It was Mel Sheasby who recommended Louis L’Amour’s book, “Last of the Breed” as a good read. I couldn’t put it down. L’Amour’s novel tells the story of a captured US Fighter Pilot. His journey, after escaping from a Soviet prison camp, takes him on foot across Siberia to the Bering Strait. Getting home to freedom was his driving force. It is a hard slog across freezing terrain. The frigid conditions were only matched by the cold hearts of his pursuers. But it doesn’t take ice and snow to make a cold heart. Jesus warned that Jerusalem would be destroyed by the Romans. That it would be a time of extreme tribulation.
This happened in AD70. He says, “And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12). Remove God from a society and the chill of despair falls upon all. But despair we shall not! One of the cures for Timothy’s ministry “timidity” was to “fan into flame his gift from God” (2Tim.1:6-7). He had neglected a needful gift (talent) of some kind. It was going to take effort to ‘fire it up’ for use in the church again. Too many times we allow our spiritual lives to cool down. Incremental neglect of prayer, scripture, serving and fellowship freezes us up. Our talents may not be miraculous, but the Holy Spirit uses them to spread the gospel. Hearts are convicted of their sinfulness before our Holy God. However, we are not running to freedom. We are running in it. We are no longer slaves to sin. Lawlessness may increase around us, but our love will not grow cold. And with heaven in our hearts, it won’t! Nothing can freeze us out if we have fire in our hearts to serve the Lord. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Rom.8:28).
More articles, sermons and classes online at: morningsidechurchofchrist.org.nz
0 Comments