Somebody Loves You

Raul Ries: Maybe tonight you're feeling down, you're depressed, or oppressed by the enemy because of what you're going through tonight. Listen, there is light at the end of the tunnel. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Don't get worried, God will take care of you. He will never leave you, and He'll never forsake you.

Guest (Male): Welcome to Somebody Loves You Radio, the Bible teaching ministry of Raul Ries in Diamond Bar, California. Today's lesson continues our series in 2 Timothy with encouragement to persevere when your faith is put through the fire. Pondering the Apostle Paul's warnings of tribulation in the world's last days, Raul will assure you that when you live fully for God and follow the ways of His word, He'll help you endure persecution and stand firm against false religious teaching. Here's Raul Ries in 2 Timothy Chapter 3, beginning in Verse 10.

Raul Ries: As we continue our study through the Bible in the book of 2 Timothy, what a great book it is, especially in the times we're living even tonight. In the first nine verses that we talked about last week, we were talking about the hard times that were going to come as Paul is talking to Timothy and sharing with him because of the situation that was taking place in the city of Ephesus where young Timothy was the pastor. He was very discouraged because of all the false teachers that were coming in and the divisions they were bringing, but most important, it was the false teachings that they were infecting the Body of Christ with.

So Paul begins in Chapter 3, Verse 1, and he says, "But know this, that in the last days, hard times will come." And then he gives the characteristics of the last times. "For men will be lovers of themselves, fond of self, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to their parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers," third time, "lovers of pleasure rather," fourth time, "lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. From such people, turn away."

"For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women, loaded down with sins and led away by various desires," speaking of these women that they would get caught up with these false teachers and they would go into sexual adventures in the lust of the flesh. And yet, Paul the Apostle here says, "Timothy, even though you see these things are happening and there's all these false people," he says in Verse 10, now he begins, he says, "I want you to follow the truth. I want you to follow the truth." Check this out, look what he says to him.

"But you, O Timothy, have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, and perseverance." Paul is telling Timothy, "Timothy, don't forget who taught you the Word of God." Remember again in Chapter 1 of 1 Timothy where his mother and his grandmother and Paul the Apostle were the ones to teach Timothy about God. And think of the people in your own personal life, if you grew up in a Christian home, who were the ones that taught you the Word of God? Now you came to Christ and who are you teaching the Word of God to? To your children, to your grandchildren, to your wife, to your husband, to each other.

Paul here is saying, "Timothy, it is so cool and so good to know that the ministry of the teaching of the Word of God is God's holy word here for you today." And yet it's really important that we understand that Paul the Apostle here was a wonderful example to Timothy. I pray and I hope that you, as a husband, as a wife, or maybe as a grandfather or grandmother, that you're being a good example to your children and to your grandchildren and to your whole family, especially as a spiritual leader of your home. That's what Paul is teaching here.

You see, it's really important that we take the time to study so that we can give out to our loved ones and friends the Word of God, the truth of God. And so, Timothy here is being exhorted by Paul. "But you, Timothy, have carefully followed," notice the word "followed" here literally means "to follow alongside," that is, it is to pattern your life after the leader. He's saying, "I hope I was a good example that you're patterning your life after my life because I'm patterning my life after Christ Jesus." That's good.

It's really important also to know the people in the congregation, the leaders, that really are making an effect in the young people and in the old people because they really see that these men and women are committed to Jesus Christ, and what they say they live. They're not hypocritical. Of course, we're all human. We all make mistakes. But at the same time, Paul here is saying, "Look, I gave you a pattern for your life, and that is the pattern came from the teaching of the Word of God. I got it from Jesus and I'm giving it to you, and your grandma and your mom were very good examples of the faith. Follow that example." And that's what Paul says to us tonight: follow godly leaders.

