I awoke this morning with the thoughts of the scripture "seducers growing worse and worse in the last times". So I looked it up and found it in Second Timothy 3:13. But of course I wanted to know what Paul was talking about in the the whole book. So I read. Even though I have read this before so many scriptures jumped out at me.
1:5 unfeigned faith: nothing fake, not a form or a profession, but unfeigned
1:7 God does not give a spirit of fear, but power
This whole book speaks of bolding proclaiming God, being real, suffering for it but not holding back because of fear of what others might think.
1:8 partaker of afflictions
In this one book Paul names 7 or 8 people by name that oppose the gospel.
1:15 Paul states all which are in Asia are turned away from me and then names 2 people right out.
2:3 endure hardness
2:9 Paul said I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, but the word of God is not bound
2:15 Study to show yourself approved unto God, a worker that doesn't have to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth
We don't have to face opposition with an unsure, confused state. God wants us to be assured of what His word says and what we want to present to others. Those who use a leadership position to lord it over others actually hope that those under them are weak and confused and can be easily controlled. God wants us to know the word of God for ourselves and teach and live it clearly and boldly.
3:1 perilous times shall come and reading through verse 4 we see a list of negative traits. In verse 5 it tells us who Paul and God are speaking to: people claiming a form of godliness but not having any real possession of God in their lives. And then he tells Timothy, from such turn away. In this day and time it is pushed that if we stay away from somebody it is just not "Christian". But God teaches us the opposite. He wants us to know the Word, stay focused, and stay away from people who really don't want the Word of God but only their own form of godliness.
And I say here that the Word of God ALWAYS takes precedence over any religions' or denominations' creeds and doctrines or rules.
3:11 Paul had persecutions and afflictions in many different towns as he spread the gospel. It seems trouble followed him wherever he went. Yet he didn't count them as defeats but VICTORIES from which the Lord delivered him from all.
3:2,3 Use the word to reprove, rebuke, exhort. Tell it boldly because there will be people who want to have a watered down version, something that just makes them "feel good".
I confess I also had to move on into the book of Titus that brought confirmation of the same things as in Timothy.
Being strengthened by the Word of God, I prayerfully face the day. Nothing will come to me today that God and I can't handle, because when I am weak He is strong.
That's a good reminder: "Nothing will come to me today that God and I can't handle, b/c when I am weak He is strong."
ReplyDeleteI've read your post 2-3 times and will probably have to do it again. I had read in 2 Timothy earlier this week. Verse 15 had come to mind as I was thinking about the importance of studying God's Word and not just reading or skimming over it. I need to lean on Him...and I can do that through His Word.