Let’s continue our journey through the third chapter of 2 Timothy today.  Our sixth way to make it through difficult times is to continue in the Sacred Scriptures (God’s Word).  How do we do that?

• In the way you live (vs. 10-13).  Your life shows what you believe about the Scriptures.  How are you living?  What does your life say?

• In what you have learned (vs. 14-15) – We read in this passage that Timothy was taught by his grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice.  Paul was his mentor.  By having these godly women and this godly man in his life, he became a great man for God.  Almost 90% of students raised in church depart from the faith in their young adult years.  We need to stop that trend.  The aim of the Holy Scriptures is to lead people to the saving power of Jesus Christ.

• In what you believe (vs. 16-17) – I want to tell you what Paul, Timothy, and the early church believed about the Holy Scriptures:

Inspiration: God breathed them into existence.  The scriptures are God inspired.

• Infallible: trustworthy and reliable in every way, never misleading you.
• Inerrant: free from error or falsehood, incapable of being wrong.
• Authoritative: comes from God and is God’s Word to us, therefore, authoritative in every way.

Profitability

• Teaching (doctrine): “what is right”
• Rebuking (reproof): “what is not right”
• Correcting (correction): “how to get it right”
• Training in righteousness (instruction in righteous): “how to stay right”

God’s Word will help you in every way – tell you what is right , what is not right, tell you how to get it right and to stay right!  This book is your map, playbook for life!

Sufficiency

• Make you a man or a woman of God
• Make you fit for life
• Make you have everything you need as they are sufficient in EVERY way and for EVERY thing.

Scriptures are completely sufficient to tell you how to live a life that will please God.

I pray that you will live a life pleasing to God today.

As we begin this new week, let’s continue to examine the ways God has given us to make it through difficult times in 2 Timothy, chapter three.

America claims to be a very religious nation. However in the last days, the #1 religion of the world will not be Christianity, but “self-worship!” In order to help us make it through difficult times, we need to Understand the Times.  The three characteristics of last days will be:

1. Religious, but selfish (vs. 1-4).  Let’s look at what our religion is – self-exaltation (vs. 2) – “self-centeredness.”  Our world has shifted from God worship to self-worship.  Reformer John Calvin warned:  “Everyone of us is, even from the mother’s womb, a master craftsman of idols.”  Self is an idol.
   Self-preservation (vs. 3-4a) – People are mean and destructive and all about preserving self.
   Self-relaxation (vs. 4b) – We are lovers of pleasure, relaxation, recreation more than lovers of God.  This is a serious offense to God.
2. Religious, but powerless (vs. 5) – There is a “form” (resemblance, shaping, outline, outward form of religion), BUT the real essence, power, substance of true religion is not there.  Where is the power?  Where is the change?  American religion personifies verse 5.  It is form without substance; religion without reality and a relationship.
3. Religious, but worthless (vs. 6-9) – The women in these verses are no different than the two men who imitated Moses’ miracles.  SATAN IS AN IMITATOR.  They resisted God’s truth and were unfit to be used by God at all.  Religious but worthless.

The #1 religion in the world is not Christianity or Islam or any other, but the #1 religion in the world is self-worship.

Examine yourself today and honestly answer the following questions:

• Are you just RELIGIOUS, or do you have a genuine personal life relationship with Jesus Christ?
• Are you just RELIGIOUS and not truly connected to a local community of believers?
• Are you guilty as a Christ-follower of self-worship?

We are continuing on today in our look back to our recent series in 2 Timothy.  The subject today is about how to “Make the Right Choices.”

In the April 4, 2009 edition of Newsweek Magazine, there is an article entitled, “The End of Christian America.”  A quote from that article said, “Christians are making up a declining percentage of American culture.”  In response, Dr. Al Mohler was quoted in the article stating: “The most basic contours of American culture have been radically altered.  The so-called Judeo-Christian consensus of the last millennium has given way to a post-modern, post-Christian, post-Western cultural crisis which threatens the very heart of our culture.”

I agree–the landscape is every-changing; times are even more difficult.  Why?  It is because God’s people are making poor choices morally, socially, financially and in their families, which has resulted in a “pandemic of wrong choices.”  We need to Make the Right Choices.  To do that, we must:

Run from making the wrong choices. (vs. 22-23)

• Sensuality
• Selfishness
• Pride

Pursue making the right choices. (vs. 22, 24-25a)

• Desire a pure heart
• Godly actions
• Right attitude

If Satan cannot get you to do the wrong thing, he will get you to do the right thing in the wrong way.  Remember:  To win people to Christ today, you win them not only through your words, but through your attitude and ways.

I encourage you to live up to our name, “Christian.”  It is crystal clear:  Our life, attitude, and actions should point people to Jesus, not push them from Jesus.

During difficult times in the last days, there will be selfishness, distraction and preoccupation.  False teaching and false teachers will run rampant.  It is extremely important to work on your walk with Christ.

