THE LAST DAYS

A world-wide pandemic.

Increased natural disasters.

Intense persecution.

Social injustices.

Down right savagery.

These are some items that may pop into your mind when you think of the title: "The Last Days." However, that's not what this post is about. Don't be deceived by the title. The Apostle Paul addresses "the last days" when he speaks about the rampant epidemic of godlessness in the Church in his 2nd letter to his mentee Timothy.

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God- having a form of godliness but denying its power . . . (2 Tim. 3:1-5a)."

Again, remember that Paul is speaking to the CHURCH here. Major Ian Thomas expounds on this brilliantly: "So many have a dead 'faith,' destitute of what makes it functional. They are missing the hidden factor, denying the true power, God Himself. They are not letting God be God. Faith means letting Him . . . you will never let Him until you are prepared to admit that you cannot, and only God can."

The whole point of being a Christ follower is letting the very Spirit of the Living God, the actual Spirit of Christ, live out His Resurrected Life in and through you. It's not a feeling or an impulse, it's a lifestyle. It's an intimate relationship where you bow out and let God flood in. When we are diluted into playing captain of our lives, we are doing exactly what the apostle Paul warned Timothy about . . . "having a form of godliness but denying its power." This is a pandemic that has been ravaging the Church for some time. So, what's the cure?

The Holy Spirit must be allowed to lead His Church for it to truly be THE CHURCH. If He isn't leading it, you have a bunch of self-filled, carnal individuals trying to live the Christian life for God instead of allowing Him to live it in and through them.

The result of trying to live the Christian life for God: Failure.

The result of allowing Him to live it in and through you: Success.