“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10 ESV)
In the Gospels, Jesus gives us a prophetic Word concerning the condition of the world prior to His return: “And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.” (Matthew 24:12 ESV) One look at the news, social media, or the endless stream of videos, podcasts, and alternative media, and you will begin to understand part of what Jesus was surely talking about. Research seems to indicate that things like fear, anxiety, despair, depression, hopelessness, and loneliness are reaching epidemic levels. This world desperately needs the hope, freedom, joy, and life that only Jesus Christ can bring.
As polarization in the west seems to increase at a fever pitch, politics continues to fracture friendships and families. People seem angry and less and less concerned with who or how they express that anger. From main stream news to social media, organizations seem to endlessly feed the polarization and rage because an angry society becomes glued to the endless stream of reasons to be mad and frustrated.
Paul once wrote about a future time that I think is becoming front page news: But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. (2 Timothy 3:1-5 ESV) I would like to point out that the presence of the Holy Spirit should lead to fruit radically different than the things we see in Paul’s warning. In contrast, true believers have lives marked by His fruit: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23 ESV)
As we consider the Scripture, I think there are several truths we must consider. First, these moments have not caught God unaware, unprepared, or unable to give us grace, strength, and hope as society seems to run of the rails. Next, God’s call for us as Christ followers has not changed: We are to love one another as He has loved us (see John 13:34-35). As our communities become colder and darker, there has never been a greater need for the true Church of Jesus Christ to live for and love like Jesus. Lastly, never let us buy the lie that anyone is too far gone for God to save! Let us proclaim the hope of the Gospel urgently, compassionately, and boldly. The God we serve is the God of exceedingly, abundantly more than all we could ask or imagine (see Ephesians 3:19-20).
The prophetic word spoken by Jesus and the God breathed Scriptures and history clearly reveal that our God is all knowing and proves He is all powerful. Today I want to challenge you to pray that God would guard your heart and keep it from becoming cold, callous, and indifferent because of the rise of lawlessness and godlessness. In a world that seems so hopeless and dark, let us hold onto our resurrected King and trust that the Lord will take what the enemy meant for evil and turn it to good.
As a bulwark against our love growing cold, here are a few Scriptures to meditate on and remember:
- So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32 ESV)
- “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:4-5 ESV)
- “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 ESV)
- Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7 ESV)
- Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV)