So Paul says here, "But you have carefully followed my doctrine," notice that. Doctrine, the study of sound doctrine, because there were too many false doctrines going around when Paul was teaching Timothy. And then he says also this, he says, "And remember the manner of life," notice the conduct, my daily living. "I hope that I was a good example to you and the way I lived my life with you when I was with you, and I hope you're hearing good things about me." That's always for all of us here.

Remember not only the manner of life but the purpose, the motive. My motive, my passion that I had for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the passion that I have in my heart for God and for the lost and for missions and for the people. Paul says, "Don't forget that that's part of the ministry." He says that not only purpose, but faith. Faith, notice this. And also what? Longsuffering or patience, and love, and perseverance. Perseverance here is actually to be patient in circumstances that we face as believers. Problems, situations. Be patient. God is at work. God hasn't forgotten about you.

And then he goes on and he says in Verse 11, "And remember the persecutions that we faced." Persecutions that Paul the Apostle went through hell, and yet he says, "Everything was done for the Lord. The Lord was with me." As the Lord is with you. Then he goes on to say this, "Afflictions, which happened to me even in Antioch, Central Turkey, where the church started. Notice that. And there in Iconium and also in Lystra. Remember Lystra?" Lystra is where the Apostle Paul went in to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They grabbed him and they took him outside the city and they stoned him to death.

And he actually died and went to heaven in 2 Corinthians Chapter 12. He tells us this little experience. Let me read it to you. This is where he saw the Lord. In Chapter 12 of 2 Corinthians, he saw a vision. He says, "It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast, but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago," that's when he was stoned, "whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows, such a one was caught up to the third heaven." When Paul was stoned to death, his body lay there, but he went to heaven.

And when he went to the third heaven, he says he saw things and he heard a vocabulary that you couldn't even have in this world. Check this out, this is so cool. He says, "I know such a man whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows, how he was caught up to the Paradise and heard unexpressible words, which is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such a one I will boast, yet of myself I will not boast except of my infirmities. For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool for I will speak the truth, but I refrain lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be and hears from me."

And what he goes on to say is this, Verse 7, "Unless I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations," he says, "a thorn in the flesh was given to me," notice, "as a messenger of Satan to buffet me lest I exalt myself above every measure." Paul says, "I went to heaven, I came back, and God says, 'Paul, I'm going to keep you humble. I'm going to send a messenger of Satan and give you a thorn on the side to keep you humble,' because Paul saw a lot in heaven." But there were no words to express it, you see.

And Paul says here there were words that I could not even understand in this world. Paul saw it. And you know what Paul did? He came back to his body, he got up, brushed himself off, and he went back preaching. How can you stop a person like that? Like Paul the Apostle. Look what he says the next verse concerning this thing. "I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me," this thorn, this enemy of Satan that God allowed for Paul to have in his life. Some people say that his thorn in the flesh was his eyes. He was going blind. He couldn't see.

If that could be, but if that is true, think of how maybe God allows in our lives some kind of a thorn in our life to keep us humble and to keep us in the Word of God and to keep us trusting in Jesus Christ. You say, "What do you mean?" Read the next verse. Look what he says in Verse 9, "I asked him three times, but he said to me, 'Paul, my grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect,' how? 'In weakness.'" Interesting.

Maybe you don't have a good healthy body. You've been sick for the last year. And you say, "Why would God allow this in my life?" Why not? "My grace is sufficient for you." See what Paul's saying? My grace is sufficient for you. Sometimes God will allow things like this in our lives to keep us simple, to keep us humble. And that's why Paul, talking to Timothy, says here, "Look at and remember what happened to me in Antioch, in Iconium, especially in Lystra, what persecutions I endured." Persecutions I endured. Why? Because Paul not only was shipwrecked three times, he was beaten three times, and yet God said, "My grace is sufficient for you, Paul. Paul, I am with you."

Guest (Male): This is Somebody Loves You Radio with Raul Ries. Raul is always available to respond to your prayer requests and Bible questions. You can email him anytime at pastorraul@somebodylovesyou.com. And for additional resources to deepen and enrich your relationship with God, visit somebodylovesyou.com. Now back to more of Raul Ries in our study, Prophetical Times Coming.

