Monthly Archives: July 2020

Accountability, Advice, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Deceit, Deception, Encouragement, Foundation, Judgment, Mentoring, Parenting, Scripture

SHHH, IT’S A SECRET

2 PETER 2:1

“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.” 

We are wary of false teachers. Any of us who study God’s Word know they are out there, and we stand united against them. Most of them are easy to spot. They say things that go contrary to His teachings. But sometimes there are teachers that are just plain sneaky. Peter warns against them in this verse.

The Greek word for “secretly” is only used right here in 2 Peter 2:1. It means to bring in aside, to enter by stealth. In other words, they are slick. They slide in beside you and whisper these things so smoothly you believe they are true. They sound so good and reasonable. Don’t fall for it.

APPLICATION

Kids love secrets, don’t they? There is nothing wrong with secrets as long as they don’t hurt anyone. But we need to warn our children against those who want them to keep secrets that could harm someone else. Also, if anyone wants them to keep a secret that goes against God’s Word, that’s a huge red flag. The devil is deceptive. He sneaks in through ugly secrets.

Make a pact with your children to not keep secrets from each other. This is so important as they get older. Teens typically don’t discuss much of their lives with their parents. Listen to me – the devil, the ultimate false teacher, loves that. He loves to drive a wedge between parent and child. Don’t let him do it.

Are you grounded enough in God’s Word to recognize these false teachers? Their lies can be so convincing if you aren’t careful. Remember Scripture always agrees with Scripture. It won’t contradict itself. Check out any teacher by His Word. That is the ultimate judge.

Keep me alert, Lord, to those who want to deceive me. Help me protect others from those who want to tear them down.

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Advice, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Commitment, Encouragement, Following, Gospel, Holy Spirit, Inspirational, Mentoring, Modeling, Obedience, Parenting, Promises, Scripture

MOVED BY THE SPIRIT

2 PETER 1:21

“for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”

The Bible is a remarkable piece of work. Written by at least thirty-five and possibly up to forty different authors over a two century period, it contains one message – the salvation of mankind through God’s Son. The Holy Spirit inspired each and every author to write in their own culture this message of hope.

Yes, all those authors, but really one messenger – God through the Spirit. The Bible is not a history book or a book of literature telling interesting stories. If you try to read the Bible without understanding this, you won’t get past Genesis 1. Who creates the world in six days? God can and He did. That takes faith. Every single word written was in God’s thought long before it was penned.

APPLICATION

Our children must be brought up to understand this truth about Scripture. It’s not just another book. It’s not just for Sundays. We have to show them the importance of the Bible by the way we handle it. Are we reading it regularly? Are we memorizing the words spoken so long ago?

Challenge your child to memorize a verse per week. Start small but don’t stay there. As your child (and you) mature in your Bible memorization, try a chapter of a Pauline letter. Then try a whole book of the Bible. What? That’s not possible. Of course, it is, but it does take time and practice. Ingest God’s Word and let the Holy Spirit, who inspired it in the first place, empower you to remember it.

How are you doing with the Word? Do you really believe it is inspired? If you do, then apply it to your life today. Try this little trick. Before you read, ask the Lord to show you a new nugget of truth. He will. He wants to. He is not trying to hide His truths from you, but you have to willing to receive them. Be willing.

I can’t wait to come to Your Word each day. Your truths propel me throughout my days.

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Advice, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Disciplemaking, Following, Holy Spirit, Knowledge, Mentoring, Parenting, Scripture

NO INTERPRETATION NEEDED

2 PETER 1:20

“But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation,” 

No truer statement has ever been made. It is not up to us to determine what prophecy or Scripture means. It must speak for itself. We can force it into our own little box and make it say what we want it to say. A friend of mine has said, “Scripture is like a prisoner of war. Torture it enough and it will say anything you want it to say.”

The Greek word for “interpretation” is only used here. It means to get to the bottom of things. I love digging out Scripture. I love finding out the meanings of the original Greek, Hebrew or Aramaic words. But it is not up to me to interpret the Scriptures according to my own thinking. I have to trust the Holy Spirit to reveal to me how to apply it to my life.

