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“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after 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 the Creation. The Lord is not slack concerning His Promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to Repentance (II Pet. 3:3-4, 9).
In the Second Chapter of his Second Epistle, Peter speaks of false teachers who had denied the Atonement and now are denying what the Bible teaches about End time events.
What “Coming” is Peter addressing?
Actually, he is addressing the Second Coming, which incorporates a number of events, namely, the rise of the Antichrist, the Great Tribulation, the Battle of Armageddon, and the Kingdom Age. In Scripture, there are four “days” listed as such. They are:
1. The day of man (I Cor. 4:3): This “day” started with Adam’s Fall, and will last until the Second Advent of Christ.
2. The day of Christ (Phil. 1:6): This refers to Christ catching away the Church, i.e., “the true Church,” at the Rapture.
3. The day of the Lord (Isa. 13:9; Rev., Chpts. 6-20): This pertains to the seven-year Great Tribulation, and then the Millennium, which will last for 1,000 years.
4. The day of God (II Pet. 3:12): This pertains to the time beginning with the close of the Millennium, which will incorporate the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev. 20:11-15), and the restoration of the Earth and its planetary heavens to their pristine glory. This is the Eternal Forever (Rev., Chpts. 21-22).
Exactly as the Holy Spirit said through the Apostle Peter, many Preachers in the modern Church are claiming that there is no such thing as a coming Rapture, and no such thing as a coming Great Tribulation, Antichrist, or Battle of Armageddon. They deny these things, claiming that if they happened at all, it was in the past. They claim that the world is getting better and better, and that Christianity is more and more gaining an upper hand, which will ultimately bring Christ back.
Some of these modern prognostications, such as the “Purpose Driven Life” doctrine and the “Government of Twelve” doctrine, claim they are going to completely revolutionize the world, making it better and better. Now, we know that the Saints of God definitely are the “salt” and “light” of the world (Mat. 5:13-14), but the Bible does not teach that the world in the last days will get better and better, but rather that it will get worse and worse (I Tim. 4:1; II Tim. 3:1-7).
Furthermore, many are denying a coming Judgment. The world and the Church have become so psychologized that they actually deny personal responsibility — hence, no Judgment!
The reason for all of this is because of a denial of the Cross. As previously stated, “Jesus Christ and Him Crucified” must be the foundation Doctrine of all that we believe and teach (I Pet. 1:18-20). This means that every doctrine must be built upon that foundation. If the Cross is denied, whatever doctrine is presented is going to be, in some way, specious and spurious, hence, the denial of Biblical End time events.
If there ever was a time that Believers should huddle around Christ and the Cross, it is now!“
— Donnie Swaggart (taken from the “Word for Every Day”) Donnie Swaggart
Fear is a devastating enemy that every Christian will encounter. There is no amount of faith or status in faith that will allow the believer to be excluded from being confronted by fear. When fear strikes it can cause the believer to react in ways that are not pleasing to God. One of the most common responses to fear is that of activity. The individual feels that something must be done and done in a hurry. So without careful evaluation of the circumstances and without seeking God, the believer simply responds. The hasty response produces an action that is not well thought out or God directed and can bring forth more hurt then it does help. A second common response to fear is that of inactivity. Fear so grips the heart and mind that all of life’s forward motion becomes lethargic or totally idle. Discouragement and distress rapidly multiply and the compiling negative emotion causes the believer to just shut down. Neither of these responses are correct. The right way to handle the onslaught of fear is to trust in the Lord and to seek His face for guidance through the adversity. To exorcise the fear that suddenly appears and dismays, excercise the faith that already exists in your heart!
Psalm 46:2 - Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Proverbs 29:25
The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.
The only Avenue (Way) through which men can put their trust in the Lord is by trusting in Jesus Christ AND what He Did at the cross for them, for there is where God meets with men, communes with men, saves men, and exclusively where all of His grace flows from (Exodus 25:21-22, Galatians 2:21). Let’s keep it simple. The fear of man brings a trap, and that trap holds man until he returns to the fear of the Lord.
