Difficult Times

2 Timothy 3:1-5 is here now!
"3 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people."

These are difficult times to live in because of the disrespect for God.

When we watch what is happening today, good is called bad and bad is called good; even in church gatherings, the ones being punished are the ones speaking the truth from God's Word. They are gossiped against, minimized, and rejected.

God told us to count it all joy when we are reviled for Christ's sake.

Matthew 5:11-12 "11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

We are not here on this earth to be praised by men or loved by family members; we are here to speak for God, His way from His Word.

Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet."

Many "Christians" are pleasure-seeking, desire popularity, and indulge in activities that dishonor God. It is not possible to be like this and love God with all your heart too!!

Matthew 22:37-40 "37 And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.”

Loving God first and then others is to desire to bring truth and all the fruit of the Spirit of God to every relationship.

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."