Hey Everyone! I hope you have a wonderful Saturday! It will be even better now that you have done your devotions!! Alright, well let's get to it!
II Peter 3
(The promises of God)
1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder),
2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior,
3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts,
4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”
5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water,
6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.
7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Wow, at first it took a second for me to get into this passage but by the time I got to the end, this was definitely one of my favorite... Here is what it is saying: Jesus left and told us that He will come back again someday... Well, there are many unbelievers and mockers who say... YEAH RIGHT!! He is not coming back!! All of those old people in the Bible are dead and their not coming back... Have you ever heard someone say that? Whether on TV or at school or something like that? There are scoffers everywhere... Well the end of this passage explains something to us in a GREAT WAY!!!
Do you ever sit around and think to yourself... come on, He said He was coming back in a "short time" and it has been 2,000 years!!! What kind of short time is that?!?!
Well, did you read verse 8? " Dont forget this: A Day for God is like 1,000 days for us!!"
That literally means that God has only been gone for a short time from his perspective, only like 2 days!! WOW!! That is so great!!
The end of this passage reminds us, THE LORD IS NOT SLACK CONCERNING HIS PROMISES!!! in other words, he will not break his promises! He will come through on everything that he ever promises us!! WHAT A GREAT PASSAGE!!!
I AM SOOOOOOOO thankful for Gods longsuffering in my life... He is willing to forgive me over and over and over and over!!!! Thank you Lord for you Mercy!!
FRIDAY, February 20th, 2009
IT IS FRIDAY!!!! YAY!!!!!
I love Fridays! What are your plans for the weekend?
12 But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption,
13 and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you,
14 having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children.
15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
16 but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.
17 These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
Deceptions of False Teachers
18 For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error.
19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.
20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.
21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.
22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”
This is something new to me. If I am understanding this correctly it is telling us that false doctrine is SUCH A DANGEROUS thing! And FALSE TEACHERS are just as dangerous! It says that these teachers will teach things that sound like freedom and epace, but the truth is that if it is through anything but Jesus Christ, there will be no freedom, but only bondage!!
Not only are they dangerous when you are involved in them, but if you have allowed false doctrines and false teachers to form any part of your mind, there is a good change you are more vulnerable to falacies!
Let me explain... Peter shares the old proverb: As a Dog returns to his vomit, so a man returneth to his folly!! In other words, we must guard our hearts and guard our mind, because the consequences and the danger of taking part in false doctrine...
So you may be asking yourself... HOW DO WE KNOW THAT PASTOR LEE IS NOT GIVING US FALSE DOCTRINE?? Well, check what I am saying what what the word of God says. We should always use discernment by comparing peoples words to Gods word!!
That is another reason why it is so important to BE IN GODS WORD!!!.... so DO YOUR DEVOTIONS!!!! :)
Love you guys!
I love Fridays! What are your plans for the weekend?
12 But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption,
13 and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you,
14 having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children.
15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
16 but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.
17 These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
Deceptions of False Teachers
18 For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error.
19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.
20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.
21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.
22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”
This is something new to me. If I am understanding this correctly it is telling us that false doctrine is SUCH A DANGEROUS thing! And FALSE TEACHERS are just as dangerous! It says that these teachers will teach things that sound like freedom and epace, but the truth is that if it is through anything but Jesus Christ, there will be no freedom, but only bondage!!
Not only are they dangerous when you are involved in them, but if you have allowed false doctrines and false teachers to form any part of your mind, there is a good change you are more vulnerable to falacies!
Let me explain... Peter shares the old proverb: As a Dog returns to his vomit, so a man returneth to his folly!! In other words, we must guard our hearts and guard our mind, because the consequences and the danger of taking part in false doctrine...
So you may be asking yourself... HOW DO WE KNOW THAT PASTOR LEE IS NOT GIVING US FALSE DOCTRINE?? Well, check what I am saying what what the word of God says. We should always use discernment by comparing peoples words to Gods word!!
