2 Timothy 3:1-5, 15-17

 1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers
of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their
parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without selfcontrol,

brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of
pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its
power. Have nothing to do with them.
15and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able
to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is
God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every
good work.

Meditation:
1. Paul’s remarks here, in fact, are directed and relevant to our own age,
considering that modern culture, in general, tends to be self-absorbed, selfpromoting,
cynical, and addicted to lust.

2. Read the passages again slowly.  Notice the big change from the first
paragraph to the second.
• How does the way the Scripture moves us (v 16) help us to be different
from the general culture?
• Scripture is God-breathed – words breathed to me from our relational
God, not a bunch of rules.  Picture God speaking to me in “teaching,
rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness”.
3. Can I imagine God doing these things in ways exactly right for me?  In gentle
yet firm ways?  To rescue me before I mess up?  Ask God to help me be open
to him.  Ask God to show me specific details that I need to know at this
moment.
4. Imagine such an interactive life with God, one in which all day long I
experience him gently showing me truth, exposing my rebellion, correcting
my mistakes, and training me to live his way.  Would this be the best way to
live?  Why?

Personal Note:
What is there to protect me from the influences of this world?

I am influenced with the desire to get rich, to indulge in lust, pleasure, to become powerful and successful, to live a comfortable live without regards to the suffering of this world, and to become indifferent and live for myself only.

God's Words speak to me personally.  All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every
good work.  The person who is able to lead others to Christ must love God and His Words!