Pretenders in the Faith: Why Some Turn Away from God Today I heard about yet another well known Christian figure that has renounced his faith. How sad that we seem to hear about this more and more. It should not surprise us that this happens. We actually should expect it. The Bible has a lot to say about people who are "pretenders". In 2 Timothy 4:10, Paul, who was writing from a Roman prison and soon to be executed, tells Timothy that he had been abandoned by Demas. Paul says because Demas's love for this world was more than His love for God, he had left Paul. Demas could see where Paul's devotion to Christ was leading him. Paul would soon go to his death and Demas ran away to avoid the same fate most likely. When our path is hard who do we love more, this world or God? Paul reminds Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:1, that in " latter times some will depart from the faith ". Paul believed the times he lived in could be the latter times. He saw many leaving the faith and being enticed by lies and false doctrines. The Bible tells us " certain men have crept in unnoticed " (Jude 1:4). These men were the source of the lies and false doctrines. Be cautious who you listen to so that you do not fall away. And These Have No Root Jesus Himself warns of this in Luke 8:13, But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. I have known so many people for whom this was true. They would go to a revival or summer church camp or a retreat and be on fire with love for the Lord, but as Jesus says they " have no root " so when things became difficult, when the world enticed them too much they would slowly fall away. Where Is Our Root? Where is our root? Many people are fine with being a Christian when it is the socially acceptable thing to do but what happens to them when someone laughs at them for being different? What happens when they lose customers in their business or financial gain from a job when they stand for Christ? Today, it is becoming more and more unacceptable to stand for Christ. In such a world how many people will continue to stand? Where is our root? Do we find our root in our parent's faith or in our own? Do we continue in our faith when our parents are no longer around? Faith can't be poured into us by our parents. Faith can only be produced by the working of the Holy Spirit who convicts us . We are not Christians just because our parents were. Is your root in the people you associate with? It is easy to be holy when those around us are holy, but what happens when we work with people who aren't Christian? Our friends and co workers can have a lot of effect on us. Do those people influence us to fall away? What about people who adore their pastor? Certainly we should love our pastor. We just have to be sure that God is first. What happens to those who attend some of these enormous mega churches that we see on TV when their adored pastor dies or leaves? Do they stay or do they go their own way, never satisfied by the pastor that follows. Is their faith in man or in God? Is your root in the "excitement" of your church? Does the church exist to entertain us, or do we exist to go to church to worship God regardless of the surroundings? So many churches today resort to what I must call showmanship. They put on a show with, what seems to me at least, a lot of irreverence. We can be too emotionally needy in our churches. When things calm down, do you feel like God has left you? When the church is quiet, do we still hear God's still small voice? Are we godly when we are with the godly, but ungodly when we are with the ungodly? Those who fall away are drifting, going the easy way, but when the going gets more difficult they abandon their faith. Charles Spurgeon once said, "That is the way that we know a Christian; he is sure to be swimming against the stream. Live fish always do that; but dead fish go floating down the stream, and are carried away with it." Are we different from the world? You Must Have A Strong Root To Survive A plant can't survive without a strong root. The root nourishes the plant. Yes, a plant can spring up for a short time without a strong root but a strong wind can blow it over. Many people seem to be carried here and there by every different doctrine they hear. One day they belong to this denomination, the next something else, always changing because they are so easily swayed. Not knowing what is true, many drift away from fellowshipping with other believers. These "believers" may grow for a time but without a strong root they wither away. Obedience is the way of truth . Of course one of the most important jobs of the root is to bring water to the whole plant. Without water the plant will die. Without the waters our Savior provides we too will die. Speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well our Savior told her that if she drank of the water He had to give she would never thirst because they would lead to everlasting life (John 4:13-14). Our root, our nourishment, must come from the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives that causes us to grow in faith, to study the word, to desire every day to be more like Christ. As we pray and repent our root grows stronger. Our faith must exist not just for the world to see, but it must exist in the quiet of our times alone with God. Bigger, more abundant fruit comes from stronger roots. We hold fast to the truth like a root is a holdfast for a plant. Our truth is the words of life from God and the experience of the Holy Spirit in our lives. When we truly understand and see the work of God in our lives that is proof of His great love for us. Like a child knows its earthly father, when we come to Him as our Heavenly Father, full of certainty that He wants only good for us, that is when we won't depart the faith. That is a deep root. They Went Out From Us John tells us false teachers will eventually become known. They will leave the church, and then we will understand that they were never real (1 John 2:19). He calls them "anti-Christs", not the Anti Christ, but teachers opposed to Jesus none the less. John lets us know that when we have received the grace of God and the love of Christ we will continue! That is God's promise. Know That We Know Him "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." 1 John 2: 3-4 I hear many people say that they don't know if they are a Christian or not. In these verses in John, he tells us that we can " know that we know Him ". It isn't something we should have to wonder about. It isn't something complicated. Are you keeping His commandments? If you fail, are you honestly repenting? Are you loving Him and those around you? Our prayer is to always continue and to know that we know Him. Amen and amen. And These Have No Root

What is the glory of God? When Moses asked to see God's glory in Exodus 33:18, God replies in the next verse that He will show Moses His goodness. We see the phrase, "God's glory" used many, many times in the Bible. The expression really refers to His might, His power, and His goodness that is above all that exists. We Beheld His Glory in Jesus Christ In John 1:14, John tells us, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." Can you imagine what that meant to John and the other disciples to know, really know, that they had seen the glory of God in the flesh! They had worked with Him, eaten with Him, traveled with Him, seen Him as the human He was, and yet finally realizing how much more He was, the incarnate word of God. Lazarus and the Purpose of God's Glory In the New Testament Jesus tells Martha, in reference to her brother Lazarus's death, in John 11: 40, "... if you would believe you would see the glory of God. " Earlier Jesus had explained to his disciples in verse 4, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” So the death of Lazarus served a purpose, to show others the glory of God , the goodness of God, through the actions of the Son of God, Jesus. Jesus as the Brightness of God’s Glory Hebrews 1:3 tells us that Jesus shows us the glory of God, "who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, " This brightness, this light of His glory according to 2 Corinthians 4: 6, " has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." As Christians we have received the light to see the goodness of God, and that goodness is reflected in the face of Christ, our Great High Priest. Walking in Light Versus Darkness God's glory shines on us. In John 1:5 we are told that " God is light and in Him is no darkness at all ." But what happens if we don't have His light? In John 11:10, Jesus tells us that if we don't walk in the light we will stumble. Without God we are in darkness. We can't find our way. We stumble . It can be frightening trying to make your way somewhere in the dark. You don't know what obstacle might be in front of you. You don't know if there is some evil lurking in the shadows because you cannot see. You are alone with only your imagination. This is what life is like without Jesus. The book of Jude tells us that only He can keep us from stumbling. The Old Testament Revelations of God’s Glory In the Old Testament the glory of God was often revealed to His people in fire, clouds, and earthquakes. In Exodus 16, the Lord heard the complaints of the Israelites and showed His glory in a cloud. He told Moses to tell His people that He would provide meat and bread for them. His goodness was once again revealed to His people. In Exodus 40, God's glory was veiled, hidden behind the veil of the tabernacle, but with the sacrifice of Christ, the veil has been removed and God's glory is present and available for all to see who acknowledge Him as Savior. God’s Glory Made Accessible Through Christ Whatever happens to us, whatever persecution we must bear, according to 2 Corinthians 4: 15, "All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God." (NIV) Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that whatever we do it is to be done " to the glory of God ." If we do good, it is not so that men can look and say how wonderful we are, how kind we are, how self-sacrificing we are, it is so men can see the glory, the goodness of God, from whence comes all good things. A Hymn of Praise: Fanny Crosby's "To God Be the Glory" The great hymn writer Fanny Crosby, in 1875, wrote, To God Be the Glory . This is the refrain from that hymn. Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, Let the earth hear his voice! Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Let the people rejoice! O come to the Father through Jesus the Son and give Him the glory, great things He has done! Enjoy the beautiful praise, You're Worthy of it All, sung by Cece Winans. Click here .

