Friday, October 17, 2014

Do Not be Ignorant PT-4 (2 Thess. 2:10b)


SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/17/2014 7:50 AM

My Worship Time                                                                        Focus:  Do Not be Ignorant PT-4

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  2 Thess. 2:10b

            Message of the verse:  “for those who perish.”

            We have been looking at what Paul wrote to the Thessalonians in a section that John MacArthur has entitled “Do not be ignorant,” and what he is talking about is that Paul had already spoken to the Thessalonians about the Day of the Lord, and they thought that they were actually in the day of the Lord, so he has been reminding them of the things that he had spoken to them when he was with them a few months earlier.  What Paul is telling them is that they could not be in the day of the Lord if the antichrist was not yet ruling, and so he has been telling the Thessalonians about the antichrist in the second chapter of his letter.  As we look at this letter to the Thessalonians we can be thankful that the Thessalonians were having these questions for Paul otherwise we would not have this portion of the letter that tells us so much about the activities of the Antichrist.  As we look at the different New Testament letters we can see many problems that are being addressed and we can look at these problems today and learn how we can avoid them.

            In today’s SD we look at the influence of the Antichrist from these four words in verse ten of the second letter of Thessalonians. We wrote yesterday about those who would perish and said that it would only be the elect who would not be taken in by the signs and miracles of the antichrist and also the false prophet.  Let us look at what Jesus said about this in Matthew 24:24 “"For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.”  We must remember that during the last three and a half years of the Tribulation that the Holy Spirit’s retraining influence will be taken out.  In John 8:44 we read the following:  “"You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”  Jesus made this statement to the Pharisees and we learn from His statement to them that Satan is the father of lies, and just as those Pharisees believed Satan’s lies so the people who will receive the mark  as described in the book of Revelations, “And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.” 

            As we look at what we have learned about the Antichrist and what he will be doing we can look at the things that are going on in our country and even around the world and not be surprised at how a man of “peace” can come into the world to answer the problems of the world and then after three and a half years become who the Bible says he will become.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I want to quote something from a book that Charles Stanley wrote in a book that was about the strategy of Satan.  ““I’m putting on the belt of truth.  I ask You to make it very clear to me what I am to accept into my life and what I am to reject.  Help me to see clearly the motives of others as they deal with me and converse with me.  Let me walk in Your truth, making decisions and choices according to Your plans and purposes for my life.” 

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I pray for wisdom as I go through this day on our vacation.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “King Agrippa.”

We will not have a Bible question today, but will have on tomorrow.

10/17/2014 8:38 AM

 

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