because your motives are all wrong

James 4

New Living Translation (NLT)

Drawing Close to God

4 What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? ² You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. ³ And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.

⁴ You adulterers!^[a] Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. ⁵ What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the spirit God has placed within us is filled with envy?^{[b] 6} But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say,

“God opposes the proud
    but favors the humble.”^[c]

⁷ So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. ⁹ Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

Warning against Judging Others

¹¹ Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters.^[d] If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. ¹² God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?

Warning about Self-Confidence

¹³ Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” ¹⁴ How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. ¹⁵ What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶ Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil.

¹⁷ Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

Footnotes:

1. James 4:4 Greek You adulteresses!
2. James 4:5 Or that God longs jealously for the human spirit he has placed within us? or that the Holy Spirit, whom God has placed within us, opposes our envy?
3. James 4:6 Prov 3:34 (Greek version).
4. James 4:11 Greek brothers.

The Dangers of the Last Days

2 Timothy 3

New Living Translation (NLT)

The Dangers of the Last Days

3 You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. ² For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. ³ They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. ⁴ They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. ⁵ They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!

⁶ They are the kind who work their way into people’s homes and win the confidence of^[a] vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires. ⁷ (Such women are forever following new teachings, but they are never able to understand the truth.) ⁸ These teachers oppose the truth just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. They have depraved minds and a counterfeit faith. ⁹ But they won’t get away with this for long. Someday everyone will recognize what fools they are, just as with Jannes and Jambres.

Paul’s Charge to Timothy

¹⁰ But you, Timothy, certainly know what I teach, and how I live, and what my purpose in life is. You know my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance. ¹¹ You know how much persecution and suffering I have endured. You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra—but the Lord rescued me from all of it. ¹² Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. ¹³ But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived.

¹⁴ But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. ¹⁵ You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. ¹⁷ God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

Footnotes:

1. 2 Timothy 3:6 Greek and take captive.

Perilous Times and Perilous Men

Timothy 3

New King James Version (NKJV)

Perilous Times and Perilous Men

3 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, ⁴ traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! ⁶ For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, ⁷ always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; ⁹ but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

The Man of God and the Word of God

¹⁰ But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, ¹¹ persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. ¹² Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. ¹³ But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. ¹⁴ But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, ¹⁵ and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
¹⁶ All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

End Times Witnessing: 'killer winter' is no surprise to the watchman

The news on the sudden onslaught of cold and harsh 'killer winter' is no surprise to the watchman. He saw related visions at two preceding consecutive February. On both occasions he saw the speaker standing in the snow. In the first one he saw her (a senior prophetic intercessor) standing in the wilderness confronting the vast emptiness, speaking. The snow was up to her ankle. An avalanche of snow was fast moving toward her but she was relentless. She just spoke on. In the second year, he saw the same speaker standing in the snow. This time he was looking out of a window. The snow has reached neck level. The same speaker whose body was covered by snow had only her head seen. There were other heads sticking out of the snow. The land was empty and frozen. The watchman also received one verse one day after he had these visions. He heard, “Do you have winter clothes?” So he put it in writing and also called up his friends.

This year another intercessor had a dream. She saw the sudden freezing of the sea and big hailstones rained from heaven. She and another were trying to escape but soon the other person was hit. There was no escape.

Soon after this dream the news came. People were even dying of extreme cold. It sounded incredible. But it is real. The winter in February is unusual and unnatural. Again, sudden killer flood came to places normally free of such calamity in the past 100 years!

The watchman continued with weekly Bible reading with a group of friends (members of three families, including his own. This time there were two other new guests. Another guest who came last week dropped out.) in his house on last Saturday. This has become a pivotal and refreshing event in their ordinary lives. When the others left in the evening, he continued reading the Bible on his own. He was led to read Matthew 22-24. Chapter 22 started with the Parable of the Wedding Feast. The warning verse 22:14 “For many are called, but few chosen” stood out (exactly as his guests came and went). By the time he read 24:12, “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold”, the watchman knew this was the message for this generation with the physical cold winter as a sign!

He knew the urgency of asking the Lord for the right teaching of God's words to counter the spiritual coldness. So he asked. He stayed up on Saturday night to search the Bible. But he was too tired and he had to give up and sleep. When he got up on Sunday morning he was led to open an audio CD holder which someone had recently re-organized and placed in his car. Among others there were three CD with the label “Hardness of Heart” by Andrew Wommack. He listened and found the key verse: “For they had not considered the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were hardened.”

