Sign of the Times

Ten years ago the subject of prophecy was mum in mainstream churches. That much was obvious to me in my pursuit in understanding the last years of the age of man. A simple mention of the return of Christ brought an awkward angle of conversation between an institutionalized Christian and myself. Many admitted they didn't study the prophecy of the end of the age of man, nor did their pastors teach it.

However, in this year of 2009, I am bombarded with commercialized messages of prophecy. With the obvious the fulfillment of the Word of God in increments, it is pathetic to witness mainstream Christianity playing "catch up" in an attempt to legitimatize their failed doctrines. In commercialized prophecy, Obama is the anti-Christ. The failed economy is a sure sign of Christ's imminent return, some has gone as far setting specific dates of His return based upon these "signs". FiveDoves is such a site. They have gone as far as setting specific dates in September of 2008. Playing "Ring around the Rosy" with scripture to legitimatize their direct disobedience to the Word. Acts 1:6-7

Thus I have noted another trend in the climate of Christianity.  More churches than before have gravitated towards politics. Championing political causes as proof of their genuine Christendom. For example many have said, especially so during the presidential campaign "If you're a Democrat, you support abortion and therefore cannot be a Christian". Today's Christianity  has now become a political forum (much like the Pharisee during Christ's time). Further apostating away from the commandant of principle:

Who then is Paul, and who [is] Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, [ye are] God's building.  - 1 Corinthians 3:5-9

If we believe these truths, we know that the power of God is what brings forth righteousness in the souls of men. Whereby, we are laborers for Him in planting and watering His Seed (Word) in the hearts and minds of men. But according to the actions and beliefs (political) of Christians today, their labor of "planting" are Tea Parties and organized protests. Their actions of "watering" is imposing legislation against the Free Will that has been set forth by Almighty God. And in doing all this they have become further mired in their own sin, that is to say, their separation from His commandment, and ignore the spiritual condition of their own households.

Switching gears, under the same concept in this post, I happened upon an article: Today's Tykes: Secure Kids or Rudest in History? on MSNBC

"As a 2005 Yale study demonstrated, preschool students are expelled at a rate more than three times that of children in grades K-12 because of behavioral problems.

What does this mean for their future as adults? We may be starting to see some of the effects in Generation Y, those born between 1980 and 1996, whose self-centered - if not downright arrogant - workplace behavior has been well-documented in the popular press since the mid-2000s.

"They've grown up questioning their parents, and now they're questioning their employers. They don't know how to shut up, which is great, but that's aggravating to the 50-year-old manager who says, 'Do it and do it now,' " says Jordan Kaplan, an associate managerial science professor at Long Island University-Brooklyn in New York, in a USA Today article."

This article is confirmation of what I have seen myself since I became a mother 15 years ago. Down right disrespectful children. One reason why I simply cannot have other people's children in my home. Yes, we all know about bratty children. We've all spoken about it and complained of it, but what has NOT been noted are the percentage of these disrespectful children from Christian households. Many of the kids my own children know and play with at school are disrespectful and most of them come from homes where there is some kind of belief in Christ. This is an obvious sign of the time that has been ignored for years:

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, - 2 Timothy 3:1 - 3

These behaviors are clearly noted by this (secular) article. Do not be fooled, the "men" spoken of in the scriptures above are the men who were once tykes allowed to incorporate these behaviors into their own personal characteristics over time. I put in bold the characteristics I see in the neighboring children around me.

"lovers of their own selves" - selfishness, not wanting to sharing, self centeredness.

"covetous" - wanting another's child's toy, even though they have the same thing.

"boasters" - the need to promote themselves as better than others

"proud" - not willing to say sorry, even though they understand they were wrong.

"disobedient to parents" - pretending  not to hear their parents, or ignoring them when they are given a clear set of instructions.

"unthankful" - expectations of everything without work or a change in attitude.

"false accusers" - lying on another child. It's amazing how many parents will NOT address this issue.

"incontinent" - temper tantrums and out of control behaviors.

"fierce"  - anger towards another or a parent.

If you're hoping that these characteristics spoken of apply to the men of unbelief,  you are sorely mistaken. Continuing on in the same book and chapter of 2 Timothy, verses 4 to 6 say this:

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,

To erase any doubt that the "men" spoken of here are those who claim to be Christian ( or men of God), here is verse 8 of the same chapter:

Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.

This sign of the time is upon us all. While today's Christian are terrified of Obama, I'm petrified of the end result their children!

 

Author's Note:

To the BELIEVER in the unchanged WORD of the living God: Despite the chaos surrounding us in this world and nation, God is not only in control, but has a plan. That plan includes the return of His Son to ultimately restore His reign as King over ALL. In saying this, our hope in Christ is for the world where He SHALL reign. Championing for political causes is akin to placing your hope in Christ for THIS temporal life and it is clear by the Word of God that THIS life is only for season. 1 Corinthians 15:19 It is also clear by the Word that Satan is the prince of the power of the air, and by this assessment we long for, Christ's return. Ephesians 2:2  Meanwhile, we joy and hope and share THAT good news. Keeping ourselves humble and minding our children's spirits as well as our own attitudes towards God FIRST and the inhabitants on this earth second.

May He keep you from evil, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the Son of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Amen...