So what should we do?

As we have been studying this passage (verses 1-10) in the third chapter of Peter's second letter to the Christians scattered by persecution, we definitely have seen things that would make us praise God and thank Him.

What are some solid things that we can take away from this chapter? Are there applications to make about how we should live our daily lives?
I'm glad that question came up!
The answer is a resounding "YES!"
Have we thought about the Lord coming back lately? Have we given it, as they say, a "second thought"? Or are we so wrapped up in our day-to-day lives that we just don't think about it? I believe that we should be thinking about our Lord's return.
Why?
Well, for one thing, it's an awesome thing to consider His promise to us:

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.  (John 14:3)

And for another, we don't know exactly when it will happen:

for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. (I Thessalonians 5:2)

But it seems like a good idea to be prepared!
And I think that Peter gives us a good plan. Did you notice it in the verses that we've studied?
First, he tells us to "stir up our minds" with Scripture:

 Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 2 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles. (II Peter 3:1-2, NIV)

This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2 that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles. (NASB)

Peter actually said about the same thing in chapter one, so I think he believed this to be an important reason for his letter. Several of the translations I checked used the words "stir up" our minds, and that made me want to dig deeper.
The word Peter used, in its original form, means to fully wake someone from a sound sleep. It is the same word translated "awoke" in the passage in Mark:

And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. (Mark 4:37-39)

Let's look at this.
Jesus was asleep in the boat, and they said, "Don't you care that we are perishing?"
Wonder how they said this?
Did they whisper to Him?
Well, no. I expect since they were afraid, they cried out to Him! Maybe several times. Maybe at an increasing level of decibels!
I believe that Peter was just as passionate when he said he wanted to wake us up, to stir up our minds with God's Word. I think Paul shared his passion when he wrote to Timothy:

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, (II Timothy 3:16)

That's a familiar verse, no? Again, let's dig in deeper. How is it profitable to us? I believe that from some of the prayer requests and correspondence that I've read, this may be something that some of us need to hear . . .
James tells us that the Bible is profitable as a mirror to see our spiritual lives:

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. (James 1:22-25)

Paul said to the Ephesians that the Bible is a sword we can use to fight spiritual battles.

and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, (Ephesians 6:17)

David told us in the Psalms that the Bible is a lamp to guide and direct us.

Your word is a lamp to my feet    and a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105)

Jesus said that the Word is spiritual bread to strengthen us.

But he answered, “It is written,“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,    but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4)

And Peter told us too, that it's for our growth and development.

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— (I Peter 2:2)

How exactly does the Word of God do this?
Checking with our old buddy Peter again, he said we are born again by reading and believing the Word:

since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; (I Peter 1:23)

Jesus our Lord said we are cleansed by it:

Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. (John 15:3)

David said that we are both revived and made wise by it:

The law of the Lord is perfect,    reviving the soul;the testimony of the Lord is sure,    making wise the simple; (Psalm 19:7)

And he also noted that we are warned by it, and rewarded, too:

Moreover, by them is your servant warned;    in keeping them there is great reward. (Psalm 19:11)

Additionally, he said that we are satisfied by it:

How sweet are your words to my taste,    sweeter than honey to my mouth! (Psalm 119:103)

What a full quiver of promises for all of the people in our world who are not satisfied with their lives, their purpose, and their relationships! They have an emptiness that only God, our Father, can fill.

I'm certain that we can find more verses that will add to our knowledge of what the Word of God can do in our lives, and how it can strengthen, guide, and satisfy us. Perhaps that is a good study for us as individuals. Over the weekend, let's get out our journals and add to this list, and prayerfully, reverently praise God for the blessing of His Word!

Stirring up our minds with the Word is the first thing we should do, to prepare for our Lord Jesus' return. We'll study more of this next week!