Peter's introductory words to the early church in his 2^nd epistle include a prescription of supplements to fortify the believer's faith, a description of the benefits of these qualities, and a commitment to remind the church of these things so long as God sustains him. His words anticipate times of trial and hardship that would attend the way of early believers just as we experience challenges to our faith today. The apostle's instructions are universal – as relevant for us as they were for the small band of Christians shining as lights in the first century surrounded by the darkness of a pagan empire. Our church co-hosted a conference this weekend to address the question of what to do when systems of power become corrupted by ungodliness. A central theme of Pastor Trewella's message for those who attended is that in times like these, a “lesser magistrate” or lower civil officer has both the right and the duty to interpose, or stand in the gap, for others. While these instructions may be straight forward and clearly commendable, they will not be heeded without both conviction and courage in our day because they carry the risk of personal sacrifice. A politician may loose his committee assignments, a sheriff may be disparaged in the press, a church may loose members, a pastor may go to jail, a healthcare worker might loose their job. Nevertheless a Godly people are called to faithfulness even in the face of tyranny and persecution. Times like these remind us of the enduring value of Spirit inspired apostolic admonition. Peter's exhortation reminds us that the Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is an eternal and invincible reality and that the Gospel and its effects will sufficiently equip us to live in light of this truth...