Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 230

August 18, 2021;   2 Peter 3:9;   230/260(I);   ‘Longsuffering’

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent.     NLT

One day the Lord Jesus will return.  The next event, the Bible teaches about, concerning end times is the rapture.  There will be a seven year period of time called the tribulation, when the Lord is endeavoring to draw the Jewish people to a saving knowledge of Jesus.  He is also dealing with a world that has rejected Him.  It will be a difficult time.  Before the tribulation happens, Jesus will come in the clouds and bring all of the Christians to heaven to be with Him.  The Lord always gets His people out before judgment.  He did that with Noah and his family before the flood.  He did that with Lot and his family before Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed.  Before the rapture, Jesus is patiently waiting for Christians to do our part and lead as many unsaved people to Jesus as we can.  Most people who study the Bible, believe that there is no set date for the rapture.  They believe that God the Father will patiently wait as the Church shares the gospel with as many people as we can.  Just as this verse tells us, the Lord does not want anyone to perish, so He waits, believing His Church is doing everything they can to reach the unsaved.  The Bible teaches that one of the ministries of the Holy Spirit is to convict those who do not yet know Jesus.  He is doing this all over the world.  The Church is to work with the Holy Spirit, kindly and in love sharing the wonderful message of salvation.  Everyday multitudes of unsaved people hear the gospel message, believe it, repent of their ways and become Born Again.  What an honor we have to play a part.  I know we won’t let Him down.