First Things First by James Carroll Sanford

In the games men play, such as football, basketball, hockey and etc. there is the element of time, a time allotted in which the game is to be played.  Every coach of a team has a game plan for defeating his opponent.  He chooses conditions and teaches the game plan to his players and expects them to adhere to his plan in order for them to win the game.  While time is an important element in the game, it is not the most important.

1. Complete trust in the coach and his plan,
2. Working together as a team,
3. Staying focused on the game,
4. Sticking to and executing the game plan,
5. Taking advantage of every opportunity to score points,
6. While at the same time, with wisdom, defending against the schemes of the opponent is the common goal of every player. 
7. Being aware of the clock is important.  Knowing that the clock is running, good players take advantage of ever moment, not distracted by looking back at past mistakes or by looking ahead to the end, but knowing that the signs on the clock indicate that time is passing, serves to encourage every player to work even harder as the end draws near. After all, victory over the opponent is the goal of playing the game; the rewards are for a job well done. This is the plan of victory.

In light of the current events in today’s world, it is tempting for a Christian to get caught up in speculations of the outcome of these events as they relate to the coming of the Lord Jesus.  The signs of the times are important to us, but we must realize these signs and their significance are not the most important.
The Holy Scriptures teach us that “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, ---- {Deut. 29:29f NAS}.”

Thus, our searching for truth must be confined to what is to be revealed.  The thing our Lord has chosen not to reveal belongs to Him and we must not be found guilty of conjecture in even speculating about those things lest we drift into error.   If we become occupied with God’s “secret things,” we will be found to be one who neglects the study of the things which God would have us to know and to do.  Some of the things hidden are the day of our Lord’s return, the end of the age, the end of time and the beginnings of the new heaven and earth.

In answer to questions concerning these things our Lord Jesus said, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone (Matt. 24:36 NASU).”

We are taught to know the signs of the coming of these things, but only God knows the exact time that He will bring about these events and He will reveal them to us in due season.

In the book of Matthew, chapter 28, beginning with verse 18 we read, “Then Jesus came to them (His disciples) and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (19) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt. 28:18-20 NASU)

Here our coach, Jesus, has given us the game plan.

1. We must believe in our Coach and His game plan.
2. We must work together as a team. 
3. To do this we must be “be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.  There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith , one baptism;  one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all (Eph. 4:2-6 NASU).”
4. And we must stay focused on our commission, that is, our game plan. 
5. This means sticking to and carrying out the game plan, not drifting off into fruitless speculations about things that are still hidden.  We are to preach the gospel, that is, the good news pertaining to salvation through faith in our Lord, Jesus Christ. 
6. Before ascending into heaven our Lord spoke these words to His chosen, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1: 8 NASU).

He told them to begin where they receive the Holy Spirit, Jerusalem.  And then go to the surrounding area, Judea.  Normally the Jews did not associate with the Samaritans, there was enmity between them.  But Jesus commanded His disciples to preach the gospel to them also, and thought out the world.

The following may be seen as our system of scoring points; being filled with the power that the Holy Spirit brings, preaching with boldness, as the apostles did on the Day of Pentecost, leading lost souls to Jesus through the power of the gospel (Romans 1:16), baptizing them in His name and teaching them in the ways of righteousness, on every opportunity.  We start where we first received the Holy Spirit, then in the surrounding community, and then among those that we would not normally associate with, and then, though out the world.
The Apostle John writes, “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.  Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God”  (1 John 5:3-5 NASU).

(6)  Our Lord, through the Apostle Paul, gives us the perfect plan of offence and defense, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints (Eph. 6:10-18NASU).”
   
(7) Study the prophets, study the book of Revelations, read chapter 24 of the book of Matthew, and other Scripture concerning the end of the age,  know that our redemption is near, but do not neglect the preaching of the gospel.  After all, leading lost souls to Christ for salvation, snatching them out of Satan’s grasp, is our goal in defeating him.  The rewards that await us are for a job well done.  Selah

James C Sanford

Living in Desperate Times

Reading about protests in exotic places such as Egypt, Iran, Libya and Wisconsin... we realize that the scriptures were correct that said:

They have made it a desolation, and desolate it mourns before Me; the whole land has been made desolate, but no man lays it to heart.

Jeremiah 12:11 [AMP]

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.

Romans 8:22 [ESV]

Classic blogs by Pastor Jake and Brotha DC remind us to put our focus on the right things as we continue to walk in a world that becomes more and more evil.

---

Perilous Times
by Brotha DC

Paul’s words to Timothy, written centuries ago, are as current as the front page of tomorrow’s newspaper.

¹BUT UNDERSTAND this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear].
²For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane.
³[They will be] without natural [human] affection (callous and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement); [they will be] slanderers (false accusers, troublemakers), intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good.
⁴[They will be] treacherous [betrayers], rash, [and] inflated with self-conceit. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God.
⁵For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them].
⁶For among them are those who worm their way into homes and captivate silly and weak-natured and spiritually dwarfed women, loaded down with [the burden of their] sins [and easily] swayed and led away by various evil desires and seductive impulses.
⁷[These weak women will listen to anybody who will teach them]; they are forever inquiring and getting information, but are never able to arrive at a recognition and knowledge of the Truth.

2 Timothy 3:1-7 [AMP]

Perilous times will come in the last days... the days before Christ returns... the days we are living in.

What Are “Perilous Times?”

The word “perilous” in the original Greek text is the word chalepoi which means fierce, perilous, hard to live in, troublesome, dangerous: harsh, fierce, full of troubles and dangers; times that are hard to bear.  It is not very surprising when we see such characteristics in the people of this world.

What is surprising is when we see these characteristics popping up within the church. In Matthew 13:24-30, Jesus tells us that the tares (a plant that looks like wheat) will be allowed to grow along side the wheat until the time of harvest. They may outwardly resemble Christians, but without any spiritual fruit.

Men Shall Be Selfish (philautoi)

Do you love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself (see Luke 10:27), or do you “look out for number one?”  God’s very nature is to give (see John 3:16). If we are to walk after the image of our Heavenly Father (see Ephesians 5:1), we need to walk after His example of selfless giving, not “get all you can... can all you get... then, sit on the can.”

Men Shall Be Covetous (philargooroi)

They will be lovers of money more than lovers of God or their brethren. They would rather spend extravagantly than bring tithes into the house of God. They would rather be gluttons than donate food to the poor. They would rather watch television than hear the gospel.  The world says to love things and use people. We need to love people, and use things to bring glory to our Father. The members of the early church shared all that they had. Why don’t we?

Men Shall Be Boasters (alazones)

This word was originally used to describe a “quack” doctor who went from town to town, trying to sell medicines that he claimed would cure illnesses. These people claim to have the answers, but they really do not. Their religion is just empty pretending.  Are you an empty pretender? Do you parade about, trying to pass yourself off as something you are not? Does God get the glory or do you pat yourself on the back?

Paul had much that he could have bragged about. He was a Pharisees’ Pharisee. He was an eloquent speaker. God handpicked him. Yet, Paul counted his credentials as worthless, in comparison to the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:8).

Men Shall Be Proud

The Greek word (huperǝphanoi) means “to show oneself above.” These persons not only think too highly of themselves, they despise others. We see an example of this spirit in Luke, chapter 18:

The Pharisee took his stand ostentatiously and began to pray thus before and with himself: God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of men--extortioners (robbers), swindlers [unrighteous in heart and life], adulterers--or even like this tax collector here.

Luke 18:11 [AMP]

Have you ever bristled upon encountering a drunkard, a homeless person, or perhaps a prostitute on a street corner? Remember it is only God’s grace that you are not out there.

Men Shall Be Blasphemers (blasphǝmoi)

These people speak evil, slanderous, or abusive words against God and/or men. They are quick with criticism and put-downs. Some comedians on television joke about growing up in church while reviling God and all that He stands for.  Although you may never have taken God’s name in vain, maybe your lifestyle has given God’s enemies an occasion to blaspheme. (see 2 Samuel 12 and Romans 2:24). Any sin in the camp may affect the entire church (see Joshua 7; Joshua 22:20; and 1 Corinthians 10:6).

