2 Peter 2:1-9

     In 2 Peter 2, Peter gets to the heart of what he wants to talk and warn about: false prophets.  Jesus warned that there would be those who would sneak into the church and claim to be true believers and teachers but who were not (see Matthew 24:11 for example).  Peter goes on to tell here what is the result of they're teaching and how to identify them.
     The first thing that Peter says is that the false teachers will "deny the Master who bought them." verse 1  The word bought is the word "purchase" (in the greek is the word agorazo) and it is talking about how through the blood of Christ we were purchased and redeemed for heaven.  It isn't always a popular doctrine today to say that some people will be condemned because they don't believe in Jesus.  It is easier to believe in heaven than hell.  I think false teacher are ones who do this.  They create a gospel where there is no hell and everyone is a good person. 
    One of the other evidences of a false prophet is that this person does they're ministry for personal gain.  They exploit those who are under them.  I remember when I lived in Texas, there was a man who would come on television late at night and claim to be a bible teacher.  He would sit in front of the camera and smoke a cigar and show pictures of his granddaughter riding at horse riding events.  There is nothing wrong with horses or horse riding events, but he showed that instead of preaching or teaching!  He never would open his Bible, but was always begging for money to stay on the air.  Many won't be this obvious, but the end result is the same.  To them, it is about the position, the fame, the bigger buildings, the recognition. 
    One way that these false teachers do this is through lies and flattery.  They want to be popular, so they won't try to step on toes, unless it is someone who other people don't like.  They want to be liked and want the spotlight on them.  Satan is a liar and those who are his followers also lie.  You know a false prophet by his not recognzing the redemptive work of Christ and by his lack of integrity.  In contrast to this, it is impossible for God to lie (Heb 6:18)  Peter says that the true way will be maligned because of these false teachers.  We see some of that today as people call Christians backwards and close minded.
    Peter gives us three examples to encourage us that these people will be judged in the end.  He gives us the example of angels who were condemned verse 4.  He gives us the example of the ancient world that was condemned when Noah was alive verse 5 and he gives us the example of Sodom and Gomorrah verse 6-7.  I am not sure of what angels here that Peter is referring to in verse 4 and I am not sure that it matters.  The point is that these false teachers will be judged by God in the end verse 9 and God will protect and honor those who honor Him.

    If you've never read one of Warren Wiersbe's commentaries on the Bible, I would highly recommend them to you if you are a serious bible student.  Currently, I am reading through the one for 2 Peter called "Be Alert" (picture to the left)  It also includes 2 and 3 John.

   As I am studying through 2 Peter, I noticed how many times the word "knowledge" is used.  Peter thought that it was important that knowledge grow in the believer.  I think that is a big problem today that many believers simply settle for what the pastor tells them to believe and doesn't take the time to study or read the Bible for themselves.  It is one of the reasons that many believers end up falling for so many false religions like Jehovah's Witnesses and groups like that today. 

    Wiersbe points out that Peter did not say that spiritual growth was automatic with the believer.  Rather, in 2 Peter 1:10 he tells us "be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble."  It is the believer and the Lord working together, the believer submitting his will to God that allows growth.  The "these things" were mentioned in verses 5-7

  "Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith suppy moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge; and in your knowledge, self-control and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness; and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindenss, love." 

   Peter goes on to say that if these things are growing in you, you will be fruitful and never useless when it comes to the kingdom of God.  That is because, to the point where we reflect that we know Christ, then we are useful.  To the point where I am surrendered and in his will and faithful then I am useful.  To the point where I am still having my own way then I am not useful.  Those parts of who I am still need to be pruned away. 

   This is not to say that knowledge always equates with spiritual maturity.  Sometimes it leads to pride and legalism also.  Those are two conditions we must watch out for.  The Pharisees were blasted by Jesus because they were arrogant and thought they were self-righteousness.  They pursued knowledge for knowledge sake and it became an end in itself.  But, for the believer, it is never an end in itself.  The pursuit of knowledge is so that I might grow in my relationship with God and know Him.  He is the reason for this pursuit and to please Him.

   I'm sure you have met people who are legalistic or self-righteous.  Some churches seem to manufacture them like shoes.  They are a poor example of what the faith is like because they do not see their need.  When Moses or Peter came close to knowing God and into his presence, there were moments when they simply had to fall on their faces and acknowledge his holiness.  Truth knowledge about God and who he is should result in this same type of humility.  The more we know, I hope the more we want to know.  But, the closer we get to the light, the more we realize our own darkness, our own need.

God's Patience and Grace

     I passed a sign out in front of the Seventh Day Adventist church near our home the other day.  It says, "To Whom Do We Owe Thanks?"  Normally, I don't pay a whole lot of attention to church signs, but this one got me to thinking.  We talk about this time of year that we have a lot to be thankful for or at least some of us do.  But, sometimes we neglect to say to "whom" we owe our thanks.  More than that even, we sometimes are only talking about the temporary things of this world instead of things like eternal life.

