{Reading The Book of 2 Peter~ Week 13}

A reminder to Walk in Obedience to God

The gospels find Peter sitting in a boat with his brother Andrew catching fish when one day Jesus comes by and says to Peter, “Follow Me.” Peter left everything he had and followed Christ. The world that Peter had known suddenly changed. The man known for putting his foot in his mouth and denying Christ three times would become one of 12 Apostles that Christ would use to build His church.

I can see myself in Peter! Eager, quick to speak and slow to listen. Running ahead of myself, wanting to serve so badly, looking at everything around me and  forgetting to keep my eyes Jesus.  Can you relate to Peter at all?  If we are honest I think each of us can see a little of ourselves in him.

 What growth we see in the Apostle Peter from “he of little faith” to the rock upon which Christ would build His church! Christ prepared Peter for the work and service of building His church through many tribulations. Now Peter would prepare and encourage others in their work and service as the church.

In 2 Peter 1:14 we find Peter faced with the fact that he is about to die. Jesus tells Peter in John 21:18-19 that when he grew old, he would stretch out his hands and someone else would gird him and take him where he did not want to go.The church historian Tertullian, Origen, and Eusebius state that Peter’s was stretched out by his hands, he was dressed in prison garb, he was taken where no one wanted to go (a crucifixion), and was crucified.  He was said to be crucified upside down because he felt unworthy to be crucified in the way that the Lord Jesus Christ had been.

We come to the second letter that Peter had penned to the brethren, aliens and strangers in this world, with a message to encourage and strengthen. Peter was determined and diligent to remind the brethren to whom they belonged. He would remind them/us that we have been bought with a price and to be obedient to our high calling as followers of Jesus Christ.

For This Very Reason

In 2 Peter 1:1-11 Peter reminds us that we are bond slavesand followers of Christ Jesus. He reminds us that God’s divine power has granted to us everything we need for life and godliness. Because of what God in Christ has done in and for us he urges us on to obedience. In 2 Peter 1:5-7 Peter gives us a list of qualities that should be ours and tells us that they should be increasing! I am reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 3:8″ Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” Now applying all diligence to our faith:

• Supply moral excellence
• In your moral excellence, knowledge
• In your knowledge, self-control
• In your self-control, perseverance
• In your perseverance, godliness
• In your godliness, brotherly kindness
• In your brotherly kindness, love

The Christian life should always be fruit bearing. Peters words are strong, work out your salvation, be diligent in your walk with the Lord. There is action involved on our part. God has granted to us everything we need to grow, now walk in obedience to His call. Peter is not teaching us to walk on our own far from it. He is reminding us that we have been supplied with all that we need to walk. We have been given the indwelling Holy Spirit that guides and directs us. He has given us His written word to live by. By the way, the indwelling Holy Spirit will only guide and teach through the written word of God. That is why it is so vitally important to be diligent students of His word.This leads us to Peters next reminder.

False Prophets Are Alive and Well

Peter says in the first few verses of chapter 2 that false prophets arose among the people and would arise among us. His words have not failed to be true. There are false prophets all around us. Do you see them? Do you know that what they are saying and teaching is false? How do we know if what they are teaching is false? What are their motives?

Peter describes these men and women as false teachers who secretly introduce destructive heresies. In their greed, they will exploit you with false words. In their falsehood, they are denying the one who bought them and are bringing destruction upon themselves and on those who follow their teachings. I do not know about you but this passage scars me to death. I do not want to be deceived and taken down the wrong path! How about you? Let’s be diligent in keeping our eyes on Christ, staying in the word of God and praying for strength for ourselves and our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Their Destruction is Not Asleep

Warning! If God did not spare angels when they sinned but cast them into hell, nor spare the ancient world when He brought a flood and condemned Sodom and Gomorrah, do you not think He knows how to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment? There is a day coming when all men will be judged. God is not slow about His promises. The day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens and the earth will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

“Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness?” 2 Peter 3:11

The Lord is patient not wanting anyone to perish. The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation. The elect, the true believer in God through Christ Jesus will be protected. God will persevere him until the end. Peters words serve as a warning! Are you sure of your salvation? Are you being diligent to seek the word of God and not the words of man to see if you are indeed in the Lord?  Our walk with the Lord is serious business. This is not a game or something to be taken lightly. It is real and there are very real consequences for those who do not listen and obey the word of God!

Hasten The Day of The Lord

We are to be looking for and hastening the day of the Lord. We are to be about our Fathers business preaching the gospel to ourselves and sharing the word of truth with those who we are around.

Be diligent to be found in Him in peace, spotless and blameless. 2 Peter 3:14

Because of our security in Christ Jesus may we through the power of Christ, “grow in the grace and knowledge of our lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory, both now and to the day of eternity.” 2 Peter 3:18

This message from Peter  is so timely. It is so vitally important for the believer to be in the word of God renewing their minds and learning what the will of God is. That is what we are doing here at Conforming To The Truth. We are reading through 17 New Testament books. We are entering our fourteenth week of reading and would love for you to join in with us. I always say it is never too late to start reading Truth. July 11th we will begin  reading the book of  1 John. Click on the image below to get all of the details! I am ready to send you the reading plan and add you to our Facebook group:) I also have a free Bible Study in the book of Titus. Click on the image below and it will take you to all of the details!

  

Advertisement

{Reading the Book of 2 Timothy}

Guarding The Treasure: The Good News of Salvation

Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you. 2 Timothy 1:14

The days of Paul’s ministry are coming to an end. He finds himself in a cold cell {4:13} in chains {2:9}with no hope of deliverance {4:6}. According to 2 Timothy 1:15 all who were in Asia turned away from Paul except Onesiphorus who refreshed him and was not ashamed of his chains.

