Cast Your Cares upon Jesus

A quick update on Barb: She has been quite ill since just after Thanksgiving. She fell Thursday night and was taken to Emergency in Greenfield. Fortunately she did not break anything. From Greenfield she was transferred to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. She is still in Mercy. They are running test after test, but so far have yet to discover what is causing her nausea. Please pray for the doctors as they work to help her. But pray especially for healing from God, as He is ultimately the One who heals. God bless.

Now for today's Bible Insight: How do you react when things don't go so well, when things get tough and seem completely out of your control? Do you get angry? Do you rant and rave and blame God? Do you just throw up your hands and give up? Or, do you turn to God in prayer?

The latter is what you should do. God wants you to pray about these things and turn them over to Him. He wants you to transfer your burdens to Him. He stands ready to help you in your time of need.

Matthew 11:28-30 says, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Jesus begins here by encouraging us to come to Him when things get tough. When you "are heavy laden" (v. 28a). When you are burdened down with a load of cares, turn your heart and your mind to Jesus. Lay it all out before Him. As Peter says, "casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7).

A "yoke" (Matt. 11:29a) is "a wooden bar placed over the neck of a pair of animals so they can pull together" (Helps Word Studies, 1987, 2011 by Helps Ministries, Inc.). Figuratively here, it refers to a heavy burden.

When you encounter such a burden, cast it on Jesus. Let Him carry your burden. Then, take up His "yoke" and "learn from" Him (v. 29b). He is "gentle" and "lowly in heart" (v. 29b). When you lean on Jesus, He will give you "rest for your souls" (v. 29b). He will take care of you. And all because His "yoke is easy" (v. 30a) and His "burden is light" (v. 30b).

When you encounter various trials, lean on Jesus. When your burdens are heavy, lean on Jesus. In everything, lean on Jesus. That is the message. When you lean on Jesus, He will take care of it for you and He will give you rest. Amen.

Understanding the Virgin Birth

Merry Christmas! Tomorrow, Christmas Day, we will celebrate the incarnation of Christ, God becoming man, which required the virgin birth of Christ Jesus. It is one thing to realize the importance of the virgin birth, but understanding how it came about, the nuts and bolts of the process, is another story. In many respects, it is way beyond our finite ability to understand. However, the angel Gabriel gives us some insight into the "how" of the virgin birth in Luke 1:34-38.

The key thought in this entire passage is found in verses 34-35. That is where Mary asks that very pointed question, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" (v. 34). In answer to this question, Gabriel comes as close as he can to answering the "how" of this miracle. In verse 35, he uses two very important phrases: (1) "The Holy Spirit will come upon you" (v. 35a), and (2) "the power of the Highest will overshadow you" (v. 35b). The latter explains the former.

First, he said that "the Holy Spirit will come upon you" (v. 35a). It is all of God. He will do it. Note how he later refers to Elizabeth's pregnancy (v. 36) to confirm that "with God nothing will be impossible" (v. 37). Mary is simply asked to believe God for this miracle. She is to trust Him to see her through all circumstances of life that come with this "favor with God" (v. 28a) in her life. When you serve God, sometimes life can become a little rough. When it does, you can know that Christ is there with you, and He will bring you through anything and everything. Only believe!

Then, Gabriel explains further what he means. He continues, "the power of the Highest will overshadow you" (v. 35b). Here we see the holy, powerful presence of God, just as in the description of the cloud in the wilderness that "covered" or "settled upon" the tabernacle when the tent was "filled" with "the glory of the Lord" (Exodus 40:34).

The word "overshadow" (Luke 1:35b), is the same word used in the story of the transfiguration of Jesus to describe the "bright cloud" that "overshadowed" them in Matthew 17:5. From this overshadowing cloud came a voice that said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!" (v. 5b).

In like manner, in Luke 1:35c we are told, "that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God." The Holy Spirit will "overshadow" Mary and create in her a baby who is identified as "the holy one" (v. 35c). This is a direct reference to ethical purity. The thought is that Jesus is holy and, therefore, without sin.

Remember this: Jesus was not sinless because He did not have a human father. Mary too had been born with a sin nature, and was not without sin. Rather, the Holy Spirit "overshadowed" her, and in a mysterious yet supernatural way, far beyond our ability to understand, sanctified Jesus' conception so that He was kept from being contaminated by man's fallen sinful nature.

Note again His special title, "Son of God" (v. 35c). That title shows His special role in God's purpose—that of Messiah, or Savior. He was born of a virgin, through the agency of the Holy Spirit, that He might save His people from their sin.

God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, created this baby Jesus to be born on Christmas morning to save you from your sin. That is His special purpose in the birth of Christ. Jesus' complete obedience to His Father in heaven enabled Him to pay the penalty for our sin and bring us back into fellowship with God. The Son was born by God's initiative and by God's grace. Jesus came purely as a gift from God. The best gift you could ever receive. The true Christmas gift from God.

Remember, "with God nothing will be impossible" (v. 37). In Jesus everything is possible! With that thought, Mary gave herself fully unto God as His servant, as she said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word" (v. 38a).

With that thought, we must give ourselves fully unto God as well, as His servants. If you do, God will see you through whatever circumstances arise in your life as a result, just as He did Mary.

The truth of the virgin birth makes it clear that Jesus is both fully man and fully God. Only because of this truth can we truly be saved from our sin and receive eternal life with Him. Only because He was fully man can He sympathize with our needs, and only because He is fully God can He meet our needs completely and see us through all things. You can trust fully in Him, and lean on Him each and every day. Amen.

Importance of the Virgin Birth

How big is your God? Do you believe in miracles? Or, when miracles occur, do you try to explain them away? If so, then your God is too small! The God of the Bible is described in verse after verse as a great God—a big God! Throughout the Bible, God is described as the "God of the Impossible." Story after story in the Bible shows God doing what seems to man to be impossible. In fact, for man these things are impossible, but not for God! In Luke 1:37, the angel Gabriel tells us point blank that "with God nothing will be impossible." God proves this to be true by the way He provides the Savior for us through the miracle of the virgin birth.

Unless Jesus is both human and divine, both man and God, there is no gospel. The central doctrine of Christianity is the incarnation of Jesus Christ. All Christian theology is built on it. The central thought of the gospel, and its power, is that God became man, and by being both fully God and fully man, He was able to reconcile us to God. That requires the truth of the virgin birth of Jesus. Apart from the virgin birth, Jesus would not be both fully God and fully man. Then our salvation would not have been secured. That is why Matthew and Luke both begin by zeroing in on the fact of the virgin birth.

It is especially noteworthy that Luke, a physician, who of all people would be most skeptical, writes with all candor concerning the truth that Jesus was born of a virgin through the agency of the Holy Spirit with no involvement of an earthly father. He begins: "Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, 'Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!'" (Luke 1:26-28).

He wasted no time in getting right to the point. "In the sixth month" (v. 26) refers to Elizabeth's pregnancy. She was in the final months of carrying John the Baptist. Gabriel was "sent by God to… Nazareth" (v. 26). He was sent to "Mary" (v. 27b) because she was "highly favored" by God and was "blessed among women" (v. 28). Two very specific and very important things are noted here about Mary: (1) she was "betrothed to… Joseph, of the house of David" (v. 27a), and (2) she was a "virgin" (v. 27).

Note that Joseph (like Mary) was "of the house of David" (v. 27). Old Testament prophecy made it clear that the Messiah or Savior had to be of the house of David. Also, note that Mary was "betrothed to" Joseph (v. 27a). This is significant because this made Joseph the legal father of Jesus, even though he was not physically His father.

