Everything You Need for Action, Part 2

2 Peter 3:14-18

Today we delve into the enduring wisdom of the Apostle Paul, a figure described as the greatest Christian of his era. Paul’s words from Philippians 3 challenge us to continually seek a deeper relationship with Christ, aspiring to know Him and the power of His resurrection more profoundly in our lives. It’s a powerful reminder of the journey of faith that never ceases.

As Pastor Colin continues our series “Everything You Need for Life,” based on the book of 2 Peter, we examine how we can safeguard the gospel, grow in godliness, and discern truth from error. Discover practical ways to enrich your spiritual journey, ensuring Christ remains central in every aspect of life.

100:00:00,000 –> 00:00:08,440Paul was surely the greatest Christian of his time, a wonderfully mature believer and200:00:08,440 –> 00:00:11,780yet what do you find him saying towards the end of his life? In Philippians in chapter300:00:11,780 –> 00:00:19,340three, I want to know Christ and I want to know the power of his Resurrection more and400:00:19,340 –> 00:00:23,440more in my life, and even the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings.500:00:23,440 –> 00:00:27,740Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith, I’m David Pick. I’m glad you could600:00:28,639 –> 00:00:34,360And Colin, in the series we’ve been hearing about everything we need for life, and here’s700:00:34,360 –> 00:00:40,299Paul, surely a superapostle even at the end of his life, is saying I still want to grow800:00:40,299 –> 00:00:41,520in my faith.900:00:41,520 –> 00:00:46,259Isn’t that inspiring? And if he feels that, after all that he did, for the cause of Christ1000:00:46,259 –> 00:00:51,099and all that he knew and all the rest of it, then why would any of us be coasting in our1100:00:51,099 –> 00:00:54,540Christian lives? I love the way in which the beginning and the end of second Peter comes1200:00:55,060 –> 00:00:59,799God has given us everything that we need for life. That’s the beginning. Therefore, grow1300:00:59,820 –> 00:01:04,620in godliness. Grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, your Saviour and your Lord. That’s1400:01:04,620 –> 00:01:09,379at the end. You put these two things together, Boy, if God has given me everything I need,1500:01:09,379 –> 00:01:13,879why would I not really go for it and develop as a Christian believer.1600:01:13,879 –> 00:01:18,019That is what our series has been all about and today we’ll hear about how we discern1700:01:18,019 –> 00:01:23,720error and how we grow and the end result of all that. So, join us if you can in 2 Peter1800:01:23,760 –> 00:01:29,6393 as we continue the message, Everything You Need For Action. Here is Pastor Colin.1900:01:29,639 –> 00:01:33,720I want you to notice then that the end of this letter, Peter calls us to action and2000:01:33,720 –> 00:01:40,260he does it in three ways. First, there’s something that we’re to guard, verse 17, and we need2100:01:40,260 –> 00:01:46,220to be real proactive about this, guard against distortions of the gospel that diminish Jesus2200:01:46,220 –> 00:01:52,559Christ, something to guard. Second, he wants us to grow, verse 18, grow in the knowledge2300:01:52,580 –> 00:01:59,580of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thirdly, he wants us to glorify Our Lord and Savior,2400:01:59,580 –> 00:02:07,199Jesus Christ, both now and forevermore. That’s the call to action with which Peter ends this2500:02:07,199 –> 00:02:12,779marvelous, marvelous letter. And I want you to notice how all of his call to action is2600:02:12,779 –> 00:02:17,779centered in Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.2700:02:17,779 –> 00:02:28,300Step One then. Guard. Guard against distortions of the gospel that diminish Jesus Christ.2800:02:28,300 –> 00:02:35,759And of course if we have seen as a congregation that all that we need for life is in Jesus2900:02:35,759 –> 00:02:42,059Christ, we will want to guard very carefully against anything that displaces Jesus Christ,3000:02:42,100 –> 00:02:48,740anything that diminishes Jesus Christ, anything that moves the focus of ministry away