The Warning!

“But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” 2 Peter 1:9

Ref: Prov. 26:11; Lk 11:24-26; Is 55:2; 1 Tim. 4:14; 2 Tim 1:6; 1 Pet. 4:10; Eph. 4:7

Peter writes: “to them that have obtained like precious faith with us” (2Peter 1:1)

He lets you know that everyone receives the exact same “starter” which is: faith, grace, and precious promises. He gives the recipe in verses three through seven. In verse eight, he gives you a promise that if the recipe is followed and these things are added God will increase your ability to take your friendship with him to a deeper level; even as you take the results of the work on the recipe to others and introduce them to your Friend.

“A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” (Prov. 18:24)

If you have done much baking, it isn’t going to surprise you to find notes from Peter here at the end of the list of ingredients; just as you would find at the end of your Friendship Bread recipe. This time the notes warn you of what happens when you neglect the “starter faith” and fail to add to it the things needed.

“but he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.”

If you let the “starter” lie within you and never use it; then you are in danger of forgetting about it. Satan would like nothing better than for you to do this.

If you place the “starter” on the shelf of you heart and never stir up the gift, if you never add to it daily from the ingredient list here, then before too many days the offer of friendship will be forgotten. The starter will sit idle, and you will return to your normal routine, back to eating the old breads that cannot satisfy.

Your Lord is wise. He knows what lies ahead in your life. He is preparing you for the journey. This "bread" recipe here,supplies you with everything you will need to travel the road of life as a Christian. (1Pt.1:3) He also gives you warnings of what will happen if the new things are not added.

“When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man…he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.” (Lk 11:24-26)

The unclean spirit, the old way of living, will creep back into your life, and take over once again if you are not careful. perhaps your old ways included lying or stealing, or drugs,cigarettes, alcohol. Maybe yours was the bread of idleness:being lazy. There are many "old ways", many unclean spirits that can sneek back and take over your life. When when they do, they bring others with them: depression, resentment, anger. The devil is a hard employer. Why do I say that?

The Bible says:
"the wages (pay) of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23

Why would you work for something or someone that cannot satisfy you and neglect the sweet Bread of Heaven: never to know the deep satisfaction of a life salvaged by the unmerited favor of a loving Friend.

Never knowing a life lived by saving faith and strengthened by precious promises to you? What a huge waste of God’s resources. What a waste of God-given talent.

So don’t just eat of the bread of life and let the starter lie forgotten while you go back to the bread of idleness. Remember the warning! Be careful to stir up that gift and use it daily.