Author: astherainandsnow

“These people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion. These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame…

“It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.’ These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.

“But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, ‘In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.’ It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

“Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” Jude 10-13,14b-25

Jude’s warning against the infiltration of wickedness was stark and sobering. His descriptions spread wide the effect of ungodly thinking and practice, touching on many results of inclining to the culture or remaining devoid of the Spirit. He called the church universal to beware, and to stay strong in the blessed grace and ability of Christ to keep them from stumbling.

When societal tumult presses, hard consequences threaten, or ungodly shepherds rule, how strong will we stand? Where have we known instinctively what is right, yet abandoned it for gain or rebellion? Under what pressure do we give in to harshness, discontent, grumbling, boasting?

What are we doing to arm ourselves against ungodliness, and to hone biblical discernment? Do we tune in only to imperfect thought leaders who may sway like wind or say what we want to hear, or anchor ourselves in the true truth of God’s word directly? How seriously do we take the Bible’s warnings? When we entrust ourselves to our able, majestic Savior in the trials of these troublesome days, He is faithful to keep us from falling. (Psalm 18:33; 37:23-24; Colossians 3:1-10; 2 Timothy 4:3)

Lord, keep me alert to heed warnings, sharp with vigilance, quick to recover, and steadfast to follow, for Your great joy and glory.

“God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and the birds of the heavens and the livestock and over all the earth and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’

“So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.

“And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’” Genesis 1:26-28

“In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:

“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.” Ezra 1:1-4

From the beginning the Lord God fashioned man to have dominion over the rest of His creation, entrusting His perfect world to man’s care and tending and using for good purposes. He made man with agency, freedom to live and act by will endowed by his creator, under the higher supervision of His providence. He places people to rule kingdoms where the mysterious play of even godless man’s will meshes with God’s sovereignty to perform His bidding. (Psalm 8:3-8)

The holding of power is a gift from God, for His purposes. Created in His image to do works He’s designed and prepared for us, we’re responsible as stewards of His gifts and trust to exercise dominion in ways that please Him and benefit others. Some misuse their power and authority to the dishonor of God and detriment of many, yet choosing God’s good way brings eternal blessing. (Acts 13:36; 17:26-27; Ephesians 2:10)

How do we handle dominion over God’s earth and resources- wastefully and wantonly, or responsibly and efficiently? How do we treat our bodies, temples of God’s Spirit- with casual decadence, or responsible care? How attentively and intentionally do we invest in our families to train and nurture? How are we tending to welfare of people at work and in our communities- with callous disregard, or prayer and service? How are we exercising our spiritual gifts to upbuild the church? Godly stewardship honors the God who entrusted us to manage His gifts wherever we are. (Genesis 18:19; Deuteronomy 6:5-8; Psalm 24:1; Proverbs 22:6; Jeremiah 29:7; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Ephesians 6:1-4)

Lord, teach me responsible stewardship that blesses many and glorifies You.

“The officials approached me, ‘The people of Israel and the priests and Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands with their abominations, from the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites. For they have taken some of their daughters to be wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has mixed itself with the peoples of the lands. In this faithlessness the hand of the officials and chief men has been foremost.’ As soon as I heard this, I tore my garment and my cloak and pulled hair from my head and beard and sat appalled.  Then all who trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the faithlessness of the returned exiles, gathered around me while I sat appalled until the evening sacrifice. At the evening sacrifice I rose from my fasting,.. and fell upon my knees and spread out my hands to the Lord my God, saying:

“O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted to the heavens. From the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt. And for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, and to utter shame, as it is today… 

“’And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken your commandments… After you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserved and have given us such a remnant as this, shall we break your commandments again and intermarry with the peoples who practice these abominations? Would you not be angry with us until you consumed us, so that there should be no remnant, nor escape? O Lord, the God of Israel, you are just… Behold, we are before you in our guilt, for none can stand before you because of this.'” Ezra 9:1-7,10,13b-15

Sensitive to the Lord through deep devotion and ongoing communion, the leader for the returning exiles of Israel is appalled at their aberration from God’s commands. Ezra sees their intermarriage with people from the land for what it is: an intermingling with heathen nations that would corrupt God’s people and cause them to lose their distinctiveness in the world. Stricken with horror and grief over what is happening, he confesses their guilt, knowing his only repair was in God’s mercy.

Our world and culture offer an array of people, movements, and situations at which to be appalled. Their crude actions and greed, his vitriolic temper, her poisoned tongue. Gross immorality, vile abuse, heinous violence. Point point, they and those, tsk tsk, there is plenty of appalling out there. But what happens when we turn the mirror on us?