Men Shall Be Disobedient to Parents

If you have unsaved parents, keeping your room clean and your chores up to date will win them to Christ a lot faster than nagging them about church or slipping gospel tracts into their sandwiches. Do you honor your mother and father? (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16; Matthew 15:4-6 and Ephesians 6:2).

Men Shall Be Unthankful (acharistoi)

These ungrateful ones take and take, but never stop to say “thank you.” You should “Count your many blessings... see what God has done.” This brings glory to God and gives you strength in times of trial. David praised God for delivering him from the jaws of the lion and the bear. This, in turn, gave him the confidence and spiritual fortitude to defeat Goliath (1 Samuel 17:36).

Men Shall Be Unholy (anosioi)

They offend all that is holy, not satisfied with simply practicing their wickedness but desiring to drag others into their lifestyles.

Men Shall Be Without Natural Affection

The Greek word Astorgoi, is the opposite of “to cherish affectionately with family love.” Today, children shoot and kill without a twinge of remorse. Proverbs 12:10 describes these people perfectly... even their “tender mercies” are cruel.

Men Shall Be Trucebreakers

A trucebreaker (aspondoi) cannot agree to or refuses to enter a covenant. They are dishonest and not trustworthy. They reject salvation, since this is a covenant relationship between man and God (see Acts 3:25).

Men Shall Be False Accusers

If you speak Spanish, you will recognize the Greek word Diaboloi word as meaning, “the Devil.” Satan is a slanderer and a false accuser (see Revelation 12:10). If you accuse your brother or sister in gossip conversation, you are sitting in the devil’s seat.

Men Shall Be Incontinent (akrateis)

This does not refer to a weak bladder, but a lack of spiritual or moral self-control. In Galatians 5:23, self-control (”temperance” in the KJV) is a fruit of the Spirit.

Men Shall Be Fierce (anǝmeroi)

These men are “brutal” or “savage.” Like wild beasts, they pounce upon their prey and mercilessly rip it to shreds.  Many people will walk past someone in the sanctuary and mercilessly rip him or her to shreds with their tongue. These people are savage... fierce.

Men Shall Be Despisers Of Those That Are Good (aphilagathoi)

They are opposed to goodness and those who stand for right. They campaign for animal rights but seek to kill unborn children. They bring homosexuals and lesbians into schools, yet protest the idea of the Bible in school.

Men Shall Be Traitors (prodotai)

This is treacherous behavior. Be diligent to lift one another up in prayer. Don’t betray your family in Christ. Stand in the gap for them lest the enemy hinder them.

Men Shall Be Heady

Are you rash, reckless, or hasty? Do you wait on the Lord, doing things decently and in order, or do you disregard leadership and do things your way?

Men Shall Be Highminded

The Greek word (teutphǝmenoi) literally means, “conceited.” Are you proud, or lifted up with pride? Do you become blinded with pride?

Men Shall Be Lovers of Pleasure More Than Lovers of God

The Greek phrase reads: “philǝdonoi mallon ǝ philotheoi,” referring to those who would rather seek their own pleasure than God’s will and purpose. Does evening service interfere with your game? Does prayer meeting interfere with your television watching?

That is not to imply that there is no pleasure in serving God. King David said that he was glad when they said unto him, “let us go into the house of the Lord.” Are you glad about serving God, or do you see your “religious duty” as a ball and chain?

Men Shall Have A Form of Godliness, But Deny the Power Thereof

You may have an outline or a semblance of piety towards God, but your actions show that you have an estrangement with the power (or, Dunamis... dynamite dynamic Holy Ghost power) of God. You talk a good talk but you don’t walk the right walk. You may sing and shout. Your tearstains may be on the altar. However, are you able to walk holy before the Lord?

Turn Away From Such Men (and Women)

Some of the most charismatic people in our society (politicians, entertainers and false religious leaders) fall into one or more of the categories that Paul describes.  If any of this applies to you, turn away from sin, submit yourself to God and resist the devil, then satan will flee from you (James 4:7). Submit yourself to the cleansing of God’s holy word (John 15:3).

Protect Your Family

In verse 6, Paul tells us that such people sneak (insinuate themselves) into the house/family/property/wealth/goods of others like an insect crawling through a crack in the wall. Be vigilant to protect your family from those who would lead them away from the path of righteousness.

Are You A WIMP?

These people capture or make captive weak-willed individuals. In verse 6, the KJV reads, “silly women.” However, the context of the Greek suggests that this is not strictly a reference to women, but may also refer to what we would call a “wimp.” If a man is not fulfilling his role as head of his family, he may be a “weak willed little woman” (see Ephesians 5:33 and 1 Timothy 5:8). Of course, this verse also applies to women who fail to maintain God’s standards of virtue (i.e., Proverbs 31:10-31 and Titus 2:3-5).  Paul says that these “wimps” are loaded with the consciousness of many sins (failure to hit the mark, committing bad actions or evil deeds; possibly through an error of understanding). They are “Prisoners of War” to satan and his army of demons. These people would rather fry their brains on lust-filled soap operas than feed themselves God’s word (see 1 Corinthians 3:2). They would rather gossip on the telephone than talk about the goodness of Jesus (see 1 Peter 4:11).  These people are setting themselves up to be “led captive” by the people of these perilous days. Do you want to be satan’s prisoner of war... or do you want to be free?

What Impulses Motivate You?

At the end of verse 6, Paul describes these people as being led away (literally, moved by forces and impulses affecting the mind) with many types of lusts, desire, craving, longing, and desire for that which is forbidden. Harlequin Romance Novels, “Swimsuit Editions” and R-rated movies create such impulses.

Is Your Bible Study Fruitful?

In verse 7, we see these “wimps” constantly increasing their knowledge, yet they are never able to come to the precise and correct knowledge of things that are ethical and divine (the truth of the gospel). They are implacable by virtue of their own ability and resources, their state of mind, and/or their customs.  The seven most dangerous words for church leaders is, “We’ve never done it that way before.” Don’t reject God’s moving because it clashes with tradition. Don’t resist change because you are not willing to accept the truth. Don’t hear sermons Sunday after Sunday without it getting out of your head and into your heart.
Many people have their own agenda for attending church. Some go for social or political reasons. Some go to find a husband or wife. Some go to have their good deeds outweigh their sins. The scriptures describe exactly what benefit they get out of their “religiosity” or “churchianity...”

¹The promise to enter the place of rest is still good, and we must take care that none of you miss out. ²We have heard the message, just as they did. But they failed to believe what they heard, and the message did not do them any good. ³Only people who have faith will enter the place of rest. It is just as the Scriptures say,

"God became angry

and told the people,

`You will never enter

my place of rest!' "

God said this, even though everything has been ready from the time of creation.

Hebrews 4:1-3 [CEV]

Be steadfast in prayer and Bible study if you wish to survive these perilous times.  And... as Pastor Jake tells us... put first things first!

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First Things First
by Pastor Jake

In the games men play, such as football, basketball, hockey and etc. there is the element of time, a time allotted in which the game is to be played. Every coach of a team has a game plan for defeating his opponent. He chooses, conditions and teaches the game plan to his players and expects them to adhere to his plan in order for them to win the game. While time is an important element in the game, it is not the most important.

1. Complete trust in the coach and his plan,
2. Working together as a team,
3. Staying focused on the game,
4. Sticking to and executing the game plan,
5. Taking advantage of every opportunity to score points,
6. While at the same time, with wisdom, defending against the schemes of the opponent is the common goal of every player.
7. Being aware of the clock is important. Knowing that the clock is running, good players take advantage of ever moment, not distracted by looking back at past mistakes or by looking ahead to the end, but knowing that the signs on the clock indicate that time is passing, serves to encourage every player to work even harder as the end draws near. After all, victory over the opponent is the goal of playing the game; the rewards are for a job well done. This is the plan of victory.

In light of the current events in today’s world it is tempting for a Christian to get caught up in speculations of the outcome of these events as they relate to the coming of the Lord Jesus. The signs of the times are important to us, but we must realize these signs and their significance are not the most important.