Born Again by the Holy Spirit When Jesus speaks to Nicodemus in John chapter 3 He describes the necessity of being " born again ." This term is widely used among Christians to describe the transformative work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. They were born the first time physically and then reborn of the Holy Spirit of God. Without this rebirth, Jesus says a person cannot enter Heaven. “Without this rebirth, Jesus says a person cannot enter Heaven.” The Spirit Compared to the Wind In John 3:8, Jesus makes a comparison of the Holy Spirit to the wind which in Greek is pneuma . Interestingly, this word has the same range of meaning as the Hebrew word ruach. It can mean wind, breath, or spirit. The same word is used in Genesis 2:7 and in Ezekiel 37:5. "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” The Mystery of Spiritual Birth We see and hear the effects of wind, the waves on the sea or the movement of the leaves in the trees, but we do not know much else about it. It is a mystery. In this way, when a person is born of the Spirit of God, it is also a mystery. Visible Change in New Believers If you have ever been around someone newly reborn into faith in Christ, you will see the change. You will know that their interests are different, their habits change, and their old ways become new ways. Looking from the outside it will be difficult to understand. It's as if they woke up one morning a totally different person; and in this you will be correct. They will have moved from death to life. What a transformation this causes! “It’s as if they woke up one morning a totally different person… They will have moved from death to life.” Sanctification and Growing in Holiness We are transformed through a process called sanctification. We grow in holiness and are set apart as God's people. This process continues until the day we die. Each person's journey to holiness is different. Some people will see a very dramatic, almost instantaneous change, while most of us will see our lives gradually changing to become more like Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 describes this, "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." Ezekiel’s Vision of Dry Bones Much like when Ezekiel had a vision of the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel 37:1-14. Here the valley of dry bones partly represented the spiritual death of the nation of Israel. God spoke to Ezekiel and told him that He would breathe life into these bones much as He did in Genesis 2:7 with Adam and Eve. But this life would be a spiritual one. This life completely and utterly depended on God. It was His breath which transformed the bones into spiritually living people, just as the Holy Spirit does in His people today. This imagery of the Spirit as life-giving breath continues in the New Testament The Holy Spirit at Pentecost Later, in Acts 2:2, we read of the arrival of the Holy Spirit described as a mighty rushing wind. Here the word wind in Greek is pnoē which is descriptive of the physical sound. Later in Acts 2:4, when the disciples are filled with the Holy Spirit, the word pneuma is used again, this time specifically referring to the Holy Spirit. In Genesis 3:8, Adam and Eve heard the sound of God walking in the garden. The Hebrew word, qo l, can be translated as sound or voice and foreshadows the Spirit’s invisible yet audible work in our lives (John 3:8) Hearing the Voice of the Spirit Isn't it fascinating that the presence of God or the Holy Spirit can often be heard? In John 3:8, Jesus tells us " you hear its sound ". But how do we hear? With our physical ears or spiritually? Like the wind we cannot see, the Holy Spirit is invisible but speaks to our spiritual heart. What does the Holy Spirit say when He speaks to us? He convicts us of our sin (John 16:7-10), He guides us into the truth of Jesus (John 16:13-15), He will be our helper to teach us and bring Scripture to our minds as we need it (John 14:25-26), He will put the love of God in our hearts (Romans 5:5) He will give us power to be His witnesses to the world (Acts 1:8). All of these transformations happen because of Him. Without Him we can't experience these things. Nicodemus and the Spirit of Truth Nicodemus was having difficulty believing and understanding what Jesus was saying. In John 16:13, we are told that the Holy Spirit is the " Spirit of truth ". The Holy Spirit is our guide to truth and helps us to believe. The Bible never explicitly says Nicodemus became a believer but his actions after the death of Jesus, like publicly helping to bury Him, suggest that He was indeed transformed (John 19:39-40). As John 3:16 plainly states, those who believe in Him will have eternal life. But some will not believe, they will, as Jesus explains not even believe the earthly things they see, the miracles of creation and the hand of God in the lives of those who love Him. If they can't believe even that, then how will it be possible to believe in Heavenly things. They willfully chose not to believe. Jesus goes on and says they chose not to believe because "men love darkness rather than light" (John 3:19). Without the Spirit of God living in us we cannot belong to Him. We will actually prefer darkness (sin). When we believe in Jesus, we receive the Holy Spirit and are reborn. As John 1:12-13 explains, " But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. " Notice that we were born, not out of our own will, but God's. Nothing we did made us worthy of the free gift of salvation. Grace has saved us and it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). We are convicted by the Holy Spirit of our sin and we want to change. But now that we have the Holy Spirit of God living in us are we letting Him use us? Quenching the Spirit vs Being Spirit-Filled Sadly, it is possible for us to " quench the Spirit " (1 Thessalonians 5:19). Unrepentant sin can hinder the Spirit’s transformative work, limiting the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. You should be able to see the Spirit working in the lives of those who love Him. In Galatians 5:16-25, Paul says when the Holy Spirit fills us we walk by Him, live by Him, and are led by Him. The Spirit-filled life is one of power, love, and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7). Ephesians 5:19-21 describes a Spirit-filled life as one that is thankful, joyful, and filled with music, singing Psalms and hymns. A life full of the Holy Spirit is a life of surrender to the will of God. It is a life that has died to self. We can find peace through the Holy Spirit. Jesus, our role model, was also filled with the Spirit. Surrendering to the Spirit We are told in Isaiah 11:2 the future Messiah, Jesus, would have the Spirit of God resting on Him. This Spirit would give Him wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and fear of the Lord. These qualities were fulfilled in Jesus’ life and ministry. Are we surrendering to the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to empower us as He did Jesus and as He has countless believers since? “A life full of the Holy Spirit is a life of surrender to the will of God.”

What Is Self-Control? You don't hear too much anymore about words like self-control, temperance, or self-discipline. They mean the same thing but they seem almost old-fashioned and out of style. To have self-discipline means we can moderate ourselves. But what makes Christian self-control different from simple willpower? Christian Self-Control Explained In the face of temptation to do too much of something or not enough, we can regulate our wants and desires. This can be done in a worldly way, but when we live a Christian life, we are told in Titus 2:11-14 that the grace of God not only brought salvation but also trained us in Christian self-control. Let’s look at some common struggles that challenge our self-control. Common Self-Control Struggles When we aren't self-controlled, we may eat too much, drink too much, or we may even shop too much or play too much golf. It's not always the obvious ways in which people lack self-control. Maybe we are on our phones too much or maybe we play too many video games. Whatever we're doing, if it's to excess, it can become a bad thing. These external habits point to deeper struggles within the heart. Battling Sinful Desires Then there's also self-control not to sin. We battle sinful desires till the day we die. Maybe it's lust or pornography. Maybe it's premarital sex or adultery. Maybe it's the desire to be number one all the time. Maybe it's a need for money and more money, also known as greed. The Christian life is a battle . Thank God we aren't alone in it. Even when we appear disciplined outwardly, our thoughts can tell another story. Hidden Thoughts and God’s View When our lack of self-control is in our thoughts, we may appear to have everything under control but God sees the real us! He knows we are just for show. Maybe we attend church regularly and participate in Bible study but at night our thoughts wander where they shouldn't. This inward lack of control often shows up in what we fail to do spiritually. Spiritual Discipline Practices Finally, lack of self-discipline keeps us from doing things we know we should do. Do we eat healthy and exercise? That takes care of our physical body but what about our spiritual needs? Do we read God's word every day, study, pray, and fast regularly? These areas of self-discipline help us grow from a "baby" Christian, living on milk as Paul describes it, to an "adult" Christian eating meat (1 Corinthians 3:1-3). The Bible makes clear that self-control is not merely personal effort, it’s spiritual fruit. Self-Control as Fruit of the Spirit Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. It is something we should see growing in our lives. We should find ourselves, as time passes, more and more successful at having self-discipline. If you're like me, the list of areas needing self-control feels very long. James tells me I need to control my tongue (James 3:2-12). Jesus warned us, “ Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. ” Is our mouth under control? What fruit are we bearing? Do we bless God, yet curse Him at other times? Picture someone who prays on Sunday morning and then uses God's name in vain in frustration while they drive. Such a person shows lack of self-control. Jesus tells us our heart is either for Him or against Him. Paul and Peter give further instruction on how believers should exercise this fruit. This fruit of self-control isn’t optional, it’s essential for living a holy life. Paul talks about putting away the lusts of the flesh (Romans 13:14), and Peter explains we should have sound judgment and a sober spirit so we can pray (1 Peter 4:7). When Paul discusses lusts of the flesh, what does that actually mean? Sexual immorality is the first thing we tend to think of, but the term encompasses much more. Galatians 5:19-21 gives a pretty thorough list of temptations and areas where we may have problems using self-control. "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." Paul's warning here is pretty stark. If we live in these things, meaning we have no desire to repent and turn from them, then we will not see God's kingdom. Self-control becomes a trait Christians don't just need, but must have. Paul often compared the Christian life to athletic training to illustrate this truth. Perhaps you've learned self-discipline of your physical body. Maybe you do all the things we are told to do to stay healthy. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:25 that those who compete in the Roman games do it to obtain a wreath that withers away but you and I, as Christians, practice self-discipline to gain an imperishable wreath. Paul continues this thought when writing to Timothy about the value of godliness. 1 Timothy 4:8 continues this thought and explains, " bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” Compared with disciplining just your physical body, spiritual discipline holds promise for both the here and now and for our future life in Heaven. So how can we begin cultivating this kind of spiritual discipline? Learning to be Spiritually Disciplined What can we do to become spiritually disciplined? 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us it is God's word that trains us in righteousness and equips us for good works. And good works are what our purpose is all about. Spiritual discipline grows through learning, mentorship, and daily habits. Like anything that we learn, spiritual discipline benefits from learning and practice. We learn it by being around those who practice it. Do you have a spiritual mentor or a pastor you respect? They can help you learn discipline by teaching you what they have learned. And as it is with everything, the more we practice discipline, the better we will get at it. These small daily habits can shape the rhythm of a disciplined life. Some people place uplifting Bible verses where they can see them easily, on their computer or bathroom mirror. Others like to listen to praise music as they are getting ready to start their day. Another suggestion would be to focus on Sunday as God's holy day by setting aside the ordinary things done the rest of the week and focus on Him all day. There is also a special blessing in setting aside time for worship and rest. We can begin our day with quiet meditation in God's Word, attend Sunday School and corporate worship, have a quiet time and time of personal Bible reading. Consider doing a work of mercy, for example, having a needy person as a guest. Learn to make your food mostly in advance of the Sabbath. Turn your computer and phone off all day. There is blessing in obedience. The testimony below gives a beautiful example of how prayer transforms discipline. Still more advice comes from an online forum where Idelette says this, "To be quite honest, it wasn't until I really prayed about this that I saw any serious change in my devotional life. For so long I was doing daily Scripture readings and reading other solid books but I felt like my heart was just going through the motions. It wasn't until I seriously started praying that the Lord really brought me to a deeper place. Pray the Lord gives you a thirst and hunger for His Word! Pray the Lord gives you a restlessness in your sin and apathy! Pray He aids you in your prayer life and gives you zeal to continue in prayer! Pray He gives you grace to be disciplined! Pray He teaches you to love Him with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength! (Mark 12:30) When we really love Him, we will naturally desire to spend more time with Him as He is our delight! " Her experience reminds us that even spiritual discipline must be rooted in humility. Avoiding Pride in Discipline Have you noticed something though about becoming disciplined, whether physically or spiritually? Have you noticed it seems difficult not to expect everyone else to be in the same place as you are? Often there is a hint of pride in becoming self-disciplined. Well, I run every day so you should too. I read my Bible every morning at 7 am and pray for 30 minutes so you should too. I stopped watching the news because it gave me negative thoughts and you should too. Self-control is a good thing—until it's not—because we have moved from a place of spiritual humility to a place of pride. When practiced with humility, self-control becomes a source of blessing. Blessings of Christian Self-control It is much easier to go through life undisciplined, doing as we will, and only thinking of God and holiness on Sunday morning. But our Lord has so much more for us. He wants to bless us with His peace . He wants us to be a blessing to others by learning self-control. When we grow in self-discipline, we also grow in wisdom and understanding. Think of how many lives would not have been ruined if others had learned self-control. Families destroyed by alcoholism or drugs, lives ruined by pornography and adultery, loved ones damaged by the workaholic spouse; in so many areas, we see how self-discipline is a virtue we should all desire. Spiritual discipline doesn't just bless us; it blesses others. The closer we are to God, the better we will understand His will. Wisdom and understanding are the blessings of obedience. We glorify Him by our obedient love. Self-control isn’t about denying ourselves joy, it’s about learning the joy of living under God’s guidance. Let’s ask Him for that grace now. Let’s close with a prayer asking God to help us grow in this vital area. Most holy Father, We love you and we praise you. Father, make us see the need and the benefit of self-discipline. Help us to learn to be self-controlled for you. Help us to learn to die to self and put you first above all things. In Your Son's name, Amen

Sharing Jesus Should Feel Natural When good things happen to us, it is natural to want to share it with others. When my mother was alive, she would be the first person I called to tell any good news; now it may be a close friend or my spouse. The good news of Jesus should be no different. We should naturally want to share it with others. What’s Your Testimony of Christ? What is your testimony of Christ? The word testimony, in this sense, means how God has worked in your life to change you. Sharing your testimony describes your "before Jesus" self compared to your "after Jesus" self. How have you been transformed? And why is it important to share your transformation? "Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for my soul," Psalm 66:16. No Story Too Small: Every Sin Needs Jesus Often, as Christians we may believe that we have no testimony. We think our story isn't interesting or our transformation not as exciting as some and so not worthy of sharing. Maybe we were very young when we became a Christian, and our greatest sin was telling a small lie or being disobedient to our parents. Even those small sins break the Ten Commandments. Even those so-called small transgressions required the death of our Savior to save us. Even in seemingly ordinary lives, the Holy Spirit brings profound change. “Even in seemingly ordinary lives, the Holy Spirit brings profound change.” How the Holy Spirit Transforms Your Life We may not have been an alcoholic, or a drug addict, or an adulterer before we became a Christian but whatever we were, we were without the Holy Spirit. Whatever we were, we were not capable of the transformation the indwelling of the Holy Spirit brings to our lives. Sure, I can quit drinking, using drugs, and committing adultery without the Holy Spirit but will my life then be filled with the fruit of the Spirit of God? Without the Holy Spirit will I grow in holiness? Will I become more faith-filled, patient, kind, generous, loving, and forgiving? The answer is no. We are all changed if our faith is real. We may experience highs and lows in our faith, but through the power of the Holy Spirit we are all growing in sanctification. Why Sharing Your Testimony Inspires Others And we must tell others, as the Psalmist said, " what He has done for my soul ." My testimony will provide hope for others, it will strengthen the faith of my fellow Christians, and it will be evidence God actively works in the lives of His children. Have you experienced a miracle? Share it! Imagine a friend doubting God's care, how could your story change it? Have you grown in your love for others: explain how this has happened. Have you walked through dark times and felt the peace of God? Others need to know. By sharing our testimonies, we aren't saying, "I am all that! Look at me how holy I am." What we are doing is showing others the power of God. Maybe they have experienced it as well and just didn't recognize it for what it was. Maybe others thought their needs and requests were too unimportant to bother God with until they heard your story. Without the Holy Spirit we have no spiritual story to share. The Greatest Story Ever Told: Your Faith Voddie Baucham spoke of those who say they have no testimony. He said, "All I have is, God wrapped Himself in flesh, died on a cross, nailed my sin there too, was placed in the grave, rose again on the third day, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and is there making intercession for me until such time as my salvation is complete and He takes me home. That's all I have." Do you understand his point? We have the greatest story ever told to share with people. What more do we need to cause people to understand the change that has happened to each of us? This great story makes us realize we need to act. “We have the greatest story ever told to share with people." Be Ready to Share Your Hope with Love 1 Peter 3:15 reminds us of the importance of sharing our stories. Peter says, " But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;" Have you considered if you are prepared to " make a defense "? We aren't doing this to make people feel bad; we are doing it to share our hope. It is out of love we need to be prepared. In Mark 5:19, Jesus tells the man who had demons cast out of him to, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” Could not each of us tell our friends the same? Picture yourself sharing how God’s peace carried you through a storm with a struggling coworker. Our basic testimonies will all be the same: lost in sin, found, and God's amazing grace. Over time, though, the details of our story will change. As we grow in Christ through the Holy Spirit we will have new details, new blessings, and insights to share with others. If the only change we talk about happened decades ago maybe we need to reassess our relationship with God. Always though, the focus should be on Christ, not us. Does our testimony have to be lengthy? Do we need to be a great speaker to tell others? Certainly not. It can be as simple as quoting 1 John 5:11, " And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." Is there one simple verse on the graciousness