Getting Back on Track

Fresh Manna 2009© by Pastor Tim Burt

How many times have you been in your car unknowingly headed in a wrong direction from your destination only to find out way too late? In my 56 years of life, it has happened more than I care to admit. In most of the times I can remember it happening, I felt this nagging feeling that I had lost direction. When that feeling grew strong enough, I’d find a place to pull over and ask questions to verify that my gut feeling was right. I was headed the wrong way. No wonder GPS for cars was invented.

When I have had people in my counseling office and they are telling me about their present “off track” life experience that they now need help with, it seems like they can almost always remember where their life began to get off track. Some semblance of the statement slips out, “If only I had paid attention to what I was feeling.”

On that note, I want to show you one of the most sobering truths—prophetic truths—that Jesus ever spoke. Before I show it to you, imagine yourself as a parent giving warning to your child about something. Your motive is love, not condemnation. You love them and you want them to avoid hurtful things. In that spirit, here is what Jesus said, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold…” Matthew 24:12 (NIV) Jesus is revealing that because of the level of evil, sin, wickedness, corruption—how ever you want to put it—that it was going to try to invade our individual lives and cause our love for Him and for life and mankind, “to grow cold.” Jesus is love and Jesus is your only source of real love. Only Jesus—the author and creator of love—can show us what love is and how to love. When your love for Him grows cold, then the source of real love has grown cold.

Jesus warned us that because of the abounding, ever-increasing, and—especially in this age—accelerating wickedness, that it would work to influence your life and send you in the wrong direction; off His path for your life.

Satan will work to get you to look critically at ministers of the gospel—even though you may not even know them or understand them. He’ll amplify the biased media statements against Christianity and ministers; accusing their motives as being monetary. And if you have a Pastor, he’ll try to illuminate and exaggerate his weaknesses rather than his strengths; such as dedicating his life to loving and pointing people to Jesus.

Satan will work to help you become a “lover of pleasures more than a lover of God.” (2Tim3:4) That is probably one of the most painful pokes that people deny to themselves, but if you measure the fruit of your relationship with God versus doing your own thing, you’ll see for yourself.

Jesus said “the love of most will grow cold.” The world has really changed and not for the better. Can you see the truth in His prophetic words? So how do we turn this devotion to some point of edification and encouragement? Stop and think for a moment about how good it feels when you stop and ask for directions, get back on course, and get to your destination. It feels great! It makes you want to be more cautious next time. The feeling of getting back on track is a momentary decision. Pull the car over and ask directions. Then get on track!

I challenge you today. Pull out your Bible. Pray before your read and ask God to direct your heart. Pray about what needs changing in your life. Ask God to help you through His strength through the power of the Holy Spirit. Search till you find a church that helps you grow in the Lord. Call a Christian who loves the Lord and will pray with you. Do whatever you know you should to get on track. Don’t grow cold! Grow hot in love with Jesus again!

Hebrews 3:12 (Message Bible) “So watch your step, friends. Make sure there’s no evil unbelief lying around that will trip you up and throw you off course, diverting you from the living God. For as long as it’s still God’s Today, keep each other on your toes so sin doesn’t slow down your reflexes. If we can only keep our grip on the sure thing we started out with, we’re in this with Christ for the long haul.”

In His love,
Pastor Tim