False teachers
Day 671, Saturday, June 13
2 Peter Chapter 2
Chapter 2 has harsh words for false teachers and false prophets. “They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you. With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood!”
It’s easy to recognize the kind of people Peter is speaking of among our enemies. They are the ones who celebrate their wicked excesses and call it freedom. They are the ones who exploit and corrupt the weak and unstable.
It might be harder to recognize that some of these false teachers can also be found among our friends and allies. Even proclamation of a righteous message can be done for unworthy reasons and by unworthy means.
And we must also stay on guard against becoming the false teachers we condemn. Are we keeping our eye on winning souls or just winning arguments? Are we building up the kingdom of God or just our own influence?
Much of what we have read from Peter so far has been about humility. Now we see why it is so important.

-Rev. Mark Fleming

Saturday meditation

Psalms 141:1-10
I call to you, Lord, come quickly to me; hear me when I call to you. May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.
Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil so that I take part in wicked deeds along with those who are evildoers; do not let me eat their delicacies.
Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness; let him rebuke me—that is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it, for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers.
Their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs, and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken. They will say, “As one plows and breaks up the earth, so our bones have been scattered at the mouth of the grave.”
But my eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge—do not give me over to death. Keep me safe from the traps set by evildoers, from the snares they have laid for me. Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by in safety.

Prayer focus
Grant us wisdom and humility.