Monday; August 25
Matthew 24 is one of the
most challenging passages in the New Testament.
Through the years it has been dissected, explained, debated and
challenged. There are some who believe it
applies to the Roman destruction of the Jewish nation in the 1st
Century, while others hold out that it is a prophecy of the “End Times”. I have an opinion about what I believe it
means, but time and purpose limit today’s point. As I was reading through the words of Jesus,
I came across something interesting, “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. This gospel of the kingdom shall be
preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then
the end will come.” (Matthew 24:10-14).
Now, before we move on, yes – I realize I am cherry-picking a section of
Scripture – but not necessarily to prove a point. My goal is to help us deal with many of the
uncertainties and struggles we face no matter the era in which we live. There have been and will be tough times, but
in the end what matters is a personal conviction to the Lord. We can’t allow the arguments to derail us; we
must endure to the end.
Let’s not get distracted
by religious debates that try to explain some uncertainty. Let’s stay focused on the straightforward
teaching of the gospel: serving God and
loving one another. When we commit to
those simple principles, we can look forward to salvation and we can take part
in evangelizing the world for the cause of Christ.
Think About It!