Today's World

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:1-7 ESV). Well we are winding down the 2016 election cycle; and, before you stop reading today’s devotional, this will not be about any of the candidates or issues voters will cast their ballots for or against by then end of next week. It has been quite an interesting year leading up to the vote. I find it extremely telling that we now have people who do nothing but “fact-check” what is written or spoken in the election process. I also find it very interesting that we have been told over and over again by anyone who has a platform to speak from that these are good times. In some ways they may be very good, however, as we compare our culture to that of the early Christian era there are some striking similarities.

Imagine you are a part of that world, nearly two thousand years ago. It was a time in history, when people were “lovers of themselves, lovers of money, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unloving, slanderous, without self-control, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding to a form of godliness but denying its power.” I’m not sure there is any evidence to describe today’s culture any differently. Whether we take our measurements from inside or outside the church, our reading today seems to describe this world very well. This is a description of a time when the Bible talks about the Second Coming of Christ. Of course we don’t know when Jesus is coming again. No one knows, except the Father in heaven. But it sounds like we’re there. Inevitably we must ask ourselves what we should do. How can we change? God’s Word says, “The Scriptures are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.” So study God’s Word. Believe what it says about how to be saved from ungodly character. Live what it says, for we all are running out of time. There really is only one solution to the world’s problems. It is the work and will of God through the atonement of Jesus. Trust in Him alone.