Psalm 34:8 reveals that to taste, and to see that the Lord is good is to trust in Him, and we already know that according to God’s Word, the only avenue through which we trust in Him is through faith in what He did for us at the cross. We know this because we cannot see until we are born again (John 3:3-5), and we are not born again until we taste that which Jesus tasted for us by faith (Hebrews 2:9). His death. There’s safety in the cross, as this is just another way of God revealing to us that there SURELY is a hedge around those who fear Him. The secret of the Lord is with them that FEAR Him, and He shows THEM His covenant (The cross) (Psalm 25:14). Glory!!
Seeking God in His Word and experiencing Him through faith in the sacrifice of Christ!
“But the Day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in all Holy conversation (lifestyle) and Godliness. Looking for and hasting unto the Coming of the Day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His Promise, look for new heavens and a new Earth, wherein dwells Righteousness (II Pet. 3:10-13).
The Church presently is in the last days of its time, better described as the “Laodicean” period (Rev. 3:14-19). The next prophetic event will be the Day of Christ, or the Rapture of the Church. Following that will come the Great Tribulation, a period of seven years, called “the seventieth week of Daniel” (Dan. 9:24-27). That is to be followed by the 1,000-year world empire of the Lord Jesus (Rev. 20:1-7); at its conclusion, the Great White Throne Judgment will occur, and the wicked dead will be judged. This is what Peter is speaking of in 3:7 when he speaks of “the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”
Immediately after this, the renovation of the Earth and its planetary heavens will occur (3:7, 10, 12). As stated, the Day of the Lord comprises the Great Tribulation and the Millennium. The Millennium merging into eternity is the “Day of God,” which will be eternal (3:12).
Peter also speaks of the “new heavens” and the “new Earth.” Both the heavens and the Earth have been marred by sin: the heavens by Lucifer’s revolution against God, which took place in eternity past; the Earth, by Adam’s Fall.
When Peter speaks of both the heavens and the Earth “burning up,” he is not speaking of annihilation, but rather “passing from one condition to another.” As stated, this will take place at the conclusion of the Millennial Reign. Exactly how the Lord will do this, we aren’t told; however, it should be obvious that the Creator of the universe, and all that is therein, can easily bring forth this which He proclaims He will do.
In the Twenty-first and Twenty-second Chapters of Revelation, however, we are told exactly what this new Heaven and new Earth will be like, and more so the new Earth.
Peter’s phrase, “Wherein dwells Righteousness,” also tells us that there will be nothing in this new Earth that will cause sorrow and heartache. In fact, John the Beloved said that the Lord will “make all things new” (Rev. 21:5).
Concerning this, Paul said, “But as it is written (Isa. 64:4), Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them who love Him.
“But God has revealed them unto us by His Spirit (through the Word of God) . . .” [I Cor. 2:9-10].“
— Donnie Swaggart (taken from the “Word for Every Day”) Donnie Swaggart
Far too often I find myself committing the mistake of limiting God. It is very difficult at times to understand that God is truly endless, and unlike man, He is not a finite being. He has no beginning and He has no ending. There is nothing "hard" for Him. To be honest, there is not even anything that is difficult for Him. He truly is the God that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ever ask ...or think. The mistake I find myself continually making is that I keep thinking that God has limits, so I am prone to look at life’s prospects based upon my limitations. What a colossal mistake! Lord, forgive me for limiting you today! Teach me how to believe you for the improbable and the impossible provision that you are willing to dispense on my behalf! Let me not operate in presumption, but let me be guided by your Spirit to a higher plane of faith. Help me to see the endless possibilities that exist in Christ. Those that could possibly resolve my present dilemma or concern. And thank you for the finished work of Christ on Calvary which, by faith, opens the door to the limitless God that I call Father!
Jeremiah 32:27 - Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?
Proverbs 29:26
Many seek the ruler's favour; but every man's judgment cometh from the Lord.
...
When we carry our cases before whoever might be ruling in the case, whether Pastor, Judge, or whoever it might be, we all want the favor of the one ruling. It is not always guaranteed, and in the world today, many times it will not be the proper judgment made by the one ruling. The one thing we as the children of God can count on is that all judgment for us is of the Lord, as we have come to know Him through His judgment (Psalm 9:16).
