{"id":26040,"date":"2020-08-31T04:00:02","date_gmt":"2020-08-31T10:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/baonline.cog7engage.net\/?p=26040"},"modified":"2023-08-29T11:28:30","modified_gmt":"2023-08-29T17:28:30","slug":"is-god-still-in-control","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/baonline.cog7engage.net\/is-god-still-in-control\/","title":{"rendered":"Is God Still in Control?"},"content":{"rendered":"

I am not sure what God considers the last days<\/a>, but to me, it sure seems that we are approaching those days rather quickly. As I read 2 Timothy 3:1-5, it appears that the Apostle Paul is describing our time:<\/p>\n

But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power;<\/em><\/p>\n

What’s Happening?<\/h3>\n

The last days will have difficult times.<\/a> Doesn\u2019t that describe us? Pandemic, political issues, taking sides, churches falling apart, leaders that have no business being leaders but they have stepped into a vacuum. There is fear, anger, and a host of other emotions.<\/p>\n

People will be lovers of self. We are living in a time when \u201cit\u2019s all about me.” When this country was founded, men and women fought and died for family, friends, and neighbors. Today the average person isn\u2019t willing to die for anyone. We don\u2019t take a family portrait, we take a selfie.<\/p>\n

We have a love for self, money… and we show it by our boasting and arrogance. It is not about others and their needs, but it\u2019s about getting ahead and it typically doesn\u2019t matter who we step on and hurt to get where we want to go.<\/p>\n

Are You Acting as a Reviler?<\/h3>\n

This is why the next item on the list is so real today: revilers<\/em>. What is a reviler? Webster says it is \u201cto subject to verbal abuse.” Another dictionary declares \u201cto revile is to criticize in an abusive or hostile way, or to spread negative information about.\u201d In the Bible, we see a reviler in this way: \u201cA reviler is a person who uses words to damage, control, or insult someone\u2019s character or reputation.\u201d[ref]https:\/\/www.gotquestions.org\/reviler-in-the-Bible.html [\/ref]<\/p>\n

The people that should be leading<\/a> us have turned into some of the biggest revilers. Their goal is to control those that disagree with them, and if that doesn\u2019t work, they seek to damage others to the point of destroying the person that gets in their way.<\/p>\n

Have You Learned to Be Content?<\/h3>\n

They are ungrateful. Our poor are wealthier than approximately 90% of the world. Epicurus wrote, \u201cNothing is enough for the man to whom enough is too little.\u201d Paul echoed this sentiment when he wrote, \u201cNot that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.\u201d<\/a>[ref]Philippians 4:11 [\/ref] Have you learned to be content? Most of us haven\u2019t.<\/p>\n

Lack of self-control<\/a> is destroying our country. We eat and drink too much. We don\u2019t know how to say \u201cno\u201d to evil, and the above list is proof that we are living in a time that is racing for the end without concern for the consequences. As these difficult days are approaching, we must continue to trust the God who is in control<\/a> even when it doesn\u2019t look like it.<\/p>\n

[bctt tweet=”As these difficult days are approaching, we must continue to trust the God who is in control even when it doesn\u2019t look like it. – Martin Cicero”]<\/p>\n

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