People are Perishing
The Bible says in Hosea 4:6a “My people perish for lack of knowledge”, this is God
speaking. When people perish, it is against God’s will, because II Peter 3:9 says
“the Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness, but is
long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come
to repentance”. John 3:16 says “for God so loved the world, that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have
everlasting life”.
We have established that God doesn’t want any to perish and has sent His Son,
making a way for all to be saved. Yet Isaiah 5:14a says “hell has enlarged herself
and opened her mouth without measure”. Jesus came to reconcile us to God,
restoring us and enabling us to be born again (John 3:17) “for God sent not His Son
into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be
saved”. The Bible says “therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old
things are passed away, behold all things are become new. And all things are of
God, who has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the
ministry of reconciliation” (II Corinthians 5:17-18).
Jesus gave power to the 12 disciples when He sent them out to cast out devils
(Matthew 10:8), then He sent 70 others and sent them two and two before His face
into every city and place (Luke 10:1); the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord,
even the devils are subject to us through Your name (Luke 10:17). In the great
commission, He sent us (Matthew 28:19-20) “go you therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you”. Notice the
purpose for us is to preach the gospel (good news) that Jesus paid the price in full
for the sins of the whole world, and that by turning to Him, nobody has to be
condemned (John 3:18) “he that believes in Him is not condemned, but he that
believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the
only begotten Son of God”.
The Lord Yahweh told Moses to have Aaron and his descendants to pray for the
children of Israel, so that He could bless them; saying “the Lord Yahweh bless you,
and keep you. The Lord Yahweh make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to
you. The Lord Yahweh lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace”
(Numbers 6:24-26); verse 27 tells us why “and they shall put My name upon the
children of Israel, and I will bless them”. Jesus tells us to pray for our enemies
(Matthew 5:44) “but I say to you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do
good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and
persecute you”. And then I Timothy 2:1-4 which says “I exhort therefore, that, first of
all, supplications, prayers, intercession, and giving of thanks, be made for all men.
For kings, and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable
life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God
our Savior. Who will have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the
truth”.
Paul and the other disciples, as they wrote their epistles would pray a blessing over
the receivers; in Ephesians 1:16-19 it says “cease not to give thanks for you, making
mention of you in my prayers. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.
The eyes of our understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the
hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.
And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us ward who believe, according
to the working of His mighty power”. This prayer we should pray for each other, this
prayer is asking God to give wisdom, and let the eyes of understanding be opened
and that they would know their calling.
People ask many times what does God want them to do? Our general assignment to
be witnesses to Him to the uttermost parts of the earth. In other words, proclaiming
the good news to the world. Let’s examine if we are sharing the good news with
anyone. Mark 16 tells us to go and that we are to be equipped by the Holy Spirit
(Acts 1:8) and as we go signs will follower us showing the power of God (Mark 16:15-
18). Paul tells us in Romans 1:16 “for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it
is the power of God to salvation to every one that believes, to the Jew first, and also
to the Greeks”. In Ephesians 5:15-17 he says ‘see than that you walk circumspectly,
not as fools, but as wise. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Wherefore be you not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is”. the
righteous wins souls (Proverbs 11:30) “the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and
he that wins souls is wise”. Remember that Jesus came to seek and save them that
was lost (Luke 19:10).
Jesus said “seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these
things shall be added to you”. As we witness and see people converted, this is the
kingdom of heaven. Drawing people into the kingdom is God’s will. Remember He
doesn’t want any to perish.
Peter preached on the day of Pentecost and 3000 came to the Lord (Acts 2). The
early disciples turned the world upside down. We are told that the angels in heaven
rejoice when one sinner comes to repentance (Luke 15:7).
Psalms 82 ask us a good question, verse 2 and this is God speaking “how long will
you judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked”? Selah. God tells us in
verses 3-5 “defend the poor and fatherless, do justice to the afflicted and needy.
Deliver the poor and needy, rid them out of the hand of the wicked. They know not,
neither will they understand, they walk on in darkness, all the foundations of the
earth are out of course”. In verse 6 God tells us who we are “I have said, you are
gods, and all of you are children of the Must High”. And in verse 7 He warns us “but
you shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes”. Then commands us to get up
in verse 8 “arise, O god, judge the earth, for you shall inherit all nations”.
Knowing that God does not want any to perish, and that Jesus has commissioned us
to go into all the world and preach the gospel; we have to ask ourselves; why are
people perishing? The true reason that people are perishing is because people
have not taken the great commission as something that we should do. Let us pick
up our commission and go ye into the world telling people what Jesus has already
done for every body and asking them to except what Jesus did for them as a free
gift. We as ambassadors for Christ are to beseech them to receive Christ and be
reconciled to God (II Corinthians 5:20). Just knowing that all who do not receive
Christ is condemned already, and are heading for a life of damnation, apart from
God; let us step out in faith, telling people that God loves them, and has a plan for
their lives, giving them the opportunity to except Christ and be saved. II Corinthians
4:6 says “for God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in
our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus
Christ”. Remember that the god of this world (satan) has blinded the minds of them
which believe not, less the light of the glorious gospel of God, should shine to them,
it is up to us to tell as many as we come in contact with.
