Table Of ContentBE ALERT
Published by David C. Cook
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible. (Public
Domain.) Scripture quotations marked are taken from the New American Standard Bible, © Copyright
NASB
1960, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission; are taken from the Holy Bible, New
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International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by
permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved; are taken from J. B. Phillips: The New Testament in
PH
Modern English, revised editions © J. B. Phillips, 1958, 1960, 1972, permission of Macmillan Publishing
Co. and Collins Publishers; are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©
ESV
2000; 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights
reserved; and are taken from The New Testament: An Expanded Translation by Kenneth S. Wuest ©
WUEST
1961 by the Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Used by permission.
LCCN 2010923216
ISBN 978-1-4347-6504-8
eISBN 978-0-7814-0441-9
© 1984 Warren W. Wiersbe First edition of Be Alert published by Victor Books® in 1984
© Warren W. Wiersbe, ISBN 978-0-89693-380-4
The Team: Karen Lee-Thorp, Amy Kiechlin, Sarah Schultz, Jack Campbell, and Karen Athen Series Cover
Design: John Hamilton Design Cover Photo: iStockphoto
Second Edition 2010
To Bob and Betty Kregel
Your friendship has enriched our lives, and your ministry has enriched
the church around the world.
CONTENTS
The Big Idea: An Introduction to Be Alert by Ken Baugh A Word from the
Author
1. Knowing and Growing (2 Peter 1:1–11) 2. Wake Up and Remember! (2 Peter
1:12–21) 3. Beware of Counterfeits (2 Peter 2:1–9) 4. Marked Men (2 Peter
2:10–16)
5. False Freedom (2 Peter 2:17–22)
6. Scoffing at the Scoffers (2 Peter 3:1–10) 7. Be Diligent! (2 Peter 3:11–18)
8. A Faithful Family (2 John)
9. It’s the Truth (3 John)
10. A Call to Arms! (Jude 1–7)
11. Meet the Apostates! (Jude 8–16)
12. You Don’t Have to Stumble (Jude 17–25)
The Big Idea An Introduction to
Be Alert
by Ken Baugh I was a bit of a challenge
for my teachers and school principal
when I was a little boy. It wasn’t that I
was a bad kid; I just needed a lot of
attention. As I reflect on my childhood,
it reminds me of a story I heard about
two little boys who found themselves
once again sitting outside the principal’s
office at their Christian school.
These two boys were notorious for causing trouble, and the principal was at
his wit’s end in knowing what to do with them. As he called the first boy into his
office alone, the principal thought he would try to discern where the boy might
be spiritually. Maybe what he and his troublemaking friend really needed wasn’t
another round of after-school detention but a true relationship with Jesus. So as
the boy walked into the office, he sat down nervously in a chair facing the stern-
looking principal who asked him a question in a very serious yet controlled
voice: “Son, do you know where God is?” At first the question didn’t seem to
register with the little boy, because he just stared back at the principal with a
blank look on his face. The principal asked him again, this time with an even
more stern tone to his voice and a bit less control: “Son, do you know where
God is?” By now, the boy was frightened. His little heart was beating rapidly,
and sweat started to run down his back. But still, he said nothing. Exasperated,
the principal asked the question one more time, but this time he was angry and
totally out of control as he shouted: “Son, do you know where God is?” At this,
the little boy jumped out of his seat, ran out of the principal’s office, and sat
down next to his friend with a terrified look on his face. The other boy asked,
“So what did he say?” The terrified boy responded, “God is missing, and they’re
trying to pin it on us.”
A cute story, no doubt, but seriously: How many times have you felt like
God is missing from your life? You pray, but your prayers go unanswered; you
ask but do not receive; you seek, but all you find is one closed door after another.
If this is your experience, take heart, because you are in good company, the
company of saints. Peter, John, and Jude all wrote their letters to the saints,
fellow believers who from time to time felt like God was absent. Each letter
reminded God’s people that His absence was merely an illusion: God is always
present.
