THE COLD WAR…WINTER IS COMING

The Cold War was a massive conflict that lasted for nearly 50 years and affected almost every country in the world, but its depth and scale make it difficult to understand. While no article can cover all the details of this vastly complicated conflict. From World War II to the Space Age, the Cold War created some of the most significant changes in the modern world. If we would allow of minds to fast forward, we could say things have changed, however the question must be asked how has it changed from then and NOW?

The Basic Definition

Although the term "Cold War" can technically apply to many situations, it is usually used to reference a period of hostility between the United States and the USSR that occurred after World War II and lasted until approximately 1991. It was called the Cold War because the two countries never actually reached armed conflict, unlike most wars previous. We are in a different “COLD WAR” Now, and It’s a Spiritual COLD WAR.

2 Timothy 3:1-3 King James Version 3 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

When we think about different agencies, we can see all sorts if discrepancies in how we operate and treat the very system that was designed to protect.

One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” The pledge of allegiance to the flag claims that ours is a nation where every human being, regardless of race, color, creed, sex, or social standing, receives fair and equal treatment.

The very God we say we serve within the community of Christianity the same fabric of Under God, indivisible with equality with one another as the Body in Christ.

Wartime Intelligence

World War II was a conflict like no other the world had ever seen. In addition to its unprecedented scale, rapid technological advances were entirely changing the way wars were fought. To keep up, the United States created the Office of the Coordinator of Information (COI) in 1941. This agency collected and coordinated all intelligence collected by the military, FBI, and State Department, which previously had all been working somewhat independently and sometimes missing important details as a result. The COI largely worked within the U.S. by gathering information and debriefing refugees and defectors who arrived in the country.

This sound very much like what Jesus was doing by gathering the disciples creating a central office of authority, (COR) and most important part of the movement which formed the basis of their activity and growth towards the common goal of Koinonia, THE CHURCH.

Don’t be caught as one unaware

Luke 21:34, And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

Ecclesiastes 9:12, For surely no man knows his time: Like fish caught in a cruel net or birds trapped in a snare, so men are ensnared in an evil time that suddenly falls upon them. Matthew 24:42, Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day on which your Lord will come. Mark 4:19, but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. Luke 12:40, You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect."

THE COLD WAR REVEALED

God has determined as he said in Luke 12:2-3, that the secrets will be uncovered, the truth will come forth, and God's thought about every behavior and action will be vindicated. What's done in the dark will come to light, and thank God he has created

Matthew 24:12 The multiplication of wickedness...

Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold. ... And because lawlessness is to be multiplied, the love of many will wax cold

Jesus predicted that the love of many would grow cold as part of His answer to the disciples’ question, “What will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?”

Jesus describes the end of the age that will precede His in Matthew 24, Jesus describes the end of the age that will precede His second coming. He says that there will be false Christs (verse 5), wars (verse 6), and strife and natural disasters (verse 7). second coming. He says that there will be false Christs (verse 5), wars (verse 6), and strife and natural disasters (verse 7). second coming. He says that there will be false Christs (verse 5), wars (verse 6), and strife and natural disasters (verse 7). In Matthew 24, Jesus describes the end of the age that will precede His second coming. He says that there will be false Christs (verse 5), wars (verse 6), and strife and natural disasters (verse 7).In Matthew 24, Jesus describes the end of the age that will precede Hissecond coming. He says that there will be false Christs (verse 5), wars (verse 6), and strife and natural disasters (verse 7)., Jesus describes the end of the age that will precede Hissecond coming. He says that there will be false Christs (verse 5), wars (verse 6), and strife and natural disasters (verse 7).He says that there will be false Christs (verse 5), wars (verse 6), and strife and natural disasters (verse 7).In Matthew 24, Jesus describes the end of the age that will precede Hissecond coming. He says that there will be false Christs (verse 5), wars (verse 6), and strife and natural disasters (verse 7).

Jesus also warned of the persecution of believers, some of whom would prove to be false disciples who would turn on one another (Matthew 24:9–10). “And” Jesus said, “because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold”.

Whether it is because of the deluding influence of the false teachers or the persecution or the fear of death, the zeal of many false professors will diminish. Their love toward God and toward the church will “grow cold.” True Christians, even those whose faith is weak, will persevere to the end (verse 13). Theirs is the true love, which is the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22), and it cannot fail (1 Corinthians 13:7).

True love cannot become cold because it is sustained by Christ who is able to keep us from falling (Jude 1:24).

Have you ever wondered why it’s so hard in this day and time to find believers that are authentic, Hard to work with, have attitudes for no reason, just don’t like other believers. Churches that refuse to work together; yet say we are a body. Believers that aren’t friendly, jealous, envying? The body that only recognize one part of the body as important and celebrate that one?

