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
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
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