But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 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, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 2 Timothy 3:1-7
I had an interesting discussion with some folks last night. The general topic was the present state of our country and the world as we know it. As we mulled over the current events, we all agreed that ‘all hell is breaking loose‘ and there wasn’t a whole lot of things we could do about it. It was unanimous that our best recourse was to pray, but then I remembered something my pastor always says,
God uses prayer to change us and not necessarily the people or things we pray for.”
That gave me pause.
As I pondered those words, I realized God, by means of these prayers, was changing me. I’ve noticed a boldness that was never consistently there before. I’m speaking to more people about Jesus than I have ever spoken to before and I don’t even have to go out and find them, God is bringing them to me! The coolest thing is that this is not a work of the flesh, God is doing it all; God is changing me (and hopefully others) through prayer!
Am I being revived?
I think so! Praise be to God!
Then it hit me. When a boat is sinking and everyone is drowning, what’s the first thing a person is supposed to do? If you said save yourself, you’re right. You need to latch onto the Only thing that’s going to save you or you will be of no use to anyone else. Have you ever flown in an airplane? When the little mask drops from the ceiling, what are you supposed do? That’s right; save yourself so you can be of some use to those around you.
You’re already saved you say?
Well then get to work and save somebody else! When we save others, and then they do likewise, before you know it we’re all in the life raft. So when we look around and see the world seemingly ‘spinning out of control,’ our response is simple — pull as many into the lifeboat as possible. This is no time to be coy; it’s time to be truthful. The love is implied when we say,
Yo dude! You are sinking and this is the only Boat that’s going to save you!”
If they don’t want to be saved, then move on to the next drowning soul.
Know this: the solution to our present crises will not be found in a man or plan, the solution is found in Christ alone. There is a woman in my church whose husband Al died in the Twin Towers on 9/11. Do you know what he was doing in the final moments when ‘all hell had broken loose‘ and his world was ‘spinning out of control?’ He was standing atop his desk yelling to his co-workers,
I’m going to Heaven, who’s going with me!”
Look around. Read the 2 Timothy passage again. We’re in the same predicament as Al; it’s coming down all around us. The demonic incidents we regularly witness may be nothing new, but they’re becoming more frequent and more intense; precisely how God told us it would happen. We may not know the day or the hour, but we know because of these things The Day is coming soon. We also know that we did not save ourselves, Jesus saved us.
What is our recourse?
There is only one action that carries eternal weight: sharing the Gospel! Pray for revival in your soul that the Lord will change and use you.
Are you going to Heaven?
Sweet! Who are you bringing with you?
For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows (birth pangs). Matthew 24:5-8
- What do these passages reveal about God?
- What do they reveal about you?
- What’s your course of action?
- Before all else, are YOU SAVED? (click HERE if you don’t know)
These articles may or may not relate to this blog:
- Our Proper Response to Government (compassiondave.wordpress.com)
- Morning Prayer ~ July 31, 2012 (ronpogue.typepad.com)
- Witnessing for Christ (christiansnotions.wordpress.com)
- End Times (myownheart.me)
- 2 Timothy 1-2 (mybiblereadingplan.wordpress.com)
- On How Everything Comes Alive When Praying the Jesus Prayer | Ascending Mount Carmel (amhec.wordpress.com)
He Dwells -- The B'log in My Eye 