But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” 2 Timothy 3:1-4 https://sharinhearts.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MM_2025_05_24_Authority-and-Responsibility.mp3 These are the days we are living in right now. We can see that the world around us looks exactly like the description Paul gives in this passage to Timothy. However, when the church begins to resemble the same passage, we must ask, What are we missing? There is a military term that is used when a soldier does not report for duty, called AWOL (Absent With Out Leave). Many people have experienced the effects of AWOL parents, and in the workplace, a co-worker may be AWOL for a shift, which causes hardships on the rest of the staff. But what about the Church going AWOL in their responsibility to grow in grace and knowledge? Then we find a church “having a form of godliness but denying its power” vs 5, and looking just like the world as described in 2 Timothy 3. It’s time for the church to wake up and surrender to the Authority, Jesus Christ, and take responsibility for the Christian walk we are called to. Photo by Jon Ratzlaff