THE BLATANT HEDONISM OF THESE LAST DAYS

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0><script type="text/javascript" src="http://hb.lycos.com/hb.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://ratings.lycos.com/ratings/lycosRating.js.php"></script> <script type="text/javascript"><![CDATA[//><!]]></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://scripts.lycos.com/catman/init.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-start.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-middle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-end.js"></script> <noscript> <img src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/img/common/ot_noscript.gif?rand=341694" alt="" width="1" height="1" />  <iframe frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" width="728" height="90" src="http://ad.yieldmanager.com/st?ad_type=iframe&ad_size=728x90&section=209094"></iframe>  </noscript> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=95 BGCOLOR="#330066" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="048005f0dkblkv.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Preach The Word</b></FONT><B>     </b><B>|    </b><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B> </b><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Preach The Word"><U><B>home</b></U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="2 Timothy"><U><B>2 Timothy</b></U></A><B>   l   </b><A HREF="id54.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="DANIEL"><U><B>Daniel</b></U></A><B>   l   </b><A HREF="id69.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ZECHARIAH: "><U><B>Zechariah</b></U></A><B>   l  </b><A HREF="id70.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="MARK"><U><B> Mark</b></U></A><B>    I    </b><A HREF="id136.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="TOPICAL STUDIES"><U><B>Topical Studies</b></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=385 BGCOLOR="#DDDDDD" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>THE BLATANT HEDONISM OF THESE LAST DAYS</b></div> <div> 2 Timothy 3:4</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> The Bible teaches that the closer we come to the Lord's Return the more people will be like this unbelieving man.  Even though they'll have the truth staring them in the face they'll just choose to not believe and condemn it. The sad result will be that unless God gets a hold of them and grants them true faith in Christ, they to will find themselves with in the face of unbelievable chaos and destruction.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>1.  PEOPLE IN THESE LAST DAYS WILL BE BETRAYERS  (4a)     </b></div> <bR> <div> "People will be… treacherous"</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >"Prodotai"</FONT>:  Also translated <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >"betrayer", "traitor"</FONT>.  It speaks of turning against a person who places a lot of trust in you.  Becoming unfaithful to someone who trusts you for selfish ends.</div> <bR> <div>  The Bible has an endless catalogue of <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >"treacherous"</FONT> people who betrayed close friends or relatives.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><U>King David Betrayed Uriah</U></b><B>  </b><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" ><B>(2 Sam.11)</b></FONT></div> <bR> <div> After having secretly slept with his wife and gotten her pregnant he sent for Uriah on the battle field hoping he'd run home to have some time with her.  But he was too good of a soldier and refused.  David got him drunk and he still refused.  So he sent him back to the battlefield carrying his own death warrant to his army general, Joab.  Uriah had the greatest respect and trust for his king. But his king betrayed<B> </b>him twice.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><U>Jeremiah Speaks of Treachery in His Day</U></b></div> <bR> <div> "Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks with deceit. With his mouth each speaks cordially to his neighbor, but in his heart he sets a trap for him.  Should I not punish them for this? Declares the Lord."  Jer.9: 8-9.</div> <bR> <div> Why do people betray people?  Same root:  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >"Selfishness" (v.2a)</FONT> The person who betrays another has no consideration, care or sympathy for the person she's betraying.  Her only reason for betrayal is to protect her own self-interest.  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" ><B>David</b></FONT> couldn't bear to be accused of adultery and a possible broken marriage. <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" ><B>Judas</b></FONT> just wanted the money <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >("Show me the money")</FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>2. PEOPLE IN THESE LAST DAYS WILL BE HEADSTRONG (4b)</b></div> <bR> <div> "People will be … rash"</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" ><B>"Propetes"</b></FONT>:  Literally means to fall forward and speaks of people who are impulsive, self-willed, stubborn and easily irritated.  A headstrong person is easily ticked off in to becoming violent. He easily becomes impatient and angry.  The literal meaning of <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" ><B>"falling forward"</b></FONT> carries the picture of one who is already leaning toward violent behavior, so the slightest little nudge will precipitate him into it.  He's already pre-disposed to explode and is just waiting for a good reason to do it.</div> <bR> <div> And isn't that an adequate picture today?</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Examples:</U></b><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >  </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >Young Driver, Elderly Lady</FONT></div> <div>               50% of Hollywood Movies: Revenge</div> <bR> <div> In today's society anger is power. In the Bible anger is madness.</div> <bR> <div> "A quick-tempered man does foolish things" Prov.14: 17a</div> <bR> <div> "A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly" 14:29</div> <bR> <div> "An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered one commits many sins." 29:22</div> <bR> <div> "Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared." 22:24-25</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>3. PEOPLE IN THESE LAST DAYS WILL BE COCKY. (4c)</b></div> <div>  </div> <div> "People will be… conceited" </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>"</b></I>Cocky<I><B>"</b></I> means extremely self-confident.