This morning my encouraging word from K-Love began with the word 'rather' according to my personal study bible the word mentioned is 'but'. The verse was such that curiosity rose in me to see what came prior to that conjunction. Curiosity is said to have killed the cat, but I am human and when it comes to the Word of God, curiosity is often blessed! The verse they shared came from 2nd Peter. I was curious enough to get out of bed, grab my bible and check out what preceded the advice given in the shared verse. Before I knew it, I had read most of 2nd Peter! I am always amazed when this happens. It is like the book jumps to life before my eyes and I find my soul on fire for the LORD. I wish I could simply take what is in my heart and brain and transfer it all into each person I meet in life that is lost and lonely. The best I can do is use the talents that God gave me and pray that the seeds I cast out land on welcome soil. With that being said, this is the full encouraging word that I felt led to share with the world today:
[3] Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, [4] and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation." [5] For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, [6] through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded by water. [7] But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
[8] But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. [9] The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
[10] But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat and the earth and its works will be burned up. [11] Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, [12] looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning and the elements will melt with intense heat! [13] But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. [14] Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, [15] and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, [16] as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. [17] You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, [18] but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. ( 2 Peter 3:3-18, NASB)
I know that is a lot to bite off, but I could not simply share the last verse and expect you to get full understanding! This chapter has a lot of helpful advice as well as warnings in it. For instance, how many of you don't attend church because you feel in your heart what is being preached is designed to control you or manipulate you in some way? How many of you feel that the church is full of hypocrites who say one thing and do another? How many of you believe their is no point in reading the Word of God because you have been told that it is full of contradictions? All of this is easy to believe if all you have ever done is step inside of a church. We go to church to find other true brothers and sisters in Christ because in them, we find encouragement. I spent years of my youth going to church only to be taught things that made me feel bad about myself. Some churches pound home the message of sin and while we all must admit that we are sinners, God does not want us to focus on that aspect! He actually wants us to walk with Him and grow. He wants us to discover the truth, for the truth as we know will set you FREE! It is this exact FREEDOM that drives me day and night to want to share all I have learned with others.
I have a lot of parts of the bible that I would consider favorites. This conversation between Thomas and Jesus would be one of them:
"Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. [2] In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. [3] If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. [4] And you know the way where I am going." [5] Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?" [6] Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. [7] If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also, from now on you know Him, and have seen Him."
If you truly long to know God. To understand His nature, His thoughts, His LOVE for all, you should truly get to know Jesus. We are blessed to be able to get to know Jesus through the Gospels. Jesus is loving, compassionate, clever, witty and so much more than all of that!
You cannot say that you long to know God yet never pick up the book He had written for all humanity through 40 writers with the help of the Holy Spirit over a span of 1500 years! As I have mentioned before, you could spend your entire life reading the bible and never learn all the truths and mysteries it holds inside. It is in reading His Word thought that you begin to understand how He communicates and in that aspect, you will begin to hear Him for real.
All relationships take work; that includes your relationship with your Heavenly Father. When you work on this relationship, it actually will enhance all of your relationships. You cannot get to know God and remain stuck in who you are today. You will evolve, you will grow and you will love who you are in Christ. I tell people that if you were to meet me without Christ, you would not always find a kindhearted person! It is only Christ in me that guides my footsteps as well as my tongue! If I did not know Christ and understand God's Word, I would be capable of unkind acts left and right. However, in knowing who I am in Christ, I am reminded that I am here to love, not to hate. Christ in me, keeps me in line, convicting me of the truth, and protects me from the ways of the flesh.
[19] We love because He first loved us. [20] If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. [21] And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.
(1 John 4:19-20, NASB)
Life will become abundant when you seek the LORD. It will become more colorful and you will become more joyous, not being constantly dragged into depression, worry, anxiety or fear. That is not to say that you won't have days where life comes to kick your rear end; no, quite the opposite. This is why as you get to know the Lord, you also learn about your armor. Your shield of faith is vital to your well being. I encourage you to learn about all of your armor for as you learn who you are in Christ and discover true freedom, you may be driven to share the truth with others. As you do this, you will be attacked by the enemy, but fear not, Christ already conquered Him. While we may be engaged, it is our faith in Christ that will keep us safe. As King David famously said, "The LORD is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me?" (Psalms 118:6, NASB)
One of my favorite songs to this day is "Whom shall I fear?" by Chris Tomlin. It speaks volumes to me. At one point in my life, I did believe the very things He sings about and in more recent days, I have come to understand the truths he also mentions in this song. For those not familiar with the tune, this link will take you to a YouTube video with the words included. May you be lifted and blessed in your listening!
Thank you for taking time out of your day to read my post. I am simply a girl who sought and found and truly longs for all others to find as well for I know the FREEDOM that comes with the truth. It alone is worth the effort! May you be blessed today in all you do, in all you read, in all that you understand. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Wendy, Mom of Many, walks with God
© Wendy Glidden 2015
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