Something Is Happening To Believers

foreign s have this saying when talking about the future they tend to say something along the lines of if the Lord tarries then one day we'll go to be with him and growing up it always always used to bother me why would you even think like that or say that I would respond you see as a child I was fixated on the unthinkable which would be to lose my parents however as I have grown in the Lord I have discovered that in my parents saying the words if the Lord tarries then one day will go to be with him they are fixated on being with Christ in one way or another I didn't get it at first but the reality is that my parents are going through this life with their eyes on eternity they are living on this Earth with the acceptance that one day they will be in the presence of the Lord and so Saints my message is simple there are two things which are certain it's either Jesus Christ will return within our lifetime or the day will come when we are called into his presence this is the truth you will either live to see The Return of Christ The Rapture the snatching away of the church or you will be called before the master here's what the Bible says Hebrews 9 27. and just as it is appointed for man to die once and after that comes judgment you see I could preach a sermon about faith a type of faith that moves mountains I could preach about the Angelic protection we have in Christ I could speak about all of those good and uplifting things but people of God that's not what will save you what will save you is accepting Jesus Christ as your lord and savior what will save you is being obedient to Matthew 22 37-39 which says you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind this is the great and first commandment and a second is like it you shall love your neighbor as yourself what will save you Saints is living with an eye fixated on Jesus Christ on producing good fruit in his kingdom you see Saints Jesus is coming soon and should the Lord Tarry we will be called up before him this is biblical and the one thing that you can never deny about the Bible is that this book is as relevant today as it was hundreds of years ago and with this in mind I would like to speak about how the unbelievers can be identified in the last days so that you can examine your life and identify which category you'll be found in now the passage of scripture found in second Timothy 3 almost paints an exact picture of the current state of the world today for some context before I read this passage of scripture Paul is warning Timothy what the last days would be like he goes into detail describing the unbeliever and he really Paints the image of how bad those who are living in a carnal state would be and therefore how we as Believers must be on guard not to be caught up in this state of living in second Timothy 3 verse 1 Begins by saying but know this that in the last days perilous times will come the meaning of the word perilous is dangerous or risky and aren't we seeing that to be true in this present day illnesses all over the world natural disasters even plags can be found in some countries in this present day but the part in this passage of scripture that I would like to focus on is the list of various characteristics that the Bible States will be found in many people and the purpose of us being aware of this list is so that we may examine ourselves as I read each one have a moment of reflection and examine yourself to ensure you are not found to be in one of these categories if you are struggling with any of the following points then this is the perfect time to take action and repent here are some of the characteristics among people that can be found in second Timothy 3. a few I'd like to highlight are that men will be lovers of themselves lovers of money boasters proud unthankful Unholy unloving unforgiving without self-control brutal despisers of good traitors lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God having a form of godliness but denying its power the Bible goes into great detail in second Timothy 3 to describe the state of mankind can any of these traits be found in you if you were to be called before Christ in this very moment would any of these things be attached to your name but I want you to know it's not all doom and gloom as much as there will be perilous times to come God gave us as Believers a promise that we should hold on to Acts 2 17-18 and it shall come to pass in the last days says God but I will pour out my spirit on All Flesh your sons and daughters shall prophesy your young men shall see Visions your old men shall dream dreams and on my men's servants and on my maid servants I will pour out my spirit in those days and they shall prophesy children of God have something to hold on to in the midst of perilous times this should give you comfort God has promised not to leave you he has promised to pour out his spirit and if you really read this closely God is promising spiritual power for believers and when God's spirit is poured out then the gifts of spirit will also come upon us as children of God gifts such as discernment Peace Love wisdom all will increase with the outpouring of God's spirit so regardless of what's going on in the world as Believers we know this as we Edge closer and closer to the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ the only place for us to seek refuge and strength is in the presence of God Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life no one can come to the father except through me perilous times will come in the last days but keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and he will deliver you we need to turn from Evil and look toward our beautiful savior Luke chapter 17 verse 30 to 33 says so will it be on the day when the son of man is revealed on that day let the one who is on the housetop with his Goods in the house not come down to take them away and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back remember Lot's wife whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it but whoever loses his life will keep it Jesus is talking to his disciples about his second coming he reminds us that his second coming will be like any Ordinary Day people will be going through their everyday routines then we get to verses 30 and 31 where Jesus tells us that we need to be prepared for that day and not be distracted these illustrations are stressing that people will have no time to prepare when he appears he then gives us the warning of Lot's wife in Genesis God comes to destroy the city of Sodom and Gomorrah due to their rampant sin before the destruction God comes and warns a man named lot and his family who lived in Sodom and Gomorrah God commands lot's family to flee and not turn back at some point as they flee Lot's wife looks back at the city in an instant she turns into a pillar of salt does his warning is here not to be distracted like Lot's wife if we become so distracted by the world that we completely turn our eyes away from Jesus