Faiths Journey

(1-4-04)

Isaiah 27:1-6

          It is true, the devil will have his days collapse upon him like a noose drawn tight – no escape. But not yet. We have a part to play in the unfolding of that great and terrible day, we do! (2Pet.3:1-16)  Verse 11 + 12 tells us that we by our conduct and life style hasten or speed its coming. How? Lets look to the context of this whole chapter and see what Peter is saying:

·        Vers.1 Wants to stimulate wholesome thinking. 2Cor.10:3-5, Rom.8:6-9, Rom.12:2 (How think effects how we live)

·        Vers.2  Bring to remembrance both the words of the old Prophets and the New Apostles. (to remember indicates a having known which indicates a having been taught)

·        1-7 The last days are when people choose to not remember what’s important. As the flood was preached as coming so the fire is preached – it will come.

·        8-9 The Lord seeing how terrible the flood destroyed wants for humanity to not perish in the fire, He desires their salvation.  (Gen.8:21; Eph.5:15-17)

·        10+7+11 For whom is the day of judgment coming? And what about you? (11)

·        11-13 it is true that that day will be a terror to the wicked and ungodly but not so for the righteous.

·        14 If we want to keep that day as a day to want to hug then we must walk responsibly. “Make every effort”

·        The Lords patience means salvation  - His patience is not  a substitute for doing nothing. Patience is not idleness and waiting.

·        The word distorted by the ignorant and unstable people will cause them destruction.

Conclusions drawn: Right thinking (wholesome thinking) is found in the Lord and His Spirit. (if I am going to _ _ _ _ because of the evil inclination (the core pulls of) of my heart then changing the core values of my heart is the foundation of change in destination. Who changes the core? God changes the heart, we do the letting.

          There is truth to the saying that you can not fix a problem with the same thinking that created it. Thinking differently is required. This Church came into existence because their hearts were burdened with dreams. This property and building exist because they felt called to focus their thoughts, to think differently, about what they were doing. And what now?

          The dreams reality dies, why? Because we are only maintenancing the old dream. Our thoughts have been held captive to the dream already realized. If we want to truly honor those who dared with boldness to act upon those dreams we must be willing to take this reality and lay hold of a new dream built upon this foundation.

          The old dreams was for a church to labor as a teaching institution for the building of preachers. This is a good dream. (There is a need for good preachers)Their vision could not see clearly enough how to grow past being a Church to gather together in and worship. The focus shifted to maintain the function of  doing Church. Why?

          It is hard to grow past our boundaries – real or imaginary. To grow into a healthy, vibrant, and viable body we need the whole council of God, not just the part that teaches about how to do Church and do it right. I invite you into the future reality’s dream – to make disciples who make disciples who make disciples….