To be betrothed in ancient Jewish marriages was similar to engagement in our society, but more binding. The family arranged the marriage and money was paid to the bride's father to assist in the cost involved. A public announcement was made and the couple was "pledged." At this point the engagement could only be broken by death or divorce, yet no physical relations were allowed and the couple lived apart from one another. This lasted for about a year and was intended to prove the bride's purity. If she became pregnant during that time, the marriage could be annulled. After this time, the couple would be married and begin living together. So you can see the dilemma that Joseph faced and the reason Gabriel came to him in Matthew 1:18-25.

Doctor Luke specifically refers to Mary as a "virgin," not once but twice in Luke 1:27. The birth of Jesus was nothing short of miraculous (though it was actually His conception that was miraculous, not His birth). "Virgin" in the Greek means "maiden" or "virgin." It is used at times in a more general sense to mean "young woman," with the context making the difference. Here, with Luke being a physician, the context is clear that the word is used to mean none other than "virgin." Note Mary's question in verse 34: "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" The answer given in verse 35 is that the "God of the Impossible" will do it by the power of His Holy Spirit.

What is so important about Jesus being born of a virgin? Precisely this: Being born of the virgin Mary makes Jesus fully human! This is very important. Note how Mary is told in verse 31, "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus." This refers to the normal birth process. Jesus had to have an earthly mother because He had to become a man. No man but Adam ever existed apart from womb. The virgin birth guarantees an earthly mother without an earthly father. Thus, through the agency of the Holy Spirit, Jesus was born as Adam had been created, without a sin nature. In this way, Jesus was both fully man and fully God at the same time. Jesus had to be fully man to qualify as our substitution on the cross, and He had to be fully God, as well, in order to be able to accomplish that task. Only one who is both God and man can truly be our Savior. Only He can forgive our sin and give us eternal life.

Even His name, a Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua, means "Yahweh saves." Mary is told that "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest" (v. 32). The word "Son" is a direct reference to the Messiah, the Savior. The message is clear: God's plan was to miraculously create a human child, Jesus, who would be born of Mary, but who would actually be God's Son, the long-awaited Savior. Amen.

Born to Reunite

The birth of Christ that first Christmas morning was all about reunion. It was all about reuniting God with the people of His creation. Christmas, along with Good Friday and Easter Sunday, is all about restoring our relationship with God. Through sin, fellowship with God in the Garden of Eden was broken. Through sin in our lives, fellowship with God continues to be broken and we find ourselves floundering through life separated from God. Through faith in Christ, in His death and resurrection, our sin is forgiven and our fellowship with God is restored. Through Christ we are reunited with God!

First John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." In the verses leading up to that statement we are told, "This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (vs. 5-7).

In other words, when living our lives in sin, or "darkness" (v. 6b), we are separated from God. We do not have "fellowship" (v. 6a) with Him. When we confess our sin to Him, He forgives our sin and restores our fellowship with Himself, as well as with our fellow believers. Then we can begin to "walk in the light as He is in the light" (v. 7). This is what Christmas is all about—a restored relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

This is also what the incarnation of Christ is all about—a restored relationship with God through Jesus Christ. The penalty for our sin had to be paid, but we could not pay the price ourselves. It is too great a price. God had to become a man in every respect, yet without sin. Only Jesus Christ could pay the penalty, redeem us from our sin, and restore our relationship with God. And so we have Christmas—God becoming man.

Scripture does not speak as to how the eternal God took on humanity. It is most likely far too great a mystery for our humble minds to grasp. The fact of Scripture is that God in Christ did become man. John, speaking of Jesus, said simply, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). Paul, speaking of Christ Jesus, adds, "Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men" (Phil. 2:6-7).

The truth of Christmas is simply this: God became a man (The Incarnation) to reunite us to fellowship with God. Jesus was born so He could die for our forgiveness and restore our fellowship with Himself. Amen.

The Light of the World

Continue to pray for Barb. She sees the oncologist in Des Moines on the thirteenth to set up chemo treatments. Pray all goes well. Problem is, she has been quite sick for nearly two weeks now, going back to just after Thanksgiving. Her stomach lining is irritated or inflamed. They gave her medication for that. It may also be that the tumor is growing rapidly and pushing against her stomach or small intestine. Pray that is not the case, and that the chemo shrinks the tumor. Thanks.

Now for today's overdue Bible Insight: A day came, while Jesus was teaching in the temple, that "the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery" (John 8:3). They demanded that Jesus condemn her to be stoned per the law of Moses (vs. 4-5). They were "testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him" (v. 6a). Jesus ignored them at first (v. 6b), but as they persisted (v. 7a), Jesus spoke: "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first" (v. 7b).

That didn't sit well with the scribes and Pharisees: "Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst" (v. 9). Seeing that no one remained to condemn her (v. 10), He said, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more" (v. 11).

Then Jesus made this profound statement: "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (v. 12). One of the famous "I Am" statements of Scripture. Later in this same chapter, after debating long and hard with the Jewish leaders, Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM" (John 8:58). From the burning bush, God told Moses, "I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I am has sent me to you'" (Exodus 3:14).

The technical name of God is "I Am." In other words, He is the One who always has been. No one missed the fact that on multiple occasions Jesus claimed to be the "I Am." He claimed to be God! And rightly so, because He is the everlasting Savior, the Son of God, the creator God Himself. John said, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it" (John 1:1-5).

We have come full circle. Jesus is "the light of the world" (John 8:12a). When you follow Jesus, you will "not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (v. 12b). Life is in Jesus. He came that we might have life. Jesus clearly told us this: "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10b).

His life is our light. He came and was born that first Christmas morning to bring us light and to shine in the darkness of our life, giving us true life, eternal life in His name. The darkness can not overcome His light. By walking in faith in Jesus, we do not "walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (John 8:12b). Amen.

A Time to be Thankful

No matter what may be happening in your life, no matter how bad things may seem, there is always room to be thankful. Even with Barbara facing a fourth bout with cancer, this time inoperable, stage-four cancer, we still have so much for which to be thankful.

Over the past three months, we have visited Barbara's family in California, spending quality time with her mother, brother, sister and their families. We have visited my family in Nebraska, visiting with my brother and his family. And above all else, we took a trip to Oklahoma to spend quality time with our son Tim.

Psalm 107:1 says, "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever" (NIV). You see, there is always room for thankfulness because it is the Lord to whom we give thanks. It is all about the Lord Jesus. It is not about us. It never has been about us. If it was ever about us, it would be all doom and gloom. But it isn't. It is about God our Savior. That is why we can give thanks regardless of the situation in our life.

Because it is all about Jesus, we can give thanks because "he is good" (v. 1b). Psalm 34:8 says, "Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him" (NIV). No matter what life situation you face, "take refuge" (v. 8b) in Jesus and you will "see that the LORD is good" (v. 8a).

Two more Psalms expound on this thought: Psalm 31:19 says, "How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you" (NIV). Those who "fear" (v. 19a) the Lord, or who are in awe of Him and humble themselves before Him; those who trust Him and "take refuge" (v. 19b) in Him, will have an abundance of "good things" bestowed upon them "in the sight of all" (v. 19a).

Psalm 84:11 says, "For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless" (NIV). The Lord lights our way ("a sun") and "shields" us from evil (v. 11a). He "bestows favor and honor" (v. 11b) on those who trust Him. He holds nothing back "from those whose walk is blameless" (v. 11c), but showers them with all good things.

Because it is all about Jesus, we can give thanks because "his love endures forever" (Psalm 107:1c). Psalm 86:15 says, "But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness" (NIV). Because He is filled with compassion and grace, His patience and love and faithfulness overflow to those who trust in Him.

That is why we can cry out with the Psalmist, "Help me, Lord my God; save me according to your unfailing love" (Psalm 109:26, NIV). Again, no matter what life situation you face, you can be thankful because it is all about God, and His love never fails. Amen.

