3:1 This know also, that in the last days dangerous times shall come. 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 3:4 Traitors, rebellious, high – minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 3:6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:1-7 KJV)

          Above is from the second letter from Paul to Timothy, probably his last before he was executed for being a Christian. Timothy was an associate of Paul, his dearest friend, and pastor in the city of Ephesus. This letter was written in 64 A.D., from a prison in Rome, when Nero was king. When the fire started in Rome, Nero blamed the Christians, and they were persecuted.

          What I see in the letter are things that we are experiencing today. Like I wrote in previous blogs is that history repeats itself many times over. You don’t need an outline to understand 2 Timothy. All you need is a sense of the situation Paul was in as he wrote this letter and an open heart to listen to God speak to you through Paul’s final words.

          I will only attempt to explain part of the above passage, for the lack of space and time.

          In the last days perilous times (difficult, troublesome, trying, hard, uneasy, violent, threatening, and dangerous) shall come. Then, people will be lovers of their own selves. This does not mean the normal and natural love of life and of oneself that we should all have. It means selfishness and self-centeredness. That person focuses upon oneself and one’s own pleasure and flesh instead of upon God and other people. That person will also seek one’s own desires without considering others.

          People will be covetous. The word means lovers of money and possessions. People will want more and more, bigger and bigger, better and better, and they will seldom be satisfied with what they have.

          People will be boasters (braggarts, pretenders, vaunters, swaggers). These people boast about what they have, pretend to have what they do not have or do what they have not done.

 One more will be blasphemers (slander, insult, rail, revile, reproach, curse). Practically everyone is cursing and reviling someone. That is because there is a loss of respect for both self and others, for both position and authority. People rail, revile, insult, reproach, and curse when disturbed within. This is when they sense dissatisfaction, disapproval, unacceptance, bitterness, emptiness, loneliness, and reaction within their heart. A disturbed and dissatisfied heart causes people to blaspheme God and man.

I see all this happening today, especially within the people that are politically connected. I do not know if the “last days” are here or not, but I feel they are at least very close. Therefore, I will continue this with part two and possibly part three. I am hoping someone gets something out of this, but remember, when you point your finger at someone there are four fingers pointing at you. God be with all of you.