February 26, 2015 BE ON GUARD
In 2 Peter, chapter three, Peter is reminding believers that the “day of the Lord” is coming, and it is coming like a thief. It will be like a thief in that it will be sudden and unexpected; when we least expect it. When He comes this time, He will not be riding a donkey, but will appear in power and might in great triumph. The “day of the Lord” will be unlike any day the world has ever witnessed. Much of scripture is given to prepare His people for the return Christ. Even though we do not know the day or the hour of His return, we should be expecting His return and be found living our lives in such a way that we will not be ashamed at His appearing. Being ready for His return involves more than claiming to be a Christian. We make ourselves ready for His return by hearing, believing and living in agreement with the teaching of scripture. In Luke 18:8 Jesus asked: “I tell you that He will bring about justice for them speedily. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” In view of Christ return, Peter asked “what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness.” So, it is up to us individually as to whether are not we will be ready for the great day of the Lord’s return. In the latter part of chapter three, Peter refers to the letters that Paul had written and Peter stated that some of what Paul had written was “hard to understand”, and that some had distorted what Paul had written. There is a need to “be on guard”, to study, even “wrestle” with the scriptures in order to be grounded in the truth of the scripture so that we will not distort the scriptures and be led astray by false teachers and wrong beliefs. 2 Peter 2:17: “You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness,..” Being ready for His return is not a complicated matter neither is it a difficult matter. In the verse above, Jesus asked would He find faith on the earth when He returns. The one thing that makes all the difference is faith-or the lack of. If we truly believe the scriptures, then we have “faith” in what the scriptures teach. To say we “believe” something and then not act on what I say I believe is a contradiction-either I really don’t believe what I say I believe, or for some reason, I choose to live a life of contradiction. If I am in need of something and you tell me you deposited 1,000.00 in my account, if I believe you, I will make a withdrawal and buy what I need. It would be a sad case to be in need and not believe that I have money in the bank. God has done something far greater than putting money in our account (you may be thinking; “I wish He would!”). In 2 Peter 1:3 we read: “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the full knowledge of the one who called us by His own glory and excellence.” If we are living life as unto the Lord, if we believe the scriptures, if we are trusting God, if we are desiring to be pleasing to the Lord in all we do- then we will rejoice when He returns. Looking for and expecting His return has a purifying effect on us as seen in 1 John 3:2-3: “Beloved, now we are the children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” When we take time to digest what these two verses are saying, we begin to look forward to his His return. There will be a certain day, a point in time when: “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.” (1 Corinthians 15:52-53) Let us not be distracted and be without hope concerning His return. God has given us every reason to joyfully anticipate the return of Jesus and may He find us with faith. I remember a song we use to sing-“lift up your head, your redemption draweth neigh.” It could be today, it could be tomorrow; but one thing for sure-He is coming back for His bride. Be ready!
Blessings,
Buddy
In 2 Peter, chapter three, Peter is reminding believers that the “day of the Lord” is coming, and it is coming like a thief. It will be like a thief in that it will be sudden and unexpected; when we least expect it. When He comes this time, He will not be riding a donkey, but will appear in power and might in great triumph. The “day of the Lord” will be unlike any day the world has ever witnessed. Much of scripture is given to prepare His people for the return Christ. Even though we do not know the day or the hour of His return, we should be expecting His return and be found living our lives in such a way that we will not be ashamed at His appearing. Being ready for His return involves more than claiming to be a Christian. We make ourselves ready for His return by hearing, believing and living in agreement with the teaching of scripture. In Luke 18:8 Jesus asked: “I tell you that He will bring about justice for them speedily. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” In view of Christ return, Peter asked “what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness.” So, it is up to us individually as to whether are not we will be ready for the great day of the Lord’s return. In the latter part of chapter three, Peter refers to the letters that Paul had written and Peter stated that some of what Paul had written was “hard to understand”, and that some had distorted what Paul had written. There is a need to “be on guard”, to study, even “wrestle” with the scriptures in order to be grounded in the truth of the scripture so that we will not distort the scriptures and be led astray by false teachers and wrong beliefs. 2 Peter 2:17: “You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness,..” Being ready for His return is not a complicated matter neither is it a difficult matter. In the verse above, Jesus asked would He find faith on the earth when He returns. The one thing that makes all the difference is faith-or the lack of. If we truly believe the scriptures, then we have “faith” in what the scriptures teach. To say we “believe” something and then not act on what I say I believe is a contradiction-either I really don’t believe what I say I believe, or for some reason, I choose to live a life of contradiction. If I am in need of something and you tell me you deposited 1,000.00 in my account, if I believe you, I will make a withdrawal and buy what I need. It would be a sad case to be in need and not believe that I have money in the bank. God has done something far greater than putting money in our account (you may be thinking; “I wish He would!”). In 2 Peter 1:3 we read: “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the full knowledge of the one who called us by His own glory and excellence.” If we are living life as unto the Lord, if we believe the scriptures, if we are trusting God, if we are desiring to be pleasing to the Lord in all we do- then we will rejoice when He returns. Looking for and expecting His return has a purifying effect on us as seen in 1 John 3:2-3: “Beloved, now we are the children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” When we take time to digest what these two verses are saying, we begin to look forward to his His return. There will be a certain day, a point in time when: “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.” (1 Corinthians 15:52-53) Let us not be distracted and be without hope concerning His return. God has given us every reason to joyfully anticipate the return of Jesus and may He find us with faith. I remember a song we use to sing-“lift up your head, your redemption draweth neigh.” It could be today, it could be tomorrow; but one thing for sure-He is coming back for His bride. Be ready!
Blessings,
Buddy
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