1 Cor 13:13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
As we turn the corner on the darkest chapter in world history (yet to come), the Lord too has turned a corner in what He would have servants like me write about. When everything was hunky dory, the economy was great, there were no real world troubles most people were concerned about etc, the Lord had this servant warning of what was to come. Now, there is little need to warn of what is coming because almost everyone can see the warning signs (even non-believers see them now).
What would the Lord have this servant write about today? Faith, hope, love. Is the coming tribulation only a time of judgement and destruction? No, it will also be a time of deliverance, repentance and salvation. There is a difference between the tribulation and the day of the Lord which many people do not understand.
The tribulation is a time of testing with a possibility of repentance and salvation, the day of the Lord is purely a time of destruction. After the tribulation, the earth has 1,000 more years, after the day of the Lord the earth is destroyed. 2 Peter 3 is one of the most illustrative places in the Word to describe the day of the Lord:
2 Peter 3:10But
the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear
with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and
everything done in it will be laid bare.a
11Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives
12as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.b
That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.
13But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.
After the day of the Lord the current earth and heaven are destroyed and we get a new heaven and new earth. After the tribulation we get the millennium (1,000 year rule and reign on this earth). What's the point? There remains this day: faith, hope and love.
What is it many people are searching for today? Faith, hope and love. Why is it so many people have turned away from the faith today? They have walked into the churches of Babylon and have not seen faith, hope and love. What they saw was a snake oil salesman who pitched a feel good message that was sure not to offend anyone. So the people leave just as empty as they were when they showed up. They put their faith and hope in mankind and an organization (pastor and fortune 500 styled "churches" instead of the foundation of the faith which is Jesus Christ resurrected who is the Word of God incarnate.
Shipwrecked faith is everywhere as people have looked to men and organizations instead of the Lord their God. Men do not deliver miracles or answer prayers, nor do man made organizations. Only the Lord God can deliver miracles and answer prayer. Prayers are a request of power transference from the spiritual realm into our physical realm. Only the Lord God can do this.
So where is our faith? In Christ. Not in men, not in organizations, not in "sermons," in Christ alone period. Where is our hope? Not in men, not in organizations, not in "sermons," in Christ alone period. Where is our love? To the Lord our God first then overflowing to mankind around us. We either do this right or it will not happen at all.
Luke 10:27 He answered, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
Heb 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
This writer is a witness to you that the miracle working, prayer answering power of the Lord still exists on earth today. Not that this writer is any kind of "rock in the faith" for the Lord has severely tested me in days past showing me clearly how I can be shaken down to the very roots. What this writer has learned is to be still with my eyes on the Lord from moment to moment. Put every ounce of faith in the Lord, hope in His promises, love Him with everything and overflow that love to the people.
Many have walked away from the Lord telling themselves and anyone who will listen "I prayed and the Lord didn't answer." Those who belong to the Lord will be tested, constantly and continually the Lord is probing our hearts, minds and spirits to determine if we really love Him. He will test our faith and one of the preferred methods is use of time. He makes us wait. He makes what we asked for appear to die right in front of us and He looks to see if we will continue to believe in spite of what we see with our eyes. Why does He do this, why does He operate this way?
2 Corinthians 5:7For we live by faith, not by sight.
Hebrews 6:12We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through
faith and patience inherit what has been promised. .
John 12:24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
(life ^^ comes through death)
John 11:6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days
Why did the Lord wait until He was sure Lazarus was dead before going to his house? To illustrate for us His miracle working power: death first, then life. Or again here:
Romans 6:3 Are you ignorant that we, as many as have been baptised unto
Christ Jesus, have been baptised unto his death?
Why do we get baptized? To be born again into His life...
So you see the point. Faith, hope, love. Faith in spite of what we see or what our five senses tell us. Hope in the Lords promises, Hope in His love for us. And love that binds them all together.
I have to ask anyone who says "God does'nt answer my prayers," are they dwelling in faith, hope and love?
Conclusion
What this world needs, what I need and you need are faith, hope and love. We need to get there and stay there. The Lord does answer prayer, He does perform miracles up through and including this very day but we cannot expect anything from Him without dwelling in faith, over time, patiently.
James 1:6But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
Maintain hope, it will not disappoint. Love the Lord God with every ounce of strength you have and it will overflow to those around you.
This nobody who writes to you has been given a testimony to give to you. The miracles and answers to prayer are real. There are no "secrets" to know. Know the Lord, know His Word. Dwell in faith, hope and love and watch what happens.
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