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>"</b></I>Tuphoo<I><B>"</b></I>: "Has the root meaning of being enveloped in smoke, or beclouded so that what is outside one's circumscribed world of self cannot be seen."  <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >MacArthur, 2 Timothy, p. 116</FONT></div> <bR> <div> A conceited person is a person who has extremely high thoughts about him or herself. He has an over inflated view, a high and overflowing self-esteem, if you will. I mean, she's so good everybody should just bow down and worship her.<I><B> </b></I></div> <bR> <div> It's the kind of silent attitude that says, <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >"My, my, my! How blessed you are to have me amongst you.  I mean, how could you be so happy and blessed without me?"</FONT></div> <bR> <div> "Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight." Isaiah 5:21</div> <bR> <div> "Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil." Prov.3:7</div> <bR> <div> I don't think it necessary to elaborate any more on this one.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>4. PEOPLE IN THESE LAST DAYS WILL BE HEDONISTIC. (4d)</b></div> <bR> <div> "People will be… lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God." </div> <div>  </div> <div> Notice that he doesn't say <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >"more than"</FONT> but <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >"rather than".</FONT>  So it's not like people will <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >"like God a little"</FONT> but <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >"pleasure more".</FONT> No. People won't have any like for God at all!  A literal translation here would be<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >:  "Pleasure-lovers rather than God-lovers."</FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> On more than one occasion I've had people tell me that they understand the Gospel but won't become Christians because they'll have to stop going to Night Clubs, smoking, drugs, drinking, premarital sex and all that they now call "fun".</div> <bR> <div> In today's North American culture <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >"Pleasure"</FONT> is to be valued far and above morality.  Just checkout the TV Music Channels.  Especially the Hip-Hop, Rap & Metal Video's. The message is clear: <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >"It's OK. To shoot people, degrade and abuse women, speak profanity and blasphemy, be obscene and rebel against parents… as long as you have lots of fun doing it."</FONT></div> <bR> <div> So, as a God honoring people in the Church, we need to face this hedonistic philosophy and ask ourselves if this is true.  Some of you might see this as a rhetorical question.  But believe me, folks, as a Pastor, I can assure you that a greater majority of today's professing Christians really doesn't know what the Bible has to say on the issue. <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >"Is it or is it not true that everything is really fine as long as you're having lots of fun doing it?"  Or is it true that God is a sort of far away "Cosmic killjoy" who doesn't want you to have any fun at all?" </FONT> And that's what a lot of fundamentalist groups are absolutely convinced of. I mean, to observe them from a far it's a sin to smile.  Well, maybe not "smile" but certainly to laugh out loud!</div> <bR> <div> What do the Scriptures teach on pleasure? We believe the Scriptures teach that joy, even overwhelming joy and laughter are a gift from God.  Yes, God wants you to have fun! Yes, God wants you to be hilariously joyful.  <U>But here's the key:</U><B> </b>God wants people to laugh, have fun, and enjoy what is morally good, what honors His Sovereignty and Providence.  What honors His Creation, His love, goodness, grace, faithfulness, mercy, truth and justice.</div> <bR> <div> What are the 2 greatest commandments?  Love God and Love your Neighbor as yourself.  So evaluate your pleasures and fun against these 2 divine and true standards. Ask yourself: <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >"Am I finding pleasure in something that offends the Almighty Creator?  Is my fun degrading my neighbor? Does what I enjoy offend God or violate my love for my neighbor? Am I rejoicing in something that God has clearly and categorically already condemned?"</FONT></div> <bR> <div> I think one key verse on this is found in <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >1 Corinthians 13:6<I>, </I>"Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth."</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >Another good verse on this is </FONT>2 Thessalonians 2:12, "All will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><U>Question</U></b>:  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >What is "evil"?  What is "wickedness"?</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Well, you'll have to keep reading your Bible for this one.  Multiplied dozens of evils and wickedness are stated very plainly in the pages of the Scriptures.  And, so, it's only by walking in step with the Holy Spirit and His Revelation that you'll be able to know, especially in gray areas, what would be the best thing to do.</div> <bR> <div> What is <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >"evil", "bad" or "wicked"</FONT> is, basically, <U>all that is contrary to the Will of God.</U>  And how are you going to become acquainted with the Will of God?  By getting closer to Him.</div> <bR> <div> Turn with me to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#006600" FACE="Arial" >Proverbs 2</FONT></div> <bR> <div> When you get serious about finding and living the truth, God will reveal it to you.  But if you choose to live a half-hearted Christian life, don't be surprised if you often find yourself lost in uncertainty and doubt.  It's your choice.  I hope & do pray regularly that you'll make the right choice.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."  Psalm 19:14</div> <bR> <div> Amen and God Bless You All.</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>