Who do you love?

You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!

2 Timothy 3:1-5

The MP's surgery was being held in a church. The murderer had deliberately made plans to travel from London in order to stab a kind and caring father of 5 to death.

What kind of cruelty had he harboured in his heart? What inspired that latent hatred to suddenly demonstrate itself? Was it terrorism? Was it a psychiatric issue? It's yet to be established.

The whole country is shocked and saddened, but not surprised. Every time we turn on the news we have come to expect some tragedy.

Yet we are living in cruel days, where murder & violence are commonplace, days in which callous behaviour is an everyday occurrence.

We must guard our hearts against the spirit of the age "ME FIRST IN EVERYTHING".

Jesus wants us to love Him first above everything else, because only then does life fall into place.

What you should want most is God’s kingdom and doing what he wants you to do. Then he will give you all these other things you need.

Matthew 6:33

I wonder how we would answer if Jesus asked each of us "Do you love Me?"

Remember when He took Peter aside to ask him that very question 3 times:

The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep.

John 21

In the quiet of your own heart this morning answer that question before Jesus.