of God you can memorize and share with others, like Ephesians 2:8-9, for example? We should be careful though. Our words need to match the lives we are living. If there is a disconnect, people will pick up on that immediately. Am I saying we should be perfect? No, because it is not possible. But, we should be living a life that is not a stumbling block to others. We must come out from the society we live in and be different. And that difference should be notable. The Bible tells us that with the blood of the Lamb (Jesus) and our testimony we can overcome Satan (Revelation 12:11). In the spiritual battle we wage with evil what could be more important? There is power in the words we share with others. This is our public declaration to the world of who we serve and why we serve Him. When we acknowledge Jesus before the world, He will acknowledge us before His Father (Luke 12:8). Overcome Fear and Share God’s Grace So what could possibly stop us from sharing this wonderful good news? Simply, fear. There are many reasons why people are afraid to share Christ with others, but the Bible says we are to be bold (Ephesians 6:19). It's certainly fine to start small, like sharing with one trusted friend. The most important thing is to love others. Our desire to share what Christ has done for us grows in proportion to how much we love others. We may not feel prepared the first time we witness, but through prayer, guidance from the Holy Spirit about who to speak to, and studying God's word we will become more at ease. Remember what John 16:13 tells us, “ The Spirit will guide you into all truth .” When we trust God fully, we will not be fearful. If there is no interest on the other person's part, we don't have to worry. We may have planted a seed of faith that in time may grow. We should never force ourselves on someone. When we're witnessing to unbelievers it is possible that we won't experience just a rejection of our message but actual hatred from others. Bold Faith: Facing Persecution with Courage Be prepared for persecution. The level with which we experience persecution will certainly rise as we become bolder for God. Remember what Jesus said, " Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake" (Luke 6:22). We aren't blessed when we are persecuted for being judgmental and ugly to people, but when persecution comes from the love we extend to others, we are. Standing for truth can be hard. No one wants to be hated, excluded, insulted, or rejected. Certainly, not all of us will experience intense hatred, but we need to be prepared for these things. Sometimes I wonder how many people would become Christians if we told them up front this is what they should expect from the world. Our Savior experienced all of these things and to much greater degree than we can even imagine. In the comfort of our pews during Sunday morning church, we often convince ourselves we are "good Christians." We love God and others, we honor Him, and try to be obedient, but do we really love Him enough to overcome our fear of rejection and be the bold Christians He has called us to be? This was His expectation for us: not to live isolated lives of faith, but to share it with the world. Even if we try and fail to share His love with others, we know God's grace will allow us to keep learning and growing to be the brave witnesses He desires. Enjoy " Wonderful, Merciful Savior" by Selah

Testing God in the Wilderness What does it mean to tempt or test God? Have you found yourself doubting God's presence in your life? The Israelites had this very experience in a place called Massah, which in Hebrew means "testing." This was a location on the Hebrews' exodus route to the Promised Land. Israel’s Doubt and God’s Faithfulness The Israelites had experienced 400 years of slavery at the hands of the Egyptians, but then miraculously were freed by the mighty hand of God. They had seen things done by God that no one could dare believe, but at Massah they doubted Him. This is the meaning of testing God. Do you still have issues trusting Him, even though you have seen Him at work many times before? Do We Still Struggle with Trust Today? First, we need to be able to recognize and acknowledge the work of God in our lives. We often put things off to "good luck," "being in the right place at the right time," or pure "hard work". But is life just a series of happenstance events, where we fail to see it was God - not luck or even hard work that changed our lives? When I was young, it was often hard to see God at work. I was so wrapped up in myself, in my aspirations, desires and wants, that I only vaguely appreciated His hand in my life. That great job I seemed to just fall into, or the car wreck I survived, were God's faithfulness in action, but in the busyness and clutter of my youth I would forget. Even some of the bad things that happened, the consequences of my own choices, became learning experiences through God's guidance. But when everything went my way all the time it was easier to forget God's blessings. Both in trials and in times of ease, God was teaching me that His faithfulness does not change. And so it was for the Israelites. They had been saved from Pharaoh's wrath, crossed the Red Sea without even getting their feet wet, and had food and water provided for them when they asked. But at Massah, things were different. Here, there was no water. Thirsty people become desperate very quickly. Instead of trusting God to care for them, they asked Moses, “ Is the Lord among us or not? ” (Exodus 17:7). "Testing the LORD implies a challenge to His authority and faithfulness. The Israelites' demand for water was not merely a request but a test of God's presence and power." Berean Study Bible Jesus Resists the Temptation to Test God When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, Satan urged Him to put God to the test. But Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy 6:16: "You shall not tempt the LORD your God, as you tempted Him in Massah." Where Israel failed to trust, Jesus perfectly trusted His Father. Are you tempted, as they were, to ask, " Where is God? " What did their question imply? Quite simply, the Israelites still did not totally trust God. They knew He had provided in the past, but they were uncertain about the future. When we face extremely difficult times, do we remember God's provision for us? Do we wonder and doubt if He is still with us? The Israelites at Massah even question Moses' motives for bringing them out of Egypt. " Was it to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst? ” they ask Moses. Poor, frustrated Moses cried out to God, " What shall I do with this people? " How quickly they went from viewing Moses as the great deliverer to the person they would blame for dying of thirst. And what about us? We often view the Israelites as ungrateful, forgetful sinners and puff out our chests thinking, "Oh, if I had seen those miracles, I would never doubt God." We imagine that we would have totally trusted God to care for our needs. And yet, too often, we also doubt and forget. A Warning from Psalm 95 and Hebrews 3 Psalm 95 reflects on this same event and warns: " Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, as in the day of trial in the wilderness. " Hebrews 3 repeats this warning for believers, showing that the danger of doubting God is not just Israel’s problem; it is ours too. We have even more reasons to trust God than they did. We have the entirety of Scripture to read about the faithfulness of God to His people. We are blessed with the Holy Spirit to console and encourage us, and, if we can see them, the evidence of God's work in our own lives, and others, to bless us. Because of this, we have no right to complain or accuse God of being unfaithful. The Israelites complained against Moses and, indirectly, against God. When we complain we have to be careful that our complaints are made with a prayerful attitude, not accusatory toward God. When problems arise, we go to God and ask for His guidance and help. We don't gripe and whine that we aren't getting our way. And when our cries for help are for something truly important, for the health of a loved one for example, we acknowledge that it is God's will that we desire for that person. "Just as our complaints should be guided by trust and prayer, God’s testing of the Israelites shows that even difficulties can reveal our faithfulness; or lack of it." In Psalm 81:7, God says, " I tested you at the waters of Meribah (Massah) ." This tells us that there was a reason the Israelites came to a place where there was no water. God wanted to know if they would trust in His faithfulness to provide for their needs. Sadly, they failed that test. This raises a question for us: How do we respond when God withholds our needs for a time? “Instead of complaining, we are called to remember and reflect on all that God has done for us.” Moses’ Call to Remember God’s Works In Deuteronomy 6, Moses cautions the people of Israel. They are told that when God brings them into the land He has promised them that is flowing with milk and honey and where their physical needs are met, " when you have eaten and are full, " then beware. And what should they beware of? Forgetting! Don't forget the things that God has done for you, which you never deserved. Don't forget to fear Him and serve Him. Don't forget to worship Him and no other god. Don't tempt Him " as you tempted Him in Massah. " Do what is right and good. And Moses continues, “When your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is the meaning of the testimonies, the statutes, and the judgments which the Lord our God has commanded you?"" (Deuteronomy 6:20). Moses tells them they will relate all that God has done for them and the importance of obedience to God. Do we remind our own children of all that God has done for us? Do we share stories with them of God's blessings in our family's lives? Do we share the importance of remembering? Today, many of us live with God's abundant blessings all around us. Like the Israelites, we are undeserving of the grace and mercy God has shown us. He has saved us from our sins by sending His Son to live among us and die for us. He has healed our wounds both physically and spiritually. God will provide for our needs. But do we forget? Have our children forgotten? Christ, the Living Water for Believers At Massah, the people doubted whether God would give them water, but Jesus offers us living water that never runs dry, " If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink " (John 7:37). This water of life flows by the throne of God and blesses us with eternal life. With this water your will never thirst again. God’s Faithfulness Yesterday, Today, and Forever You and I can look back through history, through our own lives, and even into the future life we are promised, and see God's faithfulness. We just have to have eyes to see. We can trust Him! Praise be to God! Great is thy faithfulness !

