GOD’S ALL-SUFFICIENT RESOURCES FOR DEALING WITH STRESS

Lesson 2

The Sufficiency of the Bible – Part 2  

TEXT:  2 Tim 3:1-16

I. INTRODUCTION  

A. Modern psychology has some components that raise serious questions that should be answered honestly by believers

1. Is human nature basically good?

2. Are the answers to the issues of life somewhere within us?

3. Are answers to life issues somewhere in my own past?

4. Are my problems the result of someone else’s actions?

5. Are my problems all of the mind, rather than spiritual?

6. Are my problems able to be solved only by professional counseling and therapy?

a. The answer to all of these is, “Not according to the Bible.”  

B. Thinking of the world is this:  “Ok, go to church and do the church thing for your spiritual needs, but for the real problems you can only get real answers from professionals in the field of psychology and psychiatry.”  

C. In our first lesson we saw how the word of God is sufficient for dealing with the complexities of life.

1. God took into account all that His people would face and provided answers through His book

II. BY THE HOLY GHOST, PAUL WARNED US OF STRESSFUL DAYS – Vs. 1-9  

A. Vs. 1 Could this be made more clear?

1. Perilous = dangerous, stressful

2. The last days – could we be any closer to the last days than we already are?  

B. Vs. 2-8 tells of the specific problems we would face in these days

1. Vs. 2a – Excessive pride

2. Vs. 2b – Collapse of the family

a. Dysfunctional homes

3. Vs. 3-9 – Lumped together into three parts that appear to overlap: Gross immorality; lies and deceit; religious trickery, hypocrisy, and fakery

4. Vs. 1 told us that these things would make the end times a time of peril; dangerous days; days that would be stressful

5. The world says things like:

a. Who could have ever imagine the problems we would face today?

b. Nobody has ever before seen problems like these.

c. We better get people ready for things like this through psychology and drugs

6. God foresaw all of these things

a. He told us of them right here in our text

b. Is there anything we face today that does not fall into one of these categories?

III. THE BELIEVER CAN THRIVE WITHOUT PSYCHOANALYSIS AND THERAPY – Vs. 10-15  

A. Vs. 11-13 Paul gives a reminder and two predictions

1. The Lord brought him through much trauma and stress, then he predicted that this would not be unique to him

2. Vs. 12 – All who live godly will experience stress and trauma for Christ

3. Vs. 13 – It will get worse

4. How could young Timothy make it through this?  How can Christians today make it through this?  

B. Paul tells him and us how to make it

1. Vs. 10 - Follow godly example

a. Sound doctrine

b. A holy, committed life of purpose (not selfishness)

c. Faith in God and His ability to get you through

d. Longsuffering

e. Charity

2. Vs. 14 – Follow Paul’s example

a. 1 Cor 4:16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

b. 1 Cor 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

3. Vs. 15 – Faithfulness to your foundation will see you through

a. Don’t forget the essentials of the faith

(1) Things like knowing God created all things (including you); God is all-knowing and all-powerful; God loves you

(2) Remembering the basics will help in times of trouble

IV. THE WORD OF GOD IS SUFFICIENT FOR THE HOUR – Vs. 16-17  

A. Vs. 16 – The word of God sufficiently offers what all men need

1. Given by God Himself

2. Profitable – beneficial, capable

3. Doctrine – right thinking, believing, teaching

4. Reproof and correction

5. Instruction in living – case in point  

B. God has throughly equipped Him man for all this good work

1. Paul then says that because God has given you what you need to make it through all of this…

a. 2 Tim 4:1-2

b. Get about God’s business and when you get stressed with the problems go back and review the basics  

V. CONCLUSION  

A. God has taken into account all that you and I will experience in our age and generation, just as He has in all generations before us.  We must ask ourselves some hard questions:

1. For my sufficiency, am I searching the Scripture or wisdom of man?

2. Am I reading God’s word as though it is the most important book?

3. Do I give attention when I sit to hear teaching and preaching?

4. Is my confidence in the sufficiency of God’s word?