Love or Dread

Hello dearest Beloved Family!

I had a sizable revelation lately that I would like to share with y’all.

Philippians 1 (AMP)

9 And this I pray: that your love may abound yet more and more and extend to its fullest development in knowledge and all keen insight [that your love may display itself in greater depth of acquaintance and more comprehensive discernment],

10 So that you may surely learn to sense what is vital, and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value [recognizing the highest and the best, and distinguishing the moral differences], and that you may be untainted and pure and unerring and blameless [so that with hearts sincere and certain and unsullied, you may approach] the day of Christ [not stumbling nor causing others to stumble].

It has always befuddled me, the two seemingly extreme opposite opinions on the end time events and prophecy (the theological term is eschatology). There are many verses that seem to point towards events that are tumultuous, terrible, and almost fearful. Then, there are a plethora of references that are hopeful, exciting, and glorious about the exact same times. While I was studying and meditating on what I wanted to communicate directly to you, the Beloved Family, today, I was gripped by the above verses in a seemingly obscure place to find an eschatological truth. But there it was nevertheless…

Firstly, we need to quickly understand the relationship between Paul and the Philippian church. This is the ONLY group of people who stuck with Paul over the twenty years of his apostolic and missionary purpose to the gentile world. They were FAITHFUL, above all other characteristics, and the impact that that had on Paul was monumental to say the least. They were so purposeful and committed to pray for and financially support him and his vision that this single letter is overflowing with some of the most heartfelt and thankful language of all his epistles. Just like in today’s world, it is extremely rare to find a group of people who are covenantally connected to a minister and ministry. It is devastatingly popular to be in and then out… be committed and then uncommitted… to be supportive and then lax… to be sincere and then inauthentic.

But this radical church at Philippi (and I dare say Beloved, as well) was not THAT kind of church. They were so extravagantly committed to Paul that they actually sent people regularly to hunt him down to deliver financial gifts, support, and exhortation, to minister to his needs, that he openly acknowledged it multiple times. What a beautiful and genuine expression of the fellowship of the saints, the love of God, and the uniqueness of the Kingdom in action. This, honestly, is a part of the deep vision that was buried in my heart for us today as well.

I say all of this to point out that he spoke differently to these believers than some of the others that he had a connection with. Because of that, there are some differences that are outlined in this epistle that need to be diligently sought out because they are hidden subtlety in the language. What I am specifically highlighting in what the Lord has revealed to me in the end-times hope that is threaded throughout this glorious epistle. Let me expound a bit…

We see that Paul’s faith-filled prayer for them was to ABOUND more and more in Kingdom truth, understanding, and manifestation. This is EXACTLY my prayer for you all as well! He built this overflowing growth around the agape love of God as the sure foundation of all things. The love of God is such a radical reality that it should saturate every part of our belief system in such a way that everything must filter only through it alone. This is the really cool part for us today!

Does your eschatology filter through love or dread? Do you know and believe with every concluding day that we are one step closer to the beautiful conclusion of all the great and precious promises that have been sworn in a divine oath purchased by the precious blood of our loving Savior? Or do you find that the narrative of the world, the fearfulness of the lost, the imprisonment of religion, or the hopelessness of others persuading us to have a dark view of the future?

In the King James verse 10 says:

That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ

The day of Christ is commonly believed to reference the end of the end. “Approve,” means examine and, “things that are excellent,” means to take or go all the way through. The agape love of God working in us, to us, and through us will examine everything that we are presented with and take us all the way through in an abounding, “more and more,” way! That is a GOOD WORD right there! What a powerful truth that just staying in and from the perspective of the agape love of God will take us into an extravagantly abundant journey all the way through the end of all time. WOW! Now I realize why my, “end times,” view is much different than some other dooms-day folks… it is because the love of God is so real and overwhelming in me that I cannot help but be excited and expectant in this Great Awakening that is dawning before us!

I pray these words are stirring your heart to a, “lively hope,” that will not let you be ashamed.

I love you more and more greatly!
Steve