Matthew 24:9-14 Love Grows Cold
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: August 11, 2019 Matthew 24:9-14
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
(Understanding the Text) Is this specific to the early Christians before the destruction of Jerusalem, or is it before the second coming? Actually, it has been true throughout history until about the 1800s. I guess it will be true again before Jesus comes, as far as the death, tribulation, hatred, and betrayal. There are many false prophets today leading people on the wrong path. Most of all today, the love of people has grown cold because of the lawlessness that is everywhere.
(Understanding the Text / Prayer) Lawlessness is not just breaking the law. It is also about being without a law. The law is the ten commandments specifically, but it is also the scriptures themselves. People today are holding God and His word in contempt. I’m not sure where they got their attitudes from since some of them have God-loving parents. I pray for them that they will learn to know You and love You and obey You. I pray that for me also.
Jesus says that I need to endure to the end. This implies going through times that are rotten and feeling rotten and sad and betrayed. I want Your joy that You have promised as a gift of the Spirit so that I can be joyful even in these pathetic times.
(Understanding the Text / Revelation of God) It says that even while these rotten things are happening, the gospel will be preached throughout the world, so even while it looks bad, progress is being made. Jesus does not promise that life will be good for His followers. He knew that trouble followed Him, and therefore, his followers. Jesus counted all the trouble as worth it to bring us closer to Himself because He loves us.
(Application / Prayer) My application for myself is that I should not be discouraged by the lawlessness that surrounds me. I need to just keep holding Jesus up to the world. Help me to do this because I cannot do it by myself. I’m horrible at it.