Author: Aaron Hufty

Re:Verse passage – 2 Peter 3:10-18 (day two) 

Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless…v. 14

In last week’s reading we were reminded that if we perceive God as slow, it is because he desires all to come to repentance. Peter goes on in our reading this week to warn that there will be an end to his long-suffering patience. There will be a time when the waiting is over, and a reckoning will be required. Peter isn’t saying this to scare people into salvation, but rather to sharpen and refine how we live in the now. Too often we put off spiritual conversations. We think we have time to share with a friend or family member about Jesus’ love. If we have an anticipation for his return, we should take the opportunities given to us to love, serve, and share Jesus’ love. Don’t miss an opportunity.

Re:Verse passage – 2 Peter 3:8-9 (day two)

…not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. v. 9b

We are all anxious these days. We look around and lament government, education, health care, and a whole litany of woes that are legitimate and worthy of our concern. The cry of the church is ‘how long, O Lord, how long’?  How long will these things continue to plague our homes, jobs, churches, and nations? It is instinctive to want to throw our hands up in despair and think about giving up. What we must remember is that none of this is a surprise to the Lord. He hears our groaning, but the very fact that he is tarrying is an indication that he’s not done yet. There is still work to do, and we are called to be a part of it. There are still those who need to hear that Jesus loves them, and our job is to tell them; to show them. You are right to be concerned, but don’t lose sight that he waited long enough for you to respond to him; be patient for your brothers and sisters walking in darkness, and help show them the light.

Re:Verse passage – 2 Peter 3:1-7 (day two)

…that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles. v. 2

Peter has railed against false teaching for much of his letter. The passage this week provides our path through the jungle of misinformation. Our constant companion throughout our faith journey is God’s Word. As we grow in our faith, we will better understand the mysteries of faith. It is our duty to weigh everything we hear, even by people we trust, against the Word of God. As you ask questions and begin conversations, you strengthen those muscles of discernment so that you may more easily recognize truth and falsehood. Be on guard, be in the Word, ask questions.

Re:Verse passage – 2 Peter 2:17-22 (day two)

 These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved. v. 17

Promises given by false teachers will always be what you want to hear. They will always guarantee success, happiness, or gain. That is why they are so popular. We don’t want to hear about struggle, about sacrifice, or about self-denial. Those things don’t get votes, they don’t excite the masses, and they don’t fill seats, but they are often the reality of any believer’s journey. I don’t want to paint a picture of a dire strife-filled existence in Christ, but I want my teachers to be honest about what it means to put your faith in something eternal rather than something temporal. We may not get the brass ring we are reaching for here on earth, but each follower of Christ WILL achieve the eternal glory of life with Jesus. Is your faith dependent upon whether you get wealthy? Are you needing some material gain in order to serve the body of Christ? This kind of thinking will only end in disappointment. Our gain is Jesus. This will be sufficient.

Re:Verse passage – 2 Peter 2:10-16 (day two)

…but he received a rebuke for his own transgression, for a mute donkey, speaking with a voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet. v. 16

When was the last time you were stopped in your tracks by something unexpected? There are times when we are so focused on ourselves, or the path that we believe to be right, that we miss the obvious warning signs of danger. In Balaam’s case it took a donkey speaking before he took notice of the angel in the road. We all make decisions based on what we think is best for us, for our families, for the church. How often are we challenging our own convictions against the Word? If we don’t have a constant connection to the Lord, we will go off course. That is inevitable, but we don’t have to stay there. Don’t be afraid to course correct. Don’t be afraid to go against the flow. Don’t be afraid to listen to the voice of the Lord in unexpected places.

Re:Verse passage – 2 Peter 2:4-9 (day two) 

…but preserved Noah…v. 5b; and if He rescued righteous Lot…v. 7a 

These verses are double-edged. We retell and rejoice in the stories of Noah and Lot. God preserved his people through their lives and through their faithfulness. Aren’t you grateful for their examples of faithful living? The other side of the coin is the very real and hard circumstances in which they were living. The world was hostile towards the things of the Lord. Everywhere around these men were sin and temptations to fall into darkness. This was by no means an easy journey for them. While we tell the stories of God’s deliverance, we do well to not sugarcoat the struggle they faced around them. To do so is to minimize God’s powerful ability to deliver his people even in the most dire circumstances. He will preserve, he will rescue, don’t give up.

Re:Verse passage – 2 Peter 2:1-3 (day two)

…just as there will also be false teachers among you…v. 2b

There are a lot of good speakers in the world. However, not all good speakers are speaking what is good. Discerning the difference is the responsibility of every believer. As we are bombarded with reels, memes, and sound bites, we must ask ourselves what is being said in the larger narrative. Every speaker has talking points that re-emphasize their agenda, but they are so often couched in language that is inflammatory or exaggerated to get maximum coverage. Whether from the pulpit or in politics, this is a technique that we must be wary of. Yes, it is good to trust your pastors, but it is also incumbent on each of us to pray, read, listen to the Holy Spirit, and to ask questions. Even the best of us can make mistakes; it is whether we acknowledge them as such that separates us from the world. Don’t fall victim to people that always say what you want to hear. Don’t stop asking questions. Don’t stop trusting God’s Word.

Re:Verse passage – 2 Peter 1:16-21 (day two)

So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. v. 19

I was once at a conference where Michael W. Smith was talking about how his friend, Amy Grant, wrote the song “Thy Word.” She was at a retreat and she had been out walking long past sunset; and as she made her way back to her cabin, she was in complete darkness. She fumbled around for a while in frustration, but then spotted a lamp that was in a cabin window that led her back. That lamp may not have illuminated the entire landscape, but it gave her enough to take one step at a time. This is how prophetic words work in our lives. In the midst of a world walking in darkness, these words offer a step by step path to follow until we get to a place where the day dawns and all the truth is made clear. May we cling to the Word of God as our lamp for each step we take today.