HARVEY – One would have to be living under a rock somewhere to not realize we are living in a different day. We are living in a day where we can see a lot of the verses in God’s Word that speak on the latter days playing out all around us.
Even the unsaved seem to recognize that there is something different about the days that we are living in. We can see a lot of similarity in 2 Timothy 3 where it say that perilous times will come:
For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lover of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.
This is quite a list, and we know that these things have always been part of our sin nature, but we see an increase of these things in our society to where it is out of control. You see an occurrence of these things happening in a split second on your phone, and there doesn’t seem to be any escape to a normal world.
A few weeks ago, I had a conversation with an unsaved friend of mine that had made the statement “I would love just a little sense of normalcy in the world.”
People cannot put their finger on what is going on. The world is changing so fast, and we that know Him, know that his return is so close.
So, looking at this, we in Christ, should understand we no longer live in a country or a world that has a biblical worldview. Without a biblical view you have confusion, disorder, and chaos. It is like trying to put together this beautiful jigsaw puzzle, but someone has put in other pieces that don’t fit. The picture just doesn’t make sense. This is why so many people are losing hope. We see a huge increase in drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and increased suicide in our culture and it’s not slowing down.
We that have come to faith in Christ, been born again, drank from the well, and tasted the Living Water, been set free, that have been forgiven, that have been redeemed have the answer…the truth which is in Jesus Christ.
We have been given the mystery to the Kingdom. If ever there was a time in the history of the church, the body of Christ, that the harvest is plentiful, I think it’s now. I can tell you this truly excites me. We have a world that is hungry for the truth.
However it’s also a time for me to fully understand 1 Peter 3:15, But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; I was so convicted when I heard someone say, when is the last time someone asked about the hope inside me.
As a pastor I have come to understand this as one of my main missions, to train the laborers. There are some great resources, and they are at our fingertips. But the one place where we must begin is in the heart. When God started to change my heart for the lost, it started to be my focus. Someone told me recently that the Pastor can imprint his heart on the congregation. This is where I as a pastor want to lead, by my Savior every step of the way.
These are exciting times, and we can see it if we keep our focus on Him and not the world. One of the things we find in his Word is when God moved in miraculous ways, the people moved first. We are living in a different day, but they are exciting days. These are the days to be so close to the Savior and to be led by the Holy Spirit. In words of encouragement, don’t miss out on being a part of His Kingdom work. This is where you will find JOY.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ron Sego is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. For the last 22 years he has worked in many parts of the ministry working along some great pastors as an adult Sunday school teacher, working as part of evangelistic team and worship leader. 2 years ago, he answered the call to pastor Harvey Baptist Church where he serves today. He also has been with the Michigan Department of Correction for the past 26 years as a correction officer, and the last nine as a trades instructor with the Education Department.