Walk toward the light...

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Continuing in 2 Peter chapter 1 ( http://tinyurl.com/5adcu7 )

Today's focus - verses 12-15:

We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

You will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place... Imagine waking up in a strange place, an unfamiliar room, a cave, deep in a forest, in the middle of the night, and with no light whatsoever. Suddenly, you see a light, the only source of light anywhere. You will do well to pay attention to it. Even though our eyes can see the physical things of this world, spiritually we are in the darkness, and that is no metaphor. The dark nature of this world is very real. We move about in this world spiritually as well as physically. And, unless we seek the Light of the World, we are blind to realities greater that what our physical eyes show us.

Matthew 4:16 says; The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. You must not be fooled by what your eyes show you; you must recognize that yoiu live in spiritual darkness. Then you need only recognize that Christ is, indeed, the Light of the world, and that you will do well to pay attention to it.
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Questions:
1. Do you sense the darkness around you?
2. Have you seen His Light?
3. How did you respond?

THOUGHTS ON LIGHT AND DARKNESS

"A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him
than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling 'darkness' on the wall of his cell..."

C.S. Lewis

"The Christian religion made its way through Paganism....
unassisted by the force of human power,

and as gentle as the triumphs of light over darkness."

Joseph Addison

"I have come across black men and women who remembered the only white man they ever saw before--

--David Livingstone; and as you cross his footsteps in that dark continent, men's faces light up as they

speak of the kind Doctor who passed there years ago. They could not understand him; but they felt the

Love that beat in his heart.

"Henry Drummond

"Though the light shines on things unclean, yet it is not thereby defiled."

Augustine

"How many are quite unworthy to see the light, and yet the day dawns."

Seneca

"As the sun can be seen only by its own light, so Christ can be known only by His own Spirit."

Robert Leighton

"God, I pray Thee, light these idle sticks of my life, that I may burn for Thee.
Consume my life, my God, for it is Thine. I seek not a long life, but a full one, like You, Lord Jesus."

Jim Elliot

"It is not darkness you are going to, for God is Light. It is not lonely,
for Christ is with you. It is not unknown country, for Christ is there."

Charles Kingsley

"The issue is now clear. It is between light and darkness and everyone must choose his side."

G.K. Chesterton

"As in the candle I know there is both light and heat, but put out the candle, and they are both gone."

John Selden

"Virtue---even attempted virtue---brings light; indulgence brings fog."

C.S. Lewis

A reminder

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Continuing in 2 Peter chapter 1 ( http://tinyurl.com/5adcu7 )

Today's focus - verses 12-15: So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.

So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. As a pastor and occasional preacher, I get great affirmation from these words: ...I will always remind you of these things...

When I preach, I preach about Old Testament passages and New, but always about Jesus. I preach word studies and topical messages, but always about Jesus. I have been asked why I always mention salvation and always offer people a chance to accept Christ. Maybe you have had the same question about your pastor. Consider this story:

Which reminds me of the lesson that D. L. Moody, the Billy Graham of the 19th century, learned.

After proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ to a crowded hall in Chicago, the evangelist closed

his message by encouraging the attendees to go home, consider the claims of the gospel, and

return the next week to settle the matter in their lives. But that night Chicago heard the ringing

of fire alarms and the clatter of horse-drawn water wagons being hurried through the streets. Mrs.

O'Leary's cow had kicked the lantern, and the Great Chicago Fire swept the city—hundreds of

lives were lost. Because of that, D. L. Moody committed himself to never again forget to urge

people to receive Christ immediately—before it is too late.

http://www.rbc.org/bible-study/strength-for-the-journey/2007/11/27/daily-message.aspx

And consider this information: How would your approach to evangelism be different if you

knew that one-half of the people attending your church were not Christians? As shocking

as this idea may appear, this is a hard reality for many churches in the United States.

Researcher George Barna has discovered the disturbing fact that "half of all adults who

attend Protestant churches on a typical Sunday morning are not Christian!" This fact was

reaffirmed in his recently released work, Boiling Point. Here he states that people who call

themselves Christians but are not born again are "a group that constitutes a majority of

churchgoers." Many who attend Protestant churches have been "anesthetized" to the Gospel,

he says. These are people who have mentally accepted correct beliefsbut have "lived without

a shred of insight into what a relationship with Christ was all about." Equally shocking is Barna's

discovery that the typical non-Christian church member has been attending church for at least

10 years. No longer, then,can it be assumed that regular church attendance, even for many

years, isa guarantee of a person's salvation.

http://www.kristenonline.com/download/book/Reaching%2pdf

So then, yes, this "reminder" is indeed justified. In addition, most of us 'church goers' spend an hour each week in church, maybe another hour or two in a Sunday School class or Bible study, maybe a few minutes here and there reading the Bible or a devotional. The rest of the time we are being blasted by the world. Radio, TV, the internet, aong other worldly influences that Satan uses to erode, or blow up, or chip away at our spiritual selves. And so friends, though I am certainly no Paul, I will always remind you (and myself!) of these things.
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Questions:
1. Are you sure of your calling?
2. If so, how did that happen?
3. If not, what steps are you taking to know?

