The Valley of the Shadow of Death Part 1 of 5
The Valley of the Shadow of Death Part 1 of 5
Perhaps it is nowhere clearer than on television that the world does not value godliness. Increasingly we are told that deviant and perverted behaviors are normal ways of life that we should not only tolerate, but actively support. We are told that evil is good and that good is evil. Christians are belittled and portrayed as examples of unthinking sycophants or dangerous radicals.
Fear is instilled at every turn. We are warned of the dangers of illness, economic collapse, terrorism, and violence. We are told that everything, including the weather, is going to get worse.
If we are not vigilant, it is easy for these messages to overwhelm us. They can worm their way into our minds, cause us unrest, and tempt us to worry.
But fear not, Saints! Father has not left us without hope. None of these things is unexpected. They are predicted in passages like Mark 13:7–8 (KJV 1900) where Jesus said, “And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.”
One of the things I love about the Apostle Peter is that he knew that we would face these things and took it upon himself in both of his letters to remind us of the truth found in Jesus. Over the next few days, let’s look at 2 Peter 3 together.
1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
I love that Peter reminds us right off the bat that we have pure minds. This idea may at first seem contrary to what we commonly hear, but our minds are part of our souls. We know from scripture that our souls and our spirits will remain in the world to come. One place we find this insight is 1 Peter 1:9 (KJV 1900) “Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” While we will get new bodies, our souls and spirits are heaven ready as they are.
We may doubt our minds from time to time. Because nearly everyone else seems to be singing the same chorus about right, wrong, danger, and fear, we may be tempted to think that we are simply not thinking straight. The truth is that our minds are being renewed and that is transforming us. We read about this in Romans 12:2 (KJV 1900) “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
The problem is not our minds. The problem is that old fleshly ways of dealing with what life throws at us are constantly being reenforced by the world around us. There is sin in the world and the power of sin is a constant pressure that pulls us toward living by our senses rather than by faith.
