|
In These Last Days 2 Tim 3
(TLB)
(Paul wrote this letter to
his student Timothy from prison in Rome
in approximattely 66
A.D, while he was awaiting
execution.
This was Paul's last
letter.) You may
as well know this too, Timothy,
that in
the last days it is going to be very difficult to be a Christian.
{2}
For people will love only themselves and their money;
they
will be proud and boastful, sneering at God,
disobedient to their parents, ungrateful to them, and thoroughly
bad.
{3} They will be hardheaded and never give in to
others;
they will be constant liars and troublemakers
and
will think nothing of immorality.
They
will be rough and cruel,
and
sneer at those who try to be good.
{4} They will betray their friends;
they
will be hotheaded, puffed up with pride,
and prefer good times to worshiping God.
{5}
They will go to church, yes,
but
they won't really believe anything they hear.
Don't
be taken in by people like that.
{6} They are the kind who craftily sneak into other
people's homes
and make friendships with silly, sin-burdened women
and
teach them their new doctrines.
{7}
Women of that kind are forever following new teachers,
but
they never understand the truth.
{8}
And these teachers fight truth
just as
Jannes and Jambres fought against Moses.
They
have dirty minds, warped and twisted,
and
have turned against the Christian faith.
{9} But they won't get away with all this forever.
Someday
their deceit will be well known to everyone,
as was
the sin of Jannes and Jambres.
{10}
But you know from watching me that I am not that kind of person.
You
know what I believe and the way I live and what I want.
You
know my faith in Christ and how I have suffered.
You know my love for you, and my patience.
{11}
You know how many troubles I have had
as a
result of my preaching the Good News.
You
know about all that was done to me
while I
was visiting in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra,
but the
Lord delivered me.
{12}
Yes, and those who decide to please Christ Jesus by living godly lives
will
suffer at the hands of those who hate him.
{13} In fact, evil men and false teachers will become
worse and worse,
deceiving many, they themselves having been deceived by
Satan.
{14} But you must keep on believing the things you
have been taught.
You know they are true,
for you
know that you can trust those of us who have taught you.
{15}
You know how, when you were a small child,
you were taught the Holy Scriptures;
and it
is these that make you wise
to
accept God's salvation by trusting in Christ Jesus.
{16}
The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from
God
and is useful to teach us what is true
and to
make us realize what is wrong in our lives;
it
straightens us out and helps us do what is right.
{17}
It is God's way of making us well prepared at every point,
fully
equipped to do good to everyone.
2 Tim 4:1-5 (TLB)
And so I solemnly urge you before God and before
Christ Jesus--
who will someday judge the living and the dead
when he appears to set up his Kingdom--
{2} to preach the Word of God urgently at all
times,
whenever you get the chance, in season and out,
when it is convenient and when it is not.
Correct and rebuke your people when they need it,
encourage them to do right,
and all the time be feeding them patiently with God's
Word.
{3} For there is going to come a time
when people won't listen to the truth
but will go around looking for
teachers who will tell them just what they want to
hear.
{4} They won't listen to what the Bible says
but will blithely follow their own misguided ideas.
{5} Stand steady, and don't be afraid of
suffering for the Lord.
Bring others to Christ.
Leave nothing undone that you ought to
do.
2 Pet 3:3-14 (KJV)
Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last
days scoffers,
walking after their own lusts,
{4} And saying, Where is the promise of his
coming?
for since the fathers fell asleep,
all things continue as they were from the
beginning of the creation.
{5} For this they willingly are ignorant of,
that by the word of God the heavens were of old,
and the earth standing out of the water and in the
water:
{6} Whereby the world that then was, being
overflowed with water, perished:
{7} But the heavens and the earth, which are
now,
by the same word are kept in store,
reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and
perdition of ungodly men.
{8} But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one
thing,
that one day is with the Lord as a thousand
years,
and a thousand years as one day.
{9} The Lord is not slack concerning his
promise,
as some men count slackness;
but is longsuffering to us-ward,
not willing that any should perish,
but that all should come to repentance.
{10} But the day of the Lord will come as a
thief in the night;
in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great
noise,
and the elements shall melt with fervent heat,
the earth also and the works that are therein shall be
burned up.
{11} Seeing then that all these things
shall be dissolved,
what manner of persons ought ye to be
in all holy conversation and
godliness,
{12} Looking for and hasting unto the
coming of the day of God,
wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved,
and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
{13} Nevertheless we, according to his promise,
look for new heavens and a new earth,
wherein dwelleth righteousness.
{14} Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye
look for such things,
be diligent that ye may be found of him in
peace,
without spot, and blameless.
IXTHEUS CHRISTIAN GROWTH DEVOTIONALS
ALWAYS FREE OF
CHARGE
(but not necessarily free
of COST)
Feel free to redistribute
these materials to whomever you want.
Please submit all
questions, comments, suggestions,
or
REQUESTS FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Request a free email copy of my evangelistic
presentation:
"The God Who is Really There" from [EMAIL PROTECTED]
View back-issues of Devotionals at this
site:
send an email with CANCEL in the subject
line to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
God Bless You.....brother
bob.......<><
For more information, please visit our home page http://www.nazerene.com Yahoo! Groups Links
|