APPLICATION

Have you ever spent time with your child studying vocabulary words? I am sure you have. Every once in a while, a new word pops up that they have never seen. It takes a while for them to learn how to spell it and learn its definition. That definition isn’t dependent on your child’s understanding of the word. The definition is the definition. Period.

However, someone else may read the same word and understand it differently. The read the same definition but their mind processes it differently. The Holy Spirit does that for us with Scripture. Five people can read the same verse, and the Spirit will show them five different truths. There is only one interpretation, but there are various applications.

How are you reading His Word? Do you approach it with an open or closed mind? Let me encourage you to allow the Spirit to speak through the pages today. Expect something new. Expect the voice of God to boom through the words as you read.

Father, thank You for Your Word. Thank You that each day I can experience a brand new truth.

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Accountability, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Commands, Devil, Direction, Encouragement, Following, Light, Modeling, Obedience, Parenting, Scripture

PAY ATTENTION

2 PETER 1:19

So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.

Does your mind ever wander when someone is trying to tell you something? I think men have an extra gene that causes that sometimes, lol. Seriously, since my chemotherapy I find myself having to concentrate harder to accomplish some things. I either forget what I’m doing or get distracted by something else. I even go into rooms sometimes and forget why I went in there.

Peter is telling us to pay close attention to the words he has written, to the prophetic word. We have been warned. We have been taught. We have been given the truth through the Word of God to live by. What we do with that is our choice. What we can’t choose is the consequences for disobeying it. The lamp truly is shining in a dark place.

APPLICATION

Kids love flashlights and candles. There is just something about getting in a dark room with all the lights off and lighting a candle or turning on a flashlight. It’s amazing how even the smallest light in a completely dark room can chase away the darkness. Try this with your child. They will love it.

Show them this verse and explain how the light of His Word does the same thing to the darkness in our world. Satan cannot stand up to God’s Word. He has no power over it. When we feel the darkness, we need to strike the match of truth to drive it away.

How are you walking? Are you walking in light or darkness? It really is your choice. But don’t blame God when you stumble in that darkness because you refuse to use the light of His Word to guide you. And the beauty of His light is it never dims. It is always bright.

Shine Your light on me, dear Lord. Light up the path I am traveling today. 

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Bible, Blessing, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Encouragement, Glory, Hearing, Inspirational, Mentoring, Modeling, Parenting, Scripture, Teaching

BROUGHT ALONG TO HEAR

2 PETER 1:18

“and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.”

Peter had the privilege, along with James and John, to see Jesus transfigured on the mountain and to hear God’s voice from heaven. Can you imagine being there? It must have been quite the scene. They were overwhelmed. They saw Jesus in all His glory for a moment.

But I want you to see something in this verse. The phrase “when we were with Him” could be translated “when we were brought along with Him.” Do you see the difference? Jesus intentionally brought Peter, James and John along so they could witness this and hear from God directly. It was no mistake. Jesus wasn’t surprised by this. He knew what was going to happen.

APPLICATION

Have you ever brought your children along with you to see something so they would not forget it? I remember I used to take my son with me to watch the deer crossing the road to feed. It was a special time for us. One night we got to see an albino doe and her piebald fawn. You had to be there to appreciate it. Words wouldn’t describe it.

You need to invite your children to experience holy moments. Spending time in prayer with your children is one such moment. It’s a chance for them to hear you talk to the Father. Who knows, maybe the Father will choose that moment to talk to them. Wouldn’t that be fabulous? But they have to be there.

Have you missed hearing God’s voice because you weren’t “in the moment”? God is always ready to speak. Our problem is we aren’t always ready or willing to listen. Hearing God’s voice can change your life. Are you ready to listen?

Speak Lord! I want to hear Your voice.