from3100:02:48,740 –> 00:02:53,619our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And that’s where Peter comes at the end of the letter.3200:02:53,619 –> 00:03:03,259Verse 17, Therefore dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that3300:03:03,259 –> 00:03:11,339you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men, and fall from your secure position.3400:03:12,339 –> 00:03:23,419Since you already know this’. Know what? What do we already know that will put us on guard3500:03:23,419 –> 00:03:28,940with regards to the gospel? Well, verse 16 tells us that there are some things in the3600:03:28,940 –> 00:03:38,139Bible, Peter says, which ignorant and unstable people distort. Notice that word. As they3700:03:38,139 –> 00:03:45,080do the other scriptures and they do this, verse 16, to their own destruction. Now, that3800:03:45,080 –> 00:03:50,240in the context is why he says that we, as Christian people, individually and together,3900:03:50,240 –> 00:03:57,360always need to be on our guard. Why? Because we know, and we must know this, that in every4000:03:57,360 –> 00:04:01,699generation there will be people who distort the message of the Bible, which of course4100:04:01,839 –> 00:04:07,899is about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. They will do this, notice what Peter says,4200:04:07,899 –> 00:04:15,880to their own destruction. The problem of course is that the destruction of such ministry has4300:04:15,880 –> 00:04:23,920broader effects within the church as well. Distorting the gospel always diminishes Jesus4400:04:23,920 –> 00:04:29,019Christ. Whenever you have a distortion of the gospel, they always diminish Jesus Christ4500:04:29,440 –> 00:04:36,940Displace Him with something or someone else at the center. Notice what he says one more4600:04:36,940 –> 00:04:44,179time please, in verse 17 here, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away4700:04:44,179 –> 00:04:55,320by the error of lawless men, and fall from your secure position. Fall from your secure4800:04:55,320 –> 00:05:05,920position? Well that sounds scary doesn’t it? Does this mean that I am not secure? No4900:05:05,920 –> 00:05:12,279look at what it says. Peter says you are secure. You’re in a secure position. You are secure5000:05:12,279 –> 00:05:20,019as a believer in Christ. That’s what he says. But remember, your security is in Christ.5100:05:20,480 –> 00:05:25,260That’s the whole point of the danger of the church moving away from Christ or of any person5200:05:25,260 –> 00:05:29,380moving away from Christ, which is what the book of Hebrews is all about. Your security5300:05:29,380 –> 00:05:35,980is in Christ, therefore you hold to Him. And do not move away from him. And you guard against5400:05:35,980 –> 00:05:45,380anything that would diminish the centrality of Jesus Christ in life or in the church.5500:05:45,380 –> 00:05:49,899Social security outside of Christ, which of course is why Paul says to the Corinthians,5600:05:49,899 –> 00:05:55,700do you remember in chapter 15, brothers I want to remind you of the gospel that I preach5700:05:55,700 –> 00:06:02,500to you. The gospel on which you have taken your stand, by which you are saved. If you5800:06:02,500 –> 00:06:09,320hold firmly to the word I preach to you, Paul says otherwise you believed in vain. Do you5900:06:09,320 –> 00:06:13,519not know people who once professed faith in Christ but now have abandoned Him? They were6000:06:13,640 –> 00:06:20,640like the seed that sprung up quickly and then withered. Be on your guard. You cling to the6100:06:22,019 –> 00:06:29,019Lord Jesus Christ and you will find Him clinging to you from here to eternity.6200:06:29,440 –> 00:06:36,440Now you say whose job is it to guard the church against distortions of the gospel, that diminish6300:06:36,940 –> 00:06:43,940our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? Is it the pastor’s job? Yes. Is it the elder’s job?6400:06:47,679 –> 00:06:54,760Yes. Is it the member’s job? Yes. Is it the volunteer’s job? Yes. Is it the newest6500:06:55,200 –> 00:07:03,459Christian’s job? Yes, all of the above. Now,6600:07:03,459 –> 00:07:10,559at this point, you may be