Rare Photo of a Bushbuck
A bushbuck standing in a thicket is virtually invisible as long as it remains motionless!

On the Sabie river we came around a corner and surprised a bushbuck who was away from the thicket. He froze which is his standard reaction to a predator being near.

At night time its disruptive white markings help to conceal it from lions and hyenas who might be passing nearby. Once he is spotted a bushbuck races for the nearest cover. Then he becomes virtually invisible.

Calves dropped in dense cover, do not accompany their mothers into the open. They remain in the thicket for up to four months. The mother attends the baby regularly until it matures.

The creative design of our heavenly father is amazing. It is something to watch a bushbuck return to the thicket and disappear.

John 1:18 (NIV84)
No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, e f who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.

Cathy and Danny Sartin
www.deeperstillmissions@gmail.com
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e  Or the Only Begotten
f  Some manuscripts but the only (or only begotten) Son
  The Holy Bible: New International Version (Jn 1:18). (1984). Zondervan.
Copyright © Danny Sartin. All Rights Reserved.
Spiritual Safaris are written for those who support Deeper Still Missions and its goal of missionary retention. 
Re-Prints: Deeper Still Missions devotionals are protected by international copyright laws. To request reprint permission contact the offices of DSM. Permission is granted and encouraged to forward this post in its entirety to others without making any changes or deletions.

Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things . . . Psalm 119:18 (ESV) 

​2 Timothy 3:2 (NKJV) For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy   
The New King James Version (2 Ti 3:2). (1982). Thomas Nelson.

There will be terrible times in the last days. Paul tells Timothy to mark this. . . to understand this . . . to warn him of the collapse coming at the end. Paul gave an extraordinary list of traits to watch for before the coming of Jesus for His bride. We focus on one word in verse two to highlight for today.

 V.      Predictions of Faithlessness (3:1–9).

3:1–5. As in his previous letter, Paul warned Timothy about the collapse predicted for the last days (cf. 1 Tim. 4:1–3), a term which includes the entire period between the first century and Christ’s return. During this interim, according to the prediction, the world will see terrible times of societal degeneration. Paul gave an extraordinary list (cf. Rom. 1:28–32) of 19 general characteristics believers should expect. People will be: (1) lovers of themselves (philautoi, “self-centered, narcissistic”); (2) lovers of money (philargyroi; cf. 1 Tim. 6:9–10); (3) boastful—the outward manifestation of the fact that inwardly they are (4) proud (“arrogant”); (5) abusive toward others, which translates blasphēmoi (“blasphemers”).
   
Litfin, A. D. (1985). 2 Timothy. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge         Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 756). Victor Books.
 
989 βλάσφημος [blasphemos /blas·fay·mos/] adj. From a derivative of 984 and 5345; TDNT 1:621; TDNTA 107; GK 1061; Five occurrences; AV translates as “blasphemous” twice, “blasphemer” twice, and “railing” once. 1 speaking evil, slanderous, reproachful, railing, abusive.

 Strong, J. (1995). In Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.

A clear connection exists between boastful and proud (verse 2). The former word alazōn includes ‘the bounce of swaggering’ (Simpson), while the other word hyperēphanos, when used in a bad sense, conveys the idea of haughtiness or arrogance. The word abusive translates the Greek word blasphēmoi, but points to evil-speaking directed against others rather than against God. The last three vices in verse 2 are all specific denials of definite Christian virtues (in the Greek they all have the negative a-prefix) bringing out forcefully the idea of militant moral perversion. The same evident reversal of moral values is also seen in five of the six vices mentioned in verse 3, the only word without the negative prefix being slanderous (diaboloi). The word translated unforgiving (aspondos) literally means ‘without a truce’, and therefore ‘implacable’. It describes an hostility so intense that a truce is impossible. Without self-control shows an attitude of mind that is dominated by outside influences, while brutal is the antithesis of what is civilized. The expression not lovers of the good really describes those who hate the good and have replaced it with something less demanding.

Guthrie, D. (1990). Pastoral Epistles: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 14, pp. 174–175). InterVarsity Press.

Lovers of self (φιλαυτοι [philautoi]). Old compound adjective (φιλος, αὐτος [philos, autos]), here only in N. T. Lovers of money (φιλαργυροι [philarguroi]). Old compound adjective, in N. T. only here and Luke 16:14. See 1 Tim. 6:10. Boastful (ἀλαζονες [alazones]). Old word for empty pretender, in N. T. only here and Rom. 1:30. Haughty (ὑπερηφανοι [huperēphanoi]). See also Rom. 1:30 for this old word. Railers (βλασφημοι [blasphēmoi]). See 1 Tim. 1:13.

 Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (2 Ti 3:2). Broadman Press.

It has certainly become a challenge to speak directly from the Word of God without offending someone. May the Lord give you a seasoned tongue of tenderness, love and clarity. Encourage others around you!

Cathy and Danny Sartin
wwwdeeperstillmissions.com
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Copyright © Danny Sartin. All Rights Reserved.
Bible Nuggets are written for pastors, youth leaders and missionaries who desire to go deeper still in God’s Word. 
Re-Prints: Deeper Still Missions devotionals are protected by international copyright laws. To request reprint permission contact the offices of DSM. Permission is granted and encouraged to forward this post in its entirety to others without making any changes or deletions.