Your Word. May we leave this time changed and ignited with love for You. In Jesus’
name, Amen.
Ice Breaker
What’s one thing you’re looking forward to most in this new year of 2025?
Key Verses
- Revelation 3:14-22
- Leviticus 6:12-13
- 2 Timothy 1:6
- Galatians 3:27
- 1 Corinthians 1:9
- Ephesians 2:4-6
Questions
Which of the three heart conditions (cold, hot, or lukewarm) do you most identify with
currently, and why?
Pastor Lanny mentioned that self-sufficiency can quench the fire of God in our lives. In
what areas of your life do you struggle with being self-reliant rather than dependent on
Christ?
What does it practically look like to ‘put on Christ’ or be ‘dressed in Christ’ in your daily life?
The pastor shared that our primary calling is fellowship with Christ, not our career or other
life choices. How does this perspective change how you view your priorities?
Jesus said He would rather have us be cold or hot than lukewarm. Why do you think
Is lukewarmness so offensive to Him?
What are some practical ways we can ‘fan to flame’ our passion for God when we feel
spiritually cold or indifferent?
The message mentioned that we are already seated with Christ in heavenly places. How
should this truth impact how we face challenges and difficulties?
What would it look like for our church to be a community with ‘hearts aflame’ for God? How
can we encourage this in one another?
Life Application
This week, identify one area where you’ve been spiritually lukewarm or self-sufficient.
Choose one practical step to ‘fan to flame’ your passion for God – whether it’s spending
more time in prayer, reading Scripture with fresh hunger, or serving others with renewed
purpose. Commit to being more dependent on Christ in this specific area rather than
relying on your own strength.
Key Takeaways
Jesus identifies three heart conditions: cold (spiritually dead), hot (passionate for God),
and lukewarm (spiritually indifferent). Lukewarmness is repulsive to Jesus because it represents spiritual complacency and self-
sufficiency
To have hearts aflame, we must be dependent on Christ, dressed in Christ’s righteousness,
and devoted to intimate fellowship with Him
Our primary calling in life is fellowship with Christ, not our careers or other pursuits
We are already seated with Christ in heavenly places as more than conquerors through
Him
Ending Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for speaking to our hearts today about the condition of our spiritual
lives. We confess that too often we have been lukewarm, self-sufficient, and indifferent to
the things that matter most to You. We ask You to ignite a fire within us that burns brightly
for Your glory. Help us to be dependent on You, to put on Your righteousness daily, and to
pursue intimate fellowship with You above all else. May we be people who catch fire for
You, drawing others to see Your light in us. Transform our hearts from lukewarm to aflame,
and use us to impact our world for Your kingdom. In Your precious name we pray, Amen.