Matthew 14:22-33, Genesis 1:26-27, 2 Peter 1:4

Watch on YouTube

Is the Christian faith primarily a red light faith or a green light faith? Here’s what I mean. Is the Christian faith primarily about telling you what not to do, or inviting you into doing and living and experiencing something more? The more I dig into God’s Word, the more I see it is completely a green light faith. I mean, don’t get me wrong. There are things that Scripture tells us not to do. There are definitely things that the world very much endorses today that scripture would say, no, don’t do that. But the reason why it gives us a red light to some things is really to give us a green light to so much more.

Recently, I was studying the account of when Jesus’ disciples are out on a boat at night and Jesus walks out to them on the water, and we’re told that there’s the wind and the waves, and they’re walking out there. (Matthew 14:22-33) And Jesus disciples, when they see him, they freak out. They say it’s a ghost. And Jesus says, it is. I’d take courage, you know, do not be afraid. And then Peter, Peter says, one of the craziest things I have ever heard in my life. I just do not know what prompted him to say this, but he says, if it’s you, Lord, tell me to come out on the water. Like what? How do you go from everybody in the boat thinking it’s a ghost to the next thing, okay, tell me to come out on the water. If I was the other disciples, I’d be like, what? Are you crazy, Peter? But that wasn’t Jesus’s response. Jesus says come.

And so then Peter gets out and he actually walks on water. There comes a point where he does doubt and he does sink. But then Jesus is right there. And while we do see that, he did start to doubt and sink. We need to not skip over the fact that he actually walked on water like Jesus. In the original language, the word is it’s a compound word, which means it kind of amplifies things. It says he walked around on the water. He went on a water walk. Like Jesus. I’ve known for a long time that Peter walked on the water, but it wasn’t until recently that it dawned on me that it was Peter’s idea. It wasn’t like Jesus was like, hey, Peter, here’s a challenge. I want to see you walk in the water. Peter came up with it. It just seems wild and just audacious and just so bold.

And yet when I think about the story of Scripture, I realize maybe it’s not so crazy after all. If you go back to Genesis, we are told that God created humanity to be in his image and his likeness. (Genesis 1:26-27) Not that we physically look like God, but that we were able to live in a way that looked like God, live in a way that showcased his goodness and his greatness, his love, his character. So we’re here to do things and live in a way that looks like God. And so then when I think about Peter looking out at Jesus and saying, okay, you can do that, I want to do it too. Well, maybe it’s not so crazy after all. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that all of us should try to walk on water like Jesus, but there is something to the fact that God created us to live in a way and do things that look like Jesus. To live in a way that looks like God.

Now, unfortunately, sin broke all that, and we don’t naturally live in a way that looks like God. And I wonder today if that reality has sometimes prompted us to not look at Jesus as boldly as Peter did. Do we say, Jesus, I want to live like you and I want to look like you? Or do we just stay in the boat? Sometimes realizing that we are sinful people and that we are going to sin again, we can actually kind of use it as a cop out. We can say, well, I’m going to sin again anyways, so we don’t even try to look more like Jesus. We just expect, well, I’m going to fail anyway. But I had this professor in seminary who had this great line. He said, don’t deny the miracle. The Spirit of God lives inside of you. Jesus did die for you. You are a new creation. You’ve been washed clean in the waters of baptism. If you are someone who’s been confirmed and you take the Lord’s Supper, you are connected to Christ himself. And so it makes sense to say, Jesus where you are. I want to be there too. I want to live like you. Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come. And what we see with Peter is Jesus loves to say come.

Then when we step out of the boat, are we going to start going down into the water like Peter? Yes, we will, but every single time we do Jesus is there to pull us back up out of the water. He died for you. He rose again. You’re forgiven. You are right with God. And invited by God now to look at Jesus and say, Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come. It talks in chapter one of second Peter, about how we get to be participants in the divine nature. (2 Peter 1:4) What? In 1 Corinthians 15 talks about how when we work hard, it’s actually God who’s working in and through us. We get to be part of what God is doing. We are being renewed in the image and likeness of God. God is working in us. So let’s step out of the boat. Let’s look and see. Jesus, I want to live like you. I want to love others like you. I want to live by faith like you. I know I’m not going to do it perfect, but every time I sink, you will pull me up. So, Lord, if it’s to you. And if you want me to come, say come. Let’s be willing to step where our Savior is today. Let’s see what happens.

