3 Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 2 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles. 3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. 8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Have you ever broken a promise? I have, I’m sure we all have. This passage continues Peter’s earnest appeal to believers to be wary of false teachers & prophets that are actively leading young believers astray .. including those who scoff & raise doubt about the promise of Jesus’ second coming. (Matt 24:44, Rev 1:7-8, Rev 3:11, Rev 22:12-13, Acts 1:10:11)

Nothing has changed, there are still scoffers .. yet how many believers live as though the promise of Jesus’ return is not a current reality? Verse 9 reminds us that the Lord is not slow on his promises, I am grateful that He waited for me. We have just celebrated Christmas, the birth of our saviour which was prophesied/promised hundreds of years earlier, yet he came at the right time (Gal 4:4).

I don’t believe that Peter is writing to scare but to encourage us. Jesus will come again at the right time, perhaps he’s waiting for you to turn to him (repent) or others you know, he wants as many as possible to enter into the Kingdom. He has promised. It will happen.

Lord Jesus, let me never forget the promise of your coming again, help me to keep my eyes on that prize and not be distracted by the things & seasons of this world. Amen.

Written by Suzie Hodgson

2 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. 4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment; 5 if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; 6 if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; 7 and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless 8 (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— 9 if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.

Jesus had told his disciples that false teachers would come, telling people what they wanted to hear and twisting the truth and His teachings. Peter calls us to be aware of their shameful ways, lying, and greed as this is the path to destruction. I constantly rely on the Bible and Holy Spirit to guide and train me in the way of the Lord.

Our society is full of deception and lies. I am being led to believe that I must be the most important thing in life and that everything should be bent towards making me happy, safe, and complete. It tells me that I should be number one! The gospel quickly puts me back on course and guards me against the deceptions of our society.

Peter however is talking about something even closer to home: false teachers inside our faith. Those that pretend to follow Jesus but secretly introduce heresies, even denying our sovereign Lord. Let us follow Peter’s warning and turn away from false teachers. Trust in the Lord and serve Him wholeheartedly for our Father knows how to rescue the godly from trials!

Lord, we pray for discernment against false teachers and those that bend your word and authority. Allow us to hold on to you and seek your will. Let us lean not on our own understanding but trust in you with all our heart. May we remain God-fearing, Christ-following, and Holy Spirit-filled. In your precious name, Jesus.

 Amen

Written by Sven Bessesen

1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: 2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 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. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. 10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

It may surprise you to know that I don’t like being told what to do. Shocking, I know! I think most, if not all of us feel that way. But the writer of 2 Peter doesn’t want us to feel like that. He is so excited by what he is about to tell us – truths about the greatness and love and “divine power” of God – that he can hardly contain himself. It’s like he is saying “this is the secret! This will change your life! The benefits of doing what I’m about to tell you are beyond what I can describe!” Ok Peter, you’ve got my attention. What do I do?

Answer? – “Add to your faith.” V5

“Add” isn’t a great word here. The original word was more like “extravagantly throw yourself in, boots and all.” ie because of the massive love and grace of God shown to us in sending Jesus to save us, let’s show that same massive love in the form of obedience and living God’s way.

Then Peter gives a list of things to do, a list where each virtue builds on the previous and explains how God wants us to live…

Goodness (being Christ-like)

Knowledge (renewed mind)

Self-control (see 2 Timothy 1:7)

Perseverance (keep trusting God)

Godliness (think – reverence for God)

Mutual affection (think – mercy and kindness to your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ)

Love (think – agape. Love like God loves)

But here comes the best part. Verse 10 says, “If you do these things…” this is what you will experience…

Abundant peace

Abundant grace

Effective for God

Productive in your Christian life

Validate/confirm your calling 

Never stumble

Receive a rich welcome into heaven

God will share His nature with you 

We need to ask ourselves “what good thing can I add to my faith today? How can I obey Jesus today?” and then do it – boots and all! If we do that, the blessings from God will amaze us. 

Father God, thanks for providing everything I need for “life and Godliness.” Please help me listen, and do what you say today. From now on I will add to my faith – boots and all – because of what you’ve done for me. 

Amen

Written by Boudy Van Noppen

6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Jesus – the advent King, the one in whom our faith is anchored is given here a powerful description – Wonderful Counsellor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  The first two remind us of His deity, His wisdom and strength, the latter two how He outworks such power and authority.  All too often we see and experience power and authority expressed in directive, even dictatorship methods – But Jesus is different.  He expresses His ultimate power and ultimate authority – there is no one like Him – through fathering and bringing peace.  Wow – that is the kind of Kingdom I want to be part of.

This Advent why not come to the King of the Universe – Jesus!

Father help me to experience Jesus in all His authority and power expressed through being an everlasting Father and Prince of Peace.

Written by Ps. Richard Botta

35 The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, 2 it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God. 3 Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; 4 say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” 5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. 6 Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. 7 The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. 8 And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. 9 No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, 10 and those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Have you ever been in a ‘wilderness’ season of life? Where things feel dry or fruitless, like you are constantly walking in circles but getting nowhere? I know I have. I have experienced seasons that have felt barren and empty, that have drained me and made me question whether there was any hope or purpose in what was going on.
One of the things that has sustained me in seasons like this has been the word of God, specifically passages like this one that remind us of who God is and the goodness He brings, how He promises that “dry places will be full of joy”, and of the hope that is to come.

The truth is that being one of God’s people does not guarantee an easy breezy life all the time. However, when we know God, we know that we can have peace and hope no matter our circumstances or surroundings, because of who He is. We can also continue to have hope that when this life passes, we will live in perfect freedom and peace, with “joy that lasts forever” because of Jesus.

Jesus, we know that nothing in this life can be perfect because of sin that has entered and permeated every part of our world. We thank you that you are working all things for good – seasons of dryness and seasons of abundance, and that we have hope of an eternal life of joy with you because of what you have done for us. Help us to hold onto these truths in all seasons of life that we face. Amen.

Written by Madelaine Tarasenko