Friday, February 17, 2017

"WARNING: PERILOUS TIMES AHEAD!!"


“WARNING:  PERILOUS TIMES AHEAD!!”

 

 

Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position.  But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen.        2 Peter 3:17-18

 

This is the end of the Apostle Peter’s letter to Christians, in churches, in various areas of his ministry.  And it is very INFORMATIVE, ENLIGHTENING, THOUGHT-PROVOKING and for some of us very INSPIRING.  

 

In this letter, the Apostle Peter is issuing a call to Christians for SPIRITUAL GROWTH, in order for them to be able to fight apostasy as they anxiously await the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.  This was an impassioned plea for the Christians to GROW in their FAITH and to become MATURE in their Christian life.  He described the characteristics of MATURE Christian believers, and encouraged them to GROW in the KNOWLEDGE and GRACE of their FAITH.

 

The verses preceding our verses, today, describes some of what lies ahead in the last days.  Peter, tells us that there are some DANGEROUS or PERILOUS times ahead, there will be scoffers who will ridicule our FAITH, they are the ones who follow their own evil desires, but they forget the DESTRUCTION that lies ahead for them and those who follow their example.  In Noah’s day the world was destroyed by WATER.  In the LAST DAYS, the world will be destroyed by FIRE, it is now being kept for the Day of Judgment and destruction of the UNGODLY.

 

So the Apostle Peter WARNS the TRUE BELIEVERS that they should be on GUARD, and protect their FAITH. They should CONTINUALLY GROW and MATURE in their SPIRITUAL life.  READING and STUDYING the Word of the Living God.  GROWING in the KNOWLEDGE and GRACE of the Lord Jesus Christ, so that they will NOT be INFLUENCED by the error of the lawless, and risk falling from their SECURE position.  This does NOT mean that they could lose their SALVATION, but they would definitely lose their rewards and will be chastised for their disobedience.  Their SPIRTUAL GROWTH would truly suffer from such an act.  It is a lot like raising a child, when a child is BORN into a family, the parents realize that the child must grow and mature, when the child disobeys the parent, that parent doesn’t make the child leave the family, but they discipline the child and TEACH them to do the RIGHT THING.  So it is with our LOVING Heavenly Father and His Children.  He expects us to GROW in our FAITH and to develop a STRONG, INTIMATE relationship with Him, so we are not led astray by every wind of doctrine, but we have KNOWLEDGE of who we are and to whom we belong, and will FOLLOW our Lord and live in His ways. 

 

Have you come to God for the SALVATION of your soul?  Or are you walking in darkness, living like those who are following their own evil desires, those who are headed for DESTRUCTION.  Those who will spend an eternity in Hell, the place of ETERNAL torment, torture, pain, agony, heartache, and despair with NO WAY of escape.  God is giving you the opportunity NOW, to change your direction, by coming to Him with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING, your sins to Him and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and GROW in the KNOWLEDGE and GRACE of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

  

 

 

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