wondering, how in all the world can I do this. I mean, you’re6700:07:10,559 –> 00:07:20,760an ordinary Christian. You’ve never been to seminary. So, how can you discern error6800:07:20,760 –> 00:07:30,119and guard the truth? How can you do that in your own life? How can you do that as part6900:07:30,119 –> 00:07:35,640of the body of Christ in the Church? Well, let me try and give you some practical help7000:07:35,640 –> 00:07:41,380here on this point because it’s very important. I think there are two ways in which we can7100:07:41,380 –> 00:07:43,579discern error.7200:07:43,600 –> 00:07:53,160One is by zooming in and the other is by zooming out. Zooming in is quite demanding. Zooming7300:07:53,160 –> 00:08:00,500out is incredibly easy and anybody can do it. Let me explain these two to you. Zooming7400:08:00,500 –> 00:08:07,720in involves developing a careful understanding of what is being said by leaders and movements7500:08:07,739 –> 00:08:14,739in our time. Now frankly, that is especially a job and a responsibility for pastors and7600:08:14,739 –> 00:08:23,619elders. The Bible makes that clear, Paul said to Timothy, who was a pastor to a local congregation7700:08:23,619 –> 00:08:29,839in Ephesus…Paul said to Timothy as the pastor, guard the gospel. That’s 2 Timothy chapter7800:08:29,839 –> 00:08:35,9401 and verse 14. Then he says in the first letter, command certain people not to teach7900:08:35,979 –> 00:08:41,200false doctrines, nor to devote themselves to myths. In other words, Paul says to Timothy,8000:08:41,200 –> 00:08:46,960you’re the pastor, it is your job to know what is going on. To know what is going on8100:08:46,960 –> 00:08:53,960in a particular degree and to be able to address that and to take responsibility for guarding8200:08:55,119 –> 00:09:02,119the church against that. So let me make this application, will you thank God for pastors8300:09:02,320 –> 00:09:08,659and elders who are determined to guard the gospel by keeping it at the center of the8400:09:08,659 –> 00:09:15,659church, and will you pray for us in that great responsibility? Because it is never easy,8500:09:16,739 –> 00:09:23,739never has been, and it never will be. That’s zooming in. Here is zooming out. Zooming8600:09:24,520 –> 00:09:31,520out, which is much simpler, and every Christian can do this, and by the way, this is how ordinary8700:09:33,739 –> 00:09:39,580believers can check the pastors, which is a very important thing to be able to do. How8800:09:39,580 –> 00:09:43,679do you do it? Well, let me put it this way. Zooming out,8900:09:43,679 –> 00:09:49,219when you listen to Christian teaching, and you’re trying to get a handle on a new movement9000:09:49,219 –> 00:09:52,719or a discussion in Christian magazines or whatever it is. When you are trying to evaluate9100:09:53,080 –> 00:09:57,239simply another person’s ideas, they’re talking about this or that in relation to the faith,9200:09:57,239 –> 00:10:02,500when you go into the Christian bookshop and you’re browsing around, and there are a thousand9300:10:02,500 –> 00:10:07,200options as to what you could read, and you have that long to look at 10 titles, and you’re9400:10:07,200 –> 00:10:11,460trying to decide should I buy this one or should I buy that one. We all have to make9500:10:11,460 –> 00:10:18,460these kind of decisions that shape what comes into us all the time. Ask this single question,9600:10:18,679 –> 00:10:25,679ask this single question. Does this, this teaching, this book, this trend, does this9700:10:28,520 –> 00:10:35,520make more of me or more of Jesus? It’s a great question. Ask it all the time, does this make9800:10:39,700 –> 00:10:46,700more of me or more of Jesus? And I found that a helpful question for some time, but just9900:10:47,700 –> 00:10:54,700because I wanted to be up to date I googled yesterday. I just did bestselling Christian10000:10:54,700 –> 00:10:59,679books, and of course because there are so many different distributors I got any number10100:10:59,679 –> 00:11:05,900of different lists of Christian book, and I just picked one at random and looked at10200:11:05,900 –> 00:11:11,719a top 10. And I just applied that question and immediately