2 Peter 1:19

Watch on YouTube

Our devotion today is based upon Second Peter chapter one, and then verse 19. And earlier in this chapter, Peter has been talking about the great event of Jesus transfiguration, that he saw Jesus glowing like the sun on the top of a mountain and showing his glory. And he heard the voice of God the Father speaking from heaven. So then Peter says this

We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. (2 Peter 1:19)

Years ago, I was watching a TV show called Undercover Boss. Maybe you’ve seen that, where someone who is the head of a large corporation will disguise himself or herself and go into a business that they own and put themselves in as just kind of an average worker, to see what it’s like working in the very businesses that they’re running. And later on, the people that they’re working with suddenly discover that this was the head of the corporation, and they’re rather shocked.

I always think with Jesus when he was with his disciples, it probably was easy for them to forget that he really was the Son of God and all of His Majesty, because he walked around in sandals and he ate soup like they did, and probably washed his hand in the streams. And just all the common, normal things that a person would do. Probably got a cold now and then and blew his nose. It might have been easy to forget what the Bible says about Jesus. Saint Paul tells us in Christ all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in bodily form. (Colossians 2:9) That’s amazing! That all of God has chosen to put himself into the form of this humble man from the town of Nazareth.

Now Peter had finally gotten a chance to witness some of the glory of Christ in his transfiguration. And we can’t blame Peter for wanting to write about that, as he does earlier in this chapter, and to describe what an amazing event this must have been to hear God the Father calling down from heaven, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And it was such a terrifying event and sight that we’re told the disciples bowed down with their faces to the ground. (Matthew 17:5-6) But we wouldn’t have blamed Peter if he wanted to write a book about it, or lead tours from people back to the mountain to show the very place of all of this. If there was ever proof that Jesus really was the Son of God, witnessing Him in His glory there in the Mount of Transfiguration, that certainly would have done it for Peter.

How amazing it would have been to have gotten to see Jesus like that, glowing in the brightness of lightning we’re told. We always want something to be sure of. We want to base our hopes, especially things that we’re going to believe in as far as after this life, we want to base our hopes on something that’s real and true. And so there’s a craving inside of each one of us to have or to see something spectacular from God that really proves to us who he is. But when it comes to our faith, faith does not come by observation, and it is not to be found upon empirical evidence. Now, there’s plenty of true empirical evidence. All of the events in Jesus life truly happen. They are factual and true and part of human history. But God tells us that he builds our faith upon something even more certain and more solid than that. And that is his word.

That’s where Saint Peter directs us. Rather than going on gushing about being able to see this tremendous event of Jesus transfiguration, what does he do? He tells his hearers, you have the prophetic word made more certain. In other words, the Word of God that you have from the prophets and the apostles. That Word of God is even more true and certain than if you were present on the Mount of Transfiguration to watch this event. And so with the same sense of urgency with which we might run to see a glorified vision of Jesus himself, God would have us instead run to His Word.

So why does he direct us back to His Word? Because that’s where we will find our certainty of what Jesus, our Savior, has done for us and the hope of heaven he has given us. That’s why our Lord himself said, if you continue in my word, then you are truly my disciples, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. (John 8:30-32) Amen.

In part one, I dealt with the reliability of the transmission of the New Testament and the 5500 plus copies we have, have led scholars to conclude, quote,

That we can reconstruct the original words of the New Testament within 99% accuracy.

So, you know, what we have is what was originally written, but that doesn’t mean it was necessarily reliable historically.

For example, if I were to give you, my journal from yesterday and tell you to copy it word for word, and you did that, we’d have a a reliable transmission. But that doesn’t mean that my journal was accurate historically, or the copy was accurate historically. Maybe I exaggerated, or maybe I created a legend. Or maybe I just simply told some lies.

