Weekly Devotional 6-22-15 Warning Signs
In nature a storm many times, if not most times, is preceded by a darkening of the sky, clouds, an increase in wind, etc. Likewise, signs of impending danger many times precede economic downturns, wall-street collapses, and/or great declines in ones financial worth, things of man’s temporal realm. This is also true of man’s spiritual realm. There are many signs today showing that people are turning away from God and are becoming harder and harder in heart toward Him. The Scriptures give us many of these signs. We read from 2 Timothy 3:1-7 (NKJV) “1But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
And, from 2 Peter 3:3-13 ( NKJV ) “3knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”
Certainly, the attitudes of man found in both passages are attitudes of the generation that will be living when Jesus comes for His church. Peter goes on to tell us however, “9The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2nd Peter 3:9 NKJV). Even though the signs of His return are evident in man’s attitudes today, He will not come until the last person who is to be saved, is saved. As to His second coming, Peter added; “10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up” (2nd Peter 3:9 NKJV).
We Christians therefore should always be holy in our conduct and service (2nd Peter 3:10 NKJV) as we observe those around us, those who as of yet alienated toward God. Knowing what is soon to come we should motivated to be faithful in our witness of Him.
stevelampman@comcast.net stevelampman.com
Transforming Power; The Work of God on Behalf of Man
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