Saturday, October 30, 2010

I PETER, II PETER, I, II, & III JOHN, & JUDE

Today is Saturday and soon I will be at a Men's meeting at church.  I'm looking forward to that soon.  Here are a few thoughts to share with you today:
 
1) DON'T ADD TO THE WAR- I Peter 2:11 says:  "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;"  Now whenever we give in to "fleshly lusts" that increases the "war against the soul".  So the key is stop fueling the battle.  Though we may be pure on the outside, we can also be fueling the enemy by our thought life.  We don't want to have a defeat in any battle, but how foolish it is to give the enemies weapons to use against us!  Let us keep ourselves pure both in body and soul.  The enemy, Satan, is already on the prowl, just don't jump up and say:  "Here I am, come and tear me apart."  Let us keep our hearts, and minds, and bodies pure by abstaining from fleshly lusts!
 
2) FOLLOW HIS STEPS- I Peter 2:21 says:  "For even hereunto were ye called:  because Christ also suffere for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:"  Notice that last phrase:  "follow his steps".  God want us to walk where Christ walks, go where Christ goes, say what Christ would have us say, be where Christ would have us be.  In I John 2:6 it says:  "He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked."  We are to "follow his steps" and to "walk even as he walked".  Walk like Jesus, Walk with Jesus, Walk where Jesus walked.  Yes, let us walk where HE wants us to walk today!
 
3) WONDERFUL PROMISES- II Peter 1:4 says:  "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises:...."  My what wonderful promises God's Word gives us!  Promises of Salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.  Promies that Christ preserves who he saves.  Promises of Heaven waiting for us as believers.  Promises that Hell will never be in our future having trusted in Christ to save us.  Promises of strength available through His Holy Spirit.  Promise of His presence forever.  Promises of the Church lasting forever.  Promises of His return for us.  Promises, promises, promises.... WOW!!  Wonderful promises!!
 
4) GROW IN GRACE- I John 5:18 says:  "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ.  To him be glory both now and for ever.  Amen."  We are saved by grace, but now admonished to "grow in grace".  We "grow in grace" by increasing our "knowlege of our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ".  The more we know Jesus, the more we grow in grace.  God doesn't want us to be stagnant Christians, so we read, we pray, we learn of Him, more and more and more.... to grow in Grace!  Keep growing my friend!
 
5) AN ADVOCATE- I John 2:1 says:  "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.  And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:"  We are not to sin, but IF we do... we have an ADVOCATE with the Father, Jesus Christ!!  An advocate is like a lawyer, someone who pleads our case!  Now think of the Devil as being the prosecution against us, but Jesus Christ our atorney.  Now know this too.... He is also the Judge!  So, He is pleading our case, and as our Judge, knows the ruling already..... forgiven!!  yeah!  Praise God for our Advocate!!
 
Well, time has come and gone.  I still had two more things I would have loved to share, but perhaps the next time around the Scriptures.  Tomorrow is Sunday!  What a blessed day that will be.  May God richly bless you and yours!  Pastor Mike Mutchler
Counter
Free Counter