Caution: Ruts Ahead!

You seen the sign before that says wrong way. It's usually rabbits. It's a red diamond in white lettering the wrong way telling you don't go this way. Essentially that is what is in Peter's mind. He understands that we can be going one way that is the right way, but the danger of others steering us off the path is very real. She cautions no right away to pay attention and not act carelessly pay attention to the caution signs in the Bible today on connect with skip-Skip shares what it means for you to live cautiously in your journey of faith first Skip was to share about another way you can hear these encouraging Bible messages. Now I just want to let you know how we can stay connected on my YouTube just search for skip.

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And don't forget to subscribe thank Skip now were in second Peter chapter 2 as we dive into our study with Skip Heitzig doctors will always tell you that you should never take prescription medication out of their original pack is really simple. As to why if you have ever traveled and you pulled things out of different bottles and you need to pack them. It's a lot easier to just put them in one vessel but is not wise to do so because you may get confused as to which pillow is which and that's dangerous.

Whereas if you keep it in the original package your name is on it. The expiration date is on it. What's in it is on it and there's just no confusion is a interesting story about a gal who worked at a telephone store down in Jackson, Mississippi. She went away a coffee break and came back and found her boss Jim Jim McGowan was sitting at her desk, his head in his hands and he noticed her. She came in and said oh I'm sorry.

I hope you'll forgive me. I took the liberty of going to your desk to find aspirin have a terrible headache and so I found the pill jar and I took two of them and I feel much better and she said that's that's great Mr. McGowan and you won't get pregnant either, just as it is dangerous to have medicine in the wrong jar with the wrong label.

It is also dangerous to call false prophets, false teachers and what they say anything else other than that, that it is false, it is dangerous to do so and it is for that very reason that Peter spends an entire chapter in the short little letter second Peter chapter 2 is spent entirely on placing the correct label on the bad medicine is a very straightforward passage, very concise, very complete and one of the strongest in the entire New Testament on what this false prophecy is about. You seen the sign before that says wrong way it usually rabbits is a red diamond in white lettering the wrong way telling you don't go this way. Essentially that is what is in Peter's mind. He understands that we can be going one way that is the right way, but the danger of others steering us off the path is very real. I want you to notice some wording even before we read the entirety of the text in verse 15 second Peter two. He notes they have forsaken the right way and have gone astray, following the way of bail.

In verse 21.

It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, the little word way means a roadway or a pathway, and the most typical form of going from one place to another was walking in those days so the picture in the original author's mind is people walking down a roadway being pushed off the right path onto another road that is the wrong way. That's the idea behind this text. You probably also know that in the New Testament, it is not uncommon to speak about your walk as your spiritual journey right the word of the term, your walk or the walk or the way is often symbolic of the decisions you make in your entire lifestyle and so Peter is writing to his audience saying, be very careful take great caution. There are rocks in this road that are put there by false teachers, false prophets, and even wrong pathways that they want to take you down. This week I found an article actually I look for and so I found it online a little newspaper in England. The publication where people would them air their complaints and it's in Surrey, England. This one town was found in this man was speaking about a road in in his County and in his town and at this local citizen rights. This this is the most dangerous road in our county is dark and narrow. It has deep rocks at the edges and I have had several near misses with oncoming traffic and he warns at the end of his little complaint that there could be a severe accident in the future after writing that the Council wrote back online and responded with this, there are no funds available till next year, but this remains our highest priority.

Our highest priority. No money. This is Peter's highest priority. He is about to die. This is the last recorded utterance that we have a Peter is this book and he wants to make sure these truths are in place so let's look at them beginning in verse 15 to the end of the chapter. Continuing the theme from last time. They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of bail and the son of Bjork who loved the wages of unrighteousness when he was rebuked for his iniquity. Dumb donkeys speaking with a man's voice restrained the madness of the prophet.

These are wells without water clouds carried by a tempest for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever when they speak great swelling words of emptiness they lure to the lust of the flesh through lewdness once we've actually escaped from those who live in error. While they promise them liberty they themselves are slaves of corruption by whom a person is overcome by him. Also he is brought into bondage. For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning, for it would've been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having noted to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them, but this is happened to them according to the true proverb, a dog returns to its own vomit in a cell having lost to her wallowing in the mire.

I think Peter knew something. I think that Peter believed that it is profitable for all believers from time to time to stop to pause to consider their walk where they're going, how they're doing it with whom they are walking and where it leads to interesting pigeons how they walk. Have you noticed there had moves back and forth like this when they walk in is the strangest thing. Honestly, I don't really care for pigeons. I'd never have one as a pet per se, but I've always been interested in why they do that and I discovered this from a little research that they cannot focus while they were walking back to actually have their head at a complete stop, and the focus take a step move ahead. Again, focus, take a step move the head forward focus step backwards in and they do it quite efficiently and it's as if Peter says like that you need to stop and refocus and consider what's out there and who's out there and what it can lead to from time to time.

