Enduring Persecution
1 Peter Chapter
4:12-19
Persecution is pain
and or affliction, deliberately designed to cause harm to others,
especially to Christians.
Today according to
the Open Doors Ministry there are eleven Christians per day killed
just because they have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as there
Savior, there are many more injured in one way or another
This ministry
follows the top 50 nations for persecution with North Korea being the
number 1 nation for Christian persecution.
The persecution of
Christian women is also growing at a rapid pace, but even more of
this persecution of women is hidden, because of the culture of male
domination in many countries.
There is even an
increase in government control over Christian activities, without
hindering religions such as Muslim, Hinduism, and other religions.
In fact, if you
claim Jesus Christ, you are then put on a hit list in many of these
nations.
What happens?
In 2018 there was
believed to be 215 Million Christians in these 50 worse nations for
persecution.
In 2019 there is
already an estimate of 245 Million Christians in these same
countries.
It looks like they
would be better off, just to leave the Christians alone!
We may not
understand why God allows so much persecution of His people, but it
cannot be denied that the Church grows during persecution.
One of the biggest
reasons for this is that people begin to see that there must be some
truth to the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ.
We live in a world
that thinks they can stop God by getting rid of His believers, and
His followers. What a foolish world!
If the entire world
wants to wipe out a certain group of people, then the world must be
very afraid that those people would change this world into a better
place, by removing the causes of sin in this world.
What does the Holy
Ghost say?
1Co 2:5 That your
faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
1Co 2:6 Howbeit we
speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this
world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
1Co 2:7 But we
speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which
God ordained before the world unto our glory:
1Co 2:8 Which none
of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would
not have crucified the Lord of glory.
The world stands in
fear of the Christian and just as the world did to Christ, the world
wants to get rid of the truth of God, which is impossible!
Why does God still
allow the persecution of His children?
1Co 1:19 For it is
written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to
nothing the understanding of the prudent.
1Co 1:20 Where is
the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world?
hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
1Co 1:21 For after
that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it
pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that
believe.
God loves this lost
world enough to try to save all those who reject Him!
The world can try to
stop God, but the world is seeking to do the impossible which only
God can do!
Let's begin where we
left off last week:
*****1Pe 4:12
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to
try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
Many say and many
believe that God will test our faith to see if we are real, but how
can that be true when God knows at every moment what we are going to
do.
God does not test
our faith He does place things before us so we can know ourselves
that we are real.
God tests us, so we
can know ourselves!
If the entire world
was easily converted to Christianity many would wonder if there was
truly a God.
It must remain our
choice to humble ourselves to follow the Lord Jesus Christ.
It must remain our
choice to believe what God says or reject what God says.
Why would we expect
to live a life with no problems when no one can do so?
God placed a curse
upon this world because of the innocent blood of Abel that is
spilled, and innocent blood is still spilled every day. This is not
going to change until all evil has been removed from this world!
Gen 4:10 And he
said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth
unto me from the ground.
Gen 4:11 And now
art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to
receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;
People are not even
astounded by murder any more and murder and rape and such crimes are
accepted as just part of the societies of today.
Even the murder of
innocent babies in the womb, is seen as a right rather than as an
atrocity.
If you live the
Christian life, why in the world would you think you will not be
hated, when you are the opposite of what is seen as normal!
We are wrong to
think we will not suffer in this world!
Joh 15:18 If the
world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
Joh 15:19 If ye
were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are
not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore
the world hateth you.
The message of God
is love!
The message of this
world is hatred!
These two things
will never agree with each other and hatred breeds violence!
This world has been
in a revolt to love for so long, that to love is even considered to
be a hate crime!
To do things in the
right way is considered to be a hate crime.
In fact, to read the
Word of God out loudly in the ears of others is considered to be a
hate crime.
In fact, to own a
Bible in many nations is considered to own material that is
detrimental to national safety.
For Christians to
believe God will put an end to all persecution, is not accepting what
the Word of God teaches.
God will put an end
to our personal persecution when He takes us home and all persecution
of the Church on the day of the Rapture of the Church.
Don't be fooled by
those who say there will be no "Rapture" just keep walking
the Christian way these people will one day see just how foolish they
have been.
