How Does a World Slip into Perilous Times? ...

While over on Brother Robert's thread ...Workers Of Iniquityhttps://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=3753&;forum=36... the thought came to my mind, "Just how does our world descend into perilous times"? ... And the thought came to me that it has to be because of the diminishing light of Christ Church, the diminishing effectiveness of our salty savor to preserve by our presence of Godliness". Over on Brother Robert's thread it dawned on me that our light has so diminished, particularly in America, from the 60's onward, that now not only do we need to make an escalated effort to tell folk that THEY NEED JESUS (because His grace saves to salvation), but because we've let the effectiveness of our Christianity slip so sub-standard to Christ's commision we now have to also make it clear to them just WHY THEY NEED JESUS (because His law condemns to eternal damnation) ... Because saints we Christians in America have rested on our laurels, barricaded ourselves in our fortress churches, and not made the saving presence of Christ's Godliness a shining city on the hill ... Perilous times come when the people of God become preoccupied with anything/anyone other than our first love experience of Christ, and His simple basic commission to make Him known in the highways and byways, where if He be lifted up He will draw ALL men to Himself ... Right now we're a light under a bushel basket, and our talents buried in the ground ... Bottom line is perilous times come when we as individual saints, and as a collective body of believers, diminish Christ, abandon His commision, and instead become overly preoccupied with our own personal lives, personal agendas, denominational lives, denominational agendas, that the outside world suffers due to our disobedience ... Remember Jonah endangered the lives of all those unbelievers in his boat due to his disobedience to God's commision to preach repentance to the Ninevites ... Aren't we guilty of the same? ...In America, and so goes the world, since the 60's, we as the Body of Christ have majorly declined as God's force on earth ... Now i know some may not believe that we're not living in the last days, and if not then hallaleujah anyhow, but i do, simply because i know were 2,000 years past Pentecost, and i see the signs of these times ... Do you?This is how perilous times is described in Tim.3 ...This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.- For men shall be lovers of their own selves, - covetous, - boasters, - proud, - blasphemers, - disobedient to parents, - unthankful, - unholy,- Without natural affection, - trucebreakers, - false accusers, - incontinent, - fierce, - despisers of those that are good,- Traitors, - heady, - highminded, - lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;- Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,- Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.Is this a pretty good sumation of the present rampant evilness in our American society? ... Do the last two points from Timothy remind you of the blatant apostasy in such a large segment of Christ Church today? ... The last point, "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" is one that really struct me to the point of thinking, "Always intellectually dissecting the Word of God, but never spiritually doing the Word of God" ... If you care to please share what you see in our popular culture today that makes you think that we're living in perilous times ... But more importantly what do you think that we as saints individually, and collectively as a church body, can do to counteract the permeating force of darkness that has at least three generations (particularly our youth) blind to the vileness of their sin(s)?

Jesus prophesied:Luke 17:26 And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: 27 They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all."What were the times like during Noah's life prior to God's judgment?I do not believe in the teachings that there is going to be any mass revival, a latter day outpouring similar to Pentecost. I believe the latter day rains represent harvest time. God's Spirit will be poured out, but now is the time of judgment. And a remnant will be saved. The latter times according to Daniel will have nation waring with nation. There will be king that will not be like the others. He will worship the god of fortress. He will honor his god with gold and silver and many precious things. Dan. 11:36 “Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done. 37 He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all. 38 But in their place he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things. 39 Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain."If these are end times, we will see these circumstance come to pass. If we are the generation that this speaks of, then what nation produces weapons of mass destruction? What nation spends more silver and gold on its fortress than the rest of the world combined? The weakness of religion will then be attributted to partaking in the wine of the Harlot. This wine will blur the minds of those who profess to be christians, yet the results of this drunkeness will manifest itself as you have pointed out in the Scripture of 1 Timothy 3. In ChristJeff

Brother Jeff you wrote;"I do not believe in the teachings that there is going to be any mass revival, a latter day outpouring similar to Pentecost. I believe the latter day rains represent harvest time. God's Spirit will be poured out, but now is the time of judgment. And a remnant will be saved'. And i do believe that a last great final revival is coming that will empower Christ's Church from rupture to rapture, and will facilitate one last great harvest to completion of Christ's Body ... Time will eventually tell which belief rings true ...But i do agree on this being the time of judgment, and for Christ Church a Refiner's fire, for judgment begins first at the house of the Lord.

In perilous times men are ...- despisers of those that are good ...What as saints are you hearing about Christians in this post election period? ... What are you feeling from those unbelievers who know you're a Christian, in regards the "values" issue? ... Are you being dirided, even if you weren't a Bush voter, for sticking your nose into moral issues best decided by our government?Christ said we would be persecuted for His name sake ... If you haven't been before keep living and professing Christ, and the angry half of America who lost their election agenda will soon give you reason to rejoice in sharing Christ's cross.

