Futile to Wrestle with the Word

2 Timothy 3:1-4 NKJV

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

This passage in Timothy is very relevant to the time that we live in. it seems that you can’t even turn the TV on anymore without seeing people like this everywhere. Today it is acceptable in society live according to what is negative in this passage. I use to read different newspapers because I enjoyed the articles that were written. I have deleted most newspapers from my phone today because of the amount of hatred and slander that they allow to flow through their pages.

We cannot hope to win these people to the Lord through debate. It will not happen. They are much better debaters than I could ever hope to be. I would not want to sit on their TV programs and have to endure an intellectual contest because I would lose every time. I am not as smart as they are and that is not being humble. That is a truth.

The only thing that I can do is wrap my life in Christ in God and pray for those who curse me and despitefully use me.

The only way to reach these people is through the power of Christ. I will not stop preaching the gospel because they do not like the words I do pray that when I do preach that it will come across with the love of Jesus blasting into their hearts. My prayer is that the peace and joy of the Holy Spirit will go forth in power like a river of living water and that wherever I go that fire of hope will go with me.

We know that we are in the end times because of the type of godlessness that we see portrayed as normal in the world around us. This generation is trying to reinterpret good as evil and evil as good. They will not succeed of course because you cannot change what God has established. It is like fighting against the goads.

When Paul fell to the ground the Lord said to him. “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads (Acts 26:14).” A goad was a rod that farmers used to point an oxen in the direction that it was to go. If a stubborn ox fought against that goad there was a sharp piece that would stick into its skin causing more pain. It didn’t pay to be stubborn in this case because greater pain resulted.

Paul’s behavior in attacking the church was going to cause him greater pain even though he didn’t realise it. He was fighting against people he was fighting against God.

The father in heaven knows how to get people’s attention. Even though all kinds of evil comes out of their hearts and their behavior is stubborn and corrupt at best, the Lord knows how to get them back on track. The fruit of evil living will result in death and destruction. Great trials are in store for those who live outside of the counsel of scripture and the Holy Spirit. These trials become the teacher that lead people to the Lord.

Don’t fight with them. Just be there for them when their lives become difficult. There are many goads that people face - failure in business and in marriages. They get sick. They go bankrupt. They face trials with family. Their dreams don’t come to pass. They face anxiety, depression and fear. You don’t have to argue with them their trials will become the lawyer that judges their words and they will find Christ because of the difficulties they face.

I have not met many born again Christians who do not have a testimony of coming to Christ outside of trial. They kicked and they screamed. They were defenders fo the world’s system. They were drunkards, addicts, and abusers. They were corrupt in every way imaginable and yet God’s grace was sufficient for them.

Don’t worry about the abuse that is coming against you. The Lord is your defender. He is going to get this generation. They are going to learn about their great saviour and of His great love for them. They may go through some things but he will save them. He has a way of doing that. He did it for me. He did it for you and he will do it for them also.