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The Hard Trail Ahead

¹ Know this, Timothy! When the end is near, the trail will be very difficult. ² People's priorities will only be money and themselves. They will be arrogant and proud. Not only will they scoff at God, but their parents as well. They won't have a grateful bone in their body. Nothing will be sacred. ³ Their saddlebags will be filled with hate and unforgiveness. They'll be slaves to lust and slander. Cruelty will mark their trail and they will hate anything that is good. ⁴ They'll stab their friends in the back for a buck and puff their chests out in pride for what they've done. Their pleasure will be other's pain and they will not know God. ⁵ They will act religious, but deny the power that could change their lives into something special. Steer clear of cowboys like that.

⁶ These cowboys are really snakes that slither into vulnerable women's homes with empty promises and lustful desires. ⁷ Vulnerable women will believe any new teaching that promises them a better life than the one they have. They will be unable to see the truth. ⁸ These wannabe cowboys are counterfeits. They are like Jannes and Jambres who went up against Moses. ⁹ But they won't get away with their falsehoods for long. Every fool will one day get what's coming to them and others will see them for who they really are.

Timothy's Final Order

¹⁰ Timothy, you've seen how I ride and how I live. You've seen my purpose and know I've held fast. You've seen my faith, my patience, and my never-give-in attitude. ¹¹ You've seen all the troubles I've gone through in my ride for Christ. You know all about my persecution in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. But remember, God got me through all of it. ¹² Every cowboy who rides for the brand will suffer at the hands of the unbelievers. ¹³ These wannabe cowboys will ride a trail from debauchery to depravity and take many people with them.

¹⁴ But you must remain faithful to the brand. You know the truth and you know you can trust what we say. ¹⁵ You've believed what the Good Book says and it has guided you to the salvation of Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ The Good Book is written by God to show us the trails to take and the ones to stay away from. It points out our wrongs and helps us to live right. ¹⁷ It's God's voice in the darkness that prepares his cowboys for the gathering and doctoring of the herd.