That is another reason why it is so important to BE IN GODS WORD!!!.... so DO YOUR DEVOTIONS!!!! :)
Love you guys!
THURSDAY, February 19th, 2009
II Peter 2:
1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.
2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.
3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.
Doom of False Teachers
4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;
5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;
6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly;
7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked
8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)—
9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,
10 and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries,
11 whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord.
This passage is very simple... God means business when it comes to sin and when it comes to false dictrines!! Peter explains by sharing several examples of Gods wrath... Remember when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorah? What makes you think that He wont do the same thing in your life to show you how much He hates sin? Our God is a loving God, but He is also a God of wrath!! He is the enemy of sin and will cast down his righteous judgment on anyone that is involved in sin...
If you are living in sin right now, it is only by Gods grace that He is allowing you to read this passage as a fair warning and Red Flag saying: STAY AWAY FROM SIN!!!!!!!!!
IT WILL DESTROY YOUR LIFE!!!!!
1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.
2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.
3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.
Doom of False Teachers
4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;
5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;
6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly;
7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked
8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)—
9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,
10 and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries,
11 whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord.
This passage is very simple... God means business when it comes to sin and when it comes to false dictrines!! Peter explains by sharing several examples of Gods wrath... Remember when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorah? What makes you think that He wont do the same thing in your life to show you how much He hates sin? Our God is a loving God, but He is also a God of wrath!! He is the enemy of sin and will cast down his righteous judgment on anyone that is involved in sin...
If you are living in sin right now, it is only by Gods grace that He is allowing you to read this passage as a fair warning and Red Flag saying: STAY AWAY FROM SIN!!!!!!!!!
IT WILL DESTROY YOUR LIFE!!!!!
WEDNESDAY, February 18th, 2009
Hey Everyone! Good to see you on the devos yesterday! We are going to have an INCREDIBLE NIGHT TONIGHT AND NEXT WEDNESDAY NIGHT!!! I AM SO EXCITED MAKE SURE YOU ATTEND!!
Ok, onto the devotions!
(by the way mcCue, I am excited about recipies thank you... in fact, I am eating my own homeade butterscotch oatmeal cookies right now, and I bought chocolate chips to make some secret recepie chocolate chip cookies!!!!!!! :)
Ok, II Peter 1:12-21
12 For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth.
13 Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this taberbacle, to stir you up by reminding you,
14 knowing that shortly I must put off my tabernacle, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me.
15 Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.
The Trustworthy Prophetic Word
16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;
20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,
21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
I LOVE PETER!! This guy is so great, he explains, Hey, you need to remember the truths of Gods word... I am going to die, and when I do you will have to remember on your own, so while I am alive I am going to PUSH YOU AND PUSH YOU AND PUSH YOU TO REMEMBER THE LORD!!!! (when he is talking about "putting off the tabernacle" he is talking about his body dying: Remeber our body is the temple or the tabernacle of the Lord)
So, Peter is passionate about using every breath even to his last dying breath to share the message of Christ!! Are we that passionate? Do we share Christ and then quickly give up? Peter did not give up!
Why was Peter so passionate, because he didnt just hear made up stories about Jesus (cunningly devised fables) HE EXPERIENCED JESUS!!!! He talked with him and listned to Him and hugged him and knew him!!! He was so passionate about Jesus because He had been face to face with his Amazing Savior!
Are you passionate about Jesus? Maybe I am not as passionate about my savior because I do not know Him as well as Peter did!! I need to get to know my savior even more!
Ok, onto the devotions!
(by the way mcCue, I am excited about recipies thank you... in fact, I am eating my own homeade butterscotch oatmeal cookies right now, and I bought chocolate chips to make some secret recepie chocolate chip cookies!!!!!!! :)
Ok, II Peter 1:12-21
12 For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth.
13 Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this taberbacle, to stir you up by reminding you,
14 knowing that shortly I must put off my tabernacle, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me.
15 Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.
