"A Patient God"

“A Patient God”

 

But first you must realize that in the last days some people won’t think about anything except their own selfish desires.  They will make fun of you and say, “Didn’t your Lord promise to come back?  Yet the first leaders have already died, and the world hasn’t changed a bit.”   But God has commanded the present heavens and earth to remain until the Day of Judgment.  Then they will be set on fire, and ungodly people will be destroyed.  Dear friends, don’t forget that for the Lord one day is the same as 1,000 years, and 1,000 years is the same as one day.  In fact, God is patient, because He wants everyone to turn from sin and no one to be lost.                      2 Peter 3:3, 4, 7, 8, 9

 

For years now, some people have mocked those of us that believe that the return of Jesus Christ is imminent.  They have scoffed and ridiculed the believers throughout the ages for this tenet of our belief.  Thinking in their minds and hearts that it’s not going to happen.  They are the ones that will be caught off-guard, and will be in a state of perplexity when it comes about.

 

But God has commanded that the present heavens and earth remain until the Day of Judgment, which includes the Tribulation, the Millennium, the great white throne judgment, and the destruction of the present heavens and earth.  At the great white throne, after the Millennium, the wicked, evil mankind will be thrown into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:11-15).    Then the heavens and the earth will be destroyed by fire. 

 

Why is it taking so long for God to carry out this scenario?  There are two answers that are given to us here by the Apostle Peter.  First, God sees time differently than mankind does.  People see time against time, but God sees time against eternity.  Man’s perspective of time makes it seem long, but from God’s perspective of time as one day being a thousand years, and a thousand years being one day , in God’s eyes, the present Church age has lasted only a little over two days.   Secondly, the reason for what seems to mankind to be a long delay is because of God’s MERCY and GRACE, it is His desire that as many people as possible be saved.  He would love for ALL of the people to be saved, but He knows that isn’t going to happen. 

 

God is only tardy or slow by mankind’s standard, in fact, His time schedule is modified by one of His major attributes---Patience.  He is patiently waiting for as many as will, to come to Him for the SALVATION of their souls.  

 

If you have not given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are gambling with your eternal destination, and are likely to end up in the lake of fire, where the flame never die.  However, you have the opportunity, NOW, to turn from your sinful, wretched life and turn to God, who is PATIENTLY waiting for you.  You come to Him by:  Confessing your sins to Him, and asking Him for His forgiveness, believing, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU and is alive in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then accept His gift of SALVATION, and look forward with anticipation to your eternal inheritance, the hope of Heaven.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!