Today there are many wrong judgments being made because our judgment has moved away from God’s Judgments, that being His Word, but even most of the time when His Word is used, it is used far from its context and purpose. Whether men end up at the Great White Throne Judgment of God, which is where all lost men will be condemned, or they end up at the Judgment Seat of Christ, ALL judgments made there by God toward them will be based on what they did with His Judgment for our sins that were laid upon His Son, Jesus Christ. If our faith remains in Christ and His work at Calvary alone, we are making the proper judgment today (2 Corinthians 5:14-16), and His love will constrain (Hold) “us” together until He comes! Judge from the heart today that Christ died for you because you were dead in your sins, and trust in Him.
Seeking God in His Word and experiencing Him through faith in the sacrifice of Christ!
“But if we walk in the Light, as He is in the Light, we have fellowship one with another, and the Blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin (I Jn. 1:7).
The word “walk,” as John uses it here, even as Paul, refers to the manner in which we live this life for the Lord, i.e., our walk with God.
The “fellowship” of which John speaks here is not fellowship with other Christians, as most think, but rather us fellowshipping God and God fellowshipping us. In other words, this Passage takes the Believer to a far higher place and position than mere fellowship with other Believers, as wonderful and necessary as is the latter.
In Verse 6, John tells us that we cannot have “fellowship with Him” and, at the same time, “walk in darkness” and “do not the truth.”
First of all, what is the “Light”? What is the “Truth”? Christ is the “Life” (1:1-2); He is, therefore, the “Light”! He Who is the Light and the Life reveals God. This knowledge is of priceless value, for it searches the heart. It also declares the Deity of Christ, for only Deity could reveal Deity. That Light judges everything, and is the rule of Faith to those who walk in it. The moral rule of the Christian’s will is God Himself, as revealed in Christ and the Scriptures.
So, Christ and Him Crucified, even as John will say (1:7), is both “Light” and “Truth.”
As the Believer places his Faith exclusively in Christ and the Cross, we then continually have “fellowship with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ” (I Jn. 1:3). As well, while we are continually having fellowship with Them, the Blood of Jesus, God’s Son, keeps constantly cleansing us from sins of omission, sins of ignorance, and sins in our lives of which we are unaware (for the reason that we have not grown enough in Grace to see that they are sin).
Please understand that these sins are not rare; they are prevalent! If the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ did not make Divine provision for the constant cleansing away of the defilement of sin in our lives, these sins would prevent our fellowship with God.
Actually, each and every Believer, even the Godliest, is constantly “coming short of the Glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). (The Greek Text indicates a continuing action.) However, even as we are continually coming short of that glory, we are continually being cleansed by the Blood.
This does not pertain to willful sin, which demands confession to the Lord, as is evidenced in 1:9. In fact, 1:7 proclaims the intercession that Christ constantly makes for all Believer, guaranteeing that there is a constant cleansing (Heb. 7:25), and thereby a constant fellowship.“
— Donnie Swaggart (taken from the “Word for Every Day”) Donnie Swaggart
The greatest example of long-suffering in relationship is seen in God’s dealings with Israel. God raised up Israel from one man (Abraham) and created a nation that was to be a witness of God's truth and redemption plan. Though God thoroughly blessed them, there never seems to have been a full commitment by Israel to the calling of God. But in all this, God did not throw them away. As a nation they rejected their Messiah and nailed him to an old rugged Cross. Yet through all this, God has not changed His mind about Israel's purpose or the position they hold. God created Israel to be the head of all nations and the head of all nations they will be. So when the devil comes along and tells you that you have failed God too many times and that He no longer has any use for you, remember that God is quick to forgive and desires to restore. His original plan for you might be delayed. He might take you on a different route than the one He initially planned. But if you refuse to quit, God’s calling and God's gifts will never be recalled. God has chosen you and He will not change His mind!
Romans 11:29 - For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
Proverbs 29:27
An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.
The unjust man is not referring to unjust acts, but the man being himself unjust, which of course ALWAYS bears fruit that is an abomination to God and also to those who are just. This does not mean that God is condemning them, nor does it mean those who are just should condemn them, as they are already condemned (John 3:18) through their rejection of The Lord Jesus Christ.