I believe this is the “Big Idea” that runs through each of the letters penned
by Peter, John, and Jude. They took the time to write encouraging words to the
flocks under their care to be alert to the presence of God that was evident around
them. Let’s take a quick look at three elements of God’s presence that they wrote
about.
Element 1: The Bible. Be alert for God’s presence as you read the Bible.
Peter reminds us, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and
godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and
goodness” (2 Peter 1:3 ). “Our knowledge of him” grows as we read the Bible,
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because the Bible contains the very words of God (see 2 Tim. 3:16–17). These
are powerful in the life of every believer. They provide wisdom and
understanding regarding both God’s character and His active involvement in the
world. All we have to do is pay attention. God’s Word is alive in that it has the
supernatural ability to transform our minds and our characters through the power
of the Holy Spirit. It has the power to give us eyes to see the evidence of His
presence all around us.
The apostle Paul says, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind”
(Rom. 12:2 ). My mind is transformed as I meditate, memorize, and focus my
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thinking on the words of God in the Bible. And as I experience that change in
my thinking and in my character, I begin to see evidence of God’s presence at
work in my own life. The writer of Hebrews says, “For the word of God is living
and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing
soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the
heart” (Heb. 4:12 ). God reveals His presence in my life through the life-
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changing power of His Word.
Element 2: Fellowship. Be alert for God’s presence in the fellowship of other
believers. John says, “It has given me great joy to find some of your children
walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us” (2 John 4 ). Here, John
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is alluding to the joy he experienced as he witnessed God’s presence in the
fellowship of believers. I love to read biographies about the great men and
women of God. Whether it’s reading about D. L. Moody, George Mueller,
Hudson Taylor, Jonathan Edwards, Henrietta Mears, or Mother Teresa, as I see
the presence of God working in and through their lives, I am greatly encouraged.
In addition, I see the Lord’s presence as I fellowship with other believers in my
small group or during a worship service at church. Jesus said, “For where two or
three come together in my name, there am I with them” (Matt. 18:20 ). The
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truth is, when I am with other believers, I will experience God’s presence. This
is why the writer of Hebrews admonishes all believers to be a part of a local
church: “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing,
but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day
approaching” (Heb. 10:25 ). True fellowship between believers reveals God’s
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presence. The more I spend time with fellow believers in small groups, worship
services, and genuine friendship, the more I will experience God’s presence in
my life.
Element 3: Contending for the faith. Be alert for God’s presence as you
contend for the faith. Every believer has the responsibility to “contend for the
faith”: to say what is true even in a world where many people don’t believe truth
exists. Jude says, “I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was
once for all entrusted to the saints” (Jude 3 ). And every time I step up to
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share the gospel or debate a skeptic, I can be assured of God’s presence. Jesus
promised that He would be with every believer as we contend for the faith: “But
you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my
witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the
earth” (Acts 1:8 ). Therefore, each time I contend for the faith, I have full
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assurance that the power and presence of the Spirit of God is with me.
These are just three simple elements that reveal the fact that God is present
all the time. Just be alert to His presence through His Word, the fellowship of
believers, and His Spirit when you contend for the faith. I pray that as you study
the writings of Peter, John, and Jude, you will be encouraged in your faith and
know that God is always with you.
***
Dr. Wiersbe’s commentaries have been a source of guidance and strength to me
over the many years that I have been a pastor. His unique style is not overly
academic, but theologically sound. He explains the deep truths of Scripture in a
way that everyone can understand and apply. Whether you’re a Bible scholar or
a brand-new believer in Christ, you will benefit, as I have, from Warren’s
insights. With your Bible in one hand and Dr. Wiersbe’s commentary in the
other, you will be able to accurately unpack the deep truths of God’s Word and
Description:The world is filled with counterfeits. And the church is not immune, as false ideas and doctrines can infect believers and congregations. So when it comes to spiritual teachers, messages, and movements, how can we tell fact from fiction? The answers are found in 2 Peter, 2 & 3 John, and Jude, where