Trust the Lord and Lean on Him

Most of you may already know, but for those who don't, Barbara has a cancerous tumor surrounding her portal vein just outside her liver. A stent was successfully installed in the vein to help protect the blood flow to her liver and keep it strong and healthy. The cancer is stage four. She will begin chemo treatments shortly. Also, they are doing genetic testing in hopes that this cancer can be attacked directly by a non-chemo drug. Many have expressed a word from God that she will be healed and have long life. And so we pray.

For now, our church elders have decided to send us to Oklahoma to see Tim before she starts chemo treatments and before any possibility of becoming to sick to travel. They even took up a special offering to help finance our trip. We leave Wednesday. Pray for a safe and rewarding trip.

For today's Bible Insight, take a look at Proverbs 3:5-6. It reads, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." For the Christian, it all begins with trust. Who do you trust? All too often I hear Christians say, "I can handle this. I don't need anyone's help." Really?

To say that is to trust only in yourself. But the proverb says to "trust in the LORD with all your heart" (v. 5a), not in yourself! You can't go it alone. None of us ever could. It is the Lord Jesus Christ who sees us through all things dark and nasty. No matter how tough things get, trust in the Lord Jesus. He will see you through it all.

When you trust only in yourself, you tend to lean only on your own understanding. But the proverb clearly states the obvious: "And lean not on your own understanding" (v. 5b). Our understanding, our knowledge is limited and weak. The Lord's understanding and knowledge is unlimited and strong. He is omniscient, which is just a fancy theological word for "all-knowing." What better reason is there than that, to lean on the Lord in all things.

The proverb then says: "In all your ways acknowledge Him" (v. 6a). This only makes sense. If you are to trust Jesus and lean on His understanding, then you must first acknowledge Him. You can't say you trust Jesus, and then deny Him. It doesn't work that way. Jesus said, "But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 10:33). The writer of Hebrews added, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (Heb. 11:6).

Rightly, the proverb concludes: "And He shall direct your paths" (v. 6b). What other outcome could there possibly be? When you truly trust in the Lord Jesus and not yourself, when you truly lean on His understanding and not your own, when you truly acknowledge Him, that He is God and He rewards those who diligently seek Him, then He will remain true to His Word. He will reward your faith and He will direct your path. He will see you through all your troubles. Amen.

Today Is the Day

Latest news concerning Barb's visit to Mayo Clinic last week. Not what we were praying for, but we know that God is in control and has a perfect plan. The biopsy showed a malignant tumor surrounding the portal vein just outside the liver. It is a cholangiocarcinoma, same as was in her old liver before transplant, so it had escaped the liver and is spreading. It is not operable, and even if it was it would make no difference as it is already spreading, according to Dr. Gores.

Monday we see an oncologist at Mayo Clinic who will set up chemo treatments that will be carried out in Des Moines. They are not giving her a time-frame yet, but it doesn't sound long. But truthfully, only God knows. He has a standing appointment for Barb as He does for each one of us. Only He knows when that is. Regardless of what the Doctors say, she could be with us a very long time still. Pray for God's perfect will for Barb and for me, and pray for Dr. Gores, that he may come to trust Christ for his salvation sometime soon. We continue to have great opportunities to witness to him about Christ Jesus. Amen!

Hebrews 9:27 says, "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment." God has a standing appointment with each of us that we must keep. We don't know when that is. Only God knows. For some, it comes all too soon. For others, long life is in store. What makes the difference? Christ Jesus makes the difference.

Hebrews 9:28 continues the thought: "so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation." What a promise! Christ died on the cross "once to bear" our sins. At the cross the penalty for our sins was paid in full. By faith in Him our sins are forgiven and we receive salvation. As John 1:12  says, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name."

When we trust in Jesus for salvation and we "eagerly wait for Him" (Heb. 9:28), "He will appear a second time... for salvation" (v. 28). Jesus is coming again to complete our salvation by taking us to heaven to spend all eternity with Him in glory. For the believer that eternity starts when we die or when Christ returns, whichever comes first. So whether we die young, live to a ripe old age, or live too see the rapture, any way you spin it, as a believer we will ultimately be with Jesus in heaven. Again, what a great promise!

Therefore, that which is most important is clear: to know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior by faith! Nothing else really matters. What matters is salvation, not longevity of life. What matters is saving faith in Jesus, and therefore, leading others to that same saving faith. That is why Paul said, "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Phil. 1:21).

In verses 22-24 he explained: "But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you." Salvation trumps death, but to live longer means more opportunity to lead others to Christ and to encourage them in their walk of faith.

As it says in Acts 4:12, "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." That name is Jesus! And Second Corinthians 6:2 adds, "For He says: 'In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.' Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." If you have not yet accepted Christ by faith for salvation, today is the day! Come to Jesus right now. Trust Him to save you for all eternity. Amen.

God Hears

Waiting on news from Mayo Clinic regarding the results of the biopsies they took from Barb on Friday. We are scheduled back in on Wednesday to see Doctor Gores concerning the results, but that creates a major conflict with our church schedule. Pray he can meet either tomorrow or Thursday and continue to pray that it is nothing more than scar tissue. We will keep you informed as we learn the results. PTL!

John said, "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him" (1 John 5:14-15). What a promise! Because of the promise, we can have complete confidence in approaching the throne of God.

The promise? "If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us" (v. 14b). The key is making sure you ask for the things God wants for you; asking "according to His will" (v. 14b). When you know the Word of God and ask for things according to His promises, and when you listen to the inner working of the Spirit of God, that still small voice within, then you can be certain of praying "according to His will" (v. 14b).

When all these things come together, God "hears us" (v. 14b) and answers accordingly. Verse 15 says clearly that when all these things line up, we can "know that He hears us, whatever we ask" (v. 15a) and we can "know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him" (v. 15b). The word "know" in this context means that we can "know beyond a shadow of a doubt." We know for certain because God has promised.

That is why the writer of Hebrews commands: "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb. 4:16). Jesus has seen it all and been through it all. He "was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin" (Heb. 4:15b). Come to Him with all your needs and He will take care of you. Amen.

In Everything, Pray

We are headed to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota again this week. On Thursday, Barbara will have a stint installed in her portal vein to the liver to correct the narrowing of the vein so that a proper blood flow will be maintained into the liver. Her liver is otherwise doing great.

They will also take a biopsy of the gray matter causing the narrowing of that vein. It can be one of two things: cancer or simply some scar tissue. We are gathering prayer warriors from around to glob to join us in praying that it is only scar tissue. Please join us in this prayer. We will let you know the results as soon as we know. This leads us to today's Bible Insight.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:6-7). This advice on prayer was given by Paul to the church in Philippi to encourage them to pray about anything and everything that troubled them. It sets a pattern for straight forward praying where we are encouraged to present our requests to God with thankful hearts.

We all too often let circumstances get us down. We become "anxious" (v. 6a), or even depressed. Paul tells us not to let that happen. Instead, we need to trust God and lay all our burdens down at the foot of the cross. Give them over to Jesus. Let Him carry your burdens. They are to much for you to carry, but not for Jesus.

To do that, we need to learn to pray. "By prayer and supplication" (v. 6b) we give it over to Jesus. "Supplication" means to ask for something earnestly. When it is of utmost importance to us, we go to our knees in humility and make our requests "known to God" (v. 6d).

But do this "with thanksgiving" (v. 6c). Thank God in advance for His answer. He understands everything better than we do and He even answers before we ask: "It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear" (Isaiah 65:24). First John 5:14-15 adds, "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him."

When you take everything to God in prayer, He will give you "peace" (v. 7a) in you heart; peace that His answer will be exactly as He wills. You can trust that His answer will be His very best for you.

That is why the "peace of God" (v. 7a) He gives you "surpasses all understanding" (v. 7b). It is beyond our finite ability to understand the peace we feel because it is given to us by the infinite God of the universe. His ways are beyond our ways, as God says, "'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' says the LORD. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts'" (Isa. 55:8-9).

