But understand this, that in the last days, dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear]. For people will be lovers of self [narcissistic, self-focused], lovers of money [impelled by greed], boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane” (2 Timothy 3:1-2, AMP). There is turmoil all over the lands, wars everywhere, and rumors of war in the air in diverse places. People that once lived in peace suddenly cannot trust each other; suspicion, betrayal, and hatred litter the landscape. All these happenings are all signs of the end time, we know, but how prepared for the End are we?
Many children of God believe they do not have to think of the End because the world will endure for many generations, after all ‘it is a world without end’! The reality is one day, we will stand before the Judge of the whole earth and give an accounting of how we spent the life and resources given to us. If we know and believe this, what manner of life should we be living and how do we prepare to end up on the right side of the Judge of the whole earth?
Sadly, many teaching today is on how to make and amass wealth and influence in a world that is withering away! Most teaching is about the advancement of the Self! It is as if the existence of God is to make the Self happy and satisfied! God’s Word of admonition is turned into encouragement and cheering on of the Self-life! One may argue that these teaching help the person to live right. That may be true, that is if God no longer regards holiness!
Many hide under the finished works of Christ as an excuse to continue to live the lives they had before coming to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. This is not new, however! Many believe the coming of the Lord is delayed, hence they can do and get away with whatever they desire to do! The same thing happened to the children of Israel in the wilderness: “Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, they gathered together before Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” So Aaron replied to them, “Take off the gold rings that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and daughters, and bring them to me” (Exodus 32:1-2, AMP).
Because of the delay many are facing, they have forgotten the deliverance, and blessings of the past and are focused on their present dilemma. For that reason, they no longer believe in the God that had saved them, they then turn to willing ‘Pastors’ that will make them a god that will go before them! One wonders why Aaron did not rebuke and encourage them as well to remain in the faith, rather than encourage them to leave the Presence of God. He was very quick to make another god for them; maybe he did this to continue to enjoy their praise and support! No wonder the Bible told us about these wicked times: “For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine and accurate instruction [that challenges them with God’s truth]; but wanting to have their ears tickled [with something pleasing], they will accumulate for themselves [many] teachers [one after another, chosen] to satisfy their desires and to support the errors they hold, and will turn their ears away from the truth and will wander off into myths and man-made fictions [and will accept the unacceptable]” (2 Timothy 4:3-4, AMP).
Many equally created these ‘gods’ for themselves! Many like the children of Israel forgot the Power of God in helping them in the past: “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope and overflow with confidence in His promises” (Romans 15:4, AMP).
Beloved, no matter what you are going through now, do not lose hope! If you can’t see a way out right now, then trust the God that saw you through in the past. He is still on the Throne and will do EXACTLY what He promised you! Do not allow the clever, crafted words and evil imagination masquerading as great messages to push you from your firm-footed stability in Christ Jesus. Beloved, no matter what, live your life each day to please the Lord, so that when He returns (His return is SURE and NEAR) you will go with Him. May the Lord keep us in the circle of His love until He returns, in Jesus Christ’s name, Amen! “Now to Him who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of His glory, blameless and with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time, now and forever. Amen” (Jude 1:24-25, HCSB). God bless you!