Br. Rahman wrote:"And i do believe that a last great final revival is coming that will empower Christ's Church from rupture to rapture, and will facilitate one last great harvest to completion of Christ's Body ... Time will eventually tell which belief rings true ..."I don't see this in Scripture. I do see that He will empower the remnant to see through the deception that is coming. I do see a true Church. But the majority will accept the mark of the beast. What are the manifestations of drinking the wine of the Harlot's fornication with the kings of this earth?In ChristJeff

Br. Jeff wrote:Quote;"I don't see this in Scripture. I do see that He will empower the remnant to see through the deception that is coming. I do see a true Church. But the majority will accept the mark of the beast'.Amen brother Jeff ... my belief is due to something that's occured between the Lord and myself, which is why i said, "Time will eventually tell which belief rings true ..." Quote;"What are the manifestations of drinking the wine of the Harlot's fornication with the kings of this earth"?i know that this question relates to the current direction of your thread ...DAYS ARE EVILhttps://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=1987&;forum=35... which i read whenever you post, and i look forward to your answer to your question ... But i'd like to keep this thread focused on anyones caring to share what they see in our popular culture today that may make them think that we're living in perilous times ... And more importantly what do they think that we as saints individually, and collectively as a church body, can do to counteract the permeating force of darkness that has at least three generations (particularly our youth) blind to the vileness of their sin(s)? ... As well as the question if anyone as a saint is feeling any extra added animosity toward their own personal Christianity ... i'm both amazed, and encouraged by all the studies being done by the secularist on Christians, and our motivation for such participation in the recent election ... i'm also fascinated that pundits have now divide us as "Theocrats" vs "Secularist" ... Could we finally be at the point where there will become a marked dilineation between light and darkness, instead of the apostate blurring we've come to?God bless ...Br. R

Br. Rahman,Sorry.In ChristJeff

No brother Jeff, There's nothing to be sorry for ... i hope in my trying to steer this thread i didn't hurt, your feelings ... That's the last thing i'd want to do to you my valued brother ...i've got to learn how to use those smiley faces!

But the majority will accept the mark of the beast. What do you think the mark of the beast will be?Grace,Doug

Br. Rahman wrote:And more importantly what do they think that we as saints individually, and collectively as a church body, can do to counteract the permeating force of darkness that has at least three generations (particularly our youth) blind to the vileness of their sin(s)? ..First, Br. Rahman, no offense at all. I just get on a rant most times. I'll just continue my thoughts over on the other thread.Secondly, more consistent with your thread, I see a change in the youth in our area. My wife has begun working as a teacher's aide in the local school for the 4th grade. She works in the morning for 3 hours and is in near poximity to our two children who are in 4Th and 6th grades. According to her witness about half of the children in her class have no idea of respect for one another let alone for the adults in the class. It is quite amazing to hear of the various examples of this unbelieveable loss of respect. This is happening in 9 and 10 year old children. Thirdly, I have heard that the youth today are growing more tolerant of the ways of the world. Within a short time, when the oldest generation dies off we will experience a rapid decline in the beliefs that currently preserve our people. In ChristJeff

Br. Doug wrote:What do you think the mark of the beast will be?I will in time approach this topic in the thread: Days are Evil. I got ahead of myself in Br. Rahman's thread.In ChristJeff

If you care to please share what you see in our popular culture today that makes you think that we're living in perilous times ... But more importantly what do you think that we as saints individually, and collectively as a church body, can do to counteract the permeating force of darkness that has at least three generations (particularly our youth) blind to the vileness of their sin(s)?It's not the darkness that bothers me but the lack of light in the body of Christ. There has to be the light of Jesus in how we treat one another, how we handle ourselves our work, etc. The world is dying to see the Christian life lived out among those who are sold out to Him.That's what Jesus is calling for "to be sold out to Him." In other words, our walk and talk must match.