It is that peace that God gives you that "will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (v. 7c). You can trust God to handle everything just as He wills. He knows what is best for you, and He will always answer your prayers accordingly. Amen.

Leave It All to Jesus

Calling all prayer warriors! My wife Barbara had a checkup at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota last week. Her lungs looked good. The remaining nodules were shrinking. PTL! Her liver is doing great. PTL! However, The portal vein that is the sole blood vessel taking blood into the liver had a narrowing, restricting the blood flow.

She will return to Mayo Clinic for two procedures. One, they will put in a stint to open up that vein and increase the blood flow. Two, they will biopsy the gray matter around it that is pushing against the vein, causing the narrowing. It could be one of two things: (1) scar tissue, in which case the stint will take care of the problem; or (2) a carcinoma cancer, which would not be operable.

She can't have any more radiation to that area, leaving chemo as the only treatment option. Chemo is only successful in 3 out of 10 people in these cases. Even if she responds positively to the chemo, she would possibly be looking at only three to six months, possibly a little longer. Only God knows for sure.

Pray that it is only scar tissue. God is in control. We trust it all into His hands and seek His divine healing. We leave it all to Jesus. Amen.

That leads us into today's Bible Insight. Peter said, "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:6-7). Likewise, Psalm 55:22 says, "Cast your burden on the LORD, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved."

To "humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God" (1 Peter 5:6) means to let Him be in control of everything in your life. It means to trust and serve Him no matter what may befall you. Not only do you trust Him fully in the good times, but also in the not so good times. When burdens enter your life, no matter what those burdens are, leave it all to Jesus; trust in His perfect will for you.

That is why Peter continues, "Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7). The Psalmist agrees wholeheartedly: "Cast your burden on the LORD, and He shall sustain you" (Psalm 55:22). Old and New Testament alike, we are to leave it all to Jesus!

The Prophet Isaiah states plainly, "For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you'" (Isa. 41:13). The Lord God promises to support you and lift every burden. He promises to see you through every trial. Trust Him in everything. Leave it all to Jesus!

Again, the Psalmist concurs: "The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles" (Psalm 34:17). You can count on Jesus. If you belong to Him, if you have trusted Him as your Lord and Savior, you can know that God will always hear your prayers, and He will always listen and answer when you call on Him for help.

To all, Jesus says, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (Matt. 11:28-30). If you haven't done so already, trust in Jesus. Place your faith in Him and receive Him as your Lord and Savior. He died and rose again for your salvation. He will remove your heavy burden of guilt and hopelessness and give you true rest in Him.

Isaiah 58:6 says, "Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?" It is not God's will that you should be crushed down with excessive burdens. He wants to set you free from those burdens. Trust Him completely. Cast all your burdens on Him. Leave it all to Jesus! Let Him free you today. Amen.

Spiritual Growth

Here is the benediction I proclaim every Sunday: "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen" (2 Peter 3:18). Instead of falling prey to the deceptive lies the of false teachers, pursue a life of personal holiness. Seek to become more like Christ every day. If you do, then you will find yourself in a pattern of spiritual growth.

"Grow" (v. 18a), in Greek, means "to advance, or increase in the sphere of" (MacArthur New Testament Commentary: 2 Peter & Jude, [Moody Publishers: Chicago, 2005], 136). You are to grow in grace through the "knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (v. 18a). You are forgiven by God's grace, and in turn, you are to feed on His Word, growing in your knowledge of Him. In 1 Peter 2:2, Peter said, "As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby." As you grow spiritually you become better prepared to ward off false teachings and you learn to remain firm in the faith. Stay the course. Grow in grace.

Peter's closing doxology, "To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen" (2 Peter 3:18b), is a call to all believers to worship God and give Him the glory. You are to worship and glorify God now, and you are to worship and glorify God throughout all eternity.

The reference is to Christ, indicating that He is deity; He is one with God. He is to be glorified, because He is God and He is our Lord and Savior. In Isaiah 42:8, He declares, "I am the LORD, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images."

Peter reassured us of the certainty of Christ's return (2 Peter 3:1-10). Now he exhorts us to live our lives in light of that reality (vs. 11-18). Paul said, "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory" (Col. 3:1-4). Amen.

Doctrinal Understanding

"And consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you" (2 Peter 3:15). The Lord's delay in returning to take us home, isn't slackness as some might think. Peter already pointed out: "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).

The Lord's return is delayed, giving ample time for all who will to repent and be saved. We should rejoice in God's patience, His "longsuffering" (v. 15a), knowing that new believers are being added every day until His family is complete. Even Paul wrote of this (v. 15b), perhaps a reference to Romans, which was a circular letter that went to all the various churches. Romans 2:4 says, "Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?"

In the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), Jesus illustrates God's longsuffering toward sinners. It is the story of a rebellious son who left his family for a life of immorality. For a long time, he wasted his opportunity to serve his father, spending his inheritance on lavish living. When broke and homeless, he came to his senses, repented of his sinful lifestyle, and returned home. But to his surprise, his father didn't reject him or disown him. He didn't even receive him with reluctance! His father embraced him with love and compassion! That father is a picture of God, who responds to sinners who have repented with mercy and grace. All heaven rejoices when even one sinner repents and comes to saving faith in Christ, as pictured by the feast the father gave in honor of his son.

"As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures" (2 Peter 3:16). Peter here notes three things: (1) Peter's readers are apparently familiar with all of Paul's writings (v. 16a); (2) as with "the rest of the Scriptures" (v. 16c), "untaught and unstable people," namely, the false teachers, "twist" Paul's letters, trying to make them say whatever it is they want them to say, "to their own destruction" (v. 16b); and (3) Paul's writings are referred to authoritatively as part of "the Scriptures" (v. 16c), or the inspired Word of God!

"You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked" (v. 17). Having been warned of these things by Peter, be alert, be on guard, and do not fall prey to false teachers and their deceptive lies. Rather, maintain "your own steadfastness" in Christ. Stay firm in Christ. Hold to the course of living a life worthy of Christ, a life of personal holiness. Amen.

Internal Holiness

"Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace" (2 Peter 3:14a). "Looking forward to these things" (v. 14a)—the day of God, the new heavens and the new earth, the eternal state, and the eternal kingdom—we are to live in a way that reflects our eternal perspective.

That means to "be diligent to be found by Him in peace" (v. 14a). "To be found" (v. 14a) reminds us that we cannot hide from Christ when He returns. He will leave no stone unturned. He will overlook nothing. "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one's praise will come from God" (1 Cor. 4:5). If He finds you at peace with God when He returns, you will indeed receive praise from God.

"Peace" here is the peace that comes from true saving faith in the Lord. It is a peace that eliminates all worry and fear, because you know for certain that your sins are forgiven, and you know for certain that Christ indwells your heart through your personal faith in Him. "And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God" (1 John 5:11-13).

In Philippians 4:6-7, Paul said, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." No matter how terrible things become as that final day of destruction approaches, all who know Christ as their personal Lord and Savior will experience peace in Him, knowing that they will soon be in His eternal presence and enjoying His eternal kingdom.

False teachers are those who have "spots and blemishes" (2 Peter 2:13b). We, on the other hand, are to be "without spot and blameless" (2 Peter 3:14b). "Without spot" (v. 14b) can refer to Christian character, the kind of people we really are; and "blameless" (v. 14b) refers to Christian reputation, the kind of righteous and highly moral people we are known to be.

Unfortunately, there are some in the church who are neither without spot or blameless. There are some who appear blameless, but privately their lives are anything but spotless. Despite being a part of the church, they live sinful lifestyles, and they may or may not be truly Christian; they may or may not be born again. They are like modern-day Pharisees. They put on a good front, while hiding their unrepentant sin. They fail to develop a heart of righteousness.

I pray that does not describe any of you. We are exhorted by Peter to be above reproach. We are encouraged to be men and women of integrity, characterized by the highest level of personal holiness—"without spot and blameless" (v. 14b).

When you live a life of personal holiness, others see you and your life is a testimony to the power of Christ. It is a life others want. When they see you, they are drawn to Christ and are brought to a point of turning to Christ for their salvation.

The hope of leading others to Christ, along with the promise of Christ's return, gives us all the reason we need for living a life of personal holiness in Christ. It is all the reason we need to practice the disciplines of the faith—Bible study, prayer, worship, fellowship with one another, Christian service, and outreach—and to live your life in Christ and for Christ. Internal, personal holiness is what we as Christians strive for. Amen.

Eternal Perspective

"Looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God" (1 Peter 3:12a), indicates an eager anticipation on the part of believers, not a sense of worry or fear. Paul told Titus that believers will be joyfully "looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13).

"Looking for" (v. 12a) reflects an attitude of expectation. "Hastening" (v. 12a) strengthens that idea. Rather than fearing the earth's destruction, we long for the Second Coming of Christ and pray His return is soon. Come quickly Lord Jesus!

"The coming" (v. 12a), the familiar Greek word parousia, literally means "the presence" (MacArthur New Testament Commentary: 2 Peter & Jude, [Moody Publishers: Chicago, 2005], 129). It refers to the personal, physical return of Jesus Christ.

"The day of God" (v. 12a) and "the day of the Lord" (v. 10a), are not the same event. "The day of God" (v. 12a) refers to the eternal state when God will have vanquished all His enemies. "The day of the Lord" (v. 10a) refers to the final, horrifying events of the last judgment of unbelievers. John's vision in Revelation 10:9-10, where he ate the little book and found it sweet to taste but bitter to swallow, illustrates the dual feelings Christians have concerning these two events. The little book represents the coming judgment—sweet to believers because of "the day of God," but bitter because of the "day of the Lord."

"Because of which" (v. 12b) indicates that certain things must occur before the arrival of "the day of God" (v. 12a). Namely, the destruction of the universe: "the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat" (v. 12b). Judgment will fall on unsuspecting, unrepentant sinners, but great blessing will follow for the believer.

Following "the day of the Lord" (v. 10a) and the destruction of the universe (vs. 10b, 12b), comes "the day of God" (v. 12a) with a "new heavens and a new earth" (v. 13b), "according to His promise" (v. 13a). God will create an entirely new universe!

"New" (v. 13b) means "new in quality," "different," or "unlike anything previously known" (Ibid, 130). The new heavens and the new earth will be more than just new in time or chronology; they will also be new in character—a realm "in which righteousness dwells" (v. 13b). "Dwells" means "to settle down and be at home," or "take up permanent, comfortable residence" (Ibid). The new heavens and the new earth will be filled with righteousness.

John described the wonder of it all: "Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away…' But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life" (Rev. 21:1-4, 22-27).

Always live your life expecting the Lord to return at any time.  Always live your life in light of your eternal destiny. Always live your life in righteousness, patterned after the life of Christ. That is what it means to have an eternal perspective. Amen.

Living Worthy of Christ

The text before us today begins, "Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness" (2 Peter 3:11). This refers to the verses right before this. Verse 7 says, "But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." And verse 10 says, "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up."

The Savior is returning to judge ungodly men and destroy this world by fire. There will be a new heaven and a new earth, where we, God's people, will spend eternity with Jesus. In light of this, Peter asks, "What manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness?" (v. 11b). A good question. Just how does this truth affect your life?

Oh, to be more like Christ! We must be ready for His return. Always waiting. Always watching. Always getting better prepared by becoming more like Him. Walking daily with Jesus and being like Him "in holy conduct and godliness" (v. 11b), is how you become prepared to meet Him. "Holy conduct" refers to external actions or behavior. "Godliness" refers to internal heart attitudes or reverence.

"What manner of persons ought you to be" (v. 11b), sounds a lot like a question, but it is rhetorical and expects no response. It is an exclamation of astonishment. It translates a Greek word that could be rendered, "how astonishingly excellent you ought to be." Because of the coming judgment, Peter admonished his readers to live in keeping with their Christian hope—allowing their expectation of Christ's imminent return to have an impact on their daily lifestyle.

Living in anticipation of the Second Coming, means living a life worthy of Christ. It means becoming more like Christ every day. It means living an outward life of holy behavior, based on an inward life of Christlike godliness. In this way, you will be ready for His return. Then, wait and watch. Keep an eye on the sky in anticipation of His glorious return. Amen.

The Day of the Lord

In Second Peter 3:10, Peter reaffirms the Day of the Lord: "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up." The evidence against the false teachers is overwhelming. The Day of the Lord will come. Jesus is coming again, as He promised.

"The day of the Lord" (v. 10a), refers to the miraculous intervention of God in judgment in the end times. It refers to the events of the Second Coming that end with God's final judgment of unrepentant sinners and the destruction of the universe. In the Old Testament, the Day of the Lord will be a day of judgment, darkness, and damnation, when the Lord returns and destroys His enemies. In the New Testament, the Day of the Lord is awesome and terrible, a day in which no man can stand apart from saving faith in Christ. "For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?" (Rev. 6:17). Severe judgment because of man's sinfulness.

Peter said, "The Day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night" (2 Peter 3:10a). It will be a total surprise to the unsuspecting sinner. It will come without warning, and it will be disastrous to those who are unrepentant. Paul also said: "For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, 'Peace and safety!' then sudden destruction comes upon them" (1 Thess. 5:2-3a).

Jesus said, "Heaven and earth will pass away" (Matt. 24:35a). Peter said, "the heavens will pass away with a great noise" (2 Peter 3:10b), or "with a roar" (NASB, NIV). "Roar" is a word that sounds like what it means. It speaks of "a rushing sound," or "a loud noise," referring to the whizzing, crackling sounds that come from objects being consumed by fire (MacArthur New Testament Commentary: 2 Peter & Jude, [Moody Publishers: Chicago, 2005], 124).

John MacArthur describes the sound: "On that future day, the noise from the disintegrating atoms of the universe will be deafening, unlike anything mortals have ever heard before" (Ibid).

What Peter introduced in verse 7, he fills in the details here: "the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up" (v. 10b). "Elements" (v. 10b), literally means "ones in a row," like the letters of the alphabet or numbers. When used of the physical world, it describes the basic atomic components that make up the universe (Ibid). With intense heat the material world will be destroyed.

Take courage in your walk with Jesus. Remain faithful and true to the Word. Doubters may ridicule us and false teachers may scoff at us, but we will be vindicated when Christ returns and fulfills all things. Sinners will be eternally punished and this world will be destroyed, but there will be a new heaven and a new earth, where all God's people will spend eternity with Jesus. Stay forever faithful, and keep an eye on the sky in expectation. Maranatha! Lord, come quickly! Amen.

The Longsuffering of the Lord

Today seems like a great day to update everyone concerning Barb's health. After all, today is our 35th anniversary! Amen! Less than two years ago, I couldn't see this day coming. Barb was extremely sick with liver disease and bile duct cancer.

On November 4, 2016, the surgeon at Mayo Clinic called at 3:00 am with great news. They had a liver available for Barb! Later that day she received the transplant that saved her life. Her old liver had shut down completely and she was just weeks, if not days, from certain death.

Since then, as she continued to get stronger, she was diagnosed with lung cancer,  her third different cancer since 2014 when she beat breast cancer. A small cancerous tumor was removed. Now she continues to be cancer free! Amen! She is a three-time cancer survivor.

Then, last fall she had a ten-day bout with double pnemonia, which landed her back in Mayo Clinic's hospital, on the tranplant floor where they always care for her. Again, she came through another tough time with flying colors. Amen!

