This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be… heady, high-minded….
— 2 Timothy 3:1,2,4

Many years ago, Denise and I took our sons to Rome for a study tour of the ancient world with a special emphasis on early Christian history. As we stood inside the great Roman Coliseum, we listened as our doctoral guide spoke to us at length about the barbarism and atrocities that were so loved and cheered by the Roman citizens who packed that great stadium nearly 2,000 years ago.

You’re familiar with the scenes I’m referring to — gladiators fighting one another to the death and wild animals ripping people limb from limb, devouring them before the leering gaze of a bloodthirsty crowd. Most of us have seen such scenes in various movies at some point in our lives. Who could ever forget the movie Spartacus or Gladiator in which barbarians mercilessly killed each other as the Roman audience roared with delight!

But the fact is that these bloody events did not occur only in the city of Rome. Violent entertainment occurred in every place where the Roman Empire was established. From Rome to the northern shores of Africa, from Britain to the Middle East, scenes of violence were regularly performed and enjoyed as entertainment by adoring crowds who erupted with thrilled delight at the sight of human blood. The shedding of blood was the most popular form of amusement of that time! Although the Romans claimed to be the great educators and civilizers of the world, the truth is that in many ways, they were barbaric.

Today we look back at the Romans and wonder how they could have tolerated such barbarism. Their ancient ruins stand as memorials of a society that ran amuck with murder and brutality. It’s amazing to realize that at the time when these enormous stadiums were packed with people cheering on such atrocities, the Holy Spirit foretold that a time at the end of the Church Age would come when violence would once again become a mainstream occurrence in society.

In Second Timothy 3:4, the Holy Spirit pointed His finger toward the future and prophesied that in the last days, violence would become more widespread and worse than it had ever been — even more depraved than the events that occurred in the Roman Empire. Paul wrote that society would become “heady” in the last days. The word “heady” is a poor translation of the Greek word propetes, a term used to depict people so wholly given to violence that they become known for their violent, reckless behavior and hot-headed, emotional intemperance that exhibits a lack of self-control. Based on this word, it is clear that the Holy Spirit was prophesying of a time when members of society in general would fully embrace violence and lose their ability to control their tempers.

Since the Holy Spirit chose the word protetes to describe a last-days generation, I want to ask you: Is this current generation known for violence and intemperance? When history looks back at our time, what will they write about us? We remember the Romans for the violence that filled their stadiums. But how will history remember our generation and our own forms of entertainment and what we tolerate as society in terms of violence against its weakest members?

Was the Holy Spirit correct to forecast that violence in the last days would be more widespread than at any other time in human history? Of course, we know that He is the Spirit of Truth, and He predicts the future with absolute precision and accuracy. So, of course, the answer to that question is yes!

Unfortunately, it is true that our present generation is the most violent generation in human history. It has far surpassed the Romans with its love of bloodshed that now dominates movies, television, music, video games, and the Internet. This is a generation that feeds on violence and is, not surprisingly, experiencing increasing levels of actual violence in every facet of society.

Because the Holy Spirit prophesied this trend toward increasing violence, He clearly felt it was important for us to be informed about these things before they happen. The Holy Spirit said that society in the last times would be “heady” — protetes, meaning violent or known for violence.

One need only look at the violence in the media today to see how accurate the Holy Spirit was in His predictions about the last days. The percentage of households containing multiple televisions and computers is at an all-time high. It is therefore not surprising that the potential for violent words and images coming into those homes from the outside is also exponentially rising along with an increasing thirst for violence in every form of media.

By the age of 18, the average young person will have seen hundreds of thousands of acts of violence on television. This doesn’t include the thousands of hours of secular music he or she will listen to. Since much of this music is violence-related, it means that words and ideas concerning acts of violence are being poured into the minds of teenagers. Studies have shown that such music may be a significant marker for substance abuse, psychiatric disorders, suicide risk, other tendencies to anger and violence, and alienation from healthy, formative relationships.

We know biblically that it’s true: Whether positively or negatively, what a person continually sees and listens to will directly affect him in his soul, in his spiritual life, and in his walk with God. And the company a person keeps will affect him spiritually and influence the way he views God and others. Thus it stands to reason that while a person is isolating himself from good relationships that are formative in a beneficial way, he is connecting himself to wrong relationships that can cause him to be malformed socially and emotionally.

Literally hundreds of studies on the effects of television and film violence have been done in recent decades — and the majority of these studies have reached the same conclusion: Television and film violence leads to real-world violence. One expert on child behavior concluded that to argue against this conclusion is like arguing against gravity. I agree with this.

Violent video games also have an effect on children and youth similar to that of violent television and film. Studies reveal that the more often children practice fantasy, virtual acts of violence on video games, the more likely it becomes that they will carry out real-world acts of violence. These violent games have been compared to simulators used in military training. Players — often very young children — are cast in the roles of shooters, earning points and commendations for each “ kill.” Consequently, children are being conditioned to expect violence to produce a corresponding reward.

Youth today are also exposed to violent words and actions online — in music and images on hundreds of websites that are created to foster bigotry and violence and to glamorize bloodshed. Music lyrics have become increasingly explicit concerning sex, drugs, murder, and violence against women. The accessibility to online sources of violence has become so vast, it is nearly impossible for parents to monitor what their children see and hear in this digitized age.

I’ve shared only some of the effects of violence in the media on our children and youth. I didn’t even talk about these violent effects on the rest of society — the impact this exposure and influence is having on the increase in crime overall.

The fact is, this is the most violent generation that has ever lived. We may not fill a stadium to watch actual murders as the Romans did, but we are every bit as barbaric. In fact, this modern barbarism is even worse than the Romans. Think how desensitized the soul of society has become to think it normal to watch a movie filled with murder and bloodshed — or listen to music focused on violence — in the comfort of our own homes with our family and friends. Each one of us must ask ourselves, Is this normal?

Although the facts I’ve shared here are dismal, take courage and remember that as the world gets darker, Isaiah 60:1 prophesies that the glory of the Lord rises and shines on those who walk with Him. This is not the time to retreat and hide. It’s the time to charge full-steam ahead to rescue the perishing and care for the dying! Those without Christ need to see His light shining through us!

If you are among those who find violence entertaining, I want to tell you that I am not writing this to condemn you, but rather to encourage you to take a good look at your soul and ask yourself: Have I become influenced and affected by the world in these last days?

What about your children? Do you allow them to watch acts of violence in the media, forgetting the effects it has on their souls in their minds and emotions? Do you really want your children to watch and listen to endless hours of bloodshed? If you will listen to the Holy Spirit, you will hear His voice pleading with you to turn off that violence so you and your children can maintain hearts free from the desensitizing decay of the world in these last days.

In connection with this, it must be pointed out that the apostle Paul next wrote that society will be “high-minded” — a word that is very important at this juncture. The word “high- minded” is a translation of the Greek word typhoo, which is where we get the word typhoon. When a typhoon comes, it covers the entire landscape and arrives with destructive winds. As it approaches, the sky looks ominous and foreboding, turning dark and turbulent. When the storm arrives on shore, everyone in close proximity is affected, except for those who fled from the storm or took adequate shelter.

As dangerous and destructive as typhoons are, the good news is, they never last long! They are short-lived and eventually pass! Likewise, the events that the Holy Spirit is describing may seem overwhelming as you read about them. But right in the middle of the text, He reminds us that none of this will last long. Just as a typhoon passes, these events will also pass. Those who have taken shelter in Jesus will be safe from the destruction that “lays waste” in the unbelieving world around us (see Psalm 91:6 NKJV)! All of this will eventually pass away!

An interpretive translation of these words in Second Timothy 3:4 could be taken to mean:

“People will be preoccupied with and known for their violence, but all of this will pass. Just as a storm appears on the horizon and brings destruction with it, these violent winds in society will not last long. As threatening as it may look, it will pass just as surely as storms always pass….”

In light of what the Holy Spirit has warned us about in this verse and our need to find shelter in Jesus and His Word, I want to remind you what the Bible tells us about Lot. Lot was a righteous man who was tortured in his soul because of his habitual seeing and hearing wrong things. Second Peter 2:8 says, “For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds.”

The word “vexed” in this verse is a translation of the Greek word basinadzo, which means to torture. You see, when Lot first moved to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, the evil sights he saw in those cities were a torture to his soul. But because he dwelt among them and saw their sinful deeds from day to day, after a period of time his soul was no longer tortured. In “seeing and hearing” their unlawful deeds “from day to day,” his righteous soul became desensitized, and he acclimated to that evil environment. He completely lost his spiritual sensitivity because of the images that became so commonplace to him.

What a lesson the story of Lot teaches us! Especially in these last days when violence abounds, we must set a guard and stay vigilant regarding what we see and hear. The scenes and sounds we allow to enter our eyes and ears have the ability to either save us or desensitize our souls.

