July 9th, 2023
Devotional
“Rumors” - 2 Peter 1:16—2:2, 15-19 and Mark 13:5-7
Monday: “Eye Witnesses” - 2 Peter 1:16-18
How do you know what is true? For 2 Peter, the answers seems straight forward - we know what is true because we heard it straight from Jesus’s mouth and saw it with our own eyes.
The even that is being referred to in today’s passage of scripture was the transfiguration, where Jesus took three of the disciples up on the mountain with him and they were blessed to see his shine as bright as the sun and be joined by Elijah and Moses. The disciples were so moved by this experience that all that they can think to do is fall on the ground - and then build monuments to mark what they had just experienced.
But what about us? What about the first hearers of 2 Peter? How do we know what is true when we haven’t had these types of first hand experiences with Christ ourselves?
Then we need to discern.
I like to explain discernment as weighing out with God what is true. Or asking God to reveal truth to us. Sometimes it ca be extremely plain. Other times it can be prolonged or less clear, but we are called on to be a people who trust God to reveal what is true.
Think of a time when you called upon God to help you discern. What was the experience like for you?
Prayer: God of love and light, you have called us to be a people of not just any truth, but your truth. Open up our hearts to seek after you and to align our understanding with what you reveal to us by your grace and mercy. Amen.
Tuesday: “Reliable” - 2 Peter 1: 19-21
Who is your life would you consider to be reliable and why? When I think of someone who is reliable, I think of people who are loyal and trustworthy. People I know that I can count on because they have proven themselves over time.
Peter is reminding people that the words being passed to them are reliable because he, and those communicating with the people, have proven themselves over time by their witness for the Lord.
Not so with false prophets. Not only are they not reliable, but neither are their words - even if they look really good on the surface.
Who in your life has stood the test of time as someone who you trust? And how can you be someone who is reliable in the lives of others as a witness for Jesus Christ?
What makes someone and their words reliable?
Prayer: Lord, we confess that sometimes we get swept up in words that are false, because we fail to understand what makes someone reliable. We look for credibility to come from places other than you, and as such, we are led astray. Forgive us, O Lord, we pray. Amen.
Wednesday: “False Prophets” - 2 Peter 2: 1-2
You will know people by their fruit. While this is an incredibly true statement, sometimes we get confused about the types of fruit that we are looking for. We get caught up in the glitz of large crowds or the excitement of others instead of seeing if the fruit points to the fruits of the Spirit that Paul lays out in Galatians.
Does it call us to increase in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control or not?
False prophets sound really good to the ear, but their message does not lead to the fruit of the Spirit because it is not of God. Its like an apple that looks good from the front, but the back doesn’t. Or one that looks good on the outside, but on the inside is rotten. Not all fruit is equal.
How do you discern is someone is trustworthy?
Prayer: Lord, we thank you for guiding us by your word to look for the fruit that comes from you! Amen and amen!
Thursday: “Entice People” - 2 Peter 2: 15-19
This week I was reading a book of sermons from young pastors under the age of 29 about the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew. One of them was about Enron - the company that tricked so many people and caused so much harm.
Why was this possible? Because we aren’t always great about sifting out the true from the false. Sometimes we want things to be true so badly, that we look past the signs of falsehood.
2 Peter does not mince words about false prophets or their promises - saying that the freedom that they are trying to lead people to is not freedom at all. Instead, it leads people to be slaves of depravity.
Enron and 2 Peter remind us that none of us are beyond being swept up by trickery. Hence the need for people to continually be pointing us to the truth and for us to be seeking God above all else in our hearts.
Tell of a time when you were tricked. What made this possible?
Prayer: Lord, you thank you that your ways are better than all of the ways of the world. Let our hearts and minds be so focused on you that we are not deceived by the ways of falsehood around us. Amen.
Friday: “Deceives” - Mark 13: 5-7
Lest we think that this is a problem that is particular to the audience being addressed in 2 Peter, we only need to look back to Jesus’s own words in the Gospel of Mark to know that there are people who exist to deceive others. We must take care to be attentive to our time and relationship with God so we can be firmly grounded in the truth.
I once had a prayer partner who reminded me to pray the names of Jesus. We would often pray to Jesus who is the Truth to make his truth known.
We are all in need of such “T” truth in our hearts and lives.
How do you discern what is true?
Prayer: God of all power and authority, help us to be steeped in your truth, as the one who has revealed truth in your son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
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