Good morning all!

Father, we know that You are always working in our lives even when we are not aware. You are the One that will cause us to live and move and have our being. Lord, make Your glory known this day through us that we would be forever changed by the power of Your love for us, Amen.

2 Peter 3

5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
They deliberately forget that God made the heavens by the words He spoke, and He brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water.

6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
Then God used the water to destroy worldly order with a mighty flood.

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 of ungodly men.
And by the same promise, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed.

8 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.
But my dear friends you must not forget this one thing: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.

9 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.
The Lord isn’t slow regarding His promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed but wants everyone to change.

Bottom line

So, what happens when we don’t change?

[Psa 7:12 NLT] If a person does not repent, God will sharpen his sword; he will bend and string his bow. God’s sword is a symbol of His judgment so when we don’t change the way we think, the way we live…also known as repent…God will sharpen His sword and point His arrow. You know where God’s aiming that arrow? The only place that can produce change in a person’s life…your HEART! When God says He’s NOT willing that any should perish what He is really saying is that HE will change our hearts, the truth is only God can change the heart of a person. How does He change it?

[Act 16:14 KJV] And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard [us]: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. God OPENED Lydia’s heart NOT Lydia, why? She was a seller of purple…position and authority…she was selling a look, a perception, a way of life but you know what they say? Looks are deceiving. We’re all Lydia trying to sell the world on why we think we’re a good person. Look, I’m wearing purple, don’t I look pretty? But that’s NOT true power and authority, we’re deceived and we don’t know it until the Lord opens our heart and we discover who we truly are. What is true power and authority?

[Jhn 10:18 KJV] No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. Power begins when you FIRST lay down your life and NO man took anything from you. Why does Jesus say that NO man took it from Him? What Jesus is saying? When Peter denied him, Jesus laid down it down, when Judas betrayed Him Jesus laid it down and when Pilate crucified Him Jesus laid it down. This is true power, to lay it down. You know what happens when we lay it down? NO strife, NO retaliation, NO cruel words spoken…the power to lay it down. Jesus didn’t have to SELL purple, He is the color of purple, TRUE purple…authority and position will lay it down. You see a heart that is OPEN has the power to change the world, you know why? It’s OPEN!!! Jesus never tried to convince anyone who He was, the whole world made him out to be crazy, a drunk, a glutton, a blasphemer, they called Him Beelzebub…the devil himself but He laid it down, He never tried to argue or defend himself, He’s NOT vindictive…that’s real power, that’s real humility. A changed heart will always look INWARD and NOT outward, that’s why Jesus said NO man takes anything from Him. When we look at people in our life and think they took something from us we’re looking outward and NOT inward. When judgment day comes, we begin to look inward, we look to God because He is the only one that can save us. Why do you think He tells us not to be ignorant of this ONE thing?

[1Pe 4:12 NIV] Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. Don’t be surprised, don’t be ignorant, don’t be shocked…God sent that fiery ordeal in your life to test you, to show you who you truly are, NOT to kill you. Judgment day is more than just ONE day, it’s a lifetime. May God continue to show us who we truly are and the power we possess…NO man can take your true power or position, lay it down.

Point to Ponder

How smooth is God? [1Th 5:2 KJV] For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. The Lord came into your night season like a thief, you didn’t see Him coming but He definitely took something from your house but no worries it had NO value…your EGO…it will never lay it down.

Let’s all lay it down and live like a true King, In Him Phil

Faith – Family – Friends