I encourage you to lovingly set down rules not only for your children, but also for yourself in order to guard your family’s eyes and ears against messages of violence. If your hearts become hardened or desensitized by wrong images and messages, it will eventually have an impact on every part of your life. That’s why Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” The New Living Translation says, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”

There is nothing more important than the condition of your heart and soul — so take every measure you possibly can to avoid the spiritual desensitization moving across the globe like an epidemic in these last days. Above all, make sure that you fellowship with Jesus every day in the Word and in prayer. Nothing will help you more to stay sensitive and responsive to His heart in the midst of this violence-loving generation!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I am deeply convicted by what I have read today. I admit that I have allowed myself to watch movies and listen to messages that are detrimental to my relationship with You. I didn’t mean to do wrong, but now I understand how damaging it is to permit wrong images to enter my soul. Holy Spirit, I am sure that I have grieved You by watching wrong images and listening to words and messages that You find foul, so today I repent. I ask You to please forgive me for grieving You, and I ask You to help restore my soul from any desensitizing effect that these things have had on me. I don’t want to be like Lot who became desensitized by the things he saw and heard, so I am asking You to help me do what is right and to turn away from all contaminating influences that have the power to negatively affect my spirit and soul.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I acknowledge my responsibility to watch over my own soul, and I will not permit the filth of this world or the violence so accepted in society today to tarnish God’s work in my life. God wants my spirit to be sensitive, tender, and compassionate, but the constant images of violence dulls that sensitivity. Therefore I make the decision to turn off and walk away from any bombardment of images and sounds that will affect the spiritual sensitivity I need to be effective in this world for Jesus Christ. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I will do everything I can to make sure that no vile thing enters my eyes or my ears!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you noticed how scenes and stories of violence now fill television and movie screens? Does it grieve your spirit and hurt your soul to watch such things or have you, like Lot, become so acclimated to what you see and hear that it no longer affects you?
2. If the Holy Spirit has spoken to you today to stop tolerating such scenes and messages, what action are you going to take to obey Him? What steps is the Holy Spirit asking you to take to free yourself or your family from these soul-desensitizing images?
3. If you take an honest look at your movie cabinet in your home, how many of your films would Jesus be willing to watch with you? Since He lives in your heart by His Spirit, and you don’t want to offend Him, would you be willing to “clean house” and remove those things that hurt Him and wound your own spirit?

…fierce, despisers of those that are good.…
— 2 Timothy 3:3

The material I am about to present concerns a subject that I normally wouldn’t write about. However, it provides a powerful illustration of the depravity Paul prophesied would occur during the last days (see 2 Timothy 3:2,3), and I believe it serves as a wakeup call to the Church. Sometimes we need a stark reminder of the rapid degeneration of society’s moral fabric that is occurring all around us at an ever-increasing rate so we don’t grow complacent and just “go with the flow” of society’s downward moral spiral. As the Church, we have a vital role to play in these perilous times as standard bearers of truth. So bear with me as I take on that role to share some disturbing but important information, and you will understand my point.

Several years ago, the Holy Spirit strongly impressed me to speak on the subject of abortion to my Moscow congregation. I had never once spoken on this subject in all my years as a minister, yet I knew the Holy Spirit was compelling me that this was a message my congregation needed to hear. I didn’t know why the Spirit of God impressed this upon me so strongly until I began to do research about abortion in the former Soviet Union and the rest of the world. What I discovered simply stunned and shocked me.

I discovered that there have been nearly one billion abortions performed worldwide since the 1940s. At the time of this writing, it is more than the combined populations of the United States, Central America, South America, Canada, Australia, England, France, Italy, and Greece.

The greatest and most extensive killing in human history was not done by Nero, Domitian, Hitler, or Stalin — it was done by medical doctors who have murdered more than one billion babies through the act of abortion in the past 100 years. This is mass murder of the innocent, far worse than any holocaust or genocide. It is the annihilation of those who cannot scream to be heard, who cannot defend themselves, and who are thrown in the garbage can or whose body parts are “harvested” for material gain and other purposes.

When I first read these statistics, I shuddered to think of the defenseless lives that have been lost and the blood that has been spilled. But as I continued studying, I was truly amazed at the rationale of those who are pro-choice. Repeatedly they state that they want the rights of the mother to be protected — that if she doesn’t want to have a baby, it should be her “right” to end the pregnancy. I kept wondering about the “rights” of the infant. What about the infant’s right to live?

What is confusing about this logic is that in the same hospitals where abortions are performed at one end, surgeries are being performed at the other end on infants who are still in their mother’s womb. On one end of the hospital they take a life; on the other end of the hospital they save a life — both in the womb of a mother. This is completely illogical. One hundred years ago when common sense still prevailed, no one would have thought this kind of reasoning to be normal. This is a sign of the times in which we live.

As I pondered on all of this, my mind went to Second Timothy 3:3 where Paul discussed the attitudes that will be prevalent in society at the end of the age. As I thought about the brutality of taking innocent lives — and doing it in such a sophisticated way in our nice, sterilized hospitals — I thought about the next point on Paul’s list of signposts that we are in the very last of the last days. He goes on to inform us that society will be “fierce” in those days. What does the word “fierce” mean?

The word “fierce” is a strange word to describe today. This word would better be used to describe cannibals or barbarians. It is the word anemeros, derived from the word nemeros, which pictures something that is gentle, kind, or mild. But when an a is fixed to the front of the word — turning it into the word anemeros — this word changes dramatically. Rather than gentle, kind, or mild, it means savage, vicious, uncivilized, violent, ferocious, or inhumane.

When you think about the world today, much of it seems quite civilized and sophisticated until you remember the one billion babies who have been brutally ripped to pieces — savagely killed every minute of the day in beautiful, sterilized hospitals and clinics across the world. This is savagery of the worst kind; it is legalized murder on a scale so massive that no fiction writer of yesteryear could have imagined it. But this is not fiction; this is reality.

Today those who fight for the rights of unborn children are portrayed as primitive and unintelligent. This is the result of a massive public relations blitz to annihilate the opposition and reinforce the right to terminate the life of a child. Thus far, the courts have unfortunately ruled that a child’s life can be terminated. The law has no defense for the child. I say all of this because of the next point Paul listed in Second Timothy 3. He went on to speak about “despisers of those that are good.” What does this phrase mean?

The phrase in Greek is the word aphiloagathos, and it is a very strange Greek word. In its oldest and truest sense, it depicts a society where law is not primarily intended to protect the rights of good people but rather is used instead to protect and defend the rights of offenders. This word is so unusual, in fact, that it is never used anywhere else in the New Testament. Who could ever imagine a world where laws were used primarily to defend offenders and not to protect the rights of those who are good? Yet this is precisely what Paul prophesied in this verse.

This teaching doesn’t apply only to abortion; it also could be applied to a wide range of situations where criminals are so aggressively protected that they go free while the innocent suffer. According to Second Timothy 3:3, the world in the last days will be savage and inhumane, and it will be morally confused as to what is right or wrong. Can you think of ways that this has application to the world we live in today?

If you have terminated the life of an unborn child — or if you know someone who has done this — there is forgiveness in Jesus Christ. The world today has drifted far from what is right on a wide range of issues, and I did not intend to highlight this one act in order to condemn anyone. Just as there is forgiveness for every grievance against God, there is forgiveness for you or for that person you know who made such a wrong decision. If you will ask Jesus to forgive you, First John 1:9 promises that He will forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness.

When the world is morally confused about what is right and wrong, we cannot look to society to set our moral agenda. We must look to the Bible to be our guide and let it be the standard by which we live. I exhort you today to make a renewed commitment to live your life according to the truths set forth by the Bible and to reject any piece of society’s errant moral code that is in conflict with the Word of God. When this world system is over and gone, the Bible and its truths will remain — so align yourself with the eternal and unchanging standards and principles of God!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I ask You to give me a heart for people who have been victimized by the floating moral standard that is trying to dictate what is right and wrong in the world today. Because they listened to the advice of the world, so many people have made decisions they later regretted — decisions that hurt their hearts and wounded their souls. Help me not to condemn them for past mistakes, but to assist them in receiving forgiveness, hope, and healing. I know that You stand with arms wide open to anyone who comes to You. I want to have the same heart and mind that You have, so help me be a beacon of help and hope to people who are looking for answers in these last days.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I will base my life on the Word of God, and I refuse to be led by the loose ethical standards that are in the world today. As a child of God and a member of God’s Kingdom, I live by a superior law and higher standard. I have made the choice that God’s Word will be a lamp to my feet and a light to my path that I may not sin against God. Because the Holy Spirit lives within me, He will help me to walk in the paths of righteousness even in the midst of a world that is headed in a wrong direction. With His help and power, I can always do what is right and make correct choices for my life.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. How would you help someone who carries guilt and condemnation for something he or she did wrong in the past? What would you say? How would you counsel that person? What scriptures would you use to help him or her release the past, receive the forgiveness of God, and move forward in life?
2. Can you think of someone you know who has been deeply affected by something he or she did in the past? What have you done to help that person get over that hurdle so he or she can move forward?
3. As you read today’s Sparkling Gem, what other areas did you think about where society is morally confused? I’m talking about areas that are wrong according to God’s Word, but society tries to promote it as though it is acceptable.

…without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers…
— 2 Timothy 3:3

When I was a young boy, each night our family gathered around the table in the dining room for the evening meal. Mother cooked while my sisters and I set the plates and silverware on the table, and before we ate, Dad prayed a prayer of blessing over our meal. It was a wonderful family time that we looked forward to each evening. When we finished our meal, we washed, dried, and put away the dishes. Then we’d usually move to the living room to spend time together watching a couple of family-oriented TV programs.

