Sunday Morning Podcast June 22, 2014. Bro. Dave Goble.
TEXT: 2 TIMOTHY 3:1-5
1 For this know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, true breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Acts 2:14-19
14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
Not a pretty picture of what is spoken here, of the last days. A mere religious spirit is one that denies the power of God (2 Timothy 3: 5). God said to turn away from a form of godliness, which denies the power. This is being wicked and spiritually dead on the inside, while the outside is spiritually “white washed.” There is a need for our thinking to be challenged. God’s ways and thoughts are higher than man’s (Isaiah 55:9). Our ideals should not be preferred …as opposed to forsaking them for God’s Word. In Acts the second chapter, Peter read words from “Joel”, which refers to the promise coming to pass, of God’s Spirit being poured out on all flesh. It speaks of prophecies, visions, and dreams (Acts 2:17). The Peter speaking here, is different from (when before receiving the Holy Spirit at Pentecost) he had denied Christ three times (Matthew 26:33,34,74,75). For then, he was without the empowerment of the Spirit to overcome the fear of the flesh. When those listening to Peter speak here (in Acts 2), about how in their sins they had crucified the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, ..they asked him “what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37).
Peter exhorted them to repent for the remission of their sins, so they would be able to receive the Holy Ghost, (Acts 2: 37-40). It empowered them to now live above sin, and to prophesy for the gospel. If there could not have been a different Peter than before (as with any of us), the gift of the Spirit would have been irrelevant; for there would not be an evidence of overcoming power.
God has the same promise of power to overcome, ..for each of us. God’s Spirit will make the difference in giving power over our flesh. The flesh without the Spirit is prone to sin, self, or selfishness in our speech, thoughts, conduct, etc. It is only through the Holy Spirit, that we can have real control in our minds, ..to overcome and do God’s will. For when God gives His Spirit, it is in abundance, that will change our lives completely. It will change us from the inside out. But we must first allow or choose God’s Spirit to work on our flesh, correcting it, for full submission to His Word.
Are You willing to allow the Spirit to work on the flesh?