…but the people who know their God..

Author: Billy Conrad

  • God’s Wonder-Working Power

    July 26

    Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? Who can declare all His praise? — Psalm 106:2

    Scripture reading: Psalm 106

    A letter came to our house saying that a young man was very ill. He had been to our mission a few years before with a very bad foot; he had worn no shoe but had fastened a piece of leather around his foot. God had healed him that day. Three years afterward, something else came upon him. What it was I don‘t know, but his heart failed, and he was helpless. He could not get up or dress or do anything for himself. In that condition, he called his sister and told her to write to me and see if I would pray. My wife said to go, and she believed that God would give me that life. I went, and when I arrived at this place, I found that the whole country was expecting me. They had said that when I came, this man would be healed.

    I said to the woman when I arrived, “I have come.” “Yes,” she said, “but it is too late.” “Is he alive?” I asked. “Yes, barely alive,” she said. I went in and put my hands on him and said, “Martin.” He just breathed slightly and whispered, “The doctor said that if I move from this position, I will never move again.” I said, “Do you know that the Scripture says, “God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:26)”? He said, “Should I get up?” I said, “No.”

    That day was spent in prayer and ministering the Word. I found a great state of unbelief in that house, but I saw that Martin had faith to be healed. His sister was home from an asylum. God kept me there to pray for that place. I said to the family, “Get Martin‘s clothes ready; I believe he is to be raised up.” I felt the unbelief.

    I went to the chapel and had prayer with a number of people around there, and before noon they, too, believed that Martin would be healed. When I returned, I said, “Are his clothes ready?” They said, “No.” I said, “Oh, will you hinder God‘s work in this house?” I went into Martin‘s room all alone. I said, “I believe God will do a new thing today. I believe that when I lay hands on you, the glory of heaven will fill this place.” I laid my hands on him in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and immediately the glory of the Lord filled the room, and I fell at once to the floor. I did not see what took place on the bed or in the room, but this young man began to shout, “Glory, glory!” and I heard him say, “For Your glory, Lord,” and he stood before me perfectly healed. He went to the door and opened it, and his father stood there. He said, “Father, the Lord has raised me up,” and the father fell to the floor and cried for salvation. The young woman brought out of the asylum was perfectly healed at that moment by the power of God in that house.

    God wants us to see that the power of God coming upon people has something more in it than we have yet known. The power to heal and to baptize is available, but you must say, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” (Acts 9:6). You say it is four months before the harvest. If you had the eyes of Jesus, you would see that the harvest is already here (John 4:35). The Holy Spirit wants you for the purpose of manifesting Jesus through you. Oh, may you never be the same again! The Holy Spirit moving upon us will make us to be like Him, and we will truly say, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”

    Thought for today: The Devil will say you can‘t have faith. Tell him he is a liar.

  • Yield and Obey

    July 25

    Yield yourselves to the LORD. — 2 Chronicles 30:8

    Scripture reading: John 15:1–14

    A dear young Russian came to England. He did not know the language but learned it quickly and was mightily used and blessed by God. As the wonderful manifestations of the power of God were seen, people asked him the secret of his power, but he felt it was so sacred between him and God that he should not tell it. But they pressed him so much that he finally said to them, “First, God called me, and His presence was so precious that I said to God at every call that I would obey Him. I yielded and yielded and yielded until I realized that I was simply clothed with another power altogether, and I realized that God had taken me—tongue, thoughts, and everything—and I was not myself, but it was Christ working through me.”

    Do you know that God has called you over and over and has
    put His hand upon you, but you have not yielded? Have you had the breathing of His power within you, calling you to prayer, and you have to confess that you have failed?

    I went to a house one afternoon where I had been called, and I met a man at the door. He said, “My wife has not been out of bed for eight months; she is paralyzed. She has been looking forward so much to your coming. She is hoping God will raise her up.” I went in and rebuked the Devil‘s power. She said, “I know I am healed; if you leave, I will get up.” I left the house and went away, not hearing anything more about her. I went to a meeting that night, and a man jumped up and said he had something he wanted to say; he had to go to catch a train but wanted to talk first. He said, “I come to this city once a week, and I visit the sick all over the city. There is a woman I have been visiting, and I was very much distressed about her. She was paralyzed and lay on her bed many months. However, when I went there today, she was up doing her work.” I tell this story because I want you to see Jesus. Yield to Him today.

