PERILOUS TIMES WILL COME
NOW WHAT?
But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 Timothy 3:1
With many scriptures I can show you that things will get worse. But we have a responsibility to be ambassadors not fear-mongers.
Now what?
I am fully convinced if we do not want to be overtaken by evil we must be obedient to the Lord’s command to disciple all nations. There’s no better way to defeat terrorism than to win those so inclined to the Lord. We are commanded to do so – we are commanded to love.
It is my concern that Christians, not all, but many, are focused on the wrong things. As I speak with people, praying for them, many confess they are consumed with fears. Fears for their health, their family, and terribly distressed about the government and how world affairs are going.
Their focus is this world. They are fearful. They daily look to the news to see what new wrong, evil, and frightening thing is happening. They consider themselves Christians; even watchmen on the walls but forget that those very watchmen who call out when danger approaches are also awaiting the King of Kings.
He is coming. I’m not speaking of the time when Jesus returns to the earth. I’m speaking about the daily visitation of the Lord to those who seek Him. Those ones who will put aside earth affairs and enter into heavenly places to listen to the Lord, to worship Him and to receive instruction for their days. Those who will permit the King of Kings to interrupt their day and celebrate His love.
These people are not consumed with fears – no, rather they are full of peace that is evident to those whom they meet. Their homes are sanctuaries and houses of refuge. They are the ones to who people turn when everything that can go wrong does.
These people are going about serving and obeying the Lord’s commands to disciple all nations. They know their neighbors names. They will be waved and grinned at on their streets. In business – these are the ones who are called to coach and encourage and improve the lives of their associates. Their children are sought out as friends.
My second concern is that most Christians believe nothing bad should ever happen to them. I sure don’t understand that thinking. I don’t know anyone who has escaped “perilous” times – disease, disorder, divorce, death and/or the destruction of the earth. I don’t know anyone who has not experienced betrayal, accusation, being un-discerned to the detriment of their calling, or actually so hated for being good that their hearts were broken.
These same Christians are quick to blame the enemy of our souls, and perhaps the evil one has been at work, but they are not able to be honest enough to admit their own faults, their own foolish choices, or their own lack of devotion. They profess Godliness but have no daily relationship with the Lord. The Lord Jesus is the only one capable of designing and fulfilling a life which is submitted to Him. He alone is the one who will speak to a person with direction and purpose. He alone can express to us in terms we understand who and what we’re to be. Where we’re to go, who we’re to meet and speak to, whom we should serve (and we all serve somebody.) Only Jesus has the ability to right wrongs – but only if we will submit to His plans for our lives.
Only Jesus can so prioritize our lives so that we are accomplishing eternal things not just the thrill of the moment.
I know bad, bad, really bad times are coming. You would have to be a fool or someone who never read their Bible to miss that.
BUT so what? Shall that statement control me? No, a thousand, thousand times no! Will I whine and complain or will I change my world through the power of the Spirit?
We have the ability given to us by the Holy Spirit to bring heaven to earth! We have the command to believe when we pray, “Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
It is the saddest thing to see and know Christians who have never led a soul to Jesus, never hosted a Bible study, never consciously sought out anyone who is not saved, or never exercised any of the gifts of the Spirit available to them through Jesus Christ our Lord. It is even sadder to see Christians who were trained and even in ministry fail in these areas.
We cannot call ourselves Christians if we are not “little Christs.” That is what the word means. We cannot call ourselves Christians if we put ourselves first and Him 2nd, freely ignoring the commandments which are inconvenient and/or difficult for us.
Our excuse that we don’t have enough time is ridiculous. We have the same 24 hours that Jesus and all His disciples did.
We cannot call ourselves Christians, nor pray “Jesus, make me like you,” if we are unwilling to live as He lived. Crucified. Or how to be “imitators of me” as Paul said and not expect to be exposed to the evils that he and other disciples did. Or how can we blithely go about our safe and sane Christianity when over the centuries thousands upon thousands have met with perilous times and been slaughtered for their faith.
And then on a natural scene – we have a duty to be prepared for natural disasters, accidents, and human behaviors that align with Satan who comes to kill, steal and destroy. Are you prepared? Do you have your important personal documents where you can find them? Do you have a will? Do you have food stored up? Do you have camping equipment in the event your utilities fail or are cut off? Do you have water set aside or easy access to clean water? Why not? How can you be one who is not part of the problem – but an answer to the problem as the Good Samaritan was?
There are more than adequate websites (including FEMA) to tell you how and what to have and do in the event your normal living is interrupted. Make it a priority.
What is more important than being prepared physically for the perilous times to come? What is more critical than having safety for you and your family, your neighbors? If you have lived righteously it is your neighbors who will come to you and if you have not loved and taught them or if you are not completely prepared to share – what you have may be taken.
That puts a different spin on how you live now doesn’t it? How many times a month do you eat out? How many video games do you own? How large and full is your closet? Do you yearn for the newest phone, car or bigger better home? All these things will burn up one day.
Get honest and ask yourself – am I better than the Master? Am I better than the thousands and thousands who have been martyred for their faith. I am not. Thus I do not expect anything less.
But until my death I will actively pursue the lost and disciple them. I will expect the blessing of the Lord in the land of the living because I am lovingly obedient to my Lord.
My friends please consider these things. Perilous times will come – it is nothing new. If you need to get stirred up in your faith to be an Overcomer – please read Foxe’s Book of Martyrs.
Scriptures:
2 Thessalonians 2:3-7 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.
1 Timothy 4:1 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,
1 Corinthians 15:30-31 Why are we also in danger every hour? I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
Acts 20:21-24 And now, behold, bound by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.
Romans 8:36-39 Just as it is written, “FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.” But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Corinthians 4:9-13 For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor. To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.
2 Corinthians 4:7-12 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death works in us, but life in you.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
2 Corinthians 11:23-29 Are they servants of Christ? — I speak as if insane — I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?
Let us go forth and do the works of the Kingdom – I believe if we will –
we may just change the timing of the perilous times that are coming.
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