By: Paul Chappell
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold."
Matthew 24:9-12
The best way to determine what we love the most is not to listen, but rather to look. Most of us will say the “right things” when asked. We will say that we love God, love our churches, and love our families. But the way to truly determine love is to observe where we invest our time and energy. The things to which we give our lives are the things which we love most.
Love must be guarded and tended if it is to be kept alive. Just because we love God today does not mean that we will do so tomorrow. Jesus told us that in difficult circumstances many hearts will grow cold. We see this illustrated in an event from the life of Paul. The great missionary apostle traveled across the Roman Empire preaching the gospel. As a result of his efforts, he endured great hardship, suffered persecution, and would eventually be martyred. Throughout his travels Paul had a number of men who journeyed with him and helped him in the work.
Late in his life, when he was imprisoned in Rome, Paul wrote his final epistle to his protégé Timothy. In it he asked Timothy to come to see him. “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia” (2 Timothy 4:10). Even though he was in the company of great Christians, Demas allowed his heart to grow cold toward God. As a result, he fell in love with the world, and his ministry ended.
Today’s Renewal Principle:
Keep your heart warm toward God today, or tomorrow you may find it has grown cold.
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