one thing was very obvious.10300:11:11,719 –> 00:11:18,859I found two books out of the ten that apparently just from looking at the title were going10400:11:18,859 –> 00:11:25,020to be more about Jesus than they are about me. The other eight looked interesting and10500:11:25,020 –> 00:11:31,200perhaps helpful. But at least just from an initial glance, and frankly that’s all that10600:11:31,200 –> 00:11:34,880any of us have when we’re making a lot of these choices, it was pretty evident that10700:11:34,880 –> 00:11:40,159they were more about me than they were about Jesus. They covered issues like the purpose10800:11:40,159 –> 00:11:45,140of my life, the future of my country, dealing with difficulties with my children, improving10900:11:45,140 –> 00:11:54,659my diet, finding passion in my work, and developing my leadership skills.11000:11:54,659 –> 00:12:00,280I will read some of these books, but I need to remember this, they make much of me. They11100:12:00,280 –> 00:12:03,900are pitched to the idea that I’m the most important person in the world, which is how11200:12:04,460 –> 00:12:14,679sells. And if Christ is simply there to serve me, my country, my children, my life, my diet,11300:12:14,679 –> 00:12:19,219my leadership skills, or my fulfillment and satisfaction at work, then Jesus Christ is11400:12:19,219 –> 00:12:25,679diminished because He’s a means to an end, isn’t He? I find that a very, very helpful11500:12:25,679 –> 00:12:33,500grid to evaluate what’s actually gonna help my spiritual life and what’s really gonna11600:12:33,500 –> 00:12:41,400have Jesus at the margins. And you can apply that in all kinds of spheres. And may it be11700:12:41,400 –> 00:12:46,659for the glory of God, until Jesus Christ returns that Jesus Christ, His person, His work and11800:12:46,659 –> 00:12:52,000His glory will always be at the center of this pulpit of this church and of every ministry11900:12:52,000 –> 00:12:57,679of this church. Until He shall come, guard it.12000:12:57,679 –> 00:13:02,239You know, I was talking with someone just the other day, and he said to me, you know,12100:13:02,320 –> 00:13:06,179I am really trying to get on a diet and I have actually been making some progress. You12200:13:06,179 –> 00:13:10,840know that discussion? And he said, you know, there is one thing someone said to me that12300:13:10,840 –> 00:13:14,000has really helped me on a diet. Now, here we are, you see I have just mentioned diet12400:13:14,000 –> 00:13:20,159so I’m pitching in on that now. He said, someone said to me, remember your body isn’t12500:13:20,159 –> 00:13:26,460a trash can. That is helpful, isn’t it, you think about all that goes in there, you12600:13:26,460 –> 00:13:30,239know. I will just have an extra piece of that whatever. Your body isn’t a trash can.12700:13:31,239 –> 00:13:33,520He says, it has really helped me. I have lost some weight since I’ve been thinking about12800:13:33,520 –> 00:13:45,840that. Your soul isn’t a trash can. Your soul doesn’t exist for the inflation of12900:13:45,840 –> 00:13:53,739your own ego. Your soul will not grow in grace if you constantly told that you’re the most13000:13:54,200 –> 00:14:01,200person in all of the world. When you think about your spiritual diet,13100:14:02,640 –> 00:14:09,640fill your soul with a diet that will make much of Christ if you want to grow in grace.13200:14:10,219 –> 00:14:17,140And treat the stuff that’s mainly about you as you do fast food. It’s okay once in a while,13300:14:17,280 –> 00:14:24,280but it’s deadly if it becomes your regular staple diet. Hope that’s helpful.13400:14:24,739 –> 00:14:29,599But you see what we take in shapes who we are and it shapes what the church is and13500:14:29,599 –> 00:14:32,280we’ve got to guard the Gospel.13600:14:33,280 –> 00:14:36,280Grow in discernment by zooming out,13700:14:36,280 –> 00:14:39,280and you will make better choices about what you’re taking in.13800:14:40,679 –> 00:14:42,280Will it make more of me?13900:14:42,280 –> 00:14:45,280Or will it make more of Jesus?14000:14:45,419 –> 00:14:49,320You’re listening to Open The Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and a message called14100:14:49,400 –> 00:14:53,320Everything You Need for Action. We’ve got to pause the message briefly here, but we’ll14200:14:53,320 –> 00:14:56,320be back very shortly so do stay with us.14300:14:56,320 –> 00:15:00,320The message is part of our series Everything You Need for Life,14400:15:00,320 –> 00:15:05,000all based on the Book of 2 Peter, and if you’ve missed any of the series so far14500:15:05,000 –> 00:15:09,299it’s easy to catch up or go back and listen again by coming online to our14600:15:09,320 –> 00:15:14,340website upenthebible.org.uk or if you prefer14700:15:14,340 –> 00:15:18,119go and find it as a podcast and those are on all the podcast sites,14800:15:18,119 –> 00:15:22,580search there for Open The Bible UK and subscribe if you want to receive regular14900:15:22,580 –> 00:15:27,580updates. Back to the message now here again is Pastor Colin.15000:15:27,580 –> 00:15:30,940Now I said that there were three things and we were going to be way longest on the first15100:15:30,940 –> 00:15:35,460and we have been much more briefly the second two. We’re to guard15200:15:35,460 –> 00:15:38,979we’re to guard against any distortion of the gospel that diminishes Jesus Christ15300:15:39,020 –> 00:15:42,919and all distortions of the gospel diminish Jesus Christ. Second we’re to15400:15:42,919 –> 00:15:48,960grow verse 18 in we’re to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and15500:15:48,960 –> 00:15:54,260Saviour Jesus Christ. Now of course the best way to make sure that we do not15600:15:54,260 –> 00:16:01,580diminish Christ is that we vigorously pursue Christ personally, together as a15700:16:01,580 –> 00:16:08,059congregation, that knowing Christ is our one holy passion. Finding everything that15800:16:08,320 –> 00:16:16,200we need for life and for ministry in him and then sharing him with the world.15900:16:16,200 –> 00:16:21,099Paul was surely the greatest Christian of his time a wonderfully mature16000:16:21,099 –> 00:16:24,080believer and yet what do you find him saying towards the end of his life? In16100:16:24,080 –> 00:16:31,039Philippians in chapter three, I want to know Christ and I want to know the power16200:16:31,039 –> 00:16:35,559of his resurrection more and more in my life and even the fellowship of sharing16300:16:35,840 –> 00:16:42,039his sufferings. See when you come to know Christ it is like buying a field that is16400:16:42,039 –> 00:16:46,080full of very treasure.16500:16:46,159 –> 00:16:50,200And it’s a wonderful thing when you come to know Christ to do a little bit of16600:16:50,200 –> 00:16:55,479digging and you find some treasure and you say look at this discovered about16700:16:55,479 –> 00:16:58,960Jesus Christ and you have some glimpse of his greatness and you’re thrilled16800:16:58,960 –> 00:17:03,400with it but oh if ten years time you’re still holding that one little bit of16900:17:03,460 –> 00:17:07,719treasure and you’ve got one little hole in the ground when the whole field is17000:17:07,719 –> 00:17:16,920full of buried treasure that’s a tragedy. You’ve missed the greatest gift and17100:17:16,920 –> 00:17:24,199privilege of life. No, keep digging. Dig all the time because17200:17:24,199 –> 00:17:27,979as Paul was expressing when he says I want to know Christ you never come to17300:17:27,979 –> 00:17:33,260the end of seeing his greatness and his glory and the wonder of his gospel which17400:17:33,280 –> 00:17:38,979is the breath of fresh air that runs through the Christians life it’s the joy17500:17:38,979 –> 00:17:45,000of our worship we never tired of Jesus because we never exhaust the greatness17600:17:45,000 –> 00:17:51,780of his glory grow grow in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior17700:17:51,780 –> 00:17:58,800Jesus Christ and notice how grace and knowledge go together that the sure sign17800:17:58,959 –> 00:18:07,160that you know Jesus is that you are growing in grace John says in his gospel17900:18:07,160 –> 00:18:16,040that Christ came from the Father and he was full of grace and truth and so the18000:18:16,040 –> 00:18:19,319more that we come to know him individually and together the evidence18100:18:19,319 –> 00:18:26,319of that is going to be