PERILOUS TIMES

2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

     I remember my daddy preaching from this text as a boy going to a small country church in the mountains of East Tennessee.  The one reason I remember it so clearly is how he pronounced “perilous”.  He pronounced this word, “Peerless” and I just can’t get his pronunciation out of my mind.  He would say, “Folks, we are going to see peerless times, no doubt about it!”  Then he would go on to speak of coming tribulation, troubles, trials and ultimately the second return of Jesus.  That second coming always sounded so good after having to wade through all the tribulation, troubles and trials.

      Most of the preaching that I have heard over the years dealing with “perilous times” dealt with spiritual warfare and how Satan would bring all kinds of attacks on God’s church and His people within it.  Even today, as we begin to read and watch the news reports coming from around our world with all eyes on Russia and Ukraine, I am reminded of Psalm 2 verse 1 which says, “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?”  When you watch your newsfeed, you are constantly shown the rage of the nations; both aggressive, violent or vengeful retribution.  The one thing we are never encouraged to do is read the rest of the chapter.  Give it a moment of your time.

     Still, this is not the subject of my puzzlement.  These “perilous times” are almost all geo-politically motivated but I was reminded of another “perilous time” facing the church.  In a recent conversation with a very wise pastor in Oklahoma, he asked me, “When the church embraces the culture of the world, to where do we send the believers of the church to work?  Once the world has truly invaded the church, we can no longer ask them to go out!”  Revival begins within the church.  What an idea.  I’m still not sure I’ve mined all I need to learn from that statement, and so, I remain a . . .