    Thought for today: If there are any buts in your attitude toward the Word of truth, there is something unyielded to the Spirit.

  • The Secret of Power

    July 24

    Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you? — Acts 19:15

    Scripture reading: Acts 19:13–20

    I implore you in the name of Jesus, especially those of you who are baptized, to wake up to the fact that you have power if God is with you. But there must be a resemblance between you and Jesus. The evil spirit said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” Paul had the resemblance. You are not going to get this resemblance without having His presence; His presence changes you. You are not going to be able to get the results without the marks of the Lord Jesus. You must have the divine power within yourself; devils will take no notice of any power if they do not see Christ. “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” The difference in these exorcists was that they did not have the marks of Christ, so the manifestation of the power of Christ was not seen.

    If you want power, don‘t make any mistake about it. If you
    speak in tongues, don‘t mistake that for the power. If God has given you revelations along certain lines, don‘t mistake that for the power. Or if you have even laid hands on the sick and they have been healed, don‘t mistake that for the power. “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me” (Luke 4:18)—that alone is the power. Don‘t be deceived. There is a place to be reached where you know the Spirit is upon you so that you will be able to do the works that are accomplished by this blessed Spirit of God in you. Then the manifestation of His power will be seen, and people will believe in the Lord.

    God wants you to be ministering spirits, and this means being clothed with another power. You know when this divine power is there, and you know when it goes forth. Beloved, we can reach it; it is a high mark, but we can get to it. Do you ask how? Say to God, “What do You want me to do?” (Acts 9:6). That is the plan. It means a perfect surrender to the call of God, and perfect obedience.

    Thought for today: The baptism of Jesus must bring us to the place of having our focus centered on the glory of God; everything else is wasted time and wasted energy.

  • Are You Willing?

    July 23

    Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul. — Acts 19:11

    Scripture reading: Matthew 16:24–27; Luke 14:27–35

    Paul had been putting many believers in prison, but God
    brought him to such a place of yieldedness and brokenness that he cried out, “What do You want me to do?” (Acts 9:6). Paul‘s choice was to be a bondservant for Jesus Christ.

    Beloved, are you willing for God to have His way today? God
    said about Paul, “I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name‟s sake” (Acts 9:16). But Paul saw that these things were working out “a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17). Do you need a touch from God? Are you willing to follow Him? Will you obey Him?

    When the Prodigal Son had returned and the father had killed the fatted calf and made a feast for him, the elder brother was angry and said, “You never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends” (Luke 15:29). But the father said to him, “All that I have is yours” (v. 31). He could kill a fatted calf at any time. When God can trust us, we will not come short in anything.

    “God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul.” Let us
    notice the handkerchiefs that went from his body. This passage indicates that when Paul touched handkerchiefs and sent them forth, God worked special miracles through them: diseases departed from the sick, and evil spirits went out of them. Isn‘t this lovely? I believe that after we lay hands on these handkerchiefs and pray over them, they should be handled very sacredly. Even as we carry them, they will bring life, if we carry them in faith to the suffering ones. The very effect, if you would only believe, would be to change your own body as you carry the handkerchief.

    God wants to change our faith today. He wants us to see that it is not obtained by struggling and working and longing. “The Father Himself loves you” (John 16:27). “He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses” (Matthew 8:17). “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Who is the man who will take the place of Paul and yield and yield and yield until God possesses him in such a way that power will flow from his body to the sick and suffering? It will have to be the power of Christ that flows. Don‘t think there is some magic power in the handkerchief, or you will miss the power. It is the living faith within the man who lays the handkerchief on his body, and the power of God through that faith. Praise God, we may lay hold of this living faith today. The blood has never lost its power. As we get in touch with Jesus, wonderful things will take place. And what else? We will get nearer and nearer to Him.

    Thought for today: Ministry always begins as soon as a person yields.

