2: Perilous Times — The Heart Behind the Chaos



Beloved, the fires in Paris, Tirana, Milan, and other cities did not start with a match. They began in the human heart. The Apostle Paul, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, described exactly the kind of society we are watching unfold: “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people” (2 Timothy 3:1–5).

Read that list slowly. Lovers of self. Without self-control. Brutal. Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. These are not abstract theological terms; they are the spiritual soil in which riots grow. When a generation is taught to love itself above God and neighbor, when self-control is mocked as repression and brutality is excused as “expression,” the streets eventually burn. The cost-of-living protests that began over schools and housing in France were quickly overtaken by those who simply wanted to destroy. The same pattern appears wherever the fear of God has departed.

Jesus said that because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold (Matthew 24:12). That is precisely what we are seeing. Economic frustration becomes an excuse for looting. Political anger becomes justification for arson. The media and social platforms amplify every grievance while rarely calling anyone to repentance. This is not primarily a political problem or an economic problem. It is a spiritual problem rooted in the rejection of the living God.

What does this mean for the believer? First, do not be surprised. Paul told Timothy to “understand this.” The perilous times are not an accident; they are part of the last days. Second, examine your own heart. The same list that describes the world can creep into the church if we are not careful. Are we becoming lovers of self, lovers of pleasure, without self-control? Third, refuse to be swept into the world’s rage. The Christian’s response is not to join the chaos or to despair because of it, but to stand as a living contrast—salt that has not lost its savor and light that refuses to be hidden.

The riots reveal what happens when a society loses the restraining influence of the gospel. They also reveal the urgent need for the church to recover the power of godliness rather than merely the form of it. Only the Spirit of God working through the Word of God can change the heart that loves self into a heart that loves God.

Call to Action: Memorize 2 Timothy 3:1–5 this week. Ask the Lord to search your heart for any of these traits. Pray specifically for the gospel to go forth in the cities that are burning. And purpose to be a person of self-control and genuine godliness in a world that has lost both.

DMMC 

10-19-26

Location: Dublin, IN, USA

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