Monday, October 31, 2016

GOD'S LONGING FOR THE LOST

II Peter 3:8-9 But you must not forget, dear friends, that a day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving everyone time to repent.

What God says He will do, He will do. It may not be according to our time table, but He will do it. God is not bound by our time table, with Him there is no timeline. A day with the Lord is as a thousand years to us. The point is that we can't put God in a time box. He accomplishes His plan and fulfills His promises at the right time, no matter how long it may take.

We try to pinpoint the Lord down. Many have given diligent study to the coming of the Lord, but no one will ever be able to figure it out. The Lord is coming again, that much is absolutely certain. When He comes is unknown to us and will always remain that way until He actually comes.

Peter tells us why the Lord has not already come, He is giving man every opportunity He can to be saved. He loves us and doesn't want any of us to go to hell. He has a tremendous amount of patience and love and will not come before the time He has set in heaven.

From all appearances it would seem like He has to come now. The world is bad and doing nothing but getting worse. Nature seems to be all out of whack. Wickedness is everywhere. The church is losing her identity as light in the world; we are falling asleep. Yet, there are yet those who are to be saved.

I believe that if the church were to catch the vision for the lost and reach out to them like we should be doing, we can hasten the day of His return. We have a mandate to be witnesses for Christ in anticipation of His return. Our message is like that of Jonah to the Ninevehites , "Repent! For the Day of Judgment is at hand."

May the Lord find us faithful in service until the day of His return.

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