“The heart of many will grow cold” – or has it already begun? Matthew 24. HWC- the global current sweeping through the world (Heart Waxing Cold)

 Has your heart waxed cold? Has your mind strayed away from God’s principles? False teaching, worldly influences and a spirit of wickedness have slowly manipulated people. This wickedness is waiting to rule over you.

Ask yourself, who comes first?

1. you?
2. God?
3. mayyyyyybee other people (but only if you like them, and they’re nice)
4. animals? (not that animals aren’t important, but let’s get real here – most people love their dog more than their neighbor)

Don’t you see what is about to come upon us? Jesus warned us in Matthew “the love of many shall wax cold”

In Matthew’s verse “Love of many shall wax cold”, the Greek translation is: the agape love of many people shall turn “physco”. The meaning in bible dictionaries for this term is cold/ breath and or blowing. Physcros and physco are both translated in scripture as cold.  Further research for a Greek definition of physco revealed the following: related to the soul, mind, also a study related to the body, nature, medicine or the physical world.

The word cold in this verse from revelation :“So then because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth”is psychros meaning : cold, sluggish, inert, in mind. This version of word is used 3x. It seems, in this verse, to be a metaphor for cold personality- a cold mind.

 “the love of many shall wax cold”

Here are the options that this verse may mean:  In the last days, the love of many will grow:  uncaring, unloving, worldly, selfish, making our own ways, worshipping nature, following worldly ideas, medicated, worshiping things of the world….worldwide just as a current of wind blows through an area so this wickedness will try to consume all.

2 Timothy 3 goes into greater detail: “In the last days perilous times will come:  For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”

Put others first!

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.  Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,  who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,  but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Phil 2

This week, I was studying the story in Matthew about how Jesus fed the 5000. Jesus had actually gone away to get rest after John the Baptist had died, but the crowd followed Him. I noticed how Jesus put the crowd before His needs. He needed rest, He was probably deeply saddened by John’s death and maybe also consumed with what was ahead for Him. He wanted to have quiet rest time and prayer with the Father, but He put his needs aside for all the people. This is the true shepherd, He laid down his life and all He had for us. Don’t get me wrong- we all need time to rest and pray- But Christ put the people’s needs first and trusted God to give Him the rest He needed. It makes me consider myself and times I have pushed my kids aside because I wanted my own time, or times I have ignored someone who needed my help because of my own selfishness. Often we need to remind ourselves – it’s not all about us. Me, me, me!

Consider your ways

Stop for a moment and imagine today was your last day. You are before the Lord God, would He say this to you ?

My child, I gave you much time and had a plan for you, what have you done with the time I’ve given you? Do you know how much of your day you gave to your own selfish wants – the computer? The television?  ………….. So much needed to get done, so many harvesters were needed. Why don’t your children know Who I AM? Why didn’t you come when I called you? Why did you choose the world over Me? Where is your gold and what can you buy with your money now? I was hungry and you ignored me, I was thirsty, but you turned your head. I was lonely but you didn’t care. I wanted to be your friend, I reached out for you, but you scoffed and turned away.  I kept knocking, but you didn’t open  the door. You honored me with your lips, but you knew your heart was far from Me.

The Sweeping Current of cold self centeredness aka  HWC (heart waxing cold) the new earthly phenomenon.

I sense it, do you?  It’s as if this selfish cold hearted spirit is knocking at my door waiting to rule over me. I have to remind myself to love others. In fact, I’m finding these last few weeks a real test and a struggle to be caring and loving to others. If I wasn’t grounded in the word and prayer I know I would not have noticed it. Maybe there is an intense war for God’s people going on right now that we don’t see. A verse that comes to mind as I write this is from Revelation 12 “ Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time”

⁷ And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, ⁸ but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them^[a] in heaven any longer. ⁹ So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.¹⁰ Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. ¹¹ And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. ¹² Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”

Heart waxed cold HWC headlines: from propheyupdatenews.com on 1-7-14

HWC: Boy, 13, Kills Cousin Over Xbox…
HWC: Man fatally stabs wife in argument over cable bill…
HWC: Stockton Couple Accused Of Dismembering Roommate, Burning Torso In Campfire
HWC: California priest beaten to death with wooden stake, metal gutter pipe

How does our enemy work?

First, he tries to steal the Word of God from our hearts. Once that is done, we soon begin to make our own ways and our own man made laws. Second, he tries to distract you from God’s word and promises. He sends arrows of doubt, fear and worry into your thoughts trying to destroy your faith. Thirdly, he gains a choke hold over you and blocks out God’s word through deceit, riches and all the world has to offer.

Matthew 13:19-Therefore hear the parable of the sower:  When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.  But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;  yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.  Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.  But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

What can we do?

We can begin by putting on the warfare we have been given in Ephesians 6 and living by the Beatitudes in Matthew 5. Revelation tells us we can overcome the wicked one by “the blood of the lamb and by our testimony”. 2 Timothy gives us more insight: follow right doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance,  persecutions and afflictions.

“ But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, ⁴ traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! ⁶ For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, ⁷ always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; ⁹ but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

Who comes first in your life?

Your pet? Your neighbor? Yourself? God? Your club? The poor? The rich?

