Perilous Times

The news this week but really this whole year has reminded me of II Timothy 3: 1-8: 

"But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. 6 For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."


It has also reminded me of Matthew 24: 4-14:

 "And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. 6 You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. 8 But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

9 “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10 At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. 11 Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. 12 Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. 14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

I try not to be a naysayer. I do wonder how much longer before Jesus returns.  Some people think that times haven't changed and it could be another thousand years. I don't think God gave us prophecy such that we can't understand it.  I think that the Scripture should be taken literally.  I believe that about the Book of Revelation. I don't think it a stretch to read it and come away with the horror of the Great Tribulation.  As quickly as things are changing in the world, nothing would surprise me. I try to live in a state of expectancy without sitting on a rooftop.  We are to be in but not of the world.  I still say Maranatha Lord Jesus.