A Daily Devotional – Perilous times – The Eternal Word
Comment: It is the last day of the work
week, the last day of the first work week of the new year. Paul writes in 2
Timothy 3:1-5 – But KNOW THIS, that in
the last days perilous (stressful) times WILL come: For men will be lovers of
themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to
parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, lacking
self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers
of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the form of godliness but denying
its power. And from such people, turn away! What a list describing the
heart of mankind in perilous times (the end times).
Devotional: Of
the few people I follow regarding the future (not those of the liberal media), I
find myself in agreement with them. The time we currently live in, is stressful
for the child of God. The apostle Peter in both of his epistles warns the
children of God; as does, the apostle Paul in all of his epistles to live holy
(godly) in our present age for it is the end time.
God resists the proud, (identifies the end time
people) but gives grace to the humble (those of faith), see Proverbs 3:34 also
Isaiah 57:15. Notice in these passages we learn what humility is and is not.
One of the key elements of the end times, often
overlooked this key element revealed in Paul’s epistle to Timothy as
recorded above; 2 Timothy 3:5 – “having the form of godliness, but denying its power. And from such turn away!
This: For me personally, is a critical observation of the
last days in people we know in our congregations or those we sometimes connect
with through outside ministries, see 2 Timothy 3:6-7. Why? The apostle Peter
agrees with Paul saying, “be sober (controlled), be vigilant (watchful); because your adversary the devil walks
about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8, but see the
full context; 1 Peter 5:5-11.
Certainly, I could go on and on regarding the diligence
we all should have in observing those who deny the power of the Holy Spirit in
our daily life. But let me remind all of us that the Holy Spirit is not an “it” The Triune God whom some reject is
not an it. When the apostle Paul
speaks of the persons who deny “its” power he is not referring to God or the
Holy Spirit, he is referring to the doctrines people who deny the weakened
condition of churches and ministries that fail to reject men of corrupt minds –
see 2 Timothy 3:8.
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