| Good morning everyone, Our theme for this month: “Personal Responsibility” Our Bible verse for today: “Let no one deceive you by any means: for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3 (NKJV) Our thought for today: “There is a great falling away happening” In multiple sermons, Bible studies, and daily devotionals over the last year, I’ve addressed the fact that there is a great falling away occurring in the Christian church in the USA. Fewer and fewer Americans are self-identifying as Christians; Biblical values and principles have less influence than ever before in our history; and church attendance has been in steady decline for many years. Even among those who do continue to attend church on a regular basis, many of them attend a church that teaches a form of “Christianity-light” which is superficial and often unbiblical in doctrine and practice. And all of that was before the COVID 19 pandemic. During the pandemic many churches across the land were closed for long periods of time. Some closed their doors forever. And now that we’re entering the post-pandemic era, few churches have regained their pre-pandemic numbers, vitality, or scope of ministry. Most churches are at 50-70% of what they were pre-pandemic. Beyond that, many members who fell away during the pandemic may not return to the church at all. All of this is consistent with what Paul was describing in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 regarding what it will be like as we approach the End Times and the stage is set for the appearance of the Antichrist. There will have been a great falling away from the faith and from the church, with entire societies across the globe rejecting Biblical truth. That will pave the way for an easy entrance for the Antichrist onto the world stage. So, what are we to do? How do faithful Christ-followers live in the midst of this great falling away? First, we redouble our personal determination and commitment to be faithful. We make extra effort to strengthen our own relationship with the Lord so that we will not be drawn away and slip into the easy-believism of Christianity-light. Then, we do our part to strengthen our churches. We faithfully attend the gatherings, we participate in ministry activities, we give generously, and we trust the Lord to bless and multiply our efforts. In recent years we have experienced a great falling away in this country, and it is continuing. Perhaps it’s a sign of the rapid approach of the End Times; or maybe it’s just the continuing deterioration of society in the USA; or it could be the residual impact of the pandemic. Whatever the cause, the falling away is a reality. But as individuals we don’t have to be a part of it and we don’t have to accept it. We can each resolve to be strong Christians, and we can each do our part to keep our own churches healthy, vibrant, and thriving. I strongly encourage you to be present at the gathering of your church this Sunday. You need to be there for yourself, and you need to be there for your church. God bless, Pastor Jim |
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