Perilous Times

      'This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent((lacking self-control)), fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.' 2 Timothy 3:1

     From such turn away. Try to equate that with loving your enemies. Because we are told to love our enemies, and surely those listed above are our enemies and we are told to turn away from them. Love them, yet turn away from them. A lot of people have a hard time with this. Jesus had a hard time with it, and by that I mean it broke his heart when he had to turn away from them. He wept over the inhabitants of Jerusalem, crying out that he wanted to protect them just like a mother hen her chicks, hiding them under her wing, yet they wouldn't let him. He lashed out at the hypocrites, the Pharisees, the scribes all the while taking Nicodemus, a Pharisee, to a private place and opening up to him the truth in a marvelous way. He didn't shun Pharisees to the point that he would not take a repentant Pharisee into his fold, a reformed hypocrite, a scribe that gave up his evil ways and turned to him.  Jesus did despite all evil in every form and didn't hesitate to let others know. His love extended to all those the evil ones despised, because he wanted them to know they weren't people to be despised in the eyes of God should they turn from their evil ways. Go and sin no more was said by Jesus more than once to a repentant sinner he accepted and forgave. He wanted them to realize that they need to constantly recognize sin in themselves and choose not to do it, strive against the sins, not just accept them and give up as being hopeless. He said to pick up the cross daily. And that cross is all about forgiveness, needing forgiveness and being forgiven. And we only need daily forgiveness if we are recognizing our sinful selves and daily need of a Savior. 

     All those people mentioned above- 

Lovers of themselves.

Covetous.

Boasters.

Proud.

Blasphemers.

Disobedient to parents.

Unthankful.

Unholy.

Without natural affection.

Trucebreakers.

False accusers.

Lacking self-control.

Fierce.

Despisers of those that are good.

Traitors.

Heady.

High-minded.

Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.

Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof.

     All of the actions people commit that make them the above we do not condone. We do NOT join in those actions. We do NOT approve of those actions. We do NOT become a part of those actions. And because we do not take part in like actions we turn away from those committing them. We do NOT stop loving them and praying they'll repent of the wrongdoing. Jesus left the inhabitants of Jerusalem desolate. He wanted them to accept Him, His love, His forgiveness, His salvation, but they wanted nothing to do with him and all those that chose to reject him, were left desolate. He loved them, and left them to their own choices, and yes, some choose evil over the greatest love ever in existence.

      I've read recently that there are people who believe ALL those ever born from the beginning to the end, will be saved, that God will not lose a single person. They say that God has set up a system for those who do not immediately gain salvation to try again, or to work for it. They die, realize they didn't make it to heaven and they get to keep trying in another manner of living after death. THIS IS NOT SUPPORTED BY THE BIBLE IN ANY WAY! Why did Jesus take such great pains to bring the truth to people, why did he weep over people if everyone would be saved? Why? Why such grave warnings about narrow ways and few that find it, if everyone finds it? Why are we told…

     …from such turn away-- if all are to be God's no matter what? Why does it matter if we don't turn away, or are among those people if we are all saved automatically? Why? 

       This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

We live in a society, our so called first world living that if filled to the brim with these people, so much so that we've normalized them. 

How perilous are the times we live in when it's normal to be those things mentioned above? Are we caught up in those things and consider them normal? There are FEW that will escape being caught up and being a part of the above.  There are those who are a part of the evil now called good, and those who long to be a part of it, while others are a part of it in their own societal ways, first, second or third world ways. Worldwide deception. 

       Worldwide --

Lovers of themselves.

Covetous.

Boasters.

Proud.

Blasphemers.

Disobedient to parents.

Unthankful.

Unholy.

Without natural affection.

Trucebreakers.

False accusers.

Lacking self-control.

Fierce.

Despisers of those that are good.

Traitors.

Heady.

High-minded.

Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.

Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof.

     This is a state of being with slogans to go along with their promotion.

Put yourself first. You only live once, enjoy it. You deserve to treat yourself. Whatever floats your boat. Do your own thing. You be you. Nothing is wrong. Stand up for yourself. Just do it. They did it to you, do it do them. It's not wrong if it's what makes you happy. You don't have to answer to anyone but yourself… and the list goes on and on and on. 

     And we call all of that good, not truly realizing the deceptions behind them. 

     Perilous times shall come.

Times of imminent danger, life-threatening risk, ruin, disaster… shall come. 

     They are here. 

     God help us all!

     Isa 55:6  Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 

Isa 55:7  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 

Isa 55:8  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 

Isa 55:9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 

Isa 55:10  For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 

Isa 55:11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.