The upright in the Way are an abomination to the wicked just as the wicked are an abomination to the just, as this is what the Apostle Paul probably meant when he wrote of the results of the cross of Christ in our lives while in this world (Galatians 6:14). We are crucified to the world and the world to us. One very important thing that needs to be mentioned here is the phrase “upright in the way”, which is referring to those who have an upright heart before the Lord. Psalm 94:15 reveals to us that those who follow after judgment that has returned unto Righteousness, which is the Way of the Cross (2 Corinthians 5:21, Galatians 2:21), are the upright in heart. The upright in heart are NOT those who exhibit good deeds, but those who have the testimony of the blood of Jesus, as anyone can have good deeds.
Seeking God in His Word and experiencing Him through faith in the sacrifice of Christ!
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the Truth is not in us (I Jn. 1:8).
The Apostle John here emphatically states that the Christian continues to have the sin nature. Paul explains this in Romans, Chapter 6, proclaiming the fact that while the Believer is to be dead to the sin nature, the sin nature itself is not dead in the Believer, and will not be taken out completely until the First Resurrection of Life (Rom. 6:11; 8:23).
In this Passage, John addresses the heresy then being proclaimed by some, which presently is being proclaimed by many, that the Christian doesn’t have a sin nature.
“Sin,” as John uses it here, is singular in number. Despite the fact that it is used without the definite article (i.e., “sin” rather than “the sin”), it points to the fact that the nature is referred to, not acts of sin. Here we have the denial of the indwelling and totally depraved nature, which is passed down through the race from Adam. John says, therefore, as rendered in the literal Greek, “If we say that sin we are not having, ourselves we are deceiving.” Notice, if you will, the emphatic position of the pronoun “ourselves.”
The Christian who believes he has no sin nature, that it is completely eradicated, is deceiving himself, nobody else. All others can see sin stick out all over his experience. To be sure, that sin must come from the indwelling sinful nature. When John says, “The truth is not in us,” he is not meaning that the person is not saved, but rather that the truth of the sin nature is not in that person.
The first thing regarding the meaning of the New Covenant (which is the meaning of the Cross) which the Lord taught the Apostle Paul was the fact of the sin nature, which Paul gave us in Romans, Chapter 6. The Lord then told Paul what the answer to the sin nature was, in fact the only answer, which is the Cross of Christ (Rom. 6:3-5). There is only one answer for sin and that is the Cross.
To be sure, the only thing standing between the Christian and eternal Hell is the Cross. We must never forget that (Jn. 3:16).“
— Donnie Swaggart (taken from the “Word for Every Day”) Donnie Swaggart
Jesus taught his disciples the reason why they could be confident in their relationship with God the Father. He told them that as a result of their simple faith in Him, God had received them as His own beloved children. This truth is something we often lose sight of but need to bring back into our field of vision. God has not chosen us, accepted us, adopted us, or forgiven us because of something we have done. Our status is not based upon some religious work which we have performed. Our acceptance into God's kingdom and thereby into God's family has been accomplished solely by simple faith in Jesus Christ. We must believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He gave Himself on Calvary to redeem us. It is this childlike faith that assures us of a constant relationship with God in heaven. Our relationship is not just established so that we might be looked upon as God’s servant or considered God’s co-worker or God’s loving laborer. This relationship that we have entered into has established us as a son or daughter of God. How marvelous to know and how wondrous it is to comprehend that I am acceptable to God simply because Jesus was and is acceptable to me.
John 16:27 - For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
Proverbs 30:1
The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,
The Strongs Concordance reveals the name ‘Agur’ as a fanciful name for Solomon, and if that is so, that would make Jakeh his son, David. It is most unsure because the Strongs also defines the name Jakeh as a symbolical name for Solomon. Nevertheless, we know that regardless of who these men actually were, their words are in the Bible, therefore making them the Words of our faithful Lord to us.
These words were spoke directly to Ithiel and Ucal, which were apparently the students of Agur. Ithiel is a name which means God is with me, while Ucal means devoured. We see in these writings that no matter how much knowledge we have of the Lord, it will, if it is knowledge given by the Holy Spirit, cause us to be humbled and not puffed up. We need to always know the difference between confidence and puffed up or we will allow the slackers to accuse us and we will fall away. Here we see that what was written is called “The prophecy”, and according to God’s Word, the spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:10).
