LAST DAZE...DIFFICULT TIMES...EQUIPPED

 Greeting Ye Dwellers in the Last Days...are ya ready?

Jesus...ministered the Will of God on planet Earth for three years under the anointing of the Holy Spirit and Power. (Acts 10:38)  He then allowed himself to be brutally beaten, mocked, scourged, and crucified in our place as the propitiation (the satisfactory substitute) for our sins.  He was then buried...and three days later...raised from the dead.  He met with His disciples and gave them instructions to go into Jerusalem and wait for the promise (The Holy Spirit).  They did...and He showed up in power (Acts 2).  When a crowd gathered to see what all the hoopla was about...Peter stood up and preached a powerful message with Joel 2:28-32 about what was going on...stating that..."This is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel...and it shall be IN THE LAST DAYS..." (Acts 2:17)  He then listed what was happening and what was going to happen with the last thing being... "And it shall be that everyone who CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD...shall be SAVED." (Acts 2:21)

Picture #1 is one of a roaring lion.  Now, in Africa, I have seen fairly closeup a lion...and believe me when I tell you...it was NOT a comfortable place to be.  I was in a jeep...with a guide who had a gun...but just being in the presence of this beast was scary.  There are two lions we have imagery of that both can strike fear or faith in us.  One is our adversary..."Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.  Your adversary...the devil (little d) prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  The other Lion is known as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Jesus with a big J).  "...Stop weeping...behold THE LION that is from THE TRIBE OF JUDAH...the ROOT OF DAVID...HAS OVERCOME so as to open the book and it's seven seals."  (Revelation 5:5)  One is backed by the spirit of fear...the other is back by The Holy Spirit...and makes us fear and tremble.  One is an adversary...the other is and Advocate.  One is a sin monger...the other is a Saviour. 

 This devil lion...is running rampant in what is known as the LAST DAYS...which can leave us in a DAZE.  "But realize this, that in the LAST DAYS...DIFFICULT TIMES will come."
(II Timothy 3:1)  Remember Peter preached that in the LAST DAYS...salvation will be available to everyone who CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD. 

Picture #2 is of Barry McGuire and his 1965 hit record...written by P.F. Sloan called EVE OF DESTRUCTION.  It speaks of a volatile world... that was sitting on the brink of destruction.  Barry is still around...still singing that song...and it is even more relevant as we come closer to the return of the Lion of The Tribe of Judah.  The need for SALVATION is still there...and the difficult times are getting more and more difficult. 

 In the II Timothy passage...it outlines what these LAST DIFFICULT DAYS will look like and the nature of certain people in those days...who are under the influence of the roaring, roaming lion on the prowl...seeking for someone to devour.

FOR MEN WILL BE (II Timothy 3:2-7)

1.  Lovers of self
2.  Lovers of money
3.  Boastful
4.  Arrogant
5.  Revilers
6.  Disobedient to parents
7.  Ungrateful
8.  Unholy
9.  Unloving
10.Irreconcilable
11.Malicious gossips
12.Without self-control
13.Brutal
14.  Haters of good
15.  Treacherous
16.  Reckless
17.  Conceited
18.  Lovers of pleasure rather than God
19.  Holding a FORM OF godliness...but DENY ITS POWER (avoid such men as these)
20.  Enter into households and captivate weak women weight down with sins
21.  Led on by various impulses
22.  Always learning but NEVER ABLE TO COME TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH
23.  Opposers of the truth
24.  Men of depraved minds
25.  Rejected as regards the faith
26.  They will not make further progress
27.  Their folly will be obvious to everyone

Well...that is a bleak look at the type of men that we will encounter in the LAST DAYS.  It does not seem very hopeful...and a little...no...very frightening.  II Timothy 3:9 has a contrasting view for us to walk in...as it starts with the word BUT.  In contrast to these MEN...we are to do and be something different.

"But you followed my TEACHING (based on the Word)...CONDUCT...PURPOSE...FAITH... PATIENCE...LOVE...PERSEVERANCE... PERSECUTIONS...SUFFERINGS..." (II Timothy 3:10-11)

Paul states that he "endured, and OUT OF THEM ALL...the LORD DELIVERED ME!" (II Timothy 3:11) 

In these LAST DAYS...we have a promise of persecution...but also a promise of deliverance.  Evil men and imposters will proceed from BAD to WORSE...deceiving and being deceived. (II Timothy 3:13)

WHAT ARE WE TO DO?

"YOU however...CONTINUE in the things you have learned and become convinced of...knowing from whom you have learned them...and that from childhood you have known THE SACRED WRITINGS which are able to GIVE YOU WISDOM THAT LEADS TO SALVATION THROUGH FAITH...which is IN CHRIST JESUS." (II Timothy 3:14-15)

The answer to what are we to do...in the face of these evil men in difficult times...and the persecutions that we will endure...is to BE STRONG IN THE WORD OF GOD.  We must be EQUIPPED.

"All Scriptures are God breathed (inspired by God)...and profitable...for (1) teaching  (2) reproof
(3) correction (4) training in righteousness. (II Timothy 3:16)  What a great teaching model...as we are taught the Word of God...and then there is reproof for wrong answers...and then corrections to the right answers...and we are trained...by practice as we "discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness"
(I Timothy 4:7-16)  The purpose for this teaching, reproof, correction and training is that we will be: (1) adequate (2) equipped...FOR EVERY GOOD WORK. (II Timothy 3:17)

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

I can't stress how important it is for you to be educated...schooled in the Word of God.  I am not talking about higher education...but HIGHER education...taught by the Spirit of God.  Don't wait until you need the Word to start reading the Word.

Love and Last Days Kisses
Rodney "Lovin' Me Some Word of God" Boyd