How To Hurry God Along
“looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness”
2 Peter 3:12–13.
Studying 2 Peter for our midweek early morning bible study I wrote down this thought in my “notes to self”, “What we believe about the last days will impact how we live each day” because it’s true both physically and spiritually. Ever since being diagnosed with congestive heart disease back in 2013 I’ve learned to live with the end in mind, like it or not. Fortunately the doctors caught the 90% blockage in my LAD artery before it killed me, but unfortunately the damage the blockage caused was pretty significant to my heart and because the heart is the only muscle in the human body that cannot repair itself you live with it as long as you can.
I recall so vividly when I first got the news and how frightened I was and how for the next year I dealt with terrible anxiety each night when I went to bed. I actually hated going to bed at night as I could feel my pulse in my chest and I felt like I could almost hear the irregular beat of my heart that reminded me of the damage that had been done. Yet, something happened along the way by the grace of God and I am not even sure exactly when but I finally came to a place where I allowed the peace of God to rule my heart, literally. My health issues served to get me focused so much on the last days as I studied up on anything to do with end times that my heart, though damaged, was at peace with God which allowed me to enjoy the peace of God.
I laugh now looking back at how God used that event to refocus my life on what mattered most. Though I deal with health issues related to my heart disease still, and no two days are ever the same where I actual feel good for a whole 24 hour period, I love how the end times and last days are constantly on my mind. When you live with the end in mind it’s a lot easier to let things go and to not worry so much about things you have no control over. One of my favorite questions that I ask myself frequently is, “will this _______ even matter a day from now or a week or a month or a year or even ten years from now?” Like I said, living in the last days puts everything into perspective.
The best part though to me about living with a last days mindset is understanding how important the gospel is. The gospel really is the solution to any problem you will face and is why it’s so important to read it and understand it and most of all to live it out which includes sharing it with others. Jesus really is the answer! And just think the more we share Jesus with others the closer we get to His return. That’s what Peter is encouraging us when he says in 2 Peter 3 we can hasten the day! We can actually hurry the coming of the Lord along. Think about it. One day, the last Gentile is going to hear the gospel and receive Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord and when they do…
“For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words” 1 Thessalonians 4:14–18.
So what are you waiting for? Hurry God along, share Jesus with someone today!
“Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.” But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”
Romans 10:13–15
I LOVE YOU!
2 Peter 3:12–13.
Studying 2 Peter for our midweek early morning bible study I wrote down this thought in my “notes to self”, “What we believe about the last days will impact how we live each day” because it’s true both physically and spiritually. Ever since being diagnosed with congestive heart disease back in 2013 I’ve learned to live with the end in mind, like it or not. Fortunately the doctors caught the 90% blockage in my LAD artery before it killed me, but unfortunately the damage the blockage caused was pretty significant to my heart and because the heart is the only muscle in the human body that cannot repair itself you live with it as long as you can.
I recall so vividly when I first got the news and how frightened I was and how for the next year I dealt with terrible anxiety each night when I went to bed. I actually hated going to bed at night as I could feel my pulse in my chest and I felt like I could almost hear the irregular beat of my heart that reminded me of the damage that had been done. Yet, something happened along the way by the grace of God and I am not even sure exactly when but I finally came to a place where I allowed the peace of God to rule my heart, literally. My health issues served to get me focused so much on the last days as I studied up on anything to do with end times that my heart, though damaged, was at peace with God which allowed me to enjoy the peace of God.
I laugh now looking back at how God used that event to refocus my life on what mattered most. Though I deal with health issues related to my heart disease still, and no two days are ever the same where I actual feel good for a whole 24 hour period, I love how the end times and last days are constantly on my mind. When you live with the end in mind it’s a lot easier to let things go and to not worry so much about things you have no control over. One of my favorite questions that I ask myself frequently is, “will this _______ even matter a day from now or a week or a month or a year or even ten years from now?” Like I said, living in the last days puts everything into perspective.
The best part though to me about living with a last days mindset is understanding how important the gospel is. The gospel really is the solution to any problem you will face and is why it’s so important to read it and understand it and most of all to live it out which includes sharing it with others. Jesus really is the answer! And just think the more we share Jesus with others the closer we get to His return. That’s what Peter is encouraging us when he says in 2 Peter 3 we can hasten the day! We can actually hurry the coming of the Lord along. Think about it. One day, the last Gentile is going to hear the gospel and receive Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord and when they do…
“For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words” 1 Thessalonians 4:14–18.
So what are you waiting for? Hurry God along, share Jesus with someone today!
“Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.” But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”
Romans 10:13–15
I LOVE YOU!
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