Look for the day of the Lord
Today saw us turn the page on day 65 of the 66 day reading plan through the whole Bible, from 1 Peter to the Book of Jude with only the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ remaining to be read on Sunday. It will be more than the usual hours reading on Sunday, but I deemed it important not to split the book but to read it in its entirety for a fuller understanding.
For me this has been luxury beyond my imagination to be afforded the privacy, solitude and peace in my friend’s secluded converted farm out in Brittany, to be able to read through God’s Holy Word in total undisturbed devotion was beyond my heart’s desire, it certainly was not in my perspective last year when I was in the midst of confusion and God told me to sell my house and took me to the scripture in the Gospel of Matthew where it says about ‘not worrying where we shall live or what we shall wear,’ yet it has or will be accomplished. I thank my friend and give God the glory. But what of now, what is to be done next?
The last few books of the Bible contain focus on ‘The coming Day of the Lord,’ and the Book of Revelation is all about the things that will occur when The Lord Jesus returns, will it be tomorrow, or next week, or next month or maybe at The Passover this year, no-one knows but Our Righteous Father, but we are warned not to look for a sign, but many agree that we are in ‘the End Times,’ the Bible says in 2 Peter 3:10 that;
“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.”
Hmm, when that time comes, there is no second chances, we need to get right before God, we need some oil in our lamps, at all times, the scripture continues in 3:11;
“Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming day of God?”
But it is not the verse before that I wish to draw your attention to if I may, for what happens after cannot be stopped or halted once it starts and we do not know the time, in the gospel of Matthew 24:36, Jesus says,
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”
And continues in 24:37-39;
“But as the days of Noah were, so also will the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.”
No it is the verse before in 2 Peter 3:9, so just before the coming of the day of the Lord, and it says quite clearly;
“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.”
So that is where we come in, yes you and I, ALL of us, God doesn’t want any to perish, and wants them ALL to come to repentance, well they can’t afterwards, nor during, so they need to come BEFORE, so seems as we don’t know the time, we have to assume its anytime from now, right this minute until then, when the Lord Jesus returns! How long do we have, nobody knows, but seems as we know the parameters shouldn’t we make every effort to help warn and save as many as possible? Remember, God wants none to perish and ALL to come to repentance.
So we need to make every effort to witness to people, wherever we are, whatever the circumstance, we need to be sowing the seeds, not watching the weeds, have a handful if tracts about your person every day, if you pray and ask the Lord, “Lord, show me today whom I can speak to about You Lord.” “To whom, if I try, one person per day, a stranger on the bus, or in the supermarket car park ( which I have just done today), Lord help me to share the good news of Jesus Christ today.” And see what happens, listen for the Holy Spirit to direct you.
Every day evangelism is of the utmost importance, critical in fact, for we don’t know the hour, there is no need to be bogged down with emails and meetings for the larger organised outreach events, get on board with sowing seeds today, as we look to the coming of The Day of The Lord. Amen.
God Bless