Equipped for Difficult Times

Introductory questions to chew

Am I actively working with God to resist, overcome, and cleanse away ungodliness in my own heart?

Or do none of those things in verses 2-7 threaten and trouble me?

Is mine a pseudo godliness, consisting only of an outward form?

What does my learning do for me and for my relationship with truth?

How is my continuing (14)?

What effect is my acquaintance with the Holy Scriptures having on me?

"Throughly furnished unto all good works" -- does my living manifest that?

Perilous Times Have Come

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come" (2 Timothy 3:1).

I look around me and I see the exact conditions which He outlined. And I look within me and see some of those same conditions.

"For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than loves of God" (2 Timothy 3:2,3).

It's no longer that perilous times shall (at some point in the future) come. It's that perilous times have (at this very point in history) come! May I stand strong in the Living Word and His written Word!

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Timothy 3:16,17).

Living in peril

The times in which we live are not safe times for the careless. In fact, they aren't safe times for anyone. We all must remember that we live in perilous times, constantly facing the possibility of unfaithfulness to and apostasy from God. How shall we survive and thrive in times like these? How shall we avoid abandoning God amidst such perversity and crookedness as we live among?

Consider the ancient Israelites. Why did they abandon God Who had done so wondrously for them? They forgot God. Forgetting leads to abandonment. Always. I am certain they didn't mean to abandon such a mighty Deliverer and Provider as He. And I don't think they even meant to forget Him. But apparently they didn't mean not to forget Him. They didn't take preventive measures to assure they would always remember and never abandon their God.

God, of course, saw all this coming. Right from the beginning of their nationhood, He cautioned them: "Beware lest thou forget the Lord" (Deuteronomy 6:12). If you read chapters six and eight, you will see that God made it very clear to them -- they would forget Him if they didn't purpose to remember Him.

In Deuteronomy eight we can pick out the following three things to do to avoid forgetting God. As long as the Israelites followed through with these, they kept God. When they quit being conscientious about them, they began to forget and abandon God. These three things will work for us as well in this present evil, distracting generation we live in.

Gratefulness.

Obedience.

Humility.

"But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of" (2 Timothy 3:14). "And they shall turn away...but watch thou in all things" (2 Timothy 4:4,5).