In the Last Days | Morning Routine Daily Devotional for February 10

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. … evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it. — 2 Timothy 3:1, 13-14

Scripture has a lot to say about the last days. When you read about the ‘last days’ in the New Testament, it is clear that the authors thought of this period as either present or in their near future. The last days, then, is the period from the early church to the return of Christ. We are living in the last days, eagerly expecting Jesus’ return at any moment.

In today’s passage, the Apostle Paul is warning Timothy, a church leader, that in the last days things will get increasingly difficult. Morality will tank. False teachers will arise. Persecution will increase:  honestly, it reads like a modern-day newspaper. This is our ministry context! And as those advancing God’s kingdom, we need to have a clear vision of what we’re up against. 

So in the last days, when things are going from bad to worse around us, what do we do? Paul’s answer is pretty simple: “Continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it.” In other words, as believers, we continue to learn, grow in, practice, and pass on our Christian faith. Don’t be discouraged! Literally keep on, continue! Jesus promised that the Gates of Hades would not prevail against His church. It is His church. And each one of us is called to continue serving, fulfilling the call of God on our lives to advance the kingdom. Until Jesus returns, we serve Him wholeheartedly!