THE APOSTATES AMONG US

7 24 12 THE APOSTATES AMONG US  

Don’t forget to pray. Ask God for insight and an understanding of his Word. This insight or enlightenment is a work of grace and a ministry of the Holy Spirit. Pray you will have eyes to see and ears to hear the marvelous ways that God is showing his love to all his creation but especially to his family of believers.

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:1-4 (NIV) In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

Note: There has been and always will be those among believers who will not put up with sound doctrine, those who do not want to hear the Word of God being preached in the power of the Holy Spirit. By sound doctrine I mean the true “gospel” concerning Jesus Christ, his birth, death and especially his resurrection. I also mean the full message of the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments. The apostle Paul wrote a letter to Timothy reminding him to be on guard during the last days for those who would attempt to pervert the gospel of Jesus Christ. (The last days started at Pentecost and end with his second coming. Joel 2:28-29)

The last days will be characterized by the increase of blatant immorality and be clearly seen in how people live their lives and compromise with the world and evil. Notice some of the characteristics we find listed in the book of 2 Timothy 3:1-5. I am not quoting here but paraphrasing: They will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, proud, ungrateful, without love, unforgiving lacking self-control, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.  Paul said they would have a form of godliness but deny its power. Paul counseled Timothy to have nothing to do with them for their lives will end in destruction.

From the beginning of the Christian church there have been many who have claimed to be Christians. They go through the motions, say all the right words and give the appearance they are living lives that will honor God but they are intolerant of the true New Testament faith, a faith that is described as being empowered by the Holy Spirit. They see no need for believers to live holy and pure lives. They see no need for believers to separate themselves from the ungodly behavior and practices that are common in the world in which they live.

Beloved, the closer and closer we get to Jesus’ return, the more and more you will see many professed Christians abandon the faith, turning their backs on God and closing their ears to the truth. They will no longer see nor want biblically based sermons or teachings. They will see no need in taking a strong stance against evil behavior and against sin. They are willing to trade their eternal security, their relationship with God, to get along and live at peace with all people. Their hunger for the word of God ceases and they began to prefer teaching and preaching that approves a worldly compromised lifestyle, a lifestyle of sin. They prefer teaching and preaching that is not critical of the way in which they now live and see absolutely nothing wrong with the evil that is being practiced around them. Rather than being appalled by the evil that will become increasingly more prevalent, they prefer preaching and teaching that makes them feel good about themselves and approves of their new theological beliefs. They are perfectly happy with their way of life and see no need for repentance for themselves or those around them. They cease believing in hell and speak of a loving God who will not judge sin in the world and ultimately welcome all into his presence; in other words they like preachers to preach and teach what their itching ears want to hear (2 Tim 4:3).

The closer we get to the very last days, the end of time as we know it, ungodliness will be very noticeable. This should not cause us to lose faith or to bemoan the situation that’s going on around us. The believers, those who remain faithful to the Bible, faithful to Christ, and faithfully follow the Holy Spirit are going to be persecuted but God’s grace will see them through. There is no room for despair simply because so many of the prophetic signs pointing to the second coming are being fulfilled on a daily basis. What it should do is to make us look up for our redemption is closer than it’s ever been. We should be eagerly awaiting the soon coming of our God and King, the Lord Jesus Christ.

END TIMES SURVEY


What Would You Do Before the End of the World - Eat Junk Food?

An asteroid is on a collision course with the earth and you have one hour left to live. What would you do in your last 60 minutes?
Not surprisingly, the majority of Britons questioned in a survey -- 54 percent -- said they would like to spend it either with or on the phone to their loved ones. But the survey revealed a strong hedonistic streak -- 13 percent would sit back, accept the inevitable and reach for a glass of champagne. Sex appealed to 9 percent while just 3 percent would turn to prayer. 2 percent intriguingly said they would reach for some fatty food while another 2 percent decided, with just an hour's life to go, that it was time to start looting.

What would you do if you knew the end was near? I hope it would be in keeping with what the Bible says that we are to do. What does it say? It says you, “ought to live holy and godly lives (2 Peter 3:11). (Contributed by Joel Southerland; with slight editorial additions by me.)

I asked you a question earlier. What would you do if you knew the end was near? I don’t want to shock you but I do want to speak truthfully… It is! The end is near! We may not know the hour nor the day but it will happen when we least expect it according to the Word of God. Are you ready!

Did the Lord speak to you today?  Why not write it down and claim it for His Glory. 


Prayer:  What do you need to pray to the Lord today? Listen to your heart. He loves you!


If you are not interesting in receiving these devotionals please let me know and I will remove you from the list. I hope you enjoy them and that they encourage you to faithfulness. david