Greetings, radio friends, in the ever-precious name of our blessed Lord Jesus, as we come today to the end of our study in the second epistle of Timothy. It has been a great joy and a personal blessing to my own heart to look into the pages of this great epistle, the last letter that was written by the beloved apostle Paul, that faithful servant of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The great epistle is so timely for the present days, reminding the Christian that he and she should indeed seek to be faithful and stir their heart and conscience in these days of difficulty to live with spiritual energy in the midst of a scene that surrounds us now. The last days of Christianity Oh, my beloved believer, the coming of the Lord is near. And you and I have little time to live for the Savior. Our time is short. God grant that we shall indeed be stirred by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God to live as we should live for our Savior in the closing days of the present testimony. And to you who have not yet been saved, it is the deep and the earnest desire of this servant of God that you will find the Savior before it is ever too late. We read the closing section of our epistle beginning in chapter four at verse nine. We shall comment as we read down to the end of the chapter, which concerns mainly personal remarks. by the beloved apostle Paul written to his son in the faith Timothy. We have in longing to see this son in the faith as he speaks in the ninth verse, saying, Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me, for demons hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica, Crescent to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia, Only Luke is with me. Take Mark and bring him with thee, for he is profitable to me for the ministry. Antichicus have I sent to Ephesus. Here are some names the beloved apostle mentions in respect to those who belong to the Lord. First, a sad commentary upon one whose name was Demas. one who had been a companion of Paul, he hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and departed unto Thessalonica. Oh, am I speaking to a beloved believer in the Lord Jesus, who in like manner has turned away from the path of obedience? Who has permitted the world in its character, as well as in its attraction, not necessarily the evil of the world, but the world in all that it offers, for the monetary and material gain that can be acquired? Have you permitted that world to take the place of Christ in your affections? God forbid. If so, return to him. For he was one who set his heart where the believer should never put his or her heart. Love not the world. Neither the things that are in the world. Creesons had departed, Titus too, sent to another part of Asia Minor. Luke only was with the beloved Apostle Paul in the closing days of his life. And yet he longs that Mark, one who had been once an unprofitable servant, but who had been restored, he longs that Mark would be brought to see him. for he was profitable to me in the ministry. And then another servant of God, Tichicus, he had left at Ephesus to care for the work of God there. And these are personal affectionate remarks that dear Apostle had for some of his fellow labors. Then he speaks of needing that winter coat, the cloak that I left at Troas with carpus, when thou comest bring with thee, and the book but especially the apartments. The need of that winter clothing touches a very human spot to realize the coming winter would indeed need the provision of the covering of this garment. But oh how he longed even more for those books in parchments concerning the word of God that he had left behind. Fond of the reading of the precious truth of God. And now he speaks of another and wands of his character and testimony. Alexander the Copper-Smith did me much ego. The Lord reward him according to his works, of whom be thou aware also, for he hath greatly withstood our words. Yes, the beloved apostle had enemies. He had strong enemies. and yet he could command and commit the enemies to the Lord. For the Lord will deal with the enemies of his people, and we should be careful with our dealings towards such. And then he touches quite in pathos upon that first occasion when he stood before Caesar, and note the words, At my first answer, meaning the first appearance before Caesar, No man stood with me. All men forsook me. How this parallels the Lord Jesus for whom he labored, who at the end of his days was forsaken by all. And he adds that prayer. I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. And what a solemn reflection it is upon the faithlessness of many Christians. forsaking a true servant of God. But how blessed he can have the words. Notwithstanding, the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear, and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. What a testimony! Had not the Lord said in his precious word, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, so that we can boldly say, The Lord is my helper. I shall not fear what man can do unto me. And the beloved apostle in the loneliness of his trial, and in the loneliness of his position, had with him one who was greater, the Lord stood with me and strengthened me. May I pass these words of exhortation and encouragement on to my beloved believers? The Lord stood with me and strengthened me. Do you feel at loss? Do you feel weak? Do you feel surrounded by difficulties and dangers? My beloved Christian friend, there is one who can strengthen you and me, and he will stand by us right to the end. The Lord Himself And God's purpose was involved in this, that the preaching of the gospel might be fully known among the nations. And Paul said, I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. Now note his confidence of the future. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. I'd like you to dwell with me on these wonderful words of the eighteenth verse in our chapter. What confidence, what assurance, blessed assurance that a child of God can have in the trust he and she can place in the Lord. Now look what Paul says. The Lord shall deliver me from every evil way. Take that to your heart, my fellow believer. Whatever you may be in, what conditions might be yours now, what circumstances may be yours later, will you remember the Lord is able to deliver you from every evil work? And then second, he will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom. My beloved, the preservation of the saints does not depend upon the saints, for we would never make it. But the preservation of the saints depends upon the one who holds his people in his right hand, the Lord Jesus Christ. No wonder he said, I give unto my sheep. eternal light and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my hand and my father which gave them me is greater than all neither shall any pluck them out of my father's hand I and my father are one and may I ask my Christian friend if you're in the hand of the Lord Jesus when will he ever let you go now you answer that question When will he ever let you go? And you know there's only one answer. Believe it. And not only believe it, enjoy it. And say with Paul, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Now closing salutations are given. Salute Priscilla, Aquila, the household of all Luciferus. Erastus aboded, comrade. But tropimus, have I left it might lead him sick. Do thy diligence to come before winter, as he longed to see his dear son in the faith. Eubilis greeteth thee, and Pudans, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren. The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit, and grace be with you. Amen. My beloved radio friends, we come to the closing of the second epistle of Timothy. one of the most timely levers for the present days of Christianity. Days of declension and darkness, but days in which you and I who are believers need spiritual energy. May I commend to you the study and the continued reading of this epistle for your encouragement, your strengthening and your blessing. In relation to the divine truth of God, May you and I hold it. May you and I teach it. May you and I abide in it. May you and I preach it and be faithful until the Lord Jesus comes. To you who are not yet saved, oh how I plead that the Holy Spirit will deal with your soul to show you your need of the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior. May the Spirit of God convict you of your need of him. For as the days of Christianity are rapidly closing, you have very little time left to find the Savior, for he may come even today. God grant you will not be found without a Savior when Jesus comes. Shall we bow our hearts in a word of prayer and thanks? Blessed Father, we thank thee for the study of this great epistle, the last letter written by thy servant, the Apostle Paul. We pray that its truth that we have covered may abide in the power of the Holy Spirit in the heart of every believer. We pray that the truth that we have also presented to the unsaid may by the Holy Spirit be used to bring them unto salvation. This we ask in our Saviour's name for his glory. Amen.