Welcome to the End Times

2 Timothy 3:1-5
"3 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

How many of you have encountered what I have among family members? The hardest place to live out our faith is with those who we think should love us, they have a superficial love based on us being whatever they want us to be. As soon as we speak our own mind or the mind of Christ, we are then an enemy to them.

Galatians 4:16
"16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?"

The narcissists will preach loving, loving, loving as though we are not that, as they rage at us calling us names. Where is that "loving" they claim to have for others, it is not for us, those who are confidently speaking truth. This superficial love is only for those who agree with them, elevate them and never challenge them to think in terms of Christ and His principles.

I was attacked spiritually and emotionally by my brother at Thanksgiving dinner at his home. We got into a discussion about how we should relate to others. I mentioned that God has many ways through the Holy Spirit in how we should deal with people. That we should be led by the Holy Spirit, I barely got the words out of my mouth when my brother mocked me, laughed at me and shut me down so that I could say no more.

My brother called me all the things he was being, mean spirited, aggressive and other things, while I sat quietly waiting for the tirade to be finished. And, this person is a "Christian"?

This is why I know so much about narcissism, I was raised in a family that showed continual contempt for those who were "too radical" in their Christianity. They all go to church as my parents did when they were alive, but have always been embarrassed at the mention of anything from the Bible. They were great friends with one another but mocked, dismissed and ignored me at every opportunity. This last encounter proved to me that nothing has changed, I pray for them, but must keep my distance. Of what value is it when I can't finish a sentence to explain my views, that are from the Bible? There was clear embarrassment at the mention of particular Bible passages.

When we find ourselves in a situation in which our faith is attacked for the mere speaking of it, we must understand that it is not us being attacked but Christ Who lives in us.

Remember that Christ and the apostles were attacked, and for what? For sharing a way to be saved from sin and hell. This is the same mentality that we encounter in a country where they will not kill you, they will use mocking, raging and intimidation verbally hoping to cause fear in us, to ever speak of it again to them. The attacks are to cause silence, the only acceptable communication in these groups is joking, playing games and affirming those that praise and fawn all over one another.

The principles of the Bible are not important to these people, they love their sin, their disobedience and their sense of superiority, they will never listen and if they don't like what we say they either rage or are completely unresponsive.

May the Lord give us strength to stop responding to the attempts to cause sin in us. The objective is to get us to fight with them so that their contempt for us will be justified in their own minds. I admit I have less tolerance for believers who rage and mock than I do for non-believers who do the same thing. Believers should know better, but in many cases the love of Christ does not dwell in these people, only arrogance and superiority, superficiality and self righteousness dwell deeply in their hearts.

James 4:7
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

1 Peter 5:8-9
"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world."

Ephesians 6:11-17
"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. .."

When we obey the Word, speak it boldly without apology and walk it, be sure we will be a target for pretenders, sometimes even more so than those who confess unbelief.