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The Final Countdown 2 Peter 3 is probably one of the most relevant passages of Scripture in the Word as it describes our world and its current condition. I’ll read it from the Passion Translation. 2 Peter 3 TPT- Beloved friends, this is now the second letter I have written to you in which I’ve attempted to stir you up and awaken you to a proper mind-set. 2 So never forget both the prophecies spoken by the holy prophets of old and the teaching of our Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles. 3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days mockers will multiply, chasing after their evil desires. 4 They will say, “So what about this promise of his coming? Our ancestors are dead and buried, yet everything is still the same as it was since from the beginning of time until now.” 5 But they conveniently overlook that from the beginning, the heavens and earth were created by God’s word. He spoke and the dry ground separated from the waters. 6 Then long afterward he destroyed the world with a tremendous flood by those very waters. 7 And now, by the same powerful word, the heavens and the earth are reserved for fire, being kept for judgment day, when all the ungodly will perish. 8 So, dear friends, don’t let this one thing escape your notice: a single day counts like a thousand years to the Lord Yahweh, and a thousand years counts as one day. 9 This means that contrary to man’s perspective, the Lord is not late with his promise to return, as some measure lateness. But rather, his “delay” simply reveals his loving patience toward you, because he does not want any to perish but all to come to repentance. 10 The day of the Lord will come and take everyone by surprise—as unexpected as a home invasion. The atmosphere will be set on fire and vanish with a horrific roar, and the heavenly bodies will melt away as in a tremendous blaze. The earth and every activity of man will be laid bare. 11 Since all these things are on the verge of being dismantled, don’t you see how vital it is to live a holy life? We must be consumed with godliness 12 while we anticipate and help to speed up the coming of the day of God, when the atmosphere will be set on fire and the heavenly bodies consumed in a blaze. 13 But as we wait, we trust in God’s royal proclamation to be fulfilled. There are coming heavens new in quality, and an earth new in quality, where righteousness will be fully at home. Peter not only prophecies of future events and lays out what the spiritual climate will be like at the coming of the Lord but goes on to tell us how to prepare for it. The Bible is not just a book written by men. It is a covenant created by God with written promises from the creator of the universe to man who was created in His own image. He gave the words that were written to holy men of God who wrote them down as they were inspired by the Holy Spirit. Every word is true, and every promise has been, is being, and will be fulfilled. Preparation for the Coming of the Lord Very soon there is going to be an event that will shock every person on the planet! Many persons who were on earth just moments ago will be suddenly gone. We refer to this as the rapture of the church. Don’t look for the word in your Bible. It isn’t there. But in 1 Thess. 4:16-17 NASB we read, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be CAUGHT UP (Harpazo: Catch away (up), seize upon, snatch away. To carry away.) together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, thus we shall always be with the Lord.” This is what many refer to as, “Our blessed hope” or the rapture of the church. 14 So, my beloved friends, with all that you have to look forward to, may you be eager to be found living pure lives when you come into his presence, without blemish and filled with peace. 15 And keep in mind that our Lord’s extraordinary patience simply means more opportunity for salvation, just as our dear brother Paul wrote to you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16 He consistently speaks of these things in all of his letters, even though he writes some concepts that are overwhelming to our understanding, which the unlearned and unstable love to twist to their spiritual ruin, as they do to other Scriptures. Peter isn’t saying that God is giving Himself more time for the salvation of those around us. He is giving us more time to reach them. If you want your loved ones in heaven with you then tell them about Jesus, pray for them, love them into the kingdom. And as for yourselves: Grow in God’s Grace 17 As for you, divinely loved ones, since you are forewarned of these things, be careful that you are not led astray by the error of the lawless and lose your firm grip on the truth. 18 But continue to grow and increase in God’s grace and intimacy with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May he receive all the glory both now and until the day eternity begins. Amen! The New Testament is full of admonishments to grow in the Lord. Many times, our spiritual growth is likened to a plant that needs proper nourishment, pruning and care for it to grow and produce fruit. That also requires the right kind of environment. Hebrews 10:19-25 TPT And now we are brothers and sisters in God’s family because of the blood of Jesus, and he welcomes us to come into the most holy sanctuary in the heavenly realm—boldly and without hesitation. For he has dedicated a new, life-giving way for us to approach God. For just as the veil was torn in two, Jesus’ body was torn open to give us free and fresh access to him! And since we now have a magnificent High Priest to welcome us into God’s house, we come closer to God and approach him with an open heart, fully convinced that nothing will keep us at a distance from him. For our hearts have been sprinkled with blood to remove impurity, and we have been freed from an accusing conscience. Now we are clean, unstained, and presentable to God inside and out! So now wrap your heart tightly around the hope that lives within us, knowing that God always keeps his promises! Discover creative ways to encourage others and to motivate them toward acts of compassion, doing beautiful works as expressions of love. This is not the time to pull away and neglect meeting together, as some have formed the habit of doing. In fact, we should come together even more frequently, eager to encourage and urge each other onward as we anticipate that day dawning. The devil does not want God’s people congregating. We can see that so clearly. He has used government hostilities, intimidation, even tried to shame people with false accusations, and now an evil man-made virus to keep God’s people from assembling for worship and discipleship. Fear of contracting the virus has paralyzed many believers and kept them from assembling. Thank God we have media to reach into homes. But now many are being shut down because those who run the media don’t like the message that is being presented. The enemy will do everything he can to silence the message. But he will not succeed! If we can’t get people inside the church to hear the message, it’s imperative that each of us carry the message to them. That was God’s plan all along. Each of us are encouraged in 1 Peter 3:15 TPT ...give reverent honor in your hearts to the Anointed One and treat him as the holy Master of your lives. And if anyone asks about the hope living within you, always be ready to explain your faith. Eph. 5:15-16 …be very careful how you live, not being like those with no understanding, but live honorably with true wisdom, for we are living in evil times. Take full advantage of every day as you spend your life for his purposes. The KJV reads: … See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Redeeming: Exagorazo: to buy (deem as valuable) rescue from loss (improve opportunity). WE DON’T HAVE TIME TO WASTE! Our time is our most valuable commodity. Spend it wisely for we will all give an account for how it is spent. 17 As for you, divinely loved ones, since you are forewarned of these things, be careful that you are not led astray by the error of the lawless and lose your firm grip on the truth. 18 But continue to grow and increase in God’s grace and intimacy with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May he receive all the glory both now and until the day eternity begins. AMEN Myself, and the ministerial staff here at D.C. will do all we can to provide opportunity for you to grow in the Lord, but it is totally up to you to take advantage of the opportunities that are offered. Let’s grow together and do all we can to win as many souls to the Lord as we can. We are in the final countdown!