Work on your attitude: In verse 14, we are exhorted not to fight (quarrel, dispute, strive over words), tear down believers, argue, etc.  This happens when we are defending ourselves and feel we are more prominent than those we are trying to reach.  It is when pride enters our life.  Your attitude will pretty well determine the rest of your life.

Work on your understanding of God’s Word. How do we do this?

Diligence (vs. 15) – be persistently zealous, that after examination and testing, you will be unashamed in any work.
Study (vs. 15) – We must cut a straight road, with precision and accuracy, just us a farmer plows a straight furrow for producing the best crop; we must study God’s Word correctly to avoid heresy.
Self-control (vs. 16) – Avoid godless chatter, empty speech, babbling.  Only self-control keeps you from greater godlessness.  My proverb:  People who talk too much, talk too much.
Wisdom (vs. 17-18) – We must be wise in the teaching of false teachers.  False teaching will create doubt and a falling away from the truth.  We also need wisdom to control our words and stay true to Scripture.
Church (vs. 19) – A church that follows Scripture is the pillar of truth.  The reason Christians must understand God’s Word is because the church owns the responsibility of securing its theology and the purity of its membership.

Work on becoming a special instrument God will use (vs. 20-21). How can we become special instruments God will use?

• Be cleansed from sin.
• Be set apart for God’s purpose.
• Be useful to the Master, Jesus Christ.
• Be prepared – ready to undertake anything God wants you to do.

There is something about the human spirit that makes us want to “hold on.”  The most important thing that we should hold on to is – the Grace of God. God has given us some things to have and to hold on to.  In difficult times, we can often lose our spiritual equilibrium.  Today, I want to remind us of what we need to hold on to in difficult times:

Hold on to truth: The truth of sound teaching.  The gospel is the good news we have been entrusted with.  Place your faith in that good news and stand on the truth of God’s Word.

Hold on to one another. In difficult days, we find out who our real friends are.  We need to hold on to our Church, Christians, Family and others that help give us the strength to make it through.

Hold on to grace principles. As I mentioned yesterday, grace is God’s free offer of forgiveness of your sins and eternal life.  Hold on to these grace principles:

• Disciple-making – invest in the lives of others spiritually.
• Suffering – Life is tough – deal with it.  We will suffer:  we must learn from it and grow with it.
• Integrity – Do what is right; take the high road.  Your integrity is a precious gift, do not lose it.
• Harvest – Be patient, work smart and hard and your harvest will come.
• Perseverance – Hang in there; endure patiently; persevere to the end.  God has great rewards for those who persevere.

What are you holding on to right now? Is it the world….your job…..material possessions….your lifestyle?    It must be the grace of God. Only God’s grace will help you make it during difficult times.

Our recent series on 2 Timothy (The Top 10 Ways to Make it Through Difficult Times) was greatly received. Much feedback was given to me about its helpfulness to people’s lives.  I have decided to spend a few days reviewing the truths found in these scriptures.

We are living in difficult times.  2 Timothy 3:1 says, “But know this: difficult times will….”  God’s Word has some specific things to tell us to help us make it through these difficult times.

Number One:  You must know you are saved. What does it mean to be saved?  It means to be rescued from the penalty of sin, death and hell (Romans 6:23).  I want to share with you today this great news:

God is calling you today. He is calling you to a better and new life.  He wants to give you an abundant, blessed life.

God will give you purpose today. God does have a plan – a purpose – for you.  His most important plan is that you will have a personal relationship with Him and then secondly, that you will follow Him all the days of your life.

God wants you to experience Jesus and His grace today. Grace is God’s free offer of forgiveness of your sins and eternal life.  I am not talking about experiencing what you do for God (works), but grace: what Jesus has done for you in giving you forgiveness and eternal life (Ephesians 2:8-9).  Always remember:  Experience is not something you do for God, but something God does in you.

It does not matter what age you are or stage of life you are in ……God calls you TODAY to know Him in a personal relationship.  If you have never done this, trust Him TODAY as your Savior!

We are so privileged to live in this great land called America. Let’s remember to pray for our leaders, and most importantly, pray for revival in our country.

Many have died for our freedom in America, but only One died to free us from sin and give us a future. As we celebrate this weekend, let’s thank God for our country and those who have sacrificed for it, but most of all, let’s thank Him for sending His son to free us from the bondage of sin.

Hope you enjoy these pictures from last weekend!

The stories continue to come in about the effects of Student Beach Camp, and the truth is that God will continue to use that week in our student’s lives for months and years to come. Getting away from normal life and its challenges – and instead, spending a week in God’s Word and listening to Him – what an opportunity for life change!

In addition to the many salvations that occurred during camp, there were others who surrendered to full-time ministry. It is also great to know that some of our Student Ministry Interns were saved at camp and/or surrendered to full-time ministry at a past student camp.

Church, thank you again for your sacrifice in giving that made it possible for 541 students to attend this year. To God be the glory!