Facing the Difficult Times

Who among us is not facing difficult times and/or does not know many others that are? The Bible tells us difficult time will come. It also tells us that Scripture will give us instruction that leads to salvation and what we need to be prepared in righteousness to stand against the difficult times. I do not know how people without God can get through the day. I am still amazed that I survived the time of my life when I foolishly tried to walk through it on my own. Looking back, I can see where His Hand was on me even though I did not know it. I admit there was a time in my life where I considered the Bible a glorified history book. I was wrong. It is road map of my life these days and I would not hazard to venture through my day without it.   

2 Timothy 3

 1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,  5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. 6 For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith.

9But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, just as Jannes's and Jambres's folly was also. 10 Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, 11 persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me! 12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13 But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them,  15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

In conversation with a friend the other day, he quoted from the Scripture above, "… always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" That struck me as the sad way many people approach Bible study. It's rather like reading a cookbook but never trying a recipe. You can memorize all the scripture written but it will be in vain if you do not allow it to soak into the depths of your spirit and ask the Lord for revelation knowledge and understanding. Otherwise, it is no more meaningful than reading a sales catalog you get in the mail.

I love to learn, I love study and research, but it is of little value if I cannot apply it my life to benefit others and myself. God teaches each of us in the way most appropriate for our understanding. For me, it is the holy taps on my shoulder to let me know He has placed something in front of me and I need to pay attention. He has also given me marching orders to share those life lessons with others. While He points the way, I pray for guidance as I turn the lesson into words in this blog, I dig through scripture to find the nuggets I need to make it come alive in my understanding. God will always do his part and we must do ours. Let us strive to be Believers seeking revelation knowledge and not be content with "… always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth"