“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy…. swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding the form of religion but denying the power of it. Avoid such people.” (2 Timothy 3:1–5, RSV)
The apostle Paul wrote the scripture above. In it, he described for Timothy what the end times would look like. After reading it, you might wonder if we are not living in the end times. Many of the things Paul saw as “anti-God” in that scripture are happening today.
Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:1 that “anti-God” times are “times of stress”. When people do not believe in God, trust in God, nor live obedient lives, then stress multiplies. Stress is a direct consequence of not living a godly life. I am amazed at fallen Christians who are surprised when their lives become stressful. Do they not realize the peace that God gives? Do they not see that giving up on God causes one’s life to be tossed to and fro by the craziness of worldly living (Ephesians 4:14 even warns this!)? Without Christ as your anchor, you will be adrift on a sea of lost souls.
In the scripture above, Paul goes on to describe the people who turn “anti-God”. They become “lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, and unholy” (2 Timothy 3:2-3). All you have to do is look at places like Hollywood to see all these characteristics of those who are “anti-God”. Places like Facebook, Social Media, and News Outlets tout such attitudes as a great way to live. Too many schoolteachers display these forms of behavior as normal. Even churches are known to promote such values. Are we living in end times?
For the past several years, a study has been conducted regarding “1000 regularly attending church goers”. The results were published in a report titled, “Social Issues and Worldview: A National Survey of Churchgoing Americans”. In that report, there were obvious signs of Christians shedding themselves of a godly worldview in order to accept modern secular values. George Barna, a researcher involved, wrote after reading the results that “This generation of churchgoers is increasingly unsure of what they believe, or why”. The study found that 32 % of these Christians believed in socialism more than a biblical worldview as a way to live publicly. 54% of these Christians no longer believe that the Bible is the true or inspired Word of God. 16% of these Christians saw the Bible as just one among many sacred books, 15% saw the Bible as flawed, and 7% saw the Bible as just a literary work with no special value. What?
It gets worse. When asked if God was the “all-powerful and all-knowing Creator”, only 61% of these Christians could say “yes”. Why do these people even worship God? They don’t have a sincere faith and trust in God! What do they worship?
One of the researchers who was asked for a response on these findings said that he believes it all comes down to a failure of followers not knowing the Bible and being unwilling to put their full trust in the God found in the Bible.
I can understand atheists or those of other religions not reading the Bible. They might respond like those in the study. But now Christians are siding with atheistic beliefs? Christians are denying the truth of the Bible? 32% of Christians no longer believe in the Biblical God? The more that worship becomes entertainment and churches become places where people gather with like-minded friends, the further we move away from God being the center of life and the Bible forming the values that shape the congregation and the world.
As the world and the church drift away into godliness, you will find people who turn into the sinners described in 2 Timothy 3. They will become “lovers of self, lovers of money, arrogant, disobedient to parents….” Etc. The more that people adopt worldly values and a worldview like socialism, you will find those who “hold the form of religion but deny the power of it”. Churches will look like religious places but not hold godly people. Christian nations will look like places that should uphold godliness but will instead be rotting with spiritual decay and moral depravity. Would you ever want to live in such places?
The best way to show true faith in God is to commit yourself to God in Christ, study your Bible, be obedient to God’s ways, be trustworthy to God’s will, and reach out in Christ’s name. In this day and age, this will make you counter cultural. It will mean that those in power will roast you. Friends will make fun of you. Assassins will try and silence you. Committees will shun you. Worldly people will demean you. Your life will become uncomfortable. But, not because of God! It is because of this world! We live in “times of stress” where good and faithful people are not only rare and beautiful but endure persecution and intolerance and bigotry.
Last week, some Christians in Michigan decided to march in their streets promoting Christian values. They carried crosses. They sang hymns. Do you know what bystanders did to them? They beat them. They mocked them. They threw things at them. They shouted obscenities their way. Does this sound familiar? They also did this to Jesus in His day.
Only the most faithful and trusted servant of Christ is going to remain obedient to God in today’s world. We live in stressful times. We are surrounded by those who are enamored by Socialism (which believes all religions are flawed), interested in worldly causes, swayed by lying ministries, and corrupted by ideologies that are inherently self-interested. Evil goes unchecked. Science has been co-opted by special interest groups that promote atheism and humanism and communism. Colleges and Universities indoctrinate students with secular ideas and spurn truth and righteousness in Christ. Even Christian colleges often openly reject Christ and spin the truth. Their ideas about Christian love are twisted by modern philosophies.
So, are you going to side with Christ or with the world? Are you going to be consumed with stress or put your life in God’s hands? Are you going to be prideful and arrogant, or will you be obedient to God? What is your soul telling you right now? Does it want to fit in with the world or to stand with Christ Jesus?
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Heavenly Father, I have decided to be faithful to you. This world is full of idolatries and sinful living. People are no longer following Your commandments nor trusting in Your Word. I would rather live in Christ than succeed without Him!
Help me to separate myself from the corruptions and lies of this world. Free my mind from all the stresses that come from the media and politicians and other social organizations. Keep my mind and heart focused on You, my Lord. Keep me free from being a prisoner to social fads. Cleanse my heart. Remind me that this life is short and eternity lasts forever.
I commit myself again to You, Heavenly Father. I stand with Jesus. I trust Your Word, the Bible. May I never be swayed to follow worldly voices, call evil good, nor let my focus turn away from life with You. Use my prayer time to rid me of wrongful thinking, self-indulgent desires, and worldly passions. I long for Your peace. I trust Your truth. I am a child of Your will. I am forever Your servant. Amen.
Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:1 that “anti-God” times are “times of stress”. When people do not believe in God, trust in God, nor live obedient lives, then stress multiplies. Stress is a direct consequence of not living a godly life. I am amazed at fallen Christians who are surprised when their lives become stressful. Do they not realize the peace that God gives? Do they not see that giving up on God causes one’s life to be tossed to and fro by the craziness of worldly living (Ephesians 4:14 even warns this!)? Without Christ as your anchor, you will be adrift on a sea of lost souls.
In the scripture above, Paul goes on to describe the people who turn “anti-God”. They become “lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, and unholy” (2 Timothy 3:2-3). All you have to do is look at places like Hollywood to see all these characteristics of those who are “anti-God”. Places like Facebook, Social Media, and News Outlets tout such attitudes as a great way to live. Too many schoolteachers display these forms of behavior as normal. Even churches are known to promote such values. Are we living in end times?
For the past several years, a study has been conducted regarding “1000 regularly attending church goers”. The results were published in a report titled, “Social Issues and Worldview: A National Survey of Churchgoing Americans”. In that report, there were obvious signs of Christians shedding themselves of a godly worldview in order to accept modern secular values. George Barna, a researcher involved, wrote after reading the results that “This generation of churchgoers is increasingly unsure of what they believe, or why”. The study found that 32 % of these Christians believed in socialism more than a biblical worldview as a way to live publicly. 54% of these Christians no longer believe that the Bible is the true or inspired Word of God. 16% of these Christians saw the Bible as just one among many sacred books, 15% saw the Bible as flawed, and 7% saw the Bible as just a literary work with no special value. What?
It gets worse. When asked if God was the “all-powerful and all-knowing Creator”, only 61% of these Christians could say “yes”. Why do these people even worship God? They don’t have a sincere faith and trust in God! What do they worship?
One of the researchers who was asked for a response on these findings said that he believes it all comes down to a failure of followers not knowing the Bible and being unwilling to put their full trust in the God found in the Bible.
I can understand atheists or those of other religions not reading the Bible. They might respond like those in the study. But now Christians are siding with atheistic beliefs? Christians are denying the truth of the Bible? 32% of Christians no longer believe in the Biblical God? The more that worship becomes entertainment and churches become places where people gather with like-minded friends, the further we move away from God being the center of life and the Bible forming the values that shape the congregation and the world.
As the world and the church drift away into godliness, you will find people who turn into the sinners described in 2 Timothy 3. They will become “lovers of self, lovers of money, arrogant, disobedient to parents….” Etc. The more that people adopt worldly values and a worldview like socialism, you will find those who “hold the form of religion but deny the power of it”. Churches will look like religious places but not hold godly people. Christian nations will look like places that should uphold godliness but will instead be rotting with spiritual decay and moral depravity. Would you ever want to live in such places?
The best way to show true faith in God is to commit yourself to God in Christ, study your Bible, be obedient to God’s ways, be trustworthy to God’s will, and reach out in Christ’s name. In this day and age, this will make you counter cultural. It will mean that those in power will roast you. Friends will make fun of you. Assassins will try and silence you. Committees will shun you. Worldly people will demean you. Your life will become uncomfortable. But, not because of God! It is because of this world! We live in “times of stress” where good and faithful people are not only rare and beautiful but endure persecution and intolerance and bigotry.
Last week, some Christians in Michigan decided to march in their streets promoting Christian values. They carried crosses. They sang hymns. Do you know what bystanders did to them? They beat them. They mocked them. They threw things at them. They shouted obscenities their way. Does this sound familiar? They also did this to Jesus in His day.
Only the most faithful and trusted servant of Christ is going to remain obedient to God in today’s world. We live in stressful times. We are surrounded by those who are enamored by Socialism (which believes all religions are flawed), interested in worldly causes, swayed by lying ministries, and corrupted by ideologies that are inherently self-interested. Evil goes unchecked. Science has been co-opted by special interest groups that promote atheism and humanism and communism. Colleges and Universities indoctrinate students with secular ideas and spurn truth and righteousness in Christ. Even Christian colleges often openly reject Christ and spin the truth. Their ideas about Christian love are twisted by modern philosophies.
So, are you going to side with Christ or with the world? Are you going to be consumed with stress or put your life in God’s hands? Are you going to be prideful and arrogant, or will you be obedient to God? What is your soul telling you right now? Does it want to fit in with the world or to stand with Christ Jesus?
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Heavenly Father, I have decided to be faithful to you. This world is full of idolatries and sinful living. People are no longer following Your commandments nor trusting in Your Word. I would rather live in Christ than succeed without Him!
Help me to separate myself from the corruptions and lies of this world. Free my mind from all the stresses that come from the media and politicians and other social organizations. Keep my mind and heart focused on You, my Lord. Keep me free from being a prisoner to social fads. Cleanse my heart. Remind me that this life is short and eternity lasts forever.
I commit myself again to You, Heavenly Father. I stand with Jesus. I trust Your Word, the Bible. May I never be swayed to follow worldly voices, call evil good, nor let my focus turn away from life with You. Use my prayer time to rid me of wrongful thinking, self-indulgent desires, and worldly passions. I long for Your peace. I trust Your truth. I am a child of Your will. I am forever Your servant. Amen.