Hey everyone! ^^

The title's probably very foreign to some of you, but this is just my own tribute to the Lord, here on AFF despite religious differences. My church receives little booklets that are like baby steps towards God every year and I thought I would post them here each and everyday! Or, at least I'll try to haha ^^;;

Journeys of love and reflection. How will it be for you?

[My apologies for not starting @ the beginning of May >_>]

-Love, GinniePark

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Memory Verse of the Week:

"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." - 1 Peter 5:8

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Pursuing Holiness - 2 Peter 2:15-22

The Battle for Our Souls

15: "They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer, who loved the wages of wickedness."

15 They have wandered off the right road and followed the footsteps of Balaam son of Beor, who loved to earn money by doing wrong.

16: "But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey - an animal without speech - who spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet's madness.

16 But Balaam was stopped from his mad course when his donkey rebuked him with a human voice.

17: "These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them.

17 These people are as useless as dried-up springs or as mist blown away by the wind. They are doomed to blackest darkness

18: "For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error."

18 They brag about themselves with empty, foolish boasting. With an appeal to twisted ual desires, they lure back into sin those who have barely escaped from a lifestyle of deception.

19: "They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity - for 'people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.'"

19 They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever corrupts you.

 

True Repentance

20: "If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are obercome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning."

20 And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before.

21: "It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them."

21 It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life.

22: "Of them the proverbs are true: 'A dog returns to its vomit,' and, 'A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.'"

22 They prove the truth of this proverb: "A dog returns to its vomit." And another one says, "A washed pig returns to the mud."

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Reflection

The Battle for Our Souls (2:15-19)

The reason why Peter tells us previously to add to our faith is to ensure that we are strong in spirit and mind (2 Pet. 1:5-8). The false teachings are manipulative and appeal to our sinful desires. That is how the enemy seeks out believers and devours true faith. If we are not vigilant, if we do not build up our faith, we are not guarding ourselves against spiritual warfare, which is a very real battle for Christians. We must be aware of how the enemy fights. Spiritual warfare is not a debate with the enemy but a fight for our very souls. We have to take discipleship seriously. It is not just an easy ride once we "say the magic words." Peter uses strong words to warn believers about remaining pure in spirit, heart, and mind. Let us take heed to continue the road of discipleship.

 

True Repentance

True repentance means that we give up our sinful ways and turn toward God. We die to our sins and choose to live for God above all else. Often we struggle, but as we build up our faith in the way Peter instructs, we are able to overcome and become like Christ. True repentance is necessary in order for us to continue in our sanctification. A lack of true repentance brings us back to our old ways. We 'back-slide' when we don't work to build up our faith. We may be sincere at the moment of conviction, but sincerity does not get us into Heaven. Faith does - faith in Christ and the work of the cross. And we must continually affirm and build up that faith in our lives. Let us resolve not to return to our sin.

**[A/N: Sin is unavoidable, for Adam and Eve sinned and they are the parents of the entire generations. However, He is mainly referring to the sin that we choose to do, not the ones that we can't help.]

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Application:

-Take an honest look into your spiritual growth. Have you really grown, or have you become complacent, just doing 'church' things that you hope will carry you through?

-When it comes to change, we can fool others, and we can even fool ourselves. Thus, we must not cut corners or 'cheat' when it comes to sin. Let's really work to keep it from settling in.

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"Holiness is not to love Jesus and do whatever you want. Holiness is to love God and do what He wants."

-C. Peter Wagner

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Prayer Guide:

Adoration

Confession

Thanksgiving

Supplication

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Encountering God vs. Engaging God

All Christians have a story of how Christ transformed us. Some stories are very dramatic, while others are much milder. Although our testimonies may vary, they should not be stories about how we first met Christ, but how we became engaged with Him. There are many people who attend church but are not saved. These people encounter God every week, and yet they never really engage with God.

The Apostle Peter gives an example of this in 2 Peter 2:15, referring to Balaam, whose story is found in Numbers 22. He was hired by the King Moab to curse Israel. Balaam had a gift. He could pronounce blessings or curses on people, and it would happen. He even encountered the living God! Despite all Balaam had seen and experienced, he loved the world. Even after he just barely escaped death thanks to his donkey, Balaam did not change his heart. God did not allow him to curve Israel, but Balaam introduced ual sins into their camp, and so brought them into wrath before God (Num. 25:1-3; 31:15-16).

He was forever a pig intent on wallowing in the mud. Thomas Shaw B. Reade writes, "The pig, though washed, was a pig still. The outward washing could not change the inward propensity of the animal....The hearts of such people were never renewed, their natures were never changed." Reading the Bible, going to church, and even becoming a pastor do not qualify one as Christian. Although God is encountered at every step, He is not necessarily engaged. Don't engage religion or emotional highs; these do not sufficiently change us. We can only be changed by engaging relationally with God.

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A Letter to God: 

Heavenly Father, hold me close to You.

I know that spiritual warfare is real. I know that the enemy is seeking to break my faith.

Keep me strong. Keep me vigilant. Keep me fighting for your kingdom.

In Jesus' name. Amen.