Tag Archive | 2 Timothy 3:1-9

What is OUR New Normal?

Oct20

There is a prevailing attitude today that if we follow certain instructions our lives will be able to go back to ‘normal’. I suspect there is nothing further from the truth. What the world has considered ‘normal’ is no longer on the agenda for those powers that be who wish to usher in their ‘new normal’. It is likely these same people and organizations will just keep moving the goal posts to include more and more requirements and restrictions. These things are precursors for the coming Tribulation. A way of training the masses to follow the leader that will appear one day. We must do something they have mandated in order to be able to do commerce etc. It should sound familiar if you have read the book of Revelation.

Then I saw another beast come up out of the earth. He had two horns like those of a lamb, but he spoke with the voice of a dragon.  He exercised all the authority of the first beast. And he required all the earth and its people to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.  He did astounding miracles, even making fire flash down to earth from the sky while everyone was watching.  And with all the miracles he was allowed to perform on behalf of the first beast, he deceived all the people who belong to this world. He ordered the people to make a great statue of the first beast, who was fatally wounded and then came back to life.  He was then permitted to give life to this statue so that it could speak. Then the statue of the beast commanded that anyone refusing to worship it must die.

 He required everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead.  And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name. Wisdom is needed here. Let the one with understanding solve the meaning of the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666.~Revelation 13:11-18

If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you need to know that the days we are living in are those that Apostle Paul warned us about in his letters to Timothy.

 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:  For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,  unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,  traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,  having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!  For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,  always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.  Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith;  but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.~2 Timothy 3:1-9

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.  But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.~2 Timothy 4:3-5

Jesus Himself warned us of these days.

Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you,  for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many.  And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately.  Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world.  But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.~Matthew 24:4-8

Does any of this sound familiar? We don’t have to look to far to see just how close we are to the time of His appearance! He is soon going to appear to His church! That is us! Those who love Him and follow Him and are excitedly awaiting His appearance.

We tell you this as it came from the Lord. Those of us who are alive when the Lord comes again will not go ahead of those who have died.  For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a loud call. The head angel will speak with a loud voice. God’s horn will give its sounds. First, those who belong to Christ will come out of their graves to meet the Lord.  Then, those of us who are still living here on earth will be gathered together with them in the clouds. We will meet the Lord in the sky and be with Him forever.  Because of this, comfort each other with these words.~1 Thessalonians 4:15-18

 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,  teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,  looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,  who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

 Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.~Titus 2:11-15

So for those of us awaiting His appearance, we don’t need to rely on our leaders for our life to return to ‘normal’. Our ‘new normal’ has nothing to do with the patterns of this world. Our ‘new normal’ will be spending time in eternity with our beautiful Savior and King, Jesus Christ! It is so important we remember this world is NOT our home. We are to occupy and fulfill the purposes He has for our lives while we are here, but we cannot emotionally or spiritually set up permanent camp here. So please don’t hold on too tight to those things that can easily be taken from you. Hold on to the eternal! Guard your relationship with Christ. Pray for your family and those in your community to come to know Him as Lord and Savior. Serve others and keep looking up.

Blessings!

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There is One we can trust

Oct23

One of the most wonderful things we have, as followers of Christ, is the knowledge that the Lord will never leave us or forsake us. No matter our circumstances, He is faithful to His flock. This is one thing we can stand on in a world where so much is being shaken. Friends may disappoint us, politicians may deceive us, family may abandon us but Jesus Christ will never leave us or forsake us! Never.

Because of this fact, we need not fear the future. As God is shaking things up preparing for Christ’s return, we are going to see many of the comforts in life we have always taken for granted removed. The plan for a one world government is already underway. With that plan will come changes to our freedoms and liberties. We have already seen our ability to attend churches diminish in many cases due to the so called pandemic. This is just the beginning of the changes that are planned for this world. That being said, do we need to run in fear? NO.

In a free society we should be able to call out and challenge our government for diminishing our freedoms and I think it is important to do so by our votes and with our voices. However, ultimately this old world as we know it is eventually going to get darker. God’s Word says so.

2 Timothy 3:1-9 You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times.  For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred.  They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good.  They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God.  They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!

 They are the kind who work their way into people’s homes and win the confidence of vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires.  (Such women are forever following new teachings, but they are never able to understand the truth.)  These teachers oppose the truth just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. They have depraved minds and a counterfeit faith.  But they won’t get away with this for long. Someday everyone will recognize what fools they are, just as with Jannes and Jambres.

It is not a surprise to God, nor to those who study their Bibles. God knew and continues to know exactly what will take place and He also planned for us to be born in such a time as this!

So though the future looks grim in some ways, it is also exciting to be alive knowing at any time the trumpet could sound and Jesus Christ could take us up to be with Him!

While we wait there is still work to be done. We must spend time studying God’s Word for direction. We must pray for the unsaved. We must pray for our government officials. We must be the hands and feet of Christ in whatever way He leads us to help and serve others. We must encourage one another with our blessed hope! We must trust that God will continue to guide us through whatever the future holds! Let’s listen to the rest of Paul’s words to Timothy.

2 Timothy 3:10-17 But you, Timothy, certainly know what I teach, and how I live, and what my purpose in life is. You know my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance.  You know how much persecution and suffering I have endured. You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra—but the Lord rescued me from all of it.  Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.  But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived.

 But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you.  You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.  God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

So as we learn to navigate through the coming days, rest assured Christ will be with us every step of the way. He will not leave us as orphans. Our good Shepherd loves His sheep!

Romans 8:35-39 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?  (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”)  No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.  No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Blessings!