The Holy Scriptures teach us that “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, ----” Deuteronomy 29:29f  [NAS]

Thus, our searching for truth must be confined to what is to be revealed. The thing our Lord has chosen not to reveal belongs to Him and we must not be found guilty of conjecture in even speculating about those things lest we drift into error. If we become occupied with God’s “secret things,” we will be found to be one who neglects the study of the things which God would have us to know and to do. Some of the things hidden are the day of our Lord’s return, the end of the age, the end of time and the beginnings of the new heaven and earth.

In answer to questions concerning these things our Lord Jesus said, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.” (Matthew 24:36 [NASU])

We are taught to know the signs of the coming of these things, but only God knows the exact time that He will bring about these events and He will reveal them to us in due season.

In the book of Matthew, chapter 28, beginning with verse 18 we read, “Then Jesus came to them (His disciples) and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (19) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20 [NASU])

Here our coach, Jesus, has given us the game plan.

1

We must believe in our Coach and His game plan.

2

We must work together as a team.

To do this we must be “be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith , one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:2-6 [NASU])

3

And we must stay focused on our commission, that is, our game plan.

4

This means sticking to and carrying out the game plan, not drifting off into fruitless speculations about things that are still hidden. We are to preach the gospel, that is, the good news pertaining to salvation through faith in our Lord, Jesus Christ.

5

Before ascending into heaven our Lord spoke these words to His chosen, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”.” (Acts 1: 8 [NASU])

He told them to begin where they receive the Holy Spirit, Jerusalem. And then go to the surrounding area, Judea. Normally the Jews did not associate with the Samaritans, there was enmity between them. But Jesus commanded His disciples to preach the gospel to them also, and thought out the world.

The following may be seen as our system of scoring points; being filled with the power that the Holy Spirit brings, preaching with boldness, as the apostles did on the Day of Pentecost, leading lost souls to Jesus through the power of the gospel (Romans 1:16), baptizing them in His name and teaching them in the ways of righteousness, on every opportunity. We start where we first received the Holy Spirit, then in the surrounding community, and among those that we would not normally associate with, and then, though out the world.
The Apostle John writes, “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” (1 John 5:3-5 [NASU])

6

Our Lord, through the Apostle Paul, gives us the perfect plan of offence and defense, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:10-18 [NASU])

7

Study the prophets, study the book of Revelations, read chapter 24 of the book of Matthew, and other Scripture concerning the end of the age, know that our redemption is near, but do not neglect the preaching of the gospel. After all, leading lost souls to Christ for salvations, snatching them out of Satan’s grasp, is our goal in defeating him. The rewards that await us are for a job well done. Selah

James C Sanford

Perilous Times

Remember the scene from the movie Home Alone 2 when the kid is scared in Central Park and flags a taxi?  He says to the taxi driver, “It’s scary out there.”  The scary looking taxi driver turns around and says, “It ain’t all that great in here,” or something like that.

Well... this world we are living in is scary.  And whether you are looking at things on the domestic level (the economy... or politics... etc.) or on the international level (Al Qaeda... nuclear Iran... etc.) it is pretty scary no matter which way your turn.

That is why we find that the Apostle Paul’s words to Timothy, written centuries ago, are as current as the front page of tomorrow’s newspaper.

¹BUT UNDERSTAND this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear].
²For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane.
³[They will be] without natural [human] affection (callous and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement); [they will be] slanderers (false accusers, troublemakers), intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good.
⁴[They will be] treacherous [betrayers], rash, [and] inflated with self-conceit. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God.
⁵For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them].
⁶For among them are those who worm their way into homes and captivate silly and weak-natured and spiritually dwarfed women, loaded down with [the burden of their] sins [and easily] swayed and led away by various evil desires and seductive impulses.
⁷[These weak women will listen to anybody who will teach them]; they are forever inquiring and getting information, but are never able to arrive at a recognition and knowledge of the Truth.

2 Timothy 3:1-7 [AMP]

Perilous times will come in the last days... the days before Christ returns... the days we are living in.  The days that the bum with the sandwich board on the street are talking about.  Yeah... those days.

What Are “Perilous Times?”

The word “perilous” in the original Greek text is the word chalepoi which means fierce, perilous, hard to live in, troublesome, dangerous: harsh, fierce, full of troubles and dangers; times that are hard to bear.

It is not very surprising when we see such characteristics in the people of this world. After all... these people are servants of satan and follow his behavior patterns.

What is surprising, however, is when we see these characteristics popping up within the church.  We cover this phenomenon from a couple angles in our book, Spiritual Fruits or Religious Nuts: but let’s address matters from Jesus’s perspective in the following scripture:

²⁴Another parable He set forth before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.
²⁵But while he was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed also darnel (weeds resembling wheat) among the wheat, and went on his way.
²⁶So when the plants sprouted and formed grain, the darnel (weeds) appeared also.
²⁷And the servants of the owner came to him and said, Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Then how does it have darnel shoots in it?
²⁸He replied to them, An enemy has done this. The servants said to him, Then do you want us to go and weed them out?
²⁹But he said, No, lest in gathering the wild wheat (weeds resembling wheat), you root up the [true] wheat along with it.
³⁰Let them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will say to the reapers, Gather the darnel first and bind it in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my granary.

Matthew 13:24-30 [AMP]

In the above scripture, Jesus tells us that the tares (a plant that looks like wheat) will be allowed to grow along side the wheat until the time of harvest. They may outwardly resemble Christians, but without any spiritual fruit.

On the day of judgment, when all men and women will stand before a righteous
God, we may be surprised to see some people who were prominent in the church being judged.
No doubt, they may be even more surprised about that. 

So let’s do some expository on Paul’s words to Timothy and the members of the
body of Christ, and let us attempt to understand our scripture text and discern exactly what types of behavior
Paul was referring to in these perilous times we are living in:

Men Shall Be Selfish (philautoi)

Do you love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself, or do you “look out for number one?”

And he replied, You must love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.

Luke 10:27 [AMP]

God’s very nature is to be gracious... to give.. to show mercy and
loving-kindness to you.  He wants us to do the same.

And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship]!

Isaiah 30:18 [AMP]

For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.

John 3:16 [AMP]

If we are to walk after the image of our Heavenly Father, we need to walk after His example of selfless giving, not “get all you can... can all you get... then, sit on the can.”

THEREFORE BE imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father].

Ephesians 5:1 [AMP]

Men Shall Be Covetous (philargooroi)

They will be lovers of money more than lovers of God or their brethren.

They would rather spend extravagantly than bring tithes into the house of God. They would rather be gluttons than donate food to the poor. They would rather watch television than hear the gospel.

Some of them will stand in a pulpit and squeeze money out of people who can’t afford it in order to meet their own agenda.  And while they will take, take, take... they never give any of their own away.

In either instance... these covetous people have made material things their god... and we all know that you can’t take it with you.

The world says to love things and use people. We need to love people, and use things to bring glory to our Father.

The members of the early church shared all that they had. Why don’t we?

Men Shall Be Boasters (alazones)

This word was originally used to describe a “quack” doctor who went from town to town, trying to sell “snake oil.”

The phony medicine pushed by these quacks promised to cure a wide range of illnesses. In reality, they did nothing to help people... but may make them sicker or even kill them!

Such individuals claim to have the answers, but they really do not. Their religion is just empty pretending.

Are you an empty pretender? Do you parade about, trying to pass yourself off as something you are not? Does God get the glory or do you pat yourself on the back?

Paul had much that he could have bragged about.

• He was a Pharisees’ Pharisee.
• He was an eloquent speaker.
• God handpicked him.

Despite all of this, Paul counted his credentials as worthless as the feces one flushes down the toilet.  Nothing could possibly compare to the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him [of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly]. For His sake I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish (refuse, dregs), in order that I may win (gain) Christ (the Anointed One)

Philippians 3:8 [AMP]

Men Shall Be Proud (huperəphanoi)

The Greek word means “to show oneself above.” These persons not only think too highly of themselves, they despise others. We see an example of this spirit in Luke, chapter 18:

The Pharisee took his stand ostentatiously and began to pray thus before and with himself: God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of men--extortioners (robbers), swindlers [unrighteous in heart and life], adulterers--or even like this tax collector here.

