Tuesday, August 31, 2021
The Promise of Christ’s Return
“Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation’” (2 Peter 3:3-4 NKJV).
Some people falsely envision God as someone who’s eagerly waiting in Heaven to bring judgment on Earth. But the Bible teaches something different. It tells us that God “is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9 NKJV).
However, there are people today who say, “Where is the return of the Lord? Haven’t you Christians been talking about that for some time now? Didn’t you believe the Lord was coming back years ago?”
I’m not ashamed to admit that I did. If you were to walk up to me in 1970 when I was a young kid, newly converted, and ask me if I believed that Jesus Christ was coming back soon, I would have said yes.
So am I disappointed that He hasn’t returned? My answer is no. I still believe that He’s coming back soon. The Bible says that “a day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day” (2 Peter 3:8 NLT).
I thank God that He didn’t come back five decades ago. I would have enjoyed it then, of course, but there would have been significantly fewer people in the Kingdom. So I’m rejoicing in what God is doing, and I feel privileged to be a part of it.
But I also know there’s coming a day when the last person will come to faith in Christ. It is my belief that God is waiting for someone, somewhere out in this world, to believe in Him (see Romans 11:25). And once that person comes into the Kingdom, the Lord will rapture the church.
So God is not late. He’s right on time. And at the appointed hour, He will return. Until that day, we should walk with Him.
Copyright © 2021 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
and
Listen to Greg Laurie's daily broadcast on OnePlace.com.
Watch Greg Laurie's weekly television broadcast on LightSource.com.
Grief is one of life’s most difficult challenges. Pastor Greg Laurie experienced this truth when his son Christopher passed away suddenly. Discover comfort and healing in times of pain as you read his book Hope for Hurting Hearts. Receive your copy as our gift for your donation of any amount to Harvest Ministries this month.
