Lawlessness Abounds

The devil is no joking matter.  We have dismissed the devil and his presence in this world to an image of a cartoon character.  We are in a battle with the devil and right now, overall the devil is winning more hearts of men than God.  While our flesh is inherently wicked before we are transformed by God and made into a new creation in Christ, the devil and his demons are out there tempting us, enticing us to violate the commandments of God.  The simplest way we are to fight back is what James said.  Submit yourself to God, resist the devil and he will flee!!!  Today I wanted to speak about the rampant evil in the world today.  

 I just wrote about the love of many that is waxing cold that was mentioned by Jesus in His Olivette Discourse when speaking about the signs of the end times.  Below is that same passage that also speaks to the growing lawlessness and evil that will permeate society and culture.  This is a worldwide phenomena.

Matthew 24:10-12 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. ¹¹ Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. ¹² And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will wax cold.

How pervasive is the evil right now in this world? In my prayer time this morning, my mind flashed through a number of recent events where the depravity of man showed its ugly face.  While all sin is lawlessness, the sin against our fellow man typically gets the news attention.  Is there any doubt we are in the very end times?  Consider these very recent worldwide new headlines.

• Turkish gunmen storm engagement ceremony and kill 45 including women and children. 
• Father kills family and himself in Orlando
• Missing teen in Myrtle Beach feared dead
• GA Professor kills wife, friend and is being hunted
• Pirates in Somalia holding 300 captive on ships
• Fourteen people slain in an upstate New York immigration services center.
• Gunman kills many at college, name it VA Tech, the IL school and others
• Teen kills 20 at school in Germany
• CA Mother kills daughter’s best friend and throws body into lake
• Mexican drug lords declare war and kill very many
• Two NW FL deputies shot and killed at gun range
• Four officer slain in Oakland, three in Pittsburgh
• Two men have been arrested in connection with the killing in Northern Ireland of a police officer, two days after two British soldiers were killed and four other people wounded in a brutal attack.
• Over the last few weeks at least 25 boys and men are reported to have been killed in Baghdad because they were, or were perceived to be, gay
• So and so arrested for abusing children, distributing child porn etc.

We could fill up pages of lists of evil horrors just from the past couple of months if we spent any time compiling a list but you get the point.   I spoke with a police officer the other day here in Florida and he confirmed my suspicions that crime is going up during this economic calamity.  The reports of thefts is sky rocketing. 

People that don’t know God are being overcome by the trials and tribulations of life.  The pangs are just beginning so I expect and have been told in my quiet time with God that it is going to get much worse.  All will be shaken and tested.  Suicides are up, people going to shrinks to battle depression is up and robbery and home break ins are up.  LAWLESSNESS ABOUNDS, it is everywhere.

As a result the love of many has gone cold.  There are fewer and fewer people that love and care for their fellow man.  It is survival of the fittest, every man for himself.  This is NOT God’s will but He did predict it would happen in the last days. 

The few that walk in His light are a beacon of truth and hope in this dark world.  By stepping out and speaking truth and loving others, we will draw attention to ourselves.  God calls us to do His work here on earth, we are His ministers.  We will need to risk persecution, even our very lives to speak truth amongst all this evil.  But we cannot serve God sitting in the balcony of life.  Now more than ever, we are needed.

Evil fears the light.  Light conquers the darkness.  Jesus said nobody puts a light on a hill and then covers it up.  The light He has given us must be shown to others.  We must put our faith into action with deeds. 

I encourage you to step out in your faith.  Help others, preach the gospel, lead people to Jesus and a relationship with Him.  That is their only hope to turn (repent) from lawlessness and be sanctified before the Lord returns.  This is not the time for us to slink back into a protected cave and await the  Lord’s return.  We are not to be idle, the Lord wants us in the field working.

Luke 10:2 And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

MAY GOD BLESS YOU RICHLY!!!