  • At the Lord’s Service

    July 22

    Lord, what do You want me to do? — Acts 9:6

    Scripture reading: Acts 9:1–22

    In the midst of persecuting the Lord‘s disciples, Saul was
    confronted with a bright light from heaven (Acts 9:3). A
    voice spoke to him saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (v. 4). Saul asked who was speaking, and when Jesus identified Himself, Saul‘s response was, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” As soon as Saul was willing to yield, he was in a condition where God could meet his need, where God could display His power, where God could have the man.

    Friend, are you saying today, “What do You want me to do?”
    The place of yieldedness is just where God wants us. People are saying, “I want the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I want to be healed. I would like to know for certain that I am a child of God,” and I see nothing, absolutely nothing, in the way, except that they have not yielded to the plan of God.

    In Acts 19:6, the condition was met that Paul demanded, and when he laid his hands on the Ephesian disciples, they were instantly filled with the Spirit and spoke in other tongues and prophesied. The only thing they needed was just to be in the condition where God could come in.

    The main thing today that God wants is obedience. When you begin yielding and yielding to God, He has a plan for your life, and you come in to that wonderful place where all you have to do is eat the fruits of Canaan.

    It is the call of God that counts. Paul answered the call of God. I believe God wants to stir our heart today to obedience. Our response should be, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”

    Thought for today: God is looking for obedience.

  • Peace in Our Hearts

    July 21

    You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. — Isaiah 26:3

    Scripture reading: Isaiah 54:5–55:9

    We must keep in the spiritual tide—God supreme, the altar
    within the body. Faith is the evidence, the power, the principle, keeping us in rest. We must have the Spirit in anointing, intercession, revelation, and great power of ministry. To be baptized in the Holy Spirit is to be in God‘s plan—the Spirit preeminent, revealing the Christ of God, making the Word of God alive—something divine. “Our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the…Spirit; for the…Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3:5–6).

    I knew a believer whose job was to carry bags of coal. He had been in bed three weeks away from his work. I showed him Romans 7:25: “I thank God; through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.” I said, “Keep your mind on God and go to work, shouting victory.” He did, and the first day he was able to carry a hundred bags, his mind stayed on God and kept in peace. “Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble” (Psalm. 119:165).

    If your peace is disturbed, there is something wrong. Apply the blood of Jesus, and keep your mind stayed upon Jehovah, where “hearts are fully blessed, finding as He promised, perfect peace and rest.” Keep your mind on God, gaining strength in Him day by day.

    “The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). This is a new dispensation, this divine place: Christ in you, the hope and evidence of glory (Colossians 1:27).

    May God gird you with truth (Ephesians 6:14). I commend you to Him in the name of Jesus.

    Thought for today: If you are not free in the Spirit, your mind is in the wrong place.

  • The Ministry of the Spirit

    July 20

    Nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus. — Acts 20:24

    Scripture reading: Romans 13:14–14:19

    The ministry of the Spirit has been entrusted to us. We must be in the place of edifying the church. Law is not liberty, but if there is a move of God within you, God has written His laws in your heart so that you may delight in Him. God desires to set forth in us a perfect blending of His life and our lives so that we may have abounding inward joy—a place of reigning over all things, not a place of endeavor. There is a great difference between an endeavor and a delight.

    God says to us, “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Pet. 1:16). Trying will never cause us to reach a place of holiness, but there is a place, or an attitude, where God gives us faith to rest on His Word, and we delight inwardly over everything. “I delight to do Your will, O my God” (Psalm 40:8). There is a place of great joy. Do we want condemnation?

    We know there is something within that has been accomplished by the power of God, something greater than there could be in the natural order of the flesh. We are the representatives of Jesus. He was eaten up with zeal. (See John 2:17.) This intense zeal changes us by the operation of the Word; we do not rest in the letter, but we allow the blessed Holy Spirit to lift us by His power.

    The disciples were with Jesus three years. He spoke out of the abundance of His heart toward them. John said, “We have touched Him; our eyes have gazed into His eyes.” (See 1 John 1:1). Did Jesus know about Judas? Yes. Did He ever tell? No. When Jesus told the disciples that one of them would betray Him, they said, “Lord, is it I?” (Matthew 26:22). The essence of divine order is to bring the church together, so that there is no schism in the body, but a perfect blending of heart to heart.

