March 9 Thought for the day...tough things to come

For all of my life, someone has been saying Jesus is coming back soon. They are correct, every day that we march forward in time, Jesus' return is sooner. He is coming back some day, and He defined that day as when everyone will have heard the Gospel message.  However, there are things we need to look for as "signs" so we might be aware to not become like them. Paul warns us in

2 Timothy 3:1  "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come"

Feel free to read these signs in verses 2-13. What I want us to focus on today is what Paul is actually saying here. The phrase "but know this" is written in a tense that suggests to us that we need to continually be aware of the things He is going to outline. It is not simply, pay attention once and move on, but instead to always make yourself aware of what is happening around you. We are to always be aware, alert, but never fearful, anxious, or angry. Paul is simply saying, it is human nature to go the way I am about to describe, so always be aware that it is not happening in you or those around you.

His use of the phrase "last days" literally means just that, the things I am telling you will be at their absolute worst right before the end of the age. You think these things are bad now wait and see just how bad they will become.

The phrase "perilous times" Paul is saying, these words are going to be hard to hear, they are harsh, unrelenting, these times will be like wild animals that have been provoked, exceedingly fierce. These will be times when reason goes away, and men are acting more on instinct and nature than God.

Why share such a grim picture? First, to remind you while things are bad, that aren't as bad as they will be. Second, as Paul was sharing with young Timothy, be on the alert that no one in the church begins to act like this. Listening to the Lord, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us will cause us to overcome and have the victory every time, but we must be aware of what is in the heart of mankind. It also comes down to, do we read and know God's Word. We are being trained now for things in the future, but we must accept the training and discipline if we are to overcome.