Title: God's Way/2 Peter 3:8-13
Content: The Lord's promise is not slow, as some consider slowness, but is patient with you, not wishing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).
Jesus came to this earth for us, died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins, overcame the authority of death, rose from the dead on the third day, became the firstfruits of those who slept, and became our eternal hope and life. The resurrected Lord was on this earth for 40 days before ascension, and when he ascended into heaven, two angels said, “This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way you saw him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). did Therefore, the greatest concern of the early church was the Second Coming of Jesus. However, since the Lord whom we thought would come soon did not come, the saints know when will the Lord come? Why are you coming so late? Are you really coming back? Why won't you come? waiting and doubts arose, and, naturally, false prophets abounded and deceived the saints. As a result, the believers' faith was shaken and problems arose. At this time, through Peter, the explanation of the delay in the second coming of Jesus and the assurance of the second coming are the words of the text.
“Do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day (verse 8). But he is patient with you, not wishing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance (verse 9). What kind of person should you be... Look forward to the coming of the day of God and long for it (verse 12).” God’s time and human time are different. God’s method is different from human thinking. It is different, it is clearly summarized in the content of what kind of person you are right to be.
First: God's Time, Man's Time
The Greek word for ‘do not forget’ is ‘merandaneto’, which literally translates to ‘do not let go’, and paraphrased means ‘carve it in your head’. In other words, do not misunderstand God's time by engraving God's time as a day as a thousand years and as a thousand years as a day, and calculating God's time in terms of human time.
“For a thousand years are in your sight as yesterday, and as a watch in the night” (Psalm 90:4).
The life of faith is to harmonize and graft finite human time with God's time, eternity. Problems arise in our religious life because we do not drag the time of our life into God's time, but we want God's time to enter into the time of our life.
It's from the American Civil War. One day, when the Union Army was rushing into the Confederate Army, ministers were anxiously waiting outside his office for President Lincoln to pray. Nevertheless, Lincoln did not care and prayed for a long time before leaving. Ministers asked the president who came out praying. "dismissal! God must be on our side, right?” “Of course, God is definitely on our side. But the question is whether we are on God’s side or not.”
The illusion that God unconditionally raises his hand without thinking about whether his position is in God's time or human time... Illusion is freedom, but awakening from illusion is duty? You must wake up now. You must enter into God's time. Do not try to advance, delay, or procrastinate God's time on your own terms. You will commit a crime. Christians must move into God's time, packing all of their lives in the human conception of time.
Second: God's Way, Human Thought
Some rescuers just stood there when they saw someone drowning and begging for help. People around him ridiculed and resented him, pointing fingers and trembling his feet. Still, he says he's immovable. However, when the drowning man was exhausted and all died, he went into the water and came to life. People asked him. “Why didn’t you quickly get in and rescue me?” “If you go in when you ask for help, the person who drowns will have strong energy and both will drown and die”
As I go through life, I think that I will surely fall into death, but there are times when it seems that God remains silent and leaves me alone. However, God does not forsake or turn away. Under no circumstances will God's love depart from God's children. God uses God's method when we give up on "I" and raise our hands in the life that "I" insisted on.
“How can I take any joy in the death of the wicked, says the Sovereign Lord, and not rejoice that he lives and departs from his way?” (Ezekiel 18:23).
Man's way is to chase and knock them down, and God's way is to repent and wait for the steps to approach God. The delay in the second coming of Jesus Christ is not God's indolence or lack of power, but God's compassionate compassion and love for the salvation of mankind. God's promises are sure to come true. The Lord comes without anyone knowing and without warning (verse 10). Christians must break down the barriers of human methods. I have to tear down the fence of my way and enter into God's good and perfect way. Then God will take responsibility for me in a way that human thoughts cannot understand. Jesus' twelve disciples were chosen and David was anointed king over Israel, not by human thought, but entirely by God's method.
First, to do everything according to God's will, always pray and make spiritual judgments.
Second, the Word is always new and powerful.
Third, a strong democratic way to outsource.
Fourth, love the souls of church members and pay close attention to each person.
Fifth, there is no change from yesterday to today.
Sixth, focus on the ministry only.
Seventh, Iris is respected even by unbelievers.
The elders are proud of their saints.
One, absolute obedience to pastoral policy.
Second, all decisions are left to the Pastor.
Third, everyone served with joy.
Fourth, respect and trust the pastor.
Fifth, all members of the session and the church are always one.
Time is very important in a finite human life. Together with God who is the owner of eternal time, we must use the time of this earth in God's way. I have to cherish and cherish the time and moment of life that God has given me, give my best to God with perfect faith, and fill it in God's way. God's time has no momentary error, and God's method is perfect.
A ‘day’ is a short 24 hours, but it is a precious day given by God. If we live “today” and “today” with value, it will lead to eternity.