Monday 27 October, 2014

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2 Peter 3:8-13

8 Dear friends, here is one thing you must not forget. With the Lord a day is like a thousand years. And a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow to keep his promise. He is not slow in the way some people understand it. He is patient with you. He doesn’t want anyone to be destroyed. Instead, he wants all people to turn away from their sins. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar. Fire will destroy everything in them. God will judge the earth and everything in it. 11 So everything will be destroyed. And what kind of people should you be? You should lead holy and godly lives. 12 Live like that as you look forward to the day of God. It will make the day come more quickly. On that day fire will destroy the heavens. Its heat will melt everything in them. 13 But we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth. Godliness will make its home there. All of this is in keeping with God’s promise.

When Peter wrote this letter, about 30 years after Jesus died on the cross, false prophets & teachers had come among the believers and so, some believers had become confused & discouraged and had lost the hope of Jesus coming back.

The Apostle Peter, is trying to refresh, remind & warn the believers with a few “secrets”:

  1. With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like a day.
  2. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise…, Instead he is patient with you, …, so that everyone may come to repentance.
  3. The day of the Lord will come like a thief.
  4. When the day comes, everything (heaven and earth) will be destroyed by fire.

Sounds like a terrible ending of the world. But Peter said, in keeping with HIS promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth. What a great hope and promise we have in Jesus Christ.

The challenge of this passage to me is:

  1. Do I forget Jesus’ promises and loose patience easily?
  2. In this world, what kind of person should I be?
  3. If Jesus came back TONIGHT? Am I ready?

Dear Lord, thank you for your word which always reminds me that heaven and earth will come to an end and that you will come back like a thief. Your word is a lamp for my feet,a light for my path. Help me to remember that you are never slow in keeping your promise, instead you are patient with (waiting for) me. Amen.

Written by Allen Leu

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