The Trustworthy Prophetic Word
16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;
20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,
21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
I LOVE PETER!! This guy is so great, he explains, Hey, you need to remember the truths of Gods word... I am going to die, and when I do you will have to remember on your own, so while I am alive I am going to PUSH YOU AND PUSH YOU AND PUSH YOU TO REMEMBER THE LORD!!!! (when he is talking about "putting off the tabernacle" he is talking about his body dying: Remeber our body is the temple or the tabernacle of the Lord)
So, Peter is passionate about using every breath even to his last dying breath to share the message of Christ!! Are we that passionate? Do we share Christ and then quickly give up? Peter did not give up!
Why was Peter so passionate, because he didnt just hear made up stories about Jesus (cunningly devised fables) HE EXPERIENCED JESUS!!!! He talked with him and listned to Him and hugged him and knew him!!! He was so passionate about Jesus because He had been face to face with his Amazing Savior!
Are you passionate about Jesus? Maybe I am not as passionate about my savior because I do not know Him as well as Peter did!! I need to get to know my savior even more!
TUESDAY, February 17th, 2009
Hey Guys! I hope you had a great day yesterday! I am glad you are on these devotions!!!
Victoria: I AM SO GLAD YOU CAME ON HERE!!!!! I AM EXCITED ABOUT SEEING YOU GET MORE INVOLVED!! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!
Michael: Those were some great thoughts about pride! By the way: The reason Satan hates us so much is because He Hates God, and he wants to break Gods heart by leading us away from the Lord... doesnt that make sense?
Alright, onto 2nd PETER
1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,
4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Fruitful Growth in the Faith
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,
7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;
11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
This is a little deep but very important! I heard a great message on verses 5,6,and 7 one time. It was all about how if we are going to be Godly then we must grow Godly. The way that we grow Godly is by following these steps! First we must DILIGENTLY ADD TO OUR FAITH!!!! What are we to add you might ask? We are to add Virtue! What are we to add to our virtue?? KNOWLEDGE! We must seek to know God and to know His word!! To knowledge we must add self control! If we are going to be Godly then we must control our self!! As the Bible puts it: We must die to ourself! then to self control perserverance! Then you will have Godliness!!!! If you grow in Godliness then you will also grow in kindness and love!
This is like a recepie! I made some delicious betterscotch oatmeal cookies last week, and the trick to make them taste DELICIOUS is to FOLLOW THE RECIPIE!!!!! I believe it goes the same way with the method of becoming Godly! If you want to be Godly then simply follow the recipie listed above with Fervency and persistence!!
Victoria: I AM SO GLAD YOU CAME ON HERE!!!!! I AM EXCITED ABOUT SEEING YOU GET MORE INVOLVED!! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!
Michael: Those were some great thoughts about pride! By the way: The reason Satan hates us so much is because He Hates God, and he wants to break Gods heart by leading us away from the Lord... doesnt that make sense?
Alright, onto 2nd PETER
1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,
4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Fruitful Growth in the Faith
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,
7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;
11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
This is a little deep but very important! I heard a great message on verses 5,6,and 7 one time. It was all about how if we are going to be Godly then we must grow Godly. The way that we grow Godly is by following these steps! First we must DILIGENTLY ADD TO OUR FAITH!!!! What are we to add you might ask? We are to add Virtue! What are we to add to our virtue?? KNOWLEDGE! We must seek to know God and to know His word!! To knowledge we must add self control! If we are going to be Godly then we must control our self!! As the Bible puts it: We must die to ourself! then to self control perserverance! Then you will have Godliness!!!! If you grow in Godliness then you will also grow in kindness and love!
This is like a recepie! I made some delicious betterscotch oatmeal cookies last week, and the trick to make them taste DELICIOUS is to FOLLOW THE RECIPIE!!!!! I believe it goes the same way with the method of becoming Godly! If you want to be Godly then simply follow the recipie listed above with Fervency and persistence!!