What is polluting our relationship with our Lord? Where do we flirt with temptation? Do our choices of entertainment and relationships build up our faith, or pull us away from Christ? Exposing ourselves to the Word brings conviction and mercy to light. Truth cuts deep, piercing between soul and spirit to expose and extricate sin. The Lord God is ready to save, receiving the humble and cleansing our sin. (Matthew 8:2-3; 2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12; 1 John 1:9)

Lord, please expose and forgive my sin, that Your name be held high and honored.

“Behold, a king will reign in righteousness,
    and princes will rule in justice.
Each will be like a hiding place from the wind,
    a shelter from the storm,
like streams of water in a dry place,
    like the shade of a great rock in a weary land.
Then the eyes of those who see will not be closed,
    and the ears of those who hear will give attention.
The heart of the hasty will understand and know,
    and the tongue of the stammerers will hasten to speak distinctly.
The fool will no more be called noble,
    nor the scoundrel said to be honorable.
For the fool speaks folly,
    and his heart is busy with iniquity,
to practice ungodliness,
    to utter error concerning the Lord,
to leave the craving of the hungry unsatisfied,
    and to deprive the thirsty of drink.
As for the scoundrel—his devices are evil;
    he plans wicked schemes
to ruin the poor with lying words,
    even when the plea of the needy is right.
But he who is noble plans noble things,
    and on noble things he stands…

“And the effect of righteousness will be peace,
    and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.
My people will abide in a peaceful habitation,
    in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.” Isaiah 32:1-8,17-18

Isaiah’s prophecy concerning a future king and princes depicts an enviable host of noble leaders. They will not only lead in such a way that blesses their constituents and locales, but that sets a standard of wisdom and nobility against which fools are brought to naught. Righteous living is always distinguished from worldliness in practice and effect. God’s promise was for ultimate peace, security, and rest.

In most nations of the world and our smaller communities we have gripes with leaders, and can readily list those qualities we would eliminate or change, or the people we would rather have in power. Both elected and appointed officials can gorge on power and influence, with pride winning out over righteousness in decisions and performance. The result is often chaotic, with distrust, dissension, and opposition fomenting instability and discontent.

God-given nobility clarifies the distinction between truth and lies, thoughtfulness and haste, wisdom and folly, selflessness and selfishness. While there is no perfect command here on earth, those who rule in godliness will do much to promote welfare for the people and diminish iniquity. Each of us is responsible for our part.

How would those who work or serve alongside me evaluate my leadership? With whom, and in what situations, might I be a hiding place, a balm of love, acceptance, interest, and confidence? How can my presence be a shelter, my insight streams of water to the thirsty? What need I give up or do to stretch out leafy shade, to be filled with that fresh living water, to know the word that sustains the weary? (Isaiah 50:4)

What practices have I implemented that develop growth in godly character? When others observe or interact with me, what in my manner or actions could cause them to say I have been with Jesus? If I am to nobly serve, my heart and actions must align with God’s righteousness. (Acts 4:13)

Lord, help me plan and stand on noble things that reflect and honor You.

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not… 

“’I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, “At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God…”‘

“When the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground.  When the people saw it, they said to one another, ‘What is it?’..And Moses said, ‘It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat… Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat…’ And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less… Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat.” Exodus 16:4,12,14-18

“From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. [They] spoke against God and against Moses, ‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.^‘ Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. And the people came to Moses and said, ‘We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.’ So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.’ So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.” Numbers 21:4-9

The ever-patient Lord God led, protected, and provided for Israel, yet their crusty hearts and cold consciences continually reverted to a victim mentality. When things did not go their way, God (or His leader Moses) was always to blame. Oh, how the flesh moans and misconstrues God’s marvelous work! Where the Lord gave daily care and adequate sustenance, they stewed with discontent, longing for something different. To call His manna worthless was to reject His very sustenance and plan.

And don’t we do the same? We call ridiculous the turns of event that sour our taste or impede the progress we want to make. We eschew God’s lasting treasures for worthless trinkets and temporary pleasure. We forget how the Lord has steadfastly, mercifully cared for us, measured our nourishment, and directed our path. (Hebrews 11:25)

Where are we criticizing as worthless what God has apportioned to us? Are we known as complainers? Would we confess our haughtiness and ask Him to change our attitude? Acknowledging His manifold gifts engenders a grateful heart.

Lord, may I ever thank You for Your kindness, goodness, and love.

“When you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this:

“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from evil.

