Don’t be naive. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They’ll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they’re animals. Stay clear of these people. (2 Timothy 3:1-5, MSG)
Jesus said, “Watch out for doomsday deceivers. Many leaders are going to show up with forged identities, claiming, ‘I am Christ, the Messiah.’ They will deceive a lot of people. When reports come in of wars and rumored wars, keep your head and don’t panic. This is routine history; this is no sign of the end. Ethnic group will fight ethnic group and ruler fight ruler, over and over. Famines and earthquakes will occur in various places. This is nothing compared to what is coming.
"They are going to throw you to the wolves and kill you, everyone hating you because you carry my name. And then, going from bad to worse, it will be dog-eat-dog, everyone at each other’s throat, everyone hating each other.
“In the confusion, lying preachers will come forward and deceive a lot of people. For many others, the overwhelming spread of evil will do them in—nothing left of their love but a mound of ashes.
“Staying with it—that’s what God requires. Stay with it to the end. You won’t be sorry, and you’ll be saved. All during this time, the good news—the Message of the kingdom—will be preached all over the world, a witness staked out in every country. And then the end will come." (Matthew 24:4-14, MSG)
So what are we, as Christians, supposed to do? First and foremost, PRAY. No army, no infantry, ever advanced as quickly on its feet as do Christians on their knees, praying.
Secondly, continue to live your lives, doing those things which God has commanded. Trust Him, love one another, treat everyone kindly, give to charity, and did I mention? Love one another!
7 comments:
We do what we can. Asking for help/strength is also something we need to remember to do, too!
Amen to that!
Thank you for posting this!
Every word is true and can be easily applied to today's happenings.
Thanks :-)
It's a good reminder, when the fever pitch of political strife gets too loud, that it really doesn't matter compared to the eternal truths.
You're welcome, Mike. I agree.
Wing, you're welcome, too. It helps to have such a reminder when there's such a fever pitch of frenetic activity & clamouring voices all 'round us. God's Word is eternal.
Thanks Reverend. You did the same thing I did - actually using what Christ said instead of what others said about Christ.
TB, agreed! Our opinions about Him and what He says are very nearly irrelevant. Only what He actually says is important. If something needs to be explained, that can be done by finding out what the Bible says it means. :)
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