Today’s Podcast
Today’s Scriptures
Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – 2 Timothy 3
Set – 2 Chronicles 25; 2 Timothy 3
Go! – 2 Kings 13–14; 2 Chronicles 25; 2 Timothy 3
2 Timothy 3
1And know this: in the last days, times will be hard. 2 You see, the world will be filled with narcissistic, money-grubbing, pretentious, arrogant, and abusive people. They will rebel against their parents and will be ungrateful, unholy, 3 uncaring, coldhearted, accusing, without restraint, savage, and haters of anything good. 4 Expect them to be treacherous, reckless, swollen with self-importance, and given to loving pleasure more than they love God. 5 Even though they may look or act like godly people, they’re not. They deny His power. I tell you: Stay away from the likes of these. 6 They’re snakes slithering into the houses of vulnerable women, women gaudy with sin, to seduce them. These reptiles can capture them because these women are weak and easily swayed by their desires. 7 They seem always to be learning, but they never seem to gain the full measure of the truth. 8 And, just as Jannes and Jambres rose up against Moses, these ungodly people defy the truth. Their minds are corrupt, and their faith is absolutely worthless. 9 But they won’t get too far because their stupidity will be noticed by everyone, just as it was with Jannes and Jambres.10 You have been a good student. You have closely observed how I have lived. You’ve followed my instructions, my habits, my purpose, my faith, my patience. You’ve watched how I love and have seen how I endure. You have been with me 11 through persecutions and sufferings—remember what they did to me in Antioch? In Iconium and Lystra? I endured all of it, and the Lord rescued me from it all! 12 Anyone wishing to live a godly life in Jesus the Anointed will be hunted down and persecuted. 13 But as for the wicked and the imposters, they will keep leading and following each other further and further away from the truth. 14 So surely you ought to stick to what you know is certain. All you have learned comes from people you know and trust 15 because since childhood you have known the holy Scriptures, which enable you to be wise and lead to salvation through faith in Jesus the Anointed. 16 All of Scripture is God-breathed; in its inspired voice, we hear useful teaching, rebuke, correction, instruction, and training for a life that is right 17 so that God’s people may be up to the task ahead and have all they need to accomplish every good work.
Today’s Devotional
From today’s background scripture God might say:
You live in treacherous times. Paul talks about them when he tells Timothy about the last days. Listen again to his description of people in the last days. “…the world will be filled with narcissistic, money-grubbing, pretentious, arrogant, and abusive people. They will rebel against their parents and will be ungrateful, unholy, uncaring, coldhearted, accusing, without restraint, savage, and haters of anything good. Expect them to be treacherous, reckless, swollen with self-importance, and given to loving pleasure more than they love God. Even though they may look or act like godly people, they’re not. They deny His power.”
Does any of that sound familiar? Look around you and you will find the world filled with such people. Your news depicts only evil, never the good that happens around you because as a people you have become haters of anything good. You crave evil. Your movies and television shows are filled with violence, sex, and the ocult because you crave evil and hate anything good. You rebel against your parents and have become exactly the people Paul says you would become. You seek your own pleasure at any cost.
Look into the your political campaigns over the last few years and the number of discoveries on both sides of the aisle of treachery in the voting booths. The dead voting. Stolen identification cards. Non-citizens lining up at the polls. People voting at multiple sites. Treachery because some have become swollen with self-importance and are reckless with the truth. Even the Supreme Court thinks it can decide if My word is right or wrong.
You are in perilous times. But I would instruct you as Paul instructed Timothy. Find truly godly men and women who follow My teachings. Watch their lives and know they know Me. Listen to them and do what they do. But more importantly, read My words. Hear My voice. Do what I ask of you. Don’t let anyone tell you My word has become obsolete. Those who think so, find themselves crushed by it.
Paul understood the importance of My word when he told Timothy, “All of Scripture is God-breathed; in its inspired voice, we hear useful teaching, rebuke, correction, instruction, and training for a life that is right so that God’s people may be up to the task ahead and have all they need to accomplish every good work.”
Some of what you read you won’t like. Some of it will make you change your ways and cause you to do tough things, but you’ll find it worth it in the end. You’ll discover, as Paul did, My word stands the test of time and will take you through the most difficult parts of life. And regardless what the world might think or do, what’s ultimately important is having Me say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joys of heaven.”
Will you be described by Paul’s description of the populace of the endtimes or by My welcoming words of grace? It’s your choice to make. Make the right one.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved. In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.