Godly Men in Perilous Time

By Dr. David Nichols

An extraordinary book that expresses the tsunami-like assault on America's culture and a call of God for every Christian man to stand in the gap and put on the full armor of the Spirit.

Godly Men in Perilous Times reveals the reality of America's rising chaos and moral decay, seen by accelerated evil-doing and un

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trilogy Christian Publishing
• Release date: Oct 6, 2023
• ISBN: 9798890411785

Dr. David Nichols

Dr. David Nichols has authored books, guides, and hundreds of articles. His Christian minis- tries include leading Bible studies and serving in local churches. He has served as an ordained deacon, dean of students at a Christian university, and leader in Christian education. He holds a doctor of education degree from the University of Alabama.

Book preview

Acknowledgments

Let me say a few words of thanks to those who gave me inspiration for this book.

First and foremost is the Holy Spirit, who guided me to share the love and grace of Christ with Christian men wherever they are in their spiritual journey.

He did lead me to offer encouragement to them to become steadfast godly men during these challenging times. Special recognition goes to my godly, loving wife, Brenda.

From the moment I told her of my calling to write this, she has shown patience, support, and strength that enabled me to keep writing even in times of discouragement.

She reviewed the manuscript throughout the writing process.

Introduction:

Confronting Reality and Becoming

a Godly Man

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 pleasures more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.

2 Timothy 3:1–5

Therefore, put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand (Ephesians 6:13).

Today’s world is ablaze with chaos, evil, perversion, persecution of Christian believers, and widespread lawlessness. There has been a surge of evil against our society, culture, the rule of law, and long-standing spiritual values giving way to the gods of this age. Throughout our nation and around the world, we see the deterioration of that which is good and righteous. We’re at war! It is not one between political parties, nation against nation, or a global war. It is a spiritual war. This war is evil against good. It is a spiritual war of ungodliness against God and Christianity.

Twenty-four-hour news cycles have continual reports of riots, out-of-control destruction, an alarming increase in murders on our cities’ streets, random assaults, and violent robberies. We’re experiencing a historical breakdown in justice for lawbreakers, wicked distortion of sexual orientation, and the obsessive transgender indoctrination of our children in schools. As Solomon wrote in Proverbs 14:34, "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people."

At the risk of sounding like a conspiracy theorist or an ain’t it awful fearmonger, the dangerous, chaotic times in which we live threaten civilization as we know it. The fundamental cornerstones of a strong nation in any age are in dire jeopardy. The governments at every level have become feckless, the godly standard of values is rapidly deteriorating, our culture has eroded perhaps to the point of no return, and our democracy is dying on the vine as the people lose control over their daily lives.

What we see now is America in decay. Our fundamental pillars of values are eroding at a pace unlike any time in our nation’s history. Those who fund and push outrageous evil agendas use the principle of tolerance to justify ungodly lifestyles.

Media outlets and the entertainment industry promote this extreme cultural revolution. Radical ideologists know if they can capture young minds and hearts, they will control an entire generation. Sexual orientation, gender identity, and other culture change groups target one fundamental God-created unit—the family!

Americans who support or even remain silent during this moral decadence should awake from spiritual slumber. The wickedness in Abraham’s and Noah’s time pales compared to the crisis we now face. Almost daily, evildoers devise deeper and darker ways to diminish godly value. Groups that push the demise of the American culture include LGBTQ, critical race theory, Black Lives Matter, Antifa, pro-abortionists (Planned Parenthood), and the Marxist ideology.

God calls His people to repentance in dangerous times. Persecution of Christian believers is increasing in both direct aggression and covert methods. Christianity is one of many institutions that is a vulnerable target by our government, haters of God, entertainment, and political extremists. A nation’s four pillars of strength are (1) the family, (2) the church, (3) national defense, and (4) healthy sociocultural values, all of which are at risk. We need men to be strong in the Lord, with faith and holy boldness. The Lord is looking for men to stand in the gap in these tough times (Ezekiel 22:30).

There are millions of Christian believers and churches that have fallen asleep and seem not to understand the urgency of these perilous times. Romans 13:11–12 says: And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time we awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore, let us cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light. I pray that you will discover God’s purpose for your life in a new, bold, and refreshing way. He wants to have an intimate relationship with you. The Lord loves you and desires that you walk daily in the Spirit with all joy and peace. I encourage you to become keenly aware of the commission of Jesus to share the gospel.

As you will see, quotes and information from the apostle Paul are rich and plentiful in this book. He was an incredibly godly man. He traveled the Middle East and Europe and set up Christian churches. He was God’s point man to lead men in taking the gospel of Jesus Christ to the known world during his life. Remember he acknowledged his sinfulness before his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, after which he surrendered his life totally to Jesus Christ.

After he lists the horrific evils in the first five verses of 2 Timothy above, Paul emphasizes, "But evil men will grow worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue the things which you have learned and been assured of" (2 Timothy 3:13–14).

Paul was also a brilliant man with a broad perspective of the world. He relates to a wide spectrum of men. He cuts to the chase when, in 1 Corinthians 9:22, he writes, "I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." He pointed to wrestlers, warriors, runners, boxers, athletes, laborers, enslaved men, husbands, fathers, teachers, prophets, deacons, encouragers, cheerful givers, leaders, followers, blameless, bearers of truth, and visionaries. We have much to learn from Paul, the apostle of Jesus Christ. I prayed for you even before we began our spiritual journey together toward the mark of His calling on our lives.