It is a sad thing,
but there are no unbelievers in Hell today, there are just those who
beg the Lord to send someone to witness to their families so that
they will get an opportunity to know the Lord in a personal
relationship.
Luk 16:19 There was
a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and
fared sumptuously every day:
Luk 16:20 And there
was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full
of sores,
Luk 16:21 And
desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's
table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
Luk 16:22 And it
came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels
into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Luk 16:23 And in
hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar
off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luk 16:24 And he
cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus,
that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue;
for I am tormented in this flame.
Luk 16:25 But
Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy
good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is
comforted, and thou art tormented.
Luk 16:26 And
beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so
that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they
pass to us, that would come from thence.
Luk 16:27 Then he
said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to
my father's house:
Luk 16:28 For I
have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also
come into this place of torment.
Luk 16:29 Abraham
saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
Luk 16:30 And he
said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead,
they will repent.
Luk 16:31 And he
said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will
they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
God does not teach
us these things just because it happened one time. In fact i can
assure you that every soul in Hell is begging the Lord to send a
witness to their families which God has already promised to do!
Persecution does
certainly measure our faith!
Suffering from
persecution is real and it does teach us how strong or how weak our
faith is.
Persecution proves
to us that we must depend on God for all things, even our length of
life.
The death of a
Christian by persecution does not stop their ability to witness,
because to die for Christ is our greatest witnessing tool.
Persecution gives us
strength and causes endurance, but it also opens doors that would
have remained shut to the Word of God.
Something that is so
hated must possess some reality!
This is what
attracts others to the Christian way of life!
Isaiah said here I
am Lord use me:
Isa 6:5 Then said
I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips,
and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes
have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
Isa 6:6 Then flew
one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which
he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
Isa 6:7 And he laid
it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine
iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
Isa 6:8 Also I
heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will
go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
Isa 6:9 And he
said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not;
and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
When we are to be
used of the Lord, who are we to dictate where He will send us, how we
will be treated, or if we will suffer persecution.
The truth is, we are
invincible until we have completed the work the Lord has given us to
do but we will still suffer persecution!
Heb 12:1 Wherefore
seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so
easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set
before us,
Heb 12:2 Looking
unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that
was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set
down at the right hand of the throne of God.
We take persecution
as a terrible thing and it is, but in fact we should celebrate the
fact that someone thinks we look like Jesus Christ!
*****1Pe 4:13 But
rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that,
when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding
joy.
There is no one who
loves to be persecuted by others! There is no one in their right mind
that loves pain!
Our Scripture reads,
we can rejoice because someone sees us as the disciples of Christ,
and the more we resemble Christ, the more we should rejoice.
In doing so, we
become attractive to those who would persecute Christians only
because we have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
We must not ever
forget, Jesus did absolutely no wrong and He only lovingly pointed
out to those who were listening to the leaven of the Pharisees that
they should not do so.
We have no business
listening to false doctrine, especially from those who would try to
benefit from us!
Jesus obeyed the
Laws of Moses, all 613 laws!
Jesus obeyed the
Commandments of God, all the Scriptures!
Jesus obeyed all the
laws of the different governments in Judea, and Samaria and all the
surrounding region!
Jesus obeyed the
Roman laws in His area.
Most of all Jesus
obeyed His Father, our Heavenly Father!
Jesus did not obey
the false doctrine of the Pharisees.
Jesus did not obey
the false doctrine of the Sadducee.
Jesus did not obey
the false doctrine of the Essene.
Jesus did not obey
the false doctrine of the Herodians.
Jesus did obey the
Doctrine of God, the Triune God!
All these others
rejected the truth of the Old Testament Scriptures in one way or
another!
Jesus Christ
suffered because of these things, in fact He suffered even unto His
death because He would not give in to any of these things because
they are of the world!
Again we do not
rejoice because of suffering, we rejoice because the world sees us as
the true disciples of Jesus Christ, and not the fakes that are used
of the world that are false examples.
Jesus Christ
proclaimed righteousness, which means He admonished to the world to
live by God's standards and not the things that rule in our world,
which come from lust and pride, which things are of the Devil!
1Jn_2:16 For all
that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the
eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the
world.