I pray that all who hears or sees this message will take the commission which has
been given to us, and run with it.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: July 8, 2008
The Bible says in Hosea 4:6a “My people perish for lack of knowledge”, this is God
speaking. When people perish, it is against God’s will, because II Peter 3:9 says
“the Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness, but is
long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come
to repentance”. John 3:16 says “for God so loved the world, that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have
everlasting life”.
We have established that God doesn’t want any to perish and has sent His Son,
making a way for all to be saved. Yet Isaiah 5:14a says “hell has enlarged herself
and opened her mouth without measure”. Jesus came to reconcile us to God,
restoring us and enabling us to be born again (John 3:17) “for God sent not His Son
into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be
saved”. The Bible says “therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old
things are passed away, behold all things are become new. And all things are of
God, who has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the
ministry of reconciliation” (II Corinthians 5:17-18).
Jesus gave power to the 12 disciples when He sent them out to cast out devils
(Matthew 10:8), then He sent 70 others and sent them two and two before His face
into every city and place (Luke 10:1); the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord,
even the devils are subject to us through Your name (Luke 10:17). In the great
commission, He sent us (Matthew 28:19-20) “go you therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you”. Notice the
purpose for us is to preach the gospel (good news) that Jesus paid the price in full
for the sins of the whole world, and that by turning to Him, nobody has to be
condemned (John 3:18) “he that believes in Him is not condemned, but he that
believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the
only begotten Son of God”.
The Lord Yahweh told Moses to have Aaron and his descendants to pray for the
children of Israel, so that He could bless them; saying “the Lord Yahweh bless you,
and keep you. The Lord Yahweh make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to
you. The Lord Yahweh lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace”
(Numbers 6:24-26); verse 27 tells us why “and they shall put My name upon the
children of Israel, and I will bless them”. Jesus tells us to pray for our enemies
(Matthew 5:44) “but I say to you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do
good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and
persecute you”. And then I Timothy 2:1-4 which says “I exhort therefore, that, first of
all, supplications, prayers, intercession, and giving of thanks, be made for all men.
For kings, and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable
life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God
our Savior. Who will have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the
truth”.
Paul and the other disciples, as they wrote their epistles would pray a blessing over
the receivers; in Ephesians 1:16-19 it says “cease not to give thanks for you, making
mention of you in my prayers. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.
The eyes of our understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the
hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.
And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us ward who believe, according
to the working of His mighty power”. This prayer we should pray for each other, this
prayer is asking God to give wisdom, and let the eyes of understanding be opened
and that they would know their calling.
People ask many times what does God want them to do? Our general assignment to
be witnesses to Him to the uttermost parts of the earth. In other words, proclaiming
the good news to the world. Let’s examine if we are sharing the good news with
anyone. Mark 16 tells us to go and that we are to be equipped by the Holy Spirit
(Acts 1:8) and as we go signs will follower us showing the power of God (Mark 16:15-
18). Paul tells us in Romans 1:16 “for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it
is the power of God to salvation to every one that believes, to the Jew first, and also
to the Greeks”. In Ephesians 5:15-17 he says ‘see than that you walk circumspectly,
not as fools, but as wise. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Wherefore be you not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is”. the
righteous wins souls (Proverbs 11:30) “the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and
he that wins souls is wise”. Remember that Jesus came to seek and save them that
was lost (Luke 19:10).
Jesus said “seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these
things shall be added to you”. As we witness and see people converted, this is the
kingdom of heaven. Drawing people into the kingdom is God’s will. Remember He
doesn’t want any to perish.
Peter preached on the day of Pentecost and 3000 came to the Lord (Acts 2). The
early disciples turned the world upside down. We are told that the angels in heaven
rejoice when one sinner comes to repentance (Luke 15:7).
Psalms 82 ask us a good question, verse 2 and this is God speaking “how long will
you judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked”? Selah. God tells us in
verses 3-5 “defend the poor and fatherless, do justice to the afflicted and needy.
Deliver the poor and needy, rid them out of the hand of the wicked. They know not,
neither will they understand, they walk on in darkness, all the foundations of the
earth are out of course”. In verse 6 God tells us who we are “I have said, you are
gods, and all of you are children of the Must High”. And in verse 7 He warns us “but
you shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes”. Then commands us to get up
in verse 8 “arise, O god, judge the earth, for you shall inherit all nations”.
Knowing that God does not want any to perish, and that Jesus has commissioned us
to go into all the world and preach the gospel; we have to ask ourselves; why are
people perishing? The true reason that people are perishing is because people
have not taken the great commission as something that we should do. Let us pick
up our commission and go ye into the world telling people what Jesus has already
done for every body and asking them to except what Jesus did for them as a free
gift. We as ambassadors for Christ are to beseech them to receive Christ and be
reconciled to God (II Corinthians 5:20). Just knowing that all who do not receive
Christ is condemned already, and are heading for a life of damnation, apart from
God; let us step out in faith, telling people that God loves them, and has a plan for
their lives, giving them the opportunity to except Christ and be saved. II Corinthians
4:6 says “for God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in
our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus
Christ”. Remember that the god of this world (satan) has blinded the minds of them
which believe not, less the light of the glorious gospel of God, should shine to them,
it is up to us to tell as many as we come in contact with.
I pray that all who hears or sees this message will take the commission which has
been given to us, and run with it.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: July 8, 2008