Are the New Testament writings accurate historically or are they myth, or are they legend, or are they fiction? Or are they purposeful lies? Many believe that the Gospels and the book of Acts are not reliable historically, and you might be one of them. Even Christians have doubts about the historical reliability of what’s recorded there, and you might be be one of them.

There are a number of things that we could point to that helps support the historical reliability of the Gospels and the book of aActs, but I’m just going to mention a few. This is not by any means exhaustive.

First of all, the Gospels and the book of Acts have details of various kinds that you normally never find in myths or legends or even fictions from that that time period.

For example, you have many people listed by name and described. A lot of these names are also confirmed by non-biblical sources, or they’re confirmed by archeology. You also have places and cities and mountains and roads mentioned by name, sometimes with the mileage listed in between. You have buildings and structures described in some detail. We have details about traveling by sea. The cargo, the rigging, the names of the seas. You have descriptions of currents, of weather, patterns, of storm patterns. In other words, what we have here in the Gospels and the book of Acts, they’re written not as if they’re myth or legend. They’re written as if they’re real historical events. And so the question is not whether or not they’re myth or legend versus history, but the question is, are they reliable history versus unreliable or inaccurate history?

Second, the author of Luke and the book of Acts, makes a very important statement concerning how he went about his research and his investigations. Here’s what he said.

Many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught. (Luke 1:1-4)

And so you know these words, they have the ring of integrity and truthfulness. Let me just give you one example from the book of Acts real quickly here.

You know, Luke was a companion of Saint Paul and some of its missionary trips. And Luke again admits that he he talked with the eyewitnesses many times. And one of the things that Luke records when he’s with Paul is what Paul does in making the case, making the defense for the truth of Christianity before a governor Festus and King Agrippa. And here are the words that that the Luke records of Paul. He says,

“I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner. (Acts 25:25-26)

Again, Luke claims to have talked to the eyewitnesses, and sometimes he was there, as with the case of Paul here. And so if what he recorded was not true, somebody could have easily challenged him, because these were obviously public events that many people took notice on.

Third, we have at least three writers of the New Testament claiming to be eyewitnesses. Peter, for example, says,

For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. (2 Peter 1:16-18)

Again, integrity. Truthfulness. That’s what we’re confronted with here. Now, just because someone says he is a eyewitness, that doesn’t mean he was. So here’s a fourth and final point I’d like to share with you today that help you know, you might say verify, the truthfulness or the reliability of the history that we find in the New Testament.

We have records of the lives and the deaths of the apostles recorded by early church fathers. They testify that the apostles went out right away for the rest of their earthly lives, preaching and evangelizing in order to convert people to Christianity. Have them come to the Christian faith. And when they’re out there evangelizing, they’re preaching, and they’re teaching as if everything recorded in the Gospels and the book of Acts is absolutely true. And they did this despite the dangers they would be facing, persecution, imprisonment, torture. And even death.

And what’s recorded for us is that all of the apostles, with the exception of John the Apostle, who died a natural death, all of them were said to have been martyred. If the events recorded about Jesus of Nazareth, his life, his suffering, his death, and his resurrection, if these events were not true, it is hard to explain their willingness to suffer and especially to die if these events were not true, because if anyone would have known these events were not true, it would have been the apostles.

Here’s the point. And here’s a good way to put it. People do not willingly submit themselves to persecution and to suffering and to death for something they know to be a lie. You know, a lot of people will die for something, but they’re dying for something they think is the truth. But if they know it’s a lie, then that’s a different story.

You don’t die for something that you know to be a lie. On the other hand, people might be willing to suffer and die for something they are convinced is not a lie, for something they know is is true. Especially if that something determines where they will spend eternity, heaven or hell. And that’s exactly what that something, the recorded events in the life of Christ, that’s exactly what those events determine. The difference between heaven and hell.

So these several things taken together, the many kinds of details that you don’t find in myth or fiction or legend, and the fact that we have people who are saying, I did the careful investigation or who were eyewitnesses, and the willingness of the apostles to suffer and die for something that they knew was not a lie. All this helps confirm the historical reliability of the Gospels and the book of Acts.

