Knowing This Beforehand

.

Knowing This Beforehand

            2 Peter 3:17-18

You therefore,  beloved,  knowing this beforehand,  be on your guard lest, being carried away  by the error  of unprincipled men,  you fall  from your own steadfastness,  but grow  in the grace  and knowledge  of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.     To Him  be the glory,  both now  and to the day  of eternity.     Amen.

Forewarnings are so important.     We get weather alerts  for tornadoes,  blizzards,  earthquakes,  and floods.     There are warnings  for dangerous road conditions  and even various scams taking place.     Common sense tells us  to take the proper precautions  when we hear these forewarnings.

In 1980,  when Mt. St. Helen erupted,  57 people needlessly  lost their lives  because they did not heed the warnings  or felt they were  in a safe enough zone.     Second chances could not be given.

Because most people  will heed warnings like these,  it is odd  that not very many  will heed Peter’s forewarnings  about all sorts of sinful lifestyles  and false prophets  in the last days.     How does Peter want us  to take precautions?

First of all,  he wants us  to remember  that this warning  has been given way beforehand.     It has been preached  for thousands of years now,  so people don’t pay  a whole lot  of attention.     But,  we need  to be wise enough  to pay attention  and take precautions.

Secondly,  Peter wants us  to be on guard  against all sorts  of unprincipled men.     In the end days,  people of all sorts  will be trying to mock Christianity,  deny the existence  of God,  deny Jesus’ divinity  and His authority  to forgive all sins.     They will even deny  a coming Judgment Day.     Since all that  is obviously happening  all around us,  we are supposed  to be wise enough  to take that  as a forewarning.

Peter is very concerned  that Christians will fall  from their steadfastness.     All the constant pressure  from worldly philosophies  and ungodliness  will cause Christians  to fearfully want  to be politically correct  in their stance  on abortions,  homosexuality,  the question of evolution,  the Bible’s authority  as God’s word,  and our need  to live a godly life.     If we don’t take Peter’s forewarning seriously,  we could fall  from the true faith  and lose eternal life  —  needlessly.

Peter warns  that we must “grow  in the grace  and knowledge  of our Lord and Savior  Jesus Christ”.     If we are not growing  in the true faith,  we are most likely  getting weaker  and about to fall.

We must have nourishment  in order to grow  and that means feeding  on God’s word.     No one  can become strong  in the true faith  if they never read  and study  God’s word.     If we want  to live with Christ  in glory,  now is the time  to strengthen our faith  by finding out all  that Jesus Christ has done  for us  and meditating  on His word.

As we grow  in the grace  and knowledge  of our Lord and Savior  Jesus Christ,  we say,  “Hallelujah!     Jesus,  You fulfilled  all the prophecies  of the Old Testament  with Your suffering,  death  and resurrection.     Now we know  You will fulfill  your prophecies  about the end days.     Thank you  for letting us know  all these things  beforehand.”

Love,
Margaret

.

A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and GOD of gods

Pray for our country.

The LORD made this day, let us rejoice and be glad in Him.

Psalm 118:24  

 

The word of the LORD is tried;

He is a shield to all who take refuge  in Him.

Psalm 18:30

 

Sing for joy  in the LORD,  O you righteous ones;

Praise is becoming  to the upright.

Psalm 33:1

    

How blessed are those who dwell in Thy house!

They are ever praising Thee.

Psalm 84:4

  

Just as a father  has compassion  on his children,

So the LORD has compassion  on those who fear Him.

Psalm 103:13

  

Oh give thanks  to the LORD,  for He is good;

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Psalm 107:1

Glory in His holy name;

Let the heart  of those who seek the LORD  be glad.

Psalm 105:3

 

Not that I have already obtained it,  or have already become perfect,  but I press on  in order that

I may lay hold  of that  for which also I was laid hold of  by Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:12

.

.

.

.