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"Stimulant To Wholesome Thinking"
Message
summary:
Today let us
consider a
positive
spiritual
stimulant to
wholesome
thinking.
Listen
to our message
on your audio
player.
“Dear
friends, this
is now my
second letter
to you. I have
written both
of them as
reminders to
stimulate you
to wholesome
thinking. I
want you to
recall the
words spoken
in the past by
the holy
prophets and
the command
given by our
Lord and
Savior through
your apostles”
(2 Peter
3:1,2).
Brooksyne and
I both enjoy
our coffee as
we prepare
these messages
each morning.
It stimulates
the wake-up
zone of our
brains and may
even stir us
up a bit.
Coffee is
classified as
a stimulant
and is ready
to brew at
6:00 AM with
just the push
of the “on”
button.
There’s just
something
motivating you
to get on with
your day in
the morning
when you smell
a fresh pot of
coffee
brewing, or as
the jingle
goes, “The
best part of
waking up is
Folgers in
your cup!”*
However, as
redeemed
children of
God, there are
surely many
better reasons
to rise up
from your bed
than drinking
a fresh cup of
coffee!
Throughout
this day we
will all be
inundated with
a variety of
stimulants.
The word
“stimulate”
often has a
negative or
even fleshy
connotation.
As
we get out and
interface with
the world we
face various
types of
stimulation
with much of
it appealing
to the sinful
nature.
Listening to
the news can
provide a
stirring up or
stimulus for a
provocation of
the flesh or
(stress, fear
or anger), if
we’re not
careful. The
Apostle John
identifies
these
stimulants as,
“the lust
of the flesh
and the lust
of the eyes
and the
boastful pride
of life”
(1 John 2:16).
But today let
us consider a
positive
spiritual
stimulant.
This is
Peter's second
letter and he
provides a
very concise
purpose
statement for
both letters.
Notice the
phrase, “I
have written both
of them...”
The NIV
expresses this
purpose, “as
reminders to
stimulate you
to wholesome
thinking".
Others use the
words "stir
up".
The Greek word
for “stimulate”
or “stir
up” is
“diegeiro”,
which is
normally used
for awakening
from physical
sleep when
used in the
Gospels. It
conveys
“awakening
thoroughly,
through and
through". The
interlinear
Bible uses the
word
"rousing". It
is used in
Luke 8:24 when
the disciples
awoke Jesus as
He was
sleeping in
the boat.
"Diegeiro"
is used
literally four
times in the
Gospels but 2
Peter is the
only epistle
that uses this
word and does
so in a
figurative
sense. Peter
also uses it
in chapter
1:13 in a
similar way, “I
consider it
right, as long
as I am in
this [earthly]
dwelling, to
stir you up by
way of
reminder.”
The present
tense
indicates
Peter’s desire
was to
continually
awaken his
readers.
The dulling,
numbing,
soul-slumbering
influence of
the world is
very
pervasive. The
world’s steady
rhythmic
blasting of
Christian
tenets can
weary the
believer to
the point of
feeling, “Will
it never end?
What’s the
use! What is
one voice
among so
many?” A
spiritual
sleep may soon
follow such a
mindset if we
fail to
receive a
spiritually
oriented
stimulation
from God’s
truth. Peter
had warned in
chapter 2
about the
danger of
falling away
from the faith
see 2
Peter 2:20-22.
Peter seeks to
fully arouse
his brethren
from their
spiritual
sluggishness
with these
words: “I
want you to
recall the
words spoken
in the past by
the holy
prophets and
the command
given by our
Lord and
Savior through
your
apostles.”
He is
essentially
saying
remember the
Word of God!
Today let this
brief word
stir you up!
Hide God’s
Word deep in
your heart so
that it will
permeate your
mind and move
you into
wholesome
thinking. Let
it give you a
positive
outlook so
that you
engage in
uplifting
conversation
with others at
home, in your
workplace or
wherever you
find yourself
throughout
your day!
Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13.
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, we
need our minds
stirred up by
those things
which are
true,
honorable,
right and
pure.
Stimulate our
minds to
wholesome
thinking as we
consider Your
Word which not
only purifies
us within, but
also guides us
toward godly
character.
Help us to
maintain a
teachable
heart that is
open to a
fresh
perspective on
ancient truth
but is also
blessed when
we receive the
reminders of
truths well
established
from the
beginning of
time. Remind
us often that
our words and
actions give
us opportunity
to bring You
glory as we
reflect Your
image. In
Jesus’ name we
pray. Amen.
Additional
study notes on
today’s
message:
1) The Precept
online
commentary
makes this
point, “The
modern
evangelical
church in the
new millennium
(2000 and
counting), is
in grave
danger of
stepping off
of the ancient
paths
(Jeremiah
6:16, Isaiah
35:8)
especially as
it seeks to
“emerge” from
the tried and
true old paths
(consider the
Lord’s words
to Israel in
Jeremiah
18:15, But my
people have
forgotten me;
they make
offerings to
false gods;
they made them
stumble in
their ways, in
the ancient
roads, and to
walk into side
roads, not the
highway.”
Things have
not changed
much because
man’s heart is
still as
deceitful as
ever (Jeremiah
17:9).”
2) Peter wants
this stimulant
to be “by
way of
reminder”.
The phrase “by
way of
reminder”
seems to mean
more as you
get older but
being reminded
of established
truth is
always
important.
Peter
elaborates on
what we are to
remember,
“that you
should
remember the
words spoken
beforehand by
the holy
prophets and
the
commandment of
the Lord and
Savior spoken
by your
apostles.”
This is a
strong call
the faithful
Bible
preaching and
teaching.
In his first
letter Peter
wrote, “So
I will always
remind you of
these things,
even though
you know them
and are firmly
established in
the truth you
now have”
(2 Peter
1:12). In 2
Timothy 2:14
Paul wrote to
Timothy in
regard to his
ministry, “Remind
them of these
things.”
In an age when
“new” is
especially
valued we need
to see the
importance of
old as well!
3) "Stimulate
you to
wholesome
thinking.”
describes what
we seek to do
in these daily
encouragement
messages! In
fact it's what
all of us
should do in
the course of
being
encouragers.
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
* "The best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup" Here's the jingle we recall, perhaps this was promoted around Mother's Day Watch YouTube video
Click on photo for larger view and perhaps you can find Brooksyne!
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Stephen & Brooksyne
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version and a variety of other versions.
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