God Is Working

Luke 22:31-32, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat… but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.----------The world around the first-century church was changing rapidly. The churches of Asia Minor were not just struggling with the persecution and suffering addressed in Peter’s first letter; they also had strife and dissension within their ranks. To stem the tide of heresy and false teaching among the Christians, Peter emphasized the importance of learning and clinging to the proper knowledge of God. This concept was so important to him that the word knowledge appears—in one form or another—some fifteen times in this short, three-chapter letter.----------Believers can create discord in multiple ways, particularly in the area of relationships and theology. To guard against that kind of disagreement—both in our families and our churches—God’s people need to know who He is. Our knowledge of God through His Word is our greatest defense against the contentions that threaten to tear us apart. As Peter wrote: “Be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men… but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:17–18).----------As we launch a new sermon series over the book of 2 Peter, Frank opens up with a message focusing on the truth that God was not absent and that He had not moved on to other projects. It was still His will and plan that were being fulfilled. Even in the face of struggles, God was (and still is) working His plan for us individually and collectively as a church.----------With that in mind, what means are you taking to grow in your faith? Let’s take the time to guard our minds with the proper knowledge of God so that we may not drift off from the path that God has laid out for us