Today she continues getting stronger every day. So much so, that Mayo Clinic doctors have cleared her to be able to travel. So, next Monday we are headed for California to visit her Mother and family. Mostly due to her illnesses, she hasn't been home for six years, since her dad's funeral. Now that will change. Pray the fires won't be a problem and that the extreme heat in California will lessen. Thanks, and God bless you all. Now let's turn to todays Bible Insight.

In Second Peter 3:5-7, Peter turns to Old Testament history to make a point: "For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men."

The false teachers with their uniformitarian view of history, ignore historical facts. "They willfully forget" (v. 5a) the biblical truth of history. They know the truth, but they shut their eyes to it. They ignore the historical evidence on purpose. They choose to disregard the biblical truth of divine retribution, because they love their sinful lifestyle. They want to do as they please.

They deliberately ignore two crucial events in history. The first is creation, where "by the word of God the heavens were of old" (v. 5a), or they were created out of nothing as God spoke. God merely said the word and everything instantly came into being. The story of creation in Genesis 1-2, when taken at face value without man reading his own doubts into the text, indicates that the creation was relatively recent, completed in six twenty-four-hour days, and the earth is young. The phrase "were of old" (v. 5a), does not imply that the earth is billions of years old, but easily fits with the truth of a young earth.

God created the earth "out of water and in the water" (v. 5b). Note Genesis 1:6-10, the second and third days of creation: "Then God said, 'Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.' Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day. Then God said, 'Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear'; and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good."

On the second day, God gathered the upper waters into a vapor-like canopy surrounding the entire earth, and He gathered the lower waters into underground reservoirs, rivers, lakes, and seas. On the third day, He separated the land from the water, so dry earth appeared.

The second crucial event in history that they ignore is the world-wide flood of Noah. The perfect world didn't remain perfect. Man fell from grace, and sin became rampant on the earth. Genesis 6:5-8, 11-13 tells the story: "Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the LORD said, 'I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.' But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD… The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah, 'The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.'"

The result was judgment by Flood. Peter said simply, "the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water" (2 Peter 3:6). The false teachers refused to view world history through proper eyes. They were ignorant of the truth by choice. Today revisionist historians make the same mistake and do the same thing. They deliberately deny both the creation story and the Flood—the two catastrophic events that easily disprove their uniformitarian views.

God promised that the earth will never again be destroyed by a universal flood (Gen. 9:11, 15). But that does not mean there will never again be judgment. As Peter said, "But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men" (2 Peter 3:7). The sin of ungodly men will not be overlooked. Judgment will come, and it will come by fire!

Now, Peter turns to eternity to make his point: "But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (v. 8). Peter's argument, pushing back against false teachers who scoff at the delay of the Lord's return, involves a quote from Psalm 90. In Psalm 90:4, Moses said, "For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it is past, and like a watch in the night." Our perspective on the passing of time is quite different from God's. We are finite and exist in time; time that God created. For us, it seems like time moves slowly. When waiting for something special, a few days seem like an eternity.

Not so for God. He is eternal. He always has been, is, and always will be. In fact, God created time when He created heaven and earth, the stars and the planets, man and animals; He put time in motion. Having always been, to Him a few days is nothing. As Peter said, "with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (2 Peter 3:8b).

From where we stand, we view history as past, present, and future—what was, what is, and what is to come. From where God stands, being eternal, everything is ever before Him, everything is present—what is, what is, and what is. We can remember the past and see the present, but we have no clue what the future holds. God sees and knows it all, including the future, as one big event. It is all ever before Him. That is why for God, time is just a drop in the bucket. His perspective is timeless.

What may seem like a long time to us, is nothing to God. It may seem to us that the return of Christ is a long way off, but from God's perspective it is quite imminent. We must not try to limit God and hold Him to our time schedule. The Lord Jesus will return at the exact moment God decided in eternity past. "Do not forget this one thing" (v. 8a), said Peter. The Lord Jesus will return in God's time, not ours. To demand otherwise, or to think He is not coming at all because He has not come in all these years, is foolish. Remember, God inhabits eternity, and His timing is perfect. So, keep an eye on the sky!

Finally, Peter appeals to the character of God to complete his point: "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (v. 9). Peter is saying that the reason Christ does not return immediately is to allow sinners ample time to repent. God is patient with sinners. Any waiting is because of God's gracious longsuffering. It is not that He is not coming; He is! It is not that He is indifferent, or powerless, or distracted. It is just the opposite. God is merciful and forbearing. He delays His return, so that as many sinners as possible might come to repentance.

Scoffers argue that the Lord is slow at keeping His promise, so they question whether He will return at all. Peter counters by appealing to God's character: "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness" (v. 9a, NASB). "Slow" in Greek, means "delayed," or "late," or "loitering" (MacArthur New Testament Commentary: 2 Peter & Jude, [Moody Publishers: Chicago, 2005], 121). Not so for God.

His apparent "slowness" (v. 9a), is directly related to His "promise" (v. 9a). In fulfilling "His promise" (v. 9a), God is working out His perfect plan. He will return when the time is right; when as many sinners as possible have been saved. It is the same principle as at Christ's first coming: "But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law" (Gal. 4:4).

"Longsuffering" (2 Peter 3:9b), or "patient" (NASB), translates a compound word in the Greek, that combines the words "large" with "great anger" (Ibid). It shows God's ability to store up His anger and wrath for a long time, before it gives way to judgment. Judgment is inevitable, but God's longsuffering or patience beforehand gives the sinner ample opportunity for repentance and salvation. Not all will be saved, but all will certainly have plenty of opportunity.

Time is wasting. Delay no longer. Don't let another minute go by without acknowledging the truth. Repent and trust Christ alone for your salvation. "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2b). Amen.

Exposing the Doubters

False teachers begin by denying the Word of God. By discounting the Scriptures as simply false, they go on to flatly deny the reality of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. In that regard, in keeping with their own selfish, sinful desires, they can discount any thought of future retribution, leaving them with no accountability. In their minds, they are free to live as they wish and sin to their heart's delight. As a result, they ridiculed those who were righteous, which led Peter to give this warning: "knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days" (2 Peter 3:3a).

The doubters deny biblical truths, scoffing at the truth of Scripture and ridiculing believers. It was happening in Peter's day and it is happening across our land today as well. Perhaps you have recently heard someone mocking Scripture. Perhaps you have even been ridiculed for your faith. Stand strong! Peter warned us that these things would take place. He warned us, to encourage us to hold fast our faith and to maintain our walk with Christ.

Doubters try to intimidate us through a constant barrage of mocking and sarcastic ridicule. So many years had gone by without seeing Jesus return that some believers began to wander about it, perhaps even to the point of doubt. The false teachers were taking advantage of the delay of Christ's return to add fuel to the fire and draw as many as they could away from the faith. "Knowing this first" (v. 3a), does not refer to chronological order, but to level of priority. Peter's top priority was to warn us about the tactics of the scoffers, the false teachers, so that we would not fall prey to their lies.

"In the last days" (v. 3a), refers to the entire time between the first and second coming of Jesus. It refers to today. "Scoffers will come" (v. 3a), warns us to fully expect ridicule and harassment. It is a way of life in the church for the believer. Don't let it bother you and don't let it deter you from walking faithfully with Jesus, fully expecting and anticipating His return. Keep an eye on the sky!

Peter continues by stating plainly that the false teachers are "walking according to their own lusts" (v. 3b). They embrace a doctrine of self-determination. This is the real reason they deny the reality of Christ's return. Belief in the return of Christ makes them accountable for their actions, their lifestyle. They don't want any accountability. They want to be free to indulge in a life of sin as much as they please. To believe in the Second Coming only puts a damper on everything.