MONDAY, February 16th, 2009
Well, Ladies and Gentleman, I must tell you the guys of Suncoast Youth Group faught the feirce and brutal and unforgiving WILD last night and SURVIVED!!!! If you were a guy and you did not come... (MICHAEL STRATTON) :)
No but seriously! We had a BLAST!!! The guys are already planning the next trip and we are looking to plan this one in the end of April. Dont worry Girls, you will be able to join us on this one! A couple of the guys could not stop talking about how much they missed the girls all night... (JOHN MASSEY)
Well, lets get on to the spiritual part of this devotion!!
I Peter 5
1 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:
2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;
3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;
4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.
5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “ God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
12 By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.
13 She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son.
14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Wow! this is one cool passage! It has several important lessons! Verse 5 is so important to understand! Our natural man, the flesh loves to "love itself", it seems way to easy to follow the flesh and be proud, but we must remind ourself that when we choose to live in a spirit of pride, we also choose to be far from God. This verse is clear: GOD RESISTETH THE PROUD!!
Have you ever resisted someone? I mean, you saw them at Wal-Mart or the Mall or something, and you duck down, and walk all the way in the opposite direction of where you wanted to go, because you are trying to resist seeing that someone...? Well, that is the idea here, God wants nothing to do with a PROUD servant! Because the fact is that a proud servant is Generally only the servant of HIMSELF! Instead we should be humble!
Not only does God resist the proud but he POURS OUT GRACE to the Humble! Oh how wonderful that is! I want God's grace poured out all over me!
Then verse 8, is definitely one that you should MEMORIZE!!! YOUR ENEMY THE DEVIL WANTS TO EAT YOU UP AND DESTROY YOU!! This is so important to remind ourselves, there have been MANY TIMES IN MY LIFE where I was so decieved by that nasty lion who wanted to destroy me, I thought he was just a little house cat, something to play around with, but that is NOT the case... Satan wants to destroy ME! Satan wants to destroy this youth group! My Family! My Friends! My Church! My Ministry! My Children! EVERYTHING I HAVE SATAN HATES!
He is no one to "play" with! Stay away from sin! It is dangerous! It will destroy you!
No but seriously! We had a BLAST!!! The guys are already planning the next trip and we are looking to plan this one in the end of April. Dont worry Girls, you will be able to join us on this one! A couple of the guys could not stop talking about how much they missed the girls all night... (JOHN MASSEY)
Well, lets get on to the spiritual part of this devotion!!
I Peter 5
1 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:
2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;
3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;
4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.
5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “ God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
12 By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.
13 She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son.
14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Wow! this is one cool passage! It has several important lessons! Verse 5 is so important to understand! Our natural man, the flesh loves to "love itself", it seems way to easy to follow the flesh and be proud, but we must remind ourself that when we choose to live in a spirit of pride, we also choose to be far from God. This verse is clear: GOD RESISTETH THE PROUD!!
Have you ever resisted someone? I mean, you saw them at Wal-Mart or the Mall or something, and you duck down, and walk all the way in the opposite direction of where you wanted to go, because you are trying to resist seeing that someone...? Well, that is the idea here, God wants nothing to do with a PROUD servant! Because the fact is that a proud servant is Generally only the servant of HIMSELF! Instead we should be humble!
Not only does God resist the proud but he POURS OUT GRACE to the Humble! Oh how wonderful that is! I want God's grace poured out all over me!
Then verse 8, is definitely one that you should MEMORIZE!!! YOUR ENEMY THE DEVIL WANTS TO EAT YOU UP AND DESTROY YOU!! This is so important to remind ourselves, there have been MANY TIMES IN MY LIFE where I was so decieved by that nasty lion who wanted to destroy me, I thought he was just a little house cat, something to play around with, but that is NOT the case... Satan wants to destroy ME! Satan wants to destroy this youth group! My Family! My Friends! My Church! My Ministry! My Children! EVERYTHING I HAVE SATAN HATES!
He is no one to "play" with! Stay away from sin! It is dangerous! It will destroy you!
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