We just need a good Bible study on the subject, and Peter has given us an entire chapters.

So allow me to show you the road signs on this path. Therefore, cautionary signs that Peter puts out as to the ruts that are in the road. Be careful as you walk. Be careful who you walk with. Be careful what you walk toward, and finally, be careful how your walk ends and I show them to you. Verse 15.

Be careful as you walk. He says they have forsaken the right way and have gone astray, was to stop there. He speaking about people who were taken off course and have you noticed if you have read your New Testament at all that from the beginning of the New Testament the time of Jesus to the book of Revelation there is warning after warning after warning that this is a possibility. It seems as though all of the authors understood that this is a battle and in our walks. We have to be very cautious as we walk because there are people out there that want to take you the wrong way to give you just a sampling. If I may have those warnings. These are from the lips and the pen of Paul the apostle in second Corinthians 11, Paul writes, I fear that somehow you will be led astray from your pure and simple devotion to Christ. Galatians chapter 1, I marvel that you are turning away so soon from him who called you in the grace of Christ would different gospel for there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. In Ephesians 4 he writes we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting the final text that I want to share with you is in acts 20 as Paul is leaving a city he had been in for three years, the town of Ephesus. He says this. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come, they will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also, from among yourselves, men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after themselves, remember he's there for three years. I did not cease to warn you with tears so throughout the entire New Testament you have warnings of ruts in the road ruts of legalism. Ruts of self-righteousness. Ruts of pride, of apathy, of doubt, of anger and jealousy of doctrinal error.

So, simply put, step number one warning sign number one on this roadway. Be careful as you walk Paul the apostle said, almost the exact same thing when he wrote to the Ephesians he says see then that you walk circumspectly. Remember that word see that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise circumspectly means carefully or with exactness. The point is, is when you walk watch where you're putting each step.

It's interesting, really. When a child learns to walk one of the most wonderful days of appearance. LifeLock and we really don't care much about how they do it but very soon after that, all the warnings. Be careful were you walk will look both ways when you cross the street. All of those warnings are enacted. Once the walking process begins when I was a youth, we had a field trip one day at our school to the local dairy. I was late for school which was untypical. My dad would take me to school. Sometimes if I missed the bus.

I miss the bus and so instead of going with all the kids to the Darien going that the proper entrance to the dairy.

My dad pulled up alongside the fence where there was a pastor and we could see the kids out there in the dairy so my dad just said just go to the fence and join your friends.

But he said knowing what I was walking through. Be very careful as you walk that makes sense right. I don't have to describe much more than the that the landmines were there was a cow pasture and I made sure that I walk very circumspectly through the field, but I came home later on, and I sensed something and I looked, and indeed I had walked that circumspectly.

But I was rather foolish in my approach to the rest of the kids now insane walk carefully. I really don't want you to become a reactionary Christian. There are some people that react automatically to everything as if there's just false prophets waiting around the bush. I happen to believe that is true but but but it can cause a person to become almost so narrowminded as if they're the only arbiter of truth that every sermon every book, every article knows got some bad and it would look for certain words. I don't want you to become the gospel Gestapo here.

I simply would love it if you would learn to discern the good word discern the means to distinguish between truth and error. You just listen carefully and you watch carefully as you walk Paul writes in first Thessalonians 5 test all things, and hold fast to what is good. Mark Twain who can only say it like he said it remark that will I can make its way halfway around the world while truth is still lacing up its boots seems to be so true. How fast error will travel and it also seems to be human nature to go astray is why there are laws. Isaiah the prophet said all we like sheep have gone astray. The hymn writer said prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love so simply said be careful as you walk second warning sign is to be careful who you walk with that makes sense, doesn't it your company of friends is very important who you hang with is very very important because you probably also know that the secret of doing anything and keep your interest up in anything a satellite company of people around you. That's why clubs develop. There are reading clubs and knitting clubs in their scar clubs, motorcycle clubs, and they have rallies and they have chat rooms and have magazines is because they know this truth that if you want to succeed and keep going in anything. Surround yourself with the information and the inspiration of people who also have the same interests. Amos the prophet said. Can two walk together, unless they are agreed. So find people that agree with God's truth and walk with them. That's one of the reasons we go to church. It's one of the reasons that we break up in small groups is because when we come together like this were literally on the same page were were reading the walking manual and then we we watch and we listen in small groups, how people are applying it personally in learning to walk with the Lord. Okay with all that said, your text and and notice words that are repeated. I want to draw your attention to these words. They're all third person words they them those these notice in verse 15. They have forsaken the right way and gone astray. Verse 17. These are wells without water. Verse 18 for when they speak great swelling words of emptiness. They allure on and on through virtually every verse. He's writing about those guys them dudes. They is speaking here about the aggregate group of false teachers and their followers that comprise the day. Normally I would tell you that it's unhealthy to have a dichotomy of us and them.