"Walking according to" (v. 3b), in the Greek, literally means to "travel" or "go" (MacArthur New Testament Commentary: 2 Peter & Jude, [Moody Publishers: Chicago, 2005], 112). It refers to long-term behavior. A lifestyle of sin, patterned after "their own lusts" (v. 3b), is a long-term way of life that they don't want to end. Any thought of the return of Christ bringing judgment, would put a kink in the schedule and force them to consider repenting and changing, leading to a whole new way of life. It would lead to living a life of righteousness, instead of a life of sin. So, they deny Christ's return, hoping they can escape the judgment through denial. But what they don't realize, much to their own detriment, is that it doesn't work that way. That is why we need to hold fast our belief in the return of Christ, keeping an eye on the sky in full anticipation!

They embrace a doctrine of uniformitarianism. That is a false doctrine claiming that nothing ever changes—everything is as it was from the beginning. The scoffers, the doubters, are "saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation'" (v. 4). The doubters, the scoffers, the false teachers, base their denial of Scripture and their denial of the truth of Christ's return, on His delay. A doctrine of uniformitarianism. They say, "all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation" (v. 4c). They question why Jesus has not yet returned and they assume the delay means He is not coming!

"Where is the promise of His coming?" (v. 4a), they ask. "For since the fathers fell asleep" (v. 4b), or literally, "since the fathers died," referring most likely to the Old Testament patriarchs, nothing has changed! So, why should anything change now? Or so the thinking goes.

John MacArthur explains: "The heretics' argument was simple. If everything continues just as it was from the beginning of creation (meaning that the universe is a divinely created but closed, naturalistic system of cause and effect), then divine intervention—including the return of Christ—must be ruled out a priori. In modern times, that view is known as uniformitarianism. Contending that the present is the key to the past, uniformitarianism asserts that the only natural processes that have ever operated in the past are the same processes at work today. It categorically denies divine intervention throughout world history, most notably opposing both six-day creation and the global Flood" (Ibid, 113).

John MacArthur went on to explain: "To be sure, there is an element of general uniformity in the universe; it is a manifestation of God's providential care for His creation. After all, if the natural laws and universal processes did not normally function in a consistent manner, chaos would ensue. A biblical view of the universe, then, sees creation as an open system—in which God has ordained a uniform operation of natural causes, but also a universe in which He has intervened and still does intervene. Those who go beyond this, advocating a uniformitarianism so rigid as to preclude God's involvement in history, have foolishly deceived themselves. Like the false teachers of Peter's day, they deny the promises of Scripture (including Christ's return) on the basis of their conveniently devised worldview" (Ibid, 114).

We see this kind of doctrine being repeated constantly by people around us and even in the secular news. People prefer to deny the truth of God's Word so that they can continue to sin all they want and to live free from godly morals and righteousness. They don't want to repent, they don't want to change, they don't want to accept the truth that there is a God of the universe who is ultimately in control. Don't let these scoffers fool you. Don't fall prey to their lies. They talk loudly, but carry no power, because they do not teach truth. Reject the false babblings of the scoffers and embrace Jesus Christ, the Lord of the universe, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

The Truth of the Scriptures

Peter said, "Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle" (2 Peter 3:1a). "Beloved" (v. 1a) shows Peter's pastoral heart, along with his genuine concern for his fellow believers. He wrote other letters, at least the two, to the same believers. Taken at face value, this likely refers to First Peter. It is possible that Peter wrote more than two letters, so this could refer to one we don't have, rather than to First Peter, but most commentators believe that the two letters mentioned are First and Second Peter. And that is where I stand.

In parenthetical form, Peter reviews the purpose of His two letters: "(in both… I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder)" (v. 1b). In both letters, Peter reminds us of certain basic doctrinal or spiritual truths. To "stir up" (v. 1b), indicates his intention to wake us up—to move us out of any complacency we may have and make us aware of the spiritual urgency of these truths. "Pure minds" (v. 1b), refers to the purified minds the Holy Spirit gave us at salvation; a mind uncontaminated by the sinful influences of the world. We have been cleansed by the blood of Christ. These reminders are meant "to stimulate you to wholesome thinking" (v. 1b, NIV).

Peter first speaks of the Old Testament prophets: "that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets" (v. 2a). This is clearly a reference to the prophets of the Old Testament speaking the Word of God. Peter tells us to "be mindful of the words which were spoken" (v. 2a) in the Old Testament. It too is God's Word, just as the New Testament is God's Word. Read the whole Bible and live by the whole counsel of God!

Throughout the Old Testament, the prophets speak often of the Day of the Lord and the final judgment of God. Isaiah said, "For behold, the LORD will come with fire and with His chariots, like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by His sword the LORD will judge all flesh; and the slain of the LORD shall be many" (Isa. 66:15-16).

And again, Malachi said, "'For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,' says the LORD of hosts, 'that will leave them neither root nor branch. But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves. You shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day that I do this,' says the LORD of hosts" (Malachi 4:1-3).

From Isaiah to Malachi—the first of the books of prophecy to the last—the Day of God's wrath, the Day of God's judgment, a day often referred to as "the Day of the LORD," is prophesied often and with great detail. The phrase, "the words which were spoken before" (2 Peter 3:2a), refer not only to Old Testament prophecy, but they refer especially to the prophecies of "the Day of the Lord," in this context.

Peter then speaks of the New Testament apostles, saying, "and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior" (v. 2b). This is better rendered, "and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles" (NASB). They refer to the Second Coming of Christ some three hundred times in the New Testament. It is a doctrine, a truth, that cannot be ignored. It is one of the core doctrines of the faith.

John described Christ's return like this: "Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (Rev. 19:11-16).

Throughout the New Testament, as with the Old Testament prophets, the Return of Christ is spoken of repeatedly. The writers of Scripture make it abundantly clear that Jesus is coming again! You can take it to the bank and count on it. Peter encourages us in our walk with Christ by affirming the truth of the Scriptures. Trust the Word. Live for Christ with one eye on the sky, eagerly watching and waiting for the return of Jesus! Amen.

Maranatha! Lord, Come Quickly!

Nathan Busenitz, in his book Living a Life of Hope, said, "The hope of Christ's coming was of paramount importance for the early church. In fact, its certainty was so real that first-century believers would greet one another with the term "Maranatha," meaning "Lord, come quickly." Instead of being frightened by the possibility, they clung to it as the culmination of everything they believed. Not surprisingly, the New Testament reflects this intense anticipation by referencing Jesus' return, whether directly or indirectly, in every New Testament book except Philemon and 3 John. (Nathan Busenitz, Living a Life of Hope [Barbour Books: Ulrichsville, Ohio, 2003], 122)

Is it any wonder that the early church found great comfort in the Second Coming of Christ? The recipients of Peter's second letter had been run out of Rome under severe persecution from outside the church. Now they were facing problems with false teachers inside the church. Oh, how they longed for the return of the Savior! He would make everything right!

The truth is, Jesus is coming again! He has promised! "For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works" (Matt. 16:27). "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels" (Luke 9:26).

No one knows the day or hour, but Jesus will return! He has promised! "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming" (Matt. 26:36-42).

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus promises to return and gather His people to Himself to spend eternity with Him, but does not give a specific day or time. He intends this promise to give us hope, but makes it clear that it should also cause us to live our lives in such a way that shows we are ready to meet the Lord.

Watch therefore, and be alert! Keep one eye looking straight ahead, making sure you stay on the straight and narrow path, but keep the other eye toward the sky, watching and waiting with great expectation for the Lord's return in glory.

Jesus said, "It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning—lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping" (Mark 13:34-36).

He also said, "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:34-36).

"For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord" (1 Thess. 4:15-17).

We do not know when He is coming: "For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, 'Peace and safety!' then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape" (1 Thess. 5:2-3).

But we do know that He is coming! "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work" (Rev. 22:12). "He who testifies to these things says, 'Surely I am coming quickly'" (Rev. 22:20a). To which John adds his exclamation point: "Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" (Rev. 22:20b).