What are the reasons for hardened hearts? Cold cold loveless hearts (toward God)? The wrong focus of the disciples (on the natural and physical but not on spiritual matters, i.e. the supernatural divine God, His nature and His power!). The same for today's believers. Jesus Himself gave the reason that because lawlessness abounds, the love of many grow cold. What are the things of lawlessness? How to be saved from this lawless and cold heart crisis? Jesus said: “But he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Matt.24:13) How can one stand firm to the end? (2 Thess2:15; 2 Pet3:11, 17-18); These are important questions for this time. Take note that the Lord hates lawlessness: Matt.7:23; Heb.1:9. “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived” (1 Cor.6:9).

In addition to what Jesus has warned in Matt.22-25 about lawlessness, some of the other Bible verses are as follows.

Godlessness in the last days 2 Tim.3:1-5; 3:13; 4:3-5; The man of lawlessness 2 Thess2:3-4,7-8; The scoffers 2 Pet3:3; 2 Pet2:8; 1 John2:18; 3:4; Jude 18-19 (Scoffers; men who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit of God).

Indeed, how shall we stand? “What manner of persons ought we to be in holy conduct and godliness?” (2 Pet.3:11) Let us take heed to this question and some of the answers in the following verses.

Our Lord Jesus thus warned the disciples, “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:36) He however promised, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” (John 14:23) In Revelation 22:14, this essential qualification is confirmed by the Holy Spirit through the recording of John, “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.” (the heavenly city of New Jerusalem, the city of God).

The Apostle Peter thus urged believers to know our status in Christ: “You therefore beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware, lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.'' (2 Pet.3:17-18) “but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.” (1 Pet.1:15) “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people.” (1 Pet.2:9)

The Apostle Paul therefore taught the believers to stand fast by knowing and holding the truth in the Scriptures.(2 Thess2:15): stand fast in the Lord (1 Thess3:8); by faith you stand (2 Cor.1:24); watch, stand fast in the Lord, be brave, be strong (1 Cor.16:13); God is able to make you stand (Rom.14:4); take up the whole armor of God to withstand in the evil day and stand (Eph.6:13-14).

The Apostle James thus reminded, “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:21-22)

The Holy Spirit bears witness for us: “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” (Rom8:16); the Spirit Himself makes intercessions for us (Rom8:26); For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God (Rom8:14); he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him (1 Cor6:17); your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor6:19); you were washed, sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God (1 Cor6:11); by this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. (1 John 4:13)

The ultimate weapons against Lawlessness: How to overcome the spirit of lawlessness?

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb (Jesus) and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” (Revelation 12:11)
____________________________________
Andrew Wommack"s Hardness of Hearts (audio download)
http://www.awmi.net/extra/audio/1003 
excerpts: 
"Here are some of the major things I’ve learned that determine the sensitivity of your heart. First, whatever you consider, your heart becomes softened toward. Conversely, whatever you fail to consider, your heart becomes hardened to. That’s what Mark 6:52 reveals. Again, that verse says,
“For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.”

End Times Witnessing: 2012 First Dream -Fire from Heaven!

