Adapted from medium.com Until we are born again, we live in a kingdom dominated by darkness, fear, hate, strife, and worry. But after we’re born again, we have the love of God in our hearts, and we can love like God loves (Rom. 5:5). MATTHEW 24:12–14 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. The Greek word translated as “love” in verse 12 is agape. We’ve come to see this as the God–kind of love—unconditional love. And only people who are saved have the love of God poured out in their heart. So Matthew 24:12 is not talking about people of the world. This scripture is talking about a time when members of the Body of Christ—those who are born again—will allow the love of God within them to be weakened. How does this happen? By allowing offense to come into our lives....

We receive from the Lord in the same way that people in the Bible received from the Lord—whether it is salvation, healing, the baptism in the Holy Spirit, or some other gift God has provided. We receive by faith. This fact is emphasized in James 1:5–7, which tells us what to do if we are lacking something in our life. The Apostle James said that we are to ask of God, but instructs us to ask in faith in order to receive. JAMES 1:5–7 5  If any of you lack wisdom, LET HIM ASK OF GOD, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6  But LET HIM ASK IN FAITH, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7  For let not that man think that he shall receive ANY THING of the Lord. James begins this passage talking about receiving wisdom, but he ends the passage talking about receiving anything. Well, healing, or anything else the Word promises, is certainly included in “anything,” because “anyt...

In Mark 9:23, Jesus said, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” According to this and other verses in the Bible, what you believe determines what you receive from the Lord. In other words, your believing affects your receiving. Notice I said that your believing affects your receiving. Your receiving isn’t based on another person’s faith; it’s based on your faith. And just hearing someone else preach the Word won’t give you faith to receive unless you get into the Word for yourself. Years ago, I preached at a small Full Gospel church in Kansas. The pastor told me that more than half of his congregation had not received the baptism in the Holy Ghost. They were good Christian people, but they hadn’t received this Bible experience. So at the pastor’s request, I spent several evenings teaching on the baptism in the Holy Ghost and how to be filled with the Spirit. Each night, I encouraged the people to bring their own Bible to the services so they could read...