We ate together, prayed together, spent our evenings and weekends together, went to church together, and even rode everywhere in the car together because we only had one car. If we spent time away from home, it was at the home of family friends or at a church function. So we were together most of the time, as were most families back in those days. But this is not the case for most families today.

Because most homes own multiple cars today, everyone often travels separately, following their various busy schedules. As a result, few families sit down to eat a meal together — and even if they do, it is rarely cooked at home but usually eaten at a restaurant. Families don’t even watch television together anymore. Because they have so many televisions in their houses, they can all be home, yet not together, watching different programs in different parts of the house. Unfortunately, many families don’t even attend the same churches.

The truth is, if families are going to spend time together today, it won’t usually happen unless they cancel something else and schedule time to make it happen. The day of families spending large amounts of time together has almost vanished in our modern-day world. But according to the signposts that Paul lists in Second Timothy 3, the deterioration of close families and marriages are developments that will occur in the last days.

Paul next told us that society will be “without natural affection….” The words “without natural affection” are a translation of the Greek word astorgos — from the word storgos, but with an a affixed to the front of it, which reverses the definition of storgos.

So what does storgos mean? It is the Greek word that describes devotion to one’s own family or an instinctive commitment to one’s family. But when an a is fixed to the front of this word, it describes a lack of devotion or commitment to one’s family. In other words, it pictures a disjointed family that has lost the closeness it once possessed. The word astorgos that Paul used in this verse could be translated unloving, but with reference to an unloving, non-nurturing, uncaring family environment.

The traditional family relationships that once existed in abundance are threatened today by schedules, multiple jobs in one home, financial pressure, divorce, kids living with separate parents, multiple cars that help to create separate paths of each family member’s life, multiple televisions per home, and so on. Parents go one direction, while children go another direction — and very often even Dad and Mom don’t go the same direction. Thus, the family resides in one house together, but they don’t share life together, and most often they don’t even share a meal together unless they schedule it into their week.

Sociologists say this troubling trend has contributed to rebellion in children who feel neglected or unwanted; attention disorders in children who are rushed from one place to the next or who spend time watching television instead of enjoying time with their parents and siblings; and marital relationships deteriorating as a result of life moving so fast that husband and wife don’t take time to connect and share their hearts and lives in a meaningful way. This problem today is epidemic. Just ask any schoolteacher about the state of children today — and teachers everywhere will verify that the family is in serious trouble.

This is one of the signposts that we have entered the last of the last days.

People who assert that the family situation today is no different than in previous times are either deliberately negligent or blind to the facts. We have only to read the statistics and reports of what is happening to the family to nearly be shaken to the core. It is a sign of the times in which we are living.

Thank God, those of us who love Him do not have to fall victim to this plight. By living according to God’s Word and by making our families and participation in a local church a priority, we can build strong families even in these last days. If we don’t take time to build our families right, we will unfortunately reap sad consequences. These are the last days; therefore, we are obligated to wisely build our families to resist the spiritual storms that are characteristic of this age.

Paul went on to tell us next that the deterioration of the family will be so rampant in the last days, families will be affected by “trucebreakers.” The word “trucebreakers” is the Greek word aspondos, from the word spondos, meaning a treaty or a covenant but with an a attached to the front of it. This makes it the word aspondos, which is an unquestionable reference to one who breaks a truce or one who breaks a covenant. The word is difficult to translate from Greek, but almost all translators agree that this describes a covenant that is broken due to irreconcilable differences. In this verse, Paul had just been speaking about deteriorating family relationships. By using this word aspondos at this juncture, in all likelihood he was predicting a rampant outbreak of divorce in the very last of the last days.

Family relationships will decline to such a degree in the last days that it will give rise to a widespread epidemic of divorce. Lacking the commitment to work through problems, husbands and wives — who already are moving so fast that they are nearly living separate lives — will find it easier to just keep permanently moving in different directions rather than sticking it out and working through their problems. Paul even used the Greek word aspondos to let us know the claim of irreconcilable differences will be used as the main reason to divorce. The Holy Spirit prophesies through Paul that when divorce hits epidemic proportions, it is a signpost that the world has entered the final chapters of the last days.

Divorce is at an all-time high in world history. The introduction of no-fault divorce — otherwise referred to as irreconcilable differences — has been a huge contributor to the largest increase of divorce in history. Billions of dollars are spent annually on support payments, and tens of thousands of professional workers administer and enforce child-support arrangements. In short, divorce is sadly one of the biggest industries in the world today.

Knowing that we live in these last days, we who are married must stay before the Lord, keep a pure heart, and cleave to the spouse God gave us. If you struggle in your marital relationship, God’s Word and the power of the Holy Spirit can mend it. Yes, it may take time and work. But in most cases, with God’s help, you will find that you don’t have to become another casualty of this trend toward divorce that is so rampant in the world today.

But if you have already fallen victim to this symptom of the last days, God’s grace is present to fully restore. He loves you and cares deeply for the wounds this has inflicted on your soul and on the souls of your children. With the help of God and empowerment of the Holy Spirit, it is possible for you to fully recover from this trauma. God is always present to help those who call on Him in time of need.

Where divorce is rampant, the courts are overloaded with lawsuits — and this leads to the next point that Paul listed in his signposts of the last days. He wrote that society will experience a wave of “false accusers.” Pay close attention to this point because I believe that you will find this very interesting.

The words “false accusers” in Greek is diabolos, which most often is translated as the word devil. In the context of these verses, however, it is used to picture people who argue and debate in a court of law in order to win material gain or to get legal advantage.

Just as the word “devil” means accuser or slanderer, Paul used this word to depict a time when people will excessively accuse, slander, and sue to gain material substance or to get legal advantage. Paul forecasted a time when, rather than sit down and work it out, people will overload the legal system with lawsuits because they find it easier and more convenient — or to their financial advantage — to accuse and sue rather than to settle their differences. In fact, it may seem as if the devil himself has taken over the legal system as more and more people join the frenzy and resort to suing each other.

Does this sound familiar to the world you live in today?

As I read Paul’s list of signposts indicating that the last days have begun, I am simply amazed at the accuracy of the Bible. Paul told us that society would be “…without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers…” (2 Timothy 3:2). Two thousand years in advance, the Holy Spirit perfectly forecasted what would occur in society at the end of the ages.

All of these words and phrases in an interpretative translation could read:

“…Love and commitment for family will degenerate; divorce will become epidemic with irreconcilable differences being the major cause for separation; and the court system will be overwhelmed as people go overboard in their suing others and in being sued….”

It’s amazing to read, isn’t it? Yet these are the days we live in. But God has not abandoned us to these turbulent times. We have the Word of God as our instruction manual; the Holy Spirit as our Teacher, Mentor, and Guide; and we have other brothers and sisters in the Christian community on whom we can lean for support and help when it is needed. With all that God has provided, we are well able to live victoriously for Him in these last times!

It’s not time for you to throw in the towel in despair — it’s time for you to throw up your hands with a shout of victory! You are truly a part of a chosen generation that is experiencing not only the end of the age, but also history’s greatest opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and to help bring in a last harvest of souls before the age concludes. What a privilege!

So continually fortify yourself with God’s Word; learn to let the Holy Spirit’s power flow unhindered through you; and run your race with endurance all the way to the end. In the midst of all your other responsibilities before God, make a quality decision to set aside time to spend with family as a top priority so you can keep family relationships strong and healthy. And before you conclude your race one day, determine to do all you can to tell the Good News of Jesus to people so that when you make the big exit, you will take as many people with you as possible!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I am so glad that You saved me and delivered me from the destruction that is at work in the lost world today. When I read your Word and watch what is happening in the world around me, I see how carefully You tried to warn us of these things and to prepare us to live victoriously in them. How can I ever thank You enough for so carefully revealing the future and the truth to those of us who love You and Your Word? Now that I really see what a pivotal time this is, I ask You to help me live each day wisely and not to waste a minute. And please teach me to take advantage of each opportunity when I can tell the Good News of Jesus’ saving grace to people who are lost and in need of Him.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I boldly confess that the Holy Spirit lives in me. Therefore, I am more than enough to face the challenges of living in these last days. It is no accident that I am alive right now. God chose me for this time; He needs me on the earth. I am anointed to break burdens, to destroy the yoke of bondage in people’s lives, and to manifest the glory of God to all those who are around me. Thank You, Lord, for allowing me to see the end of the ages that the prophets saw by faith. I purpose to obey the Word of God, walk in obedience to the Holy Spirit, and see the glory of God manifested in my life.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. In light of what you have read in today’s Sparkling Gem, I want to ask, how is the condition of your family? Do you spend time together? Do you sit down and eat a meal together every day — or do you find your family all going in different directions and hardly ever spending quality time together?
2. What decisions and changes do you need to make to strengthen your family? What do you believe the Holy Spirit is asking you to do to undergird your home and to make it stronger?
3. Can you think of people who have been casualties of the trends you’ve read about today? Can you think of people who have suffered personal tragedy or loss that you can help, strengthen, or assist as they recover from the struggles they have gone through? Who are those people, and what should you do to show your love and concern to them?

For men shall be… unthankful, unholy….
— 2 Timothy 3:2

In the 1970s, a book by a well-known Christian leader was published that shook the entire Christian community to its core. The reason it so deeply impacted so many people was the dreadful predictions it made about the future. Perhaps the most shocking prediction was that a day would come when sexual situations and homosexuality would be seen on television in people’s homes. People were aghast!

