Because of our fallen state as being sinners from the womb, sometimes we can understand negative things better than positive things because in reality, we are more closely aware of the negative, the bad, the evil, the warped, the twisted, and the ugly things than we are of the better things in life, which even though we prefer them, they often seem very illusive!
So for this purpose, today I want to utilize a negative scenario to illustrate one of the greatest realities revealed in the Bible for people to meditate on for this “Labor Day” weekend!
As human beings we have various ways of getting our point across to others. Especially when we are passionate about a particular subject we want to convey to others. Just as God has done by giving us the Holy Bible!
Old Testament Scripture Reading: Proverbs 3:1 – 7 (KJV)
Pro 3:1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
Pro 3:2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
Pro 3:3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
Pro 3:4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Pro 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Pro 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
New Testament Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 3:1 – 13 (KJV)
2Pe 3:1 This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder,
2Pe 3:2 that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.
2Pe 3:3 Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts,
2Pe 3:4 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.”
2Pe 3:5 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,
2Pe 3:6 through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water.
2Pe 3:7 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.
2Pe 3:8 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.
2Pe 3:9 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.
2Pe 3:10 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.
2Pe 3:11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
2Pe 3:12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!
2Pe 3:13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
Transforming Power Statements:
1) God has invested not only His Only-Begotten Son Jesus’ life, death and resurrection into the lives of the ones He has called to separate themselves for His own possession, but also He has installed the Holy Spirit within every believer to manifest His power into the lives of everyone He has called, in order to repossess them, or redeem them for His own purposes and to execute His plan.
2) The ones who believe God must also learn to always trust God; i.e. whatever He has said (His Word); over any and everything else that comes from anywhere else no matter how impressive, nor how popular among unbelievers, nor for any reason that defies what God has stated: because that which God has spoken shall surely come to pass without fail!
3) In conclusion for our meditation for this LORD’s Day, since we have trusted in Messiah Jesus, Who is the only redeemer God has provided in order to re-purchase every believer out of the decay and rottenness of the fallen creation, all who trust in Jesus with all of our hearts and do not lean to our own understanding are blessed to be repossessed, and therefore REDEEMED TO INHABIT THE NEW HEAVENS AND EARTH Wherein righteousness dwells!