Luke 18:11 [AMP]

Have you ever bristled upon encountering a drunkard, a homeless person, or perhaps a prostitute on a street corner? Remember it is only God’s grace that you are not out there.

And the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least [in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me.

Matthew 25:40 [AMP]

This type of attitude is illustrated in the following selection from our Psalms from the Pen of the Ready Writer volume 1:

Standing on the corner
Under pale moonlight
a little lady stands there
sordid merchandise

Just an hour later
in the shadows dark
another pint of vodka
numbs her wounded heart

Do you not see her?
How can you pass her by?
Where is your compassion?
Can you not hear her cry?

Walking through the front door
of our Sunday church
The little lady comes in
wants to stop the hurt

Laying on the sidewalk
ushers threw her out
‘How dare you show your face here?’
‘Thank you, please stay out!’

How could this happen?
How could it go this way?
What would you do if God
treated you the same way?

He calls us to love and forgive
to heal the wounded sin-sick souls
the church is a holy hospital...
(not a social club)

Standing on the corner
on her way to hell
a little lady stands there
merchandise to sell

What a sad occurrence
What a tragedy...
One question you should ask yourself

What if it was me?

Do you not see her?
How can you pass her by?
Where is your compassion?
Can you not hear her cry?

How could this happen?
How could it go this way?
What would you do if God
treated you the same way?

Men Shall Be Blasphemers (blasphəmoi)

These people speak evil, slanderous, or abusive words against God and/or men.

They are quick with criticism and put-downs.

Some comedians on television joke about growing up in church while reviling God and all that He stands for.

Although you may never have taken God’s name in vain, maybe your behavior has given God’s enemies an occasion to blaspheme. (see 2 Samuel 12 and Romans 2:24).

Any sin in the camp may affect the entire church (see Joshua 7; Joshua 22:20; and 1 Corinthians 10:6).

To quote R.W. Schambach:  “Get rid of your sin before your sin gets rid of you.”

There is even a free downloadable album on that very same topic located here.

Men Shall Be Disobedient to Parents

If you have unsaved parents, keeping your room clean and your chores up to date will win them to Christ a lot faster than nagging them about church or slipping gospel tracts into their sandwiches.

Do you honor your mother and father?

Mouse-over these scriptures:

• Exodus 20:12
• Deuteronomy 5:16
• Matthew 15:4-6
• Ephesians 6:2

Men Shall Be Unthankful (acharistoi)

These ungrateful ones take and take, but never stop to say “thank you.” You should “Count your many blessings... see what God has done.” This brings glory to God and gives you strength in times of trial. David praised God for delivering him from the jaws of the lion and the bear. This, in turn, gave him the confidence and spiritual fortitude to defeat Goliath (1 Samuel 17:36).

Men Shall Be Unholy (anosioi)

They offend all that is holy, not satisfied with simply practicing their wickedness but desiring to drag others into their lifestyles.

Men Shall Be Without Natural Affection (Astorgoi)

The Greek word is the opposite of “to cherish affectionately with family love.” Today, children shoot and kill without a twinge of remorse. Proverbs 12:10 describes these people perfectly... even their “tender mercies” are cruel.

Men Shall Be Trucebreakers (aspondoi)

A trucebreaker cannot agree to or refuses to enter a covenant. They are dishonest and not trustworthy. They reject salvation, since this is a covenant relationship between man and God (see Acts 3:25).

Men Shall Be False Accusers (Diaboloi)

If you speak Spanish, you will recognize the Greek word as meaning, “the Devil.” Satan is a slanderer and a false accuser (see Revelation 12:10). If you accuse your brother or sister in gossip conversation, you are sitting in the devil’s seat.

Men Shall Be Incontinent (akrateis)

This does not refer to a weak bladder, but a lack of spiritual or moral self-control.

A wise man once told me that the purpose of a lock was simply to keep honest men honest.  A dishonest man will break into a locked car or building and will steal.

In Galatians 5:23, self-control (”temperance” in the KJV) is a fruit of the Spirit. If you truly are Christ’s and are filled with His Spirit, then you will not be one such person.

Men Shall Be Fierce (anəmeroi)

These men are “brutal” or “savage.” Like wild beasts, they pounce upon their prey and mercilessly rip it to shreds.

Many people will walk past someone in the sanctuary and mercilessly rip him or her to shreds with their tongue. These people are savage... fierce.

Men Shall Be Despisers Of Those That Are Good (aphilagathoi)

They are opposed to goodness and those who stand for right. They campaign for animal rights but seek to kill unborn children. They bring homosexuals and lesbians into schools, yet protest the idea of the Bible in school.

Men Shall Be Traitors (prodotai)

This is treacherous behavior. Be diligent to lift one another up in prayer. Don’t betray your family in Christ. Stand in the gap for them lest the enemy hinder them.

Men Shall Be Heady

Are you rash, reckless, or hasty? Do you wait on the Lord, doing things decently and in order, or do you disregard leadership and do things your way?

Men Shall Be Highminded (teutphəmenoi)

The Greek word literally means, “conceited.” Are you proud, or lifted up with pride? Do you become blinded with pride?

Men Shall Be Lovers of Pleasure More Than Lovers of God (philədonoi mallon ə philotheoi)

The Greek phrase refers to those who would rather seek their own pleasure than God’s will and purpose. Does evening service interfere with your game? Does prayer meeting interfere with your television watching?

That is not to imply that there is no pleasure in serving God. King David said that he was glad when they said unto him, “let us go into the house of the Lord.” Are you glad about serving God, or do you see your “religious duty” as a ball and chain?

Men Shall Have A Form of Godliness, But Deny the Power Thereof

You may have an outline or a semblance of piety towards God, but your actions show that you have an estrangement with the power (or, Dunamis... dynamite dynamic Holy Ghost power) of God.

You talk a good talk but you don’t walk the right walk. You may sing and shout. Your tearstains may be on the altar. However, are you able to walk holy before the Lord?

Turn Away From Such Men (and Women)

Some of the most charismatic people in our society (politicians, entertainers and false religious leaders) fall into one or more of the categories that Paul describes.

If any of this applies to you, turn away from sin, submit yourself to God and resist the devil, then satan will flee from you (James 4:7). Submit yourself to the cleansing of God’s holy word (John 15:3).

Protect Your Family

In verse 6, Paul tells us that such people sneak (insinuate themselves) into the house / family / property / wealth / goods of others like an insect crawling through a crack in the wall.

Be vigilant to protect your family from those who would lead them away from the path of righteousness.

Are You A WIMP?

These people capture or make captive weak-willed individuals. In verse 6, the KJV reads, “silly women.” However, the context of the Greek suggests that this is not strictly a reference to women, but may also refer to what we would call a “wimp.”

If a man is not fulfilling his role as head of his family, he may be a “weak willed little woman” (see Ephesians 5:33 and 1 Timothy 5:8).

Of course, this verse also applies to women who fail to maintain God’s standards of virtue (i.e., Proverbs 31:10-31 and Titus 2:3-5).

Paul says that these “wimps” are loaded with the consciousness of many sins (failure to hit the mark, committing bad actions or evil deeds; possibly through an error of understanding). They are “Prisoners of War” to satan
and his army of demons.

These people would rather fry their brains on lust-filled soap operas than feed themselves God’s word (see 1 Corinthians 3:2).

They would rather gossip on the telephone than talk about the goodness of Jesus
(see 1 Peter 4:11).

These people are setting themselves up to be “led captive” by the people of these perilous days. Do you want to be satan’s prisoner of war... or do you want to be free?

What Impulses Motivate You?

At the end of verse 6, Paul describes these people as being led away (literally, moved by forces and impulses affecting the mind) with many types of lusts, desire, craving, longing, and desire for that which is forbidden. Harlequin Romance Novels, “Swimsuit Editions” and R-rated movies create such impulses.

Is Your Bible Study Fruitful?

In verse 7, we see these “wimps” constantly increasing their knowledge, yet they are never able to come to the precise and correct knowledge of things that are ethical and divine (the truth of the gospel). They are implacable by virtue of their own ability and resources, their state of mind, and/or their customs.

