Let us read from the Scripture; 2 Timothy 3:1-5
ou may as well know this too, Timothy, that in the last days, there will be very difficult times and it is going to be very difficult to be godly. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money; they will be proud and boastful, sneering at God, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful to them, and thoroughly bad. 3 They will be hardheaded and never give in to others; they will be constant liars and troublemakers and will think nothing of immorality. They will be rough and cruel, and sneer at those who try to be good. 4 They will betray their friends; they will be hotheaded, puffed up with pride, and prefer good times to worshiping God. 5 They will go to church,[a] yes, but they won't really believe anything they hear. Don't be taken in by people like that.
Let us Pray.
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I am preaching today on the topic "The Danger of the End of Time"
All I just read were Apostle Paul's word. It is part of one of the letters he wrote to his spiritual son, Timothy, who was a Pastor in one of the early Churches.
With all the happenings in the world today, Nigeria inclusive, Paul cannot be better correct. There is no doubt that we are in the last days. Apostle Paul made these prophesies about 2000 years ago. And we all are witnesses to it as they are being fulfilled today.
In fact these predictions of Paul are more relevant to Nigeria more than any other country I know.
Let us recount those prophesies; people will love only themselves and their money; this means they will be extremely greedy and selfish.
Is this not true with some citizens, who worked for only 8 years and in all the 8 years, ate the choicest food, lived in a house, which has electricity and water every hour of the day, lived large, had several servants at their command?
They had uncountable number of vehicles at their service; best state of art bullet proof vehicles, took a tour of the globe, took heavy salaries in millions, took security votes in millions every month; all on the budget of the commonwealth and after 8 years of service, retain their monthly salaries and allowances as pension for life, compared with none in the whole world.
They go away with several vehicles and several servants. A mansion is built for them in their different states and another in Abuja or wherever they chose. Upon all these, by the time they finished their 8 year service, they have wrecked their different states. Years later, workers cannot get their wages. When workers are not paid, the result is that every area of business collapse.
After the 8 years, the same set of people congregate themselves in Abuja, call themselves Law Makers, start receiving another monthly jumbo pay and allowances compared with none other in the entire world; not even the President of America, the richest country in the world.
Let us read again, some of the predictions of Apostle Paul of the last days: "They will be proud and boastful, sneering at God ------and thoroughly bad. 3 They will be hardheaded and never give in to others; they will be constant liars and troublemakers and will think nothing of immorality. They will be rough and cruel, and sneer at those who try to be good. 4 They will betray their friends; they will be hotheaded, puffed up with pride, and prefer good times to worshiping God. 5 They will go to church,[a] yes, but they won't really believe anything they hear"
So Paul wrote that with all these happenings: "times will be very difficult-"
How will life not be difficult, when those who promised to coordinate the commonwealth for our benefit choose to live high life, to the detriment of their citizens?
With the wealth of the whole nation shared recklessly by those in vantage position, building estates for themselves in cities across the globe, how else will the citizens fare than pitiful life?
But if they think no one can question them, I should like to remind them of Someone, above who is watching and who will reward everyone according to his deeds, however long it may be.
Paul added that with the difficult time, it is going to be very difficult to be godly----"And not only will it be difficult to be godly, but it will also be difficult to be a true preacher.
Why will it be difficult to be godly? It will be difficult for the one who wants to do what is right to do it, dwelling and doing business among the ungodly, unrighteous, selfish, unkind and fraudulent majority. And except God upholds him, he himself will soon compromise his faith and join the company of the ungodly as the saying goes "bad company ruins good moral" And what is the end result? Hell! This is the danger of the happenings of the last days, which the Apostle Paul predicted 2000 years ago.
I am preaching on the Dangers of the Last Days
Someone says why do we cry over these ungodly happenings since they have been prophesied. The fact that it has been prophesied is the more reason why preachers must warn people to repent and flee from the resulting repercussion of hell as the adage goes "To be forewarned is to be forearmed"
And why did Paul add to it that it will be more difficult to be a preacher?