    “The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3:6). The sword cut off Malchus‘s ear, but the Spirit healed it again. (See Luke 22:50–51.) Our ministry has to be in the Spirit, “free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2). When we live in the ministry of the Spirit, we are free; in the letter we are bound. If it is “an eye for an eye” (Matthew 5:38), we have lost the principle. If we are to come to a place of great liberty, the law must be at an end. Yet we love the law of God; we love to do it and not put one thing aside.
    “Clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered…by the Spirit of the living God…on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart” (2 Corinthians 3:3). It‘s heart worship when God has made the incision; the Spirit has come to blend with humanity.

    Thought for today: Ours is not an endeavor society, but a delight to live in the will of God.

  • Full of Life

    July 19

    Be filled with all the fullness of God. — Ephesians 3:19

    Scripture reading: Ephesians 3:14–21

    We want our whole being to be so full of the life of our Lord
    that the Holy Spirit can speak and act through us. We want to live always in Him. Oh, the charm of His divine plan! We cry out for the inspiration of the God of power. We want to act in the Holy Spirit. We want to breathe out divine life. We want the glory, miracles, and wonders that work out the plan of the Most High God. We want to be absorbed by God, and we want to know nothing among men except Jesus and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). Unto You, O God, be the glory and the honor and the power (Revelation 5:13)!

    Yes, filled with God,
    Yes, filled with God,
    Emptied of self and filled with God.
    For He is so precious to me,
    For He is so precious to me;
    It‘s heaven below
    My Redeemer to know,
    For He is so precious to me.

    Can you wonder why I love Him so? May there be a cry until we witness Acts 11:15: “And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them.”

    Oh, be on fire, oh, be on fire,
    Oh, be on fire for God.
    Oh, be on fire, be all on fire,
    Be all on fire for God.

    Thought for today: To live two days in succession on the same spiritual plane is a tragedy.

  • One Strategy the Devil Uses to Keep Us From Repenting

    What I want to show here is how the devil tries to twist God’s patient love and goodness, one of the main means that He uses in trying to bring us to repentance and conversion, and use them for his purpose, which is to keep us from repenting so he can keep us bound in our sin and separated from God.

    In the Book of Romans chapter 1 Paul confronts us with a list of man’s sins, this is aimed primarily at the Gentiles but is not limited to them. (When reading this list of man’s sins, if we didn’t know better, we would think Paul is alive today and writing about this generation.)
    Romans 1:26 “For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.
    27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
    28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
    29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,
    30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
    31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;
    32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

    We will pick the narrative up in chapter 2 verse 1 where Paul confronts the Jews and/or any other self-righteous person with being guilty of many of these same sins that he listed in chapter 1.
    Romans 2:1 “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.
    2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.
    3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?

    What is Paul doing in these verses and the ones preceding these in chapter 1?
    He is being used by the Spirit to convict people of sin, righteousness and judgment.

    What is Paul saying with his question in verse 3?
    You know that the sins I just listed are wrong and so you are judging and condemning those, the Gentiles primarily, who are committing them. But you’re doing some of the same sins, and yet you think you are going to escape the judgment of God.

    Why do you think that these thought they would escape God’s judgment even though they were living in sin that they knew deserved the judgment of God?
    For the same reason the rest of us do. We all live in sin our whole life, that is until we repent, and God doesn’t judge us and send us to the hell we deserve. Instead, He blesses us. He gives us everything we need for life. He gives us health and wealth and enjoyment, and if we are Christians, when we sin, He forgives us when we ask Him to even if we go back and commit that sin a thousand times. So, the devil and our flesh lull us into believing that God is not really that concerned about our sin, so we don’t need to worry about repenting and turning from our sin.

    But what does the Bible say is the reason that God has treated us so well and has not judged us, killed us, and sent us to hell?
    Paul tells us in the next verse of chapter 2.
    Romans 2:4 “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

    What does the word despise mean?
    To scorn, render of no effect, disrespect, look down 0n, disdain, to think little or nothing of, to hold in contempt, to think lightly of, to neglect, not to care for. Synonyms – to regard as nothing, despise completely, to cast off, reject, to dishonor, treat shamefully, to disesteem.