The Christian community reacted sharply. Across the nation people resounded, “The man who wrote this book is obviously off in his predictions, because such things could never happen in America.” But now years have passed, and what this man predicted is exactly what has come to pass. No one would have believed that the trash now seen and laughed at on television every night would become so commonplace that people wouldn’t even be disturbed by it.

This downward spiral that has occurred in the moral code of Western society is hooked to another modern trend that we can trace through the years. Western nations — and especially America — are extremely blessed with financial prosperity and material possessions. So who could ever dream that people in such a blessed environment could be ungrateful for the blessings they possess? Yet instead of focusing on the blessings they have and thanking God for them, a lost and selfish world focuses on what they do not have — claiming they deserve more than they are getting.

As we continue looking at signposts of the last days outlined in Second Timothy 3, we see that an unthankful attitude is listed with unholiness as two major indicators that the final stages of the last days have begun. Paul told us that society at the end of the age will become “unthankful.”

The word “unthankful” is a translation of the Greek word acharistos. The word charistos on its own simply means thankful, but when an a is attached to the front of it, it reverses the condition and turns it into an attitude that is unthankful and ungrateful. It is a picture of people who previously had a thankful heart but now are unthankful and unappreciative. They no longer focus on their blessings they have in their lives; instead, they fixate on what they don’t have. These are people who have become unappreciative and unthankful and who live their lives void of any sense of gratitude.

The only other place where the word acharistos is found in the New Testament is Luke 6:35. There Jesus connects unthankfulness with evil, which lets us know that ingratitude is evil in God’s sight. It is spiritually criminal to not be thankful for what we have.

The unsaved man is selfish because iniquity rules his heart. And a chief manifestation of iniquity is ingratitude, which is a symptom of selfishness. But Christians are not immune from a selfish, ungrateful attitude. Christians can also succumb to the sense of entitlement and selfishness that marks the spirit of this age.

You need to know that as long as an ungrateful attitude prevails in your life, you will never be happy. Thankfulness is a prerequisite to happiness, because only a thankful heart can be a happy heart.

Unfortunately, we live in a world today where people are so self-focused and self-consumed that they are rarely grateful for anything. In fact, people have been blessed with so much that they take their blessings for granted and don’t even realize how fortunate they truly are. Rather than being thankful — the Greek word charistos — they are unthankful (acharistos), and Paul taught that this is a signpost of the last days.

Before we proceed to Paul’s next point, I want to ask you:

• Are you grateful and thankful for what you have, or has unthankfulness begun to poison your spiritual life?
• How long has it been since you took time to thank God for what you do have?
• Taking your words and actions into account, would God count you to be among those who have thankful and grateful hearts, or would He count you to be among the ungrateful and unthankful?
• How long has it been since you considered your blessings and set aside time to specifically thank God for what He has provided in your life?
• When you are thankful, it not only changes your attitude, but it also transforms the environment around you. So isn’t it time that you took time to thank God for His blessings in your life and thereby positively affect your attitude and environment?

One thing is clear: Unthankfulness and unholiness are connected. One always leads to the other. That is why Paul lists the word “unholy” immediately after the word “unthankful.” When people stop expressing a heart of gratitude toward God, unholy attitudes inevitably begin to materialize, and these attitudes are soon followed by blatant unholy behavior.

Think of it — in our world today, nations that were established on godly principles have become infested with godlessness and wickedness. Things have changed radically even within the span of our lifetimes! In just a few short decades, society has devolved from sanctioning open prayer in public schools to outlawing God altogether in those places. Instead of acknowledging God as the Supreme Creator, society refuses to recognize Him at all. And when the recognition of God is removed, everything evil has room to take root and propagate. As long as a society recognizes God, it will live by a higher moral code — but when God is removed, man immediately begins to slide downward into sin and debauchery. Unthankfulness always leads to unholiness.

The word “unholy” that Paul used in this text is from the Greek word anosios. The Greek root, nosios, refers to that which is holy, sacred, pure, or sanctioned by God. However, when an a is attached to the front of the word, it reverses the condition. Just as an a attached to the front of the word charistos changes the meaning from thankfulness to unthankfulness, an a added to the front of the word osios changes its meaning to unholy, unsacred, impure, and unsanctioned by God. This word anosios describes a person who once was ruled by holiness, but who now has become dominated by the rule of unholiness. At one point, this individual revered that which was holy, sacred, pure, and sanctioned by God — but he became contaminated by the unholy, unsacred, and impure. He made the choice to embrace attitudes and actions that are unsanctioned by God.

In addition to describing that which is unsacred, the Greek word anosios (“unholy”) can also be used to describe activities or actions that are impure, ill-mannered, improper, unclean, indecent, coarse, vulgar, offensive, crude, lewd, and rude. That book I mentioned earlier produced a sharp reaction from the wider Christian community when it was published in the 1970s because no one believed such things could happen in a God-fearing nation. Yet in the years since that time, that author’s predictions have proven true, time and time again. God has been removed from classrooms and from public places — and the nation has slidden into a moral downward spiral. One visit to an evening of television will quickly show that which is impure, ill-mannered, improper, unclean, indecent, coarse, vulgar, offensive, crude, lewd, and rude is dominating the airwaves and society. What was once considered vulgar is now widely considered appropriate subject matter for jokes and entertainment. What God calls unholy is what society thinks is funny. What has happened to us?

These are all signs of the last days.

However, just because you live in the last days does not mean that you should be affected by this moral downslide. By making God’s Word your standard and upholding it in your life, you can stay free from the spiritual corrosion that is eating away at the world today. What is happening to a lost society does not have to happen to you or to your family.

To remain untouched by this moral degeneration, you must make the decision to keep your eyes on Jesus and live to please Him. Choose to make His Word the guide for your heart, and never permit yourself to entertain or find funny those things that God deems “unholy.” This situation is not funny — it is spiritually deadly and damning. The world laughs while it goes to hell. Lost society is oblivious to the deception that is dragging it lower and lower into depravity and judgment. What is funny about this scenario? Nothing!

If society focused its gaze on God and kept Him in their minds, it would be more difficult for Satan’s deception to work its plan in the world. But when man becomes unthankful — ceasing to acknowledge God and to be thankful for His abundant blessings — that is when he begins to sink into decadence.

These words in Second Timothy 3:2 are so packed with meaning that this part of the verse could be expanded and paraphrased to read:

“…Although they were once thankful and appreciative, people will become void of gratitude and generally unappreciative of everything in the last times. As a result, impurity will seep into society and cause it to become unholy — impure, ill-mannered, unclean, indecent, coarse, vulgar, offensive, crude, lewd, and rude, behaving and carrying on in a way that God would never sanction….”

The same effect can happen to you as a believer if you cease to recognize God and express thankfulness to Him. You see, a Christian may not slide into the same sins to which the world quickly succumbs, but ungratefulness, bitterness, and other heart-hardening attitudes will worm their way into your soul if you do not maintain an attitude of thankfulness and constantly recognize God’s goodness in your life.

This is exactly why King David spoke to his own soul in Psalm 103:2, saying, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” In a moment of difficulty, David paused to remind himself that God had been good to him. By rehearsing in his mind all the good things that God had done in his life, it created in him a thankful and grateful heart.

So before you do anything else today, why don’t you take a few minutes to be alone with the Lord and express your thankfulness to Him for the wonderful things He has done for you? If you are tempted to feel sorry for yourself or to think that others are more blessed than you, this is an indicator that you may have slipped into the sin of being more focused on what you don’t have than you are on all the good things you do have — and on the wonderful things God has already done for you. The truth is, you have a lot to be thankful for if you’ll just take time to think about it. Regardless of what you are facing today — God has been good to you, and it’s time to thank Him for His blessing in your life!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I ask You to help me remember all the good things You have done for me! Forgive me for being so focused on what I don’t have that I’ve overlooked what I do have. I refuse to be unthankful. Today I pause to rehearse all the good and wonderful things You have done in my life. I repent for allowing ingratitude and a lack of thankfulness to creep into my life when the list of things I have to be thankful for is so long that I don’t know if I can even recall all of Your goodness. Thank You for being so good to me!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I have a grateful and thankful heart! My soul blesses the Lord, and I forget not all His benefits toward me! The world around me may forget God’s goodness, but I will not be guilty of this neglect. He saved me from sin; He rescued me from myself; He delivered me from harm and destruction; He has kept me safely through all kinds of situations in life; and He has given me His Word as His promise and His Spirit to empower my life and to help keep me free from sin. He has done so much for me! I make the decision right now that my mouth is going to be filled with His praises, and thankfulness will spring forth from my heart. By recognizing Him and what He has done in my life, I will positively affect my attitude and super-charge my environment with the Spirit of God!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. How long has it been since you made a list of the things you are thankful for that God has done for you? In order to keep your heart soft before the Lord, it is necessary for you to maintain a grateful attitude, so today I want to encourage you to take a little time to reflect on all God has done for you and to make a list of the things for which you are thankful.
2. As you’ve watched television, have you noticed how so much of what is broadcast into people’s homes is impure, ill-mannered, improper, unclean, indecent, coarse, vulgar, offensive, crude, lewd, and rude? As you listen to unholy jokes or watch subject matter that is grievous to God, what effect does it have on you?
3. What changes do you need to make in your own life to be more pleasing to God in the way you live and think? What do you need to eliminate in order to keep your mind pure and your thoughts clean? Has the Holy Spirit been dealing with you about any areas you need to change — and if yes, what are those areas?

