Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Empowered by God
Many of us want to know God's way and hear gospel truth, but we avoid living it. Sadly, in today's church it is acceptable to enjoy sermons and worship, yet go home completely unchanged.
Paul preached a message of gospel power, and wanted that power for Timothy for a specific reason. "In the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless...not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people" (2 Timothy 3:1-5, ESV).
Here, Paul speaks of churchgoers and describes them as having only "a form of godliness." These Christians didn't mind going to the synagogue, reading spiritual texts or participating in religious activities. Yet Paul's advice to Timothy was, "Avoid them." He was saying, "It's dangerous to be around those people. You'll start to think their way is acceptable. They may look godly, but the Lord looks on the heart and sees unholiness and conceit."
Paul said these Christians were "always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth" (2 Timothy 3:7). In other words, they listened to all the gospel teachings but never took them to heart. That made them powerless because they "opposed the truth" (see 2 Timothy 3:8).
Note how Paul begins this passage: "In the last days there will come times of difficulty" (2 Timothy 3:1). He makes clear that perilous times will wither a superficial faith. I am probably the least prophetic Christian alive, but even I can see bad times on the horizon. When global economies teeter, the average American faces financial disaster and political upheaval heightens, then something has to give.
What will most Christians do when things turn really bad? Are our hearts truly prepared to deal with hard times? Friend, if we are not living a life empowered by God, the problem is with us, not the Lord. Seek God and his Word, and he will empower us to endure to the end.
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I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4
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