No one really knows

Matthew 24 (definitely a must read in these times)

Let's pull out a few take-aways:

4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you.5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.

...you will be hated by all nations because of me.10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold...

We will betray and hate each other... The love of most will grow cold...

Sound familiar?

Division. Hate. No love.

But also, wars, famines, earthquakes...

Jesus continues...

36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,but only the Father.37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

...

45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.

He warned us of times such as these. Times where we would become divided. Hate each other. Betray each other. Times where we would be tempted to fight against our fellow brother, for the sake of our pride. Times where our world would be completely falling apart, and yet we would be so distracted by a mission to save it for our own flesh and desires instead of for the good of all souls. Instead of letting Him lead, we feel we need ALL the control.

Control. Oh, how hard it is to let it go! 🤦‍♀️

When we think we have life all figured out, we have to take a step back.

There is only one who truly knows. We MUST stay humble. We must learn from our mistakes. But we cannot dwell in it so deeply that the problem becomes bigger than the solution. Dissecting every detail until it's shredded all up, it will consume time you will never get back. BELIEVE ME. I am a master dweller! And there have been MANY days it has robbed me from doing HIS will. Things I have thought too long and too hard on that took me so far off the path I started on. Things that have made me question my beliefs. So, I know firsthand how it can lead to more harm than good. But thanks to HIS words, He leads me to still waters so that I can clearly see time and time again. He keeps me in line of what He needs from me.

He tells us in this very passage that always strikes me...

“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?

It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.

When I find myself getting so lost in an area of life, it has taken over me. I am realizing, I have gone too deep, too far off the path He needs me on. It isn't supposed to be that complicated. He directs our paths and does not want us to go astray. But when we do, He is always there to pull us back in. Simplify things. He gives us what we need when we need it. And He says, when we follow His ways, IT WILL BE GOOD.

I urge us all right now in this very moment to PLEASE remember!

Whatever your mission is, whatever your "goal" or "way of life" might be, whatever information you feel eager to share, things you feel you need to do or not do,

DO IT WITH LOVE FOR YOUR FELLOW BROTHER.

I have seen many hearts turn during all this. Some are finding the Lord, who hadn't yet found Him.

And some who were once found... are now sadly lost.

There are happening, things He said, MUST happen. Things that allow us to see more clearly.

I must ask myself daily before I adhere to what I am trying to understand:

Does this help or harm? Does this lead me, or others closer to the Lord, or does it pull me farther away? Is what I am doing, or about to do, building bridges OR walls? Am I leading with Love or turning people away?

Let us CONTINUOUSLY ask ourselves, in our fight to "save the world" are we helping or hurting each other on this mission? Are any of these things we are FIGHTING for building up OR destroying the Love for our fellow brother?

Look at Galatians 5:22

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." These are gifts from God.

But! If it causes hate, hurt, division, chaos, stress, confusion, no love... Satan is thriving. And every chance he gets right now, he is throwing the bait out for us to cling onto, share, pass on. Because turning all these things into something bigger than they really are is destroying the hearts and lives of many, building walls, not bridges. And if we cannot break free and see that, God... Help us all.

"Therefore keep watch because you DO NOT know on what day your Lord will come"...

As much as we think we know... No one, NO ONE, really knows.

BUT, if He were to come today, if today was THE day, would you be doing as He has asked of you...

or as the world has?

Jesus continues on to tell us in Matthew 25:40

"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."

IF we GENUINELY want our world to be a better place,

It should ALWAYS be as He asks of us, for the good of His people. Not through the animosity of the world.

Even when NO ONE is watching.

Because, remember...

HE sees it all.