“For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.” Matthew 6:5-13

His disciples had observed a lot of prayer, and in this personal teaching to them about it, Jesus addressed the extraneous and led them to the heart. He wanted to steer them from cursory practices and tradition to the truth about Him and this privilege of heavenly communion they would soon enjoy after His departure. Do away with pomp and trite formulas, any horizontal focus and attention- grabbing, and gaze upward. Almighty God is transcendent, divine, wholly other than you, yet is your loving Father, and listening. He is infinitely holy, His name is to be revered. Begin with this mindset, this captivation, this humbled hallowing, and your prayers will be transformed.

When we start prayer with the Lord, our desires are sanctified. Honoring God fills the soul with holy gratitude, perpetuates a high view of Him, and both stimulates and shapes large asking. Requests change from restricted, visionless self-interests to wide heavenly purposes, from a walled-in, provincial territory of family and safe life circle to His kingdom. That’s where He reigns, where His plans unfold and are worked out for His glory. It is as we meditate on His heavenly rule that we begin to see with an eternal perspective.

The beautiful thing about praying this way is that when God answers, we are able to understand what true treasure is, and store them in heaven. We are able to put to rest anxiety over things of this world, because we’re convinced that God’s kingdom and righteousness are supreme, and he will supply for every known and unknown when we first seek Him. Daily needs are met so we can see and participate in eternal lessons. Forgiveness is received so we can, with lavish love, freely forgive others. Daily prayers are sustenance for ongoing life and ministry. (Matthew 6:19-21,25-34; Ephesians 4:32)

How is my prayer life? Am I bereft of desire to persevere? Do I murmur empty words? What are my greatest hindrances to regular prayer, and how will I address them? When will I trust the hallowed One to help me be consistent? Keeping His instructions fuel abundant life. (Deuteronomy 32:47)

Lord, help me pray effectively, consistently, in Your name, and for Your glory. (John 14:13-14)

“O Lord, be gracious to us; we wait for you.
    Be our arm every morning,
    our salvation in the time of trouble.
At the tumultuous noise peoples flee..,
and your spoil is gathered as the caterpillar gathers;
    as locusts leap, it is leapt upon.

“The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high;
    he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness,
and he will be the stability of your times,
    abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge;
    the fear of the Lord is Zion’s treasure.” Isaiah 33:2-3a,4-6

“And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Is the Lord’s hand shortened? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not.'” Numbers 11:23

“The eternal God is your dwelling place,
    and underneath are the everlasting arms.
And he thrust out the enemy before you
    and said, ‘Destroy.’” Deuteronomy 33:27

“‘With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.’ And the people took confidence from the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.” 2 Chronicles 32:8

“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,
    or his ear dull, that it cannot hear.” Isaiah 59:1

The prophet’s cry is a sincere, earnest prayer expressing legitimate need and patient dependence. He is God’s servant, on specific mission, and desires the arm of his Sovereign to take up their cause and go before him. Every morning. (Isaiah 6:1-9)

Any anthropomorphication of the infinite Spirit God seems a reduction of His power and divinity, yet the scriptures are replete with such descriptions in order to relate to finite man. The Word is God’s revelation to us, so the Word in the flesh meets us in ways we comprehend, and desperately need. The Lord intends that we interact and commune with Him to the full extent of our capable, yet limited, understanding. He is ready to supply.

Arms hold, arms uphold. Arms protect and fight and slay, arms embrace and comfort. Arms manipulate, work hard, carry, share, and pour forth bounty. Arms raise high to heaven, open wide in welcome, reach out in compassion, and stretch forward to clear the way.  Be our arm every morning!

Where do we need the Lord’s strong arm this day? Are we facing uncertainty and need His guidance and steady hand? Do we need particular wisdom for a decision, or strength to slay enemies of shame or temptation? Is there deep sorrow that longs for the balm of His embrace? What weak resolve or wavering faith cries for support and undergirding? His arm is here! Every morning His mercies are new and His arm is strong. Trust His stability and salvation! (Lamentations 3:22-23)

“What a fellowship, what a joy divine, 
leaning on the everlasting arms; 
what a blessedness, what a peace is mine, 
leaning on the everlasting arms.

O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way, 
leaning on the everlasting arms; 
O how bright the path grows from day to day, 
leaning on the everlasting arms.

What have I to dread, what have I to fear, 
leaning on the everlasting arms? 
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, 
leaning on the everlasting arms.

Leaning, leaning, 
safe and secure from all alarms; 
leaning, leaning, 
leaning on the everlasting arms.” E. A. Hoffman (1887)

Lord, keep me looking to and leaning on Your arm, every day, to Your praise.

