End Times, 2 Timothy 3

We know the end times are here when we see the incredible disrespect and angst of our children's generation. It is shameful but they have no shame over it. They never apologize for rudeness and even concoct a story in their minds that they have a good reason to treat their elders with contempt.

I never thought I would say that I do not enjoy children anymore. I used to, but they have become so rude and demanding they are no longer enjoyable to be around. Sadly, they learned it from their parents who have coddled them and who have demonstrated disrespect toward their own parents.

There is a saying from times past that goes like this; "More is caught than taught."

Parents do not exhibit hospitality, kindness or empathetic concern about others, so the children learn by their example to be the same way.

Matthew 10:42 "42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”

I have never met a godly born-again believer who was unthinking and rude. They all understand the importance of hospitality and kindness. However I have met many pretenders who have no desire to be hospitable, kind, and loving, they are much too self-absorbed to care about serving another human being.

1 Corinthians 13:4–8a Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.

May the Lord double down on us in this matter of hospitality,, never allowing us to do as the culture does, but to do as the Lord has commanded in His Word.

If We Love Christ the World Hates Us

If the world cannot find something against you they will poke at every little thing you do and say to be able to blame you for something. If they can make you seem like the bad one they relieve themselves of their own heart conviction.

Why would the world hate us for how we live and what we say? After all, they don't have to do what we do. They hate us because they are influenced by devils who cause the world to believe they have something against us. The goal of the devil is to intimidate us into silence, accusing us the same way the devil does every day.

Revelation 12:10 "Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down, the one who accuses them before our God day and night."

John 15:19-21 "…19 If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. 20 Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well. 21 But they will treat you like this because of My name, since they do not know the One who sent Me.…"

We are living in the end days when families will turn on their own, the ones who have been born-again. Members of our own families will use manipulation, accusation, distortions, gossip and everything else to destroy our character to anyone who will listen. Sometimes it's very subtle, the dismissiveness, subtle ignoring, and other tactics that cause those around them to think something is wrong with us.

Do not become discouraged when you feel alone or personally attacked, this is part of the existence of someone who wants Christ more than anyone or anything else.

Matthew 22:36-38 "…36“Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in the Law?” 37 Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment."

If we love Christ more than anyone or anything we will live as He wants us to live. When we do this we can expect to lose family and friends. It is a blessing to know that we are not alone, Christ and the apostles were rejected and even killed.

Luke 10:27

"And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

1 John 4:7

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God."

When we love Christ with our whole heart we can't help but love others the way He has loved us. There is no guile, anger or contempt in the heart of a born-again believer.

Galatians 5:22-23

"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

No fruit, No Spirit, No Salvation!

10 Signs That A Narcissist Is Playing You For A Fool

Love is the first fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22-23

"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

When you encounter someone who does not have love, they also will not have any of the other fruit. They can pretend but it will be short-lived and phony.

In order to have the fruit of the Spirit we must have the Holy Spirit Who is the essence of this fruit.

No fruit, No Holy Spirit!!!!

John 16:13-14 "13 However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you.…"

Notice when someone has the Holy Spirit they will not glorify themselves, they will honor and glorify Christ Who lives in them.

Someone who fights to win for superiority over others is not being led by the Holy Spirit but by their own flesh. Those who live a continual lifestyle of this are not born-again. Those who are believers will be convicted when they act self-righteous and superior, desiring to confess it and be cleansed of it by Christ Who lives in them.

The fruit can be faked for a period of time but a life that is faking will not be able to sustain the appearance of the fruit. They will and often do take out their frustration on those they believe are beneath them or those they think others don't like. There is continual anger waiting to emerge in those who are pretenders. It doesn't take very much for them to find a small insignificant reason to rage at their target.

These fruitless people think that as long as others don't see what they do to those they persecute, they can continue to fool those for whom they love bomb. It is important for fruitless prideful people to have followers who have never seen the real them, and would not believe the targets who do know the real them and have been victims of their harsh, judgmental, and angry tactics.

When we encounter those who love to demean us we can allow it to bounce off of us to Christ, we can deflect the rudeness allowing Christ to deal with them. Remember those who are dedicated to being superior to others will want us to respond while they enjoy twisting everything we say and do to make us look like troublemakers.

Proverbs 26:4-5 – Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes. The self-confident fool thinks too highly of himself and his opinions, and he shares them freely."

If we must answer a fool, we must remain calm, give them no real information and exit the conversation. The more we say the more ammunition for their lies. Let God deal with them while you remain trusting in Him, calm and confident.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

"4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant. 5 It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered, 6 it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."