| Good morning everyone, Our theme for this month: “Knowing God” Our Bible verse for today: “The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 (CSB) Our thought for today: “God wants you to be with Him” Let me be crystal clear about this, “God wants you to be in heaven with Him for eternity.” It’s true, and it’s essential we know this about God. It is not His desire for any to perish. He wants everyone to have eternal life in heaven with Him. Peter made that clear in 2 Peter 3:9. In that case he was explaining to his readers why the second coming of Christ had not yet. occurred. Why is God delaying it? Peter’s answer was that it is because the longer God delays bringing this chapter of human history to a close, the more opportunities there are for people to put their faith in Christ. God continues to delay the end of time because it is not His will for any to perish. It has always been God’s desire for people to be saved rather than to perish. Even 600 years before the time of Christ, through the Old Testament prophet Ezekiel God said, “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked person should turn from his way and live. Repent, repent of your evil ways!” Ezekiel 33:11 By His very nature, God does not want people to perish and spend eternity separated from Him. Instead, He wants us to be saved from our sins. Now of course, that doesn’t mean that everyone will be saved. There’s a strong body of Biblical literature that clearly teaches a person must make a decision to place their faith in Christ or they will spend eternity separated from God. “God loved the world in this way: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but will have eternal life.” John 3:16 “Truly I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.” John 5:24 “For everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13 “But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name.” John 1:12 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 This is important. We need to understand this about God. He does not desire for any to be lost. He loves each and every person with a deep and everlasting love. It is His will that we all be saved, and He has gone to extraordinary lengths to make our salvation possible and to draw us to Himself. An essential part of His nature is His strong desire for everyone to come to Him through faith in His Son Jesus. We’ll think more about this tomorrow but for now, spend some time mediating on the great truth that God loves you so much, and His heart longs for you so deeply, that He sent His Son Jesus to die for you. God bless, Pastor Jim |
| Copyright © 2021 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. |
-
Follow
Following
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
Oak Hill Baptist Church 