#2094 0222 15A

            The patience of Job is legendary; the patience of God is indefinitely; and the patience of Jesus is persistently with us to teach us each day to show patience toward others.  Needing some time Matthew 18:26 “The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.”  Moved with compassion he forgave him the debt.

            The Parable of the Sower says Luke 8:15 “On the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.”  Jesus reminded us of the End Times, saying Luke 21:19 “In your patience possess ye your souls.”

            God 2 Peter 3:9 “is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”  He has warned for thousands of years—through the prophets and Scripture—for everyone to repent of unbelief, and to turn back to Him in believing faith.  He has been very patient in giving many opportunities to admit that we have been rebellious and need repentance.

            It seems we constantly try the patience of God.  Acts 17:30-31 “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained.”

            Every soul is valuable to God and everyone will spend eternity in one of two places, so He patiently waits for the last person to repent—and He alone knows who that is.  Before Christ returns, we must turn back to God in faith and trust—for healing through the Blood of Christ; for victory over temptation by His Spirit within; for protection from harm by being under the Blood; and for daily needs by faith in God without stored assets or insurance policies.

            God loves His chosen people, but they turned away in unbelief.  The apostles said to the Jews Acts 13:46 “It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.”

            Every soul could enter God’s kingdom, but everyone will have to repent, turn back to God in faith and trust on the Atonement Blood of Jesus for real-life issues to save their soul.  God “is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” 2 Peter 3:9.

            God is love; God is faithful; and God is patient, so He gives more time and many opportunities for people to turn from rebellion and unbelief, and turn to Him in believing faith.  If anyone desires to believe and trust God, they are given His Spirit—Revelation 22:17 “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”  It is a total surrender of our self-will to do God’s divine-will, because Luke 14:33 “Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be my disciple.”

            Everyone will face judgment.  2 Peter 3:10 “The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night;” and we are told Romans 2:16 “In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.”  2 Peter 3:11 “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness.”

            A godly life is only by a believing faith on the Blood of Christ—a faith that remains on His Atonement sacrifice through every trial, test, and temptation.  Billions of people reject the Lord by not trusting on His Blood.  God still loves them, however, so He gives them time to repent.  Hebrews 12:14 “Persistently strive for peace with all men, and for that growth in holiness apart from which no one will see the Lord.”

            Jesus said the signs would be persecution, famines, military conflicts, hatred, fornication, immorality, dreadful crimes, accumulation of wealth, wickedness, an increase of evil globally, but a decrease of love toward others—and false teaching everywhere.  Jesus said Matthew 24:13 “He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”  The only escape is through faith in Jesus.

            Everyone makes a choice—to reject Him and be lost forever; or to trust Him in faith and be saved for an eternity.  God cannot make that choice for us, but He wants us to make the right choice to believe that His power in back of the Name of Jesus can heal our body, provide our needs, protect from harm, guide our decisions, and save our soul.  “Many are called, but few chosen” Matthew 20:16—because most will choose not to trust an unseen God.

            There is only one true faith in God, but many false teachers who distort God’s grace.  A correct interpretation of Scripture must include the vital need of an active and believing faith on the Atonement Blood of Jesus Christ—it is a faith that trusts God for real-life issues.

            True believers Luke 8:21 “are those who the word of God are hearing, and doing.”  There is only one true faith and trust on the resurrection power of Christ, but many false doctrines and counterfeit faith today.  The doctrine of Once Saved Always Saved is a distortion of God’s grace.  That delusion teaches that we are still saved even if we are still in sin.  The security is in Christ; but not in sin.

            The doctrine teaches that occasional sin does not keep a person out of heaven, but Jesus said Revelation 21:8 “The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers [fornicators; immoral], and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

            True grace is Titus 2:12 “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.”  Living righteously and godly is trusting God actively and zealously for everything in this life.

            Satan is disguised to deceive and ready to destroy anyone who does not resist him in faith.  Satan is not in Hell but disguised on earth and stalking eternal souls.  We are to be on a high state of alert.  1 Peter 5:9 “Resist steadfast in the faith”—by the ability and strength God will give us.  We have the choice to resist in faith—or give in through unbelief.

            We have to be on guard against false teaching Matthew 16:6. Satan can quote Scripture.  For instance; it is Ephesians 2:8 “By grace are ye saved through faith,”—which means a continuing faith in the Atonement Blood of Christ through all trials and tests.  We are justified through faith Romans 5:1 but faith can cease to exist.  Even the Jews Romans 11:20, “Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith.  Do not be haughty, but fear.”

            God loves the world, however, so everyone can be forgiven, but the individual has to make a deliberate choice to trust in the resurrection power of His Son in this life—for health, healing, provisions, protection, avenging injustices, divine guidance, and victory over a nature that will not trust God in faith for anything.  Many are called, but very few stay in the race, and even less are willing to trust an unseen God.

            To stand before God, forgiven of our sins, we must be believing Him and trusting in the Atonement Blood of His Son for all things—Romans 3:22, “the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe.”  We are not under law Romans 6 but “If we live according to the sinful nature we will die” Romans 8.  Future sins are not forgiven unless we repent of them and forsake those wrong ways

            Ephesians 5:1-5 “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor.  But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness [greed], let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not [right]: but rather giving of thanks.  For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.”

            Abusive language, profanity, worldly jokes, and immoral talk is common today, but believers are to rise above that and should not repeat them.  We are to be a spiritual light in a dark world—not be a spiritual hindrance by acting and talking like the world.

            God will not tolerate any idol, so we must be willing to get rid of any shown to us; we are to forsake anything or anyone who has taken God’s place.  God is always faithful, but we must be faithful to keep our trust on the Blood of His Son.  Revelation 2:10 “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

            Romans 2:11 “God does not show favoritism”—so Heaven is for everyone, but very few realize the seriousness of sin—therefore they do not trust on the Atonement of Christ for healing, finances, justice, and other relevant issues.  Obeying the Word just shows evidence of believing faith in God’s power—to heal, protect, provide, and save.  Very few trust God, and fewer still endure in faith.

            God definitely loves us because Romans 5:8 “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  We, however, must love him and trust Him in faith to the end.  The young ruler who rejected God’s advice was still loved.  Jesus “looked at him and loved him” Mark 10:21.  Nothing can separate us from the love of God Romans 8:35, but our wrong choices can separate us from the life of Christ.  God chose those who are James 2:5 “rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him”—enough to trust Him. 

            God’s divine love is far greater than any human love.  Everyone could enter His kingdom, if the individual is willing to believe and to place their faith in the Blood of Christ.  Every human life has an eternal soul, so living by faith in Christ—concerning everything, and meeting things as His Word says to meet them—is a vitally important issue facing us today.

            The patience of God is far beyond any human patience—and He cannot change that attitude Malachi 3:6.  God is always faithful 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow in fulfilling His promise, in the sense in which some men speak of slowness.  But He bears patiently with you, His desire being that no one should perish but that all should come to repentance.”  The issue facing us then—is having a willingness to do God’s will and remain faithful to Him.