The Antichrist and the Final Rebellion Christians and non-Christians alike are familiar with the term Antichrist. For centuries people have speculated that one or the other individual was that person. Since Christ has not yet returned, those speculations were mistaken. Let's examine Scripture concerning the Antichrist and God’s hope for believers, showing how God provides guidance, protection, and encouragement even in times of great deception. The true Antichrist will usher in events that lead to a final rebellion on the earth, then Jesus will return as the warrior king coming to righteously judge a fallen world. Many Antichrists, But One True Enemy of God Jesus warned us there would be many people who would rise up and be antichrists but only one final Antichrist would rise up against God’s people to utterly destroy them. What power will this figure possess? How will he " deceive the nations "? The Great Tribulation and the Covenant with Israel The period known as the Great Tribulation, or the Day of the Lord , will begin when the Antichrist makes a covenant peace treaty with Israel. This seven year period is described in Zephaniah 1:15-16, “ That day will be a day of wrath— a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness— a day of trumpet and battle cry. ” Many terrible judgments will befall the earth during this time period. No matter how bad things are though the majority of people will refuse to turn to Christ and repent. In fact, they will almost certainly blame God for these events and not see them as just consequences for their rejection of Jesus. Jesus describes events leading up to the Tribulation as the " beginning of birth pains " (Matthew 24:8). He describes these days as unequal to anything that has happened since the beginning of the world and if those days weren't shortened everyone would die (Mark 13:19-20). The latter portion of the Tribulation will be the worst. This is when the Antichrist will set himself up in the Temple in Jerusalem as God. These horrors will lead many in Israel to repentance and to the recognition that Jesus is the true Messiah, fulfilling prophecies such as Zechariah 12:10 and Romans 11:26. The Antichrist and God's Hope Many people read these warnings and become fearful, to the point that they refuse to even read the book of Revelation. But Revelation was written by John to give hope to the early church, which was under severe persecution. How did the book give hope? By showing us the victory of Christ over His enemies and ours, and by giving us a glimpse of the Heavenly City, the New Jerusalem , and all the wondrous blessings that await us. How does it make you feel: frightened, sober, or hopeful? The Antichrist as a Counterfeit Christ The Antichrist will literally be a counterfeit Christ. He will do signs and wonders, but not to glorify God, but rather to glorify himself. He will deceive through lies, just as Satan, who will possess him, always has. Just as in the garden so long ago, the Antichrist will cause people to doubt what God has said. Then after doubt has been introduced, he will twist Scripture and convincingly lie to people about God and who He is. We have a description of his actions in Daniel chapter 7. Daniel 7: 25 tells us, " He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time. " This is usually interpreted as Christian persecution lasting for 3 and 1/2 years of the 7 years of Tribulation prior to Christ's triumphant return. Similarly, in Revelation 13:5 he is described as speaking " great things and blasphemies " against God. And in 2 Thessalonians 2:9 we are told, "The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders." If we are not firmly rooted in God's word and seeking His truth it will be easy to be deceived. We are also told in Revelation 13:7 that the Antichrist will wage war against the saints and that he will overcome them (Daniel 7:21; 25). But who are these saints if the church has already been taken out of the world? If you accept a Pre-Tribulation Rapture, they are the people who come to Christ during the Tribulation. At the midpoint of the Tribulation, 2 Thessalonians 2:4 explains that the Antichrist will pretend to be God and will be worshipped by the world as God. Interpreting 2 Thessalonians 2:4 About the Antichrist Interpretations vary on this passage with some believing: the Antichrist will be worshipped in a literal, newly rebuilt temple; others say this verse points to corrupt power within the church; still others point to a historical interpretation with figures like Nero or Caligula; finally, others believe it refers to a recurring spirit of rebellion against God, climaxing in a final Antichrist. The earliest interpretations of the church were that it would be a literal temple. The False Prophet, the Mark of the Beast, and 666 The Antichrist will have a "right hand man" as it were, the False Prophet. The task of the False Prophet will be to cause people to worship the Antichrist as God. He will erect an image of him and cause people to worship it. They will be willing to because the image will speak in such a convincing way people will not doubt the Antichrist is God (Revelation 13:14-15). He will be able to mimic miracles, such as calling fire down from Heaven like the prophet Elijah (Revelation 13:13) To ensure people all over the world worship the Antichrist, the Lawless One as he is also known, a mark will be introduced that will be placed on the hand or the forehead. Without this mark people will neither be able to buy or sell anything (Revelation 13:16-18). God's people will, however, have a seal that identifies them as Christ's own. Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30 refer to our seal as that of the Holy Spirit, " the guarantee of our inheritance ." Those who choose to worship the Antichrist have sealed their fate as well. They will have no part in the life that Christ offered. The Bible even says God will send them a " strong delusion " so they believe the lies of the Antichrist (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12). Some might say that is unfair, as if they had no choice. But Scripture makes clear they first rejected the truth, and in judgment God gave them over to the lies they had already embraced in their hearts (Romans 1:24–28). Much like when the Israelites tried to flee Pharoah and God hardened his heart. Pharaoh was simply given over to the fate he had already chosen. A fate opposed to God. In both cases, God “ gave them over ” (Romans 1:24-28). This mark the doomed will receive is the " number of a man " or " 666 ". There has been much speculation as to what this means. What we can know about this is that 7 is God's number, a symbol of completion, while 6 is man's number, and a symbol of incompletion. Early Christians often saw it as symbolizing human rebellion against God. Can we discover who the Antichrist is by some sort of name/number manipulation? We can almost certainly not. With what we currently know all we can do is guess. What we do know is the Antichrist deceives, persecutes, and ultimately divides people into those sealed by God and those marked by him. The Return of Christ and Our Readiness There are various interpretations as to when Jesus will return for His Church. Many people believe in a pre-Tribulation (Pre-Trib) return, known as the Rapture, others believe His return for His people will be in the middle of the Tribulation (Mid-Trib) and still others believe His Church will be taken at the very end of the Tribulation (Post-Trib) when He comes in judgment on the earth. The most important point is not so much when He takes His Church but our readiness for His return. Although we have waited almost 2,000 years for Him to come back, we know that His return could be at any moment. As persecution of Christians increases around the world, are we ready to be counted as His if we could lose our life for our faith? It's often easy to nod our heads and say "Yes" I would never deny Him but we need to understand what that really means. It isn't just our own death or persecution we must consider but also the effects it might have on our families, our children, and those we love. This can be a hard road that we have chosen, but thankfully we are not alone. The Holy Spirit who has sealed us lives within us, strengthens us, and calls us to not be afraid. As we face challenges in these times, the story of the Antichrist and God’s hope reminds us even amid deception and persecution, God provides protection, guidance, and eternal assurance. My prayer is that those I love are also covered by the blood of Christ and sealed with the Holy Spirit, but most especially in times of persecution. Join with me in praying: Dear Father, We thank you and we praise You for the love you have shown us. We love you Father and seek your will in all things. Protect us and give us strength for the challenges ahead. Guide our families to walk always with You. We give you the honor and the glory, In Jesus' name, Amen

False Teachers in Peter’s Day and Ours False teachers are nothing new. Even in the Apostle Peter's day they were causing doubt and confusion. In 2 Peter 3, Peter addresses some of the arguments that false teachers and scoffers were making regarding the return of Jesus. It is surprising to know that many of these same arguments exist today. What Is Uniformitarianism and Why It Matters One such argument is called uniformitarianism. According to scientists, uniformitarianism is the belief that the slow, natural processes shaping the earth today have always worked the same way in the past, and these processes alone explain earth’s history. The principle of uniformitarianism, they say, is essential to understanding Earth's history. Scoffers in Peter’s day used this idea to dismiss God’s past judgments, like the flood, and His promise to return. The return of Christ and the judgment of mankind "can't be true," they believe because something like this has never happened. But as we will see in 2 Peter 3, this isn't so. Peter warns that this way of thinking ignores God’s past judgment and His promise to act again in the future. Modern Mockers of Christ’s Return Modern mockers are everywhere online. One recently sneered, "Another year and Jesus hasn’t returned." Another joked that the real "Great Disappointment" was simply believing He would come at all. Today, scoffers often dismiss Christ’s return by pointing to purely scientific explanations of the world or mocking faith as outdated. Their words may sound clever, but Peter explains that such attitudes are a willful rejection of the truth. Remembering the Prophets, Apostles, and Christ’s Teaching In this chapter, Peter is reminding the early church to remember the words and teachings of the prophets and of Jesus and His apostles. In other words, remember the Old Testament prophecies and what would become the New Testament (2 Peter 3:2). There were so many false teachers in Peter's day, just as there are now, it was worth reminding the church who it is they could trust and rely on for truthful teaching. Identifying true teachers is something we must be able to do. False Teachers and Scoffers in 2 Peter 3 and Their Lusts Peter continues to say that in the last days people would mock the coming of Christ. Understand that for Peter, anytime after Christ's ascension into Heaven was the last days, because he knew that Christ could come at any time. These people will not just scoff at Christ's return but they will also follow their own " lusts " (2 Peter 3:3). Lust doesn't just refer to uncontrolled sexual desires but also to anything that fulfills your own selfish desires and disregards the consequences. Some examples are materialism, power, or self-centeredness. These false teachers who are mocking Christ will say, " Where is the promise of His coming? " They have read prophecies in the Old Testament and now they hear Jesus promising to return but so far: no Jesus. If they thought they had waited a long time 2,000 years ago think about now. Ignoring the Creator and the Flood And what is their evidence that He isn't returning? In their belief, there has never been judgment for sin and there never will be (2 Peter 3:4). The idea that God would intervene in the real, physical world seems ridiculous to them. The real reason for their rejection of Christ returning and His judgment is explained in the next verse, 2 Peter 3:5. Here Peter tells us they " willfully forget " who made the earth. They have chosen, whether they are aware of it or not, to ignore that God made the earth. They also disregard that He controls the processes within it. It was He who put these processes in place and it is He who can choose to change them. In Genesis 6-9, we read the record of the great flood. Peter reminds these "scoffers" that God has indeed intervened in the world in the past to bring judgment (2 Peter 3:6). Obviously, if He has brought judgment in the past He can do it again. For Peter there was no doubt that the flood was a real historical event, not myth as many people today, even Christians, believe. Jesus also affirmed the flood as a real event (Matthew 24:37). God can do as He will with the world that was created by Him. Judgment came by flood in the past but in the future it will be by fire. Judgment by Fire and God’s Patience