Believe, Do Not Doubt
2 Peter 3 1 Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 2 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.
3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 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.” 5 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. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 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.
8 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. 9 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.
10 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.
11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 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. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.
14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15 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. 16 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.
17 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. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
We have reached the end of Peter’s second letter, where he lifted up the believers, encouraging them to keep their faith regardless of obstacles. There are three ways that will help each of us keep our faith;
- Be faithful in reading the Bible. We cannot know if someone has twisted the Word if we do not know the Word.
- Be faithful in prayer. We cannot know the character of God if we fail to stay in relationship with Him.
- Be faithful to stay in church. It is vital in our Christian walk to find a church where the Bible is preached and to fellowship with likeminded believers.
Today, September 23, 2025, has been speculated by some to be the date of the Rapture of the Church. I believe the Church will be caught up to escape the wrath of God upon the world. I also believe what Jesus said in Matthew 24:36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
It is not our duty to engage in idle speculation, but rather to remain steadfast and vigilant until the end. What matters to me is that I do not waver in being intentional in my discipleship, nor in encouraging fellow believers to be strong in the Lord.
May we remain faithful for all of our lives, leaving footprints of peace wherever we go.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
You Let Me Catch my Breath
Psalms 23 1-3 GOD, my shepherd!
I don’t need a thing.
You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word,
you let me catch my breath
and send me in the right direction.
4 Even when the way goes through
Death Valley,
I’m not afraid
when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd’s crook
makes me feel secure.
5 You serve me a six-course dinner
right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head;
my cup brims with blessing.
6 Your beauty and love chase after me
every day of my life.
I’m back home in the house of GOD
for the rest of my life.
Oh my— just when you think Psalm 23 cannot be more meaningful, you read the scripture in The Message. “I don’t need a thing”—we should say this more often.
“True to your word, you let me catch my breath.” This makes me want to laugh with joy!
“You serve me a six course dinner in front of my enemies. This means I am secure—I do not need to eat on the run. Instead, I feel safe enough to linger, even though the enemy is near.
You lift my head—Your beauty and love chase after me! And, I have a home with You. I didn’t think I could love this Psalm any more, but the translation provided by The Message goes straight to my heart.
Sometimes we just need to look at things through fresh eyes.
May we indeed be reluctant to leave God’s presence, knowing He wants only good for us.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Remembering
2 Peter 1:12-21 (NIV) 12 So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. 13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.
16 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. 17 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.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
19 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. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 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.
What a strange thing it must be to write as Peter did in this letter, knowing that his life would soon be over. Who would you write, what important thoughts would you want to convey?
Peter reminds the Gentiles reading his letter of several things. One of the most consequential was his presence, along with James and John, at the Transfiguration. Can you imagine trying to reduce into words being a witness to Jesus, Moses, and Elijah as the glory of God was revealed? It is moments like this, when God’s supernatural presence breaks through the veil that separates the earth from the heavenlies, that define us. You see, these God encounters will lift us and sustain us during times of distress. Peter knew this.
So, Peter reminds the recipients of this letter that between eyewitness testimony and prophetic messages, God has made known His majesty, and through Jesus He has made known His love. And it is vital that we, today, understand that even though we live in the temporal world, our hope is in the eternal.
May we today and every day keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. And may we, empowered by the Holy Spirit and His Word, take the name of Jesus with us and share Him with all we meet.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Confirming Our Calling
2 Peter 1:3-11 (NIV) 3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 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. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Do we understand that God has given us everything we need to live a godly life? What is a godly life? Quite simply, a godly life is the way we are expected to live. But how? How can mortal man live such a life? Allow me to share with you something it took me a lifetime to learn—if God calls us, He also enables us.
Peter reminds us of the stepping stones by which we can live as those who have escaped the allure of anything this world has to offer. The foundation is faith—did you know we are each given a measure of faith? (Rom 12:3) To our faith we are to add goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.
I have sought after holiness for the better part of my life. Why? Because God says, “I am holy, be thou holy likewise.” I like to remind myself and others that this is not a suggestion, it is an expectation. Have I failed in my endeavors? More times than I can count. Yet, I keep trying to walk on the pathway of holiness. It is a pathway that is sometimes rocky, sometimes full of twists and turns. But there are no dead ends!
May we purpose today to remain on the pathway that leads to holiness, knowing, understanding and believing that we are called and empowered to live in a way that reflects Jesus, only Jesus.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Restore, Confirm, Strengthen And Establish
1 Peter 5:10-14 (ESV) 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Final Greetings
12 By Silvanus (Silas), a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it. 13 She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, my son. 14 Greet one another with the kiss of love.
Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
I Stand Amazed In The Presence
By Charles Gabriel
I stand amazed in the presence
Of Jesus the Nazarene,
And wonder how He could love me,
A sinner condemned, unclean.
How marvelous! How wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
How marvelous! How wonderful!
Is my Savior’s love for me!
On this lovely Friday morning I encounter my God with wonder and amazement, and of course the hymn “O How Marvelous” came to my memory. When I read these last few verses in 1 Peter, I am again assured that the salvation I received through Christ is not for an hour, nor for a day, but for all eternity. And, while I am bound to this earth Christ will restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish me.
Restore—bring back to previous state. We need to understand restoration is so much greater than refinishing or refurbishing. To be restored is to return us to the relationship with God that He intended before sin separated us.
Confirm—to establish the truth. During one of my sermons on the character of God, I said do you know there is one thing God cannot do? A girl around eight years old spoke up loudly and said, “God can do anything.” I answered, “You’re right! God can do anything but lie.” When we are confirmed in Him, we are in a secure position of knowing He is the God of truth.
Strengthen—to make stronger. Again, this is not for a day or even a season. When we walk with God, we are continually made stronger.
Establish—to achieve permanent acceptance. Not temporary and not temporal, but eternal, praise God!
Peter finishes by offering peace to all who are in Christ, and truly, there is no peace apart from Jesus.
May we begin each day by praising God for all He has done, is doing and will continue to do in our lives.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Seeking Holiness 