I should note that throughout this book the terms mind, heart, and soul are used interchangeably. My research reveals several scholarly opinions as to the difference between these terms. The most reasonable biblical interpretation is that they are similar and interchangeable. The word heart refers to the inward self where feelings, emotions, and thinking occur. Soul is the entire inner person. And mind is the inward part of us where thinking occurs. All three are unique, yet they overlap in meaning.

Part One:

Ungodly Behaviors

Remember: But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be (2 Timothy 3:1–2).

Chapter 1:

Lovers of Themselves

Love of self is a religion in American culture, as both men and women of all ages have become enamored with self-centeredness. Hit songs sometimes define an era of our culture. Songs written and recorded during the 1960s and ’70s were ripe with the expression of popular thought. These songs often had a theme of it is up to you, so do whatever you want to do. Such songs revealed a new movement away from authority and normalized rules to self-determination, deviance, self-centeredness. One song expressed this growing new philosophy. What originated in France, Paul Anka, in 1968, obtained the full rights along with permission to make changes. The title was I Did It My Way. It became a widely used phrase for decades and was the epitome of doing what you want to do regardless of whether it was right or wrong.

The far-reaching arm of the Roman Empire was a threat to early Christian churches. The Roman Empire had grown wicked, with hundreds of idols to false gods. English historian Edward Gibbon authored The History of the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire (London: Strahan & Cadell, 1776–1789). In the six-volume composition, Gibbon offers five contributing factors that led to the decline and fall of Rome:

The rapid increase of divorce resulting in the breakdown of the family unit.

The enormous increase in taxes and spending of public monies by greedy politicians.

An ever-increasing obsession with pleasure—sporting events were becoming even more grotesque and brutal. Sexual orgies and pervasive indulgence into all forms of unholy sexual practices.

Building of more enormous armaments for war when the threat within was the real enemy.

The decay of religion-faith fading, losing touch with spiritual connection with God.

We will examine the godless behaviors of men in the last days as presented by Paul. We’re in a spiritual crisis of belief. Though we often hear words like political, divisiveness, racial diversity, identity conflict, and public vs. private, the thread that runs through these is spiritual warfare.

I pray that you will discover God’s purpose for your life in a new, bold, and refreshing way. He wants to have an intimate relationship with you. The Lord loves you and desires that you walk daily in the Spirit with all joy and peace. I encourage you to become keenly aware of the great commission of Jesus to share the gospel.

From that period of American culture, our long-held values and mores became increasingly more tenuous. This postmodern period included a new school of thought that embraced a lack of moral absolutes. Truth and traditional principles were gradually replaced by many of America’s youth to a self-actualization and exaltation. Coinciding with other accelerating technological changes, new age thought, the secular entertainment industry, and an increase in illicit drugs among our young have resulted in the decline of Christian church attendance. Doing it our way is leading us away from God and toward self-destruction.

In addition to the rapid drop of church attendance during the 1960s and 1970s, the decline rate has doubled since 2,000. According to a 2021 article in Church and Culture, a survey of about 15,000 congregations reported declining attendance. As one cleric said, "We are in decline because we have turned inward." The church has failed to fulfill Jesus’s charge, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). The late Reverend Billy Graham pointed to an often-overlooked weapon used against Christians and the church—compromise. He said, Compromise—clever, seductive, deadly, is one of the most effective tactics ever invented by the devil for us against Christians (Greg Laurie, The Great Compromise, World Wide Publications, 1994).

Following World War II, America experienced unprecedented prosperity. Whether it was a direct consequence, the church began its decline into complacency. The hunger to reach the unsaved began to wane. The Old Testament prophet Amos delivered a warning to the backsliding kingdom of Israel, Woe to you who are at ease in Zion and trust in Mount Samaria…woe to you who put off the day of doom, who cause the seat of violence to come near, who lie on beds of ivory, stretch out on your couches (6:1–4). This is as meaningful today as it was nearly 3,000 years ago. Though church attendance remained relatively stable, prosperity seemed to have brought a sense of self-independence. The war was over, the sons and husbands were home, and the country’s manufacturing and modern technology made life good for the middle class.

A personality disorder, narcissism, was first recognized in the 1970s. While its origin goes back to mythical literature, nothing about it is imaginary. It personifies the essence of selfishness to the detriment of others. Books written on narcissism and studies delved into its debilitating effects on others close to the narcissistic person. An article in the June 6, 2022, edition of the journal Psychology Today simplified the disorder with three symptoms or characteristics. These are (1) grandiosity, (2) a lack of respect for others, and (3) a need for admiration. Without them, narcissists can become destructive to those they target. According to most professionals on the disorder, there has been a noticeable increase since its revelation. Not all self-centered people are narcissists. Narcissism has a pattern of extreme arrogance, superiority to the detriment of others, and denial of their behavior. Since the raised awareness level of this personality disorder, research and case studies have revealed it is more common, especially in marriages. One spouse, who may not be aware of their increasing self-centered symptoms, such as emotional and verbal abuse toward the other spouse, can create a debilitating relationship, sometimes leading to a divorce.

We focus on our personal needs at the expense of those around us. We care about ourselves, often to a fault. Millions of Americans have spent billions of dollars on the most up-to-date diet programs, exercise regimens, age-reducing surgical procedures, and food supplements, all guaranteed for quick and easy weight loss. Sometimes, this becomes unrighteous pride. There are many Christians who, perhaps unknowingly, develop a sense of entitlement. These people have a mindset that they deserve to have the best with little effort. They expect to have everything for me, often at the expense of others. They believe they deserve to have the latest fashion, live in a top-tier home, and own a new vehicle. Unfortunately, some people set their hearts on things for themselves and neglect the things of God. The point is