I’m scratching my head while watching our world fall apart.
I’m confounded, confused, and constantly bewildered at the hateful rhetoric pouring through my news feeds. I’m aghast at the violence throughout the world. I am disheartened as some from our own Christian family allow their political passions to override Christ’s mandate to love our enemies.
We’ve come to hate those who think differently than ourselves and the best solutions for societal challenges, it seems, is to silence the opposition by persecution, discrimination, or by the alarming increase of calls … for death.
Civility is gone.
A Recent Example
The Supreme Court’s overruling of Roe vs Wade, June 24, 2022 is a recent example of how our nation and world have unbalanced reactions to legislation one may not agree with. Violent protests, threats of more destruction, and calls for harm against the people who support prolife legislation is dominating my FaceBook pages and favorite podcasts. Even European leaders condemn the US for removing this awful decision from the federal level.
What?
Abortion wasn’t demolished at the overturn of Roe v Wade but sent back to be determined by the people at state level. This is where we exercise our right to vote. This is where the people make the decision.
I know it is confusing these days, but we in the US do not live under a federal dictatorship.
We were founded as the United STATES of America, a government created by the people for the people. And the people speak through their freedom to vote.
I am prolife and relieved at this overturn by the court. But this does not mean abortion options are closed for all US citizens. Here in New Mexico, we are an abortion destination and will likely remain so for some time. As I stated, I am prolife and also support other conservative causes, but in the last few years, our state has leaned politically liberal. I don’t like it. But I realize the people of New Mexico have spoken through their votes.
As a US citizen, I have the option to move to another state.
But That’s Not the Point
But this blog isn’t a lesson on legislation or our voting rights. This blog is about the hearts of many growing colder by the day and how that fact ties into biblical prophecy. So let me get back on track:
If you read many of my blogs, you know that I quote Matthew 24 often. I love these verses because there, Christ’s disciples asked for insight into His world plans. Jesus, open-handed, shared the signs of his second coming and what world conditions would look like at that time.
I find the official sign stated in verse twelve very enlightening and very relevant today.
And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. – Matthew 24:12
Sounding eerily familiar? Not eerily because our king returns soon, but eerily because we are eyewitnesses to this hate-filled phenomenon. I shouldn’t be scratching my head confounded, but rather calmly nodding, knowing our Lord is separating the wheat from the chaff (Matthew 3:12).
Consider these Scriptures:
2 Thess. 2:8-13 tells us: Then that lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will eliminate with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not accept the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.
And in Isaiah 66:4, God says: “So I will choose their punishments and bring on them what they dread. Because I called, but no one answered; I spoke, but they did not listen. Instead, they did evil in My sight and chose that in which I did not delight.”
Truth Revealed
This is clear. We see that the sign Christ gave his disciples in Matthew 24:12 was not simply a marker for end times but a truth to be revealed. As men choose to move away from truth, God will allow them to have what they ask for: untruth. Untruth comes from a deluding influence—the activity of Satan.
The evil plans of the enemies of God are at work and the actions of men prove this. Those who do not heed messengers of peace listen for cries of war.
We are on one side or the other. The gray areas are gone. The fence riding is over. You are either passionate for Christ, or vehemently against Him.
His Spirit in Us
But those for Christ can take no credit in discernment. Our spiritual fortitude comes from God above, not our own wisdom.
Consider Ezekiel 36:26 and how the Lord explains He is the one to give us a heart of peace and love: Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
The Holy Spirit’s work is to guide us in all truth (John 16:13). If we hold truth in our minds and hearts, it is because the Spirit of Christ has placed them there. Because we have believed upon Christ, we are made new. We are creatures of light and not of darkness.
Therefore, we have no need to fear the hate or fear the future.
God gives the knowledge of his will. We are the agents of a loving Christ among hearts that are stone cold. We must continue to be messengers which point to the Prince of Peace.
Paul’s Prayer for You and Me
In Philippians 1:9-11 Paul prayed that his readers, and you and me also, would grow in love as the days grow spiritually difficult. I pray this for each of you:
And this I pray, that your love may overflow still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may discover the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, for the glory and praise of God.
Rest in Truth. We’ve been told and warned of these events and times. Our purpose is to shine in these dark hours. We are to continue in our truth discoveries and not be dismayed by the actions of those following untruth.
And finally, if we’ve been tempted to ride a fence for the sake of tolerance, let us climb down and stand for Christ.
If I perish, I perish,
L.G. Westlake
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Author Laurie Green Westlake 