The watchman woke from a terrible dream at 4am. It was the first vivid dream this year. He dreamed of a sunny and modern city with happy and contented looking people selling and buying, enjoying their Sunday activities, eating, drinking, watching games or picnicking in an open field. He walked down the main street with someone he knew. He was on his way to see if he could scout a busy business outlet and offer to invest in it. Suddenly they saw thick smoke and the news that fire came down from the sky and started burning the people in the open field. He and the other person raced down the street toward the burning field. Someone shouted at them where they were going. He shouted back, “We are going to save those in the fire.”They reached there within minutes but there were only charred remains. Some workmen were already clearing the field like after a normal football event…
What a terrible dream! He thanked the Lord it was only a dream. On the night before around 11:30pm he was troubled and prayed about his concern over someone. Then he read the verses from Psalm 45:10-11 in New Living Translation: “¹⁰ Listen to me, O royal daughter; take to heart what I say. Forget your people and your family far away.  ¹¹ For your royal Husband delights in your beauty; honor Him, for He is your Lord.” (She is well and belongs now to the Lord Himself, being made “royal”!) Then the next morning he was told by the same person that at that same time she prayed in the Spirit and suddenly made a decision to submit to the Lord and let go of all her soul ties with her parental families, old school mates etc who were having a big pagan festive celebration yearly shortly. She decided not to attend anymore. She was surprised at her decision. “It is from the Lord (Holy Spirit), not me”. She said.
How wonderful to be able to listen to the Holy Spirit and obey and be described as “Royal”! (The church-all Christians is required to be, a royal bride to the Lord!)
___________________Fire end times verses as follows:
Mark 9:49 “For everyone will be tested with fire. Mark 9:48-50 (in Context) Mark 9 (Whole Chapter)
Luke 3:9 Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.” Luke 3:8-10 (in Context) Luke 3 (Whole Chapter)
Isaiah 30:27 Look! The LORD is coming from far away, burning with anger, surrounded by thick, rising smoke. His lips are filled with fury; his words consume like fire.
Isaiah 30:26-28 (in Context) Isaiah 30 (Whole Chapter)
Isaiah 33:14 The sinners in Jerusalem shake with fear. Terror seizes the godless. “Who can live with this devouring fire?” they cry. “Who can survive this all-consuming fire?” Isaiah 33:13-15 (in Context) Isaiah 33(Whole Chapter
Jeremiah 7:20 So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: “I will pour out my terrible fury on this place. Its people, animals, trees, and crops will be consumed by the unquenchable fire of my anger.” Jeremiah 7:19-21 (in Context) Jeremiah 7(Whole Chapter)
Ezekiel 20:48 And everyone in the world will see that I, the LORD, have set this fire. It will not be put out.’” Ezekiel 20:47-49 (in Context) Ezekiel 20(Whole Chapter)
Ezekiel 38:22 I will punish you and your armies with disease and bloodshed; I will send torrential rain, hailstones, fire, and burning sulfur! Ezekiel 38:21-23 (in Context) Ezekiel 38 (Whole Chapter)
Amos 1:4 So I will send down fire on King Hazael’s palace, and the fortresses of King Ben-hadad will be destroyed. Amos 1:3-5 (in Context) Amos 1 (Whole Chapter)
Amos 1:7 So I will send down fire on the walls of Gaza, and all its fortresses will be destroyed. Amos 1:6-8 (in Context) Amos 1 (Whole Chapter)
Amos 1:10 So I will send down fire on the walls of Tyre, and all its fortresses will be destroyed.” Amos 1:9-11 (in Context) Amos 1 (Whole Chapter)
Amos 1:12 So I will send down fire on Teman, and the fortresses of Bozrah will be destroyed.” Amos 1:11-13 (in Context) Amos 1 (Whole Chapter)
Amos 1:14 So I will send down fire on the walls of Rabbah, and all its fortresses will be destroyed. The battle will come upon them with shouts, like a whirlwind in a mighty storm.
Amos 1:13-15 (in Context) Amos 1 (Whole Chapter)
Amos 2:2 So I will send down fire on the land of Moab, and all the fortresses in Kerioth will be destroyed. The people will fall in the noise of battle, as the warriors shout and the ram’s horn sounds. Amos 2:1-3 (in Context) Amos 2 (Whole Chapter)
Amos 2:5 So I will send down fire on Judah, and all the fortresses of Jerusalem will be destroyed.” Amos 2:4-6 (in Context) Amos 2 (Whole Chapter)
Amos 4:11 “I destroyed some of your cities, as I destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. Those of you who survived were like charred sticks pulled from a fire. But still you would not return to me,” says the LORD. Amos 4:10-12 (in Context) Amos 4 (Whole Chapter)
Amos 5:6 Come back to the LORD and live! Otherwise, he will roar through Israel like a fire, devouring you completely. Your gods in Bethel won’t be able to quench the flames.
Amos 5:5-7 (in Context) Amos 5 (Whole Chapter)
Amos 7:4 [ A Vision of Fire ] Then the Sovereign LORD showed me another vision. I saw him preparing to punish his people with a great fire. The fire had burned up the depths of the sea and was devouring the entire land. Amos 7:3-5 (in Context) Amos 7 (Whole Chapter)
1 Corinthians 3:13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.
1 Corinthians 3:12-14 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 3 (Whole Chapter)
2 Thessalonians 1:8 in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus.
2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 (in Context) 2 Thessalonians 1 (Whole Chapter)
Hebrews 10:27 There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies.
Hebrews 10:26-28 (in Context) Hebrews 10 (Whole Chapter)
Hebrews 12:29 For our God is a devouring fire.
Hebrews 12:28-29 (in Context) Hebrews 12 (Whole Chapter)
2 Peter 3:7 And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed.
2 Peter 3:6-8 (in Context) 2 Peter 3 (Whole Chapter)
2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.
2 Peter 3:9-11 (in Context) 2 Peter 3 (Whole Chapter)
2 Peter 3:12 looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames.
2 Peter 3:11-13 (in Context) 2 Peter 3 (Whole Chapter)
Revelation 8:7 The first angel blew his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were thrown down on the earth. One-third of the earth was set on fire, one-third of the trees were burned, and all the green grass was burned.
Revelation 8:6-8 (in Context) Revelation 8 (Whole Chapter)
Revelation 9:18 One-third of all the people on earth were killed by these three plagues—by the fire and smoke and burning sulfur that came from the mouths of the horses.
Revelation 9:17-19 (in Context) Revelation 9 (Whole Chapter)

