Daily Bread 8-7-17

2 Peter 3:6,7

6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition ungodly men.

ref. - Gen 7:11 - In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.

2P 2:5 - And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

Matt 25:41 - Then shall he say unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Heb 1:11 - They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they shall all wax old as doth a garment;

That was then, this is now. What once was paradise was consumed by a flood because the inhabitants of the earth had gotten out of hand and became disobedient. If we look at what is reported, the two worst types of death are drowning and burning. We can't quite confirm this as no one has ever spoken to someone who has burned to death or drowned to death, but it does seem quite evident that it would be a miserable way to go. Now what was promised to Noah, and warned to the people through Noah, is that a flood would come, and the only way to survive would be to serve God and also to follow him to a place of safety. They laughed and mocked him, but he stuck to what God had given him and, in turn, he survived and the world was consumed with a great flood. Noah did his part, and God did his. Now, let us come to present day. It has been promised once again that men would fail God and that many will perish again. It is promised that the earth, this time, will be consumed by fire, and destroyed, not one stone left unturned. It is written that Christ will come not with forgiveness and mercy in his hand but a flaming fire to destroy the earth and those who are not following God. He will allow his own to walk through the fire and to safety, but all others will be consumed. We all have a reservation to this event, the question is, what table will we be allowed to sit at? You see, this is not an "I wonder of he could or would do that?" moment, it is a "He did it before, he's getting angry, and he said he will do it again, so I better get ready," moment. He has proven his power and might in the first great catastrophe, and he says it will happen again. He says that the dead in Christ shall rise(those who endured to the end), and that then those who are alive in Christ shall be taken up. Remember, in the former, the only one who was given the information and was saved was Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and some of his family. The preachers of the gospel in which we have been given today have a responsibility to bring the people a true, righteous gospel. One that faith, mercy, righteousness, forgiveness, correction, righteousness, and judgment by God through Jesus Christ is preached. Not one or the other, but the full gospel. It is all that will save them and all that will save those who follow them. It will be a terrible day for those who are not in line with Christ when this happens, and it will be a day of rejoicing for those of us who have chosen to follow him. So, today, while it still is today, it is time to get on our knees and ask him to assure us of our standing with him. Let us make absolutely sure that we are in line with his teachings and commandments, and let us be in a place that is pleasing to him from this day forward. We cannot change our past, but we can let him steer us in the right direction today, so that when the fire comes, it will be us that are flying in the clouds with him!! What a day that will be, when we reach the other side. What day, glorious day that will be!!! Have a glorious day!!!