Raul Ries: And then he says this, "What persecutions I endured, and out of them all," underline this, "the Lord delivered me." I like that. Who's going to deliver me? The Lord. Maybe tonight you're feeling down, you're depressed, or oppressed by the enemy because of what you're going through tonight. Listen, there is light at the end of the tunnel. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Don't get worried, God will take care of you. He will never leave you and He'll never forsake you. Paul is saying to Timothy, "Timothy, this is everything that happened to me, and yet the Lord delivered me out of all things. The Lord is my strength."

And then in Verses 13 to 17 now, he says this: continue in God's word. Verse 12, "Yes, and all," here is the key and you might not want to underline it. "Yes, and all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." Whoa. It's a guarantee. A guarantee, people. If you're willing to surrender, if you're willing to repent, if you really want to live a godly life, then expect all hell to break loose. Expect it. Persecutions, trials, temptations. You see?

Paul here is warning Timothy. If you live godly lives, and I'm not saying that you act self-righteous, but I'm saying if you just live your normal life in the Lord and you read and you pray and you fellowship and you do what's right. You don't try to steal, you don't try to lie, but you correct yourself when you do things like that and you do what's right, then God's going to bless you. But at the same time, people are going to hate you, especially when you speak truth and you don't compromise in the Kingdom of God. Paul says, "Timothy, if you never compromise, people are going to hate you. They're going to hate you and they're going to talk about you."

And then what else? Verse 13. "But I want to warn you, Timothy, but evil men and imposters," interesting word, "and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." Isn't that something? It's not going to get better. Notice, these are the oppressors of the church. They will become worse and worse and worse before they ever become better. They're never going to get better. They're going to become more perverted. They're going to become more into themselves, self-righteous, evil, saying things that really hurt people without apologizing, without repenting, very cold-hearted. He says, "Those are going to be in the last days. It's going to happen, Timothy."

And then he said this, "But you, Timothy, must continue in the things which you have learned," notice that, "which you've been taught. Timothy, don't forget how you went to Bible school. Don't forget how you were in Sunday School. Don't forget your grandma when she sat with you and taught you the scriptures." And when he's talking about the scriptures, he's talking about the Old Testament scriptures because they didn't have the New Testament yet.

So here Paul again says, "Look, Timothy, you need to fight for the truth of God's Word no matter what happens." That's why we're fighting today for the inerrancy of God's Word, that God's Word is the truth, the true Word of God. There are no mistakes, there's nothing wrong with God's Word. And yet they're always trying to say that the Bible cannot be believed. And yet here Paul tells Timothy, "Look, Timothy, but you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing this from whom you have learned them." Remember when your grandma and your mom and I told you about heaven, that when you die you don't become non-existent?

You don't come back as another animal, but what's going to happen? You're going to come back? No, you're going to go to be with the Lord the moment your body dies. Your spirit automatically goes to be with the Lord. And if you're not a Christian, you go to hell. Don't forget the things we taught you. That's what Paul is telling Timothy. Everything you're taught since you're little, Timothy, is going to help in your teenage years, in your adulthood, and even in your old age. If you're obedient to the Word of God and you keep to the truth of God, how can you go to the left or the right? You'll never do that. You'll stay on track according to the Word of God.

And then he said this, Verse 15, here it is. "And that from childhood," notice here, again emphasizing the importance of moms, dads, grandma, and grandpa teaching children. Teaching children in their level. Watch what he says. "And that from a childhood, you, Timothy, have known the Holy Scriptures," the Old Testament scriptures, "which are," what? "Which were able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." Timothy, when you were taught the Word of God, you made a decision to receive Christ through repentance, you see. That's how you came to the Lord, Timothy, because of your grandma, because of your mom, because of the teaching that was given to you in the Old Testament.

