Warren W. Wiersbe - Be Alert. Beware of the Religious Impostors

BE ALERT

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible. (Public Domain.) Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright 1960, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission; NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. NIV . Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved; PH are taken from J. B. Phillips: The New Testament in Modern English , revised editions J. B. Phillips, 1958, 1960, 1972, permission of Macmillan Publishing Co. and Collins Publishers; ESV are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright 2000; 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved; and WUEST are taken from The New Testament: An Expanded Translation by Kenneth S. Wuest 1961 by the Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Used by permission.

LCCN 2010923216

ISBN 978-1-4347-6504-8

eISBN 978-0-7814-0441-9

1984 Warren W. Wiersbe

First edition of Be Alert published by Victor Books in 1984

Warren W. Wiersbe, ISBN 978-0-89693-380-4

The Team: Karen Lee-Thorp, Amy Kiechlin, Sarah Schultz, Jack Campbell, and Karen Athen

Series Cover Design: John Hamilton Design

Cover Photo: iStockphoto

Second Edition 2010

To Bob and Betty Kregel

Your friendship has enriched our lives, and your ministry has enriched the church around the world.

CONTENTS

The Big Idea: An Introduction to Be Alert by Ken Baugh

A Word from the Author

1. Knowing and Growing (2 Peter 1:111)

2. Wake Up and Remember! (2 Peter 1:1221)

3. Beware of Counterfeits (2 Peter 2:19)

4. Marked Men (2 Peter 2:1016)

5. False Freedom (2 Peter 2:1722)

6. Scoffing at the Scoffers (2 Peter 3:110)

7. Be Diligent! (2 Peter 3:1118)

8. A Faithful Family (2 John)

9. Its the Truth (3 John)

10. A Call to Arms! (Jude 17)

11. Meet the Apostates! (Jude 816)

12. You Dont Have to Stumble (Jude 1725)

The Big Idea

An Introduction to Be Alert
by Ken Baugh

I was a bit of a challenge for my teachers and school principal when I was a little boy. It wasnt that I was a bad kid; I just needed a lot of attention. As I reflect on my childhood, it reminds me of a story I heard about two little boys who found themselves once again sitting outside the principals office at their Christian school.

These two boys were notorious for causing trouble, and the principal was at his wits end in knowing what to do with them. As he called the first boy into his office alone, the principal thought he would try to discern where the boy might be spiritually. Maybe what he and his troublemaking friend really needed wasnt another round of after-school detention but a true relationship with Jesus. So as the boy walked into the office, he sat down nervously in a chair facing the stern-looking principal who asked him a question in a very serious yet controlled voice: Son, do you know where God is? At first the question didnt seem to register with the little boy, because he just stared back at the principal with a blank look on his face. The principal asked him again, this time with an even more stern tone to his voice and a bit less control: Son, do you know where God is? By now, the boy was frightened. His little heart was beating rapidly, and sweat started to run down his back. But still, he said nothing. Exasperated, the principal asked the question one more time, but this time he was angry and totally out of control as he shouted: Son, do you know where God is? At this, the little boy jumped out of his seat, ran out of the principals office, and sat down next to his friend with a terrified look on his face. The other boy asked, So what did he say? The terrified boy responded, God is missing, and theyre trying to pin it on us.

A cute story, no doubt, but seriously: How many times have you felt like God is missing from your life? You pray, but your prayers go unanswered; you ask but do not receive; you seek, but all you find is one closed door after another. If this is your experience, take heart, because you are in good company, the company of saints. Peter, John, and Jude all wrote their letters to the saints, fellow believers who from time to time felt like God was absent. Each letter reminded Gods people that His absence was merely an illusion: God is always present.

I believe this is the Big Idea that runs through each of the letters penned by Peter, John, and Jude. They took the time to write encouraging words to the flocks under their care to be alert to the presence of God that was evident around them. Lets take a quick look at three elements of Gods presence that they wrote about.

Element 1: The Bible. Be alert for Gods presence as you read the Bible. Peter reminds us, His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness (2 Peter 1:3 NIV ). Our knowledge of him grows as we read the Bible, because the Bible contains the very words of God (see 2 Tim. 3:1617). These are powerful in the life of every believer. They provide wisdom and understanding regarding both Gods character and His active involvement in the world. All we have to do is pay attention. Gods Word is alive in that it has the supernatural ability to transform our minds and our characters through the power of the Holy Spirit. It has the power to give us eyes to see the evidence of His presence all around us.

The apostle Paul says, Be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Rom. 12:2 NIV ). My mind is transformed as I meditate, memorize, and focus my thinking on the words of God in the Bible. And as I experience that change in my thinking and in my character, I begin to see evidence of Gods presence at work in my own life. The writer of Hebrews says, For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Heb. 4:12 NIV ). God reveals His presence in my life through the life-changing power of His Word.

Element 2: Fellowship. Be alert for Gods presence in the fellowship of other believers. John says, It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us (2 John 4 NIV ). Here, John is alluding to the joy he experienced as he witnessed Gods presence in the fellowship of believers. I love to read biographies about the great men and women of God. Whether its reading about D. L. Moody, George Mueller, Hudson Taylor, Jonathan Edwards, Henrietta Mears, or Mother Teresa, as I see the presence of God working in and through their lives, I am greatly encouraged. In addition, I see the Lords presence as I fellowship with other believers in my small group or during a worship service at church. Jesus said, For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them (Matt. 18:20 NIV ). The truth is, when I am with other believers, I will experience Gods presence. This is why the writer of Hebrews admonishes all believers to be a part of a local church: Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one anotherand all the more as you see the Day approaching (Heb. 10:25 NIV ). True fellowship between believers reveals Gods presence. The more I spend time with fellow believers in small groups, worship services, and genuine friendship, the more I will experience Gods presence in my life.