Reflection: Floods: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

        1. How often do our worries and failures shut our doors of hope?

        2. In what ways does our world ignore God's creations and leans us only in complaint and resentment.

        3. How can we pause and pray for clarity when any kind of flood comes?

Share: What is your trigger that warns you? 

Floods: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

 2nd Peter 3:4-6: " They will say, 'So what about this promise of His coming?' Our ancestors are dead and buried, yet everything is still the same as it was since from the beginning of time until now. But they conveniently overlook that from the beginning, the heavens and earth were created by God's word. He spoke and the dry ground separated from the waters. Then long afterward He destroyed the world with a tremendous flood by those very waters."

Floods

We are all too quick to complain and ignore His ongoing gifts and presence that surrounds us throughout nature and history and seasons in our lives.

Instead of thankfulness we demand selfishness as our focus and lean only on our desires. And too often do not even acknowledge His ongoing presence day by day.

Or we only see destruction and loss as evil and forget to see the cost You commit to save lives and souls for eternity. Especially when we cross a line that we cannot return from.

We ask to see the 'floods' in our lives through Your words--Your voice--Your healing--Your restoration--Your mercy.

Lord, please show us how to turn our hearts back to amazement and gratitude and commitment--in all our circumstances.

And walk with You daily. Seeing.

Your thoughts, 

Firm: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

                Firm

                Prophecies stand firm 

                through all time

                no matter how strong

                mockers engage.

                Truth cannot be broken

                even when we walk

                away in confusion

                with doubts.

                Stand on His ground

                given for eternity

                Holy words spoken

                His foundation.

Psalm 89:47: "Remember what my span of life is; For what vanity Thou hast created all the sons of men!"

Reflection: Mocked: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

 Reflection Questions

        1. Have you been mocked for your beliefs?

        2. How did that meddle for your thoughts and questions?

        3. What enabled you to stand on His truth?

Share: How would you share with another under attack?

Mocked: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

2nd Peter 3:1-3: "Beloved friends, this is now the second letter I have written to you in which I've attempted to stir you up and awaken you to a proper mind-set. So never forget both the prophecies spoken by the holy prophets of old and the teaching of our Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles. Above all you must understand that in the last days mockers will multiply, chasing after their evil desires."

Mocked

Thank you, Lord, that You give us Your word and guidance in all circumstances.

Please keep our mind and heart and soul so grounded in You alone and that nothing else can get through. We ask to hear Your words when spoken as Your Spirit guides. And then for Your strength for us to obey--no matter what.

The mockers are strong and have more access to spread their lies throughout so many communications. Sometimes we do think we are hearing clearly so only Your light and truth and foundation can break the deception.

Please continue to show us when darkness is pulling us away from true light whether in difficulties or in joy. We ask to walk with You.

Your thoughts, 

Mercy: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

                Mercy

                To recognize the lose of 

                His gift--relationship--

                broken by selfishness

                overwhelms with grief.

                To recognize our failure.

                Often drown in sorrow

                unless we seek the

                light still burning

                waiting for us to return--seek.

                Ongoing mercy never dies.

Psalm 89:46: "How long, O Lord? Wilt Thou hide Thyself forever? Will Thy wrath burn like fire?"

Reflection: Return: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions 

        1. When have you walked away from God's grace either into a seemingly small lie or a chosen rejection?

        2. How long before recognizing that choice as a deep darkness that dissolved you?

        3. How did you seek His mercy again?

Share: What warning would you now give to another when you see their lure pulling them from truth?

Return: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

2nd Peter 2:20-22: "Those who escape the corrupting forces of this world system through the experience of knowing about our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Messiah, then go back into entanglement with them and are defeated by them, becoming worse off than they were to start with. It would have been much better for them never to have experienced the way of righteousness than to know it and then turn away from the sacred obligation that was given to them. They became illustrations of the true proverb: A day will return to his own vomit and a washed pig to its rolling in the mud."

Return

Sometimes we really don't understand how or why as His child we too often fall back into sin and greed and selfishness.

To walk away from His grace and mercy always brings deeper loss and fears with an attitude of hopelessness when we recognize our failure--again.

And yet, Lord, You will restore us when we finally seek Your light again.

Please keep it burning no matter how faint we can see it until all of Your lost return.

Please continue to hold on to each one of us when we falter and recognize the corruption no matter how small so that we can return to You.

Please keep us holding always.

Your thoughts,

Attitudes: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

                Attitudes

                Heart-mind-soul 

                freedom only possible

                on His daily presence

                walking whatever road

                is chosen to follow

                at His words and

                direction regardless

                of any darkness

                since true light is now within.

Psalm 89:45: "Thou hast shortened the days of his youth; Thou hast covered him with shame." Selah

Reflection: Actions: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

        1. When have you experienced a 'dried up river bed' because of empty actions and attitudes that separated you from the Lord?

        2. What enabled you to recognize the dangerous choices and turn towards truth and light?

        3. How do you protect yourself now from lies and false desires?

Share: What is the first word you would give to someone seeking release too?

Actions: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

2nd Peter 2:17-19: "These people are dried-up river beds, waterless clouds, pushed along by stormy winds--the deepest darkness of gloom has been prepared for them. They spout off with their grandiose, impressive nonsense. Consumed with the lusts of the flesh, they lure back into sin those who recently escaped from their error. They promised others freedom, yet they themselves are slaves to corruption, for people are slaves to whatever overcomes them."

Actions

Lord, if there is anything that is overcoming us and keeping us from Your path please show us and take it away.

We can so easily slip into distance by worries and fears instead of going to You first.

We ask to be on Your path as Your child. We ask to live into Your light in all circumstances.

May we be overcome by Your truth and guidance and call instead so that our hearts are in holy action.

Thank you for Your gift of ongoing protection of our souls regardless of all our failures. Please continue to guide and protect all who are drifting and show us how to walk the path where we can also break the chains others are held by.

We ask to be in Your purpose and protection.

Your thoughts,

Sin: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

                Sin

                Wages of sin 

                destroy our lives

                drift us into darkness.

                Wrapped in cords of deceit.

                Yet nothing is

                impossible to the Lord

                interceding for each astray.

                Yokes broken by His cross.

Psalm 89:44: "Thou hast made his splendor to cease, And cast his throne to the ground."

Reflection: Astray: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

        1.What lies have cost you to wander off His main road?

        2. How did you return?

        3. How do you keep a focus on following His path only now?

Share: What insight do you share with others being pulled into wrong pursuits?