      The longer I am a christian, the more amazed I am by the grace and patience of God.  I am amazed that God puts up with how slow I am to respond to him and to learn lessons of grace.  Not only that, but how many times I go backwards instead of forwards.  It is amazing that God forgives us, even the best of us.  It is amazing that he wants to have a relationship with us all. 

In working in mental health, I have some clients that I get along with and personally like more than others.  You can't and shouldn't play favorites and that doesn't mean that I do, but there are naturally some people whose personalities are kinder and easier to get along with.  Others, to be blunt, have made me a little reluctant to even work with them because they seem so self-destructive or dysfunctional.  I think to myself that there is nothing that I can do and nothing is going to help.  It makes you want to give up sometimes though you can't.  I wonder sometimes if God feels the same way about me?  Multiplied times 1,000.  Because he can see the heart and not just the exterior and see how black it is without the blood of Christ.

So, this thanksgiving, I am grateful for a lot of things.  I am grateful for a wife who puts up with me and two good kids.  I am thankful for my job and for the things that I have.  I am thankful for those I call my friends.  I am thankful for a lot, but most of all I am thankful for a gracious and merciful God who doesn't give up on me.

"It is good to give thanks to the Lord. And to sing praises to Thy name, O Most High; To declar Thy lovingkindness in the morning, And Thy faithfulness by night," Psalm 92:1-2

Brutality and the Bible

    I don't mean to make this sound like I am doubting God or the goodness of God.  I do believe that God is good.  I sometimes have trouble reconciling some views of God in the Old Testament with what I know of Him in the New Testament.  There is a lot of brutality in the Old Testament.  Anyone who doesn't see that must not have read much of it.  One example that I have been pondering over is what happens to Achan in Joshua 7.
    Achan was one of the ones who paraded around Jericho and was there when the walls fall.  He was told along with the others that they were not to take spoil for themselves, but to destroy everything.  It seems that this was too difficult for him and he took several things some silver and some gold and a mntle from Shinar.  He hid them in this tent after the rout of Jericho.  We don't know if he told his family or not, but it seems unlikely to me that he could have kept the news to himself.
   So, the next battle comes along and Israel is defeated before Ai.  Joshua is stunned at this defeat since Jericho was much bigger and he cries out to God.  God reveals to him that someone has kept some of the spoil from Jericho and that is why they could not stand before Ai.  I wonder at why this news was kept from Joshua before the battle.  At any rate, the battle of Ai results in 36 men dying on the Israelites side.
  So, to find out who has kept the spoil, the people come before Joshua by lot and Achan is chosen.  He confesses what he kept for himself (Joshua 7:20-21).  Joshua sends men to Achan's tent and they find what he has hidden.  As a result, everyone and everything Achan owns is brought to the valley and there they stoned and burned all that he had including his daughters and sons and possessions.
   This action is said to turn God fierce wrath away from the people of God and allows them victories in the war effort.  But, what it doesn't say is why God would want to punish the sons and daughters as well as Achan for his sins.  Why is his whole family judged along with him including the poor animals and children?  Unless I am reading this wrong or missing something in the interpretation that is what it says to me.  How do I reconcile that with a merciful, loving God who sent Jesus to die for us? 
   I don't have a position on this at this moment.  It is something I am pondering about.  I asked this question on a forum I use to be moderator on and I have not gotten an answer yet.  There is a possible explanation that Adam Clark mentions in  his commentary that his children were not killed, but witnessed Achan's death that they might take more seriously the sins of their father.  Certainly, this verse takes punishment for stealing or disobeying God's word to a whole new level.  A level that was not typical even for most of Israels history.

Deut 24:16- "Father shall not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers; everyone shall be put to death for his own sin."
Also 2 Kings 14:6

Does God speak to you?

"My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold, I shall not be shaken. On God my salvation and my glory rest; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God."  Psalm 62:5-7

    Most christians have times in their lives when it doesn't appear that God is saying much or they struggle to understand God's will for they're lives.  I've had several long periods where God seemed distant and others times when he seemed as close as a person could be.  What do you do when it seems God is hiding and is unwilling to be found?  Even when you feel the need for a direct word from God so you can make a choice or decision.

   I find that when I really want to hear a word from God it often seems it is at that specific point that God seems harder to find.  It really causes me to seek after him.  Like trying to find a treasure a mile under water.  At the very moment I want God to shout, He whispers.  It's frustrating.  It's also tempting at times like that to just do whatever I want and not to wait.

   There is a story in the Bible that I love about King David.  He goes into battle against his enemy and is victorious.  It really isn't close.  Then he goes into battle again against the same enemy.  It would be easy to assume and just do the same thing the second time, but David stops and asks God what he should do.  God tells him to set an ambush and when the enemy is drawn out to move.  Specifically, God says when he hears the sound of a great army in the treetops overhead then it is time to move.  (see 2 Samuel 5:23-25)  It is almost as if he can hear the sound of the army of God going out before him to fight.  The point is, that David didn't assume.  Other times, he does assume and the results are dramatically different.

