IfI were too ask you to name a man that in his earlier years was overconfidentwhen danger was near and who overlooked the warnings of his master what wouldyour answer be? He would rush ahead when he should have waited; slept when heshould have prayed; talked when he should have listened and he was courageousbut careless. If you said the Apostle Peter you would have answered right. Nowwhat does this man Peter have to do with each of us? Have you ever overlookedwarnings? I remember a few years back my family and I took a vacation to theGrand Canyon. We were told before going to be sure that we had hiking shoesbecause many a person had lost their footing and went off into the Canyon. Well,I didn’t really know what to expect for all I had ever seen of the Grand Canyonwere only pictures but none the less we purchased the hiking shoes. Afterarriving there I could understand why it was important to have this type ofshoe. I looked around and saw that therewere a lot of other people not wearing hiking anything. Some had on sandals,flip flops and a few were bare footed. As I looked off into that Canyon it wasa long ways to the bottom and I for one sure didn’t want to take that trip down.The next to the last day we were there I saw people doing dumb things. Therewere three young men jumping from one point to another; it was a short jump buthad they missed their goal they would have went straight to the bottom of theCanyon. That afternoon I heard this lady scream and as I turned around to seewhere that scream was coming form I saw a lady go right off the edge. She had not taken the precaution to wearhiking shoes and her footing gave way and off she went. Her family went to theedge and lucky for her there was another ledge just below her and she was justskinned up. The next time that lady goes to the Grand Canyon I assure you shewill not be wearing sandals. As we follow the life of Peter we see that he alsolearned not to be so loose with what he has been taught. By the time theApostle writes his second epistle he is now singing a much different tune. Hetells his readers not to be negligent but to remember the things that you knowand be established in the present truth.
2Peter1:12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always inremembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established inthe present truth.
Thenthe next to the last verse in his letter he warns about being led away with theerror of the wicked for it will cause you to fall from your steadfastness.
2Peter3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these thingsbefore, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fallfrom your own stedfastness.
Atthe close of Peter’s life he knows when to pray and when to sleep, he knowswhen to listen and when to talk. He gives us the secret in how this is done inthe last verse of his letter. In order to know these things it takes somegrowing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, then Peter sayslearn how to praise Him here and now each day that He allows us to live andwhatever happens praise Him now and forever.
2Peter3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lordand Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen. Haveyou grown in your Christian life or are you still struggling with the same oldthings that you did two years ago? When’s the last time you praised the Lordfor the things going on in your daily life? Seven times Peter uses the word knowledge in this epistle and it’s about knowledge of ourLord and Savior. This should tell each of us the more we know about Jesus themore we’ll know how to live each day. The more we know about Jesus the morewe’ll praise HIM!