Peter explains in 2 Peter 3:7 that the earth will eventually be destroyed by fire. He explains to these false teachers that the "ungodly" will certainly be destroyed. Just as a global flood seemed unlikely, so too may a future judgment by fire, yet Peter assures us it will come. In 2 Peter 3:8, he states a familiar saying, " with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. " Peter isn't saying that a day is literally equivalent to a thousand years but that God is outside of time. He doesn't count time as we do. Things will happen in His perfect timing and perfect will. Why does God wait? Peter tells us the reason in 2 Peter 3:9. He waits because He wants to give everyone a chance to repent. It isn't tardiness holding Him back, but God's patience with us. He doesn't wish us to perish, but if we choose to, that is our decision. There will be signs leading up to His return. Jesus describes the times prior to His return like the beginning of birth pains for a woman in labor. We will see more and more indications that His return is near. Wars and earthquakes will come, Christians will be martyred, false prophets will arise and lawlessness will increase. Then Jesus says, like lightening He will return (Matthew 24). Peter echoes this in his letter. As 2 Peter 3:10 explains, Christ's return will be sudden. Then will come the destruction of those who mocked and rejected Him. A great noise, a fervent heat, and then the earth and its works will be burned up. Living in Holiness as We Wait Since this is what is coming, and we know it, because the Lord is faithful and true to His word, Peter asks, " How shall we live? " (2 Peter 3:11). We should all be able to answer this question. We should be pure, holy, and live righteous lives in expectation of what is coming. These false teachers, who laugh at the idea of judgment, show no fear and live as they please in their own lusts. There is no fear of tomorrow and what may come because they believe they know more than God. They dismiss the flood. They dismiss Jesus and the prophets. They answer to no one and nothing but their own selfish desires. We wait for this day, not with glee over the destruction of anyone, but happy that finally the world will be remade. We will live in that perfect world that God had always planned for us. Peter explains that the elements will melt in the heat and the heavens will be dissolved. Peter suggests that our holy lives and prayers may align with God’s plan, perhaps hastening the day of the Lord, or at least reflecting our eager longing for His return (2 Peter 3:12). We know that in the Lord's Prayer He teaches us to pray, " Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven ". This points to God’s perfect will, which is fully realized in heaven and will one day be perfectly fulfilled on earth. Peter concludes this chapter reminding his readers that we have been promised a New Heaven and a New Earth. Revelation 21:1-4 reiterates this promise. We should long for this because, as he says, this is where " righteousness dwells " (2 Peter 3:13). Because of this we should be diligent, which means hard working and careful, to be found holy and at peace. This should be our natural desire because we love God and are His children. We have been transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Because He lives in us, He gives us the ability to please God (2 Peter 3:14). Peter again reminds us if God delays His righteous judgment , it is because He longs for as many as will, to become His children. Peter also tells the church that Paul has written similar things to them. This reinforces our acceptance of Paul as speaking the true words of God (2 Peter 3:15). Peter contrasts Paul with the false teachers he has been discussing. Peter even acknowledges that some of what Paul writes is difficult to understand. He mentions those who would twist difficult passages because they are " untaught or unstable. " Today, just like in Peter’s day, you don’t have to look far online to find people twisting Scripture to fit their own ideas. Beware who you listen to. Peter says they also do this with other Scriptures (2 Peter 3:16). Some Christians, especially today it seems, want to teach that Paul's writings are not to be taken as seriously as the Gospels or the teachings of Jesus and yet here Peter calls them Scriptures. Peter is validating the worthiness of Paul's writings. They too are inspired by God. But now Peter explains, since we have been warned about these " lawless people " who want to twist Scripture, we won't be tricked by them. Still be careful not to be " carried away with their errors. " Why? Peter says so we can remain steadfast and not fall away (2 Peter 3:17). Growing in Grace and Knowledge of Christ Peter concludes the chapter by telling us the importance of growing in the " grace and knowledge " of Jesus. When we grow in grace, our faith becomes deeper and stronger. It will be more difficult to be influenced by false teachers and scoffers as 2 Peter 3 describes. When we grow in knowledge we learn more about Jesus and who He was and is. We deepen our relationship with Him, somewhat like a married couple who after 50 years of being together, can finish each other's sentences. We know Him and we understand His will for us (2 Peter 3:18). Because of this we can give glory to our Savior who is worthy of all honor today and for all of eternity. God speaks to John in Revelation 21:6-7 and says, " It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. " Are you thirsty? Come to the waters!

YouTube is filled with every imaginable person preaching and/or teaching about the Bible. We can find highly educated and qualified people, and we find those who are not, proclaiming God's word. Do we automatically believe that what we hear is the true Word of God? Do we assume that because someone has many credentials or titles that they are speaking with the Spirit of the Lord? In 1 John, we are reminded of the importance of discerning those who may be false prophets. Testing the Spirits: Identifying True Teachers John tells the believers to test the spirits, to identify those false prophets among them who teach false doctrine. John says there are many of these false prophets. If there were many then, we can be sure there are many today. We should not believe every spirit as 1 John 1:4 says. In 1 John, the apostle is writing to early Christians that were dealing with false prophets. It was difficult for them to know who they should believe. These preachers and teachers were claiming to speak for God. They were teaching in His name. You and I may also have problems today discerning who is speaking truth. In Matthew 7:15-18, Jesus tells us that we will recognize false prophets by their fruit. We need to discern their fruit . This means we need to closely examine our own fruit and the fruit of those we listen to. What kind of fruit does their teaching bear? Good Fruit vs Bad Fruit Good teaching will yield good fruit. That is, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. On the other hand, bad fruit looks like: adultery, fornication - sex outside of marriage, uncleanness, lewdness - sexually immoral sin of any kind, idolatry - putting something above God in importance, sorcery - casting spells or talking to spirits, hatred, contentions - conflicts or disputes, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions - conflict that leads to division or strife, heresies - doctrines that don't originate from God, envy, murders, drunkenness, and revelries - wild partying (Galatians 5:19-21). How can we recognize good fruit if we have none ourselves? Jesus tells us that a bad tree will bear bad fruit. He says very plainly that a good tree can't bear bad fruit (Matthew 7:17-18). Testing the spirits and identifying true teachers and preachers requires discernment, not judgment. Discernment vs Judgment When we judge a person, we form opinions about them. Discernment is different. We discern by carefully examining if something is right or wrong with the help of God's Word and the Holy Spirit. We do this to honor and serve God. We do this from love. Judgment more often comes from pride—the sense that we are better than those other people. Discerning Truth Through the Gospel Message 1 John 4:6 says: “We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” The apostles spoke the truth of God. John is saying we don't just listen blindly to anyone but we compare what we hear to the truth of the Gospel. But how can we discern, how can we judge well, who is false and who is not, if we don't know the gospel message ourselves? 1 Timothy 6:3-4 says that if people don't agree "to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching" then they are conceited and without understanding. He says these people enjoy controversies that result in envy and strife. They cause constant friction between people who have been robbed of the truth. They think that being godly is somehow a means to gain money. In John 4:2, John provides clear guidelines on how to recognize a false prophet. The Test of True Prophets In 1 John 4:2, the apostle says the primary way to know that a prophet is of God is whether they proclaim that Jesus is of God and has come in the flesh. In other words, Jesus came to the world as a man and Jesus is God. Teachers and preachers who cast doubt on this truth are false. If this is not the primary focus of their ministry then we should beware. This is how we discern teachers . This is how we know who they really serve. Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 15:14, "And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty." Warnings Against the Spirit of the Antichrist John tells us that those false prophets that don't acknowledge that Christ came in the flesh and is of God have an 'anti Christ spirit'. These false prophets aren't THE anti Christ but they have a spirit similar to his. 2 Timothy 3:5 warns of people who have a form of godliness but deny its power. They seem to be preaching truth but they don't understand the true power of the Holy Spirit. Be careful that you aren't lead astray by their words. Empty Preaching and the Whole Gospel We shouldn't listen to empty preaching. False prophets often are motivated by greed, pride and self promotion (Jude 11). They should preach the whole gospel, but often they only preach part of it. The Gospel is the Good News of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection for our salvation. We need to have knowledge of the gospel ourselves to have good discernment. "Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:7). These perverters of the gospel, those who would alter it, will be condemned Paul tells us (Galatians 1:9). Holding to the Whole Word of God Does the person who is teaching you believe the whole teachings of the Word? Or, do they pick and choose what they accept as truth? Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:37-38 that if someone thinks they are a prophet then they must accept Paul's teachings as a command of the Lord and if they don't they won't be recognized. While false prophets pose a clear danger, we should be sure all teachings that we are influenced by align with God’s truth. The Call to Test All Things There are many voices to listen to today proclaiming Christ. There are thousands and thousands of books written about Him. We can't just assume that each one is as valid as the next. We are commanded to " put the spirits to the test ". Pray for discernment and understanding. This understanding must be reflected in how we live out our faith every day. Living Out Faith False teachers and preachers talk a good game. They talk about love, forgiveness, acceptance, and mercy. However, they deny that the Holy Spirit can truly transform a life from darkness into the light of Christ. They don't talk much about repentance. They present themselves as godly, and may even act in such a way, but they have not experienced the inner transformation that the Holy Spirit brings. We can't talk about God all the time and still secretly live in the same old sin. Light and darkness can't exist together. James 2:14-26 states that faith without works is no faith at all. Faith should be put into action with love ! Does the fruit of their faith agree with Christ's teachings in their lives? As Jesus tells us in Matthew 25:35-40, we should feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit those in prison and the sick, and invite the stranger into our home. Living a life of faith also means acknowledging that Scripture really is the very word of God. This is especially important when some attempt to question or undermine its teachings. Challenges to Scriptural Authority Have you heard teachers who seem to belittle or downplay Paul's teachings by saying that Jesus didn't say that so it can't be important ? Many people dismiss parts of the Bible they disagree with, labeling them as man-made additions to the Gospel stories. 2 Timothy 3:16 reminds us of the importance of all scripture, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,". A Prayer for Discernment and Insight As Paul tells us in his letter to the Philippines, "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight so that you may be able to discern what is best". My prayer for you, beloved, is the same.

