“So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.” (2 Peter 3:14)

Pastor Tanner made a great point this past Sunday (https://www.californiaecchurch.com/sermons/ ), and I thought it would be an excellent nugget for us all to think about as we start our week. The idea revolved around the question, “Is every effort in your life pointed at this one goal – to be ready for Jesus’ return?”  The key word to focus on in the question is “every.”  And as Pastor Tanner mentioned, how many other things do we allow to take precedence over this goal in our lives? I definitely had to take a second look at my own behavior as he was making this point. Because it’s true (for me at least), there are so many things that separate my time from being completely devoted to Christ Jesus. There’s always a multitude of distractions on any given day that can divert me from this one true goal. In today’s verse (also taken from this Sunday’s reading), Peter uses the word “every” in the phrase “make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.” Which of course follows the same line of questioning from this past Sunday’s sermon. We are to make “every effort” not some effort, or devote most of your effort, but every effort to be devoted to Christ Jesus and living out His commands and calling for our lives. Again, (as Pastor Tanner said) “Peter is speaking in absolutes.” He is not using passive language, saying we should do this, or we may want to think about doing this. No, Peter the rock of the church, says very plainly “make every effort.” So today, think about Christ Jesus as the example of being spotless, blameless and being at peace. And make every effort to do as Jesus did.