    What are the things that Paul says believing and unbelieving sinners despise or treat lightly?
    “the riches of His (God’s) goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering,”

    What do the words, goodness, forbearance and longsuffering mean?
    Goodness also means kindness and gentleness.
    Forbearance means delaying, self-restraint, temporary long suffering, a holding back, tolerance.
    Longsuffering means self-restraint before proceeding to action, patience, slowness in avenging wrongs.
    So, Paul is saying in essence, that our loving, holy God in His goodness, kindness, and gentleness is patiently, in self-restraint holding back from avenging our sins against Him by delaying judgment.

    Why is God doing this; what does Paul say in Romans 2:4 above that God’s goodness, kindness and patience are meant to do?
    Lead us to repentance, give us an opportunity to change our minds about serving sin and to turn and serve God with our lives.

    But what does the devil and our flesh tell us that God not judging our sin means?
    To unbelievers they say, there is no God, no sin, no judgment. If there really was a God, He would do something about all this wickedness in the earth. There is no need to repent, change the way you’re living because God does not exist. Or, even if there is a God who is going to judge the world, you’re better than most so you’ll be okay as long as your good deeds outweigh your bad deeds.
    To believers they say, God judged your sin in Jesus, so it doesn’t matter if you repent and do or stop doing what He is dealing with you about, you’re saved. God loves you and He is so good, kind, and merciful He will never judge you. He knows no one is perfect, and besides lots of other Christians are doing what you’re doing, and some are doing a lot worse, so you’re safe.

    But what does the Bible tell us in the next verse is going to happen to us if we don’t repent and turn from our sins and begin to do God’s will?
    Romans 2:5 “But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent (unrepentant) heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,”

    What does this verse say we are doing if we refuse to repent?
    “you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,” The term treasuring up means we are storing up, stockpiling, for ourselves, wrath, God’s wrath! We can despise, take lightly, His goodness now and not repent and turn from our sin, but on judgment day we will wish that we had not listened to the lies of our flesh and the devil and had repented of our sin instead. But then, of course, it will be too late!

    Let me just add here that I understand the process of sanctification that we as Christians, redeemed sinners, are going through. It is a process, and sometimes we struggle with deeply embedded habits, sins, character flaws, etc. for months and even years. If we are genuinely contending for dominion and deliverance in these areas, even if we fail numerous times, if we will repent, confess our failure, and ask God for forgiveness, I believe we will be alright and that God is pleased with us.

    The problem though is when we give up and accept our sin and stop striving against it, when we say, “well this is just the way I am, and God is going to have to accept me as I am” and “if He hasn’t changed, delivered, me yet then I guess it really doesn’t matter that much to Him.” Or if we are telling ourselves, (or maybe it’s actually the enemies voice we are hearing) “God’s still dealing with you about this sin so that means you’re saved.” Listen, God deals with everyone, believer and unbeliever, about their sin, but that doesn’t mean they are saved, it just means He loves them and is trying to get them to repent and turn away from their sin.

    Or another lie we/the devil tell ourselves is, “even though you are rebelling against God and not repenting but continuing to sin in this area of your life, God is using you so that means you’re saved.” God using someone does not guarantee that they are saved as many will find out on judgment day.

    Matthew 7:22 “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
    23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

    What is “that day” that Jesus is referring to?
    Judgment day.

    Who are the “many” that Jesus is talking about?
    Believers, who He used powerfully. They prophesied in His name, cast out demons in His name, and did many wonders in His name!

    What was Jesus’ message to these on judgment day?
    “I never knew you; depart from Me,”

    Why were they sent away instead of welcomed into heaven?
    They had not repented and turned from their sin, they were still living in, practicing, lawlessness/sin.

    God may use you even if you are backslidden to help bring others to Himself because He loves all people and doesn’t want anyone to perish but all to come to repentance, but again that is no assurance that you are saved and on your way to heaven.

    We will look next at what Peter wrote concerning the exact same things Paul wrote to the Roman church about; God’s goodness and patience in holding back judgment, to give people an opportunity to repent. (Peter actually says in this portion of Scripture we are going to look at that Paul has written to them the same things that he is writing to them about.)

