They will have “itching ears” - so they're looking for messages that make them feel good, but don't require Godly living.
Here's the next thing... It says: “they will turn away their ears from the truth”. If you're not going to incline your ears to the truth, then you will turn your ears away to something else.
The only thing that keeps you from deception, is having a love for truth. I love the truth! If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. Tell me the truth. See, that’s what keeps you from being deceived!
You all know people, you look at, and think - you're not in touch with what's going on, you know; someone needs to tell you something. Maybe you're that person? Have you got anyone that can tell you things? That's why we have a body of people, to be part of - because maybe you can hide in a big crowd, but in a small group… you can't pull off your junk in that small group! They all see who you are. They say: “come on, cut that out”! That's why small groups are a great chance to grow. You're connected relationally, and you can't pull the wool over everyone in a small group. If you're dominant and bossy, either you go, or the group just breaks up, because of your bad influence. Someone in leadership needs to tell you: listen, don't do that - it's not all about you!
It says: “they will turn to fables”. Here's the thing… If you haven't got a heart that's turned towards truth - God teach me; God I'm hungry for the truth; I want Your word; I want revelation; I want the spirit of revelation on me; I want sound doctrine; I want to grow; I want to be established; I want to live my life by the word of God - it says you'll be “turned to fables”.
Fables are fiction stories! Christian fiction stories - mythology, all kinds of weird and wonderful things, and there's a huge draw of people, away from serving God, and advancing the kingdom, and attracted to experiential things, that make them feel good, and give a sense of having all this knowledge of great things… but actually, when you look on the ground, it doesn't lead to sacrificial love, serving ministry.
That's why Paul said: “sound doctrine”, and “endure hardship” - endure difficulty! Do the work of an evangelist and fulfil your ministry. He's saying to Timothy, don't just send around any experiences; you've got a work to do, so “endure hardship” - because sometimes, serving God has got a lot of hardship. There are difficulties in it, because it doesn't always go well. You've got demonic opposition; you've got people opposition; you've got setbacks and difficulties.
He said: just endure hardness; toughen up; be a strong believer; not someone who's dropped over quickly. He says: you're called to be an evangelist, so do the work you're called to do. At the end of it, you want to end your life knowing: I did what God called me to do, I fulfilled my ministry. What has God called you to do? What is the ministry that He's called you to? Are you preparing, and developing?
The fifth sign is Lawlessness. The love of many will grow cold, because of lawlessness.
Matthew 24:12 – “Because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold”.
Many means many - lots of people. Their love will grow cold. Their passion for God will grow cold. They will be lukewarm, half-hearted believers. They're no longer loving, and serving, people. If you love, you show kindness - you serve people, you have a great attitude to people. You have a focus on making life better, investing in people. And it says what will happen in these days - that the love of many will grow cold, no longer passionate for the Lord. In Revelations 3, the Laodicean Church, Jesus said: you've done lots of things, but there's no passion, no love, no fire. Where's the fire? Where's the love for God?
The love for God is shown by willingness to do what He says. If you love Me, keep My commandments. Keeping your passion for God alive requires that I respond to Him, and not just have great worship experiences. You've got to ask yourself: am I just coming along, and someone else is providing an atmosphere for me to be charged up; or am I living a life where I'm constantly being recharged, because of my own work with God, my personal intimacy with Him? You can't live off someone else's experience. They encourage you, they bless you, they help you, they keep you going - but you can't live off it.