“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.” 2 Timothy 3:1 NKJV

We must prepare during these perilous times. We need to prepare our hearts and our faith.

• 2 Timothy 3:1-5 New King James Version – This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,  Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

In perilous times, there are certain people we need to stay away from so they do not affect our faith in God. God has given each of us a measure of faith.

• Romans 12:3 New King James Version –  For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

We must build up the faith that we have been given. We must be persistent in faith to make it grow.

• Jude 1:20-21 New King James Version – But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

When we walk by faith, we must change the way we live. We are to live by faith and not by sight. It will take great faith to stand in these perilous times. Age does not matter when it comes to faith. We can develop faith even as a teenager the way a young boy named David did, who defeated a giant man of war three times his size.

• 1 Samuel 17:34-37 New King James Version – ³⁴ But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, ³⁵ I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. ³⁶ Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” ³⁷ Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!”

We all face “giant” problems in life that require faith. Faith in God is greater than any problem we face. Every one’s faith will be tested. How do we know we have faith if it is not tested? Abraham’s faith was tested when he was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac. Abraham was willing and became the father of faith.

• Genesis 22:10-12 New King James Version – ¹⁰ And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. ¹¹ But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” ¹² And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”

We must always put God first and not the ways of the world. During the time of the great tribulation, everyone must place their trust in God and not the mark of the beast.

• Revelation 13:15-18 New King James Version –¹⁵ He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. ¹⁶ He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, ¹⁷ and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. ¹⁸ Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.

Anyone who places their faith in the mark of the beast CANNOT BE SAVED. Commit to walking by faith in God and do not bow down to the ungodly system of the beast. Anyone who does not get “caught up” in the rapture, must not deny Christ or take the mark of the beast. Many of these people will be killed because they refuse to take the mark of the beast.

• Luke 14:25-27 New King James Version – ²⁵ Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, ²⁶ “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. ²⁷ And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.