Text: But mark this; there will be terrible times in the last days. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy (2 Timothy 3:1-2).
INTRODUCTION: Paul warned Timothy the young Pastor in Ephesus about the event of the End Time and he should warn the Church about the event that will take place in the community at the latter day. Our community needed divine visitation because of the unguided behaviours among the populace. These behaviours are fore mentioned in the letter of Paul to Timothy, which are: selfishness, lust for money, boastful, arrogance, abusive, disobedient to parents, ungrateful and unholy. These are known to be the works of the flesh among the people in the Church and society. What are the means to be immune against these characters as believers with the mind of rapture with Christ?
• Be sensitive to the wind of lawlessness: The church should be very careful and sensitive to the unguarded habits imported into the Church of God. “Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demon” (1 Timothy 4:1). The church and every believer ought to love others as themselves and shun selfish attitude. Our attitude to money should be controlled by the Holy Spirit. Love of money should not replace our love for Christ; the present condition should not turn true believers into fraudsters. Let’s add hard work, sincerity and faithfulness to our faith in Christ in dealing with others and in business world.
• Guard your mind. Your mind is the centre of every decision taken in life. To be boastful, arrogant and abusive comes from mind. “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow after their own ungodly desires.” (Jude 1:18) Desire to look down on others because of little achievement has pervaded our society and the Church is not exempted. Be positive in your thinking, because you are the product of your thought. Your character is the product of your thought. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus (Phil.2: 5), Jesus humbled Himself to the cross. Who, being in very nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; Jesus is our model in humility. Therefore, we must exemplify Jesus in simplicity and humility.
• Finally, Our Children must be tutor on how to respect elders and parents. “…disobedient to parents…” Home training is the bedrock for every other training. The moral we input in our Children will help them to be obedient to anyone who stands to be a parent. “Children of Issachar had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do.” (1 Chro. 12:32). Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Ojo, Christ the Rock Baptist Church, Mende, Maryland, Lagos (The Glorious Church)WhatsApp: 2348034538413Email: emmanuelakanji@ymail.com
Every godly child should understand better the perilous time and set a pace for the society in the area of obedience to parents. Our society is corrupt in parent/child relationship and the end result is moral dissipation we are experiencing in today. Let’s pray for total life transformation of our Children on our knees. Character formation is very essential in building a godly society.
Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Ojo, Christ the Rock Baptist Church, Mende, Maryland, Lagos (The Glorious Church)WhatsApp: 2348034538413Email: emmanuelakanji@ymail.com