End Times Song: We hear songs of praise from the ends of the earth

Isaiah 24


Destruction of the Earth

1 Look! The Lord is about to destroy the earth
and make it a vast wasteland.
He devastates the surface of the earth
and scatters the people.

2 Priests and laypeople,
servants and masters,
maids and mistresses,
buyers and sellers,
lenders and borrowers,
bankers and debtors—none will be spared.

3 The earth will be completely emptied and looted.
The Lord has spoken!
4 The earth mourns and dries up,
and the crops waste away and wither.
Even the greatest people on earth waste away.

5 The earth suffers for the sins of its people,
for they have twisted God’s instructions,
violated his laws,
and broken his everlasting covenant.
6 Therefore, a curse consumes the earth.
Its people must pay the price for their sin.
They are destroyed by fire,
and only a few are left alive.

7 The grapevines waste away,
and there is no new wine.
All the merrymakers sigh and mourn.
8 The cheerful sound of tambourines is stilled;
the happy cries of celebration are heard no more.
The melodious chords of the harp are silent.
9 Gone are the joys of wine and song;
alcoholic drink turns bitter in the mouth.

10 The city writhes in chaos;
every home is locked to keep out intruders.
11 Mobs gather in the streets, crying out for wine.
Joy has turned to gloom.
Gladness has been banished from the land.
12 The city is left in ruins,
its gates battered down.
13 Throughout the earth the story is the same—
only a remnant is left,
like the stray olives left on the tree
or the few grapes left on the vine after harvest.

___________________(A RAY OF HOPE)
14 But all who are left shout and sing for joy.
Those in the west praise the Lord’s majesty.
15 In eastern lands, give glory to the Lord.
In the lands beyond the sea, praise the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.

__________________(BUT, ALAS)
16 We hear songs of praise from the ends of the earth,
songs that give glory to the Righteous One!
But my heart is heavy with grief.
Weep for me, for I wither away.

Deceit still prevails,
and treachery is everywhere.
17 Terror and traps and snares will be your lot,
you people of the earth.
18 Those who flee in terror will fall into a trap,
and those who escape the trap will be caught in a snare.

Destruction falls like rain from the heavens;
the foundations of the earth shake.
19 The earth has broken up.
It has utterly collapsed;
it is violently shaken.

20 The earth staggers like a drunk.
It trembles like a tent in a storm.
It falls and will not rise again,
for the guilt of its rebellion is very heavy.

_______(THOSE WHO THINK THEY ARE gods WILL NOT BE SPARED: including physical and spiritual wicked powers)

21 In that day the Lord will punish the gods in the heavens
and the proud rulers of the nations on earth.
22 They will be rounded up and put in prison.
They will be shut up in prison
and will finally be punished.

23 Then the glory of the moon will wane,
and the brightness of the sun will fade,
for the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will rule on Mount Zion.
He will rule in great glory in Jerusalem,
in the sight of all the leaders of his people.