Paul is penning the last letter he will be guided to write. He addresses it to Timothy his true child in the faith. He encourages Timothy but at the same time urges him to stand firm in the faith, and to join him in suffering for the gospel. He exhorts him not to be ashamed of the gospel  nor to be ashamed of him because he is in chains.  I can hear him speaking to Timothy as a father or mother speaks to his or her own child as he says these words,  “Timothy I am in prison but the gospel of Jesus Christ is not imprisoned it is not chained. I am enduring all things for the sake of the elect, those chosen by God before the foundation of the world so that they may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus. Timothy, the gospel must be preached for the sake of the elect. Do not be timid, kindle afresh the spiritual gift that has been given to you and go forth with the true gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Romans Study { Introduction}

 

Welcome to our first online study! I am so excited to walk through the book of Romans with you. From September 7th-November 13th, we will be walking through the first three chapters of this book. My goal and desire is to work through all 16 chapters! Yes, you heard it right, 16 chapters! This journey will take several weeks, but it is one that I believe will be well worth the work and effort put into it. Do not worry, I will be here with you all the way:

Praying for you,

Encouraging you,

 Learning right beside you!

The Purpose of Bible Study:

To know God, the One True God. To have an abiding relationship with Jesus Christ and to live a transformed life. To teach the gospel to ourselves so that we grow in grace and truth. To share the gospel with a lost and dying world.

The book of Romans is a clear explanation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As children of the most high God we need to dedicate ourselves to the study of His word. It is as important to preach the gospel to ourselves as it is to preach and teach it to a lost and dying world. The Gospel today, just as it was in the day of Paul, is under attack. Only a true and clear explanation of the gospel can refute those who contradict it. I believe Romans is a great place to start.

 

 How this works:

I said earlier I would be right beside you! For 10 weeks (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday), I will write a post that I pray will help explain the verses we have been studying through for the week. These posts will not walk through each question. It will give an overview and application for the verses studied.

Prayer, Observation, Interpretation, and Application will get us through this study.

Lessons: 

• Your first lesson will be posted in a PDF format on Monday, August 31st. On the 31st, I will also post a PDF for all 10 lessons. You choose how you would like to print them. Every Monday at the end of that post there will be a PDF copy for the next weeks lesson. ( You can choose not to print the lessons. Just write the answers in a note book).
• I greatly encourage you to work through the lessons and not just read the posts. This is your time with God. Let Him teach you and train you!
• Each lesson is written to take you through each verse of every chapter. Sometimes you will be taken to other parts of Scripture to help with the interpretation of the text. Remember, Scripture interprets Scripture!
• We will also be doing word studies. You may be asking, “Why do I need to know what a word means?” Word studies get us deeper into the word of God. Sometimes we think we know what a word means, and we really do not. It has been my experience that after I have studied a word, I have a greater understanding of what is being taught. I have also learned more and more of the Amazing Grace of God! It is well worth the time and effort to look words up. I recommend using a Strongs Concordance. If you do not have one, no problem. I have placed a link for one  in the side bar of this site.
• Each lesson is designed to be worked through in a week. You decide how you want to walk through the questions. I do recommend spacing the questions out. We do not want to rush through the word. We need to ponder and pray for teaching from the Holy Spirit.

Reading Plan:

I want to encourage you to read through the book of Romans each week. Daily reading will familiarize you with the context of the book. If you read this book weekly, by the end of the study you may have memorized the entire book! How wonderful would that be. You will be able to say with the Psalmist:

“Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I may not sin against you.”

Psalm 119:11

• Here is a suggested reading plan. You may also download and copy this plan. I will be reminding you to read through the book each week.

 

 Click: Romans Weekly Reading Plan for PDF download.

Do it Alone or Start a Group

This study can be done on your own, or you can grab a few friends and do it with a group. Either way is great!

Please Enroll!

Enrollment in this study is not required but I do ask that you enroll. I want to pray for you and know who is doing the study. Thanks!

Name(required)

Email(required)

Website

Comment(required)

Submit

Δ

 Follow Me

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Follow Blog{Follow Button at top in side bar} to receive each post in this series.

 

Join the discussion!

Please start a discussion by posting questions or making comments on the post! We Are all in this together. Let’s encourage and pray for each other through this study!

Share with your friends and family!

Please tell your friends, your ladies groups and neighbors. Lets form a community of women who desire to Conform To The Truth!

I ask for prayer and grace as I launch this  first on-line study! If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at conformingtothetruth@gmail.com

Learning Beside You,

Linked up Monday with: Words of Comfort, Reflect and Wordswithwinter..

 

Jesus Became Flesh…

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

For what the Law could not do weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirements of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:3-4

Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil. Hebrews 2:14

Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. Hebrews 2:17

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking on the form of a bond servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:5-11

 

* To fulfill the requirments of the Law in us

* To become an offering for sin

* To render powerless the devil, who, had the power over death

* To become a merciful and faithful high priest

* To make propitiation for the sins of His people

*To  become obedient to death, even death on a cross.

Praise you Jesus for Your salvation!

Learning Beside You,

Lisa:)

 

 

 

 

Christ is Our Life! 365 Days With Jesus!

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life I know live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Galatians 2:20

For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Colossians 3:3-4

Jesus said to her, ” I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies. John 11:24

He is the resurrection.

He is the life.

He is the Son of God.

He is love.

Learning Beside You,

Lisa:)