Scripture records lots of very frightening consequences of humanities rebellion against God.
- “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars…nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places,” Matthew 24:6-7.
- “You will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death and you will be hated of all nations because of me,” Matthew 24:9.
- “Many false prophets will appear and deceive many people,” Matthew 24:11.
In addition to these words of Jesus, hundreds of frightening prophecies fill the pages of the Old Testament and the last book of the New Testament, Revelation. But we overlook the most frightening prophecy of them all.
- “Because of the increase of wickedness the love of most will grow cold,” Matthew 24:12.
We can endure persecution, pestilences, natural disasters, famine and all the other dire scriptural forecasts of humanity’s future. No one can endure a love for God that grows cold. Cold love amounts to extinguished love. Without love in our hearts for God we lose motivation to overcome sin and please the Lord. Dear friend that’s truly frightening.
But there is some really great news!
God’s Supreme Command
Someone asked Jesus, “Which is the greatest commandment in the law” (Matthew 22:36) ? Jesus unhesitatingly responded, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment” (Matthew 22:37).
There is no way we can wiggle out of it—God commands us to love him supremely. He refuses to let us invent our own religion based on human ideas of goodness or morality. We must reciprocate his love by keeping ourselves in love with him.
Our Superior Ability
Please remember that God’s commands bring God’s ability to obey. He doesn’t expect us to obey his commands through mere human effort. In reality, we cannot observe his commands and laws without the presence of Jesus’ Spirit. Therefore, “God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts” (Galatians 4:6). Jesus’ presence in us infuses us with Jesus’ love for heavenly Father. What a blessing! God supplies us with super human ability to carry out the supreme command.
By staying full of Jesus’ Spirit and clinging to the Bible he so deeply loved, we will inevitably remain expert at loving God.
Be greatly encouraged!