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Accountability, Advice, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Commitment, Encouragement, Foundation, Inspirational, Mentoring, Obedience, Parenting, Perseverance, Scripture, Submission, Testimony

WELL-PLEASED

2 PETER 1:17

“For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, ‘This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased’”

Peter heard these words spoken by God Himself at the time of Jesus’ transfiguration on the mountain (Matthew 17:1-8). At the time he heard that he fell on his face trembling. We would probably do the same if a voice from heaven speak to us. And Peter believed the voice. He listened to Jesus and followed Him.

Let me ask you a question. Is He well-pleased with you? Well, sure He is, Carl. I go to church, give my tithe and try to be nice to everyone. Is that what Jesus did as the Son of Man? No! Jesus surrendered His life as a sacrifice for all mankind. Now, we can’t save mankind, but we can live a sacrificial life for others.

APPLICATION

Have you told your children lately how pleased you are with them? They really need to hear that. Give them opportunities to do things well. Don’t set the bar so high that they can’t possibly succeed. Children need small wins first. Things like teaching them to pick up their toys and bragging on them when it’s done are important.

And they are going to need spiritual wins. That, of course, starts with a firm foundation which you have laid with Scripture and prayer. When they pray for something and see that prayer answered, tell them how pleased you are that they trusted the Lord with that. When you observe them putting their faith into action by taking part in that mission outreach, make sure you tell them how pleased you are. They need to hear you say that again and again.

So, let me ask you again. Is He well-pleased with you? What have you done in the name of Christ to merit that? I am NOT saying we have to DO things to earn His love. He loves us unconditionally. We do things because of His love. And in return we can hear Him say This is my child with whom I am well-pleased. How sweet is that?

I want to please You, Lord. I want to hear those words from You. Forgive me for not being more obedient when You clearly give me opportunities.

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Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Encouragement, Following, Inspirational, Mentoring, Modeling, Parenting, Prayer, Remembering, Scripture, Testimony, Witnessing

DID YOU SEE THAT?

2 PETER 1:16

“For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.” 

You have probably heard the expression, “Believe nothing you hear and half of what you see.” That is true most of the time. Heresay is just that. People like to talk and things get exaggerated or made up along the way. Peter knew that. That’s why is makes his point clear.

I found it interesting that the Greek word for “eyewitnesses” only appears right here. Remember, Peter was an eyewitness of Jesus. He spent three years with Him. Many scholars believe Peter was referring to Jesus’ transfiguration on the mountain when he mentions His majesty. That would certainly leave a lasting impact on your life.

APPLICATION

Children need some lasting impressions during their childhood. They need to be eyewitnesses to faith being lived out. We adults tend to shield our children from the difficulties of life. There may be times when that is necessary. But we can also use those experiences to teach invaluable lessons to our children.

When you face your next trial (don’t worry, it’s coming) involve your children as much as you can. Let them know what is going on and engage them in prayer. And when the Lord answers that prayer (and He will) make sure they know it. Celebrate it. Make that a part of your family tradition.

Are you an eyewitness of His majesty? Of course, you are. The moment you encountered Christ and gave Him your heart, you became an eyewitness. And what do eyewitnesses do? They give testimony to what they have seen. Do that today.

I can see You, Lord. You have allowed me to be an eyewitness of Your grace and mercy. I praise You for the privilege.

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Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Exhortation, Holy Spirit, Inspirational, Mentoring, Modeling, Parenting, Remembering, Scripture

REMEMBRANCE

2 PETER 1:15

“And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you will be able to call these things to mind.”

If you have followed any of my devotionals, you know I love word studies. I find it interesting when words are only used once in Scripture. We have another “one time” use in today’s verse. The phrase “call…to mind” is a Greek word used only here. It refers to a lasting memory, something worthy to be remembered.

Peter is telling us that we need to remember the things he has been teaching us in this letter. The words he wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit weren’t meant just for the recipients of that letter. They were meant for us as well. What have you remembered? What will you remember?

APPLICATION

How do you teach your children to remember anything? By repeating your instructions until they get it, by repetition. Living the Christian life isn’t just about going to church on Sundays. It’s so much more. It’s daily driving home the principles of God’s Word to our family.

