Safe Position

Safe Position

2 Peter 3: ¹⁷ But you, my friends, already know this. Be on your guard, then, so that you will not be led away by the errors of lawless people and fall from your safe position. ¹⁸ But continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory, now and forever! Amen.

 

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Being accused of being a “goody” I felt I needed to do something. The accusation made me feel like I didn’t fit in. I decided that sex, drunken parties and foul language as humor would make me fit in. When I got in trouble, the people who urged my change for the worse were not around.

 

• I was doing well then I fell.
• More problems came from trying to fit in that I thought.
• I was in worse shape when I fell, because now I had a reputation that did not look so good and I had problems.

 

Peter concludes his short letter with a warning. He tells everyone to “be on your guard” when it came to taking advice from people. There would be those who prescribe things that sound like “fun” on the surface but will ultimately cause problems in life and threaten a good relationship with GOD.

 

My Observations:

• GOD understands that I am a sinner saved by HIS grace.
• GOD also is perfect and loves when I follow HIS ways as best I can.
• Knowing GOD means I know what to stay away from and that I make my life about HIM.

 

People who seek pleasure as their only pursuit will look at the life of the followers of CHRIST as constraining. I mean, when trying to “do good” in life by not partaking in every indulgence that surfaces, people may complain about your life. BUT GOD sees your efforts.

 

HE loves when I can say “No” to the things that would distract me from serving HIM. There is nothing wrong with some of the stuff the world has to off as long as it does not interfere with GOD’s calling on your and my life or cause us to fall into a worse situation. I am glad GOD gives me freedom in HIS framework of love.

 

Challenge

• What “safe position” is the writer talking about?
• Have you ever fallen and wondered how did you get as low as you got?
• Will you question your own relationship with GOD to see if you and HIM are in “good” standings according to your own desires today so HE can keep you “safe”?

Age Does Not Mean Wisdom

Job 31: ⁷ I thought, ‘Age should speak;
    advanced years should teach wisdom.’
⁸ But it is the spirit in a person,
    the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding.

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Seeking a mentor I ran into a person who seemed to withstand the test of time at the company. He provided his words. “When you drink on the company’s dime, don’t over drink. Never mess around with people in the company, especially with your boss’s spouse. Never steal the company’s money. This place is a jealous mistress.”

These words seemed to give lots of leeway into whatever I wanted to do, yet seemed to teach me nothing. Who should I listen to?

• Some of the advice I have heard may not have been the best.
• Some of the mentoring I have received has not been the best.
• Some of the guidance I have received may not have been the best.

Selfish motives, rebellious living and lust are things I have to listen for when accepting someone’s advice. If I blindly listen then I could get caught up in something I did not mean to. Where should I get my advice?

• GOD gave me a HIS word to follow written by harmoniously through many authors.
• GOD gave me HIS people who struggle to remain true to HIM.
• GOD gave me HIS SPIRIT to guide me to HIS way.

I always say “I hear GOD when HE tells me to do something I don’t want to do that would benefit HIS kingdom.” I mean who wants to give away their money instead of going on a lavish vacation or stop lusting over the world or serve instead of being served?” Yet when I slow down and listen to HIM it always works.

GOD’s methods are unconventional. Some things HE has me doing does not make sense to the world. BUT GOD sees my strange efforts and adds another reward in heaven. Listening to GOD means seeking HIS word through the Bible coupled with faulty humans coupled with the perfection of the HOLY SPIRIT. I will seek HIS truth.

• Are you confused?
• Have you been listening to faulty humans?
• Can you seek what GOD has to say, I mean really seek?
• Will you stop trying to find people who will tell you what you want to hear and seek what GOD wants to tell you?

Where Advice Comes From

2 Kings 1: ² Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sent messengers, saying to them, “Go and consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, to see if I will recover from this injury.”

³ But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go up and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?’

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“Should I…” are the words I have said on many occasions. The problem with these unsure words is that they were pointed in the wrong direction. “Should I sneak out of the house?’ was pointed at other teens who had done this and “gotten away with it.”

• Sometimes I seek advice from those who are not following GOD in order to join the crowd.
• Sometimes I seek advice from the fearful and they add their worries on me.
• Sometimes I seek advice from the rich and powerful in order to be more like them.

GOD’s way is definitely not my way. HE does not want me to bow down to gods of money, power and fame so the source of my advice should be different.

• GOD wants me to seek HIS kingdom first so HE can say “No” or “Yes” to my request.
• GOD wants me to ask HIM for everything since HE owns everything.
• GOD wants me to see if I am following HIS plan, not my own.

Even the tiniest decision can be run by GOD. HE can handle it. HE wants total dependence on HIM and reliance on HIS power. Authority is given once I ask GOD “what should I do in this situation?” When HE has first right of refusal then HIS guidance is far better than any human advice.

• Whose advice are you seeking?
• Do you check “churchy” advice by comparing it to what GOD says?
• In your prayers for situations and stuff, do you ask GOD “what do you want?”
• Can you seek what GOD wants for you today?

Ill intent seeks bad advice

2 Samuel 13: ³ Now Amnon had an adviser named Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Jonadab was a very shrewd man. ⁴ He asked Amnon, “Why do you, the king’s son, look so haggard morning after morning? Won’t you tell me?”

Amnon said to him, “I’m in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”

⁵ “Go to bed and pretend to be ill,” Jonadab said. “When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘I would like my sister Tamar to come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare the food in my sight so I may watch her and then eat it from her hand.’”

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After being told I would fail the class, I sought the advice of people who could help me. They asked the professors name and the location of the office. These were strange pieces of information, but I told them. They asked very clearly, “do you want the test?”

I considered it. The only thing that stopped me was the fact that I was performing so poorly in the class, that even having the test would not help me. “No” I answered pitifully.

• I can always find someone who will go along with my poor thinking.
• I can always get advice from people who do not have the best plan for me in mind.
• I can always obtain bad consultation from people of bad reputation.

The story of Amnon was tragic. Many were spiritually, emotionally and physically hurt all because of a plan that started off in the wrong direction followed by advice from a person with a poor reputation. It reminds me of many plans I have that were not blessed of GOD. Each plan failed miserably with not so good consequences. BUT GOD has a better plan.

• GOD wants me to follow HIS plan for they never fail.
• GOD wants me to believe in HIS ways for they protect and keep me.
• GOD wants me to understand HIS love for me and others and to never mistreat souls who belong to HIM.

When my intentions are focused on GOD I can never fail.

• Are you planning something and getting advice from someone who is questionable?
• Are you providing advice without consulting GOD?
• Can you seek wisdom from a godly person, not just a churchy person?
• Won’t you test all advice to see if it aligns with what GOD says to do?