A Patient Salvation

"Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation." For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. 

But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. 

Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you,"

(2Peter 3:3-10, 14-15 NAS95S)

Observation:  How do we look at the world?  How do we choose to interpret the comings and goings around us?  What is our take on they delay of Christ's coming?  We are told to regard it as the patience of God, and to regard the patience of God as salvation.  

The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance... regard the patience of our Lord as salvation (2 Peter 3:9, 15).

When was the last time you thought of the delay of Christ's coming as salvation?  But what if you aren't ready right now?  Then it just might be your salvation.  What if I'm not ready?  His delay might just be my salvation also.  What if your children aren't ready?  It might be their salvation.  What if your enemy is not ready?  Are you willing for Jesus to delay that it might be his/her salvation?  After all, Christ told us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.  Are we willing to wait for the answer to these prayers for those who bring hardship in our lives.  Christ was and He still is... And even if we are not praying and waiting for our enemies, Jesus has already prayed, continues to pray, and waits with eager longing and expectation for the day when they might surrender and receive his salvation.

A big part of the problem is perspective.  In church circles we often quote the text "without a vision the people perish!"  But I'd like to suggest that with the wrong vision the people perish.  Too often, we view the world from our perspective when God is calling us to view it from His.  We interpret the continuation of this old world as the delay of Christ's coming, but He interprets as the salvation of more souls.  We say it has been a long time since he promised to return, but He calls us to see through His eyes... With the Lord a thousand years is a day.  It's been less then a week since He ascended into heaven.  And from that perspective I think it's fair to say that we may only be hours or minutes away from His coming.

Application:  "Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. 

Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts."  (Romans 13:8-14 NAS95S)

Prayer:  Lord Jesus show me the world this week from Your perspective.  Take my eyes off of self Lord.  Take my thoughts off of me and turn them heaven-ward and earth-ward.  Let me think what You are thinking.  Let me see what You are seeing Jesus.  Let what breaks Your heart break mine.  Jesus, I need you today.  I need the power that only You can bring.  I need the peace only You can bring.  

O Jesus forgive me for my lack of compassion and my indifference.  Forgive me for being so consumed with all the things I must do.  O Jesus I surrender this ministry to You.  I surrender the worship ministry to You and the visitation ministry.  

Jesus I need Your power, Your grace, Your leading, Your wisdom and insight.  I am nothing Jesus.  I need You desperately.  I need You to act through and for me.  Lord Jesus I'm asking for the anointing of Your Holy Spirit this morning.  Bring Your power Holy Spirit.  Bring Your perspective.  Bring Your leadership.  Make me ready to do whatever You call me to do.  I surrender my life to Your Leading Holy Spirit. Come lead me now.

The Rational of Relationship

"For He did not subject to angels the world to come, concerning which we are speaking. But one has testified somewhere, saying, "What is man, that You remember him? Or the son of man, that You are concerned about him? "You have made him for a little while lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And have appointed him over the works of Your hands; You have put all things in subjection under his feet." For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him. But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. 

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, "I will proclaim Your name to My brethren, In the midst of the congregation I will sing Your praise." And again, "I will put My trust in Him." And again, "Behold, I and the children whom God has given Me." 

Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham. Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted."

(Hebrews 2:5-18 NAS95S)

Observation:  Son of God.  Son of Man.  Divine.  Human.  The everlasting one stepping into time.  The Father of Creation becoming the Son of creation.  How can it be?  How could he who made us become subject to us and still be our Sovereign?  And yet He was, He is, and always will be.  He to whom all things are subject, subjected Himself to a lowly state... to the existence of a slave and servant.  He was at the mercy of His mother, His father, His brothers and sisters, even His enemies.  He let us raise him, praise him, persecute and kill Him.   He choose to be totally at our mercy that we might be totally at His.  Yes, in making Himself subject to the mercy and whims of sinful man, He made it possible for us to be subject to the mercy and wisdom of all knowing, all loving, and always faithful Father in Heaven.

Application:  I cannot understand this Christ child... I cannot comprehend this mysterious and powerful plan of salvation.  But I accept it.  I wonder at it.  I want to fall on my knees and cry Holy.  Holy is the Lamb, Worthy is He who was slain for my sin, for my selfishness, for my pride and greed.  Worthy is He to receive all glory, honor, power, and dominion; now and forevermore.  

Even as I say I cannot understand, I realize I really can.  For the word understand is a conjunction of two words... under meaning not the typical beneath, but instead between or among, and the word stand meaning to exist or be present.  

