Don’t be naive. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They’ll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they’re animals. Stay clear of these people.
These are the kind of people who smooth-talk themselves into the homes of unstable and needy women and take advantage of them; women who, depressed by their sinfulness, take up with every new religious fad that calls itself “truth.” They get exploited every time and never really learn. These men are like those old Egyptian frauds Jannes and Jambres, who challenged Moses. They were rejects from the faith, twisted in their thinking, defying truth itself. But nothing will come of these latest impostors. Everyone will see through them, just as people saw through that Egyptian hoax.
You’ve been a good apprentice to me, a part of my teaching, my manner of life, direction, faith, steadiness, love, patience, troubles, sufferings—suffering along with me in all the grief I had to put up with in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. And you also well know that God rescued me! Anyone who wants to live all out for Christ is in for a lot of trouble; there’s no getting around it. Unscrupulous con men will continue to exploit the faith. They’re as deceived as the people they lead astray. As long as they are out there, things can only get worse.
But don’t let it faze you. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers—why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother’s milk! There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.
2 Timothy 3 MSG
Doesn’t this sound like today?! As the ‘last days’ are described in the second and third sentence everything listed is now at extreme levels. Politicians are smooth-talking anyone who will listen to their lies, targeting people who are easily manipulated through their emotions. If you are a man and call out any of these lies you are usually blamed for having ‘toxic masculinity’. So many of these people once swindled by these politicians seem to not learn and easily fall into their trap of lies again and again. It doesn’t help that so much of the media are the mouth pieces of these corrupt politicians / leaders. Now the mainstream media spreads more lies on top of the lies. Who can discern the truth today? Who can discern the true reality? The third paragraph tells you how to discern the truth and reality. What stood out to me in this reading was the references of ‘scriptures’ and the ‘Word of God’. Consider this … this very writing that Paul was sending to Timothy is now considered part of the ‘scriptures’ and inspired by the Holy Spirit! What exactly is the “Word of God”?
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1
So how is the Word and the scriptures understood? Both can only be discerned and truly understood through one Source which is the indwelling Presence of the Holy Spirit. Can you hear Him? Do you have long conversations with Him? Does He teach you? Does He explain the scriptures to you? This is the difference between the religious and those in actual relationship with Him.
So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. Romans 8:8-10
Are you His? Is He engaged with you daily? Do you follow His Voice? Are you asking Him questions? Is He answering you?
We are definitely in a time of tribulation that is growing. Tribulation is not an uncommon thing for the believers of Jesus. Especially if you are still residing on earth.
Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his ]own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. John 16:32-33
We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; 2 Thessalonians 1:3-5
Are you ready? Is Jesus dealing with your heart to be ready? Today is the time. Not tomorrow. Seek Him today. Ask Him today. Lean in to Him today. Life is short (especially from the heavenly perspective). Make the most of today, and invest in the eternal things.