Mission Faithwalk

                 As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. (Ecclesiastes 11:5) At the time this was written, how a body is formed in the womb was a mystery to at least 99% of the people in the world. In spite of advances in science and claims of knowledge, the percentage is probably still correct. Oh, we may cite such things as germinal stage, embryonic stage, and fetal stage, or claim that something doesn’t happen until week Q, but even much of that involves arbitrary distinctions and nearly “magical” handwaving. This is the same problem with those scientific “experts” who so often issue dire warnings about the environment. Much of what we think we understand simply scratches the surface, yet they pronounce that all matters are clearly understood, and their list of actions is the only possible solution. But I have seen “scientific” solutions to ecological problems cause

              So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. 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. (II Peter 3:14-18) A few weeks ago, we were told that some senators were coming to visit the garden center. We cleaned windows, floors, bathrooms, under the register desks, and

                      But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.  The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.  But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. (II Peter 3:8-13)   With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a

                 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:11-13) I was going to continue in II Peter, and I’ll probably go back there tomorrow, but I struggled with a recurrent attitude problem this morning, and this passage came to mind. I don’t know quite how I stumbled into “Boo hoo, I’m such a failure,” but there I was, ankle-deep in the muck. I started praying honestly about the situation. The truth is that I am a failure. I told Him that the only way I could not be a failure (in my own eyes) would be for me to be as perfect as God. Then I corrected myself. The only way I could be a success in my own eyes would be to be better than God. Not pos

                 Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking.    I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles. Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. (II Peter 3:1-7) Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.  (George Santa

                           These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.”   If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.” (II Peter 2:17-22) But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher

                 Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings; yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not heap abuse on such beings when bringing judgment on them from the Lord.    But these people blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like unreasoning animals, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like animals they too will perish. They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.   With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood!    They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer, who loved the wages of wickedness. But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—an animal without speech—who spoke with a human voice and

                 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment;   if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless    (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)—   if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.   This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh and despise authority . (II Peter 2:4-10) How many minutes, days, or years passed between when t

                      But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.   (II Peter 2:1-3) This is something people don’t understand. Let’s start with the fact that Peter wasn’t writing only about the Church here, even if he thought he was. No matter what group you examine, if there are not currently false teachers, there have been and will be.  If you have not been a false teacher, you probably have been or will be. Some false teachers believe what they’re saying. If you show them evidence of the truth, they’ll repent. Others know they are de

                 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective . (James 5:15) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness . (I John 1:9) Oooo… Shows like Maury Povich, and memoires are popular because we like to hear all the salacious details as some confesses their sins. And making it a competition can be exciting. But oh… the idea of telling someone, anyone, or everyone that we have done something, have something, or are something for which they would be justified to reject or condemn us… that’s hard. However, have you ever spent time trying to keep a secret? Trying to hide or pretend that everything is fine when it’s not? One of the ways sin traps a person is by making the person ashamed or afraid to admit it has power. This is the reason people in AA begin with, “My name is ________, and I’m an alcoho

                 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit . (II Peter 1:19-21)   “I can see that you are a prophet.” (John 4:19 b)   Prophesy: the ability to receive a divinely inspired message and deliver it to others in the church.               I used to believe that prophecy had to do with foretelling the future. That made the comment by the woman at the well confusing to me. Jesus hadn’t told her anything about the future. He told her about her past and present. It came as a relief to me when I learned that prophecy is “just” receiving and

                 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.   He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”   We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. (II Peter 1:16-18)   Mountaintop experiences. God caused His glory to pass by Moses on the mountain, and Moses got to see His “back.” Elijah ran to a mountain to get away from Jezebel, and God spoke to Him in a still small voice. Jesus took Peter, James, and John onto a mountain and was transfigured before them. Then there was Daniel in the lion’s den and his three friends in the fiery furnace with a fourth person. And let’s not forget the pillar of fire and pillar of cloud at the Red Sea or the time they spent at the holy mountain. It’s easy t

                   So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have.   I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things. (II Peter 1:12-15)   As people reach a certain point in their lives, they sometimes become concerned about their legacies. Good parents may not think in terms of “legacies,” but they still hope to raise children who will be good. This is what Peter was writing about here. He longed for the people who read the letter to be changed by what he said and to be his legacy. But it wasn’t so much about its being Peter’s legacy as it was about the content of the legacy. There were things he wanted others to know and to remember, and he wrote his letters to give

               Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ . (II Peter 1:10-11) Calling. Election. Both have to do with our being selected or chosen to do, to have, or to be something. I don’t know if everyone longs to know their calling or to confirm their election, but I suspect that many do. The idea tends to send our thoughts into realms of influence, power, fame, and fortune. I mean, what possible good would it do to “call” someone to be a stocker at a grocery store or to flip burgers at a fast-food place? This is another case of our focus being turned in the wrong direction. Our calling and election is in cultivating faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love in our lives. It’s about what we do where we are with what we have. We are

                 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)   The first of the characteristics listed in 2 Peter 1:5-7 is faith . I’m debating with an atheist and at the moment, the issue revolves around the terms belief and  faith. Her question this morning was why one had to have faith in order to believe in a god. In the Bible, the word they translate as belief is transliterated pistis . The word they translate as faith is transliterated pistis. Or, if I have the form of the word wrong, it is derived from that root word. Effectively, belief equals faith. The dictionary tries to differentiate between them by describing faith as “complete” belief but what do we then do with Jesus’ driving out a demon from the son of a father who said, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)? What do we do about Jesus’ claim that if we have faith t

                   For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (II Peter 1:8) One of my passions (compulsions) since 2020 is becoming competent. I want to be able to take care of myself so that I’m not a burden to others and so I can help those who need it. I’m trying to learn about gardening and all sorts of practical skills toward that end. But what today’s verse suggests is that the faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love mentioned in yesterday’s passage will prevent me from being ineffective and unproductive in my knowledge of Jesus Christ - and by extension, in my knowledge of everyone else.      The two ideas go hand-in-hand. If we are going to be effective in my knowledge of Jesus Christ or others, learning how to do practical things will increase our ability to act on our faith, do good, control ourselves