Difficult Times Ahead – 2 Timothy 3

Joy: You’re listening to the Lifting Her Voice podcast, Episode #199.  Today we’ll read 2 Timothy chapter 3 together:  Paul tells of difficult times ahead and discusses struggles in the Christian life. 

Welcome to the Lifting Her Voice podcast.  I’m your host, Joy Miller, and I invite you to grab your Bible and join me as we simply read God’s word together.  Some things require discipline and sometimes that’s just not easy to muster by yourself, no matter how badly you want to do it or how much you know you should.  It’s just easier to do it with a friend.  So refill your coffee or tea, get comfortable in your favorite chair and follow along as I read aloud.  I’m so glad you’re here!

Welcome

Ephesians 4:15 tells us to speak the truth in love and I don’t think I do that very well.  I can tell the truth, but I can be harsh.  I can love, but that usually comes out as giving of myself and not necessarily in a time that requires truth-telling.  Which one matters most?  The love or the truth?  Does love mean, like Peter says, with gentleness and respect?  Does speaking the truth mean pointing out or correcting someone according to Scripture regardless of their potential reaction?  In other words, boldness?  How do I make sure I don’t have a log in my own eye?  

Prov 10:19 keeps coming back to my mind.  It tells me when there are many words, sin is unavoidable.  Well, I’ve proved that out about a million times.  Does that verse apply to speaking the truth in love?  In the shutting up, do I let a lie stand?  Or is boldness called for?

We were grappling with this question in our book club the other night.  We decided – with trepidation – that there is a balance required between boldness and tenderness.  We humans can be fragile, and we agreed that it was never Jesus’ intention to be cruel in the name of boldness.

Are you too on a life pursuit to speak the truth in love?  Let me know at Lifting Her Voice.com, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.  I could use a few pointers.

2 Timothy Chapter 3

Difficult Times Ahead

But know this: Hard times will come in the last days. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, demeaning, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to the form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid these people.

For among them are those who worm their way into households and deceive gullible women overwhelmed by sins and led astray by a variety of passions, always learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so these also resist the truth. They are men who are corrupt in mind and worthless in regard to the faith. But they will not make further progress, for their foolishness will be clear to all, as was the foolishness of Jannes and Jambres.

Struggles in the Christian Life

But you have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, and endurance, along with the persecutions and sufferings that came to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured — and yet the Lord rescued me from them all. In fact, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Evil people and impostors will become worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you, and you know that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Closing Thoughts

All Scripture is inspired by God.  The literal translation in the Greek says that all Scripture is “breathed out” by God.  Breathed out by God.  Intentional.  Powerful.  Inerrant.  Unchangeable.  Worthy of respect and obedience.  These words do not just make up a book.  They are the Book.  The God of the Universe has revealed Himself in and through these words.  They reveal His love for us and His plan of redemption.  

Indeed, we are made in His image, but it was for love’s sake that He made Himself like us.  Why He would make such a sacrifice for any of us is a mystery to me.  I do not know how to love like that.  All I know is that I want to consume every word; chew on it like a dog savors a bone.  There’s never enough time or energy to know Him more.  What we hold here in our hands or listen to on our devices are the very words of an awesome, unfathomable God who loves us.  We are blessed beyond what we deserve.  Let’s pray.

Prayer

Father God, thank You for Your Word.  Thank You for paying the sin debt that we cannot afford.  Thank You for revealing Yourself to us…for breathing Your message onto these forty-ish writers, for Your patient teaching, Help us, Lord.  Open our minds to Your message.  Give us understanding.  Help us to share what we know with a hurting world.  Thank You for Jesus.  Amen.

Thank you for joining me here today.  I pray God will grow in you what has been planted and watered here.  In this time of unprecedented struggle worldwide, we can look to God for guidance and comfort.  Be sensitive to those in your circle of influence who need a word of encouragement and invite them to join us.  If you like this show, it would be great if you give it a five-star review.  Don’t forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  See you right here tomorrow.  Be well!

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible(r), Copyright (c) 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible(r) and CSB(r) are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.