"But understand this, that in these last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be...having the appearance of godliness but denying its power." (v 1&5)
In today's reading, I thought that the last part of the reading would be the part that would naturally draw my attention, since our focus at church was being in the Word. It's "useful" and "profitable". But this first section really made an impact on me. I shutter to think of my own tendency to deny the power of godliness even as I live for all the world to see that I'm a pretty decent guy. The "OLD mann" can fake it especially in these last days but the "NEU mann" won't deny the power of God at work in him, he will rather embrace it. My own confirmation verse, Luke 11:28 says, "Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it." To keep it, isn't an outward show, it's embracing the power of His Word internally. God has also been laying on my heart that the Church has really, significantly reduced the meaning and power of "fellowship". We've turned it into, "hanging out with my Christian buddies." While there's nothing wrong with this kind of social life, it can have the form of fellowship but deny the real power of Biblical Christian fellowship. Read the "one another" commands of Scripture and you'll see what I mean.
Gracious God. I beg you to help me see and embrace the power of godly living to make it authentic and effective in my own life, especially in these last days. In Jesus name, Amen.
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