The book of James asks the question, “From whence come wars and fighting’s among you?” Since the days of Cain and Able the reply has never changed— “Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

Note To Ponder: Listen to David in Pslam 55

My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me. Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me. And I said, oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away and be at rest. Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah. I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest. Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city. Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it. Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets. For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hidden myself from him: But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and my acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together and walked unto the house of God in company. Let death seize upon them and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.

The ANSWER

For those without the Spirit, however, what love they do have will become colder and colder in the last days. Paul expands this idea in 2 Timothy 3:1–4 when he describes the last days.

• The love those people have is not a warm, living love for God and His truth and His people.

• Rather, it is the love of self and the love of money (verse 2).

Paul describes those whose love for God, Christ, and the saints is only in pretense, not in reality.

• They do all they do in a religious way from self-love and to selfish ends.

• Their aim is to gain glory and applause from men or to use religion to gain something for themselves.

• They do nothing for the glory of God, the honor of Christ, or the good of others.

How can we be sure that the love we have for Christ will never grow cold?

We begin by examining ourselves to be sure we are truly in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). If we truly belong to Christ, we can be confident that we possess the love from the Spirit that never grows cold. Then we should make every effort to increase our love:, “This is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9–11).

The Preparation

In Matthew 24 Jesus is preparing His disciples for things to come, and He tells them that certain events are “the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:8, KJV), or “the beginning of birth pains.” The narrative begins with the disciples pointing out the temple buildings and Jesus remarking that it would all be torn down (Matthew 24:1–2). The disciples asked Jesus when these things would take place and what would be the sign of His coming and of the end of the age (Matthew 24:3). Jesus explains that there would be many false messiahs who would come and who would claim to be authentic (Matthew 24:5). They would be deceptive and appealing, and many would be fooled by them. There would be wars and rumors of wars (Matthew 24:6). Nations would rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there would even be famines and earthquakes (Matthew 24:7). While all that would be alarming and even terrifying, Jesus encouraged them that those things would not signify the end; they were only the beginning of sorrows. Hearing Jesus’ description of the beginning of sorrows, the disciples would have been alarmed. We should be also

Jesus was describing the collapse of the temple and its systems, mass socio-political upheaval, human catastrophe and crisis, and natural disasters. But Jesus encourages them that these things are not the end, but they are the beginning of sorrows (Matthew 24:8). At first glance, this seems a strange statement, but recognizing that the Greek word for “sorrows” (odinon) is often associated with the idea of labor or birth pains, we understand Jesus to be indicating that this ongoing series of tragic events would merely be the “labor pains” leading to another event.

Once these things began, the condition of the world would continue to worsen until the “childbirth” was completed.

At the beginning of sorrows, when the labor pains began, there would bepersecutionand martyrdom for those who wish to follow Jesus (Matthew 24:9); many will stumble over this intense persecution and stop following Jesus—even betraying and hating each other out of fear (Matthew 24:10). Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many people (Matthew 24:11). Lawlessness and lovelessness will increase (Matthew 24:12). After all that, Jesus says, then the end of the age will come (Matthew 24:13).

After the events that are the beginning of sorrows and after the worsening of the labor pains, there would be a great tribulation—a time of great catastrophe and anguish (Matthew 24:21),

After the events that are the beginning of sorrows and after the worsening of the labor pains, there would be a great tribulation—a time of great catastrophe and anguish (Matthew 24:21), and after that terrible time, the sign of the Lord’s coming will appear. Christ will return (Matthew 24:29–30), and all those in heaven with Him will return, as well (Matthew 24:31). This scene is similar to what is described in Revelation 19—the return of Christ with the multitude of saints (Revelation 19:11–14).

THE PREPARTION STAGE With the foretelling of these events, including the “beginning of sorrows,” Jesus is preparing His disciples for the difficulties they will face in their lifetimes. Still, He reminds them that things will get even worse than what they themselves will face. But it will all culminate in the messianic kingdom, just as the prophets had foretold (see Daniel 7:13–14).

NOW YOU KNOW

Because they now had the end of the story, the disciples could walk both with hope and with urgency, knowing the importance of making the most of the opportunity. Peter later would challenge his readers to consider that, since things will end this way, they should be people of “holy and godly lives” (2 Peter 3:11).

You will not be likes if you follow righteousness.

Luke 6:26 WOE UNTO YOU, WHEN ALL MEN SHALL SPEAK WELL OF YOU! for so did their fathers to the false prophets. This passage is pointing out the fact that if everyone speaks well of you, that can only be true if you (like the false prophets of old) have not been faithful in telling people the truth.