  An example would be when an enemy of the people of God come and make a treaty with Joshua and his  people.  They dress up as if they have come a long ways.  God specifically told Joshua not to make a treaty with any of the nearby neighbors,but to destroy them completely.  Instead, Joshua hears these mens stories and sees that it appears they came on a long journey and doesn't consult with God.  In Joshua 9:14 it says, "So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and did not ask for the counsel of the Lord."  As a result, they can never overcome this enemy and it becomes a burden to the people for centuries to come afterward.

  Truth be told, I like to do things my own way most of the time.  And silence from God can sometimes seem like a written invite to do whatever I want.  But, I think rather God is trying to tell us to slow down, to focus on him and not ourselves and to take the time to seek Him.  The hard part is sometimes being silent and waiting on God and being still.

How does God speak to you?  Does he speak to you? 

     So, I am trying to lose a few pounds and get my blood sugar under better control.  In the process of doing that, I am also going to they gym and working out.  I've gone 6 weeks so far and lost about 7 pounds.  It is difficult!  Especially the first two weeks or so I thought I might die.  But, now I actually look forward to it.  The hard part for me now is eating right.  It is so easy to eat something, especially as a snack that is unhealthy.

    Yesterday, we had someone bring some snacks to work.  Some of my favorite all time chocolate bars "Crunch" bars and Kit Kats and stuff like that along with a lot of bread and stuff.  I had to walk past that all day long.  I thought to myself, "Why is it that saying no to yourself is so easy in some cases and so hard in others."  "No" seems to be the first word every child learns as they learn to assert their indpendence.  But, saying "no" and practicing some self-discipline at times seems to be about the hardest thing I have to do.

    After saying "no" once or twice, I find myself thinking up ways I can try and justify eating one or two candy bars.  I might say to myself "Well, I'll just work harder when I get to the gym today."  Or something like that.  In other words, I am already thinking of a way to compromise.  But, don't we do that alot with things?  Isn't that the first hook that usually trips people up, that trips me up.  I try to find a way to eat what I want and lose weight to.  

   Practicing that self-discipline, especially when nobody is watching is a tough thing.  I am still stumbling around at times and having some difficulties.  But, overall doing better than I was. . .

you have not passed this way before

   In Joshua 3:4 it says that the officers of the Israelites went through the camp and told the people who were preparing to enter into the promise land "you have not passed this way before."  In other words, for fourty years they have been wandering around in the desert under the leadership of Moses.  But, now Joshua is taking the helm and a new way is being forged.  No more wandering in circles, now it's time to claim what is yours.

   A lot of us growing up in churches have heard the story of Moses and the parting of the Red Sea.  But, there was also another parting, perhaps less dramatic, the parting of the Jordan River.  It is also mentioned in these verses in Chapter 3 of Joshua.  God parts a sea at the beginning and now here at the end, another body of water parts.  Have you ever wondered why?

  You might say "Well, isn't it obvious, they needed to get to the other side!"  But, that really isn't the point.  There are places where it would have been relatively easy to cross the Jordan.  Historically significant and now a place of a great deal of conflict, it isn't that big of a river.  Certainly, not one of the great waters of the world.  I think rather, God is doing several things here, some for Joshua and some for the people and then also for those who would try and fight against the Israelites.

   Rahab mentioned the Red Sea in Joshua 2:10 even though that event had happened about 40 years prior to the Israelites arrival in Jericho.  Most of them couldn't even remember leaving Egypt since most had been born in the wilderness.  But, as it always does, word had traveled around about what God had done.  They knew the victories and also the defeats of the people of God.  Rahab gives a pretty good testimony herself of what God had done by the way she receives the spies.  But, now God puts his handprint on a new generation.  It is almost as if he is saying to them, "I brought you into the wilderness and now I am taking you out."  To a newly appointed Joshua, who is just getting use to Moses not being there, that must have been a comfort to him.

    It was also a comfort to the people of God themselves.  Slow to follow Moses, they were not use to seeing someone else guiding them.  They rebelled repeatedly against Moses, but they knew him.  Here was Joshua and human nature being what it is I am sure some had doubts about him.  Just seeing the waters part as the started getting there feet wet must have been comforting and reassuring.  God was still with them even if they did have a new leader.  If God had not acted in this manner, it may have been that the people would not have been so willing to follow him when times got tougher, which they would.

   But, it also served as a warning to the enemies of God.  The same God that Rahab had heard about was still present with his people.  It put everyone on notice.  You notice that when the people of God arrive in Jericho, they may have been in awe of the huge wall around the city, but the city itself was shut up tightly.  They were afraid (Joshua 6:1)  Not because of the people, but becasue of what God had done through them.