Billy Graham summarized it well: "The end will come with the return of Jesus Christ... That is why a Christian can be an optimist. That is why a Christian can smile in the midst of all that is happening... We know what the end will be: the triumph of the Lord Jesus Christ!" (Franklin Graham, Billy Graham in Quotes, [Thomas Nelson: Nashville, 2011], 119)

The truth of this promise that Jesus is coming again, is the centerpiece of the Christian's blessed hope and great expectation. When we live with one eye on the sky, in anticipation of the promised return of Christ, we live with a certain spiritual zeal and enthusiasm for Christ. John calls it a purifying hope: "And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure" (1 John 3:3).

But, when believers forget about this promise, or no longer believe in the Second Coming at all, and instead, begin focusing on the things of this world, rather than the things of Christ, they soon grow apathetic toward Christ and lose interest in the things of God. Satan knows this quite well. That is why the false teachers work so hard at getting the church to downplay the importance of the return of Christ, or even to deny its truth altogether. When that happens, Christians lose a significant source of hope and motivation in living for Christ.

The return of Christ is yet another core doctrine of the church that is under attack. The Book of Second Peter fights back by encouraging us in our walk with Jesus Christ. Keep one eye on that straight and narrow path. Keep the other eye on the sky, in great anticipation of that glorious day when Jesus comes back again. Amen.

Spiritually Barren

Can a true believer lose his salvation? Or, once you truly believe in Jesus are you secure for all eternity? Second Peter 2:20-22 engages us in a conversation that lends itself to look at the various critical Scriptures concerning this great question. This passage lends itself to the following argument for the doctrine of eternal security or perseverence of the saints.

"For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning" (v. 20). False teachers are likely to go back to their old sinful and worldly ways, despite having "escaped the pollutions of the world" (v. 20a) through "knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (v. 20a). So, can Christians lose their salvation? Is that what this means? Some seem to think so, based on this and similar passages (e.g. Heb. 6:4-6; 10:26).

But the only thing this verse says is that false teachers, who escaped from worldliness and sin through knowing Christ and then turned away from the Christian faith, are worse off than they were before knowing Christ. There is no biblical terminology that affirms that they were Christians. The text does not call them "sons of God" or "children of God." It does not say they were "born again" or that they were "redeemed." The New Testament clearly distinguishes between those who are "in the church" and those who are "born again." First John 2:19 says, "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us." These false teachers were "in the church," but not "of the church." They were "not of us" (1 John 2:19), because they did not know Christ as Savior. They were not born again!

They were outwardly religious and professed faith in Christ, even convincing many people that they knew far more about Christ than they did. That is how they infiltrate the church. But as the text says, they only have "the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 2:20a). In the Greek, "knowledge" refers to an accurate awareness about Christ, but not to a saving knowledge of Christ. Their escaping the ways of the world (v. 20a) is nothing more than temporary and superficial moral reform through religion. It is only nominal Christianity, without genuine faith and repentance.

Peter says, being "again entangled in…and overcome" by their former paganism and sin (v. 20b), "they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning" (v. 20b, NIV). Why? Because they are lost, despite an accurate awareness of Christ! To understand fully the truth of Christ and still reject Him is like saying, "final answer!" They are forever lost and their judgment will be severe.

"For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them" (v. 21). This verse speaks of the seriousness of apostasy, or falling away from the truth of Christ. The "holy commandment delivered to them" (v. 21b) refers to the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ, or to the Christian faith in its entirety, passed on to the saints. “The way of righteousness” (v. 21a) also refers to the whole of Christianity. They reject the entire faith of Christianity. Their professions of faith are spiritually barren!

Ultimately, they reject Christ and the truth of salvation. Their rejection of the only true way of salvation leaves them without any hope of eternal life. The writer of Hebrews gives a similar warning against apostasy: "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame" (Heb. 6:4-6).

In Hebrews 10:26-31, the writer expounds further on that same truth: "For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord. And again, 'The LORD will judge His people.' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

Both passages in Hebrews speak of being fully informed of the gospel of Christ and having a full and complete understanding of the truth, yet rejecting Christ. Neither passage uses biblical terms of salvation. Both use terminology indicating head knowledge alone, without heart knowledge. These apostate teachers hear the gospel and fully understand the gospel, but ultimately, their final answer is: "No!" They reject Christ. Their professions are spiritually barren. As it says in Hebrews 10:31, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

Peter concludes in 2 Peter 2:22: "But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: 'A dog returns to his own vomit,' and, 'a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.'" A right pretty picture! I jest, of course. Two proverbs: The first is biblical; "As a dog returns to his own vomit, so a fool repeats his folly" (Proverbs 26:11); the second is not, but probably borrowed from an ancient secular saying. Both dogs and pigs were vile animals, according to the Jews. The thought here is that false teachers are unclean and their professions of faith are spiritually barren, so ultimately, they return to the sinful and worldly ways from which they came.

Jesus used the words "dogs" and "pigs" when speaking of those who opposed God and his Word. One such occasion was in Matthew 7:6—"Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces." It has been observed that the nature of the "unclean" animals does not change. So, the "dog" that "returns to his own vomit" or the sow "having washed" (or literally, "washed itself") refers to the person who has a religious profession of faith of some sort, an outward change, yet without regeneration that brings an inner change affecting his entire nature—in other words, professions of faith that are barren! Such people soon revert to their true nature—their old sinful self.

John MacArthur gave us a pointed description of these false teachers: "Apostate teachers, as Peter describes them, actually develop from within the church where, partially exhumed from the muck of society's wickedness, they hear the truth but ultimately reject it. Like Judas Iscariot, they breed in close proximity to Jesus Christ and His Word—cloaking themselves in the feigned righteousness of hypocrisy. Ultimately, they use the church solely for their own selfish purposes, like spiritual parasites, seductively seeking to drag as many as possible down with them, to the fiendish satisfaction of the hosts of Satan." (MacArthur New Testament Commentary: 2 Peter & Jude, [Moody Publishers: Chicago, 2005], 107)

Sadly, many churches today contain people like the ones described by Peter in this passage. They have sought personal improvement or moral reform in their search for spiritual or religious experience, yet without saving faith in Jesus Christ. Some have even become leaders in the church. However, their prophecies are spiritually bankrupt; what they teach is spiritually bankrupt, because they do not know Jesus as Lord and Savior. Ultimately, they will reject Christ and return to their old life of sin.

But it doesn't have to be that way for you. Remember, it is a slow fade. You begin to miss your daily Bible reading and you begin to miss church. You wander into a "spiritual desert," so to speak. It seems like Jesus is far away. I understand. Backsliding is a subtle process, a gradual one that can happen without notice. If this is you and you are struggling right now, take your que from Peter.

Peter had first-hand knowledge of the process of backsliding which can lead to denial; he experienced it the night Christ was betrayed. Three times Peter denied he knew Jesus (Luke 22:54-61). In the end his heart was sorrowful, however, and he "wept bitterly" (v. 62). Later, after the resurrection, Peter met Jesus on the seashore and three times Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love Me?" Three times Peter responded, "Yes." And three times Jesus said to Peter, "Feed My sheep," or something similar (John 21:15-17).

Did you follow the progression? Peter was sorrowful; he had a contrite heart. He sought out Jesus, or Jesus found him, and he confessed all to Jesus; confessing again his love for Jesus. Then he was both forgiven and restored to fellowship with Jesus. He was even given a commission to serve Jesus in ministry.

Follow Peter's lead. Repent and turn to Jesus. Walk out of that spiritual desert and come to Jesus today. Confess everything to Him and confess anew your love for Jesus. Let him forgive you and restore your fellowship with Him. The altar is open. Come; come to Jesus and renew your walk with Him. Amen.