July 4th 2021
See You In The New Perfect World, If You Believe Jesus Is Waiting For Us There!
2 Peter 3:9 (NIV)
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Paul wrote about our need to work out our salvation, and some people have taken this to mean, we must somehow earn our salvation, and of course this is not even possible. Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed— not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence— continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. (Philippians 2:12-13). In the selected verse Peter is telling us to be patient, which is not a popular thought in this country today. It seems almost everyone is hurrying from one mistake into another one, they are just stumbling faster and faster!
Remember, your salvation was earned over two thousand years ago, and is available to anyone who believes that Jesus Christ is who He says He is. No need to rush, except that no one is promised tomorrow! If you have not claimed your salvation through Jesus, do NOT put off confessing your sins to Jesus, and accepting His salvation through His grace! As the select verse states, “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” Jesus wants you to accept His salvation, and by doing so, you may be helping fill some quota, which God has established to end this cursed world, and replace it with a new perfect world. No one knows what God’s plan really is, or when the end of this world will come.
Following is the selected verse in context of what Jesus was teaching His disciples, and us, about some future events leading into the end times. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom that God gave him. (2 Peter 3:9-15).
Peter and Paul are trying to convince us that we all should be working out our salvation, by trying to be sinless citizens of this world, so that when Jesus creates the new perfect world you will be living with Him on it! Now that is a promise I am looking forward to. What about you? The only thing you can take with you when you die in this lifetime, is the free gift of your eternal salvation! Jesus died on this earth as a member of mankind, and then rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, and He is waiting there for you to join Him. Are you ready? Have you accepted your salvation yet? The Microsoft editor does not like the term “free gift,” because in this cursed world the assumption is that all gifts are free. However, we all know that many gifts are given with some strings attached in this cursed world. Jesus’s salvation is the only truly absolutely Free Gift!
When Jesus walked this earth as a member of mankind, He healed many people, thus it makes sense that He is still in the healing business. When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed. (Matthew 14:34-36). In this account people were healed by just touching Jesus. In many healing accounts written about Jesus, He often said how the person was healed because of their faith in Him.
Here is one such account! When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" "Yes, Lord," they replied. Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you"; and their sight was restored. (Matthew 9:28-30a). In this account Jesus says, "According to your faith will it be done to you!" It seems important to refer to the above account, in which Jesus healed many people immediately when they just touched Him. Healing today cannot involve touching Jesus to obtain healing, but it also seems important to remember Jesus healed those who did seem to only touch Him. If you believe Jesus can heal you or someone you are praying for then it follows that your faith can cause Jesus to heal them.
Let us close this commentary with some comments from some of the New Testament writers about prayer, and our expectation of receiving an answer to our prayer. First from Paul. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. (Romans 8:26-27). Here, we are apt to ask for something that will meet God’s will, and therefore, will be answered.
Next read what Mark wrote about your prayer requests. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11:24). Finally, a comment about prayer from James. The prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him (or her) up. (James 5:15a).
When you pray, believe that God is listening, and that if you believe Jesus wants to heal you or the person you are praying for, then if your prayer is offered in faith, and your prayer will be answered! Do remember however that God’s answer may be slightly different than your anticipation of the result. Also, it is important to remember that death on this cursed world in NOT a penalty for those who have accepted salvation through grace, but it is a reward for a life lived with Jesus being this pilot and you being the co-pilot flying through to eternal rewards.
See you in the new perfect world, if you believe Jesus is waiting for us there!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
2 Peter 3:9 (NIV)
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Paul wrote about our need to work out our salvation, and some people have taken this to mean, we must somehow earn our salvation, and of course this is not even possible. Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed— not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence— continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. (Philippians 2:12-13). In the selected verse Peter is telling us to be patient, which is not a popular thought in this country today. It seems almost everyone is hurrying from one mistake into another one, they are just stumbling faster and faster!
Remember, your salvation was earned over two thousand years ago, and is available to anyone who believes that Jesus Christ is who He says He is. No need to rush, except that no one is promised tomorrow! If you have not claimed your salvation through Jesus, do NOT put off confessing your sins to Jesus, and accepting His salvation through His grace! As the select verse states, “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” Jesus wants you to accept His salvation, and by doing so, you may be helping fill some quota, which God has established to end this cursed world, and replace it with a new perfect world. No one knows what God’s plan really is, or when the end of this world will come.
Following is the selected verse in context of what Jesus was teaching His disciples, and us, about some future events leading into the end times. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom that God gave him. (2 Peter 3:9-15).
Peter and Paul are trying to convince us that we all should be working out our salvation, by trying to be sinless citizens of this world, so that when Jesus creates the new perfect world you will be living with Him on it! Now that is a promise I am looking forward to. What about you? The only thing you can take with you when you die in this lifetime, is the free gift of your eternal salvation! Jesus died on this earth as a member of mankind, and then rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, and He is waiting there for you to join Him. Are you ready? Have you accepted your salvation yet? The Microsoft editor does not like the term “free gift,” because in this cursed world the assumption is that all gifts are free. However, we all know that many gifts are given with some strings attached in this cursed world. Jesus’s salvation is the only truly absolutely Free Gift!
When Jesus walked this earth as a member of mankind, He healed many people, thus it makes sense that He is still in the healing business. When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed. (Matthew 14:34-36). In this account people were healed by just touching Jesus. In many healing accounts written about Jesus, He often said how the person was healed because of their faith in Him.
Here is one such account! When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" "Yes, Lord," they replied. Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you"; and their sight was restored. (Matthew 9:28-30a). In this account Jesus says, "According to your faith will it be done to you!" It seems important to refer to the above account, in which Jesus healed many people immediately when they just touched Him. Healing today cannot involve touching Jesus to obtain healing, but it also seems important to remember Jesus healed those who did seem to only touch Him. If you believe Jesus can heal you or someone you are praying for then it follows that your faith can cause Jesus to heal them.
Let us close this commentary with some comments from some of the New Testament writers about prayer, and our expectation of receiving an answer to our prayer. First from Paul. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. (Romans 8:26-27). Here, we are apt to ask for something that will meet God’s will, and therefore, will be answered.
Next read what Mark wrote about your prayer requests. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11:24). Finally, a comment about prayer from James. The prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him (or her) up. (James 5:15a).
When you pray, believe that God is listening, and that if you believe Jesus wants to heal you or the person you are praying for, then if your prayer is offered in faith, and your prayer will be answered! Do remember however that God’s answer may be slightly different than your anticipation of the result. Also, it is important to remember that death on this cursed world in NOT a penalty for those who have accepted salvation through grace, but it is a reward for a life lived with Jesus being this pilot and you being the co-pilot flying through to eternal rewards.
See you in the new perfect world, if you believe Jesus is waiting for us there!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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