For men shall be…boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents….
— 2 Timothy 3:2

Today let’s continue looking at the signposts the apostle Paul wrote about to let us know when we have entered the very last of the last days. If we see all of these signs simultaneously occurring in society on a widespread basis, the Holy Spirit wants us to know that we have crossed an invisible prophetic line and have now entered into the very last of the last days.

Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Paul next wrote that society at the end of the age will be filled with people who are “…boasters, proud, disobedient to parents…” (2 Timothy 3:2).

Let’s begin today with the word “boasters.” The Greek word used here is the alazon — a word that is only used in the New Testament twice: in this verse and in Romans 1:30. It expresses the idea of someone who is a braggart or boaster. However, this person is not just a braggart — he is a liar, for the Greek word alazon actually represents a person so committed to his own self-promotion and agenda that he is willing to exaggerate, overstate the facts, stretch the truth, embellish a story, and even lie if it will get him a new position or goal that he desires. Today we call this situational ethics: adjusting your morals, beliefs, and convictions to fit any situation. In essence, it is doing and saying whatever you must in order to further your agenda, even if it clashes with your conscience or convictions.

Unfortunately, this philosophy is precisely what is being taught in public schools across the world today. Moral absolutes have been replaced by floating ethics, and the rights and wrongs concretely stated by the Bible are now deemed obsolete. The truth of the Gospel is actively supplanted by the immoral minority, who want to remove the Bible from every courthouse and every place of government and to turn each nation into a secular society free from the rule of Scripture and the mention of God. Ask your own children or grandchildren about the situational ethics being promoted in school.

The only other place this word alazon is used in the New Testament is Romans 1:30, where Paul described a world that lives apart from God. According to Romans 1:29-31, a godless society is “filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful….” Notice the italicized word “boasters” in the middle of this text. It is exactly the same word as in Second Timothy 3:2. But here we see this word “boasters” — the Greek word alazon — positioned in the middle of the godless deeds of a world that has thrown moral absolutes to the wind.

It is truly amazing that this anti-God culture will carry out all of these unrighteous deeds with a haughty, bold, proud, “we-know-better-than-you” attitude. That’s why Paul next mentioned the word “proud.” The word “proud” is the Greek word huperephanos, which is a compound of the words huper and phanos. The word huper means above or depicts something that is superior. The word phanos means to be manifested.

When the two words are compounded, the new word depicts a person who sees himself as above the rest of the crowd. This represents an arrogant, haughty, impudent, snooty, high-and- mighty, insolent attitude that thinks it is intellectually advantaged and therefore has the right to set the agenda for everyone else. What an accurate description of those who would like to remove God from our lives and force their liberal agenda on the rest of us. According to Paul’s prophetic words in Second Timothy 3:2, this will be a mark of society at the end of the Church Age.

Paul elaborated by telling us that these high-minded, immoral agenda-setters will also be “blasphemers.” The word “blasphemers” in Greek is the word blasphemeo, which can refer to blaspheming God, but most often means to speak discourteously, slanderously, and reproachfully or to rail against by bringing abusive, debasing, degrading accusations against those with whom one does not agree.

Peter used blasphemeo in Second Peter 2:11 to describe people who are disrespectful of the things of God. People in this category see themselves as superior to those whom they deem to be resistant to change and stuck in a primitive mode of thinking — that is, moral absolutes that uphold righteous conduct. They disdain, mock, slander, and speak ill of them. That is precisely what the Spirit is forecasting about the end of the age as Paul laid out the telltale signposts that declare the last of the last days is upon us.

But wait — there’s more! In the midst of this last-days society where situational ethics reign and Bible absolutes are thrown to the wind, Paul prophesied it would produce an epidemic emergence of “disobedience to parents.” The word “disobedient” in Greek is the word apeithes. The root of this word is peitho, which means to persuade. However, with the Greek prefix a attached to the front, this word apeithes takes on the opposite meaning. It carries the idea of being unpersuadable or uncontrollable and thereby unleadable. Thus, the phrase “disobedient to parents” in Second Timothy 3:2 actually carries the idea of children that parents can no longer persuade, control, lead, or exercise authority over. In other words, a day is coming when children will no longer be required to submit to or follow the orders and leadership of their dad and mom.

This problem is already widespread in the world today. Children speak disrespectfully to their parents; they don’t want their rights violated by parents telling them what to do; and the court system has stood by the right of a child to sue his or her parents. Parents are so bound by the laws of the new moral agenda that they are fearful to discipline their own children, lest they be arrested for child abuse. Although some children have certainly been protected by such laws, the fact is that these laws have put the child in a superior position in the eyes of the legal system and weakened the leadership of the parents to teach, discipline, and lead their own kids. Just as Paul prophesied, the day has come when parents are under pressure to surrender their parental authority to rule their own children.

If you put all these words and phrases together, an interpretive translation of this verse could read:

“…These boasters are so committed to their own self-promotion and agenda that they are willing to exaggerate, overstate the facts, stretch the truth, embellish a story, and even lie if it will get them the position, advantage, or goal they desire. They are arrogant, haughty, impudent, snooty, and insolent. They disdain, mock, slander, and speak ill of anyone that stands in the way of their plans. And in this environment, parents will no longer be able to persuade, control, lead, or exercise authority over their children….”

All of these are signposts that the last of the last days is upon us. Based on these scriptures and Greek word meanings, can you see the marks of the last days in the world today? Does any of this sound familiar to you?

Just because this is what will happen in the world in the last days doesn’t mean it must happen to you. These are events that will occur in the lost world — not in the Church of the living God! We are in the world, but we are not of this lost world’s system (see John 17:14-16). And since the Holy Spirit warned us of these things in advance, we must take heed to His prophetic word and take action to protect families and homes while we march forward with speed to preach the Gospel to people who are lost and without Christ.

This can be our greatest hour if we will keep ourselves pure in the love of God, live separate from the lost standards of the world, maintain the moral code of God in our hearts and homes, and shine the light of Jesus Christ into the darkness that has flooded into nearly every corner of society. People are looking for solutions to their deeply embedded moral dilemmas, and we have the answers they need — so let’s let our light shine brightly!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I am deeply moved by the accuracy of Your Word and Your long-planned desire to prepare us in advance for the developments that are happening in the world around us today. Thank You for loving us so much that You desired to tell us in advance what would happen in the last days. Because Your Word is so clear, I know exactly what I need to do to protect my heart, safeguard my home, and keep Your law alive and fresh in my mind. Holy Spirit, I ask You to help me stay free from the distorted reasoning of the world and to stay on fire with the love of God. And I sincerely ask You to help me reach out to others who have been affected by the lost and deceived thinking of the world and whose lives have been made shambles as a result of no moral law. They need Your Word and help — and I know that You are asking Me to be Your hand extended to them. So today I surrender my life to be Your helping hand to this hurting world around me.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I boldly declare that regardless of what the world or society says, I will live my life according to the law of God. The world does not dictate my moral code or standard because I am a child of God. When the world around me mocks, laughs, or ridicules me for taking a stand that is contrary to theirs, I am empowered by the Spirit of God to stand strong and to remain true to my convictions. God’s Word is unchanging — and just as the truth of His Word never changes, I will not change my behavior or my convictions to be like the world. Rather, I will live in a righteous manner to please God, and by so doing, my life will shine a great light to people who sit in darkness. Due to my conviction and godly life, I will be a beacon of hope and help to others who have been devastated by the lost immoral standards of the world.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. As you read today’s Sparkling Gem, did any of it sound like the society in which you live today? What part especially hit you as being relevant and pertinent to our modern-day world?
2. Can you think of any areas in your life or thinking where you have allowed the world to affect your view? Maybe you once held tightly to a strict moral code, but in recent years you have let some of your convictions slip to accommodate people who are different from you or people you like but who are living outside of God’s will and His ways? What are those areas where you have compromised your convictions and beliefs?
3. In what way should you respond to what you have read today? Is the Holy Spirit tugging at your heart? If so, what is the Spirit of God asking you to do to get back in line with His Word and His unchanging truth?

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous….
— 2 Timothy 3:2

As you drive down the highway to a town or city, signs are regularly posted along the side of the road to keep you on track and help you monitor how far you are from your destination. Those signposts are guides, markers, and indicators intended to point you in the right direction and keep you on track until you finally arrive at your destination. When you reach your journey’s end, a prominent sign usually stands at the entrance of the town, which reads in large, bold letters “Welcome!” When you see that welcome sign, it is the declaration that you have finally arrived!

Similarly, in Second Timothy 3:2, Paul listed the events that will act as spiritual signposts, indicating that we are headed toward the very last of the last days. He wrote, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous….” If all of these events are occurring simultaneously, we need to take it as a big “welcome” sign that lets us know we are no longer journeying toward the last of the last days; we have finally entered them. If all of these things are in evidence in society around us, we are already there — in the last of the last days.

At the first of his list, Paul said, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves….” Speaking through the apostle, the Holy Spirit alerts us to the fact that one of the principal signs of the last days will be self-love, self-consumption, and selfishness. When Paul wrote, “…Men shall be lovers of their own selves…,” he packed this announcement full of insight!

