Through Suffering, Day 30 The future is set. Read 2 Peter 3:3-7. The end of the world and the future of all time is actually already determined. God is victorious and in the final judgment, he will judge all things. Peter reminds the people that there will be those who will forget that God actually did create everything and has the right to judge everything. They will lead their lives as if there is no accountability, when that couldn’t be further from the truth. Almost 2000 years have passed since Peter wrote these words, yet they are still just as true today. So many people have forgotten all that God…

Through Suffering, Day 29 Your thoughts matter. Read 2 Peter 3:1-2. Reading these verses, we see the reason that Peter wrote these two books to the people in first place. Peter wanted them to remember that they needed to be thinking. He wanted to stimulate wholesome thinking. What we think about matters. Our thoughts are the driving force behind everything that we do, the way we do it, and the way we are motivated by it. What are we telling ourselves today? Are we pouring over scripture and feeding ourselves the word of God so that it is in our minds and on our thoughts throughout every single day. We…

Through Suffering, Day 27 God can do unusual things to get our attention. Read 2 Peter 2:10-16. In these verses, I see a number of people who have grown arrogant about their sin. What we find is that even in those circumstances, God tends to get people’s attention. Peter references a story that is told back in Numbers with a Prophet Balaam. In that case, God spoke through a donkey to get his attention. Is God trying to get your attention today? What is he having to do to get it? What response do we need to make to God today?

Through Suffering, Day 26 Judgment will come. Read 2 Peter 2:1-9. Peter reminds the people that God will judge. There will be a moment when those who have done what is righteous and obedient will be rewarded by God and those who have not will be punished by God. Peter sites other examples throughout history where God has brought judgment on those who did not follow God. In today’s society, it can be easy to think of God as just love. And while God is truly the epitome of everything that is love, he is also just and holy. Sin cannot stand, and as a result, God will judge sin.…

Through Suffering, Day 25 Eyewitnesses. Read 2 Peter 1:12-21. Peter is reminding the people that he actually saw and witnessed Jesus Christ in his glory and power. He saw God exalt and glorified Jesus and he saw Jesus exalt and glorifiy the father. He is reminding the people of the truths of the glory of God in every circumstance and through every situation. Sometimes, when we’re going through hard times and difficulties, it can be difficult to remember just exactly how great our God is. So as someone who literally saw it with his own eyes, Peter is writing to the people. Peter says, “Look, I saw these things with…

Through Suffering, Day 24 Do we stumble? Read 2 Peter 1:5-11. Recently, I stumbled and fell. I have been running more lately but I am still not accustomed to it and I lost my footing and fell. I scraped my knee pretty good and have been living with the consequences of my fall for the past week. In these verses today, we see Peter give a long list of all of the attributes that we as Christians are to be demonstrating and living out in our lives. Then he makes this statement, if we do these things we won’t stumble. As we look back on our lives, we stumble sometimes.…

Through Suffering, Day 23 His power. His glory. His goodness. Read 2 Peter 1:3-4. How much of the Christian life do we do on our own? None of it. While God has called us and we have answered that call, that is where our abilities end. Everything that happens after that is a result of God’s glory and God’s goodness in our life. We cannot possibly live the Christian life the way God wants us to if we are trying to do it on our own. It is only through God’s glory, his goodness, and his power that we are able to do anything. Are we getting out of the…

Through Suffering, Day 22 Written to us. Read 2 Peter 1:1-2. As we continue on to the second letter that Peter wrote, we find his introduction and these two short verses. Interestingly, we can understand that this book was written to us. Certainly there were other believers at that time who would have received it first, but as we look at the people that he addressed the letter to, we have to recognize that we are included there. We are those who have also found the saving grace of Jesus Christ. We can take what is written in this letter as a message to each and every one of us.…

Through Suffering, Day 21 We all need help sometimes. Read 1 Peter 5:12-14. We have been reading this letter, written by Peter, that is meant for the suffering believers. However, now we learned that it was not just Peter who wrote this letter, Silas also helped. Peter was at a point where he also needed help, and he allowed Silas to be that help for him so that God’s will could still be accomplished. Do we recognize that we need help often? Are we seeking help from others or do we try to do things on our own too often? As we finish this letter, we have seen the way…