“...in the last days ... people will be lovers of self...money...pleasure...”

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 “You can be certain that in the last days there will be some very hard times. People will love only themselves and money. They will be proud, stuck-up, rude, and disobedient to their parents. They will also be ungrateful, godless, heartless, and hateful. Their words will be cruel, and they will have no self-control or pity. These people will hate everything that is good. They will be sneaky, reckless, and puffed up with pride. Instead of loving God, they will love pleasure. Even though they will make a show of being religious, their religion won't be real. Don't have anything to do with such people. ”    [2 Timothy 3:1-5]

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“...in the last days ... people will be lovers of self...money...pleasure...”

The apostle now gives Timothy a description of conditions that will exist in the world prior to the Lord’s coming. The remarkable thing is that the very conditions that exist among the heathen in their savagery and uncivilized state will characterize profession believers in the last days. How solemn this is!

The last days referred to here are the days between the apostolic period and the appearing of Christ to set up His kingdom.

Here we see the word lovers repeated several times.  “For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money…lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God…”

Outwardly these people seem religious. They make a profession of Christianity, but their actions speak louder than their words. By their ungodly behavior, they show that they are living a lie. There is no evidence of the power of God in their lives. While there might have been reformation, there never was regeneration.

Jesus answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"  [Luke 10:27]

“You adulterers! Don't you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.” [James 4:4]

The question is, “do you love God with all your heart?” 
   
 

 

Holy Scriptures

    

"All Scripture is breathed out by God..."

 “Since childhood, you have known the Holy Scriptures that are able to make you wise enough to have faith in Christ Jesus and be saved. Everything in the Scriptures is God's Word. All of it is useful for teaching and helping people and for correcting them and showing them how to live. The Scriptures train God's servants to do all kinds of good deeds. ”  [2 Timothy 3:15-17]

“My Lord and my God!”

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 “Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.  So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”    [John 20:24-25]

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“My Lord and my God!”

Thomas said to the other disciples, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

We should not jump to the conclusion that Thomas should be blamed for not being present with the other disciples the first time Jesus appeared to them.  Nothing is said to indicate the reason for his absence.

Thomas is to be blamed for his unbelieving attitude. He must have visible, tangible proof of the Lord’s resurrection, otherwise he will not believe. This is the attitude of many today, but it is not reasonable. Even scientists believe many things that they can neither see nor touch.

A week later the disciples were together again. This time, Thomas was with them. Again the Lord Jesus entered the room in a miraculous way and again greeted them with “Peace to you!” The Lord dealt gently and patiently with His faithless follower. He invited him to prove the reality of His resurrection by putting his hand into the spear wound in His side.

Thomas was convinced. Whether he ever did put his hand into the Lord’s side, we do not know. But he knew at last that Jesus was raised from the dead and that He was both Lord and God.  Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

The important thing to notice is that Jesus accepted worship as God.  If He were only a man, He should have refused it. But Thomas’ faith was not the kind that was most pleasing to the Lord. It was belief based on sight.  Jesus said, "Thomas, do you have faith because you have seen me? The people who have faith in me without seeing me are the ones who are really blessed!"
   
 

 

Put your finger here, and see my hands

    

"Put your finger here, and see my hands..."

 “Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”  Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”  Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”  Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”  [John 20:26-28]





"For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found."

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 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.  I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’  So he got up and went to his father.   “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. ”   [Luke 15:17-20]

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"For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found."

The God the Father is here depicted as a certain man who had two sons. The younger son typifies the repentant sinner, whereas the older son illustrates the scribes and the Pharisees. The younger son is also known as the prodigal son. 

A prodigal is one who is recklessly extravagant, who spends money wastefully. This son became weary of his father’s house and decided he wanted to leave. He could not wait for his father to die, and so asked for his portion of the inheritance ahead of time. The father distributed to his sons their proper share. 

Shortly afterward, the younger son set out to a far country and spends his money freely in sinful pleasures. As soon as his funds were gone a severe depression gripped the land, and he found himself destitute. The only employment he could get was as a feeder of swine—a job that would have been most distasteful to the average Jew. As he watched the pigs eating their bean pods, he envied them. They had more to eat than he had, and no one seemed disposed to help him. The friends he had when he was spending money freely had all disappeared.

The famine proved to be a blessing in disguise. It made him think.  He remembered that his father’s hired servants were living far more comfortably than he. They had plenty of food to eat, while he was wasting away with hunger.  He determined to go to his father in repentance, acknowledging his sin, and seeking pardon.
Long before he reached his home, his father saw him and had compassion. He ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
The son made his confession, but the father interrupted by ordering the servants to put the best robe on his son, put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.  He also ordered a great feast to celebrate the return on his son who had been lost and was now found. As far as the father was concerned, he had been dead but now was alive again.
“I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” [Luke 15:7].
   