The seven most dangerous words for church leaders is, “We’ve never done it that way before.” Don’t reject God’s moving because it clashes with tradition. Don’t resist change because you are not willing to accept the truth. Don’t hear sermons Sunday after Sunday without it getting out of your head and into your heart.

Many people have their own agenda for attending church. Some go for social or political reasons. Some go to find a husband or wife. Some go to have their good deeds outweigh their sins. The scriptures describe exactly what benefit they get out of their “religiosity” or “churchianity...”

¹THEREFORE, WHILE the promise of entering His rest still holds and is offered [today], let us be afraid [to distrust it], lest any of you should think he has come too late and has come short of [reaching] it.
²For indeed we have had the glad tidings [Gospel of God] proclaimed to us just as truly as they [the Israelites of old did when the good news of deliverance from bondage came to them]; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because it was not mixed with faith (with the leaning of the entire personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness) by those who heard it; neither were they united in faith with the ones [Joshua and Caleb] who heard (did believe).
³For we who have believed (adhered to and trusted in and relied on God) do enter that rest, in accordance with His declaration that those [who did not believe] should not enter when He said, As I swore in My wrath, They shall not enter My rest; and this He said although [His] works had been completed and prepared [and waiting for all who would believe] from the foundation of the world.

Hebrews 4:1-3 [AMP]

Be steadfast in prayer and Bible study if you wish to survive these perilous times.

Israeli Rabbis Predicting Armageddon?

ISRAELI RABBIS SAY CURRENT EVENTS COULD LEAD TO “WAR OF GOG AND MAGOG”

By Joel C. Rosenberg

(Washington, D.C., June 3, 2010) -- A pastor friend of mine who is helping us set up the 2010 Epicenter Conference in Philadelphia later this month just sent me an urgent text message with this headline from Israel National News:

“RABBIS: FLOTILLA CLASH SIMILAR TO GOG AND MAGOG PROPHESY.”

As you might expect, it caught my attention right away.

Excerpts:

• The Rabbinical Council of Judea and Samaria issued a statement Thursday in which it said that the results of the incident in which Israel intercepted a flotilla trying to break the naval blockade of Gaza seem like the Biblical description of  the beginning of the Gog and Magog process where the world is against us, but which ends with the third and final redemption….
  
• The Council was formed by Rabbi Zalman Melamed of Beit El and includes leading religious Zionist rabbis who are the spiritual leaders of communities in Judea and Samaria….
   
• “Gog and Magog” is a reference is to chapters 38 and 39 in the book of Ezekiel, a part of which is read on the intermediate Sabbath of Sukkot (Tabernacles). These chapters describe a vision of a war where the world is united against Israel that will precede the final redemption of Israel and the world. The prophecy’s symbolism involves a prince called Gog of Magog, leader of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, who leads a coalition that includes Persia (Iran), Cush, Phut, Gomer, and Beit Togarmah against Israel. There are various opinions regarding the modern identity of these nations.

There is growing interest in the Ezekiel prophecies and whether they could play out in our lifetime. I believe it is still too early to say anything definitively. But I agree that current events are strikingly consistent with the prophecies and I believe it is possible that we could see these events unfold soon.

The mention of “Gomer” in Ezekiel, for example, refers to the modern-day State of Turkey which will be an enemy of Israel and part of a Russian-Iranian alliance against the Jewish state. I’m not saying the prophecy will necessarily come to pass soon, but I can’t rule out that possibility.

We’ve never seen a convergence of geopolitical and spiritual events so consistent with Ezekiel 38-39 in history like we are seeing today. We need to be prayerful, sober, alert and prepared.

At the conference on June 25-26 in Philly, I will address the latest developments. But I knew you’d want to see this article.

It’s posted on my weblog -- http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com.

---

2010 EPICENTER CONFERENCE UPDATE

• Over 1,300 people registered
• Over 700 radio stations and several TV networks will be broadcasting portions of the conference
• Just 24 days left to register to attend or to show the webcast to your congregation

LEARN: To track the latest news and trends from Israel and the epicenter on Joel’s weblog (http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com), please click here

PRAY: Sign up for Joel’s email alerts and receive the latest news and analysis from the Mideast, Joshua Fund project updates and prayer requests.

GIVE: Help The Joshua Fund stock the new warehouse and bless the poor and needy in Israel and among her neighbors. Please make a tax-deductible donation of $50, $100, $250 or a monthly commitment by clicking here and visiting our new website, www.joshuafund.net.

GO: Join Joel’s “Epicenter Team” on Facebook.

GO: To learn more about -- and/or register for -- the 2010 Epicenter Conference in Philadelphia on June 25-26, please click here (www.epicenterconference.com) 

Israel Ready for War?

ISRAEL PRIMED FOR WAR WITH IRAN SAYS VICE PRIME MINISTER Family Research Council President Tony Perkins confirmed to speak at 2010 Epicenter Conference on how to mobilize support for Israel. By Joel C. Rosenberg (Washington, D.C., May 11, 2010) -- Israel is primed and ready for a war with Iran should that become necessary, says Israeli Vice Prime Minister Moshe Yaalon. Yaalon is slated to be the keynote speaker at the 2010 Epicenter Conference in Philadelphia next month. He will give participants an exclusive briefing on the Iranian nuclear threat and the prospects for war in the Middle East. "There is no doubt that the technological capabilities, which improved in recent years, have improved range and aerial refuelling capabilities, and have brought about a massive improvement in the accuracy of ordnance and intelligence," Yaalon told a conference of military officers and experts, reported Reuters. "This capability can be used for a war on terror in Gaza, for a war in the face of rockets from Lebanon, for war on the conventional Syrian army, and also for war on a peripheral state like Iran." Also, I'm pleased to announce that Tony Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council, will speak at the 2010 Epicenter Conference as we seek to educate and mobilize Christians to show unconditional love and unwavering support to Israel at this critical moment. Tony will join Janet Parshall and me on Friday night, June 25th for a panel discussion on practical ways that Christians can bless Israel. Tony will specifically discuss Israel-related legislation moving through Congress and how to support or oppose such measures, as needed. Other Christian leaders joining us on that panel will be Lt.-General (ret.) Jerry Boykin, Kay Arthur, Pastor Greg Laurie, Pastor Joe Focht, and a special guest. On Saturday, June 26th, the conference continues with additional guests, including Vice Prime Minister Yaalon, Hormoz Shariat (the "Billy Graham of Iran"), and a video presentation by Mosab Hassan Yousef (the "Son of Hamas"). I will be giving the final keynote address on Saturday night. For more information, or to register individually or as a church, please visit www.epicenterconference.com. I hope you will join us! LEARN: To track the latest news and trends from Israel and the epicenter on Joel's weblog (http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com), please click here PRAY: Sign up for Joel's email alerts and receive the latest news and analysis from the Mideast, Joshua Fund project updates and prayer requests. GIVE: Help The Joshua Fund stock the new warehouse and bless the poor and needy in Israel and among her neighbors. Please make a tax-deductible donation of $50, $100, $250 or a monthly commitment by clicking here and visiting our new website, www.joshuafund.net. GO: Join Joel's "Epicenter Team" on Facebook. GO: To learn more about -- and/or register for -- the 2010 Epicenter Conference in Philadelphia on June 25-26, please click here (www.epicenterconference.com)

Will Netanyahu Hit Iran by August? (By Joel C. Rosenberg)

(Washington, D.C., April 15, 2010) -- Russia has just announced that it intends to allow the Iranian nuclear reactor facility located in Bushehr (near the Persian Gulf) to go live in August. This is an ominous development.

Now Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has a fateful decision to make. Will he order a preemptive military strike against all of Iran’s nuclear sites before August when the Bushehr site becomes "hot"? His mentor, Menachem Begin, ordered an Israeli air strike against Saddam Hussein’s Osirik nuclear reactor in Iraq before it went hot in 1981. Netanyahu wants the world to act with decisive unity to stop Iran from getting the Bomb. But that is increasingly unlikely. The Obama administration is no longer calling for "crippling sanctions," and even if they were, it appears to be too late for sanctions to be effective. U.S. officials -- including Defense Secretary Robert Gates -- says Iran could have the Bomb by next year. German intelligence thinks it could be sooner.

