The prophetic warning of the Apostle Paul must be heeded in our time.

Paul presents two different categories of vessels, those for honor and those for dishonor. The vessels are people like you and me...people to be used by the Lord.

The fight against falsehood -for the truth- is a battle against those without and those within. While persecution from without will be painful -enduring hardship as a soldier and prisoner-, the polarization from within may be more painful. The former is called apologetics. The latter is called polemics.

Remembering truth from the past is a great motivation for the present.

Paul commanded Timothy to be strong...as illustrated in the activity of a teacher, a soldier, and athlete, and a farmer.