 

 

Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you

   

"Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you"

 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.  Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.  For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. ” [Luke 15:21-24]




"WHOEVER DRINKS THE WATER I GIVE THEM WILL NEVER THIRST"

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 “ Jesus asked her, "Would you please give me a drink of water?" "You are a Jew," she replied, "and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink of water when Jews and Samaritans won't have anything to do with each other?" Jesus answered, "You don't know what God wants to give you, and you don't know who is asking you for a drink. If you did, you would ask me for the water that gives life. ”   [John 4:8-10]

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"WHOEVER DRINKS THE WATER I GIVE THEM WILL NEVER THIRST"

The woman recognized Jesus as a Jew and was amazed that He would speak to her, a Samaritan. The Jews had a deep dislike for the Samaritans. They considered them half-breeds. That is why this woman said to the Lord Jesus, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” Little did she realize that she was speaking with her own Creator, and that His love rose above all the petty distinctions of men.
Jesus was first of all the gift of God—the One God gave to be the Savior of the world, His only begotten Son. But He was also a Man—the One who, wearied with His journey, asked her for a drink. In other words, if she had realized that the One to whom she was talking was God manifest in the flesh, she would have asked Him for a blessing, and He would have given her living water. The woman could only think of literal water and of the impossibility of His getting it without the necessary equipment. She completely failed to recognize the Lord, or to understand His words.
So the Lord began to explain the difference between the literal water of Jacob’s well and the water which He would give. Whoever drank of this water would thirst again.  Men seek their pleasure and satisfaction in earthly things, but these things are not able to quench the thirst of the heart of man.
The contrast is very vivid. All the earth can provide is not sufficient to fill the human heart. But the blessings which Christ provides not only fill the heart, but they are too great for any heart to contain.  The pleasures of this world are for a few short years, but the pleasures which Christ provides go on into everlasting life.
Only those who know themselves to be lost can be saved. All men are lost, but not all willing to admit it. Jesus will save them if they repent of their sin and trust in Him. 
Dear friend, are you willing to acknowledge that you are lost and need a Savior Jesus Christ, who died for our sins on the cross. If there was any other way to save mankind, Jesus would have not died on the cruel cross.
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Jesus Talks With a Samaritan Woman

    

"...whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst"

 “Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,  but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” [John 4: 13-14]



"...whoever has been forgiven little loves little."

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 “A Pharisee invited Jesus to have dinner with him. So Jesus went to the Pharisee's home and got ready to eat.  When a sinful woman in that town found out that Jesus was there, she bought an expensive bottle of perfume. Then she came and stood behind Jesus. She cried and started washing his feet with her tears and drying them with her hair. The woman kissed his feet and poured the perfume on them. ”   [Luke 7:36-38]

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"...whoever has been forgiven little loves little."

Simon, the Pharisee, had asked Jesus home to eat with him, perhaps through curiosity or perhaps through hostility.  A sinful woman appeared in the room at the same time.  We do not know who she was; the tradition that she was Mary Magdalene lacks scriptural support.

This woman brought a white translucent flask of perfume. As Jesus reclined on a couch while eating, with His head near the table, she stood at His feet. She washed His feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair, and kissed them repeatedly. Then she anointed them with the costly perfume. Such worship and sacrifice revealed her conviction that there was nothing too good for Jesus.

Simon’s attitude was quite different. He felt that prophets, like Pharisees, should be separate from sinners. If Jesus were truly a prophet, he concluded, He would not let a sinner bestow such affection on Him.

Jesus read his mind, and courteously asked Simon permission to say something to him.  The Lord told the story of the creditor and the two debtors. One owed fifty dollars, the other five. When neither of them could repay at all, he cancelled both debts.  At this point Jesus asked Simon which borrower would love the lender more. The Pharisee correctly ansered, “ I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” In admitting this, he condemned himself, as Jesus proceeded to show him.

From the time the Lord had entered the house, the woman had lavished affection upon Him. The Pharisee, by contrast, had given Him a very cool reception, not even attending to the usual courtesies such as washing the guest’s feet, kissing His cheek and giving Him oil for His head.  The reason was that the woman had the consciousness of having been forgiven much, whereas Simon did not feel he had been a great sinner at all. “But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

Jesus did not suggest that the Pharisee was not a great sinner. Rather He emphasized that Simon had never truly acknowledged his vast guilt and been forgiven.  We are all great sinners. We can all know great forgiveness in the One who died for our sins. We can all love the Lord greatly.
   
 

A Sinner Anoints the Savior

   

"I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown"

 “Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.  You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.  Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” [Luke 7:44-47]