    We’ll start reading in verse 3 of Second Peter chapter 3 but you need to read all of chapter 2 of this letter to understand exactly who these people are that Peter is talking about.
    2 Peter 3:3 “knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts,”

    Who are these scoffers that Peter is talking about?
    False teachers, backslidden Christians who are in the church, but are not living a holy life, they are “walking according to their own lusts.”

    Let’s see what they are saying/teaching.
    2 Peter 3:4 “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.’”

    What is the promise of His coming that they are questioning?
    Jesus’ promise to return to earth and judge the world.

    What is the argument they are using to put in question Jesus’ promise?
    Nothing has changed, it’s been the same since the beginning of creation.

    What are they trying to do with their line of reasoning?
    Undermine peoples’ faith in Jesus and His Word. And remove their fear of impending judgment.

    Let’s look at how Peter refutes their argument in the next verses.
    2 Peter 3:5 “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,
    6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.”

    What is Peter’s response to their false teaching?
    They are willfully forgetting, being deceitful, because they know that things have not remained the same from the beginning of creation but by the word of God the world was judged when God judged man’s sin in the great flood in Noah’s time.

    But Peter doesn’t stop there.
    2 Peter 3:7 “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.”

    What is Peter assuring his readers is true?
    The heavens and earth which now exist are being preserved by the Word of God for the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. Jesus is going to return and judge the earth just like He said.

    Peter then returns to their question, “Where is the promise of His coming?” And encourages the believers with these words.
    2 Peter 3:8 “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.”

    What does he mean by this?
    Jesus is going to keep His promise to return and judge the world but He is not on the same time schedule as man.

    Peter then explains why Jesus has not yet fulfilled His promise to return and judge the world.
    2 Peter 3:9 “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.”

    Why hasn’t Jesus fulfilled His promise and returned and judged mankind?
    Because He loves us, He is suffering long with us as we persist in our sin giving us opportunity after opportunity to repent and turn from our sin so that we will not perish when He comes for judgment.

    Who is He calling to repent?
    “That all should come to repentance.” All means all. Unbelievers, believers who are living in known sin, backslidden believers, false teachers, those who are living in the flesh, those living for the world, those who are living to serve themselves, a-l-l, ALL, need to repent or they will perish.

    Even though Peter assures us that Jesus is His goodness is being patient and giving us opportunity to repent so that we don’t perish, he also assures us that the day of God’s judgment will eventually come like a thief in the night.
    2 Peter 3:10 “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.”

    What does this verse tell us about Jesus?
    That He is a God of His Word, if He says He is going to come back to the earth and judge the world, we know for certain that He will. He is God who is love and He is also holy and therefore He must judge sin. As surely as mankind’s sin was judged in Jesus when He died on the cross, so Jesus will judge our sin in us if we have not repented of our sin and trusted Him as our Savior.

    Peter tells us in verses 11 and 14 how we are to live if we are going to avoid God’s judgment and make heaven our home.
    2 Peter 3:11 “Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,”
    14 “Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;”

    How does Peter say we as Christians should live if we want to escape God’s judgment and make heaven our eternal home?
    “in holy conduct and godliness, without spot and blameless;”

    Peter continues.
    2 Peter 2:13 “Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”

    Who are the “we” that are looking for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells?
    Those who have repented of their sin and are living holy, godly and blameless in this life.

    Peter concludes this letter to his fellow Christians with these words.
    2 Peter 3:15 “and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,
    16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
    17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;
    18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.”

    What is Peter referring to when he says, “the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation?”
    God patiently holding back Jesus’ return and His sure coming judgment of the world, lovingly giving His creation opportunity to repent and turn from their sin so that they might be saved.

    What does Peter say about Paul?
    That he teaches these same things in all his epistles/letters to the churches.

    What does Peter say that unstable and untaught people do with this teaching and the rest of the Scriptures?
    They twist them.

    For what purpose?
    To try and get God’s children to fall from their steadfastness in living holy and serving Him. These wicked people desire to lead God’s people into error, sin, carnality, through their false teaching.