We must prepare for peace, but prepare for war. Here’s how:

* We need to preach the gospel to all the people of the epicenter, including our enemies. On Tuesday and Wednesday, I had the remarkable opportunity to go on live satellite TV into Iran and share the gospel, teach on Bible prophecy, and explain God’s love for Iran and Israel and all the people of the world. Millions saw the program. We answered live calls from Iran, Europe, the U.S. and even China. Two Iranian Shia Muslims even called in to pray to receive Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord! More details on those programs are posted on my weblog.

* Hormoz Shariat, the most widely listened to Iranian evangelist in the world, hosted me on his shows. He has also graciously agreed to speak at the 2010 Epicenter Conference. I urge you to register to come and hear his astounding insights and wisdom into what Jesus is doing in Iran today.

* The Joshua Fund would greatly appreciate your prayer and financial help as we stockpile food and other humanitarian aid in our warehouse and at other facilities strategic positioned throughout Israel. We have expanded the number of food distribution centers in the country from 1 to 8. We’re feeding thousands of needy Israeli and Palestinian families each month, but we need your help to do more.

Also on the weblog:

• An open letter from the leader of the World Jewish Congress strongly criticizes President Obama for his positions on Israel and Iran
• A new poll indicates Jewish support for the President is plummeting
• The Joshua Fund’s new website has details on our 2011 tour and Epicenter Conference in Israel
• More details on how close Iran is to getting the Bomb.

LEARN: To track the latest news and trends from Israel and the epicenter, please click here ’

PRAY: Sign up for Joel’s email alerts and receive the latest news and analysis from the Mideast, Joshua Fund project updates and prayer requests. ’

GIVE: Help The Joshua Fund stock the new warehouse and bless the poor and needy in Israel and among her neighbors. Please make a tax-deductible donation of $50, $100, $250 or a monthly commitment by clicking here. ’

GO: Join Joel’s "Epicenter Team" on Facebook. ’

GO: To learn more about -- and/or register for -- the 2010 Epicenter Conference in Philadelphia on June 25-26, please click here. ’

Who Has Power Over You?

A lot of people seem to hold onto this idea of God being the big angry one in the sky, throwing lightning bolts at those who for whatever reason get on His nerves.  And even more troublesome, the assertion that God’s anger is unjust.  Really?

When disasters strike... be they earthquakes, tidal waves, or floods... people simply write these off as “acts of God.”  Further, many simply assume that He is just messing with His children for some capricious reason.  Couldn’t be anything related to mankind’s sins now, could it?

We took note earlier of a comment by actor and activist Sean Penn who stated on the CNN series Larry King Live that God was bullying the people of Haiti when the earthquake struck... and people felt great outrage when Pat Robertson blamed the earthquake on something the people of Haiti had allegedly done.

The simple reality, however, is that Haiti’s (pre-earthquake) woes are completely man-made.  From the exploitation of the island’s wealth in the 1700’s to the acts of genocide during the Parsley Massacre in the early 20^th century to further political and diplomatic abuses... we see the hands of men driven by selfishness and greed.  Substandard building codes created a horrendous devastation in Haiti.  Yet, in Chile where an even more severe earthquake hit, there was less damage (because the infrastructure was better constructed).  Had the people been given better constructed homes and buildings, the devastation would not been nearly as great.

Still... people find it so easy to just blame God whenever things go wrong.

Oh, and for the record... earthquakes are continuing and will continue to strike all over the world.  After all, Jesus told us in Mark 13:7-9 that these are simply labor pains signalling the birth of the new heaven and earth that will replace this demon-infested world that we are living in (see Revelation 21:1-3).

But when the concept of the devil being behind this world’s tragedies is introduced, people simply shrug that off as medieval mythology that has no part in rational thinking.  After all... assuming that God has all power... why doesn’t He just do something about all the bad things that happen?

For the god of this world has blinded the unbelievers' minds [that they should not discern the truth], preventing them from seeing the illuminating light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ (the Messiah), Who is the Image and Likeness of God.

2^nd Corinthians 4:4 [AMP]

In 2 Corinthians 4:4, we read that satan is the god (small “g”) of this world.  Yes, it is the devil who blinds the minds of people so that they cannot see or even discern the truth.  And Jesus is the truth.

Elsewhere in the scripture, we see further affirmation of this fact. For instance, satan is called the prince of the power of the air in Ephesians 2:2. In John 12:31, he is called the ruler of this world. We could site other scriptures, but you get the point.

The refusal to accept the fact that there is a devil who is intent on fouling everything up was the theme of one of our favorite songs by Keith Green.

Have a listen to the song:



If you are under the reign of the devil... the one who has such authority on this earth... then you are subject to the outcomes of his behavior. And how does the devil behave? Well, I like the way Greg Laurie put it. While God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life... satan hates you and has a horrible plan for your life.

The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

John 10:10 [AMP]

• He is a thief... he steals whatever he can from you. Your health. Your relationships. Your sanity... whatever he can get his hands on, he will take from you.
  .
• He is a murderer. He will kill you if he can. But even if he can’t get to your life... he will destroy your enjoyment of life... if he can.
  .
• He is a destroyer. He will destroy your career ambitions... your desire to have a happy family... your reputation... whatever he can get is hands on.

So, how does one stop the devil if he is so powerful?

Those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord are no longer under the power of the devil. The Bible tells us:

Since, therefore, [these His] children share in flesh and blood [in the physical nature of human beings], He [Himself] in a similar manner partook of the same [nature], that by [going through] death He might bring to nought and make of no effect him who had the power of death--that is, the devil--

Hebrews 2:14 [AMP]

Jesus defeated the devil by His sinless life... by his sacrificial death... and by his victorious rise from the dead. Jesus was tempted by the devil, shortly after His baptism by John.

THEN JESUS, full of and controlled by the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led in [by] the [Holy] Spirit

For (during) forty days in the wilderness (desert), where He was tempted (tried, tested exceedingly) by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days, and when they were completed, He was hungry.

Then the devil said to Him, If You are the Son of God, order this stone to turn into a loaf [of bread].

And Jesus replied to him, It is written, Man shall not live and be sustained by (on) bread alone but by every word and expression of God.

Then the devil took Him up to a high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the habitable world in a moment of time [in the twinkling of an eye].

And he said to Him, To You I will give all this power and authority and their glory (all their magnificence, excellence, preeminence, dignity, and grace), for it has been turned over to me, and I give it to whomever I will.

Therefore if You will do homage to and worship me [just once], it shall all be Yours.

And Jesus replied to him, Get behind Me, Satan! It is written, You shall do homage to and worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.

Luke 4:1-8 [AMP]

Notice in Luke 4:6, satan said that the power and authority of the world has been turned over to him.

When did that happen?

When God created man (see Genesis 1:26), He gave man dominion over everything on this planet. When Adam and Eve sinned by rebelling against God, they in effect turned that dominion over to the devil. It was handed over to satan... but Jesus took it back (see Matthew 28:18 and Revelation 1:17-18).

Those who believe in Jesus are no longer under the rule of Satan (Colossians 1:13). Unbelievers, on the other hand, are caught “in the snare of the devil” (2 Timothy 2:26), and lie in the “power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19), and are in bondage to satan (Ephesians 2:2).

When you accept Jesus as Lord over your life, you receive His righteousness (Romans 5:19-22) which is better than man’s hypocritical self-righteousness... as it is the only thing that will free you from the power and the penalty of sin and release you from the authority of the devil.

According to 1^st Corinthians 1:30:

But it is from Him that you have your life in Christ Jesus, Whom God made our Wisdom from God, [revealed to us a knowledge of the divine plan of salvation previously hidden, manifesting itself as] our Righteousness [thus making us upright and putting us in right standing with God], and our Consecration [making us pure and holy], and our Redemption [providing our ransom from eternal penalty for sin].

