We know that in these last days there’s going to be iniquity abounding; the love of many is going to wax cold.  We know that people are not going to endure sound doctrine.  False prophets will arise.  There’s going to be lying signs and wonders.  All of these things are part of that hour.  As it was in the days of Noah, is the environment that precedes the coming of the Son of Man.  As it was in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah, that’s the environment that’s going to surround us prior to the coming of the Lord.  According to 2 Timothy 3:4, the people of God are going to be under a great temptation to join in with the world and the party spirit because in the last days men are going to be “lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God”.  This is the environment.  We’ve talked about that party spirit and that we should be alert, so that that day doesn’t overtake us, that we be not drunk with the wine of this world and the pursuit of pleasure and entertainment that will represent that day.  So, we’re told to watch.  We’re told that we are the children of light and “that day” should not take us “unawares” (Luke 21:34).  We’re trying to remind ourselves of the hour that we’re coming into.

The book of Daniel tells us that it’s going to be a time of great prosperity for many, and even many that are the children of God, because God wants to bless His people; amen?  But it says many will be destroyed by their prosperity.  Jesus says, “It’s difficult for a rich man to get into heaven” (Matthew 19:23-24).  So, with those statements, I think we ought to be sober as we approach this day; amen?  We need to be sober as we look at all of this gain that we have, the prosperity that we all have.  Don’t make the mistake of comparing ourselves by ourselves.  We’re the most prosperous nation in the world, and for a number of years we’ve been the wealthiest county in this nation.  So, we’re living in an environment around here that’s not everywhere.  We saw that when we went to the tournament in Tennessee.  It’s a little different than greater Washington.  So, here we are, a people that are experiencing the consequences of living in this great Capital, the most powerful nation in the world still—for how much longer I don’t know, but still.  We’ve experienced and reaped the benefits and blessings of that.

But what we never want to forget is Deuteronomy, Chapter 8, verse 18, “But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant”; amen?  We need to always be aware that God is our source, not this government, not your job.  You can’t trust in your security clearances; you can’t trust in any of the advances that have been made over the years in whatever company you work for.  God is advancing you.  We can never be in right relationship with God and say, “My own hand has gotten me this.”  The minute you think that, the minute you believe that, you are not living in faith.  You’re living in pride and independence.  And “God resisteth the proud,” but, He’ll give “grace unto the humble” (James 4:6); amen?  The humble always acknowledge Him as their source.  We see in the eleventh verse of this chapter, “Beware that thou forget not the Lord” (Deuteronomy 8:11).  Beware.  “Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; and when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied” (verse 12-13).  Don’t you like verse 13?  Hallelujah!  We’re not even having it added unto us, it’s being multiplied, praise God!  God wants to bless His people.