"Christian, remember the goodness of God in the frost of adversity."Charles Spurgeon

Sure.

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Continuing in 2 Peter chapter 1 ( http://tinyurl.com/5adcu7 )

Today's focus - verses 10-11: Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure.

Let us look at this verse, phrase by phrase:

Therefore... The 'therefore' refers to the previous verses. In other words, since you possess these qualities (goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, love) in increasing measure, and you are not kept from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, and you have not forgotten that you have been cleansed...since this is true...then move to the following my brothers.

...my brothers, This is a call to the believers. Sure, most of Peter's audience were men, but this is a message for all followers of Christ.

...be all the more eager... Eager. Eager! When was the last time a spiritual notion made you 'eager'? When was the last time your church made you 'eager'? Remember, the Lord of all creation is calling you! So be 'eager'...

... to make your calling and election sure. God sent His Son to live, die, and live again. For you. For me. We are made in His image. He has sent His Holy Spirit to comfort, encourage, and strengthen you, and me. We should want, should we not, to be doing exactly what He has called us to do?

Think about it; if you are a parent, or a supervisor, and you need certain work done in a timely fashion, is it enough that those you have entrusted with those tasks follow their own priorities? If the trash can has to be on the curb by seven, and you instruct someone to do it, and they sweep the porch instead, is your will being accomplished?

Friends, we must be careful that we are doing what God calls us to do. We must be sure. It is not enough, it is not right, to busy ourselves with church work, if it is not what God has called us to do. And we can know! Since we possess these qualities (goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, love) in increasing measure, we can be EFFECTIVE and PRODUCTIVE in our knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Questions:
1. Are you sure of your calling?
2. If so, how did that happen?
3. If not, what steps are you taking to know?

THOUGHTS ON CALLING

“Next to faith this is the highest art,
to be content with the calling in which God has placed you."
Martin Luther

"Serve God by doing common actions in a heavenly spirit,
and then, if your daily calling only leaves you cracks and crevices of time,
fill them up with holy service."
Charles Spurgeon

"Monastic vows rest on the false assumption that there is a special calling,
a vocation, to which superior Christians are invited to observe the counsels of perfection
while ordinary Christians fulfill only the commands;
but there simply is no special religious vocation since the call of God
comes to each at the common tasks."
Martin Luther

The Portal

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Continuing in 2 Peter chapter 1 ( http://tinyurl.com/5adcu7 )

Today's focus - verses 5-9: For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. ("Them" of course, being the qualities of faith, goodness, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love in increasing measure.)

Let us look at this like a mathematical equation:

Not having "them" = forgetful of the cleansing from sin.
Having "them" = remembrance of the cleansing from sin.

An equal sign means that the statement is true in either order, therefore: remembrance of the cleansing from sin = having "them".

Satan wants you to think you are the same old person, with the same old sins, and that keeps you stuck where you are. His only real power over believers is to deceive them into thinking the Blood of Christ was ineffective. So remember...REMEMBER...if you have accepted Jesus Christ, He has cleansed you from ALL your sin, you are a new person in Him, and He is within you. Remember this and have a little faith...then...add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accurately restated, you will be EFFECTIVE and PRODUCTIVE in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

All from remembering that which you knew when you first accepted Him.

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Questions:
1. What do you think of this perspective?
2. Can we really forget that we have been cleansed?
3. What does that do?

THOUGHTS ON CLEANSING AND BEING CLEAN

How we have prayed for a Revival, we did not care whether it was old-fashioned or not,

what we asked for was that it should be such that would cleanse

and revive His children and set them on fire to win others.

Mary Booth

"I picked up a man from the street, and he was eaten up alive from worms.

Nobody could stand him, and he was smelling so badly.

I went to him to clean him, and he asked, 'Why do you do this?' I said, 'Because I love you.'"

Mother Teresa

"When you come to knowing God, the initiative lies on His side.

