Matthew 24:3-13

As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"

And Jesus answered and said to them,

"See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many. You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.
But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.

At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.

Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved."

Interesting that the way we endure to the end is to keep the fires of love burning in our hearts ... toward our God and toward each other.

Our world is getting crazier by the day ... it's a bit disconcerting to see that there will be hatred and betrayal among those who claim to follow Christ when any persecution visits us. Many will fall away ...

:-) be careful who you make your alliances with ... be sure the Lord says they are OK because only He knows their hearts but the best thing to do

is to continue to love and forgive even your enemies and those who would persecute you, for what reward have you if you only love those who love you. Matthew 5:46

The Way of Love

If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing.

If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.

Love cares more for others than for self.

Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.

Love doesn't strut,

Doesn't have a swelled head,

Doesn't force itself on others,

Isn't always "me first,"

Doesn't fly off the handle,

Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,

Doesn't revel when others grovel,

Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,

Puts up with anything,

Trusts God always,

Always looks for the best,

Never looks back,

But keeps going to the end.
Love never dies.

Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit.

We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete.

But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.
When I was an infant at my mother's breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good. We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!
But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation:

Trust steadily in God,

Hope unswervingly,

Love extravagantly.

And the best of the three is love.

1 Corinthians 13

The Message

Love

We don't express love to one another because we are afraid.

And yet there is no fear in love ... perfect love casts out fear ...

So the love we are afraid to express is not perfect ...

So many hang ups .....

The very thing we boast about ... our freedom

Is an eagle with clipped wings .....

Grounded for safe keeping .... held captive

God is that perfect love .... let's grow our wings and fly.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12

Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:5

This has been a challenge for me .... and yet it is so simple ... when I have drawn myself close to God believing that He loves me ... peace is always there ... and when I think of the times that I haven't it all boils down to one thing ... trust in the very real fact that God loves me and you and you. That was hard for me to believe for a long time. I felt I had disappointed Him and that I was unworthy in so many ways ... but He has generously poured grace upon me and covered me with His love and all my faults are nonexistent in His presence. That's where I want to be and that's where I want to stay ...