2 Peter 2:1-10a NIV
[1] But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. [2] Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. [3] In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. [4] For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment; [5] if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; [6] if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; [7] and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless [8] (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— [9] if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment. [10] This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh and despise authority.
Dear God, we get so bent on taking out the heretics ourselves, or delivering justice through revenge, that we lose sight of what Peter is calling us to in the previous chapter. We need to live in truth.
My wife has shared a rule about good writing with me. She says that a good writer will “show, not tell.” They won’t tell me how a character feels. They will show me. In the same way, I shouldn’t have to tell someone what kind of a person I am. I should show them. If someone is lying about me, but there is no evidence to back it up then the lie will eventually fall apart. The same is true for you. If someone like a prosperity gospel preacher is saying a bunch of lies about how you feel about wealth, poverty, etc, then my job is to live your truth, not just say it. If I am angry about the new abortion law in New York, my job is to do more than complain about it. My job is to do what I can to help the people who are there, on the ground, helping others.
Father, make me about more than my words. Help me to be a man of action too like Nehemiah was motivated to help rebuild Jerusalem, help me to follow your heart and desires for my life so that I might be an example of you living through a life, be your ambassador to those around me, and be part of your kingdom coming and your will being done on earth as it is in heaven.
In Jesus’ name I pray,
Amen
Emails to God 