11 Since everything is going to be destroyed like this, what kind of people should you be? You should lead holy and godly lives, 12 as you wait for the Day of God and work to hasten its coming. That Day will bring on the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt from the heat; 13 but we, following along with his promise, wait for new heavens and a new earth,[2 Peter 3:13 Isaiah 65:17; 66:22] in which righteousness will be at home. 14 Therefore, dear friends, as you look for these things, do everything you can to be found by him without spot or defect and at peace. 15 And think of our Lord’s patience as deliverance, just as our dear brother Sha’ul also wrote you, following the wisdom God gave him. 16 Indeed, he speaks about these things in all his letters. They contain some things that are hard to understand, things which the uninstructed and unstable distort, to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.
17 But you, dear friends, since you know this in advance, guard yourselves; so that you will not be led away by the errors of the wicked and fall from your own secure position. 18 And keep growing in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Deliverer, Yeshua the Messiah. To him be the glory, both now and forever! Amen.
"Keep Your Eyes Open" by Author: Mallory Sauer
This world, with all its glittering promises of happiness, love, success, wealth and fame, can enchant us and lead us away from God, if we’re not careful. 2 Peter 3:17 warns, “[B]e on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position.”It is dangerous when we think ourselves impervious to Satan’s attacks and that we have no need to be on guard because God wouldn’t let us stray. While it’s true that God will never leave us nor forsake us, we have to make sure that we don’t leave Him! As much as He longs for our hearts, the Lord would never force Himself on someone who did not show interest in the relationship. Therefore, we must pursue Him as well. Otherwise, the connection is one-sided, shallow, weak, and will fade with the passage of time.
With Jesus’ return in mind, we should live with our eyes wide open—prepared for Satan’s attempts to lure us away. The only way to prepare for spiritual warfare is to commune with od, seek His guidance and arm ourselves with His Word: like our lives depend on it--because it does!
Hymn for Today: "Lo, He Comes wih Clouds Descending" by Charles Wesley
1. Lo, he comes with clouds descending,
once for favored sinners slain;
thousand, thousand saints attending
swell the triumph of his train.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
God appears on earth to reign.
2. Every eye shall now behold him,
robed in dreadful majesty;
those who set at naught and sold him,
pierced and nailed him to the tree,
deeply wailing, deeply wailing, deeply wailing,
shall the true Messiah see.
3. The dear tokens of his passion
still his dazzling body bears;
cause of endless exultation
to his ransomed worshipers;
with what rapture, with what rapture, with what rapture,
gaze we on those glorious scars!
4. Yea, Amen! Let all adore thee,
high on thy eternal throne;
Savior, take the power and glory,
claim the kingdom for thine own.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Everlasting God, come down!
Thought for Today:
"Therefore, submit to God. Moreover, take a stand against the Adversary, and he will flee from you." [James 4:7]
Please pray:
For the training of Christian leaders through extension education in Africa.
For the training of Christian leaders through extension education in Africa.
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