the centrality of truth in relation to the one who is the18200:18:26,319 –> 00:18:36,560truth and the evidence of grace in our words in our character in our18300:18:36,560 –> 00:18:42,739disposition you’re making progress in knowing Christ or let me put it another18400:18:42,739 –> 00:18:51,640way are you growing in grace are you more patient with your kids with those18500:18:51,640 –> 00:18:58,739who work with you than you were five years ago right you becoming a sort of18600:18:58,739 –> 00:19:05,300angry Christian do you know there is all the difference in the world between18700:19:05,300 –> 00:19:14,020religion and Christ they’re different trees and they produce different fruit18800:19:14,239 –> 00:19:23,199and you see this in the world religion makes a person hard christ makes a18900:19:23,199 –> 00:19:35,280person tender religion makes a person proud opinionated christ makes a person19000:19:35,280 –> 00:19:43,459humble teachable religion makes a person angry don’t we see that all around the19100:19:43,459 –> 00:19:51,839world religious people are angry about this and that the other uptight religion19200:19:51,839 –> 00:19:57,219makes people angry christ brings a person to love these are different19300:19:57,219 –> 00:20:05,420trees they produce different kind of fruit and the kind of fruit you bear19400:20:05,420 –> 00:20:12,900shows the kind of person you are now you come here this morning and you are angry19500:20:12,979 –> 00:20:18,479and you’re impatient and you’re opinionated I want to invite you around19600:20:18,479 –> 00:20:22,079the Lord’s table to come with me and with all of us and to say Lord Jesus19700:20:22,079 –> 00:20:29,719Christ meet me and change me because the wrong fruit is coming out of this life19800:20:29,719 –> 00:20:41,599this is not a small thing grow in the grace and knowledge of Our Lord and19900:20:41,680 –> 00:20:49,719Savior Jesus Christ and we grow like him as we walk with him then here’s the very20000:20:49,719 –> 00:20:54,439last thing we’re to guard we’re to grow we’re to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ20100:20:54,439 –> 00:21:00,319verse 18 now and forever grow in the grace and knowledge of Our Lord and20200:21:00,319 –> 00:21:09,180Savior Jesus Christ to him be the glory both now and forever20300:21:09,880 –> 00:21:13,979boy put these three things together these three calls to action and don’t20400:21:13,979 –> 00:21:23,339you have the most marvellous vision to pursue to be a truth embracing grace20500:21:23,339 –> 00:21:30,880displaying Christ exalting believer church that’s what Peter wants for the20600:21:31,079 –> 00:21:39,640Church that’s my prayer for us make it your prayer today the more we see the20700:21:39,640 –> 00:21:45,599grace of the Lord Jesus Christ who loved us and gave himself for us the more20800:21:45,599 –> 00:21:50,500you’re going to find yourself saying you know I really see it now Lord knowing20900:21:50,500 –> 00:21:57,479you is the greatest treasure of my life and for all your grace and for all your21000:21:57,479 –> 00:22:03,979love and for all your patience to me not just in the past but now I say to21100:22:03,979 –> 00:22:09,959your name the all the praise and all the glory both now and forever in my life21200:22:09,959 –> 00:22:17,199and in the church until Christ shall come and then for all eternity and to21300:22:17,199 –> 00:22:22,420the message of 2nd Peter all the people of God say21400:22:22,420 –> 00:22:25,640You’ve been listening to Open the Bible with pastor Colin Smith and a message21500:22:25,900 –> 00:22:30,760Everything you need for action. it’s the last message in our series21600:22:30,760 –> 00:22:35,739Everything You Need For Life based on the book of 2 Peter. If you’ve missed any21700:22:35,739 –> 00:22:39,000of the series it’s easy to catch up or go back and listen again21800:22:39,000 –> 00:22:44,479online at our website Openthebible.org.uk there you’ll find all the21900:22:44,479 –> 00:22:49,459messages in the series you can also find them on your favourite podcast site if22000:22:49,459 –> 00:22:53,819you prefer listening that way go to your favorite podcast site search for22100:22:54,160 –> 