March 29, 2023: 2 Peter 2:9 - The Lord Knows how to Deliver the Godly
“…then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment…” - 2 Peter 2:9
When we are overwhelmed by this world, by all the horrible things we see happening not only every day but every hour, we must remember that God’s word, the Holy Bible, warned us of what would come in the last days before the rapture of the church, Israel’s signing of a 7-year covenant/treaty with the antichrist, followed by the 7-year tribulation period known as the time of Jacob’s trouble, and then the second coming of Jesus Christ. Satan wants us to be overwhelmed and full of despair and to think that God has left us, that He has forgotten us, but that is a lie from the pit of hell. For those of us who have put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ to save us from all our sins, we know that something so much better than the world here awaits us, and that is when we are with Him, the righteous King of kings and Lord of lords.
Just as God delivered Noah and his family through the flood and took Lot and his family out of Sodom, He knows how to deliver His people out of temptation. The apostle Paul wrote:
“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)
May we remember the words of Paul when he encouraged believers in Thessalonica for their faithfulness when they were being persecuted and suffering for their faith in Jesus Christ:
“We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 1:3-12)
May we remember that this world is not our home and that our true Home is with Jesus. May we remember the promise of our King, Jesus Christ, to those who believe in Him:
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Jesus Christ; Matthew 5:10-12) ✝️