The apostle Paul penned his last letter of the New Testament writings while incarcerated, awaiting
execution by the Roman government. Though times were harsh and abusive, he took the time to
write to his mentee, Timothy. It was around AD67. Timothy was the leader of a church in Ephesus.
While awaiting death, Paul encouraged Timothy (and us) to stand strong in the faith. He appealed
to Timothy's loyalty and encouraged him to fan the flame of the gifts of God within him: love and
self-discipline. Paul charged the young leader not to give up, but to trust the Lord to give him insight,
deal with false teachers, and to do his best to present himself to God.

We are now living in tumultuous times in America and in our families. People are fulfilling the prophetic
Word of God and showing that they are lovers of themselves and of money. They are boastful, proud,
abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without
self-control, and brutal, not lovers of the good. Paul wrote to Timothy (and to us) advising him/us to
avoid such people because they are "last-day people".