00:22:59,920Open The Bible UK and subscribe if you want to get regular reminders. Open the22200:22:59,920 –> 00:23:04,319Bible is able to be on this station as well as our website and the podcasts22300:23:04,319 –> 00:23:09,300because listeners like you give generously to support our work so if22400:23:09,300 –> 00:23:12,900your already support Open The Bible in this way thank you so much.22500:23:12,900 –> 00:23:17,079If supporting Open The Bible is something you want to start doing this22600:23:17,079 –> 00:23:20,880month, we’d love to say thank you by sending you Pastor Colin’s brand new22700:23:21,140 –> 00:23:28,800It’s a 30-day devotional study drawing on scripture and years of pastoral22800:23:28,800 –> 00:23:33,260experience. Colin, what is the one thing you’d like readers to take away from22900:23:33,260 –> 00:23:37,579this book? Well it would be very practical because every Christian knows23000:23:37,579 –> 00:23:42,180what it is to go through dark times when we feel discouraged, we’re down, we23100:23:42,180 –> 00:23:46,780don’t know how to move forward and when these times come in your life you need23200:23:46,839 –> 00:23:52,140to know how to handle your own soul, how to encourage and strengthen yourself.23300:23:52,140 –> 00:23:57,479David of course speaks about this, he knew what this was like, in Psalm 42 he23400:23:57,479 –> 00:24:02,719speaks to himself, he says why are you cast down? o’ my soul, why are you in23500:24:02,719 –> 00:24:08,839turmoil within me and then he says, Hope in God. So I hope what people will take23600:24:08,839 –> 00:24:14,040away from this is that they’ll be helped and encouraged in being able to speak to23700:24:14,140 –> 00:24:20,040their own soul in the way that David did in Psalm 42 and to find hope in God23800:24:20,040 –> 00:24:25,520because there is hope in God for every circumstance of life and it comes to us23900:24:25,520 –> 00:24:30,199in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. So pastor Collin’s book Grow in Hope is our24000:24:30,199 –> 00:24:34,680gift to you when you set up a new direct debit of five pounds per month or more24100:24:34,680 –> 00:24:39,640or a one-off gift of sixty pounds or more to support the work of Open The24200:24:39,640 –> 00:24:44,459Bible this month. Full terms and conditions are on our website at24300:24:44,459 –> 00:24:47,780openthebible.org.uk and you can give online.24400:24:47,780 –> 00:24:52,099Don’t forget though to leave your full name and address when you donate so24500:24:52,099 –> 00:24:57,199we’ll be able to send you your gift. For Open the Bible and pastor Collin Smith24600:24:57,199 –> 00:25:01,459I’m David Pick. Thanks for being with us today and we look forward to having you24700:25:01,459 –> 00:25:04,859join us again next time!24800:25:10,619 –> 00:25:16,579The mission of Open the Bible is to create a movement of people who love to24900:25:16,579 –> 00:25:21,099open their Bible themselves and are equipped to open the Bible for others.25000:25:21,099 –> 00:25:27,300Join us for a special programme all about that next time on Open the Bible.

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Colin Smith

Trustee / Founder and Teaching Pastor

Colin Smith is the Senior Pastor of The Orchard Evangelical Free Church in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. He has authored a number of books, including Heaven, How I Got Here and Heaven, So Near – So Far. Colin is the Founder and Teaching Pastor for Open the Bible. Follow him on X formerly Twitter.

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Sermons on 2 Peter Everything You Need For Life? Isn’t that a bit pretentious? Discover the Bible’s extraordinary claim about life in Jesus Christ. Most church-going people would agree that Jesus Christ has everything you need for faith. But many of the same people are not so sure he has everything we need for life.

Colin Smith

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Grow in Faith

Get Pastor Colin’s newest devotional as a FREE eBook and discover how to trust God more deeply, stand on His promises, and grow in confidence in Him.

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