"Difficult Times Will Come" - Are they Here?

   
     In Second Timothy chapter three, Paul is writing to Timothy. Paul is talking about the last days. He starts by saying that difficult times will come. Verse two talks about this time, and says, "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;" Paul concludes verse five with the statement, "and avoid such men as these."

     Really, Paul? How is that even possible? Judging by the list he gave Timothy, I'd say we are in the last days, 'cause I know a lot of folks or hear about them on the news that fit just about every category he listed. What's even worse, some of 'em are in the church!

     So what do we do about it? How are we going to get through these times? In verse twelve, Paul says that, "And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." I was accused one time of belonging to the church of Christ. He said he could tell, because we all have a "persecution complex." Maybe it's not a complex, maybe we really are being persecuted, because we are desiring to live godly lives! When you put someone who is godly in the midst of the people mentioned before, you will stand out.

     But what does Paul tell us to do to get through this? He says, "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 that the man of God may be adequate, (thoroughly) equipped for every good work."

     Paul says stay in the word. It is what we need to keep ourselves from the contamination around us, and to bring the light into this world of darkness. Pick up your Bible and use it the way God meant us too.

God Bless you richly as you spend time in His word - Robert