2 Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2
So I was thinking of what to blog this week, not unusual for me, when my mind wondered into the past week’s events (also not unusual for me). I examined the people in my life and my family and came to realize something…they are straight out of 2 Timothy 3.
2 Timothy 3
Godlessness in the Last Days
3 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. 9 But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.
Of course not all the people in my family and friends are this way but there are sure a lot them and some call themselves Christians. So this scripture says Avoid such people this is not easy since one of them is my sister that comes to visit my dad that’s in hospice every weekend and bounces around the house doing things in a manic state.
22 You shall not fear them, for it is the Lord your God who fights for you.’ Deuteronomy 3:22
The above scripture is comforting to me especially when I feel so overwhelmed by so many people that persecute me.
Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven. Matthew 18:21-22
In my experience following the above scripture is important part of the Christian life. Whether we are being persecuted or spiritually attacked we just need to be forgiving, although admittedly, it’s much easier to defend myself and my beliefs and my opinions than to forgive. Ultimately I do forgive but I should forgive first and then defend myself and my faith. I am sure that someday I will get it right…someday. The bible contains much wisdom to Avoid such people is much easier.
Remember:
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16