Another Cause of a Difficult Season – Mixing With the World

By John Fast

“But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.” – 2 Timothy 3:1

I take it for granted that no person reading this study would like to be thought of as a hypocrite. No one likes to think of themselves as being self-deceived, that while professing to believe, and considering themselves to be one thing, they actually live in a way that is totally inconsistent with what they profess to be and believe. The Apostle Paul was grieved over the many professing Christians whose walk was not in keeping with their profession; those “who set their minds in earthly things” (Phil 3:18, 19). Read more »

Preparation For Suffering

Another Cause of a Difficult Season

By John Fast

“But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.” – 2 Timothy 3:1

In our last study I began to describe some of the causes which make a season difficult. The first cause I mentioned was that given by the Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 3:2-5, “For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power;”. Read more »

Preparation For Suffering

The Causes of a Difficult Season

By John Fast

“But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.” – 2 Timothy 3:1

I take it for granted that virtually everyone who will read this study considers themselves a Christian. You profess to believe the Bible. You affirm key Christian doctrines. You read Christian books. You listen to Christian radio and Christian music. You regularly attend a place of Christian worship. You follow one or more famous and popular Christian preachers. But the question I have for you is, will all this save your soul? Read more »

Preparation For Suffering

By John Fast

“But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.” – 2 Timothy 3:1

Dear Reader,

I do not know who you are, nor do you know who I am, but I have something of utmost importance to say to you. It concerns the times in which we live and the danger they pose to your precious and immortal soul. I do not know whether you are old or young, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, liberal or conservative, Baptist or Buddhist, Methodist or Muslim, Protestant or Catholic, religious or irreligious. But I do know that you have an eternal soul that will either be lost or saved. Read more »

Recovering from Spiritual Decay

By John Fast

In our last study I examined some of the more common ways indwelling sin causes spiritual decay, even in the lives of true believers. Whenever the preaching of God’s word and His pure gospel is supplanted by ear-tickling, man-centered, shallow, crowd-pleasing, ego-boosting messages; when all the sharp edges of sound doctrine are rounded off and toned down so as to accommodate the culture and avoid offending unbelievers; when people are more prone to follow the teachings and experiences of popular men rather than the word of God; and when God’s worship is accommodated to people’s personal preferences – as is the case today – then decays and corruptions, even among true believers, are inevitable and unavoidable. Read more »