Brother Jeff,i guess ranting is something we both might be accused of, but reasoning can't be had in a sound bite ...In regards to what you wrote about our youth ... amen ... there is a major sea change in the youth of my day (born 1950) to the youth of today ... For one thing my generation, raised by Depression era/WWII parents, most being believers in God, was indoctrinated by them with Christian values, love of family, love of country, respect of community, respect of our fellow man, a better appreciation of the fairer sex, ethics against such evil devices as greed, cheating and stealing, etc ... I didn't do a lot of the bad things i could have done as a child/teen simply because i believed as my Dad always warned, "God see all that you do" ...i was pretty much governed by this up until i got to be about 17, and then i began to secumb to the call of the world, sex, drugs and music ...i remember some communist back then making the statement that if just one youth generation in America could be collectively and drastically seduced away from the values values and mores of their parents, then America would fall from within ... It's pretty ironic to think that it actually takes the Godless to see the power of God excercised in the Godly, but that's exactly what satan was able to do in the 60's and 70's ... My generation once thought our parents old fogeys, sticks in the mud, unhip. and so we ignorant of the consequences hedonistically over indulged in the pleasures of sin, only to find out much later past the stupidity of our youth the rot that satan not only had in store for my generation, put the escalating perversion he had in store for those future ... And so here we are today ... in perilous time ...My generation, the boomers (1946 - 1964), are the ones that turned the society our parents presented to us upside down, and while there were some things that needed to be fixed, there were others that needed to be left as was, such as their closer walk with the Christian faith that defined their ethics, values and morality ... Drugs should have never been let out of the box, as it anesthetized us to our consciences ... Free love, became our chant for rabid immorality ... Make love not war in the 60's, turned right around and became make war, not love in the 90's ... Relatively harmless reefer 50 years later metamorphed into crack cocaine ... Athiest legislated God out of our lives ... Anarchist ate away at any respect left for our public institutions ... Then came Radical Feminism ... Abortion ... Radical homosexuality ... Music went from what seemed like relatively ok Doo-wop, to R&B, Folk, Country, Rock, Hard Rock, Acid Rock, Punk Rock, Punk Funk, Hip-Hop then on to the insidious Gangsta Rap, that has become satans Pied Piper to burn up in lust, materialism, drugs and expensive intoxicating beverages any 30 years old and younger ... https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?viewmode=flat&order=0&topic_id=2826&forum=35&post_id=&refresh=Go... And many may ask, "Where was the Church"? ... i'd say the church of my parents generation were in shock, felt under siege, and perhaps that was the beginning of the church becoming a fortress ... Get behind the walls and hide from their own wicked and misguided children who like those foolish Israelites at the foot of Mt. Sinai threw God to the wind in pagan bacchanalia, worshipping the Golden Calf in degredating sexual promiscuity ... i remember how my parents treated me in my sinfulness, they totally rejected me ... And the church of my generation? ... Well we were out in the world, and though many of us professed Christ no one would ever be able to tell it by our fornications, adulteries, divorces, and unforgivable abandonment of our children ... As i say to anyone in my generation, if you want to know why our world, America, has slipped into perilous times ... just take a good long look into the mirror ... Our children, grandchildren, and if we don't repent to becoming activist for God with the same fervor as we were once activist for satan, our great grandchildren will bring on the Tribulation, just as sure as the wickedness of the folk in Noah's day finally brought on the Flood ...Well there are lots of burned out, tired, world weary, prodigal boomers whove drug ourselves back to the Father in church today, but of what effect on our children, grand children and the outside dying world? ... Absolutely none! ... We're still the same bunch of spoiled brats we were when we were younger, instead now we've changed our carnal-carnal pursuits in for spiritual-carnal pursuits, seeking first the kingdom of God not for His righteousness, but for all the other things added ... We've traded in the Beatles and the Rolling Stones for the False Prophets of Health and Wealth, while in the meantime our children are seeking thier idols of amusement and entertainment ... The horror of it all is that so many of us still don't see ourselves, i can tell because i still hear so many in my generation sigh, "What's wrong with our children"? ... Like we wouldn't be any different had our parents not trained us up in the way of the LOrd, so that when we finally got old enough to come to our senses in the pigs sty we would come back and not depart from it ...Our kids are spiritually rudderless, and so it is that satan can grow them up to be ...- lovers of their own selves,- covetous,- boasters,- proud,- blasphemers,- disobedient to parents,- unthankful,- unholy,- Without natural affection,- trucebreakers,- false accusers,- incontinent,- fierce,- despisers of those that are good,- Traitors,- heady,- highminded,- lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;God please forgive we lousy Christian parents and grandparents, and may you rile and stir up all generations, but my generation especially, from our continued self indulgent complacency to true heartfelt repentance of our being instrumental in bringing to America these perilous times ... May you well up inside of us via your Holy Ghost and use us to tackle so great a problem as our misguided youth ... Revive us dear Lord to every avenue that You wish to address in these perilous times, till You are satisfied to catch Your Bride away to our our marriage ... In Your precious name Lord Jesus i pray ... Save our children, in spite of us ... Amen

May the Holy Spirit bless you in the hearing of these eye opening, life changing sermons! ...The Last Days: Perilous Times9/24/2000 (SUN) · 2 Timothy 3http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?currSection=&;sermonID=WMUU0000000420When this sermon was first given America was 1 trillion dollars in debt, now it's 7.4 trillion ... Would you say the national debt is perilous?A Preacher For Perilous Timeshttp://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?currSection=&;sermonID=1231011247282 Timothy: Perilous People in Perilous Timeshttp://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?currSection=&;sermonID=5804143623

Br. Rahman wrote:The horror of it all is that so many of us still don't see ourselves, i can tell because i still hear so many in my generation sigh, "What's wrong with our children"? ... Like we wouldn't be any different had our parents not trained us up in the way of the LOrd, so that when we finally got old enough to come to our senses in the pigs sty we would come back and not depart from it ..Our children see our lives differently than we do. My children observe and anaylize everything we as parent do. Recently, I brought my children to work with me and that particular day they saw two incidents which caused them trouble. First they saw me get angry with an electrical foreman, and then they witnessed me making a decision about a project which was not the best solution. I decided to take a short cut. These incidents become the substance of what they themselves begin to immitate. If dad does it, it is okay for me to immitate him. Well needless to say, I later had to talk about the mistakes that I made that day. And my son replied: " I know when I am making mistakes because there is always a voice that warns me." Our children are so more intune with God than we are because our hearts are hard. We don't want to hear what He has to say. We just do it as the world does it. My kids are 9 and 11 years old. The Lord is with them, it is us that they have to fear.In ChristJeff