Daily Devotional

A Ministry of the Kerwin Baptist Church

September 23, 2019

by Pastor Hawtree

BIBLE READING: II TIMOTHY 3

1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

Well, there is good news, and bad news. Anytime someone has ever said that to me, I have always said I want the bad news first. I feel like if I get the good news first, it is all downhill from there. But if I get the bad news first, there’s nowhere to go but up. Paul was an honest man. He always “shot straight”. So here we go:

BAD NEWS FIRST: THESE ARE PERILOUS DAYS
This word “perilous” means dangerous. That is certainly true. This is a dangerous time for marriage. It is a dangerous time for our country. It is a dangerous time for temptation. It is a dangerous time for apathy. The more influence Satan has on our culture, the more dangerous it will be. Everywhere you look there’s danger. As a Christian, everything we see and every influence on us, Satan can use for our harm. If you’re reading this in the morning time, please know that for the rest of the day you are in danger. Satan is waiting for you everywhere you go. Every time you turn around, he’s trying to hurt you. Through technology, Satan has made temptation so available and so commonly accepted. But remember, that is the bad news.

GOOD NEWS: THESE ARE THE LAST DAYS
As dangerous as these days are, it is encouraging to know that on the other side of these days is heaven. This will not last forever. Satan will not have opportunity to prowl to and fro through the earth to try to ruin our families and lives. The fact that these times are so dangerous reminds us that these are the last days. The more dangerous they are, the closer we are. So, what are we to do about all this? Later in this chapter we are told because these are perilous times, and because these are the last days:

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

Even when times are dangerous, we are to continue. Even though we are in the last days, we are to continue. Whatever comes, whatever happens, we are to just keep doing right. I encourage you today, it is dangerous out there, but just keep doing what God has encouraged us to do. Just keep continuing in the truth of God’s Word that we have been taught.