And then the Holy Spirit worked in your life and you came to what? To become wise unto salvation because you learned about hell and you learned about heaven, and you were wise to choose heaven rather than hell by being born again of the Holy Spirit. That's what he says to him. Timothy, you're up with it. Watch this. "And then from a child, you have known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Jesus Christ."

And then again, what does he say here? That the kind of man that really truly is a godly man will have a strong home, will have a strong home, why? Because he has a teaching home. He has a home where they teach the Word of God. Your home will be strong when the Word of God is taught. When the husband takes the Bible and reads it to their families and prays with their families, you will have a strong home and a strong family. You're building a foundation, not of sand but of rock. The rock is Jesus Christ.

So here he says it again, Verse 16 again, "All scripture," here it is, the inerrancy of the Word of God. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God and, number one, it is profitable for doctrine," notice for truth. "Number two, for reproof. Number three, for correction," you see, it corrects you. "And for instruction." Interesting. Here it is, everything that the Word of God does. Number one, doctrine. Number two, reproof. Number three, correction. Number four, instruction in what? In righteousness, how to live right for God. The Word of God, Genesis to Revelation.

Genesis to Revelation. The importance of the teaching of the Word of God, but also the inspiration of the Word of God. Inspiration, illumination, and revelation. 2 Peter Chapter 1, Verses 19 to 21. Listen to what he says. This is so cool about inspiration of the Word of God and revelation. Verse 19, "And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to listen to as a light," notice inspiration here, "as a light that shines in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture," notice, "no prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation." Remember the Catholic Church used to say you can't read the Bible because you can't understand it, so they would speak in Latin? No, it's of no private into, anybody can read the Bible. Anybody. Watch this.

Knowing this, that no prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation for prophecy never came by the will of man, but by holy men of God spoke as they were moved by who? By the Holy Spirit. There was nothing holy with Peter, James, and John and Paul that wrote the Word of God. They didn't, it was the Word of God. The power was not in them, the power is in the Word of God. God instructed them, God spoke to them, and they wrote down the Word of God. You say, "So you think that the Bible is the Word of God?" Yes, one hundred percent.

Guest (Male): If you're feeling under attack or discouraged in your personal walk with the Lord, we hope you've been re-energized by today's assurance that He will never abandon you but will be faithful to see you through every trial. You're listening to Somebody Loves You Radio with Raul Ries. To hear today's lesson again in its complete form, just call us at 800-634-9165 and for a donation of five dollars or more, we'll send a copy to you. Just mention today's title, Prophetical Times Coming Part 3.

To further build your confidence in God's gracious sovereignty, we'd like to offer you Raul's 11-part 2 Timothy series. It's available on both CD and thumb drive. This study will inspire you to hold fast to God's Word, walking in its truth and trusting its promises for the future. Visit somebodylovesyou.com or call 800-634-9165 to order Raul's 11-message study of 2 Timothy. We'll send you the flash drive for a gift of fifteen dollars or the CD collection for twenty-four dollars. The number again is 800-634-9165. Or write to Somebody Loves You Radio, PO Box 4440, Diamond Bar, California 91765.

We're grateful for your partnership. Every tax-deductible gift helps us keep sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. Next time on Somebody Loves You Radio, we'll return to the Word of God for more empowering insights to help us in our walk with Christ. Here's Raul once again with a final thought from today's message.

Raul Ries: Look what he says again. "All scripture," God's revelation to man, "is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, for instruction in righteousness," and watch this, "that the man and woman of God may be," what? "Complete, fulfilled. Through what? Thoroughly equipped for every good work." What does he say? If you study the Word of God, you take it upon your heart, then what's going to happen? You're going to educate yourself, and then God is going to be able to use your life. Because you know the Word of God. You know the actual author of the Word of God, Jesus. You'll know Him. And as you know Him, you can tell others about Jesus Christ. That's the importance of God's Word.

Guest (Male): This program is sponsored by Somebody Loves You Radio in Diamond Bar, California.