February 27, 2024

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

Difficult, troubled, trying, hard, and violent times. These are the days we are experiencing in America today. A few years ago we began experiencing things in America we never expected. We can point our fingers to our political leaders and in part should be, but the reality is found in the Bible. We are living in the days that point to the return of Christ. How long that will be we do not know. We can expect an intensification of what we are experiencing now. Russia and China are looking to overthrow America. Putin just announced if Russia loses the war to Ukraine they would nuke America. We are living in perilous times.

What we are experiencing is found in God’s Word. Christians should find hope not in the world, but in God. Christians should also be proactive. Our fight is not against people or countries but a spiritual war.

Matthew 24:6 “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.”

2 Corinthians 11:13–15 “13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.”

Do we passively sit by and wait? The answer is NO! We engage in the war following God’s Word. We prepare ourselves as warriors for Christ. We engage in the spiritual war that has been happening since Lucifer rebelled against God. We quit listening to the false prophets and become engaged with the forces united in the truth of God. We become soldiers of Christ.

Ephesians 6:12–13 “12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

What is worse than the wars and rumors of wars are the false apostles and deceitful workers. We see many of them standing in pulpits today or preaching a false message on television, radio, or found on the computer. What is sad is the ignorance people have of the Bible. Fewer are going to church, and many of those want a watered-down Gospel.

We with great expectation pray for the return of Christ and at the same time pray for the salvation of the lost. Part of our prayer must be for God to direct us in the way we should go.

James 5:20 “let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.”

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”