What is God Waiting for?
The Bible tells us that in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts. And
saying, where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all
things continue as they were as they were from the beginning of the creation (II
Peter 3:3-4). And we see this in our times, so many people have lost hope
because it has been 2000 years. Many say how can what Jesus did 2000 years
ago have any effect on our lives today? II Peter 3:8-10 says “but beloved, be not
ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and
a thousand years as one day. 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. But the day of the Lord will
come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great
noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works
that are therein shall be burned up”.
Jesus is waiting for His enemies to be made His footstool (Hebrews 10:13). We
are laborers together with God, He gave us a commission “Jesus came and spoke
to them saying, all power is given to Me in heaven and in earth. 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, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world”
(Matthew 28:18-20).
We are the church of the living God, Jesus tells us “I will build My church and the
gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to you the keys of the
kingdom of heaven and whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in
heaven, and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”
(Matthew 16:19-19). So we have a responsibility to bind on earth the things that
are in heaven, in other words call forth those things that are in heaven to come
forth on this earth; and loose on earth the things that are not in heaven, in other
words rebuke and cast out those things that are not in heaven. To determine
what is in heaven, look at the book of Genesis as God said that “everything He
had made was very good”; and look at the book of Revelation which says “behold,
I make all things new”.
Jesus gave us power (Luke 10:19) “behold, I give to you power to thread on
serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall
by any means hurt you”. These are the 70 elders that He sent out two by two,
and they returned saying “Lord, even the devils are subject to us through Your
name”. This is the signs which He said would follower those who believe. In My
name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues. They shall lay
hands on the sick, and they shall recover (Mark 16:17-18), in verse 20 it says
“and they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and
confirming the word with signs following”. Speaking to His disciples after His
resurrection, Jesus commissioned the church to make disciples, and teach them
what He has taught. The entire book of Acts is the story of the early church’s
struggle to be loyal to this commission. As we read this book, we are impressed
by the reality that Christ, through the presence of the Holy Spirit continues to
direct His church as it carries out His commission. We are the body of Christ, His
hands and feet.
He is waiting for the precious fruit of the harvest (James 5:7) says “be patient
therefore, brethren for the coming of the Lord. Behold, the Husbandman waits for
the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receive the
early and latter rain”. Jesus says “say not you, there are yet four months and
then comes harvest. Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields,
for they are white already to harvest. And he that reaps receives wages, and
gathers fruit to life eternal, that both he that sows and he that reaps may rejoice
together”(John 4:35-36).
Knowing that Christ’s return will be sudden and unexpected should motivate us
always to be prepared. We are not to live irresponsibly, sitting and waiting, doing
nothing; seeking self-serving pleasure; using His tarrying as an excuse not to do
God’s work of building His kingdom; developing a false security based on precise
calculations of events; or letting our curiosity about the end times divert us from
doing God’s work. Jesus asks us to spend time taking care of His people and
doing the work here on earth (Matthew 25:31-46) He commends those that fed
the hungry, clothed the naked, visited the sick, and those in prison, but speaks
condemnation on those who did nothing.
He is waiting for us to grow up, He gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors
and teachers to help us (Ephesians 4:12-15) “for the perfecting of the saints for
the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Till we all come in
the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to
the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. That we hereafter be no
more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by
the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive. But
speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head,
even Christ”.
Psalms 82 says “God stands in the congregation of the mighty; He judges among
the gods. How long will you judge unjustly and accept the persons of the wicked.
Selah. 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. I have said, you are gods, and all of you are children
of the Most High. But you shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.
Arise, O god, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all nations”. We are not really
waiting on God, God is waiting on us. Psalms 115:16 says “the heaven even the
heavens are the Lord Yahweh, but the earth has He given to the children of men”.
We are the temple, we are supposed to be salt and light to a dying world, as God
spoke to Ezekiel for him to hear the word of God and speak to the people Israel
and give them warning from Me (Ezekiel 3:16), and Proverbs 24:11-12 says “if
you forbear to deliver them that are drawn to death, and those that are ready to
be slain. If you say, behold, we knew it not; does not He that ponders the heart
consider it; and He that keeps your soul, does not He know it; and shall not He
render to every man according to his works”?
I Timothy 2:1-4 says “I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers,
intercessions, 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 to come to the knowledge of the truth”.
But instead of praying for our leaders, many people are speaking death over
them.
If God were to come back today, knowing that there are 6 billion people on the
face of the earth, how many people that you know personally be among those
that would be lost forever? That something that everyone of us should pray
about and ask God for boldness to witness to them; Galatians 6:1-2 says
“brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you which are spiritual restore such an
one in the spirit of meekness, considering yourself, less you also be tempted.
Bear you one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ”. Don’t be just
saved and stuck, waiting to go to heaven, but reach out to draw others in.
Remember that God does not want any to perish, but that all would come the
knowledge of the truth. We as laborers of God should to have that same desire.
Jesus said “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a
witness to all nations, and then shall the end come”. Proverbs 11:30 says “the
fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that wins souls is wise”.