In other words, they confirm the virgin birth of Christ. They confirm the deity and the humanity of Christ. They confirm his miracles. They confirm his suffering and death and his resurrection, his ascension to the right hand of his father. And not only do they confirm these events, but they also confirm that these events are the factors that determine where one spends eternity.

So if you are a Christian, be assured that these these records are not only reliable, but they’re true. And therefore because of Christ, you are a forgiven child of God. Your eternal destiny is heaven, all because of Christ alone. And if you are not a Christian, you are invited to become one. Your eternal destiny depends on it.

My name is David Thompson. I’m the director for the center for Apologetics and Worldviews. Thank you for joining us.

Revelation 20:1-5, 2 Peter 3:8, John 18:36

Watch on YouTube

Last week we started looking at Revelation chapter 20. We saw how God had bound the devil with Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. So now we want to ask to what effect? To what purpose? Well, those passages go on to tell us that the devil has been bound for a thousand years, and that Christ will reign with his saints for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:1-5) As we talk about the thousand year reign today, that’s oftentimes a point of controversy in Christianity.

Just what is this 1000 year reign? Is it literal or is it figurative? Well, some important things to remember about the Bible is that as it uses numbers, the number ten oftentimes represents fullness or completion. That’s because, well, if I’m counting on my fingers, I have ten fingers, so I can’t go much higher than ten, can I? Ten is the number of completion. Three is the holy number of God for the holy, Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So what you have with 1000 is you have ten times ten times ten. Which when you take it together, is a thousand years. A number that represents a holy completion.

In fact, there’s one other time in the Bible where God mentions a thousand years. It’s in the book of Second Peter. When Peter is talking to the church, he’s telling them to be patient as they wait for the Lord’s return. Because to God, a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. (2 Peter 3:8) The thousand years is a figurative number that represents just the right amount of time. So be patient.

The second question people often ask with the thousand year reign of Christ is what type of reign will this be? Many Christians today are tempted to look at this as a political reign from Jerusalem, that Jesus will return in person and set up a kingdom in Jerusalem, and there he will reign for a thousand years. Others might look at this as the progression of history as the church progresses and as the world governments all become Christian theocracy that we’ll be able to establish an order of peace and security that will reign over the world for a thousand years. Both of these views see the thousand year reign of Christ as a physical, worldly kingdom.

And there’s an allure there. There’s a very human desire for us as Christians to have our time on top. To have a world and a government that makes sure that everything goes my way. I get what I want, and I get to be on top of the pecking order. Though that’s certainly tempting to want to believe that, God never works that way in the Bible. Jesus confessed to Pontius Pilate, a worldly ruler, saying, my kingdom is not of this world. (John 18:36) In fact, Jesus’ kingdom, Jesus’ thousand year reign has already begun. It began a long time ago, as we confess in the Creed, Jesus ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. That statement in the Creed confesses that Jesus is seated on the throne in heaven, that all things are under his power and under his control. And as Jesus sits and reigns from the right hand of God the Father Almighty, that means he’s governing over everything for the good of the church. For your good and my good. So that his kingdom can continue to spread.

No, his kingdom is not a kingdom of worldly governments or worldly rulers or powers or empires or military. His kingdom is a kingdom of hearts that have been captured for the love of Christ and captured by Christ’s love. Who have been freed by the forgiveness of sins, and reign with Christ through your prayers and petitions. Today, as we think of the thousand year reign, that’s something you and I as Christians get to participate in through our prayers, through our offerings, through our ministries, and our personal witnesses. You and I get to help share and spread that kingdom. Amen.

2 Peter 2:9

Watch on YouTube – Watch on Facebook

How interested are you in the royal family in England? It seems like every few weeks we hear more details about this family. There’s a lot of people that are intrigued by them. Infatuated with them, maybe we’d even say. I wonder if part of the reason is people like the idea or dream of being a king or queen or a prince or a princess and they’d like to imagine what life would be like for them. And so they like to follow “the royals.”

