Ouch

2 Tim. 3:1-5

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be:
lovers of themselves,
lovers of money,
boastful,
proud,
abusive,
disobedient to their parents,
ungrateful,
unholy,
without love,
unforgiving,
slanderous,
without self-control,
brutal,
not lovers of the good,
treacherous,
 rash,
conceited,
 lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—
 having a form of godliness but denying its power.
Have nothing to do with such people."

When I was in Africa a few years back, I stumbled on this verse one day and camped on it pretty much the whole trip. The highlighted red part pierced me then, and it's still just as powerful to me today. I have written in my Bible from that day in Ndola "Humbling..." out to the side.

"having a form of godliness, but denying its POWER..."

That means the nice little heart-warming list that precedes it there...you know, the "selfish, treacherous, conceited, rash, lover of money, etc..." can be MASKED by having a form of godliness?? My conviction over this verse coincides with what I've been studying this past month...that the word "Power" can in turn be the Holy Spirit.

That we can have our form of godliness (i.e. going to church, praying, tithing, etc.) but if we do not daily surrender ourselves to the POWER of the Holy Spirit, we are powerless against the sinful list listed at the beginning of the verse.
We just somehow think our "form of godliness" will cancel it all out in the end.
Hmmm.
The last part of the verse warns to have NOTHING to do with such people.

How often have I been that "such person?"
(I'll answer it  - a LOT).

I go through that list and feel like I can "check..check...check..."
And then I realize again just how often I deny the power of the Holy Spirit in my life. I have Christ living within me, but GET WITH IT MELISSA - the God of the universe DESIRES to talk, guide, and defend you on an hourly basis and so often you say "No - I'm fine, thanks."

So I'm there...again. Humbled by the Word of God...it's a sweet place to be in.


Here's another version of the verse I like:

"You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!"