So basically understanding can mean to be with.  And that is how we understand God... Not by explanation... But by association.  Not by clever words but by the word incarnate; the word made flesh; the word who dwelt among us that we might behold the glory of our Father.  We know him through relationship not through rationality... At least the rationality of this world which says I must quantify, clarify, and formulate.  

No, we know God through the rational of relationship.  A rational of the heart.  A rational that comes from experiencing His faithfulness, His goodness, His grace, and His provision in our lives.  We understand when He stands with us.  We come to know as we see that we are known by Him.

Prayer:  O Lord Jesus...

"Let my cry come before You, O LORD; Give me understanding according to Your word."

(Psalms 119:169 NAS95S) 

Understanding comes as You stand with me.  As Your presence permeates my being.  Dwell in me Jesus.  Be with me.  Let Your Spirit Rest upon me.  This is my prayer.

Overtones

"The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come." Rev. 22:17. Everyone who hears is to repeat the invitation. Whatever one's calling in life, his first interest should be to win souls for Christ. He may not be able to speak to congregations, but he can work for individuals. To them he can communicate the instruction received from his Lord. Ministry does not consist alone in preaching. Those minister who relieve the sick and suffering, helping the needy, speaking words of comfort to the desponding and those of little faith. Nigh and afar off are souls weighed down by a sense of guilt. It is not hardship, toil, or poverty that degrades humanity. It is guilt, wrongdoing. This brings unrest and dissatisfaction. Christ would have His servants minister to sin-sick souls.

The disciples were to begin their work where they were. The hardest and most unpromising field was not to be passed by. So every one of Christ's workers is to begin where he is. In our own families may be souls hungry for sympathy, starving for the bread of life. There may be children to be trained for Christ. There are heathen at our very doors. Let us do faithfully the work that is nearest. Then let our efforts be extended as far as God's hand may lead the way. The work of many may appear to be restricted by circumstances; but, wherever it is, if performed with faith and diligence it will be felt to the uttermost parts of the earth. Christ's work when upon earth appeared to be confined to a narrow field, but multitudes from all lands heard His message. God often uses the simplest means to accomplish the greatest results. It is His plan that every part of His work shall depend on every other part, as a wheel within a wheel, all acting in harmony. The Desire of Ages, p. 822, 823.

Observation: Recently I went to see the movie August Rush, about a boy who grew up as a ward of the state of New York and at the age of 12 sets out to find his parents who are both musicians. The movie's basic theme is that their is a grand symphony of music that we hear with our hearts... And if we follow the music it will lead us to those who we love. Its a nice thought, and has some merit in Christian circles. Rob Bell has a powerful teaching on this idea in His nooma video called Rhythm. It addition, Ellen White makes this powerful observation in The Desire of Ages:

The humblest worker, moved by the Holy Spirit, will touch invisible chords, whose vibrations will ring to the ends of the earth, and make melody through eternal ages. The Desire of Ages, p. 822, 823.

In this grand symphony, Christ is the conductor, The Holy Spirit is the Musician, and God the Father is the audience. We are the instruments. As we make ourselves available to the Holy Spirit, He will play a melody so beautiful, so glorious, so stirring, that it will lead others to the foot of the cross. He will use our lives to create sympathetic overtones in the lives of those around us.

A sympathetic overtone is when you strike one note on a guitar, say the high E string and it causes another string to ring. You can do the same thing on the piano if you hold down middle C and give a staccato strike to the C key two octaves lower while continuing to hold down middle C. Even though you didn't strike middle C, you will hear it ring because the C note two octaves lower created a sympathetic overtone in middle C.

When we allow the Spirit of God to strike our lives, when we give him the freedom to move in us, to play out His melody of grace in our lives those around us will resonate. People who we thought were beyond God's grace, who we deemed unreachable, will begin to harmonize with the work of God in our lives. The key to this is remembering that we are not the musician, but the instrument. Remembering that we can't change anybody... That people change as the Holy Spirit changes us; as He makes melody with our lives.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I want to hand over the strings of my heart this morning. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit that He might play a melody beautiful and sweet. A melody in harmony with Your will and desire for those who need to resonate with the song You have given me to sing. A song of Your salvation, a song of Your transformation. And Father, as I sing may they find themselves ready and willing to join the choir of praise to Your glorious name, may they find their hearts resonating with Your Amazing Grace. Amen!