This verse presents the picture of people who are self-focused, self-centered, and self-consumed. These are self-absorbed people whose wants and needs are the very core and center of their world. Rather than live selfless lives in service to others, their first consideration is always their own self-interests and desires. Everything else takes a back seat to their needs being met.

Paul clarified this truth when he stated that they will be “lovers of their own selves.” The phrase “lovers of their own selves” is very strange in the Greek language, because it is the Greek word philautos — a weird compound of two Greek words. The first of these Greek words is philos, a form of the Greek word phileo, which mean to love or to be fond of someone else. It denotes the love, fondness, attraction, or romantic feelings that people have toward one another. In fact, the Greek word for kissing also comes from this word phileo.

As you know, kissing is something you do with someone else; generally speaking, no one stands in front of the mirror and kisses himself. The word philos should never be used to describe oneself. However, in this verse, the word philos is used in conjunction with the Greek word autos, meaning oneself. Thus the compound word philautos does not describe the love, fondness, romance, or attraction for someone else — it refers to one’s love and attraction for oneself.

This word philautos is the picture of complete self-absorption, self-focus, self-preoccupation, and self-love. When you pile all these words on top of each other — the words eimi, meaning I am, and the word philautos, depicting inordinate self-consumption and self-love — the message is plain: In the last days, society will be utterly consumed with itself.

With this in mind, I advise you to take a look at the world around you today. Do you see a high level of selfishness and self-centeredness permeating every sphere of society? If you do, you need to take heed! This is a major sign that you have entered the last days.

Next, Paul said that men will be “covetous” in the last days. This is a translation of the word philarguros, which is another strange adjective used to depict people in the last days. Similar to the word philautos described above, this word is a compound of the words philos and arguros. As we saw, the word philos refers to love, fondness, romance, or attraction. But the second part of the word is the word arguros, which is the old Greek word for silver or money. When these two terms are compounded as they are in this verse, the new word describes a love of money.

In ancient Greece, the word philarguros was often used to depict covetousness, a love of money, or someone who is money hungry. Even more specifically, it portrayed people who had funds available but were so self-absorbed that they refused to share their wealth with others. Thus, they were so involved in self-embellishment that they were miserly about using their money for others. By using this word, Paul let us know that at the end of the age, a lost society will be so self-centered, they will spend ridiculous sums of money on themselves. Being primarily preoccupied with themselves, they will spend, spend, and spend on themselves — constantly searching for ways to treat themselves to more and more while they give less and less for the sake of others.

A major sign that we have entered the last days will be an epidemic of this type of lavish self-spending by people who are self-consumed and self-absorbed. When you look at the world around you, do you see society moving in this direction?

This verse could be interpreted to mean:

“People will be self-consumed, self-absorbed, self-focused, and in love with themselves more than anyone else. As a result of this self-love, they will hoard money for themselves while spending very little to help others….”

Certainly God wants His people to be blessed and prosperous, but as riches increase, we must remember that the Bible warns us: “If riches increase, set not your heart upon them” (Psalm 62:10). Our goal is not self-consumption but to use the riches God gives us to fund the preaching of the Gospel around the world. Deuteronomy 8:18 says, “But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.” Establishing His covenant on the earth is our greatest assignment!

How do you know if you have fallen into the same trap of self-centeredness that is so prevalent in the world today? Let me ask you this question — if the Holy Spirit speaks to your heart and tells you to give, can you say no to the things you were planning to buy so that you can obey the Spirit’s unction instead? Or do you find that you regularly hold yourself and your desires above the Lord’s calling to help others?

If your first response is to obey the Holy Spirit, it is a sure sign that the self-consumed attitude of the world does not have a place in your heart. If, however, you find it hard to say no to your own creature comforts and regularly ignore the invitation of the Holy Spirit to help someone else, it is a sign that the attitude of the world is worming its way into your heart and soul.

We are in the world, but Jesus has called us to be different from the world. Therefore, we must ask the Holy Spirit to help us guard our hearts lest we fall into the trap that the world has fallen into in these last days.

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I ask You to help me keep my heart free from materialism and to keep the Gospel as the greatest and highest priority in my life. I know that You want me to be blessed and to be financially and materially increased, but I don’t want to set my heart on riches and fall into the trap of this lost world in these last days. Help me stay focused on souls — what You love most — and to do my part to help establish Your covenant in every part of the earth. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I know I can maintain the godly balance You desire for my life regarding possessions and finances.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I am sensitive to the Spirit of God in regard to money, materialism, and riches. God wants to massively bless me, but He also wants me to make Him and the preaching of the Gospel worldwide the greatest priority in my life. Jesus gave His life for souls — and I must give my all to help see that those souls hear the Good News. Therefore, I will walk in balance in regard to money and possessions. I will pursue the things I know the Lord wants me to have, but I will not overstep and become so self-absorbed that I ignore the souls that need to know about the saving knowledge of Jesus. I refuse to be self-consumed, so I make the willful decision to let the Holy Spirit rule this area of my life.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. When you read this Sparkling Gem today, did you think about the way the world lavishes upon itself with no restraint? Because of easy-to-get credit, people spend money without even thinking of the ramifications of their expenditures. Do you think this signpost of the last days is evident in the world around you today?
2. What does your own spending reveal about you? Do you have a difficult time saying no to your flesh and practicing restraint and budgetary control? Have you fallen into the trap that the world is in by spending more and more all the time?
3. Have you ever sensed the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart that you have gone over the limit in spending on yourself and that you need to stop being so self-consumed? How did you respond? How will you respond in the future if He lets you know that you need to make an adjustment in this area?

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
— 2 Timothy 3:1

It is simply a fact that we are living in the last days. All around us, the world is changing at a staggeringly rapid pace, and events long ago foretold in Scripture are unfolding before our very eyes. In light of the increasing turmoil in the world, it can be tempting for us to succumb to feelings of uncertainty or anxiety regarding the future.

But as we talked about in yesterday’s Sparkling Gem, we as believers are to hold fast to God’s higher perspective and take our place as victors in this hour — no matter what is going on around us! We don’t have to wonder about what the future has in store. God’s Word provides us with a clear picture of what we can expect in the coming years and gives us the spiritual tools we need to face these turbulent times and remain victorious. His Word also lays out our role in the midst of this gathering darkness: to live as children of light, reaching a lost generation with His love and His message of hope in Jesus Christ!

In Second Timothy 3:1, Paul wrote, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.” Notice he said these events will occur in the “last days.” The word “last” is from the Greek word eschatos. This word always points to the ultimate end of a thing — such as the last month of the year; the last week of the month; the last day of a week; or the very extreme end of an age. In other words, eschatos doesn’t merely describe the last days in general; it depicts the very last of the last days. It was used in Classical Greek literature to depict a place furthest away, such as the very ends of the earth. It also signified something that is final. It is from this Greek word eschatos that we get the term eschatology — which is a theological term for the study of last times.

By using this word eschatos in this verse, the Holy Spirit is vividly declaring what characteristics will be indicative of society at the very last of the last days. Therefore, the depictions in the following verses of Second Timothy 3 are intended to be signposts that you have entered into the final stage of the last days. If you see these things occurring commonly or on a widespread basis, you are to take it as a signal that we have passed across the line and have entered into the final chapter of history as we have known it.

Thank God that by studying the Scriptures, we can identify where we are on God’s timeline. Because God loves us, He spoke through the apostle Paul to enlighten our eyes and help us see what the world environment would be like in the concluding moments of the Church Age. Having this knowledge before us helps us live soberly with eternity in our view. Time is short, so we must use the time that remains wisely and shine the light of the Gospel into the lives of those whom Satan has blinded.

Because of the word eschatos in Second Timothy 3:1, an interpretive translation of this verse could read:

“You emphatically must know what I am about to tell you. In the very last part of the last times — at the very end of the age and at the very last of the last days — hurtful, harmful, dangerous, unpredictable, uncontrollable, high-risk periods of time will come.…”

As a committed Christian, you have a responsibility to live with your eyes wide open to the events that are occurring around you. And if you have friends or family who are unsaved and blind to the truth, it is time for you to fervently pray for God to open their eyes so they can see and know the truth! Because of the events described in Second Timothy 3, we know that we have already entered into the very last of the last days.

Soon Jesus will come, and everything will change forever. Until then, we have time to pray for those whom Satan has blinded. It’s not that they are naïve — they are blind. Satan has blocked their view and affected their minds. They have no eyes to see. Eyes are created for them when the light of the Gospel, through the work of the Holy Spirit, touches their hearts and minds.

