The More Sure Word

2 Peter 2:19 says, And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

The KJV translates this verse, We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

Peter is pointing to the fact that we do not only have his and the other apostle's word as to the truth he is speaking, but also the more sure word of prophecy and we would do well to pay attention to it.

For example, Jesus fulfilled 332 Old Testament prophecies regarding Him being the Messiah.  Statistically, it has been calculated that the probability of any one man fulfilling eight of these prophesies is one in 100,000,000,000,000,000 (10 to the 17^th power). That number of silver dollars would cover the state of Texas two feet deep. Stoner says that if you consider 48 of the prophecies, the odds become one in 10 to the 157^th power.

Hearing the Gospel

Acts 1:8  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Nonbelievers must hear the gospel an average of 7.6 times before they receive it. So if anyone walks away from you when you share the gospel with him, remember: the Word of God never returns void. Maybe the person you shared with has never heard it before. Maybe this is only the second time he has ever heard it, or maybe this is his 6.6th time. – Willaim Fay, Share Jesus Without Fear (Kindle Location 284-286).

Through the Fire

"When God allows his children to go through the fire, he keeps his eye on the clock and his hand on the thermostat.  If we rebel, He may reset the clock, but if we submit, He will not permit us to suffer one minute too long." - Wiersbe

Perspective

Chuck Swindoll once said that life is 99% perspective and only 1% reality.

A little girl walked daily to and from school. Though the weather that morning was questionable and clouds were forming, she made her daily trek to the elementary school.  As the afternoon progressed, the winds whipped up, along with thunder and lightning.

The mother of the little girl felt concerned that her daughter would be frightened as she walked home from school, and she herself feared that the electrical storm might harm her child. Following the roar of thunder, lightning, like a flaming sword, would cut through the sky.  Full of concern, the mother quickly got into her car and drove along the route to her child's school.

As she did so, she saw her little girl walking along, but at each flash of lightning, the child would stop, look and smile. Another and another were to follow quickly, each with the little girl stopping, looking at the streak of light and smiling. Finally, the mother called her over to the car and asked, "What are you doing?"  The child answered, "God just keeps taking pictures of me."

Why Not?

1 Peter 4:12-14  Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.  (13)  But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.  (14)  If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

Someone asked C.S. Lewis, "Why do the righteous suffer?" "Why not?" he replied. "They are the only ones who can take it."

Audience-Driven Churches

Mat 5:13  You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

In Dining with the Devil, Os Guinness cited an article from The New Yorker magazine lamenting the "audience-driven" nature of much preaching today: "The preacher, instead of looking out upon the world, looks out upon public opinion, trying to find out what the public would like to hear. Then he tries his best to duplicate that, and bring his finished product into a marketplace in which others are trying to do the same. The public, turning to our church culture to find out about the world, discovers there is nothing but its own reflection." - Os Guinness, Dining with the Devil