THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
A guy walked into a little corner store with a shotgun and demanded all of the cash from the cash drawer. After the cashier put the cash in a bag, the robber saw a bottle of Scotch that he wanted behind the counter on the shelf. He told the cashier to put it in the bag as well, but the cashier refused and said, "Because I don't believe you are over 21." The robber said he was, but the clerk still refused to give it to him because she didn't believe him.
At this point, the robber took his driver's license out of his wallet and gave it to the clerk. The clerk looked it over and agreed that the man was in fact over 21 and she put the Scotch in the bag. The robber then ran from the store with his loot. The cashier promptly called the police and gave the name and address of the robber that he got off the license.
They arrested the robber two hours later.
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________SCRIPTURE__________________________________________________
2 Peter 3:15-18
15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
KJV
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_______THOUGHT______________________________________________________
Salvation is all by the Lord's doing.
It is offered to mankind because of God's "longsuffering."
God is willing to put up with the idiocy of man's sinfulness (for a time) because He desires to save those who are willing to come to Him.
There's really nothing "hard to be understood" about Paul's writing:
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23)
and
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23)
But many "unlearned and unstable wrest" with those Scriptures in unbelief.
They keep trying to prove they are WISE enough to save themselves.
Or, they keep trying to prove they are GOOD enough to be saved.
They're always trying to find some OTHER way than surrender to Jesus as Lord.
Because there are so many of those who "wrest" with the Scriptures, Christians sometimes are "led away with the error of the wicked..."
They are "led away" because they "fall from ... stedfastness!"
They are not "led away" from salvation's end;
but they are "led away" from their PURPOSE!
Our purpose, for being left in this world after being saved, is to "grow!"
We are to grow in "grace!"
That is, we are to grow in the kindness and "longsuffering" of our Lord.
And the manner in which we are to grow in grace is to also "grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."
Christians, don't fall from the steadfastness of your purpose here on earth.
If you are "unlearned" in the grace and knowledge of Jesus, you are "unstable!"
GROW and be USEFUL!
Love ya,
Bruce