“Little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure…

“No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning… By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother…

“We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers… 

“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers… Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” 1 John 2:28-3:3,6-10,13-14,16,18

There is great assurance in the declared reality that we are God’s children. We have been born again unto salvation by grace, by faith, into a secure, unbreakable relationship that identifies us in the world as other-worldly. We belong to Christ Jesus forever. We bear an indelible mark, a guaranteed promise of what we are becoming and will become. Life here below is a process of sanctifying childhood. (1 Corinthians 13:9-12; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; 5:1-5; Ephesians 2:8-9)

Children of the Heavenly Father. How seriously do we take God’s identification of us, and with us? Does it compel us to abide in Him so we can say no to sin and be increasingly like Him? What evidence of His nature is there in our attitudes, daily interactions, how we go about work and service and management of resources? As His, freed from sin’s penalty and power over us, are we living as such in our dark world? (Romans 6:3-7,11-14; Galatians 2:20)

Laying down our lives for our brothers can take many forms, from simply preferring another in love to whole surrender of time, dreams, and self for another’s sake. How well and sacrificially are we loving those around us? How does the sure hope of being like Christ change our outlook and motivation today? (John 13:34-35; Romans 12:10; Ephesians 4:32)

“When we all get to heaven,
what a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
we’ll sing and shout the victory!” ~E.E. Hewitt (1898)

Lord, make me- in every impulse and action- like You, to Your glory.

“When… the children of Israel were in the towns, the people gathered as one man to Jerusalem. Then arose Jeshua, with his fellow priests, and Zerubbabel with his kinsmen, and they built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings, as is written in the Law of Moses. They set the altar in its place, for fear was on them because of the peoples of the lands, and they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, burnt offerings morning and evening… But the foundation of the temple of the Lord was not yet laid. So they gave money to the masons and the carpenters, and food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and the Tyrians to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the grant that they had from Cyrus king of Persia.

“In the second year after their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem,.. Zerubbabel and Jeshua made a beginning, together with the rest of their kinsmen, the priests and the Levites and all who had come to Jerusalem from the captivity. They appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to supervise the work of the house of the Lord. And Jeshua with his sons and his brothers, and Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together supervised the workmen in the house of God, along with the sons of Henadad and the Levites, their sons and brothers.

“And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments came forward with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the Lord, according to the directions of David king of Israel. And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord,

“’For he is good,
    for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.’

“And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.” Ezra 3:1-3,6b-11

Exiles returning from Babylonian captivity to Israel had been given a charge by King Cyrus: ‘Go to work, rebuild your temple.’ God stirred their spirits and inspired their contributions. Their ready handling of the task established first the altar, setting the practice of sacrifice and a tempo of joy and praise among all who would participate in the willing and able labor. The completing of the temple foundation evoked great emotion, and they faced persistent opposition and temptation to give up, yet praise and focus on God kept them to the task of rebuilding with vigor and determination. (Ezra 1:1-5; 2:69; 3:12-4:6)

Knowing the God who calls and the specific work He assigns give both structure and freedom to our work. He appoints talents and roles to contribute to His wide kingdom plan. With His providence at the fore, we can delight in doing our part, unconcerned about personal gain. All work performed in answer to God’s call, with His priorities and for His purposes, honors Him and fulfills with joy.

How do we view our work? Are we in it for selfish ends, pursuing notoriety, financial gain, or gratification? Or do we seize it as part of God’s big picture, and exercise diligence and zeal for Him? How does it bring Him glory?

Lord, correct any wrong motives, and help me daily praise and honor You in my work. (Colossians 3:23-24)

“The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment,  and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority.

“Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme… They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.”

“This is the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the prophets and commandment of the Lord.., knowing… that scoffers will come in the last days, following their own sinful desires. They will say, ‘Where is the promise of his coming?..’ For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed… by the word of God… But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are… being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

“But do not overlook.., beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. The day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

“Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God… According to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

“Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. Count the patience of our Lord as salvation… You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ..” 2 Peter 2:9-10,19; 3:1-4a,5,7-15a,17-18

“Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you… And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.” 1 John 2:24a,28

Both Peter and John address fellow believers with tenderness and love, gently but clearly stirring them to live wisely, hopefully, boldly, and righteously, looking to Christ’s return. Amidst persecution and uncertainty, these reminders kept them mentally grounded and spiritually steady. Judgment would surely come, Christ would return in perfect time, and they were to live presently with vitality and confidence in light of these promises.

And so are we. Yes, in the world we have tribulation, but the Lord has overcome and gives grace and victory to compel us forward in peace. His assurances are our hope. (John 16:33)

What are we doing to stir up one another to take hold of God’s promises, to persist in doing good? How regularly do avail ourselves of His instructive, powerful word? When and how do we participate in mutual edification? (Hebrews 10:23-25)

Lord, help me hold fast to and remind others of Your truths, and so increase hope, and bless Your name.