We and they it's not good to do that, especially in the body of Christ were in this together.

We are brothers and sisters, however, following Peter's laid it's very healthy to make a dichotomy tween. Those who hold to the historic Christian faith and those who pervert the gospel and to say this is truth and there are those who don't hold to the truth. Because of that is John even said they are not of us is important to have people in your life will inspire you spiritually to people around you part of your we group that love the Lord and inspire you to get better and to go longer and be stronger. It's very important. It's also unnerving.

My dad used to tell me as we were all golfers. I haven't kept it up, but but he said Skip I noticed that you like to play golf with people who who you can beat if you really want to get good at this game. Find people who can who can beat you or who are at least as good as you, so it's an even match because you will observe and watch what they do and you'll get better at it, but it can be unnerving in the Christian faith.

I read a story that the Dwight Lyman Moody Young DL Moody, who became an evangelist pastor that his conversion was so radical that he would read the Bible hours a day in the word and and apply it immediately and be obedient to the work that it actually bothered some of the older more mature believers in his church that is rapid growth embarrassed those who had been in the faith, a longer time every week.

DL Moody would come to Sunday school and talk about what God did what God showed them how the Lord's work in his life and the older saints honestly felt a little humiliated by him that some of them actually went to his uncle and said could you quiet the boy down a biographer of DL Moody wrote this is a low-cost spiritual health and bounding spiritual energy disturbed their napping. He was just too much for them.

So while they were sucking their thumbs. He was growing until he left them far behind. He grew more in a few years than they did in 30 when I read that I said God give us more DL Moody's give us those kind of people in our lives that inspire us to walk strong. Be careful who you walk with was talking about. They in these and those in them.

He mentions one particular person by name from the Old Testament guy by the name of bail him Baylor is in the Old Testament Hall of shame he's an unusual cat strange guy because he was a Gentile prophet who was called upon by bailiwick, the king of Moab to curse the Jewish people because the Jewish people were a sizable company and coming into the land so he hires Baylor.

Bailey comes and he knows what he is about to do is wrong, the Lord warned him, but he goes anyway because the pay was good and the honor would be even greater. So he goes in a direct disobedience to the Lord and while he is going. The Lord opens the mouth of his dumb donkey says a dumb donkey spoke to a donkey who can speak smoke to have a dumb donkey and a number prophet, you have dumb and dumber. You which one which is dumber usually, donkeys are known as being stubborn. The prophet was worse. You see, Mr. Ed member Mr. I got this read this like the Old Testament version of Mr. Ed is a donkey manual and people asked me whether be animals in heaven. I sure hope this one is now bail him like those with him the day that those that them guys they would use their spiritual gift surely to get rich for-profit.

Have you ever read the surveys asking people what they would do for million dollars or $10 million or or what the price would be to do certain off-color activities. I found one recently that said, what would you be willing to do for $10 million. Listen to the survey, 25% of those who took the survey, 25% said that for $10 million they would be willing to abandon their families. 25% 23% said they would become a prostitute for a week 7% said they would kill a stranger. The price was right. Now what you know what that means. That means that if you have a group of 1000 people there are 70 and that group or willing to kill someone if the price was right. Bail and was willing to do this deed because the price was right. The status was right. The honor was right, that concludes this message from the series walks right now want to share about an encouraging resource that will spark a deeper passion and to live for Jesus who comes to mind when you think of great godly women probably Jesus's mother Mary, maybe Ruth, the unlikely ancestor of Christ.

What about you here's a New York Times best-selling author Eric the taxes clearly God created us male and female in his image. It's leaning into who we are as women for women that is going to show God's greatness. Discover how the lives of some of the latest women in history can show you the path to true greatness in your own life as a woman made in God's image you'll find in this month's inspiring resource by Eric metathesis everyone the seven women. I think you see a different side of femininity and winning is our thank you for your gift of $35 or more today to help connect more people to God's word and right now will also send you a special bonus resource pastor Skip message CD collection on prominent women from Scripture connectwithskip.com/offer to get online securely or call 800-922-1888 the lost souls in this dark world encounter the life Jesus made possible through your support. Today the gospel to the house and I simply can't discern the good news of Jesus with more people in our darkened hundred 92 1800 9224 is connected.com/donate.com/domains to him tomorrow as Skip six years what signs you can look Skip presentation of connection communication through ever-changing time