"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God - having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them." (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
For the past three years, I have been intently studying the books of 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy and Titus. These three books of the New Testament are pastoral letters, written by the apostle Paul to a young protégé, Timothy and to another named Titus, giving them instructions for pastoral ministry. Timothy was to oversee the church at Ephesus while Titus was charged with the care of the church at Crete. I had studied these books before, but the Lord has directed me there regularly in order to fulfill the work I am charged with as the Bishop of Tennessee.
The verse quoted above almost jumped off the pages of my Bible tonight while I was agonizing over pastoral appointments and the care of so many pastors who are struggling in numerous ways. Pastors are a gift to the church according to Ephesians 4:11 and have been hand-selected by God Himself. Each pastor must accept the call of God with a certain sense of joy, but also a sense of heaviness for the work of the local church and the evangelism of the lost.
As I read the verse from 2 Timothy 3:1-5 I could see almost all of these problems existing not just in the world but also in the church. The great apostle, writing by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, told of the last days, and the signs that would be so evident. I found myself almost totally overwhelmed as I read it realizing we live in such a time.
You can understand these types of behavior in unbelieving world, but in the church? It is so much harder to accept that this is how it has to be. Do we give in to every impulse, every desire and totally lose self-control? Is our life marked by the evidences of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24) or sadly is our life marked by the fruits of sin (Galatians 5:19-21). It is a question that you must ask yourself, and ask it on a regular basis. God's word boldly proclaims that those whose life is marred by the lusts of the eyes, of the flesh and the pride of life simply will not inherit the kingdom of God. (v. 21)
Has there been a more wicked generation?
We have watched the moral collapse of our nation, and my heart cries out that the same won't be reflected in the church. We must turn the tide...godly men and women must cry out for the help of the Lord that they will not be overtaken by the same spirit that dominates a world headed for disaster.
As I continued to think on what I see around me, of the seemingly loss of the fear of God in this generation, my mind went back to the hundreds of children that attend our youth camps. I remembered the faces of children in an altar crying out to God and then thought about the oft-forced altar calls (if one is given at all) in the churches. It is no wonder that children can be so revived during times of youth camps and then lose hope when they return home. The whole picture caused a sense of hopelessness to overwhelm me.
Then...I remembered what I had read and studied in an earlier part of Paul's instructions to Timothy. "You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs - he wants to please his commanding officer." (2 Timothy 2:1-4)
The truth that so overwhelmed me reminded me of my mother and father. They actually suffered for the sake of the Gospel. They suffered ridicule and were mocked and despised, struggling to keep the doors of the church open when others were seemingly "at ease in Zion." They lived in the basement of a church, cooking their meals on a hotplate, boiling water on the same hotplate to bathe with because there was no shower in the basement. I remembered the words of my mother as she looked into my eyes and said, "son, the bible says you must endure hardness as a good soldier of Christ."
I determined then, I WILL be STRONG IN THE LORD. I will testify of the things I've seen and heard and I will help to raise up a generation of reliable men and women who will carry this gospel when I am long gone. Two generations after behind us we will for the most part be forgotten by men, but NOT by God.
As we see the rise of wickedness which I honestly believe will grow worse, we must commit to a life of holiness and grace. We must submit our hearts to the power of the Holy Spirit and watch as He changes the lives of hopeless men and women around us.
BE STRONG IN THE LORD!
For the past three years, I have been intently studying the books of 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy and Titus. These three books of the New Testament are pastoral letters, written by the apostle Paul to a young protégé, Timothy and to another named Titus, giving them instructions for pastoral ministry. Timothy was to oversee the church at Ephesus while Titus was charged with the care of the church at Crete. I had studied these books before, but the Lord has directed me there regularly in order to fulfill the work I am charged with as the Bishop of Tennessee.
The verse quoted above almost jumped off the pages of my Bible tonight while I was agonizing over pastoral appointments and the care of so many pastors who are struggling in numerous ways. Pastors are a gift to the church according to Ephesians 4:11 and have been hand-selected by God Himself. Each pastor must accept the call of God with a certain sense of joy, but also a sense of heaviness for the work of the local church and the evangelism of the lost.
As I read the verse from 2 Timothy 3:1-5 I could see almost all of these problems existing not just in the world but also in the church. The great apostle, writing by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, told of the last days, and the signs that would be so evident. I found myself almost totally overwhelmed as I read it realizing we live in such a time.
You can understand these types of behavior in unbelieving world, but in the church? It is so much harder to accept that this is how it has to be. Do we give in to every impulse, every desire and totally lose self-control? Is our life marked by the evidences of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24) or sadly is our life marked by the fruits of sin (Galatians 5:19-21). It is a question that you must ask yourself, and ask it on a regular basis. God's word boldly proclaims that those whose life is marred by the lusts of the eyes, of the flesh and the pride of life simply will not inherit the kingdom of God. (v. 21)
Has there been a more wicked generation?
We have watched the moral collapse of our nation, and my heart cries out that the same won't be reflected in the church. We must turn the tide...godly men and women must cry out for the help of the Lord that they will not be overtaken by the same spirit that dominates a world headed for disaster.
As I continued to think on what I see around me, of the seemingly loss of the fear of God in this generation, my mind went back to the hundreds of children that attend our youth camps. I remembered the faces of children in an altar crying out to God and then thought about the oft-forced altar calls (if one is given at all) in the churches. It is no wonder that children can be so revived during times of youth camps and then lose hope when they return home. The whole picture caused a sense of hopelessness to overwhelm me.
Then...I remembered what I had read and studied in an earlier part of Paul's instructions to Timothy. "You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs - he wants to please his commanding officer." (2 Timothy 2:1-4)
The truth that so overwhelmed me reminded me of my mother and father. They actually suffered for the sake of the Gospel. They suffered ridicule and were mocked and despised, struggling to keep the doors of the church open when others were seemingly "at ease in Zion." They lived in the basement of a church, cooking their meals on a hotplate, boiling water on the same hotplate to bathe with because there was no shower in the basement. I remembered the words of my mother as she looked into my eyes and said, "son, the bible says you must endure hardness as a good soldier of Christ."
I determined then, I WILL be STRONG IN THE LORD. I will testify of the things I've seen and heard and I will help to raise up a generation of reliable men and women who will carry this gospel when I am long gone. Two generations after behind us we will for the most part be forgotten by men, but NOT by God.
As we see the rise of wickedness which I honestly believe will grow worse, we must commit to a life of holiness and grace. We must submit our hearts to the power of the Holy Spirit and watch as He changes the lives of hopeless men and women around us.
BE STRONG IN THE LORD!
Comments
Pastor Ferrell.