Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior. -II Peter 3:1, 2 (NKJV)
I Peter 3:1 reminds us that we are to be engaged in wholesome thinking. Our minds are to be pure in thought and not given to fables, fairy tales, and predictions based upon pagan prophecy. The opposite of pure thinking is impure thinking. For the believer, impure thinking runs contrary to what Christ has called us to. He has called us not to a reprobate mind, but to a mind that is guided by the Holy Spirit. The scripture says that the carnal mind is death, but the spiritual mind is life and peace (Romans 8:6). This is the attitude to which we are called in Christ Jesus. All of this fear the can cloud our minds is the result of impure and unwholesome thinking, and that is not God’s will or plan for us. Now more than ever the follower of Christ must walk a straight and narrow road which the Lord instructed us to walk. The temptations are more prevalent than ever before. There has always been temptation; it has just become more readily available in the present age.
This is why we would call to mind the words of the prophets of long ago. The prophets of old all had a common message: Look not to the things of the world, but rather look to God. Do not trust in self, nor bow down to idols, but look to God. When we do that we will be given the power to stand firm during the troubled times of life. We will have peace in the midst of the storms of life. Furthermore, we will be freed from the fear about all these horrible events that may or may not ever come to pass. We look not to the ways of the world, but rather we look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.
Is there anything wrong with laying up a supply of canned goods and maybe some fresh water and a generator in the event of some kind of extended power outage that came as the result of some catastrophe? My answer is no; that could be a valuable practice. But let’s not get carried away with that. I saw recently a program on TV about a man who purchased from the government a de-commissioned missile silo which he is turning into underground luxury survival apartments, so people can be ready for 2012. They start at around a million dollars. That eliminates me right now. I can just see the look on the loan officer’s face at the bank when I explain why I want to borrow a million or so dollars – it’s for my luxury survival bunker. Here’s what’s interesting; the man has already sold several of his underground apartments, and I predict will sell most of them before 2012. I don’t mean to sound glib, but no underground bunker is going to protect or hide anyone once the horsemen of the apocalypse take to the saddle. When the events of the book of Revelation truly begin, people will have one choice; take the mark or take Jesus. The latter, according to Revelation, will be killed. I don’t think that we should get worried about all of that because we will have already met Christ in the air.
Do not give into fear, but rather look to Christ in sure and certain hope that as the Lord has promised, so will He remember us through the dark times of life as well as the end of time. Our home in heaven is secure, our Savior is always near, and the Holy Spirit is here to guide us. Trust in the Lord and rejoice in Him.
