Praise His Name for b-u-t!!! part 10

From: Ben Kelley
Subject: Praise His Name for b-u-t!!! part 10

(If you haven't read part 1 of this series, you need to read at least the first 2 paragraphs of it before proceeding with this message, so you will understand its premise.)

As the following passage contains 4 usages of our subject word, I've left them together for your reading, then I will discuss those usages individually.

knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 2 Peter 3:3-13 (NKJV)

But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. (vs 7) The passage above reminds us that God (The Word) spoke all things in to being. Colossians 1:14-17 and Hebrews 1:2-3 inform us (as many other passages do) that Jesus, the Living Word, is the One Who did the creating and holds everything together. What I'm getting at is the fact that things don't "just happen"; blind fate, fortune, chance, luck, etc, do not really exist. They are just philosophical concepts invented by Satan to lure man in to worship of them, instead of The One Who is really in control. This world will not be destroyed by: "global warming", nuclear "accidents", lack of ecological restraint, terrorists, evil dictators, or anything else that people worry and fret about, putting all their energies into trying to prevent. My Jesus has it all in His hands; HE is preserving and reserving everything. I don't have any reason to fear anything, because my Savior is in complete control, and I'm with Him!! Praise His Name for b-u-t!!!

But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. (vs 8) How we do fret, acting as if God is not aware of "time" and might be late in delivering us, providing our needs, or accomplishing anything else we worry about. We can relax; HE knows "what time it is." The Israelites of Old Testament days had the same thoughts and worries as us, constantly thinking God was surely late in sending their Deliverer: But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, (Galatians 4:4) HE is never late nor early, but always on perfect time. Praise His Name for b-u-t!!!

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (vs 9) Men might have good intentions and mean well, but you can not always trust them, for your good and benefit, will hold off doing something they want to do, especially if it is something they really desire, but God is willing to delay His pleasure in bringing evil to an end and drawing all His children to His side, because HE is giving wicked men every chance to turn from sin to Him. I thank Him, HE didn't close the door before I turned to Him. Praise His Name for b-u-t!!!

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. (vs 10) Christians many times feel as if the Lord's coming to destroy evil is never going to happen, as if we are "stuck here" in the midst of it forever, but HE is going to slip in suddenly, without warning, and do away with it, making all things new, pure, and clean. Since this is going to happen in this manner, the Spirit of God through Peter asks us to consider the kind of lives we should be living. Should we do as the song in the sixties, by the Animals, said?: "It's my life and I'll do what I want" and "taking all I can get, no regrets." That is the way many professing Christians live today, but, they just might get a "rude awakening" some day. We should live our lives knowing that all the world acclaims and strives for is going to be burned up, and we will be living in God's presence forever. Shouldn't we be making preparations now, while we can? Shouldn't we be encouraging our brothers and sisters in the faith to persevere and, at the same time, be trying to get unbelievers to join "the family?" Peter says, if we really want God to "hurry up", we can hasten it by living for Him, accomplishing His purposes instead of our own. We can, and I pray we each will. This world will be gone, with all its evil, tragedies, and trials. Praise His Name for b-u-t!!!