Begin with 2 minutes of silence and stillness before God.

While it pains me to say this, I must admit that I can sometimes be a sucker. I attribute this characteristic to my will to see the best in people and be very trusting. I remember being in elementary school. The black-market Hot Wheels trade was in full swing and I was right in the thick of it. Once a week, I would pack my backpack with 5 to 10 Hot Wheels cars to trade and barter with the local dealers (other third graders). One of these kids was a cool kid. In fact, for the sake of anonymity, we will refer to him as “Cool Kid” for the remainder of this story. He always had the best cars. I would soon find out why. One day we proceeded to do our normal dealings, and I brought a cool 6x6 tow truck called "Tow Jam" to the bleachers in the gym. I just purchased that bad boy for 79 cents with my grass-cutting money. I knew it would fetch two, if not, three cars in a trade. Cool Kid comes to the table with a less-than-impressive car that, while mint in condition, was overall lackluster. It was a Diecast brand car, which was the armpit of the toy car world. Cool Kid had the audacity to offer his car for my head turning, Tow Jam. Before I can say no, he goes on about how he purchased that car when he went on vacation to the Daytona 500 and how it was so rare and valuable. I thought by making that trade I could sell his rare Daytona 500 car and use the money to invest in more cars. In third grade, you don’t realize that a) not everyone tells the truth, and b) there’s not a huge market outside of the elementary gymnasium for a Daytona 500 toy car. You see, Cool Kid knew just how to bend the truth and tickle my ears to make the trade. And because I didn’t know the Kelly Blue Book value on a cheap Daytona 500 toy car, Cool Kid swindled me. Without a standard of measurement, I had no bearing on the trade value I conducted and with some smooth talking, I became victim to the worst trade since Charlotte traded away Kobe Bryant.

2 Peter 2 is all about false prophets. The only difference between Peter’s time and ours, is the false prophets have an iPhone with social media. There are pastors and teachers out there who use their charisma and charm to gain views and status while simultaneously, twisting the words of Scripture to accommodate their narrative. Peter describes them as “springs without water” and “mists driven by a storm”. Water was a precious commodity in the Middle East, so to have signs of its refreshing qualities only to be greeted with emptiness would be a great disappointment. All show and no substance. Peter says they will “promise freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption.” The false teachers can’t deliver the freedom they promise for they themselves are enslaved to the very corruption that people are trying to escape. Matthew says in 7:15 that these false prophets will “come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” He also says, “You will know them by their fruits.” If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck... You know the rest. The best way to exploit a lie is to know the truth. The truth is in His word. Don’t let a Cool Kid sucker you.

Take 2 minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• Evaluate the books you read and the speakers you listen to. Make sure it aligns with the Word of God.
  
• Read Matthew 7:15-20
  
• Prayer: God, give us discernment. Give us a thirst for Your Word so that we may tuck the truth in our hearts and minds. Thank You for our great pastors and leadership. Continue to bless their spirits and use them to teach us Your Word. We love You.

Family Devo: 2 Peter 2

By: Ty Park

When partnering with your family to know, love, and follow Jesus, we strive to create and share content filtered by the Head-Heart-Hands model.   

Head: the knowledge of God and His Word | Heart: the personal connection from scripture | Hands: a missional mindset  

Head 

In 2 Peter chapter 2, Peter warns about the dangers of believing false truth. He describes how these false teachers will bring in lies that we can be convinced are true. Peter emphasizes that these false teachers will face judgment from God for their actions. 

Heart 

As believers, we need to be discerning and cautious of false teachings that may lead us astray. We should seek wisdom and guidance from God's Word to recognize and avoid these deceptive teachings. It is important to stay rooted in the truth and not be swayed by false promises or teachings. 

Hands 

Let us actively stand against false teachings and defend the truth. We can do this by studying God's Word, seeking guidance from the Holy Spirit, and surrounding ourselves with fellow believers who can help us stay grounded in the truth.  

Prayer: God, thank You so much for Your Word. It is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword. I pray that we will stay rooted in Your Word which is the Ultimate Truth. Help us discern when lies are brought to us. Holy Spirit, guide us, lead us, and transform us. We love You, Jesus. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen.