Old Testament Scripture Reading: (Psalms 99:1 – 9 NASB)
Psa 99:1 The LORD reigns, let the peoples tremble; He is enthroned above the cherubim, let the earth shake!
Psa 99:2 The LORD is great in Zion, And He is exalted above all the peoples.
Psa 99:3 Let them praise Your great and awesome name; Holy is He.
Psa 99:4 The strength of the King loves justice; You have established equity; You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.
Psa 99:5 Exalt the LORD our God And worship at His footstool; Holy is He.
Psa 99:6 Moses and Aaron were among His priests, And Samuel was among those who called on His name; They called upon the LORD and He answered them.
Psa 99:7 He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud; They kept His testimonies And the statute that He gave them.
Psa 99:8 O LORD our God, You answered them; You were a forgiving God to them, And yet an avenger of their evil deeds.
Psa 99:9 Exalt the LORD our God And worship at His holy hill, For holy is the LORD our God.
New Testament Scripture Reading: ( 2 Peter 3:14 – 18 KJV)
2Pe 3:14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
2Pe 3:15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
2Pe 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
2Pe 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Transforming Power Statements:
1) The Psalmist indicates that the True God is HOLY, high above all people and that He reigns no matter how it may appear to us as we from an earthly vantage-point based on the activities of fallen people, who live under an illusion of autonomy, which amounts to nothing, but is the function of His mercy toward them.
2) There has always been a blindness within all people caused by the fall of Adam which was passed on to everyone born of his seed, that continually works against that which is Holy; and tends toward that which is selfish and ungodly, which causes and accelerates indifference and even mockery of that which is true, that we as believers must utilize spiritual discernment so that we are careful to show God’s love as we walk within the darkness of this fallen world.
3) The Apostle Peter’s final words to us come in a warning about scoffers and mockers who shall twist and even deny God’s truth as Paul also writes, which indicates the evil trend that will characterize the unbelieving people of the world in the latter days, that shall provoke God’s wrath and a fiery judgment which shall destroy the heavens and the earth, and it is an encouragement to remain patient with people and faithful to Jesus, spotless and blameless.