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CHRISTIANITY OASIS
DAILY BREAD DEVOTIONAL
POWER OF GOD
CHRISTIANITY
OASIS HAS PROVIDED YOU WITH THIS POWER OF GOD STUDY. WE ARE ALL
AWARE OF THE POWER OF GOD ... BUT HAVE YOU EVER PONDERED ON WHAT THE
TRUE POWER OF GOD IS? IT IS LOVE, COMPASSION, MERCY AND
GRACE. THESE HAVE
PROVEN TO BE THE TRUE POWER OF GOD. LET US LOOK INTO THE POWER OF GOD IN
THIS EPISTLE OF PETER, SHALL WE?
THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER
CHAPTER 3
Welcome back! In our last study, we learned that Peter is anticipating his
own death soon, and he has mentioned a few things already in this letter
that he said he would like his beloved children (us) to remember. In this
final chapter of his letter, let’s see what his closing words are.
This second
epistle, beloved, I now write to you; to remind you in your pure minds to
remember the words that were spoken before by the holy Prophets, and of the
commandment of us the Apostles of the Lord and Savior: knowing this first,
that in the last days there will be mockers, walking according to their own
desires, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? For since the
fathers died, all things continue as they have from the beginning of the
creation.
In other
words there will be people in the end times that will say where is the
promise of the return of Jesus. They will say "we have been hearing this for
generations" ... They will mock Christians and deny TRUTH. These souls will
elect to live according to their own desires instead of according to the
will of God. they will follow the trends of the world and attempt to lure as
many as they can to their realm of destruction.
They are
willingly ignorant of this: that by the Word of God, the Heavens were
(created) of old (in the ancient times), and the earth emerging out of the
water and in the water: by which the world at that time, being overflowed
with water, perished (The Great Flood): but the heavens and the earth, which
are now, by the same Word (the Word of God) are kept in store (waiting),
reserved unto fire until the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
Aha, says Peter,
But they’re missing an important thing. By the Word of God, the Heavens and
earth were created and He destroyed the earth by a flood. Now, the world
today is also created by the Word of God, and He has the same power to
destroy it, and will, at the time of His choosing. He’s not being negligent
of His promises, He’s got a specific time
determined, and that time just hasn’t arrived
yet. It is known as the
End
Times.
Now
Peter adds, But, beloved, don’t forget this one thing,
that one day to the Lord is like a thousand years to
man, and a thousand years is like one day (Psalms
90:4). The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count
slackness; but is patient toward us. He doesn’t want any of us to
perish, but rather that all should come to repentance (Ezekiel
33:11) Did you catch that? One day to God is one thousand years to man
and that God has a set day that He will perform all that He has said. Check
out the 7000 year Sign.
Peter then echoes
the Words of Jesus and says ... "But the day of the Lord will come as a
thief in the night"
NOTE:
THE DAY OF THE LORD
WILL COME AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT ... HOWEVER , THE BIBLE ALSO REVEALS IN
A SERMON, GIVEN BY JESUS, (KNOWN AS THE OLIVET DISCOURSE)
THAT WE ARE TO WATCH AND TO BE PREPARED, SO THAT DAY DOES NOT
COME UPON US AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT (MATTHEW
24:42-44)
BY WATCHING FOR THE SIGNS OF THE END TIMES.
EVEN THOUGH THAT DAY WILL COME AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT TO MANY, THE
CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT WILL NOT HAVE THAT DAY OVERTAKE THEM AS A
THIEF
(1THESSALONIANS 5:1-6)
A CHILD OF THE LIGHT IS ONE THAT IS ENLIGHTENED. ONE THAT KNOWS
WHAT IS COMING AND IS PREPARED (REVELATION
3:3) IT IS OBVIOUS FROM
THESE SCRIPTURES, THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE CHOICE OF WHETHER
WE WILL WATCH FOR THE SIGNS OF THE END TIMES AND PREPARE ... OR NOT. IF WE CHOOSE
TO DO SO, WE WILL NOT HAVE THAT DAY COME UPON US AS A THIEF. WE
WILL BE PREPARED FOR THE END TIMES PROPHECIES. IF NOT ... WE WILL NOT BE PREPARED AND WILL
BE OVERWHELMED BY THE EVENTS TO COME.
Peter
continues ... The Heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the
elements will melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are
in it will be burned up. (The
End Times) Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what
kind of people should you be in all holy conduct and godliness, looking for
and being anxious for the coming of the day of God,
wherein the Heavens being on fire shall be dissolved,
and the elements shall melt with intense heat?
Sounds like a nuclear explosion or something doesn't it? No matter how it
occurs, Peter tells us ... It will.
Nevertheless we,
according to His promise, look for new Heavens and a new earth, (Revelation
21) wherein righteousness lives. So, beloved, seeing that you look for
such things, be diligent that you may be found of Him in peace, without
spot, and blameless. And consider that the patience of our Lord is
salvation; just as our beloved brother Paul
also according to the wisdom given to him has written to you. In all his
epistles, he speaks of these things, in which some things are hard to be
understood, and those who are unlearned and unstable, struggle, as they do
also with the other scriptures, to their own destruction.
Peter is
explaining that we must be patient when we are learning the TRUTH in the
WORD and not get discouraged because we do not comprehend everything right
away. bet patient with YOU as you learn of the TRUTH.
You therefore,
beloved, seeing you know these things before, beware in case you also, being
led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But
grow in Grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To
Him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Well, it seems
that it boils down to this. Peter encourages us to live a good, clean, true
Christian life, and with that, we have the hope of salvation to look forward
to. Don’t be mistaken though, there will be deceivers along the way . . .
Every step of the way, within the Faith, and without. Their demise is being
held in store for them, but don’t get caught up in their tricks or the
drama. Don’t underestimate the power of God. To think that because Jesus
hasn’t returned yet, is an excuse for anyone to live according to their own
desires instead of the will of God, or to presume that His delay means that
He isn’t returning is ridiculous cuz God said there is a specific day and
every day draws that DAY closer.
It's kinda like watching
the news and hearing that a giant meteor is heading for earth and turning
off your television and saying ... WHEW !!! Glad that bad news is gone.
Ladies and Gents ... Just cuz ya turn off the TRUTH ... It's still coming.
Finally, don’t
forget that the commandment that Peter was talking about in the very first
sentence of this chapter, and that is to Love
one another. Keep your mind and heart on God's
Grace. For I tell you the TRUTH ... That is the real Power of God.
Congratulations on completing yet another book of the New Testament! Our
next study takes us to the First Epistle of John. You don’t want to miss
that one either, so be sure and hurry back and join in again for more Daily
Bread.
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IF you believe
that JESUS CHRIST is working in this Ministry and you have
felt the presence of the HOLY SPIRIT:
PROVE HIS PROMISE
OF BLESSINGS
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