1^st Corinthians 1:30 [AMP]

I could never be holier-than-thou... but in Christ, I hold the position that He has won, because I rely on, lean on, and wholly depend on Him. How cool is that?

And that I may [actually] be found and known as in Him, not having any [self-achieved] righteousness that can be called my own, based on my obedience to the Law’s demands (ritualistic uprightness and supposed right standing with God thus acquired), but possessing that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ (the Anointed One), the [truly] right standing with God, which comes from God by [saving] faith.

Philippians 3:9 [AMP]

The penalty of sin no longer applies to me... not by any work that I have done... but because of the love and mercy of God through Jesus Christ my Lord. Woo hoo!

Hold your mouse over these scriptures to see how you have been (or can be) justified before God by what Christ has done:

• Romans 4:25
• Romans 3:20-25
• Romans 5:1-9

Yes, satan may be the god of this world... but he ain’t got nothing over me. And, if you have accepted the sacrifice that Jesus made on your behalf, you are also free from the devil’s power.

As earthquakes, wars, and other phenomena continue to occur... be encouraged that heaven is just getting that much closer. While that might be terrifying for those in this world, it is reason for rejoicing by those of us who are in Christ.

Perilous Times

Remember the scene from the movie Home Alone 2 when the kid is scared in Central Park and flags a taxi?  He says to the taxi driver, “It’s scary out there.”  The scary looking taxi driver turns around and says, “It ain’t all that great in here,” or something like that.

Well... this world we are living in is scary.  And whether you are looking at things on the domestic level (the economy... or politics... etc.) or on the international level (Al Qaeda... nuclear Iran... etc.) it is pretty scary no matter which way your turn.

That is why we find that the Apostle Paul’s words to Timothy, written centuries ago, are as current as the front page of tomorrow’s newspaper.

¹BUT UNDERSTAND this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear].
²For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane.
³[They will be] without natural [human] affection (callous and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement); [they will be] slanderers (false accusers, troublemakers), intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good.
⁴[They will be] treacherous [betrayers], rash, [and] inflated with self-conceit. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God.
⁵For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them].
⁶For among them are those who worm their way into homes and captivate silly and weak-natured and spiritually dwarfed women, loaded down with [the burden of their] sins [and easily] swayed and led away by various evil desires and seductive impulses.
⁷[These weak women will listen to anybody who will teach them]; they are forever inquiring and getting information, but are never able to arrive at a recognition and knowledge of the Truth.

2 Timothy 3:1-7 [AMP]

Perilous times will come in the last days... the days before Christ returns... the days we are living in.  The days that the bum with the sandwich board on the street are talking about.  Yeah... those days.

What Are “Perilous Times?”

The word “perilous” in the original Greek text is the word chalepoi which means fierce, perilous, hard to live in, troublesome, dangerous: harsh, fierce, full of troubles and dangers; times that are hard to bear.

It is not very surprising when we see such characteristics in the people of this world. After all... these people are servants of satan and follow his behavior patterns.

What is surprising, however, is when we see these characteristics popping up within the church.  We cover this phenomenon from a couple angles in our book, Spiritual Fruits or Religious Nuts: but let’s address matters from Jesus’s perspective in the following scripture:

²⁴Another parable He set forth before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.
²⁵But while he was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed also darnel (weeds resembling wheat) among the wheat, and went on his way.
²⁶So when the plants sprouted and formed grain, the darnel (weeds) appeared also.
²⁷And the servants of the owner came to him and said, Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Then how does it have darnel shoots in it?
²⁸He replied to them, An enemy has done this. The servants said to him, Then do you want us to go and weed them out?
²⁹But he said, No, lest in gathering the wild wheat (weeds resembling wheat), you root up the [true] wheat along with it.
³⁰Let them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will say to the reapers, Gather the darnel first and bind it in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my granary.

Matthew 13:24-30 [AMP]

In the above scripture, Jesus tells us that the tares (a plant that looks like wheat) will be allowed to grow along side the wheat until the time of harvest. They may outwardly resemble Christians, but without any spiritual fruit.

On the day of judgment, when all men and women will stand before a righteous
God, we may be surprised to see some people who were prominent in the church being judged.
No doubt, they may be even more surprised about that. 

So let’s do some expository on Paul’s words to Timothy and the members of the
body of Christ, and let us attempt to understand our scripture text and discern exactly what types of behavior
Paul was referring to in these perilous times we are living in:

Men Shall Be Selfish (philautoi)

Do you love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself, or do you “look out for number one?”

And he replied, You must love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.

Luke 10:27 [AMP]

God’s very nature is to be gracious... to give.. to show mercy and
loving-kindness to you.  He wants us to do the same.

And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship]!

Isaiah 30:18 [AMP]

For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.

John 3:16 [AMP]

If we are to walk after the image of our Heavenly Father, we need to walk after His example of selfless giving, not “get all you can... can all you get... then, sit on the can.”

THEREFORE BE imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father].

Ephesians 5:1 [AMP]

Men Shall Be Covetous (philargooroi)

They will be lovers of money more than lovers of God or their brethren.

They would rather spend extravagantly than bring tithes into the house of God. They would rather be gluttons than donate food to the poor. They would rather watch television than hear the gospel.

Some of them will stand in a pulpit and squeeze money out of people who can’t afford it in order to meet their own agenda.  And while they will take, take, take... they never give any of their own away.

In either instance... these covetous people have made material things their god... and we all know that you can’t take it with you.

The world says to love things and use people. We need to love people, and use things to bring glory to our Father.

The members of the early church shared all that they had. Why don’t we?

Men Shall Be Boasters (alazones)

This word was originally used to describe a “quack” doctor who went from town to town, trying to sell “snake oil.”

The phony medicine pushed by these quacks promised to cure a wide range of illnesses. In reality, they did nothing to help people... but may make them sicker or even kill them!

Such individuals claim to have the answers, but they really do not. Their religion is just empty pretending.

Are you an empty pretender? Do you parade about, trying to pass yourself off as something you are not? Does God get the glory or do you pat yourself on the back?

Paul had much that he could have bragged about.

• He was a Pharisees’ Pharisee.
• He was an eloquent speaker.
• God handpicked him.

Despite all of this, Paul counted his credentials as worthless as the feces one flushes down the toilet.  Nothing could possibly compare to the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him [of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly]. For His sake I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish (refuse, dregs), in order that I may win (gain) Christ (the Anointed One)

Philippians 3:8 [AMP]

Men Shall Be Proud (huperəphanoi)

The Greek word means “to show oneself above.” These persons not only think too highly of themselves, they despise others. We see an example of this spirit in Luke, chapter 18:

The Pharisee took his stand ostentatiously and began to pray thus before and with himself: God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of men--extortioners (robbers), swindlers [unrighteous in heart and life], adulterers--or even like this tax collector here.

Luke 18:11 [AMP]

Have you ever bristled upon encountering a drunkard, a homeless person, or perhaps a prostitute on a street corner? Remember it is only God’s grace that you are not out there.

And the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least [in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me.

Matthew 25:40 [AMP]

This type of attitude is illustrated in the following selection from our Psalms from the Pen of the Ready Writer volume 1:

Standing on the corner
Under pale moonlight
a little lady stands there
sordid merchandise

Just an hour later
in the shadows dark
another pint of vodka
numbs her wounded heart

Do you not see her?
How can you pass her by?
Where is your compassion?
Can you not hear her cry?

Walking through the front door
of our Sunday church
The little lady comes in
wants to stop the hurt

Laying on the sidewalk
ushers threw her out
‘How dare you show your face here?’
‘Thank you, please stay out!’

How could this happen?
How could it go this way?
What would you do if God
treated you the same way?

He calls us to love and forgive
to heal the wounded sin-sick souls
the church is a holy hospital...
(not a social club)

Standing on the corner
on her way to hell
a little lady stands there
merchandise to sell

What a sad occurrence
What a tragedy...
One question you should ask yourself

What if it was me?

Do you not see her?
How can you pass her by?
Where is your compassion?
Can you not hear her cry?

How could this happen?
How could it go this way?
What would you do if God
treated you the same way?