When we can deny
these things of the world and live for the truth of God the world
will see us as its enemies!
So many have gone on
before us who have suffered for the same things and they are already
with the Lord. We can celebrate with them now knowing that we will
join them one day!
2Th 1:7 And to you
who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed
from heaven with his mighty angels,
2Th 1:8 In flaming
fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not
the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
2Th 1:9 Who shall
be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the
Lord, and from the glory of his power;
2Th 1:10 When he
shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all
them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in
that day.
2Th 1:11 Wherefore
also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of
this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and
the work of faith with power:
2Th 1:12 That the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him,
according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
You know the Holy
Spirit who lives within us, smiles when others see Christ living in
us!
*****1Pe 4:14 If ye
be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of
glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken
of, but on your part he is glorified.
Reproaches and cruel
mockings, have always been a part of Christian suffering, but those
things mainly come from those who are ignorant of the Word of God,
but are enticed by those who truly hate the Lord.
As Christians, we
have the Spirit of Christ living within us and have this little taste
of glory while we live for Christ.
This can never be
taken away from us! We can only allow this little taste of glory to
fade away or grow so dim that we are not even seen as God's children.
This is much worse
that suffering for Christ any day!
The Lord suffered
for me and each of you who believe, it is an honor that I should
suffer some for Him!
Rev 14:12 Here is
the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments
of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Rev 14:13 And I
heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead
which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that
they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
If we will spend the
days the Lord has given to us going about the work of the Lord, He
has given to us, even when we are gone and in Heaven with the Lord,
that work that is left behind will continue to work for the Lord,
even when we are gone.
This can be in our
example.
This can be in any
writings we have done by the Scriptures.
Most important it
can be done by those who have been led to the Lord because of what we
have done, especially our own children and grandchildren.
We have come too far
to give up now even if we are still a baby Christian!
It is all these
things that make us aware of the presence of God who lives within us.
When you can feel
Him, then you know Him and if you know Him, then you will love Him
and be obedient to what He says, no matter what is going on in the
world around you!
But if we suffer for
being a part of the sin of this world, then we will grieve the Holy
Spirit who lives within us!
*****1Pe 4:15 But
let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an
evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
God simply says we
will not suffer for being true Christians unless He has allowed it,
to help spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
This suffering is in
His control.
1) Who is a
murderer? This is a person who deliberately takes the life of another
person. We normally think of this as those evil men and women who use
guns, or knives or other such things to take the lives of other
people which should be a law in all nations of this world, but it is
not.
It’s OK for people
in some nations to kill Christians without suffering for it.
It’s OK in most
every nation to murder babies in the womb and even some states in our
own nation, right up to the day they are born.
Yes this is murder,
it is not some female right!!!!!!
The one murder that
is ignored even by the Church is that it is murder for some men
behind the pulpits to deliberately lead those who hear them, in a
path away from God. It is these who will suffer by the hands of God
the most.
When we suffer for
being a murderer, God will not come to our aid, even if we become
"Born Again" after we have committed this crime.
We will still suffer
the penalties of this crime, but Hell will not be in that future!
2) Who is a thief?
To take even the smallest item from someone else is to be a thief! It
does not matter if they will ever miss it!
To be a thief is to
fall into the trap of covetousness. Covetousness is an inordinate
desire for worldly possessions. This also means we are not satisfied
with the things that God has provided telling God He does not know
what He is doing.
We are also a thief
if we take away the confidence of a baby Christian. It is this we
will suffer from the Lord the most, but the world does not see this
as being worthy of punishment.
3) Who is that
evildoer? This is everyone who goes against the Word of God!
One of the most
important witnessing tools we have, is the purity we have in Jesus
Christ! The purity we have in obedience to the Word of God!
To lose this great
tool, will also cause us to suffer at the hands of God, but the world
will only laugh because think we are all a bunch of hypocrites!
4) Who is that
busybody? This is a person who interferes in the concerns of others.
2Th 3:11 For we
hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not
at all, but are busybodies.
There are those
today who will not let one day go by without practicing this art they
cherish the most!
These busybodies
will gather some tidbit of information, just to broadcast it at the
right place at the right time just to discredit someone.