Seeking God in His Word and experiencing Him through faith in the sacrifice of Christ!
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I Jn. 1:9).
When the Believer sins, and we speak of a sin that he knows he has committed, he is to take that sin to the Lord and confess it before Him. The Lord has promised to forgive, and that He will do. His faithfulness is involved because He promised to forgive; and His Righteousness is in question, for it would be unjust to punish sin a second time — the penalty of the Believer’s sins having been already borne at Calvary.
There is also no limit to the number of times that the Lord will forgive; however, no true Believer habitually sins, unless his faith is in something other than the Cross of Christ. If that is the case, the sin nature will begin to dominate such a Believer, who will then constantly carry out habitual acts of sin, despite trying to do otherwise (Rom. 7:15).
The Believer must first of all learn to place his Faith exclusively in Christ and the Cross, which will then give the Holy Spirit latitude to work in his life, which guarantees that sin will no longer have dominion over such a Believer (Rom. 6:14). This does not mean sinless perfection, for the Bible does not teach such; but it does teach that sin is not to have dominion over the Believer.
If sin, however, is committed, confession first of all should be made, in fact, must be made, to God. Confession of sin on the part of the Saint means to say the same thing that God says about that sin, to agree with God as to all the implications of that sin: those which relate to the Christian who commits it and to a Holy God against Whom it is committed. That includes the Saint’s hatred of that sin, his sense of guilt because of it, his contrition because of it, and his determination to put it out of his life and never to do that thing again. This is what confession of sin here means.
The English word “confess” means “to admit the truth of an accusation, to own up to the fact that one is guilty of having committed the sin.” But the Greek word means far more than that, as we here see. The Greek teaches that the constant attitude of the Saint toward sin should be one of a contrite heart, ever eager to have any sin in the life discovered for him by the Holy Spirit, and ever eager to confess it and put it out of the life by the Power of the Holy Spirit, which is the only way it can be done.
Let it ever be understood:
When the Lord forgives sin, which He always will do upon proper confession, then the sin is completely, totally, and absolutely forgiven. Not only does God forgive the Believer, but He cleanses him from the defilement which is incurred in committing the act of sin.
A true Christian hates sin. As we have repeatedly stated, the only answer for sin is the Cross!“
— Donnie Swaggart (taken from the “Word for Every Day”) Donnie Swaggart
Believing God is a choice that must be made consistently in the life of every believer. God does not ask us to produce miracles. He asks the Christian to believe that He is a God that is ready, able, and willing to perform miracles on behalf of His children. God does not withhold His blessings from those who are willing to believe, but He will withhold His blessing from those who refuse to depend exclusively upon Him. Starting with Adam and Eve, we find that God supplied everything that man needed. The work required of them was minimal and nothing was more important than walking with God in the cool of the day. He only asked that they depend totally upon Him, in particular, upon His knowledge of right and wrong. They need not have eaten from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. All they had to do was ask God whether something was wrong or right. Dependence does not come easy to the human race. Perhaps that is why faith in God is harder to maintain than faith in self. But if you desire God to work on your behalf you must learn to rely upon Him more than anything or anyone else. Without faith it is impossible to please God!
Hebrews 11:6 - But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Proverbs 30:2
Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.
Here we see the writer confessing that he is more brutish, which refers to his stupidity, and foolishness, than any man. He also confesses that he does not have the understanding of a man which refers to himself being ignorant as a man. The more wisdom a man has which is the wisdom the Lord gives, he will find himself seeming to know nothing compared to that knowledge. The more we learn of the Lord, it seems like the less we know due to the great vastness of our great God.
This will always be the true move of God, as it will be known and recognized by the humble which are those who come to the cross of Christ and carry that cross daily. Humility and Obedience is the very spirit of Christ and His Way of the cross. There will be a great boldness to declare the Word of the Lord, but opinions will only become more and more obviously brutish as we grow in the grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. May we take up our cross again today, and follow our Savior and we will surely see and rely more on Him and less of ourselves.
Seeking God in His Word and experiencing Him through faith in the sacrifice of Christ!
You WILL have to face this difficulty, this trial, this heartache, this pain, but you WILL NOT have to fix it!! God will fix it!! Evangelist Torrance Nash Ministries
