ESCALATION --- DIFFICULT TIMES?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
HARD, DIFFICULT TIMES APPEAR TO BREED DIFFICULT TIMES…
2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 Timothy 3:1 (MSG) Don't be naive. There are difficult times ahead.
2 Timothy 3:1 (NLT) You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times.
We shall know hard, difficult seasons and times. God never promised his people EASY LIFE STYLES. In hard times must learn lift praise and adoration before the throne of God.
*ESCALATION: to increase in extent, volume, number, amount, intensity, to become worse, to make more severe, to become greater or higher, to ACCELERATE, ACCUMULATE.
WE ARE IN A WAR. THE WAR IS GETTING HOT AND HEAVY. THE WEAPONS OF THE FLESH: THE POWER OF THE JAVELIN, THE SPEAR, THE SWORD AND THE FIST WILL FADE AWAY. They will rust, corrode and dull. THE WEAPONS OF THE FLESH ARE NOT ALWAYS THE RIGHT WEAPONS TO USE.
The word of God does the work of God. Faith, hope, and love never fail. PRAYER OPENS DOORS THAT THE ENEMY CAN NOT CLOSE. Prayer closes doors that the enemy can never open. Prayer is never out of season. Let us seek God BOLDLY without wavering.
Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
2 Corinthians 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
2 Corinthians 10:4 (MSG) The tools of our trade aren't for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. 5 We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ.
WE HAVE TWO SWORDS… that’s enough…
Luke 22:38 And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.
Doctor Laura often asked a question: IS THIS THE HILL YOU WANT TO DIE ON? Once a big bulldog would walk down the road and it seems there was this SKUNK that did not care about anything. The skunk would verbally torment the bulldog. Day after day the skunk was mean to the bulldog. One day a bird was standing on the power line and he overheard the skunk mocking the bulldog. The bird yelled at the skunk and said that is very bad how he was treating the bulldog. The skunk just laughed at the bird and continued tormenting the bulldog.
The bird landed near the bulldog and said: CAN’T YOU BEAT THE SKUNK UP? YOU ARE SO STRONG AND WE ADMIRE YOU! The bull dog answered: OF COURSE, I COULD BEAT THE SKUNK UP WITH EASE. YOU MUST UNDERSTAND: IT JUST ISN’T WORTH THE STINK THE SKUNK WOULD RAISE. Let the skunk keep the foul mouth going… it just is not worth the stink.
Matthew 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
2 Corinthians 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
2 Corinthians 10:4 (MSG) The tools of our trade aren't for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. 5 We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ
WE SHALL SEE THE ESCALATION OF THE PERSECUTION OF CHURCHES AND CHRISTIANS. THE TV AND COMPUTERS ARE FUELING THE FIRES OF PERSECUTIONS.
Mark 13:13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
KNOW THERE COMES A GREAT ESCALATION OF FALSE TEACHING, FALSE PREACHING THAT TICKLE THE EARS OF THE HEARERS…
2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2 Timothy 4:3 (MSG) You're going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy.
Mark 13:5 And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you: 6 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
CAN WE UNDERSTAND A TWO FOLD ESCALATION OF FEAR --- THEN THIS FEAR WILL CAUSE A GREAT ESCALATION OF HEART PROBLEMS…
Panic attacks? Anxiety? Worry? Fear? Terror?
Luke 21:26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
WILL WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE ESCALATION OF DYSFUNCTIONAL HOMES. FIGHTING, ARGUING AND HATRED RIGHT IN ONES PERSONAL FAMILY… DISOBEDIENT
Mark 13:12 Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.
WE WILL SEE A CHANGE IN OUR VALUE SYSTEM --- KIND OF LIKE WHAT NOAH SAW: EAT, DRINK AND GIVING IN MARRIAGE…
For many years tobacco usage was the #1 public health problem? Not so today: OBESITY, over eating. Just look around you. I recently heard a Preacher express a thought about DISCIPLINE… He asked a question: HOW CAN A PERSON PREACH SELF DISCIPLINE AND BE 100 POUNDS OVER WEIGHT? We are eating ourselves to death?
Matthew 24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
Go in any store and look at the stock of drinking products. Most have huge portions of SUGAR and CAFFINE?
THE CHURCH SHALL SEE A GREAT ESCALATION IN ANGER, HURT, BITTERNESS AND HATRED… THERE WILL BE AN ESCALATION CHURCH PROBLEMS, PERSONALITY PROBLEMS…
Offended: cause pain, unpleasant, unhappy, to cause to feel hurt, angry, or upset over words, to be unpleasant, to do wrong or feel as you have been treated wrong, to cause difficulty, to dislike, to cause pain, to be upset.
Matthew 24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Matthew 24:10 (MSG) And then, going from bad to worse, it will be dog-eat-dog, everyone at each other's throat, everyone hating each other.
THERE WILL BE AN ESCALATION OF A FALLING AWAY AND A SPIRIT OF FAITHFULNESS…
2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
SIN WILL ESCALE: IN THE LAST DAYS SIN WILL ABOUND --- SIN WILL CAUSE THE CHURCH TO COMPROMISE… SIN WILL BE ACCEPTED AS A NORM…
Matthew 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Matthew 24:12 (MSG) For many others, the overwhelming spread of evil will do them in—nothing left of their love but a mound of ashes.
BUCKLE YOUR BELTS: GLOBAL CONFLICT WILL ESCALATE NOT ONLY IN FREQUENCY BUT ALSO IN INTENSITY.
Matthew 24:6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
PESTILENCES: EPIDEMIC DISEASES, contagious, infectious., destructive.
EARTHQUAKES: 20,000 EARTHQUAKES A YEAR, THE AVERAGE IS AROUND 50 A DAY.
ESCALATION: INCREASING? I DEMAND GOD REMOVE THE THORNS 3 TIMES… THORNS HAVE A PURPOSE… GOD USES HARD TIMES AND DIFFICULT SEASONS JESUS WORE A CROWN OF THORNS. (INVOLUTED LEAVES)
2 Corinthians 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
CONCLUSION:
Luke 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
Joshua 1:9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
If you are living in love and by the commandments, we have nothing to fear.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
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