Climate Change

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NIV)

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. ² People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴ treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

Devotion:

            Climate change is a very common expression in these days. It generally refers to changes in our weather patterns. However, I want to use it to describe a phenomenon that is happening in a different area. Our culture. During the course of my lifetime (1960-present) the culture has changed drastically. We have gone from a culture where the church was a respected institution, and the family was revered to culture where the church is marginalized, and the family is under attack. This is true not just in America where I sit but throughout the western world and possibly beyond.

            Paul in today’s scripture speaks to a changing cultural climate. The expression “last days” refers to the entire time between Christ’s life and his return. We can say that we are living in the last days and always will be if the Lord tarries. The list of vices that follows is very descriptive of what is happening in our world today. All our world's institutions have become corrupt. Crime and lawlessness are on the rise. Our government is increasingly failing at its basic duty to” punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.” (1 Peter 2:14 NIV)

            The world is full of people who are living only for themselves doing the things listed in the scripture above and many other things that are too horrible to mention. Even the Christian church has seen wide swaths of people go on with the motions of Christianity without displaying any of the fruit that God expects Christians to have. In many places the church has become not prophetic speaking to the ills of culture, but rather a chaplain comforting its people in their sins and working without the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

            Where will all this lead us? What can the Church do to stem these changes in our culture? These are questions that no one can answer dogmatically. However, we as Christians must be in prayer more as we see the culture changing. We must speak out against evil wherever we see it. We must live out the prayer that Jesus taught us. “Your kingdom come” needs to be a call to action for us in the culture. Finally, we must as a church and as individuals seek the power that God has given us in the Holy Spirit so we can work to change the culture where we live. Let us pray that God will favor us and grant revival in our day:

Prayer:

            Lord, we lift our prayers to you this day. Help us to be men and women who can discern the times correctly. May we both know and do what you need done in our fallen world. Help us to be instruments of your peace and blessings in our corner of the world. Help us to hold our culture accountable when it practices evil. But first of all, may we seek your cleansing and regenerating power so we can be agents of change for your kingdom. Amen.