Overcoming Persecution

2 Timothy 3:12-17 (King James Version)

¹²Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

¹³But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

¹⁴But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

¹⁵And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁶All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

¹⁷That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

The scriptures above tell us that when we live a Godly life, we will suffer persecution. This persecution may be physically, emotionally, socially, etc. We must realize this and not quit. Verse 14 tells us to continue on. This is something we must do as Christians. It is so hard to continue on when you feel as though you can't even get back up from the previous time, yet it is imperative to do so. When we stop, lay down on the job, we give satan the reigns for our lives. It gets tiresome but in the end, or I guess I should say the future since we as Christians have no end, it is worth it!

Verse 15 talks about knowing the holy scriptures from your childhood. I realize that not every one of us were taken to church and taught God's Word at home. I feel very fortunate and blessed that I was raised in church my entire life and that my parents consistently taught me God's Word. Maybe you didn't have that opportunity. But you can bestow such an opportunity to your children or little children around you. We may be the only Bible any of these children, or folks in general, ever read!

As many of you know, my heart greatly desires to have children, "to go forth and be fruitful." I know that God will give me the desires of my heart if I continue to earnestly ask for them and if they are for the right reasons. My reasoning is the fact that I truly cannot wait to teach my child/children about my Savior. I want to speak His name to my child daily and to be an example of Jesus' love. Until I am blessed with that opportunity, I Pray that I can demonstrate these things to my students. As a teacher in the public school system, we are not allowed to read from the Bible or have Prayer in our classrooms. However, my students know my heart and who holds it in it's entirety. When they have problems, they come to me and ask for Prayer. It truly is a beautiful thing! I Pray that I can always be a light to those around me, especially the young, pliable hearts of children!

Verses 16 and 17 speak of God's Word being inspired by Him and making the man of God "perfect and thoroughly furnished." I have always known that God's Word is totally inspired by Him but I really enjoyed reading the Greek meaning this morning in my New Defender's Study Bible. In the Greek, "Given by inspiration of God" is all one word, theopneustos, which means "God-breathed." Isn't that awesome? Can you just imagine God breathing on those men and their minds and bodies given total control to their Master to pen His Word? I Pray that God will "breathe" on my mind, spirit, heart, and body daily so that I can speak a word to those who may need it.

Lastly, I was curious when I read in verse 17 about God making His children "perfect and thoroughly furnished." Could we ever be perfect? Sure... when we are like Him. Here's what the notes from my awesome Bible states:

"3:17 perfect. The word used her for "perfect" (Greek artios) is found nowhere else in the New Testament. It seems basically to mean "new" or "fresh," which most expositors interpret as "complete." Perhaps, however, it refers to our ultimate perfection in Christ, when "we shall be like Him" (1 Jo 3:2), with all sin removed and the age-long effects of the curse taken away. He has promised, "Behold, I make all things new" (Re 21:5), and that must include us as well, even our bodies (Ph 3:20-21). We shall then, indeed, be as fresh and perfect as Adam was when he was first created -- even more so, as perfected in Christ. No doubt, the "man of God" shall be as perfect then as "the law of the Lord is perfect" now (Ps 19:7), for the Holy Scriptures are now, and will eternally be, our spiritual food (Ma 4:4; 24:35).

3:17 thoroughly furnished. "Thoroughly furnished" is one word in the Greek, meaning "completely equipped." We need nothing more that God's complete Word for our complete life."

Such an awesome message from God's Word in these appropriate times! God bless each of you!