Unloving

252 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 3:1-3, “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, Sometimes a particular version of the Bible comes up a little short in finding that right word to describe the intent of the original language. This is the case today in my Prime Time Devo as the New King James uses the word “unloving.” That's not strong enough language! The King James is closer with the phrase, “without natural affection.” This has been a common occurrence in the church from the very beginning of the “Last Days.” The actual Greek word means “hard-hearted toward kindred” or “without family love.” We should not be surprised by this turn of events in the church. Micah predicted it in the Old Testament: Mic 7:6 For son dishonors father, Daughter rises against her mother, Daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; A man's enemies are the men of his own household. And Jesus predicted it in the New in Matthew, Luke, and Mark! Mr 13:12 "Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 13 "And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” I don't believe we have experienced this kind of deadly persecution in America yet, but certainly we have heard the accounts in other places as kindred turn against kindred when one or the other profess faith in Christ. Many times this “ratting out” of family members results in intense persecution and even death! To think that we are immune from this in America is naive. It can happen here! I wonder how many of you can relate to the wall that popped up between you and family members when you threw in with the family of God and became a Christ follower! Suddenly, you were no longer “fun” to be around with all your talk about the necessity of being “born again!” “Keep your religion to yourself and leave mine alone!”And I wonder how many walls are being built as more and more of our children buy into and start accepting the ungodly behavior patterns of the world! Many have ditched the faith for the sake of tolerating what the Bible clearly calls sin! And the church's strength is sapped as it seeks to keep everyone in the pews at all costs, and the message is compromised to make room for all opinions. It's not easy to stand fast in the face of this kind of “unloving” familial peer pressure, but stand we must, and pray we must that we continue to speak the truth in love and persevere in the faith through it all.