Let’s talk: Recently a dog in my neighborhood needed to be put to sleep. He was paralyzed, deaf and blind but a sweet lady tried to help him. A local organization raised $15,000 to help the animal get wheels for his back legs, physical therapy in a pool, and weekly psychology visits – I’m not kidding you. He lived about 7 months before he died. It was amazing to see this outpouring for a dog- surely it was a kind gesture, but I don’t see the same kind of love outpouring for people. It doesn’t take a lot of searching to find someone in need. How few reach out to help the people around us who are struggling.

Here’s something else that bothers me – SeaWorld’s Blackfish episode. The outpouring for the whale and mother has been astonishing. Singers have cancelled events at the theme park and it’s made a mess for them. Now I don’t know much of SeaWorlds reply, and certainly the situation bothers me, but let’s get real. If we really want to close down SeaWorld, let’s close down pet shops, fishing fleets, zoos and hey! Wait a minute- do we get the same outpouring of concern for the 60 million aborted babies?  Today is January 17th, since the new year began, 1.8 million babies have had their skull crushed and brains vacuumed out ( A hollow tube with a knife-edged tip is inserted into the womb. This instrument is then connected to a vacuum machine. The vacuum suction, 29 times more powerful than a household vacuum cleaner, tears the fetus and placenta into small pieces which are sucked through the tube into a bottle and discarded or a pair of forceps is inserted into the womb to grasp part of the fetus. The teeth of the forceps twist and tear the bones of the unborn child. This process is repeated until the fetus is totally dismembered and removed. Usually the spine must be snapped and the skull crushed in order to remove them** from Lifesitenews.com.) or had chemicals/salt poured over their bodies until they die. Where’s the nation’s uproar for that? No – somehow in our “psycho/physcros” minds we seem to care more for an animal than we do for a struggling mother with children or a small infant in a mother’s womb. This certainly is the generation of phychros – those of a cold mind towards people.

Sidetrack: I have to give a Shout out to SeaWorld Orlando for saying MERRY CHRISTMAS! I was in shock! Coming from happy holiday land (lauderdillians), I was amazed that a theme park would not only proclaim Jesus but have praise songs to Him all day long! Whoohoo for SeaWorld. In the first week of January, we walked through the gate and heard blasting through the park “Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare Him room, And heaven and nature sing. Joy to the world, the Savior reigns!

The shops at SeaWorld had nativity sets and children’s books of Jesus!  So yay for them, for being one of the last standing establishments to honor Christ. As my family was leaving, this song echoed through the park.

 “Come, adore on bended knee Christ, the Lord, the newborn King 
Glo-ori-a
In excelsis de-o
Glo-ori-a
In excelsis de-o
See Him in a manger laid Jesus, Lord of heaven and earth! Mary, Joseph, lend your aid, With us sing our Savior's birth. 
Glo-ori-a
In excelsis de-o
Glo-ori-a
In excelsis de-o

Okay, so I got off track, but I had to share that good news with you. Let’s go back to our study……..

We were talking about the coldhearted people in the last days. As Christians- I want you to ask yourselves if you have in anyway become cold. Keep your eyes open to your ways and thoughts; be careful not to become coldhearted and uncaring for others. I believe there is a strong current, like a mighty force, sweeping through the land that we all would become uncaring and unloving to others. Another definition used for this word is breath- putting it all together – it’s as if a strong current is sweeping over people turning their hearts cold towards others.

Besides selfishness, I think sometimes we can become cold hearted by the cold heartedness of people around us, but we can’t let that influence us.  Jesus is our example of how we should treat others. He didn’t fight or shout, not did he break the weakest reed (which means he didn’t crush those already brokenhearted and weak). He asked forgiveness for those who crucified Him, can we find that same forgiveness and mercy for others within ourselves?

Hear the Word of the Lord:

 But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, ¹¹ persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.  But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.  But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,  and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.2 Timothy 3 1-17

Revelation 3:15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth

Matthew 24 : Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.  For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.  And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.

 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.  And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.  Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. ¹² And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. ¹³ But he who endures to the end shall be saved. ¹⁴ And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand),  “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.  Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house.  And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.  And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.  “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it.  For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. ²⁵ See, I have told you beforehand.  “Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. ²⁷ For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.

²⁹ “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ³⁰ Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ³¹ And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.³² “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. ³³ So you also, when you see all these things, know that it^[d] is near—at the doors! ³⁴ Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. ³⁵ Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.³⁶ “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven,^[e] but My Father only. ³⁷ But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ³⁸ For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, ³⁹ and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ⁴⁰ Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. ⁴¹ Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. ⁴² Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour^[f] your Lord is coming. ⁴³ But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. ⁴⁴ Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.⁴⁵ “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? ⁴⁶ Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. ⁴⁷ Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. ⁴⁸ But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’^[g]49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, ⁵⁰ the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, ⁵¹ and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Dear Lord,

What has happened to us? Has the current of filth and worldliness caused us to drift so far we don’t realize our ways anymore? Lord, open our eyes, our ears and our hearts to your call. Set our feet back on the right path and give us discernment when we start to slip. I know you are always there for us, but keep us from honoring you with only our lips and not our hearts. Give us a love for others as Christ has. Teach us to consider others above ourselves. Forgive for our cold self-centeredness. Let us be a light in this world that would lead others to your kingdom. Give us a love for others, give us a heart of mercy , a heart of grace and forgiveness as you have showered upon us all through Christ your Son, In Jesus name, Amen.