If He does not show Himself, nothing you can do will enable you to find Him.

And, in fact, He shows much more of Himself to some people than to others,

not because He has favourites,

but because it is impossible for Him to show Himself to a man

whose whole mind and character are in the wrong condition.

Just as sunlight, though it has no favourites,

cannot be reflected in a dusty mirror as clearly as in a clean one."

C.S. Lewis

Have you forgotten?

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Have you forgotten?

Continuing in 2 Peter chapter 1 ( http://tinyurl.com/5adcu7 )

Today's focus - verses 5-9: For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

This is a powerful statement: But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. It is powerful for it reflects the power of the Gospel itself. Note what it does not say.

It does not say that if your faith is not growing, or your perseverance, etc., that you are a bad person.
It does not say that if you are lacking in these attributes, that you are not working hard enough.
It does not say that if you are not maturing in your faith that you are weak.

It does say if you do not have these attributes then you have forgotten that you have been cleansed from (your) past sins. If we think we are who we were, before Christ, then is there any wonder that we do not grow?

Remember your salvation...and grow!

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Questions:

1. What do you think of this perspective?

2. Can we really forget that we have been cleansed?

3. What does that do?

THOUGHTS ON CLEANSING AND BEING CLEAN

How we have prayed for a Revival,
we did not care whether it was old-fashioned or not,
what we asked for was that it should be such that would cleanse
and revive His children and set them on fire to win others.

Mary Booth

"I picked up a man from the street, and he was eaten up alive from worms.
Nobody could stand him, and he was smelling so badly.
I went to him to clean him, and he asked, 'Why do you do this?' I said, 'Because I love you.'"

Mother Teresa

"When you come to knowing God, the initiative lies on His side.
If He does not show Himself, nothing you can do will enable you to find Him.

And, in fact, He shows much more of Himself to some people than to others, not because He has favourites,
but because it is impossible for Him to show Himself

to a man whose whole mind and character are in the wrong condition.
Just as sunlight, though it has no favourites,

cannot be reflected in a dusty mirror as clearly as in a clean one."

C.S. Lewis

Apple seeds

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Continuing in 2 Peter chapter 1 ( http://tinyurl.com/5adcu7 )

Today's focus - verses 5-9: For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

Do we see this...add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love...as a line with a beginning and end? Do we begin with faith and end with love?

I don't think so; I think it is more of a circle. I think we start with a little faith, trusting in what that faith, we do the good it calls us to. When we do a little good we see...and gain the knowledge...that the process works somewhat. With that new knowledge comes the ability to practice self-control, because we see it working. When we gain that discipline, it allows us to keep going through tough times, to persevere. The goodness plus the knowledge plus the self-control plus the perseverance brings us a little closer to Godly behavior. Godly behavior makes us want to treat others better. When we treat others better, the love of God flows through us. When the love of God flows through us, it increases our faith, and the cycle continues and grows...and grows...and grows...and we take on these qualities in increasing measure.

We become more like Jesus.

It is like the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5). When we have a piece of fruit, we can eat it, and get all of the goodness, flavor, nutrition, and enjoyment of it. And what is left over? The seed! Which can be planted to provide immeasurable amount of fruit for others to enjoy.

"Anyone cans count the seeds are in an apple;

but only God can count the apples in a seed."

Unknown

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Questions:
1. What do you think of this perspective?
2. Are these steps you can take?
3. What might be the result?
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Peter's "How-to" Guide

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Continuing in 2 Peter chapter 1 ( http://tinyurl.com/5adcu7 )

Today's focus - verses 5-9: For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

We spend a lot of time reading the Scriptures and praying for discernment with tough passages, and that is right and good. And I find that process often brings a particular closeness to God as we rely on Him for understanding.

That being said, I also find great release and relief in very straight forward, explicit passages like this one. In this passage, God tells us, through Peter, how to keep from being ineffective and unproductive in our knowledge. This is a recipe, like Paul's recipe for peace in Philippians; step-by-step instructions for 'right' knowledge of Jesus.

Follow these steps and be effective and productive.

Ignore them and be ineffective, unproductive, nearsighted and blind, and we will have forgotten that we have been cleansed.


Our choice.

My choice.

Your choice.

Choose.

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Questions:

1. What do you think of this perspective?

2. Are these steps you can take?

3. What might be the result?

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"All men men will be Peters in their bragging tongue,
and most men will be Peters in their base denial;
but few men will be Peters in their quick repentance."

Owen Feltham