Are you the one God wants to use to share the Good News of Jesus with the people you encounter today so their eyes can be opened to the truth and find true hope in the midst of this turbulent time we live in? Maybe you should quit praying for someone else to do the job and accept the fact that God is asking you to share the Gospel with those who come across your path and need the saving power of Jesus Christ. And you don’t have to do it on your own! He has thoroughly equipped and empowered you to be His witness to a lost world in these very last of the last days!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I recognize that I am living in the last of the last days. Your Word gives me a clear description of the end times and the characteristics that will be evident. Help me live more soberly than ever before with a constant awareness of eternity. Show me day by day how to fulfill my responsibility not only to pray for people to awaken to righteousness, but also to spread the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth, starting with those nearest to me now. I ask You, Father, to give me a spirit of boldness to speak and live without compromise. Jesus is coming, and soon everything will change forever. Help me to be prepared and to prepare others also.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I live soberly in this hour. I set my affections on things that are eternal as I seek first the Kingdom of God and pursue His ways. I do not allow myself to become entangled in low-level living or distracted by the cares of this life. I give myself to prayer, to the study of God’s Word, and to a lifestyle that honors God and blesses people. I keep myself in the love of God so that I remain strong in faith to please God in all things.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Do you know a person or a group of individuals who seem blinded to the fact that we are living in the last days? How does this spiritual blindness affect the way they are living their lives?
2. Do you pray for these people on a regular basis? If not, why don’t you make a list of people you know who are lost and begin to pray for their salvation every day. Ask God to send someone to reach their hearts so they can know Jesus Christ as you know Him.  Aren’t you glad someone prayed for you?
3. Is it possible that you are the person God wants to send to them? Why wouldn’t you want to tell them this good news so they can escape an eternity separated from God? What is holding you back from telling them the most important news they could ever hear?

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
— 2 Timothy 3:1

Few people would question that we are living in dangerous and treacherous times. Especially for people without God, the last decades have brought fear and terror into the hearts of people around the world. Regardless of where you live — whether in the United States, Europe, Asia, or the former Soviet Union — people have been rudely awakened to the truth that the world is no longer the place it used to be.

This is definitely a different age, far removed from the world many of us remember as children. Even today it is difficult to imagine how things could have spiraled out of control so quickly; however, nearly 2,000 years ago when the apostle Paul wrote the book of Second Timothy, the Holy Spirit spoke through him to alert us that such a day would come. By the inspiration of the Spirit, Paul wrote, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come” (2 Timothy 3:1).

The word “know” in this verse is a translation of the Greek word ginosko. The word ginosko is a common word that is normally translated knowledge. In this verse, Paul used ginosko in the present imperative tense, which means this message is something so critical that it must be known, must be recognized, and must be acknowledged. Whatever the Holy Spirit is about to say, it is so important that hearing it is not optional — it MUST be known and understood.

Paul then told us what we must know. He let us know that “perilous times shall come.” The word “perilous” comes from the Greek word chalepos, a word that is used only two times in the 27 books of the New Testament. This word chalepos was used to denote spoken words that were hurtful, harsh, cruel, ruthless, cutting, wounding, and therefore hard to bear. But it was also used to describe animals that were vicious, ferocious, fierce, unruly, uncontrollable, unpredictable, and dangerous. In nearly every place where this word is used in secular literature of the ancient world, it depicts something said that is harmful or an environment besieged with high risk or danger.

The only other time the word chalepos is found in the New Testament is in Matthew 8:28, where Matthew used it to describe two demon-possessed men. Matthew 8:28 vividly tells us, “And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.”

This phrase “exceeding fierce” in Matthew 8:28 is actually a translation of this very same Greek word chalepos. Because the word chalepos is used to describe these two demon-possessed men, it categorically conveys that they were vicious, ferocious, fierce, unruly, uncontrollable, unpredictable, and dangerous. In fact, if you read the entire story in Matthew’s gospel, it’s clear that the people who lived in the region of the Gadarenes kept a safe distance between themselves and these two men because they knew that being in close proximity to them would put their lives in jeopardy. These two demon-possessed men were chalepos — vicious, ferocious, fierce, unruly, uncontrollable, unpredictable, and dangerous. But they represented no threat to Jesus because He knew that He had authority over them. Therefore, instead of running like everyone else, Jesus stood up against those dark forces and set those men free.

This brings us back to Second Timothy 3:1 where the Holy Spirit prophesies through Paul that “perilous times shall come.” If you take all of the original Greek words into consideration, it delivers a potent message from the Spirit of God.

Taking the definitions of all these words into consideration, Second Timothy 3:1 could be taken to mean:

“You emphatically must know what I am about to tell you! In the last days, periods of time will come that are hurtful, harmful, dangerous, unpredictable, uncontrollable, and high-risk.…”

The Holy Spirit warned us 2,000 years ago that the world would become a dangerous place at the end of the age. However, we had no idea how fast or how far it would spin out of control. But as we live in the world today, we are waking up to the harsh reality of a world that is exceedingly fierce.

Because the word “perilous,” the Greek word chalepos, is used to describe the demon-possessed men in Matthew 8:28, I personally believe that the Holy Spirit was warning us that demonic activity will be released in the last days that will bring about hurtful, harsh, cruel, ruthless, cutting, wounding situations that will be emotionally hard to bear. As a result of demonic activity, the world will become a place that is vicious, ferocious, fierce, unruly, uncontrollable, unpredictable, and dangerous. We are living in a generation that faces threats that no other generation has ever known. As always, the Holy Spirit was correct in what He was trying to tell us.

• So how should we as believers respond to all of this?
• Should we stay in our houses, close the blinds, and hide from what’s going on in the world?
• Should we never fly on a plane again or take public transportation?
• Should we stop sending our children to public schools?
• What should we do in response to these Spirit-predicted truths and the external reality that continually faces us in the world today?

Instead of retreating in fear, you and I must accept the challenge to step forward as Jesus did when He encountered the demon-possessed men of the Gadarenes. What terrified other people and made them retreat in fear is exactly what beckoned Jesus to action. In this hour, we must not retreat in fear!

The situation in today’s world beckons you to action. This is the time for you to step forward and use the authority Jesus Christ gave you to bring deliverance, freedom, and peace to each place that the devil has tried to bring chaos, harm, hurt, hazard, and risk. The situation that exists in the world today is your opportunity to let the power and glory of God shine through you!

Read carefully the words of Isaiah 60:1,2. Accept the challenge of the Holy Spirit as He cries out to you and me: “Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee”!

Although the world is sinking deeper into fear and darkness, this is our finest hour as children of God! So tell fear to leave you in Jesus’ name, and embrace the opportunities you encounter along the way to bring deliverance and freedom to people gripped with fear by the news they hear each day. Think of it — God considers you well able to live for Him and to fulfill His purpose for your life, even in the midst of these perilous last days! Embrace the honor of that position in His plan, and determine to trust Him with your life and be who He needs you to be every moment of the day!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I thank You for choosing me to live in the last days when prophecies are being fulfilled before my very eyes. I ask You to help me keep a soft heart and not become hardened when others around me grow cold and hardened through the deceitfulness of this age. People everywhere need freedom, and deliverance from the torment of fear and pain. Instead of retreating into self-preservation mode, I will deliberately yield to Your heart for the hurting world that is all around me. Your love is shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit who was given to me. Therefore, I give place to Your love within me to see them with Your eyes, to feel for them as You feel for them. I hear and respond to Your call that is beckoning me to step forward with the authority of Jesus to make a difference in the lives of everyone near to me.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I declare by faith that I am anointed by God to live in this day and age! I am alive today for a purpose. God has chosen me to be a part of this special generation so that I can shine His glory and power into the darkness that exists in so many places and in so many people’s lives. I will not allow fear to paralyze or intimidate me. Instead, I will allow God’s goodness, power, and love to operate in me for the freedom, deliverance, safety, and preservation of those who are near me. I am fully equipped by the Holy Spirit to glorify God without compromise in these difficult times. God is depending on me to do my part to bring His authority, His peace, His rule, and His reign into every place where Satan wants to create hurt, harm, hazard, and fear. Jesus commanded me to occupy until He comes. Therefore, I choose to establish His Kingdom and to enforce His will on the earth as it is in Heaven!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you think of someone who is seized with fear because of the events happening in the world today? What effect has fear had on that person’s life?
2. What does the Spirit of God want you to do to bring deliverance, freedom, and peace to people in your life who are tormented with fear? You have the answers they need — so what is He asking you to do to make a significant difference in their lives?
3. When you step into a situation where fear or panic exists, in what ways can you exercise the authority of Jesus Christ — publicly or privately — to bring peace and safety to that situation? Have you made a practice of doing this?

As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
— Romans 8:14

When I was a young man growing up in the city of Tulsa, I always thought I would attend Oral Roberts University (ORU). ORU was and continues to be one of the premier Christian universities in the world, and it just happened to be located in my hometown. I was so fervent about attending ORU that I even began taking a class there while I was still in high school in order to try to get a jump-start on my education.

Finally the time came for me to graduate from high school, and I eagerly anticipated attending ORU full-time in the fall. However, one day as I was praying about my future, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and forbade me from attending. I was completely stunned!

“Why don’t You want me to go to ORU, Lord?” I asked incredulously. “There’s no better place for a young man like me than ORU.”

The Holy Spirit answered, “Because there are things I want to teach you that you can only learn somewhere else. You’ll be in a good environment at ORU, but you’ll miss the greater things that I want to impart to you that are important for your future.

When I consider how the Holy Spirit worked with me as I faced the decision of what university to attend, I think of Romans 8:14. It says, “As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”

The word “led” is the Greek word ago, a word that was used in the agricultural and athletic worlds. In agricultural terms, it described a person who led an animal who was attached to the end of a rope. Wherever the farmer led, the animal was to follow. But interestingly, it is also where we get the word agonidzo, which described the intense struggle of a wrestler as he fought an opponent. From this word, we derive the word agony. It depicts the struggle — or the wrestling — of two opponents, each who are fighting furiously to throw the other to the mat in defeat.