Men Shall Be Blasphemers (blasphəmoi)

These people speak evil, slanderous, or abusive words against God and/or men.

They are quick with criticism and put-downs.

Some comedians on television joke about growing up in church while reviling God and all that He stands for.

Although you may never have taken God’s name in vain, maybe your behavior has given God’s enemies an occasion to blaspheme. (see 2 Samuel 12 and Romans 2:24).

Any sin in the camp may affect the entire church (see Joshua 7; Joshua 22:20; and 1 Corinthians 10:6).

To quote R.W. Schambach:  “Get rid of your sin before your sin gets rid of you.”

There is even a free downloadable album on that very same topic located here.

Men Shall Be Disobedient to Parents

If you have unsaved parents, keeping your room clean and your chores up to date will win them to Christ a lot faster than nagging them about church or slipping gospel tracts into their sandwiches.

Do you honor your mother and father?

Mouse-over these scriptures:

• Exodus 20:12
• Deuteronomy 5:16
• Matthew 15:4-6
• Ephesians 6:2

Men Shall Be Unthankful (acharistoi)

These ungrateful ones take and take, but never stop to say “thank you.” You should “Count your many blessings... see what God has done.” This brings glory to God and gives you strength in times of trial. David praised God for delivering him from the jaws of the lion and the bear. This, in turn, gave him the confidence and spiritual fortitude to defeat Goliath (1 Samuel 17:36).

Men Shall Be Unholy (anosioi)

They offend all that is holy, not satisfied with simply practicing their wickedness but desiring to drag others into their lifestyles.

Men Shall Be Without Natural Affection (Astorgoi)

The Greek word is the opposite of “to cherish affectionately with family love.” Today, children shoot and kill without a twinge of remorse. Proverbs 12:10 describes these people perfectly... even their “tender mercies” are cruel.

Men Shall Be Trucebreakers (aspondoi)

A trucebreaker cannot agree to or refuses to enter a covenant. They are dishonest and not trustworthy. They reject salvation, since this is a covenant relationship between man and God (see Acts 3:25).

Men Shall Be False Accusers (Diaboloi)

If you speak Spanish, you will recognize the Greek word as meaning, “the Devil.” Satan is a slanderer and a false accuser (see Revelation 12:10). If you accuse your brother or sister in gossip conversation, you are sitting in the devil’s seat.

Men Shall Be Incontinent (akrateis)

This does not refer to a weak bladder, but a lack of spiritual or moral self-control.

A wise man once told me that the purpose of a lock was simply to keep honest men honest.  A dishonest man will break into a locked car or building and will steal.

In Galatians 5:23, self-control (”temperance” in the KJV) is a fruit of the Spirit. If you truly are Christ’s and are filled with His Spirit, then you will not be one such person.

Men Shall Be Fierce (anəmeroi)

These men are “brutal” or “savage.” Like wild beasts, they pounce upon their prey and mercilessly rip it to shreds.

Many people will walk past someone in the sanctuary and mercilessly rip him or her to shreds with their tongue. These people are savage... fierce.

Men Shall Be Despisers Of Those That Are Good (aphilagathoi)

They are opposed to goodness and those who stand for right. They campaign for animal rights but seek to kill unborn children. They bring homosexuals and lesbians into schools, yet protest the idea of the Bible in school.

Men Shall Be Traitors (prodotai)

This is treacherous behavior. Be diligent to lift one another up in prayer. Don’t betray your family in Christ. Stand in the gap for them lest the enemy hinder them.

Men Shall Be Heady

Are you rash, reckless, or hasty? Do you wait on the Lord, doing things decently and in order, or do you disregard leadership and do things your way?

Men Shall Be Highminded (teutphəmenoi)

The Greek word literally means, “conceited.” Are you proud, or lifted up with pride? Do you become blinded with pride?

Men Shall Be Lovers of Pleasure More Than Lovers of God (philədonoi mallon ə philotheoi)

The Greek phrase refers to those who would rather seek their own pleasure than God’s will and purpose. Does evening service interfere with your game? Does prayer meeting interfere with your television watching?

That is not to imply that there is no pleasure in serving God. King David said that he was glad when they said unto him, “let us go into the house of the Lord.” Are you glad about serving God, or do you see your “religious duty” as a ball and chain?

Men Shall Have A Form of Godliness, But Deny the Power Thereof

You may have an outline or a semblance of piety towards God, but your actions show that you have an estrangement with the power (or, Dunamis... dynamite dynamic Holy Ghost power) of God.

You talk a good talk but you don’t walk the right walk. You may sing and shout. Your tearstains may be on the altar. However, are you able to walk holy before the Lord?

Turn Away From Such Men (and Women)

Some of the most charismatic people in our society (politicians, entertainers and false religious leaders) fall into one or more of the categories that Paul describes.

If any of this applies to you, turn away from sin, submit yourself to God and resist the devil, then satan will flee from you (James 4:7). Submit yourself to the cleansing of God’s holy word (John 15:3).

Protect Your Family

In verse 6, Paul tells us that such people sneak (insinuate themselves) into the house / family / property / wealth / goods of others like an insect crawling through a crack in the wall.

Be vigilant to protect your family from those who would lead them away from the path of righteousness.

Are You A WIMP?

These people capture or make captive weak-willed individuals. In verse 6, the KJV reads, “silly women.” However, the context of the Greek suggests that this is not strictly a reference to women, but may also refer to what we would call a “wimp.”

If a man is not fulfilling his role as head of his family, he may be a “weak willed little woman” (see Ephesians 5:33 and 1 Timothy 5:8).

Of course, this verse also applies to women who fail to maintain God’s standards of virtue (i.e., Proverbs 31:10-31 and Titus 2:3-5).

Paul says that these “wimps” are loaded with the consciousness of many sins (failure to hit the mark, committing bad actions or evil deeds; possibly through an error of understanding). They are “Prisoners of War” to satan
and his army of demons.

These people would rather fry their brains on lust-filled soap operas than feed themselves God’s word (see 1 Corinthians 3:2).

They would rather gossip on the telephone than talk about the goodness of Jesus
(see 1 Peter 4:11).

These people are setting themselves up to be “led captive” by the people of these perilous days. Do you want to be satan’s prisoner of war... or do you want to be free?

What Impulses Motivate You?

At the end of verse 6, Paul describes these people as being led away (literally, moved by forces and impulses affecting the mind) with many types of lusts, desire, craving, longing, and desire for that which is forbidden. Harlequin Romance Novels, “Swimsuit Editions” and R-rated movies create such impulses.

Is Your Bible Study Fruitful?

In verse 7, we see these “wimps” constantly increasing their knowledge, yet they are never able to come to the precise and correct knowledge of things that are ethical and divine (the truth of the gospel). They are implacable by virtue of their own ability and resources, their state of mind, and/or their customs.

The seven most dangerous words for church leaders is, “We’ve never done it that way before.” Don’t reject God’s moving because it clashes with tradition. Don’t resist change because you are not willing to accept the truth. Don’t hear sermons Sunday after Sunday without it getting out of your head and into your heart.

Many people have their own agenda for attending church. Some go for social or political reasons. Some go to find a husband or wife. Some go to have their good deeds outweigh their sins. The scriptures describe exactly what benefit they get out of their “religiosity” or “churchianity...”

¹THEREFORE, WHILE the promise of entering His rest still holds and is offered [today], let us be afraid [to distrust it], lest any of you should think he has come too late and has come short of [reaching] it.
²For indeed we have had the glad tidings [Gospel of God] proclaimed to us just as truly as they [the Israelites of old did when the good news of deliverance from bondage came to them]; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because it was not mixed with faith (with the leaning of the entire personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness) by those who heard it; neither were they united in faith with the ones [Joshua and Caleb] who heard (did believe).
³For we who have believed (adhered to and trusted in and relied on God) do enter that rest, in accordance with His declaration that those [who did not believe] should not enter when He said, As I swore in My wrath, They shall not enter My rest; and this He said although [His] works had been completed and prepared [and waiting for all who would believe] from the foundation of the world.

Hebrews 4:1-3 [AMP]

Be steadfast in prayer and Bible study if you wish to survive these perilous times.