How Things Are and What's To Come

Paul continues his letter to Timothy. He speaks to him of being in the last days. Over 1900 years have passed since and we find ourselves in the generation that has seen Israel become a nation. We see the one world government rising quickly. Some say it is already in place. We see the same things taking place which were taking place in the days of Noah and Lot. We see the stage being set for the man of sin, the anti Christ and the return of Jesus who will destroy him with the brightness of his coming. 

So in light of all this, what does the Holy Spirit of God have Paul tell his spiritual son and us about how we should live? Just as any good father would do, God the Father warns his children, but God does it best! He knows the end of things, before they are even created. His son, Jesus the Messiah who is God and man, made everything that is. The Father is so pleased with his Son! He has placed all of God in Jesus. 

2 Timothy 3  ISV

1You must realize, however, that in the last days difficult times will come. 

• 2People will be lovers of themselves, 
• lovers of money, 
• boastful, 
• arrogant, 
• abusive, 
• disobedient to their parents, 
• ungrateful, 
• unholy, 
• 3unfeeling, 
• uncooperative, 
• slanderous, 
• degenerate, 
• brutal, 
• hateful of what is good, 
• 4traitors, 
• reckless, 
• conceited, 
• and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. 

5They will hold to an outward form of godliness but deny its power.

• Stay away from such people.
• 6For some of these men go into homes and deceive foolish women who are burdened with sins and swayed by all kinds of desires. 
• 7These women are always studying but are never able to arrive at a full knowledge of the truth.
• 8Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men oppose the truth. 
• They are depraved in mind and their faith is a counterfeit. 
• 9But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those two men,a their stupidity will be plain to everyone.

10But you have observed 

• my teaching, 
• my way of life, 
• my purpose, 
• my faith, 
• my patience, 
• my love, 
• my endurance, 

11and how I was persecuted and suffered in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.

12Indeed, all who want to live a godly life in union with the Messiahb Jesus will be persecuted. 13But evil people and impostors will go from bad to worse as they deceive others and are themselves deceived.

Paul emphasizes the importance of the Holy Scriptures. The first thing Paul says is a sign of the last days is "men will be lovers of themselves". This is clearly shown in the teachers of today forsaking the teaching of the "God-breathed" scriptures and loving their own words more than the "God-breathed" scriptures, both Old and New Testaments . Joel Osteen has boldly said he has no problem with preaching his own words and then ending with a verse out of the bible. No wonder he is so deceived and deceiving.Paul told Timothy to continue in what he had learned from the "God-breathed" Holy Scriptures.  

14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and found to be true, because you know from whom you learned it. 15From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures that are able to give you the wisdom you need for salvation through faith in the Messiahc Jesus. 16All Scripture is God-breathedd and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good action.