Dads, can I call you out? It is your responsibility to disciple your children. I don’t mean you have to have a thirty minute devotion every day. Sometimes the best discipling occurs hands on, doing life. You need to show them how to walk with Christ in your everyday life. They learn from watching you. They will “call to mind” those exhibitions of faith.

Will you remember? How can you forget? God is at work all around you. Will you watch and learn? And during those times when all hope seems to be gone, remember what He has done in the past. Call to mind all His acts of grace and mercy. Remember!

Father God, You have blessed me beyond measure. Keep my mind clear to recall all You have done. I will remember.

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Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Death, Encouragement, Eternity, Fear, Heaven, Inspirational, Mentoring, Modeling, Parenting, Scripture

GOING HOME

2 PETER 1:14

“knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.” 

The Lord speaks to my wife from time to time very clearly and tells her things that are going to come to pass. I’ve often joked that if my wife tells me I am going to die, I am going to go ahead and crawl in the grave. LOL. That’s not being morbid. I just know she hears from the Lord. Peter had heard from the Lord that his days were short on this earth. He was at peace with this.

We know that Peter was crucified upside down. He requested that because he felt he didn’t deserve to die in the same manner as His Lord. But he was ready to go. He knew where he was going. He had given his life to Christ and had spent the remainder of his life serving the Lord.

APPLICATION

Death is not something we discuss with our children very often. That usually doesn’t happen unless a friend or family member passes away. But death shouldn’t be a taboo topic in our households. For believers, death is just a portal to glory. We may not like the idea of dying, but death is not to be feared.

I truly believe the more we talk about death with our children when the proper times arise, the better it is for them. Death, for believers, is not final. It’s actually a beginning. They need to know that. Death brings us face to face with the One whom we love – Jesus. Why should that be scary? It’s not.

Do you fear death? Don’t! Rest in the knowledge that Christ has you securely in His arms. He paid the ultimate price for us on the cross so that death would not have a grip on us. We pass from this life to the next with expectancy. When we close our eyes in death, the next face we see will be Jesus. Hallelujah!

Death, where is your sting? Death, where is your victory? Thank You, Lord, for removing the threat of death from me when I gave my life to You.

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Accountability, Advice, Bible, Commands, Courage, Direction, Encouragement, God's Will, Inspirational, Joy, Modeling

STIR ME UP, LORD

2 PETER 1:13

“I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder,”

Have you ever been stirred up about something? I have seen large crowds stirred up over a bad call by a referee on the ballfield. I have been stirred up over bad news that I received about something. I did a little digging on this Greek word for “stir up.” I found a couple of interesting things.

This word is only used 6 times in the New Testament. Four of those times refer to Jesus or His actions. Check them out at Mark 4:39, Luke 8:24 (twice) and John 6:18. In three of these Jesus is stirred and in one He stirs the water (I believe He did that to teach the disciples). The other two times the word in used is here in 2 Peter (1:13 and 3:1).

Listen to me. Jesus is involved in all this stirring. He stirs us up for a purpose. The Holy Spirit inspired Peter to pen these words stating that through the Spirit he would stir them up to godly living. Don’t we all need that?

APPLICATION

I don’t know why, but I have this image in my head of children riding one of those little teacup rides at the carnival. You know the ride. You sit in a curved seat enclosure and the seat spins around on a circular track while the whole ride spins around. That’s what I call getting stirred up.

Now, God doesn’t want to make us sick, like that carnival ride. But He does want us to get out our complacency and get enthused about living for Him. We need someone to stir us up. We need someone to shake us up sometimes.

Are you finding yourself in need of being stirred up? Ask the Holy Spirit to send someone into your life to do that. It may be your spouse. It may be a friend from church. Whomever it is, listen to them. Let the Spirit speak through them to get you stirred up for Jesus.

Lord, thanks for stirring me up. Thanks for “unsettling” me at times to move me on to serving You.

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