    The conclusion then of what we have studied in this segment is. God in His love, mercy, goodness, patience, and kindness is holding back judging man’s sin to give him opportunity to repent and turn from his sin that he might be saved and not perish. The devil, often through false teachers/preachers in the church, and with the help of the world and our fleshly carnal natures twists this truth in an effort to keep unbelievers and believers who are living in sin and rebellion from repenting. And, to turn believing saints who are living holy, godly, and blameless away from their steadfastness and get them to go back to sinning, walking in the flesh and living for the world.

    False teachers and leaders in the church are not passing out drugs at the door, or getting behind the pulpit and telling everyone, “let’s all get naked and have an orgy.” Although some are blatant in their promotion of sin even to the extreme of ordaining practicing homosexuals and lesbians as pastors and leaders! But most are much more subtle than that. They simply do not teach and preach the full gospel message.

    They never allow the Holy Spirit through them to confront/convict people of sin, righteousness and judgment. They don’t call for both unbelievers and believers to repent and turn from their sin in order to be saved. They don’t tell people they need to not only believe in Jesus but obey Him and do God’s will or they will not make heaven their eternal home. They never preach on our need for holiness, but how could they when they are not living holy.

    Their message instead focuses on God’s love and forgiveness, His blessings in this life and in the next, if you’ll just believe. Believing is a major part of the gospel, but it is not the whole gospel. And their message is not just with the words they speak, but with the lifestyle they live. They are carnal, fleshly and worldly, in fact there is not much difference between the way they live, and the way most unbelievers live, except they are in church.

    God is good, loving, kind, merciful, patient and is holding back His judgment from all people to give us a chance to repent and turn from our sin so we will be saved. Don’t let the devil, your carnal nature or false teachers trick you into believing that it is because He doesn’t really care about sin, that is a lie. Don’t use that lie as a license to continue in sin and refuse to repent as God commands us to, because if you do, then on judgment day you will surely experience His wrath.

    Romans 2:5 “But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent (unrepentant) heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
    6 who ‘will render to each one according to his deeds:’”

    If we refuse to repent, what are we treasuring up for ourselves?
    God’s wrath!

    What is God going to judge each one of us according to?
    Our deeds, not just what we believe, but what we do, our actions, how we live. So, if we are not living right, if we are living in sin and disobedience, we need to repent, turn from our sin and do works, deeds, that prove we have really repented, and are converted, and are living for Him! Just as Paul said he taught all those that he preached to.

    Acts 26:20 “but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.”

    What did Paul command both Jew and Gentile to do?
    “repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.”

    If we obey Paul’s admonition, we will have nothing to fear on Judgment Day!

  • Seasoned with Salt

    July 18

    Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt.
    — Colossians 4:6

    Scripture reading: James 3

    Salt has three properties: first, it stings; second, it heals; and third, it preserves. In the same way, your words by the Spirit are filled with grace, yet they cut to the heart, and they bring preservation. We must be very careful to be salty. God‘s Word will not return void; it will accomplish, and it will prosper (Isaiah 55:11) — but our mouths must be clean and our desire wholly for God.

    Jesus‘ words were straightforward. To the elite of the holiness movement of His day, He said, “Woe to you…hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs” (Matthew 23:27). To others He said, “You are deceived; you have the idea that you are the children of Abraham, but you are the children of the Devil, and you do his works.” (See John 8:39, 44.) His mouth was full of meekness and gentleness and yet was so salty because of their corruption. Unless you know the charm of Christ, you might think you are out of the working of His eternal power. However, see what the prophet Isaiah said: “A bruised reed He will not break” (Isaiah 42:3).

    “Know how you ought to answer each one” (Colossians 4:6). This is not easy to learn. It is only learned in the place of being absorbed by God. When we are in that place, we seek to glorify God and can give a chastening word full of power to awaken and to save. Use the salt, beloved! Use conviction; use the healing for their preservation.

    How true we have to be! You are seasoned with salt. I love it! It is inspiring! It is conviction! Thus the Holy Spirit writes on the fleshly tablets of the temple of the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:3). O Lord, enlarge our sense of Your presence in the temple so that we may discern the Lord‘s body in our midst.

    Thought for today: None are so deaf as those who won‘t hear the Word of God; none so blind as those who won‘t see its truth.