These are those who
are meddlesome in the affairs of others.
Notice to the Lord,
this gossiper, this busybody, is placed in the same paragraph as a
murderer!
What does God say
the cause of this thing is?
1Ti 5:13 And withal
they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not
only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which
they ought not.
They have nothing
better to do than cause other people problems!
When we go against
the laws of man we will suffer by the laws of man!
If we go against the
laws of God, we will suffer at the hands of God!
If we suffer just
for being a Christian, we have a God who takes these things very
serious!
*****1Pe 4:16 Yet
if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him
glorify God on this behalf.
We should understand
that since the day the Church began the Church has been persecuted.
1) The Word of God
has not ceased to cause division since the day the Church began!
Luk_12:51 Suppose
ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather
division:
To be honest, the
forces of darkness will never cease in their attempt to stop the
truth!
Most of the world
looks at the Word of God as the source of division when in reality it
is the lies that are told by those rulers of darkness!
This is the
importance of knowing the Word of God!
Eph 6:11 Put on the
whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles
of the devil.
Eph 6:12 For we
wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world,
against spiritual wickedness in high places.
2) The Word of God
has not ceased to reach out to those who will just listen to the
truth!
Isa_55:11 So shall
my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto
me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall
prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
God has never been
afraid to speak to this world because He "so loves" those
that are in it.
Joh 3:16 For God so
loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
The Word of God
causes division but only because we are not accustomed to the truth
because the world is full of lies.
1Jn 2:16 For all
that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the
eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the
world.
1Jn 2:17 And the
world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will
of God abideth for ever.
1Jn 2:18 Little
children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist
shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that
it is the last time.
Evil will cling to
its lies, for as long as it possibly can! Even until the return of
Jesus Christ when Jesus will put an end to the rebellion against a
Holy God!
Rev_22:3 And there
shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall
be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
We as Christians
need only keep one thing in mind, "it is we who are on the
winning side"!
If we suffer for the
cause of Jesus Christ, the true Messiah, then we have proven our love
for the Lord God our Creator!
We must understand
God is judging the Church right now!
*****1Pe 4:17 For
the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if
it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the
gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18 And if the
righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner
appear?
Peter did not say
the time was coming. He did say the time is come. This time until the
Lord returns in the clouds is the time God is judging His Church.
This judgment will conclude at the "Judgment Seat" of
Christ where there will be rewards and of course a loss of rewards.
2Co_5:10 For we
must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one
may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath
done, whether it be good or bad.
You see God will
first visit the Church in justice and mercy, because the Church has
already been justified!
Rom 5:1 Therefore
being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord
Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:2 By whom
also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and
rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Rom 5:8 But God
commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.
Rom 5:9 Much more
then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath
through him.
We are no longer the
enemies of God!
Rom 5:10 For if,
when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his
Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Rom 5:11 And not
only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by
whom we have now received the atonement.
So knowing these
things, just what will be the outcome of those who reject the Gospel?
It is this group of
people who remain after the "Rapture of the Church", who
will see the wrath of God because they to have already been judged!
Rom 6:23 For the
wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord.
The wrath of God
will seem even mild in the beginning with those who are guilty will
feel like they have escaped, but God's wrath will grow and grow,
until it's severity will mean a horrible death here and eternal death
in the "Burning Lake of Fire" because even Hell cannot hold
all those who have rejected the truth of God!
Rev 20:2 And he
laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and
Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
Rev 20:3 And cast
him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon
him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand
years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little
season.
Rev 20:10 And the
devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and
brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be
tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Rev 20:14 And death
and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15 And
whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the
lake of fire.
God has taken the
time to explain these things to us, we must just take the time to
read, study, and be a witness to the truth of God!
It is the Church the
home of the righteous and had God not sent His Son, to come down and
take the flesh of the Lord Jesus Christ then there would be no one
saved.
All that was before
that was the Laws of Moses, 613 laws that separated God's people from
the world.
It was and is
impossible to be obedient to all those laws though some are still
trying today.
So yes, we are
scarcely saved, many of us may even bear the scent of smoke from
Hell.
You see no one would
be saved without the "Amazing Grace of God"!
