Wholesome Thoughts About Your Life

The Scriptures give us reminders that stimulate us to wholesome thinking (2Peter 3:1). The apostle Peter reminds us that all the pressures and problems of life should not alter our life-focus. We who are born of the Spirit have a capacity to recognize and participate in what God is doing. When facing life's many demands and uncertainties, it is important that we see the big picture. History does not revolve around us. It's overarching purpose centers on Christ. This world is reserved for judgment and will one day be destroyed by fire. Though we may have long years in this present life, it only lasts for a heartbeat in comparison to the life that we will spend with our Maker.

The Apostle Peter reminds us: "...the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare." Then he asks the BIG QUESTION: "Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be?" Pessimistic? Selfish? Fearful? Despondent? Materialistic? No! "You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming." (2Peter 3:10-13 NIV).

This statement of Peter's has been a puzzle to many. In one breath he says that God is very patient in taking time to salvage us and bring all that He can into a relationship with Himself in this age. In this the purposes of God seem to be advancing slowly. In the next breath he tells us that the time is short and that we can speed His return. I'm sure both thoughts are true. By engaging with God we can advance His purposes and enlarge our spiritual capacity. By advancing His purposes we can hasten His coming. This fact emphasizes that God's activity is participative. If we consistently exercise our spiritual faculties and engage with God in what He is doing, taking progressive steps of faith, our lives will be abundantly full (John 10:10) and He will prove His faithfulness.

Circumstances and popular opinions can crowd in on us and cause us to lose perspective. Soon they begin to dictate to us our significance or the apparent lack of it. The Apostle Peter reminds us that Christ is the source of our significance. Our prospects of reigning with Christ are much bigger than our circumstances. Don't panic as the signs of the times indicate the end drawing near. The kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdom of our God and of His Christ! (Revelation 11:15). Don't be tempted to cast away your confidence. "Be on your guard so that you are not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position." (2Peter 3:17). Peter reminds us again of our life-focus: "but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2Peter 3:18).

Our weakness, our sinfulness, and our foolishness are opportunities for us to discover the grace of God. Grace is to be found if we will look for it. The grace of God (His person, provision, power, His pardon and peace) is accessible to us by faith. We short-circuit and hinder the operations of grace by self-effort. We resist it with pride. We frustrate it with unbelief. Do not harp on your insecurities, failures or disappointments. Do not let the Accuser victimize you by throwing the old book at you: "The History of Your Life 'in Adam'". That old book has been burned and the ashes have been buried with the 'last Adam' Jesus Christ. Let the blood plead the truth: "The History of Your Life Rewritten 'in the Risen Christ'!" This is the only version of your life that is in circulation in heaven! The grace of God is meant for this. Every valley of depression, humiliation and frustration will be exalted. Every mountain of pride will be brought low! (See Isaiah 40:4). Growing in grace speaks of our growing in our capacity to experience Christ, to know Him, to reflect Him and to extend His ministry through His corporate body, the community of His redeemed, the church.

The first mention of the word 'grace' in the Bible is when a man named Noah, living in an evil age in which God's judgment was being poured out, "found grace" in God's sight (Genesis 6:8). He found it because He was looking for it! From a human standpoint grace is a discovery. To discover the full, free, pardoning love of God is the most revolutionary thing that can happen in your life. In fact the first 26 times grace is mentioned in the Bible it is in the context of grace 'being found'! Jesus said, "Ask and you shall receive, Seek and you shall find." Are you looking for grace today? The Lord wants you to discover that He favors you and wants to demonstrate to you His kindness. Once Noah discovered God's grace it empowered Him to live righteously and participate in God's salvaging work. Are you willing to take steps of faith and TRUST, rather than put God on hold by trying to grow through self-effort? Once you discover a fresh supply of God's grace, run with it! Dare to believe God for it! And grow with it!