But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth (NKJV) 2 Timothy 3:1-7
Okay, how many of us are guilty of hearing something so many times that after a while we think, “Yeah, yeah, I know”, and forget that the truth in God’s word is just that…TRUTH! If we ever lived in a time where we could be easily deceived, it is now. We are surrounded with the noise of warped views in the news media, movies, television programs, advertisements, ungodly teachers in the school system, and unfortunately, yes, sometimes ungodly preachers in the churches.
Almost anyone for a time can keep up an outward pretense, and speak the vocabulary of Christianity but do not accept the reality of true Christian faith. The power and heart of Christianity revolves around the fact that Christ is a risen Redeemer, the truth and the life of any Christian, and His Spirit indwells and overflows from believers. The end result is the transforming of our lives.
Make no mistake Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Lamentations are full of warnings of those who through smooth talk and a charismatic personality tell us what we want to hear, but we must seek God and His truth, His word. Blessing, restoration, and revival only come after refining/hardships and repentance. (True prophets are generally not popular.)
False teachers prey on the gullible and vulnerable, lurking in the shadows to pick off spiritual stragglers. (Satan is a roaring lion seeking those weak stragglers to devour…1Peter 5:8) Unconfessed sin results in a barrier in our relationship with God.(pride, anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, gossip, slander, judging attitude, just to name a few). We then often find ourselves making poor decisions. If we do not break free from the bondage to sin, it is like giving the enemy a big bull’s eye across our chest because we will believe anything we are told. Also, our spiritual enemy loves to drag up our past just to keep us feeling as if we are less than and “surely can’t be used of God” when that sin has been confessed and forgiven.
Staying in bondage to past sins as well as current ones makes us more vulnerable to attack. We will more easily believe the lies of the enemy. The simple knowledge of the truth is that Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross and life redeeming power sets us free once and for all; whom the Son sets free is free indeed; now there is no condemnation; we are more than conquerors; we have not been given a spirit of fear; the enemy is the author of confusion; Jesus is the author of our salvation, the Alpha and Omega/Beginning and End, the One who perfects our faith and wants us to have life abundantly.
Apart from acknowledging Him in all our ways, maintaining a life of prayer and washing with the Word, and apart from Christ we can do nothing. We will drift away from our joy, peace, confidence, and trust if we let busy(ness), worry, fear, stresses, etc. keep us from maintaining close relationship with Jesus.
Christians are going to need more wisdom and discernment than ever, and being watchful and careful to hear God’s voice and follow through with obedience. We must stand and be counted. There can be no in between/being lukewarm. It is hot or cold time. God has drawn the line in the sand, and we must decide whose side we are on.
We must become more Christ like (put on Christ/be transformed/refined) and show love, humility, justice and grace, but we are to be bold, watchful and obedient, ready to wield the sword of his word, and speak and live the truth.
BLESSINGS!
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