2Th 3:4 And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.
2Th 3:5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.
The LORD direct our hearts into the LOVE of GOD.
The LORD direct our hearts into the PATIENT waiting for CHRIST.
Think about this for a moment. The Apostles were all Jewish. The Apostles had a religion that was four thousand years old. The Apostles knew from their Scriptures that a Messiah WOULD come, a Messiah was promised to them, a Deliverer from God. Already in their history they'd witnessed the delivering from a four hundred year captivity by the Egyptians. Their history was filled with their backsliding and renewals, their prophets, their kings, their patriarchs. They had a very, very rich history filled with promises from God. They believed in their heritage because time and time again the prophecies of God to them came to pass as foretold. Over and over they witnessed the hand of God in their lives. These Apostles KNEW what it meant to wait for the Messiah promised to them by one of their greatest kings - David. They understood patience. In fact many- rather than believe in all the proof Jesus Christ offered chose to stick to their patient waiting and are still waiting today, two thousand years later.
The Apostles knew what it meant to wait, but then also knew what it meant to realize the reward of patience. They were in a very unique situation. They lived in a time of prophecy being fulfilled. They welcomed the long awaited Messiah. Can you even begin to imagine how that must have been for them? Waiting, and waiting, a heritage of waiting, taught to wait from their youth in their synagogues. They had read the scriptures, listened to the scriptures every single Sabbath and they knew intimately the promise of a Messiah. And to have Him appear in their TIME! How amazing! How utterly almost unimaginably amazing to live in a time of realized prophecy. They had to want EVERYONE to comprehend the truth they were witness to. They wanted the leaders of their religion to understand that they too were living in realized prophecy, but that didn't happen. They REJECTED Jesus, they REJECTED the Messiah. The Apostles were probably unable to comprehend their darkened understanding. Then as their own understanding was tested as instead of coming as a conquering king to set up a kingdom right there and right then on earth, Jesus allowed Himself to be sacrificed, they were rocked to their very core. Then Jesus, Himself resurrected, came to them and expounded on all the scriptures concerning Himself.
Luk 24:23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.
Luk 24:24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
Luk 24:25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
Luk 24:26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
Luk 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Luk 24:28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.
Luk 24:29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
Luk 24:30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
Luk 24:31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
They understood that what happened had to happen and that now they had a new prophecy- the prophecy of Jesus' return!
Act 1:7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Act 1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
Act 1:10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
Act 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Once more they were called to PATIENCE in WAITING.
They and their forefathers had waited for so long and now they were to wait again. They knew what it meant to wait and now we read this…
2Th 3:5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.
We are CALLED to the patient waiting for Christ in the love of God.
People may call us fools, it's been 2000 years of waiting, and yet the Apostles and all the others of Jewish ancestry had waited 4000 years before the Messiah came the first time. From generation to generation the hope has been alive and passed on and by the grace of God it will continue to be passed down until the return of our Savior for His people- all His people - the dead in Him will rise and the living will be transformed and rise to meet Him in the air! Praise the LORD!
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
This WILL COME TO PASS! Doubt if you must, but by the grace and mercy of God may you stop doubting before it's too late.
The Bible is so rich in prophecy that has come to pass and been made our history, nothing will stop the rest of Biblical prophecy from coming to pass, not one single thing. Not a single person's doubt will hinder the return of Jesus Christ for His people. He will find a people alive when He comes, not many but they will exist, those who love Him and are known by Him. Those who have His testimony and keep His commandments, are His.
We must be patient in waiting. The Lord is NOT SLACK concerning His promise--
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
He will not return until the very last person that will repent and be His, has done so! All glory to HIM for his MERCY! All praise, all thanksgiving to our God of mercy, of grace, of love unlike anything we can truly comprehend!
May our hearts be directed into the LOVE OF GOD and into the PATIENT WAITING FOR CHRIST!
2Th 3:5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.
The LORD direct our hearts into the LOVE of GOD.
The LORD direct our hearts into the PATIENT waiting for CHRIST.
Think about this for a moment. The Apostles were all Jewish. The Apostles had a religion that was four thousand years old. The Apostles knew from their Scriptures that a Messiah WOULD come, a Messiah was promised to them, a Deliverer from God. Already in their history they'd witnessed the delivering from a four hundred year captivity by the Egyptians. Their history was filled with their backsliding and renewals, their prophets, their kings, their patriarchs. They had a very, very rich history filled with promises from God. They believed in their heritage because time and time again the prophecies of God to them came to pass as foretold. Over and over they witnessed the hand of God in their lives. These Apostles KNEW what it meant to wait for the Messiah promised to them by one of their greatest kings - David. They understood patience. In fact many- rather than believe in all the proof Jesus Christ offered chose to stick to their patient waiting and are still waiting today, two thousand years later.
The Apostles knew what it meant to wait, but then also knew what it meant to realize the reward of patience. They were in a very unique situation. They lived in a time of prophecy being fulfilled. They welcomed the long awaited Messiah. Can you even begin to imagine how that must have been for them? Waiting, and waiting, a heritage of waiting, taught to wait from their youth in their synagogues. They had read the scriptures, listened to the scriptures every single Sabbath and they knew intimately the promise of a Messiah. And to have Him appear in their TIME! How amazing! How utterly almost unimaginably amazing to live in a time of realized prophecy. They had to want EVERYONE to comprehend the truth they were witness to. They wanted the leaders of their religion to understand that they too were living in realized prophecy, but that didn't happen. They REJECTED Jesus, they REJECTED the Messiah. The Apostles were probably unable to comprehend their darkened understanding. Then as their own understanding was tested as instead of coming as a conquering king to set up a kingdom right there and right then on earth, Jesus allowed Himself to be sacrificed, they were rocked to their very core. Then Jesus, Himself resurrected, came to them and expounded on all the scriptures concerning Himself.
Luk 24:23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.
Luk 24:24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
Luk 24:25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
Luk 24:26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
Luk 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Luk 24:28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.
Luk 24:29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
Luk 24:30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
Luk 24:31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
They understood that what happened had to happen and that now they had a new prophecy- the prophecy of Jesus' return!
Act 1:7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Act 1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
Act 1:10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
Act 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Once more they were called to PATIENCE in WAITING.
They and their forefathers had waited for so long and now they were to wait again. They knew what it meant to wait and now we read this…
2Th 3:5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.
We are CALLED to the patient waiting for Christ in the love of God.
People may call us fools, it's been 2000 years of waiting, and yet the Apostles and all the others of Jewish ancestry had waited 4000 years before the Messiah came the first time. From generation to generation the hope has been alive and passed on and by the grace of God it will continue to be passed down until the return of our Savior for His people- all His people - the dead in Him will rise and the living will be transformed and rise to meet Him in the air! Praise the LORD!
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
This WILL COME TO PASS! Doubt if you must, but by the grace and mercy of God may you stop doubting before it's too late.
The Bible is so rich in prophecy that has come to pass and been made our history, nothing will stop the rest of Biblical prophecy from coming to pass, not one single thing. Not a single person's doubt will hinder the return of Jesus Christ for His people. He will find a people alive when He comes, not many but they will exist, those who love Him and are known by Him. Those who have His testimony and keep His commandments, are His.
We must be patient in waiting. The Lord is NOT SLACK concerning His promise--
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
He will not return until the very last person that will repent and be His, has done so! All glory to HIM for his MERCY! All praise, all thanksgiving to our God of mercy, of grace, of love unlike anything we can truly comprehend!
May our hearts be directed into the LOVE OF GOD and into the PATIENT WAITING FOR CHRIST!
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