Let not our hearts grow cold

Because iniquity will be multiplied, the love of many will grow cold. 
But he who endures to the end, the same will be saved.  Matt 24: 12-13

This is not just a "matter of fact" statement but rather a warning from the Shepherd about the state of our hearts when these things begin to happen, that our love will grow cold.  As love is the most important state of our hearts, especially in the light that God is love, I think that we need to heed the warning and determine in our hearts not to let this happen.

Jesus explains that our love will grow from increased lawlessness (iniquity).  We see so much of this already on media; wars, rebellion, murder, injustices etc all of which can have a hardening effect on our hearts.  Sometimes it's just too overwhelming, sometimes we become indifferent to the pain or just plain judgemental.  Our compassion and mercy can be severely stretched or completely dulled.

What is the answer?  We need to see people through the eyes of Christ.  He was never moved by behaviour for he saw beyond the behaviour, to the brokenness of heart that was the cause of the behaviour.  A perfect example of this, and there are many, is the woman caught in adultery that was cast at the feet of Jesus.  She was thrown at his feet, firstly for entrapment - to catch Jesus, but as a worthless harlot, who the religious leaders, being cold of heart, wanted to severely punish. Humiliated in front of all, fearful and broken, Jesus looked at her with love and grace and offered her the olive branch of mercy and forgiveness.  He did not consider her behaviour, to pass condemning judgement, but saw her in her pain.  The Samaritan at the well, coming for water met the giver of life giving water.  Again, although the bible does not amplify her past hurts, we can offer conjecture that if she was onto her fifth relationship, the cycle of rejection was being masked by her behaviour of looking for love in all the wrong places.  Again, Jesus knowing all things, offers no condemnation but ministers to the brokenness of her heart.

but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. Jn 4:14

He offered her, who possibly felt the rejection of the past, the water of love, acceptance and life.

Lawless behaviour masks pain and becomes self-fulling prophecy as people are caught in the trap of guilt and shame.  Ask any child who is fatherless, rejected, abandoned, unloved, or has believed lies such as " you are worthless, you will never amount to anything, you should be more like your sibling". As Jesus said, "be it unto you as  you have believed."  This works in the positive (believing truth) or negative (believing lies.). We can allow the truth of the Word to define us or the world.
"Choose life or death."

Freedom is the fruit of truth.  Healing too!  This is why Jesus mentions in the same starting passage of this blog,

Jesus answered them, "Be careful that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will lead many astray. You will hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that you aren't troubled, for all this must happen, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be famines, plagues, and earthquakes in various places. But all these things are the beginning of birth pains. Then they will deliver you up to oppression, and will kill you. You will be hated by all of the nations for my name's sake. Then many will stumble, and will deliver up one another, and will hate one another.  Many
false prophets will arise, and will lead many astray.  Matt 24: 4-11

False prophets...liars who deceive many.  Lies are powerful but truth is the ultimate healing power. When you are defined by the truth, it matters not what others think of you.  You live out in your behaviour what God thinks of you; for truth, apart from healing and freeing, nurses brokenness. There is no healing balm better then the word God speaks to you.

I have been asking God, "how do I minister to someone's brokenness?"  I have seen how Jesus did it, offering the word of truth in love and not being condemning.  The word of truth helps to break the cycle of destruction by the renewing of the mind, and consequently ministering to the hurt that has been caused by some lie believed. The greatest balm is acceptance (of the person not of the behaviour) and loving them to health.   What a good reminder, at this point, to have the famous passage of love that the Apostle Paul coined through the spirit of God as an ending to this blog:-

Love is patient and is kind; love doesn't envy. Love doesn't brag, is not proud, 
doesn't behave itself inappropriately, doesn't seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; 
doesn't rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 
bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 
Love never fails.  2 Cor 13 4-8a

Joy in His Suffering

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Heb 12:2 

Can you imagine the joy that Jesus must feel when he see his children "get it".  When we understand who we are in Him and who He is in and through us and what He accomplished for us on the cross.  Think about it!  Jesus endured the cross so that our salvation and healing would be
His joy and great reward.  Every time one of His kids get what is available to them because of His suffering and spilt blood on Calvary, His pleasure must be immense.

So many struggle with low self esteem and somehow don't feel that salvation and healing is for them but only for others.    We still feel that somehow we have to earn it, but scripture is quite clear....

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.  Is 53:3-5

The original meaning of the word "griefs" in verse 4 means sickness and "sorrows" means physical and mental pain.  He "hath borne our griefs", our sicknesses and "carried our sorrows", our physical
and mental pain.  Jesus certainly showed the Father's heart of compassion being moved to heal all who came to Him.  It matters not what we think of ourselves. The reality is Christ paid an incredible and awesome price for our salvation and healing.  Think of His precious blood that seeped when that whip crisscrossed His back for our healing. He who was so merciful was beaten merciless. Think of the blood that flowed from the thorns jammed into His head for our mental stability and peace.  Think of the blood running down from His wrists as He was nailed to the wooden beam so that we could lift up holy hands to our God and Father.  Think of the blood that trickled from His feet that we could walk in the gospel of peace bringing the good news to others.

He was the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world (Rev 13:8) and because of what He accomplished for us offering Himself up as a sacrifice for our transgressions we are people set free
and blessed.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ; 
even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without blemish before him in love; 
having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire, 
to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely bestowed favour on us in the Beloved, 
in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace... Eph 1:3-7

What wonderful and precious promises we have.  What destiny in Him.  What identity in Him.  Did you get it, we are a blessed people, and blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.  Not only are we blessed, we are chosen children, holy without blemish, favoured, redeemed
and forgiven. Hallelujah!


Scripture tells us that it was the Father's good pleasure to bruise his Son.  How can we fathom such a price the Father and Son collectively paid just so their love and goodness could be evidenced in the life of countless millions as this scripture explains:-

Though the Lord desired to crush him and make him ill, 
once restitution is made, 
he will see descendants and enjoy long life, 
and the Lord’s purpose will be accomplished through him.
Having suffered, he will reflect on his work, 

he will be satisfied when he understands what he has done. 
“My servant will acquit many, 
for he carried their sins. (Is 53: 10-11)

What amazing, sacrificial love!  All for mankind.  Jesus accomplished a great work for us and now seated at the right hand of the Father he reflects on that work being satisfied with the fruit of His suffering.  That fruit is you and me who have accepted His gift by faith.