The thing that’s intrigued me most about the royal family of England is the long reign of Queen Elizabeth II. She’s been in power since before I was born and I’m nearly 40 years old. In fact, she’s been in power since before my dad was born back in the 1950s. Talk about a long reign.

That makes me wonder though about Prince Charles. I think about Prince Charles who’s turning 72 this month. He’s been waiting his whole life to be king. It’s got to be part of him that’s a little bit impatient. Especially as everybody everybody’s been telling him since he was a little kid you’re going to be king soon. But I’m sure he doesn’t want his mother to die, or anything bad for her like that, but there’s still got to be a sense of impatience. That he’s had this promised to him, but he hasn’t fully received it yet.

Maybe in some ways Prince Charles is a picture for us of ourselves. God in his Word in 1 Peter chapter 2 says this of us

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, the people who are God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (2 Peter 2:9)

See, God calls us royalty. We are a royal priesthood, a holy nation, the people of God’s own possession. Maybe doesn’t always feel like that. When we look at our life, we say Well where’s my palace? Where’s my riches? Where’s my crown? The truth remains. You are royalty. As a believer, as a Christian, you are God’s child. Part of his family. And an heir of his kingdom.

In some ways we might say that we are experiencing being part of God’s Kingdom right now, but we haven’t yet experienced it perhaps in full. Or enjoyed all of the fullness of God’s Kingdom that we will enjoy forever in heaven.

Though I wouldn’t feel too bad for Prince Charles, even though he isn’t king yet, he still does get to enjoy being part of the royal family and that can’t be bad. Also, too, for us even though we’re not yet in heaven we get to enjoy amazing blessings that come along with being royalty as part of God’s family. God promises that we can come to him with anything on our minds we have full and free access to the creator of heaven and earth and that’s all powerful.

We also benefit from his grace and his forgiveness that he generously pours out for us every day. We also receive the blessing of his protection and his angels whom he sends to watch over us and to serve us. But also we look forward to the sure hope of the inheritance he has prepared for us forever in heaven.

So what should we do now? The apostle Peter reminds us: proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. We can sing the praises of God now. Who made us royalty in his family. Who gives us some of his blessings now, but will give them in full forever in heaven. Amen.

Let us pray.

Dear Lord, remind us always of what we are in Christ. A royal priesthood, a holy nation, the people who are your own possession. Forgive us when we have forgotten this and help us to live each day as your people eager for the day when we will enjoy our heavenly inheritance in full. Amen.

Matthew 24:36-39, 2 Peter 3:3-4

Watch on YouTube – Watch on Facebook

Our Bible reading for today is taken from Matthew Chapter 24 beginning with verse 36. And Jesus is describing for us the end of time.

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will be the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:36-39)

Back in 1889 out in Pennsylvania and Indiana, there was a dam that broke on the Allegheny River. A fishing club had built a dam to try to make their fishing better and that dam finally burst and 20 million tons of water came rushing through a town. It killed 2209 people. Ten feet high, it came through on the streets, trapping people in their homes. Piles of burning debris came flying through those streets as well. It became known as the great Johnstown Flood.

There are reminders like this for us that we see every once in a while with great tsunamis or floods that take place reminding us of Jesus’ words here in the text I just read. The great flood that had taken all the life on the Earth except for those God spared in the ark. Jesus uses these words to target the skepticism, the unbelief, that the world might have about the end of time, about his return in judgment.

And it’s something that’s not only out there in the unbelieving world, but that same skepticism can be in our hearts as well too. This is what Saint Peter said

In the last days scoffers will come… they will say where is this coming he promised? (2 Peter 3:3-4)

How often warnings are not listened to. We see that with hurricanes and tornadoes. Quite often there’s somebody that just doesn’t pay attention to a warning and then they end up getting trapped and hurt. Sometimes they often die. Jesus says no one knows the day or the hour not even the Son of Man not even the angels.

I always think how challenging it must have been for Noah and his family who were building that ark. It took 120 years to build the ark, pouring their entire life and their commitment into this vessel. And yet there was no rain that yet came. In the meantime they watched all of their worldly friends around them just going on with their day to day life. Eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, the Bible says. But I think the most challenging time for Noah and his family would have been seven days before the rain started. We’re told they went into the ark and sat there and there was no rain for one week.