Let us pray for boldness as the early church did, and then they were able to turn
their world upside down. It is time for you to proclaim this message to the world,
and see your world turned upside down.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: January 13, 2009
The Bible tells us that in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts. And
saying, where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all
things continue as they were as they were from the beginning of the creation (II
Peter 3:3-4). And we see this in our times, so many people have lost hope
because it has been 2000 years. Many say how can what Jesus did 2000 years
ago have any effect on our lives today? II Peter 3:8-10 says “but beloved, be not
ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and
a thousand years as one day. 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. But the day of the Lord will
come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great
noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works
that are therein shall be burned up”.
Jesus is waiting for His enemies to be made His footstool (Hebrews 10:13). We
are laborers together with God, He gave us a commission “Jesus came and spoke
to them saying, all power is given to Me in heaven and in earth. 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, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world”
(Matthew 28:18-20).
We are the church of the living God, Jesus tells us “I will build My church and the
gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to you the keys of the
kingdom of heaven and whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in
heaven, and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”
(Matthew 16:19-19). So we have a responsibility to bind on earth the things that
are in heaven, in other words call forth those things that are in heaven to come
forth on this earth; and loose on earth the things that are not in heaven, in other
words rebuke and cast out those things that are not in heaven. To determine
what is in heaven, look at the book of Genesis as God said that “everything He
had made was very good”; and look at the book of Revelation which says “behold,
I make all things new”.
Jesus gave us power (Luke 10:19) “behold, I give to you power to thread on
serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall
by any means hurt you”. These are the 70 elders that He sent out two by two,
and they returned saying “Lord, even the devils are subject to us through Your
name”. This is the signs which He said would follower those who believe. In My
name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues. They shall lay
hands on the sick, and they shall recover (Mark 16:17-18), in verse 20 it says
“and they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and
confirming the word with signs following”. Speaking to His disciples after His
resurrection, Jesus commissioned the church to make disciples, and teach them
what He has taught. The entire book of Acts is the story of the early church’s
struggle to be loyal to this commission. As we read this book, we are impressed
by the reality that Christ, through the presence of the Holy Spirit continues to
direct His church as it carries out His commission. We are the body of Christ, His
hands and feet.
He is waiting for the precious fruit of the harvest (James 5:7) says “be patient
therefore, brethren for the coming of the Lord. Behold, the Husbandman waits for
the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receive the
early and latter rain”. Jesus says “say not you, there are yet four months and
then comes harvest. Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields,
for they are white already to harvest. And he that reaps receives wages, and
gathers fruit to life eternal, that both he that sows and he that reaps may rejoice
together”(John 4:35-36).
Knowing that Christ’s return will be sudden and unexpected should motivate us
always to be prepared. We are not to live irresponsibly, sitting and waiting, doing
nothing; seeking self-serving pleasure; using His tarrying as an excuse not to do
God’s work of building His kingdom; developing a false security based on precise
calculations of events; or letting our curiosity about the end times divert us from
doing God’s work. Jesus asks us to spend time taking care of His people and
doing the work here on earth (Matthew 25:31-46) He commends those that fed
the hungry, clothed the naked, visited the sick, and those in prison, but speaks
condemnation on those who did nothing.
He is waiting for us to grow up, He gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors
and teachers to help us (Ephesians 4:12-15) “for the perfecting of the saints for
the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Till we all come in
the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to
the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. That we hereafter be no
more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by
the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive. But
speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head,
even Christ”.
Psalms 82 says “God stands in the congregation of the mighty; He judges among
the gods. How long will you judge unjustly and accept the persons of the wicked.
Selah. 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. I have said, you are gods, and all of you are children
of the Most High. But you shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.
Arise, O god, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all nations”. We are not really
waiting on God, God is waiting on us. Psalms 115:16 says “the heaven even the
heavens are the Lord Yahweh, but the earth has He given to the children of men”.
We are the temple, we are supposed to be salt and light to a dying world, as God
spoke to Ezekiel for him to hear the word of God and speak to the people Israel
and give them warning from Me (Ezekiel 3:16), and Proverbs 24:11-12 says “if
you forbear to deliver them that are drawn to death, and those that are ready to
be slain. If you say, behold, we knew it not; does not He that ponders the heart
consider it; and He that keeps your soul, does not He know it; and shall not He
render to every man according to his works”?
I Timothy 2:1-4 says “I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers,
intercessions, 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 to come to the knowledge of the truth”.
But instead of praying for our leaders, many people are speaking death over
them.
If God were to come back today, knowing that there are 6 billion people on the
face of the earth, how many people that you know personally be among those
that would be lost forever? That something that everyone of us should pray
about and ask God for boldness to witness to them; Galatians 6:1-2 says
“brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you which are spiritual restore such an
one in the spirit of meekness, considering yourself, less you also be tempted.
Bear you one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ”. Don’t be just
saved and stuck, waiting to go to heaven, but reach out to draw others in.
Remember that God does not want any to perish, but that all would come the
knowledge of the truth. We as laborers of God should to have that same desire.
Jesus said “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a
witness to all nations, and then shall the end come”. Proverbs 11:30 says “the
fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that wins souls is wise”.
Let us pray for boldness as the early church did, and then they were able to turn
their world upside down. It is time for you to proclaim this message to the world,
and see your world turned upside down.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: January 13, 2009