Romans 8:14 tells us that the Holy Spirit wants to lead us about, but often there is a wrestling between our flesh and our spirits. The Holy Spirit leads one direction, but because the flesh doesn’t understand the leading of the Holy Spirit or doesn’t want to obey, it throws us into a struggle. The Holy Spirit is willing to lead us — and He will make sure we are in the right place at the right time — but we may have to overcome the flesh in order to follow. To be honest, it was a very big struggle for my mind to yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit to forego ORU and to attend a secular university.

But as difficult as the decision was, I knew in my heart that I needed to follow the Holy Spirit’s direction. So I made the choice to forego Oral Roberts University and enroll at a state university located a couple hours away from my hometown. As the school year progressed, it soon became apparent that by attending this secular institution, many new doors were being opened to me that might otherwise have been left shut if I had attended a Christian university. It was in this environment where I first began to get deeply involved in the ministry. My earliest experiences teaching the Bible publicly took place in the university church — and because I was constantly surrounded by unbelievers, I had opportunities to share Christ with people. These experiences emboldened me and familiarized me with the academic community’s objections to the Gospel, which in turn sharpened my ability to be an effective witness for the Lord.

That university was also where I began to study Classical Greek in earnest. These studies allowed me to delve deeper into the Word of God by analyzing the New Testament in its original Greek form. Before long, believers at the university church I attended began to approach me if they had a question about the Greek New Testament. Through these interactions, I saw how I could fill a vital niche in the Body of Christ by using my understanding of New Testament Greek to open up Scripture in such a way that listeners could gain new insight about God’s Word. The skills I gleaned from this discipline profoundly affected my entire life — reshaping my approach to studying the Bible and laying the foundations for my teaching ministry that would touch the lives of thousands of people across the world in the years to come.

When I look back on my years at that state university, I completely understand why it was God’s will for me to attend a secular school. It was a necessary training ground that provided me with the foundational skills I needed to succeed in ministry, and I am very thankful for that experience. As wonderful as Oral Roberts University is, God wanted me at a secular university so He could impart certain truths that I personally could not have received in another environment. And to top it all off, I even met my wife Denise at the university church!

Your environment — the surroundings and conditions in which you live and operate — is so important! Being in the right place at the right time according to God’s plan for your life is crucial as you seek to discover and fulfill His will for your life. God will use people, places, and the opportunities around you to shape you, sharpen your gifts, and prepare you to do His will. As First Corinthians 12:18 (NKJV) teaches, “…God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.”

Are you where God has directed you to be? It might be that the place to which you are called is outside of your comfort zone and you wish you could escape to somewhere else far away. However, if you know in your heart that God has spoken a word over your life, don’t second-guess Him. Instead, trust that He is working to fully develop the gifts He has placed within you so you can fulfill your divine mandate. God knows exactly what you need and where you need to be

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, as I reflect on my life, I can see how You have led me at times when I didn’t understand that I was even being led. You put me exactly where I needed to be. You surrounded me with the people who were essential for my training and preparation. I am so thankful that I allowed You to show me what to do and that You gave me the courage to obey. I ask that You reignite that willingness and courage in me right now as I follow Your leading again and again. I receive Your wisdom and strength to do Heaven’s work upon the earth. I believe that You are doing everything to develop the gifts and callings in my life so that I can fulfill my divine mandate.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I thankfully confess that God leads me even when I don’t understand that I’m being led. He puts me exactly where I need to be and surrounds me with the people that are essential for my training and preparation. God’s Spirit shows me what to do. He gives me courage to obey. And right now, He is reigniting that willingness and courage in me as I follow His leading again. He is doing everything to develop the gifts and callings in my life so I can fulfill my divine mandate!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you ever thought you knew where you were supposed to be, but God interrupted your plans and led you differently than you anticipated?
2. Although you may have been taken off-guard at how God led you, as you look back on that experience, can you see how important it was that God led you to where you were and to be with the people you were with? How did that place and those people help prepare you for the next season of your life?
3. Is God leading you differently right now than you had anticipated? Is it a place that is outside of your comfort zone?

Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
— 1 John 5:21

When the apostle John was on the island of Patmos, he received seven messages to the seven churches in Asia. His spirit had been pierced by Jesus’ words, and he vividly recalled the Lord’s loving rebuke concerning the sin that was trying to creep back into some of those congregations. John knew from Christ’s words that idolatry was trying to seep into the Church. The apostle understood that the willingness of believers to compromise jeopardized the Church’s holiness, weakened the power of the Holy Spirit among them, and nullified their witness for Christ. Thus, the apostle solemnly admonished them, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.”

This was a strong admonition for believers to guard their lives against evil that was looking for a way to get back into the mainstream of their lives. John instructed his readers to “keep” themselves from idols and the disastrous implications of idolatrous worship — which was connected with all types of sinful, sexual, riotous behavior. Since First John 5:21 is the living Word of God, it also speaks to you and me: We are to “keep” ourselves from insidious evil and sin that would try to creep back into our own lives.

The word “keep” in this verse is the Greek word phulasso, a word that occurs at least 400 times in the Old Testament Septuagint and 31 times in the New Testament. In each instance, the usage of this word is indisputable. It describes the guarding and protecting of a thing, such as the guarding of a house, property, possessions, or even graves, and it denotes the alertness and sleeplessness of the person who is on guard. The word phulasso could also imply the safekeeping of something entrusted to someone, and it was often used in a military sense to describe a garrison, a guard, or a sentinel. To “keep” (phulasso) something demanded that a person be loyal to the task — never lethargic or lackadaisical. If that individual “fell asleep on the job,” the consequences could be grave; therefore, he must be on full alert at all times.

The Greek word phulasso means we are to remain wide awake and stay on course to the very end. We are to defend ourselves against the evil just as a garrison defends a strategic position. We are to be the sentinels of our lives and of the Church.

When John commanded his readers to “…keep yourself from idols…,” he was urging them to stay on alert regarding the danger of idolatry and sin. The tense used in First John 5:21 stresses continuous responsibility, which indicates this vigilance must be constantly maintained. Idolatry and other sin — and all their insidious effects — were so close that the believers needed to continually stay alert in order to remain free from their contaminating effects. It was absolutely essential that they stood firm, steadfastly refusing to compromise in the face of worldly pressures.

The believers in the First Century were surrounded with temptation. Pagan temples abounded with perverse sexual practices connected with idolatry. Those pagan temples were hotbeds of demonic activity and sinful actions. In order for Christians to stay free, they had to decide to stay free — that meant deliberately avoiding contact with these places. If they didn’t maintain an alert attitude and stay continually alert, idolatry would creep back into their midst with devastating consequences. This is the reason why John called on believers to “keep” themselves from it — that is, to protect themselves from idols and to stay continuously alert about the need to be vigilant against idolatry’s temptations.

Likewise, we must take John’s words to our hearts and realize that it is our responsibility to protect ourselves from sin that would try to creep back into our lives. The world is full of sin — and as time progresses, the sin will get darker and more depraved. Society (without God) is gravitating toward normalizing even the most debased base instincts in order to make these things acceptable in society. Hence, it is essential that you and I stay fully alert to the creeping effects of sin.

We may not have actual idols to deal with in today’s modern world, but sin is still a reality — and believers must avoid the pull to compromise with a world that is drifting further and further from the absolute truths of God’s Word. Regardless of what the world says is acceptable, we still have an unchangeable compass — the Bible — which serves as our absolute and final authority in these last days until Jesus returns for His Church. Until then, we must hide the Word of God in our hearts so we do not sin against God (see Psalm 119:11).

You are the guardian and overseer over your heart, and it is up to you to make sure your heart stays sensitive to the Holy Spirit and to God’s Word by setting aside time each day to spend with Him. It is up to you to do all you can to “keep” yourself from the creeping effects of sin in this crucial hour. And here’s the good news: You are well able to remain steadfast and pure in every area of your life, because through Jesus, you have everything you need to hold on to that victorious testimony!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I hear what You are saying to me, and I take this responsibility deep into my heart. You have called me to be the guardian and sentinel of my life and to retain this vigilant position until the end of my spiritual journey. Forgive me for times when I have been spiritually slack. I pray for the Holy Spirit to empower me to remain alert and wide awake and to stay on track — completely unresponsive to and unaffected by sin and its creeping effects that are in the world. Regardless of what the world and society may say or do, I thank You for Your continual supply of supernatural strength to draw upon, Father, to keep myself from sin and to live my life according to Your Word.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am dedicated to obeying the Word of God and that I do not allow society or the world around me to dictate what is right or wrong. Sin is looking for a way to creep back into my life — and into the lives of all believers — but I have determined that I will remain on guard, as a sentinel of my life. God expects this of me and will hold me responsible for keeping my life free from the contaminant of sin and its creeping effects. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I will walk with God in a manner that is pleasing to Him and that is free of the sinful influence of the world.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Do you know any believers who have been morally compromised by the world and the thinking of society? As you consider their waywardness, what were the early signs that showed sin was creeping back into their minds and lives again?
2. What do you need to do to “keep” yourself from the moral and spiritual contamination that is in the world? What steps do you need to take to build a strong spiritual barrier between you and the creeping effects of sin?
3. Are there any areas where you’ve already been affected by the world? If so, what do you need to do to reverse this trend, to cleanse your life of it, and to get back on the straight and narrow path with the Lord?