What are we hoping to accomplish?

But realize this, that in the last days perilous times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 2 Timothy 3:1-4

You may not realize it but these verses are a prophecy that Paul gives to the church of the last days.  In that these words prophesy the future it is very important that we understand them in that context.  Each word tells us of the condition of the world just before the end comes.  PERILOUSNESS is the overarching theme of the last days.  The root definition of the word ‘perilous’ is VIOLENCE.  Paul's prophecy tells us that the last days will be filled with violence.  Paul's prophecy continues by saying that mankind will be identified by the following characteristics:

unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

This prophecy comes through Paul from God.  It tells us what is to come.  My question to you may seem preposterous but bear with me: 

Why do Christians pray to God and expect him to perform what he WILL not perform?

Paul's prophecy is the foundation for ALL the increases we see in crime in particular and social degradation in general the world over.  God is telling us that in the last days all these bad things will happen.  He DID NOT SAY that some great revival will break out to make the world embrace him, NO, he says that VIOLENCE will consume the world.  Okay, since this is so, why do we pray to God for him to stop crime? Why do we fast and pray to God for a decrease in the murder rate?  I see in churches every week where some 'word-filled' preacher is binding the spirit of violence and pleading the blood against the spirit of murder.  Such NONSENSE, such HOGWASH!  We all agree that we are living in the last days, and since Paul prophesied that this is what will occur in the last days WHY ARE WE PRAYING AGAINST THE WORD OF GOD!!!  What do we suppose?  Do we suppose that God will hear us and stop crime and violence?  Okay, let's suppose that we pray and pray hard and God brings an end to murder, violence, homosexuality, treacherousness and the like; what would that mean?  That would make this prophecy of Paul a LIE.  Is God in the habit of making himself a liar?  How about praying for more love in the world?  This seems like a GOOD request, it seems like the Christian thing to pray for:

Because lawlessness is increased, MOST peoples love will grow cold. Matthew 24:12

Here again, we can find ourselves praying for some good thing that God WILL NOT PERFORM.

So am I advocating that we not pray?  No, what I am saying is that we not pray for what God will not perform.  In fact we are obligated to pray for HIS will to be done on earth, but we make a foolish assumption if we believe that the will of God is only roses and honey.  We are so consumed with the concept that the world could be better if we evangelize more, pray more and give more.  Mix this with a MISAPPLICATION of the passage that talks about 'if my people who are called by my name will humble and pray...' and you end up with a deluded mess!  These ideas arise out of the concept that God needs us to do and act on this earth.  We need to realize that it is God who is in COMPLETE control of this earth and that even in its current state it is EXACTLY as God would have it.  So what should be our prayer, not that God would stop the murderer but that God would grant light to those he has chosen and that they would continue to walk in the light of his word.  Then can we be the fulfillment of:

For God, who said, Light shall shine out of darkness, is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6

The church is NOT called to eliminate darkness but to be:

…a lamp shining in a DARK PLACE… 2 Peter 1:19

DARKNESS IS NECESSARY FOR THE CHRISTIAN TO SHINE, GOD HAS DETERMINED IT JUST SO!!!DARKNESS IS NECESSARY FOR THE CHRISTIAN TO SHINE,  GOD HAS DETERMINED IT JUST SO!!!