Thought for today

Hello Everyone...I have been discouraged lately with how the things in the world are but I keep looking unto Jesus knowing His return is drawing near. So I have been busy about His work in sharing Him and His Gospel with as many as He leads me to..this was in my email from one of the churches we went to in California..thought it was appropriat. Love in Jesus and keep your eyes and heart fixed to Jesus. Love in Him Who is Coming again, Joan M "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!" 2 Timothy 3:1-5 Some of the signs of the end of the age are mentioned in our passage today. I don't think anyone would disagree that these are indeed perilous times. Just look at the first four descriptions of people that Paul lists: lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, and proud people. Now if that doesn't sum up the world, I don't know what does. Paul goes on to say that these times would be marked by those who are disobedient to their parents. Strong's Concordance says that someone who is disobedient is not compliant. In our society today, we have kids who are completely disobedient and not compliant to their parents -- it's everywhere. At a conference I once attended, I met a man *****ached into his briefcase and pulled out a large stack of little 3x5 cards. He asked me to take the cards and read them. One word was written on each card. On some, the word "Mom" was written. On others, the word "Dad." And on others, the word, "Brother," and so forth. As I continued to read through them, "Dad" and "Mom" kept popping up on these cards over and over again. I finally asked him, "What are these?" He said, "Recently at a Christian camp, I asked over 200 kids to write down one person that they hate and need to ask for God's forgiveness." Eighty percent of the 200+ kids wrote 'dad' or 'mom' on their card." Eighty percent hated their mother or their father -- and that's in a church! What does it profit a man to gain the whole earth and to lose his soul (Luke 9:25)? What does it profit you to die next Wednesday without one friend? What does it profit you to die ten years from now with ten million bucks in the bank, while your sons and your daughters despise you? What is life about? Look at how Paul ends this paragraph of Scripture. The last days will be marked by people who have a form of godliness but deny its power. You hear so many people say, "I'm a Christian," but live their lives totally apart from His will. They may attend church somewhat regularly, but that doesn't make them a Christian. If you're truly the Lord's, you're a pure woman. If you're truly the Lord's, you're an honest and pure man. If you're truly the Lord's, you don't live like the people of the world. You discipline yourself. That's what makes you a disciple. The word disciple means one of discipline. I do not want to have a form of godliness, but no power. You need the power of the Person of the Holy Spirit in you to let you be the Christian man or Christian woman that God has designed you to be.