They sat inside for 40 days until the ark finally started to lift off of the ground. I bet they were tempted to feel kind of foolish sitting in there. Probably wondering has this all been a big waste of time? It’s kind of a picture for us who are believers in Jesus who are members of his church. It’s easy for us to sometimes wonder Has my whole life, waiting for Jesus to come back, building my whole life around this, has it been kind of a waste of time? Maybe I could have been doing something better with my life. But just like in the days of Noah, when the rains finally came, they suddenly realized how this was all worthwhile. Noah’s family was safe inside of that ark.

We’re told that for 150 days the water prevailed on the earth. And finally after things dried out they were able to exit the ark. I bet as they walk past that Ark afterwards and realized all the destruction they’d been spared from, they were very grateful for that big boat.

Think about us as well as Christians. All the things that right now we might be tempted to think is this a waste of my time, believing in Jesus as my Savior who paid for my sins? But someday when we’re finally in heaven, think what a wonderful blessing it will be. We’ll look back on those things and be so grateful that God gave us that faith. Amen.

What do you look for in a church?

Perhaps it’s a particular worship style or music. Maybe it’s the children’s programs that they often. Some people choose a church based on the pastor’s personality, but what about this?

A church that correctly teaches God’s Word.

Jesus said:

“If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” –John 8:31b-32

I encourage you to make that a top priority in choosing a church.

Perhaps you’re thinking to yourself, “but don’t all Christian churches teach God’s Word? That’s not a big deal.” Well that’s what we would hope, but sadly it’s not true.

Some pastors don’t mean to stray from God’s Word, but social issues or political causes distract them. Before long God’s word becomes secondary. It’s only used where it can fit in with their message.

The Apostle Peter also warned:

…there will be false teachers among you… —2 Peter 2:1

There will be those who will try to exploit naive Christians. They know that they need to use the word of God. It’s just that they twist it to suit their own purposes. Don’t be naive.

I encourage you to look for a church that teaches the true Word of God as a top-priority. That truth that sets you free from your sin.

Our good works can’t set us free, only Jesus Christ can, and he did. Jesus lived a sin free life. Jesus died as the sin bearer and Jesus came alive again, showing that he had conquered sin and death. And he rose from the dead to show that all who believe in him are set free from their sins and will live forever.

Why would we want to choose anything else over this truth? Amen.

Watch on YouTube

Hebrews 1:14, 2 Peter 2:4

Watch on YouTube – Watch on Facebook

As we get closer to Halloween our attention has turned to the supernatural and the terrifying. Sometimes we can wonder “is any of it real?”

Today we ask the question: what does the Bible say about ghosts?

When we think of ghosts we are normally thinking of people who have died, whose souls or spirits are roaming the earth, that maybe are still here because they have some sort of unfinished business, However, the Bible tells us plainly that when somebody dies their body is buried in the ground and their soul goes to either heaven or hell to await the final judgement.

So what about all of those TV shows that seem to track down ghosts or other paranormal activity? Is there any truth to that? While the Bible tells us that people’s spirits don’t remain here on earth it does tell us that there are spirit beings that exist. That God created angels.

In Hebrews chapter verse 14 it says this:

Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? –Hebrews 1:14

This rhetorical question tells us so much information about angels. That they are spirit beings. That they are sent to serve God’s people, to watch over them, to protect them, but the Bible also tells us that there were certain of the angels who fell away. Angels who sinned and disobeyed God and he cast them out of heaven.

In 2nd Peter chapter 2 verse 4 it says this:

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell. –2nd Peter 2:4

God’s Word tells us that there are both angels and demons that exist here on earth. That, perhaps, can explain some of the paranormal activity that we see, but also can be quite terrifying. “You mean demons are real?” But for us as Christians we need not fear. Our God, who created heaven and earth, is more powerful than any evil forces that exist. In fact he sends his angels to watch over us and protect us.

This Halloween, find your strength and comfort in your Lord who is more powerful than all evil. Who sends his angels even to watch over you and protect you. Amen.