As everyone knows it hurts to give birth, sometimes a lot. Birth is preceded by contractions (pains) and those are what helps to bring forth a new life. These contractions start out very small and quite far apart, but normally within a few hours they become increasingly painful and much closer together until the final moments before birth. This scenario is familiar to people. This is the course of pregnancy. Our Lord uses this illustration to describe the times before He comes back. The Beginning Of Birth Pains "Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains." Matthew 24: 4-8 Jesus tells us in these verses that wars, famines and earthquakes are just the beginning of these pains. When a woman gives birth, it can be many hours between the beginning of her contractions and the birth of a child. It is quite unpredictable as to the length of time it will take. However, a woman definitely knows when she is in labor. Persecution Next, Jesus describes the things that believers will experience before He returns (Matthew 24: 9-13). Christians will be hated, persecuted and put to death. Because of this many will lose their faith and even betray other Christians. False prophets will deceive people and evil will abound . Jesus tells us that " the love of most will grow cold " but those " who stands firm to the end will be saved ." These times will be difficult for Christians. These times will test the depth of love that people truly have for God. The Whole World Hears The Gospel The end won't come yet. The gospel must be preached to the whole world before it can happen according to Matthew 24:14. The world the disciples knew was much smaller than the world we know. They must have wondered how can this ever happen? How can the whole world hear about the Messiah? In our world today we have the internet, the world wide web. Even this blog post can go out and reach almost anyone. Desecration Of The Temple In Matthew 24: 15-21 Jesus reminds us of the prophecy of Daniel concerning seeing one " standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation' ". At that point a great time of calamity will come upon the Earth, greater than any time before. There will be a great desecration of the temple of God. Similar desecrations have occurred in the past, but this one will be followed by worldwide tribulation - a time of great trouble and suffering. For The Sake Of The Elect Matthew 24: 22-25 tells us that this time of tribulation has to be cut short by God, for if it wasn't no one would be left alive. God cuts this time short, why? For the sake of His elect, His chosen . He warns us that false prophets and false messiahs will perform signs and wonders that will mislead many, but not the elect. Our Lord has given us a warning. One we should heed. Don't Be Deceived Jesus goes on in Matthew 24: 26-28 to remind us not to be deceived. Jesus's return will not be seen by a select few. His return will not be hidden away. No! In verse 27 He says, "For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. " All will see the coming of the Lord! Sign Of The Son Of Man In verses 29-31 Jesus says at the end of these times the sun and moon will be darkened, the stars will fall from the sky and then the nations will mourn when they see the " the sign of the Son of Man in heaven ". Then the elect will be gathered from all the earth. What exactly the sign of the Son of Man is we don't know. We do know that His coming will be seen by everyone still on this Earth. At The Door The return of Christ is, as verses 32-35 remind us, " right at the door" . We should all be expectant and ready for His return. Truly we all will stand before Him, either after death or in those days described as " the last ". When - No One Knows Verses 36-40 tell us that no one knows the exact time of His return. People will be enjoying their lives as usual, unconcerned about their soul and their relationship to God, when suddenly those who belong to God will be taken and the rest of the world will know that they should have listened when they were warned. Jesus says in Matthew verses 42-44 that if people knew the exact time a thief would enter their house, they would be ready for him. In the same way, they must be ready for His return since we do not exactly when it will be. The Wicked Servant In verses 45-51 we are reminded of what happens to the wicked servant, those who think that because there is a delay perhaps, He is not coming back at all. A warning is given to those wicked servants who sin against their fellow man and mistreat them. They will be given a place with " hypocrites " where there will be painful torment . Know The Season I often hear people say that since no one can know when Jesus's return will be that we should not concern ourselves about it and just try to live a holy life. Yes, that should always be our goal, to live a holy life, but even though we don't know the exact time of His return we can see the labor pains and the fact that they are coming closer and closer together. This lets us know the season. This lets us say, as Christians in Paul's day did, " Marantha !" - Our Lord, come ! Dear Father, We pray that when your Son returns in glory that He will find us ready. We pray He will find us doing your work and being faithful under all circumstances, even persecution and death. Help us to share with others the hope that you have placed in our hearts. In your Son's name, Amen Enjoy this beautiful hymn, " What a Day that Will Be "

God’s Patience in Paul’s Testimony We wait a lot. We wait for traffic, we wait for our meals at a restaurant, and we wait for important things as well, like promotions, a spouse and children. Most of us don't wait patiently. Aren't you glad that God is not like us? Paul knew this firsthand. In 1 Timothy 1 Paul shares his testimony of how God’s patience rescued him. This is what he says. Pay close attention to his description of Jesus, " But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His immense patience as an example for those who would believe in Him and receive eternal life. " (1 Timothy 1:16, NIV) Paul is explaining that the reason he was shown mercy by God is so that the " immense patience " of Jesus could be seen by people who " would believe ". Like Paul, we can rejoice that God has patience in our failures. Paul's struggle is a mirror for our own struggles. The Worst of Sinners and God’s Mercy Paul speaks of himself as the " worst of sinners ". Many of us have had similar feelings about our lives. Sometimes in the midst of sin, we may feel unforgivable or that God could never love us. Especially if something bad happens to us during this time, we see it, if we even think about God at all, as His punishment. We believe it's proof He doesn't love us. We forget that there are consequences to sin , not just in the world to come but in this one. Do you ever feel like your sins disqualify you from God’s love? Some of us may feel like we have no place in church because we have failed God so totally. We agree with Paul that we must be the " worst of sinners. " But Paul's point here is that by forgiving us we are examples to others. Maybe you've heard stories of people: murderers or porn addicts, who have been forgiven by God, blessed with faith, and shown His grace. No matter our background, no matter our sin, Jesus can transform us into new creations that will live for Him. We are to put on the new man , as Paul tells us (Ephesians 4:22-24). Conversion and God’s Transforming Patience As Christians we speak of converting people, but what does that mean? To convert something means to change it from one thing to another. We don't convert people, the Holy Spirit does. But He does use us as His tools. We are His example to the world of what conversion looks like. We can tell our own stories of God's patience with us before we were changed. God’s Patience in our Failures A friend told me once of the many times she had ignored God's warnings. God had spoken through friends and random odd events that, looking back, showed her God speaking. One day, jokingly, a friend warned, "Now don't go and do _______ today." Never imagining she had actually planned to do that very sin that day. She praised God for His patience. She thanked Him that He did not give up on her, but reached down and saved her from destruction. “Can you look back and see how God patiently guided you even when you resisted Him?” Paul’s Past and Our Own Arrogance Paul says that the reason Jesus came into the world was to save sinners. He believes himself to be one of the worst sinners. In verse 13 he lists his sins: blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. Paul blasphemed Jesus by not believing He was the Son of God. He persecuted Christians for this belief. And he was an arrogant opponent of them. Paul thought he was in the right and that this justified the terrible things he did to Christians. How many of us today are insolent opponents to people who don't think like we do, whether they are brothers and sisters in Christ or unbelievers? Are we arrogant or humble? Paul's transformation shows us how to live as Jesus did. “Arrogance blinds; humility opens us to grace.” Imitating Christ’s Patience and Humility Jesus' example is one of patience and humility. As our role model we are expected to be the same. When we encounter non-Christians who are still deep in sins like sexual immorality, theft, greed, or abusive speech, we must remember that many of us were once like them (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). If God has blessed us with faith and forgiveness, it is not because we deserved it. God's patience with us in our failures allowed us to see Him for who He really is by the power of the Holy Spirit. “How patient are you with those still trapped in sin?” Don’t Presume on God’s Patience How many of us have felt, or perhaps still feel, that God has run out of patience with us? Peter reiterates what Paul says in 2 Peter 3:9. God is patient with us because he wants to give us time to repent and turn to Him because He wants no one to die without His saving knowledge. But still, as Paul explains in Romans 2:4, we shouldn't " presume " on God's patience with us. This simply means that we shouldn't take advantage of God's mercy, kindness, and patience towards us. Paul continues this thought in Romans 6:1-2 and 6:15. We don't continue in sin just because God has shown us patience and grace. Paul emphasizes that God's grace is not a "get out of jail free card". God is not just patient with us individually, but also on a national level. Nations and the Church Experience the Patience of God In the Old Testament the prophet Joel speaks to the people of Israel and tells them that they must, " Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. (Joel 2:13) Some of us, like the nation of Israel, have gone back to the old ways, the old sins. Some of us have pretended to be sorry but it was just for show. The prophet here is telling us our repentance must be from the heart. When repentance is real and we return to God, the God who is full of grace and compassion, the God who is patient, loving, and slow to become angry, will relent. God will move from judgment upon us to forgiveness. Out of His mercy He will not send the thing we deserve - punishment. Exodus 34:6 explains that God is merciful and patient with His people, but eventually even His patience has a limit. In Nehemiah 9:30 we are told what happens when a people pay no attention to God or the warnings of His prophets. His patience is finally worn thin and they are handed over for judgment to another nation. Our God is full of grace but He is also righteous and judges as He warns. History shows us that God’s patience, though abundant, is not endless. The same question now comes to the church in our time. What about the church today? Is God’s patience with us as His people a call to revival? The world seems to be growing in violence and hatred on a daily basis. The church has a role to play. Are we? Are we praying and fasting, are we being the witnesses to others we have been called to be? Jesus wants us to stand for Him. We don't want to be like the Church at Laodicea in Revelation 3:16. "So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth." Trusting God’s Perfect Timing and Mercy But whether we are talking of God's patience individually or as a nation, His timing is perfect. Things happen to us and God speaks to us in such a way as to accomplish His perfect will. Scriptures like Isaiah 60:22, Ecclesiastes 3:11, and Galatians 4:4 all give voice to the idea that God's timing and His patience with us is part of the plan He has for us. If God’s timing was perfect for the coming of Christ, we can trust it will also be perfect in our own lives. As followers of Christ we are to show others the same patience He has shown us. Jesus modeled this patience with His disciples and their inability to realize who He really was. He showed patience with the throngs of people around Him. When we don't show patience it is evidence that we want to be the ones in control, that maybe we aren't as loving as we should be, and perhaps we aren't truly trusting in God's timing. “Will you trust God’s timing, even when life feels delayed?” Patience isn’t just about surviving traffic jams. Patience builds endurance for more trying times. Waiting on God isn't always easy. As Billy Graham observed, “It is the regular exercise of patience and long-suffering in the small day-to-day frustrations and irritations which prepares us to endure when the great battles come.” As believers we should be thankful for the patience God has shown us. If you’ve failed repeatedly, God’s patience isn’t exhausted yet, He’s still working in you. If you are not a Christian or think you can't be one because you aren't good enough realize that God has been lovingly patient with you. Even in our failures God is patient with us. Know that we aren't saved because we are good enough. Reach out to a Father who loves you like no human can and who can be trusted to be faithful above all others. He patiently waits, like the Prodigal Son's father, for you to turn to Him so He can wrap you in His arms of forgiveness and mercy.