Paul answered it in his warning to same Pastor Timothy in his second letter to him in chapter 4:3-4:
"For there is going to come a time when people won't listen to the truth but will go around looking for teachers who will tell them just what they want to hear. 4 They won't listen to what the Bible says but will blithely follow their own misguided ideas."
And that is why some Preachers will find it very hard to preach on some Radio Stations in spite the fact that the preaching are not free but with payment.
In spite the fact that people will not want to hear, Paul still encouraged Timothy in the same letter in vs 1-2 to preach the Word urgently at all times,---when it is convenient and when it is not; to correct and rebuke his people when they need it, to encourage them to do right, and all the time be feeding them patiently with God's Word.
Why did Paul encourage Timothy not to be discouraged whether people want to hear it or not?
Paul gave the answer earlier in vs 1 "So that the people might escape God's wrath who will someday judge the living and the dead when Jesus Christ appears to set up his Kingdom"
And for this and no other reason, I dedicate all, which God gives me to pay and preach on the air, to prevent souls from going to hell, in spite all the insults I receive from time to time from certain quarters.
I do not preach to gain popularity or for praises of men. Of what benefit is popularity or praises of men to me? If anything, I strain myself and family members and friends from enjoying the sweat of our labour; using our hard earned money to be on the air. And Except the burden is placed on me, I cherish very much, a quiet life.
God told Prophet Ezekiel as we read in his book chapter 3 "Whenever you receive a message from me, warn people immediately. 18 If I warn the wicked, saying, 'You are under the penalty of death,' but you fail to deliver the warning, so that they can depart their wicked ways and save their souls from destruction, they will die in their sins, but I will hold you responsible for their deaths. 19 If you warn them and they refuse to repent and keep on sinning, they will die in their sins. But you will have saved yourself because you obeyed me.
Those who prevent the wicked to hear the truth had better be very careful so that God does not hold them responsible.
Some very important personalities had reasons to worship in a certain Church a while ago, the Pastor spoke what will benefit their souls. The same very important personalities few days later had reasons to worship in another Church. This other Church saw the occasion as an opportunity to solicit for money to complete their building. Their priority is the edifice of their place of worship.
And which is more important? The building, which can be destroyed by storm within seconds, or the souls of men who worship in the building, which do not die?
The housing or cage in which the soul dwells will one day be pulled down and return to dust but the souls will be answerable of his deeds, to the creator. and that is more important.
Yoruba says that when two brothers enter into the chamber to speak and they come out laughing, they must not have spoken the truth to themselves.
I do not belong to the group of Pastors who call white, black and black, white.
Prophet Isaiah in chapter 5 vs 20 reads "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; ----- Which justify the wicked for reward!
I will not be blamed, so woe will not be mine in Jesus name. I prefer that we be enemies here on earth but find ourselves in heaven rather than laughing with one another here on earth because I do not want to offend you if I tell you the truth. But I do not want to lose you to hell.
Returning to the shoddy, sinful, greedy, selfish behavior of those who take our mandate to work on our commonwealth for the benefit of us all but instead raping us, let us not forget that these people are our blood. So they are reflections of who we are.
Whatever behavior or character they display reflects how we too will behave were we in their advantage position, except a few. Remember that when you point one accusing finger to another person, four others point to you yourself.
But I can confirm with boldness that these are not the behavior of our parents. Honesty and godliness was the watchword of our parents and the founding fathers of this nation. I met it all when government money was sacred, when it was untouchable. And that was why the nation was making progress. That was why there were jobs for all categories of cadres; primary and high school leavers and University graduates, even before they graduate. And this was when there was no oil. Salaries were paid promptly on the 22nd of the month.
We can return to the status quo. Yes we can. If we cannot, if God had told me we cannot, I will not be bothering myself on this campaign rather I will be enjoying my retired life after hard labour across the globe.
Yes we can, if we shall put our religious differences behind us. Let us gather ourselves to a Solemn Assembly where we shall ask God to take charge of our hearts, dedicate ourselves to godliness; young and old; women and men; educated and uneducated. God is waiting on you to allow Him work it out for us, so that we can eat the good of the land. Nigeria must bounce back to one of progress.
Let us pray.
Sign out music.
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