We must accept this
perfect "Grace" of God through His Son and those who reject
this truth have no idea what they are asking the Lord to do.
It certainly goes
against the wishes of Jehovah God to send anyone to eternal misery,
so God put His plan in place that allows them to send themselves
because they will not accept the truth.
This is the biggest
reason the Lord has not returned yet to get His Church!
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.
The Apostle Peter,
by the Holy Spirit, has laid all these things out so we can
understand them.
Remember Peter is
writing to the Church just so we can know the importance of telling
the world about the "Gospel of Jesus Christ" in the hope
that we will get off our rears and get busy about the work of the
Lord.
We must all agree
that it is worth suffering if we can just get that child, that
grandchild, that wife, that husband, that friend, that neighbor, to
see the most marvelous plan ever conceived to save a mighty people
from eternal misery, without God!
If we are going to
Heaven to walk the streets of Gold, why would we not want all our
family to be with us!
We can only do these
things that God has given us to do, but in the end that person must
make that choice themselves!
But to those who
suffer because they have accepted the truth and wish only to tell
others this truth, also keep themselves from getting drawn back into
the lies, of this world.
God will do exactly
what He says, whenever God decides to do it!
*****1Pe 4:19
Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit
the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful
Creator.
Sometimes we forget
that once we have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior and
repented of our sinful life, we have then placed our souls in God's
hands for safe keeping.
The Lord Jesus had
these words:
Joh 10:27 My sheep
hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
Joh 10:28 And I
give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither
shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Joh 10:29 My
Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able
to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
That phrase "the
will of God" simply means that "God does what God does
anytime God wants to do it"!
Dan 4:35 And all
the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth
according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the
inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto
him, What doest thou?
God's plan moves
along at God's pace (Praise the Lord) and nothing in this world can
change even one point of God's actions!
Prayer is used to
affect our lives and the lives of others, but prayer cannot affect
the will of God for this world!
God has always
determined the course of human history!
Dan 2:21 And he
changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up
kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that
know understanding:
Dan 2:22 He
revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the
darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.
Dan 2:31 Thou, O
king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose
brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was
terrible.
Dan 2:32 This
image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his
belly and his thighs of brass,
Dan 2:33 His legs
of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.
Dan 2:34 Thou
sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the
image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to
pieces.
Dan 2:35 Then was
the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to
pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer
threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was
found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great
mountain, and filled the whole earth.
Dan 2:36 This is
the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the
king.
Dan 2:37 Thou, O
king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a
kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
Dan 2:38 And
wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and
the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made
thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.
Dan 2:39 And after
thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third
kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
Dan 2:40 And the
fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in
pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these,
shall it break in pieces and bruise.
Dan 2:41 And
whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and
part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it
of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed
with miry clay.
Dan 2:42 And as the
toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom
shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
Dan 2:43 And
whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle
themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to
another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
Dan 2:44 And in the
days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which
shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other
people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms,
and it shall stand for ever.
Dan 2:45 Forasmuch
as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without
hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the
silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what
shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the
interpretation thereof sure.
God intended for the
earth to be inhabited and He did not intend for man to try to dictate
which groups of men were to survive!
Isa 45:18 For thus
saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the
earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain,
he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.
Before the first bit
of material was formed, our Heavenly Father already had a salvation
plan put together.
Eph 1:3 Blessed be
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with
all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Eph 1:4 According
as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that
we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Eph 1:5 Having
predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6 To the
praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in
the beloved.
The truth is, the
world should stand in awe of such a plan that has been in place for
maybe 6000 years.
Millions and
billions of years do not exist in God's plan! Evolution does not
exist in God's plan! There is no such thing as part creation and part
evolution in God's plan!
To go beyond the
Scriptures to some imaginary creation plan is foolishness!
We can entrust our
lives to the Almighty God!
We should rejoice in
the wonder of our salvation!
We can rest in peace
knowing we have been given the truth of life!
We must know even
through God's love, God's holds people accountable for their sin!
God's plan puts to
shame any thoughts of mankind that go against the revealed will of
God!
Psa_59:8 But thou,
O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in
derision.
There is nothing in
this world that catches God by surprise!
Amen
Let's pray!