When Jesus calls, do we answer? What blessings await us when we do answer? Following Jesus: trusting His plan for our lives begins with a willingness to hear His call and respond with faith. Can you hear Him even now calling you to more—more life, more love, more sacrifice, more of Him and less of you? In Luke chapter 5, Jesus is by the Sea of Galilee. Jesus sees a boat and steps into it to preach to the crowd from the water. The owner was no less than Simon Peter. Simon had fished all day. Weary from catching nothing, he had called it a day and begun to wash his nets. But Jesus calls to him. The Call of Simon Peter Jesus calls Peter to go out once more with his nets to catch some fish. Simon informs Jesus that they have caught nothing all day, but then Simon says to Jesus, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” Thus begins the journey of faith for Simon Peter: Simon Peter does as Jesus commands and catches so many fish his boat almost sinks. In awe over this miracle, this was the moment of revelation for Simon. From this moment forward he will more often be called Peter. His life changed and to reflect that his name also changed. We see this name change often in Scripture where it symbolizes a change in a person's identity. Peter sees the great catch of fish and exclaims to Jesus, " Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” When we see Jesus performing miracles in our lives how do we respond? Are we thankful? Do we have sort of an "of course God provided me a miracle because I love Him" attitude. Almost taking His miracles for granted, or are we reminded of our sinfulness before Him? Are we reminded of our unworthiness? Just as Jesus filled their nets beyond measure, He was preparing them for a spiritual harvest far greater. The Promise to “Catch Men” James and John, the sons of Zebedee and partners of Simon, are also astonished at the miracle. Then Jesus makes an unusual promise. He tells them that instead of fish they will now " catch men ". But first, Jesus tells them, "Do not be afraid." At this there was no more talking, only action; they didn't ask Jesus what He meant, they didn't ask why He told them to not be afraid, they didn't say, " But wait, Lord, we have other things to do first." This important moment shows the kind of total commitment that Jesus calls His disciples to live. Following Jesus: Trusting His Plan for Our Lives They dropped everything, left everything, forsook their own lives to immediately follow Jesus. These unlikely men stepped out into the unknown for Jesus. When Jesus calls us He also calls us to put Him first above all else. He calls us to trust Him . Whatever plans we may have had for our lives are now under His control. Did you want to get married? Did you want a certain job? Did you want to get a degree in a certain field? Following Jesus requires us to be willing to give up our plans and follow His; we must " take up our cross " (Matthew 10:34-39). If we aren't willing to do so, Jesus says we aren't worthy to be His disciple. Peter, James and John realize that from this moment on it is Jesus who will provide for their needs. They will work of course, but the most important thing for them will be to obey the will and the calling of God in their lives. Peter is referred to more in the gospels than any other disciple. Peter stood out in his courage and boldness for Jesus. Peter’s Journey of Faith, Boldness, and Transformation It is Peter who immediately asked Jesus to wash his entire body when Jesus said, unless he allowed his feet to be washed, he could not be His disciple. It was only Simon Peter who was bold enough to try to walk on water as Jesus did (Matthew 14:22-31), and only he who tried to defend Jesus in the garden when He was arrested by chopping off the ear of a soldier. It was he alone who immediately jumped into the water and swam to meet Jesus when he recognized Him on the shore. Peter was the first to recognize Jesus as the Son of God (Matthew 16:16). But for all his boldness there was also inconsistency. Peter recognizes Jesus as the Son of God, but just a bit later Jesus tells him, " Get behind me, Satan " (Matthew 16:23). Peter denies Jesus three times but then tells Jesus he loves Him three times. Only in the book of Acts do we see the total transformation of Peter. Why does this happen? The presence of the Holy Spirit is the difference. Now Peter becomes the bold disciple he was always meant to be. No longer was Peter wavering in his faith. Now God was filling him with His Holy Spirit. Witnessing Jesus’ Ministry Peter, James and John were singled out to witness certain pivotal events in Jesus' ministry. They witnessed the raising of Jairus' daughter to life (Luke 8:50-55). They were with Jesus at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-2) and were with Him during His agony in the Garden (Matthew 26:36-39). All three would be leaders in the early church. Peter, the "Rock" as Jesus called him (Matthew 16:18) and James and John, nicknamed the "Sons of Thunder" for their boldness (Mark 3:17); all three fishermen would become true "fishers of men" (Luke 5:10). From Fishermen to Martyrs Peter will go on to be crucified as Jesus predicted (John 21:20). James died as a martyr at the hands of Herod Agrippa 1 (Acts 12:2) and John is exiled to the Isle of Patmos, where he will go on to write the book of Revelation—a book written as an encouragement to all Christians that the goodness of God will ultimately triumph over evil. The Transformative Power of Jesus Peter was a humble servant of Christ. He had no special talents except for his desire to serve Jesus with all that He had. Peter was willing to offer His life for Christ. It is Jesus who changed Peter. It is Jesus who transformed a humble fisherman into the leader of the young Christian movement. Are we willing to be changed? Are we willing to step out of our comfort zone? Our Call to Be Lights in the World Jesus may not be calling us to be willing to sacrifice our life for Him, but He calls each of us for a purpose. We are each a light to the world . Through us the world sees Him. When we fail to show His love to others He forgives us and asks us not to give up seeking to be more like Him. Through each of us, in big ways and small ways , we reach others for Christ. We fail Him at times, just as Peter did when he denied knowing Jesus, but Jesus understands our failings because He lived as one of us, although without sin. Do Not Be Afraid—Trust in Him No matter what we are called to do, Jesus says the same things to us that He said to the disciples, "Do not be afraid." It is Jesus who gives us hope. No matter what we are going through He will always be with us. With Jesus we can overcome fear . He promises us a reward—to live forever with Him. 2 Timothy 1:7, tells us God has given us “a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control”. Today, Jesus is telling us what He told Jairus long ago in Mark 5:46, "Do not fear, only believe." Through His resurrection our hope is living (1 Peter 1:3). The world we live in today is full of fear and anxiety. The headlines tell us to be afraid. But that is not what Jesus says. He tells us that when He calls us, as He did Peter and the other apostles, we have no need to fear because our trust is in Him, not the world. For us, the things that happen that seem evil, will instead be used for good (Romans 8:28). The world, those outside of Christ, have just cause to fear because they do not have a Savior. Just as Peter’s life was marked by moments of fear, failure, and faith, so too are we called to grow in our journey with Christ, trusting His power and purpose in our lives. So let us think about our call from Christ. How shall we serve Him? How shall we reflect His love to the world? What would He have each of us to do? Our strength, our abilities, come from the work of the Holy Spirit, not from ourselves. He will give us what we need to do His will, whatever that will may be. He strengthens us through prayer, studying His Word, and seeking out relationships with fellow believers—those who can guide us into a deeper relationship with Christ. We are called to encourage one another in the faith. May we, like Peter, answer the call to follow Christ with courage, trusting in His promises and the hope He promises us.