Bible Lessons From 2 Peters

Worship this Sunday was incredible. The music was exta-extraordinary, which for Stonebriar Community Church is saying a lot.

We enjoyed the full orchestra and choir. They were hitting everything out of the ballpark. Even us regular folks were singing at full tilt, at least I know I was.

Fortunately I had time to absorb hymn 705 before the service began so I could sing it all the way through without tearing up. One of these days, Lord willing, I’ll write Ray of Hope so y’all can know why It Is Well makes such an impact on me.

We’ve been working through the gospel by Matthew, lately. It’s been well over a year, but when Chuck Swindoll is preaching nobody keeps track of such things. At 82 he’s never been more passionate about preaching God’s Word.

Last week we saw Jesus praise Peter for stating that Jesus is the Messiah. This week Peter got knocked down to the lowest level when Jesus called him Satan for rebuking the Lord.

Makes me glad I wasn’t one of the disciples so everyone would know my failings for centuries thereafter.

I don’t think I’d be any different than old Pete. He’d grown up being told the Messiah would get rid of the Romans and set up His kingdom. How in the world could the Messiah lead anybody after he’s dead?

The key is that we need to stop thinking horizontally and start thinking vertically. Sounds like something Pastor Chuck would come up with. Another pitch sent out of the ballpark.

The lessons didn’t come close to stopping after the final Amen from the pulpit.

Every month our Missional Living department holds a lunch and meeting to share what’s happening and how we can get involved. This was one of those weeks I had to go for the free food as much as anything else since my paycheck wasn’t deposited on Friday because of a national holiday. Sorry for venting on you like that.

They brought in a very special guest this week. Peter M. from Moscow, Russia (I’d like to print his last name but I’m afraid I’d embarrass myself by mis-spelling it here.). He’s the president of the Seminary there.

Peter brought in the most amazing thing I think I will ever see in my life. He was generous enough to pass it around so we could see it first-hand. I took a picture of it here.

Russian New Testament and Psalms under communism
Russian New Testament and Psalms under communism

This is the extent Christians had to go through to have any part of the Bible of there own. This is the actual New Testament and Psalms in Russian. Peter demonstrated that it was small enough that a person could hold in their fist while the house and pockets were being searched by the government authorities. The magnifying glass was so you could actually read it.

I took that picture on top of my own Bible I’ve been using for nearly 30 years. The can behind it is a twelve ounce can of a popular carbonated beverage.

If you feel ashamed for taking your freedoms so for granted go right ahead. I did as soon as I touched that precious invention.

I have at least five Bibles in my apartment right now and many more books that expound on its teachings, including some I wrote. Most of them are out in plain sight.

America is far from perfect. We’re experiencing some of the worst of it now. It appears our freedom to worship God in our own way is going to remain stable for the foreseeable future.

I have an even better, more secure place to have a Bible in your own language than a palm-sized creation. Hide it your heart by memorizing it in your mind. That way you’ll have it available for the spiritual combat we all face daily.

Yeah, that’s the sword of the Spirit the Bible is talking about.

I’ll see you later.   Wade

By wadewebster

I'm a truck driver turned writer. My writing drives people to Jesus. I love sunsets/sunrises, dark chocolate, coffee, cats and dogs (as long as their owners pick up after them) and solitude. My relationship with God through Jesus Christ is most important to me, not a religion. This writing gig is all God's idea. I only wish to bring more attention to Jesus with it.

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