Dear friends.
- Remember everything. (2 Peter 3:1-2)
You know what? The Bible is a big book. How many church goers have never read it through? How many have never read it at all? What about the Christ follower? I have read through the Bible several times now. Often a VERY CASUAL reading. In fact, this year as we have taken the time to study various key chapters in the Bible I have also been casually listening to the audio version of a “through the bible in a year” plan. I don’t say this to elevate myself, but to be honest with you. At this point in my life, my spiritual life especially, God is really urging me on to know Him better and to be saturating my mind with His words more than the entertainment and news the world has to offer. I wonder if you have also come to that conclusion more recently?
What has caused me to reflect on the importance of reading and better still studying the word of God from cover to cover comes from verse two. “I want you to recall the words spoken….and commands given….” How is that possible if you’ve never heard or read these precious words?
Through the year of 2021 I have invited you to join me in the journey through probably about 60 chapters God has offered to us. I wrote my thoughts and my struggles along the way to try to understand and apply into my life, to accomplish a few things. 1. To hold myself accountable to actually spend time studying. 2. As an act of worship. My God is amazing! I know so little about Him, and have spent relatively few years walking with Him and yet, I am in awe. I am in love. And moved to share the little bit I know with anyone who will listen. 3. To encourage you to do the same, or at least in part, to start somewhere. Just start spending time in His word, and share it with someone.
In the end, what the exercise of study has given me is the expanded ability to remember. To put the O.T. prophets and the N.T. ministry together and better understand God’s story. Invaluable.
2. Think bigger! Much bigger. (2 Peter 3:8)
The question that is thrown out is why is the Lord so slow in coming? Oh my that question is still being asked today. He said He was coming quickly and yet….. still not here. God’s timing is not ours. God’s ways are not ours. God’s thoughts are higher (Isaiah 55:9) He is merciful, not wanting anyone to perish. Every single day that we have before His return is a day that we can potentially reach someone for His Kingdom. So even though we pray, “come quickly”, we also know way too many people who are destined to be separated from Him forever. We don’t want that and neither does God. His coming is inevitable, but our time now is precious, make the most of it.
Pray and intentionally seek opportunities to talk to people about your relationship with Christ.
3. Are you ready? (2 Peter 3:14)
We just finished a 2 month series at Grace Church asking that question, both to the unbeliever. Are you ready to stand before God? Do you have an advocate in Jesus Christ who has offered to cover your sins? That question can also be asked of the Christian. Are you ready? Have you served Him wholeheartedly? Made the most of every gift He has given you? Have you spoken the truth boldly to those who are seeking God? Have you discipled people by helping them learn how to pray, study, worship, share, and put their faith into practice?
I can easily say that those people who have spent their days serving with passion and intension are ready and are looking for the return of Jesus with great anticipation.
4. Don’t get lazy! (2 Peter 3:17)
I just crave comfort more and more it seems as I get older. Everything that makes life simpler and easier. Less fuss. Less mess. Less stuff. But you know a danger that comes along with all of that experience and wisdom is pride. “Been there done that.” Maturity seems to drag along an unwanted or needed partner of arrogance or superiority. The same problem can creep into our physical life as our spiritual one. We have, after all, been to church over 1,000 Sundays by now. Do we really need to go again? Haven’t we heard it all by now? We have read all of the books of the Bible at least once and the book of Proverbs 3 times. The gospels probably 4 or 5 times. We have taken classes. We have become church members. We have taught Sunday School classes. Yep, we’ve reached the pinnacle and the only direction for us to go from here is down. Do you see how me focused all of those statements are? I have already done it, it’s someone else’s turn. I don’t need to go to church, I don’t get much out of it. Yikes! God help us from the attitude that any of this is about us, and that it’s not about Him and what we can do to help other grow with Him.
Please, I invite you to read the Bible a second time. Take a role on the prayer team. Join a HOME group. Take another class and bring someone else with you. Keep studying and sharing the fresh and new insights you have from your life with God. If His word is alive and active, you should not need to share fragments of a sermon you really liked 15 years ago or something of an encounter from your childhood. Stay fresh. Serve humbly. Seek God.
