In The Word
Read: 2 Timothy 3
“Difficult Times Will Come”
3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. 6 For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith. 9 But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, just as Jannes’s and Jambres’s folly was also.
10 Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, 11 persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me! 12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13 But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them,15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
Paul warned Timothy about people who behaved inappropriately because they chose not to live according to God’s righteous, written standard. These people lived according to their own standard, which led them farther away from the truth of God’s Word. So Paul encouraged Timothy to not be influenced by these kinds of people but to learn from devout men who have committed their lives to God’s standard. Paul reminded Timothy about the necessity and effectiveness of God’s Word: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
God’s Word is useful to every part of our lives and it gives the right guidance no matter what situation we are facing. Even though it was man who wrote it on paper, it was God who guided man’s hand so that His Word would be available to all who believe. Some people incorrectly view Scripture as inspirational writings, wisdom to be considered, or mere stories like fairytales. Rather, God’s Word is the absolute truth that is to be obeyed and put into every part of a person’s life.
Have you made God’s Word the absolute standard for your life and apply it wholeheartedly? It is the key to your success, strength, and stability. Do not let Jesus say to you, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46).