The Goodness of God, Believers In Christ Have To Look Forward To In The New World!

08 Apr 2025 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

2 Peter 3:13.       Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

And Tuesday’s opened nice and sunny, though cold and windy, while earlier on there were a few splotches of that white stuff on the ground. Not much, but just enough to remind us that they had forecasted 8 cm. of the stuff for today. But let’s hope that was a miscalculation and the reality won’t make itself felt, because we’re really tired with snow and all it’s cold, icy family. (smile) Yes, we’ve had more snow and ice this year than we’ve had for several years, so it’s time climate change gives us a break. And all the sunshine worshippers said a prayer, importuning climate change to leave us alone. (smile) 

Now, today we want to share another importuning prayer, but a more serious and very appropriate one, and this one to God Almighty. It comes from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. And this one I don’t think I’ve ever shared before, because it seems oh so new and strange to me. But believe me, it’s very right for these chaotic times. It has a weird but simple title of ‘Only Goodness.’ And once we read it, you’ll understand why I called it weird. (smile) 

So please read with me: ‘What glorious words of wonder Come from the Apostle Peter. He wrote, “But we are looking forward To God’s promise of new heavens And a new earth afterwards Where there will be only goodness.” O dear God “Where there will be only goodness.” After centuries of war, greed, and lust After indulgences shamelessly practiced After hatred, hostility Jealousy and abuse. Murder and martyrdom Crime and cruelty Curses and rebellion. After whimpering cries from starving children After tragedy and catastrophe Loneliness and despair At last…at long last “There will be only goodness.” O dear Lord Your promise is Your guarantee But please hurry a little!’ 

And I’m sure most of us will endorse that plea for God’s goodness to hurry up and come because our world is in such a state of shambles and disbelief, that it’s ever so difficult to comprehend! I don’t know if there’s ever been a time like this, when in man’s enlightenment, in his most knowledgeable and progressive time, has he ever treated his fellow man with such inhumanity, greed and thoughtlessness. And the sad thing is that he’s doing it at the height of his supposed intelligence and understanding. That’s what makes it even more disgusting and downright ungodly! 

Unfortunately, it hearkens back to that lawless time in Israel when as the Good Book says: ‘In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.’ (Judg. 21:25) I can understand that; no rulers or judges meant chaos and lawlessness, but in an era when there are so many judges and so many laws that supposedly prohibit injustice and inhumanity, those two devilish and diabolical things are flourishing. Why is that eh? Has mankind gotten so far away from God and the things of God that he no longer cares about anything or anyone, including his mortal self? 

Because, if we continue along the inhumane, lawless line we’re currently following, we will eventually implode our world and ourselves. We just need a li’l more time along that track to accomplish it. Let’s hope that the Lord’s timing for all those new things occurs before we reach to that stage, because there will be such a holocaust, nuclear or otherwise, that will make all the other wars and arguments miniscule by comparison. That’s why Peter could write these memorable words: ‘But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 

Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation (conduct) and godliness. Looking for and hasting (hastening) unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.’ (2 Pet. 3:10-14) 

Yes friends, that’s how we ought to be waiting for the coming of God’s day, not the way we currently are. Oh, it’s so sad, that in mankind’s most glorious evolutionary moment, where things like education, technology, health care and lifestyle are at their highest, he’s at his worst behaviour! But I guess that’s what comes from being born with a sinful nature; the possibility for the bad to override the good. But thankfully that won’t be forever, for God in His immense wisdom and incalculable LOVE, has made other much better arrangements for those who sincerely LOVE and reverence Him. 

And what’s that better arrangement? Oh friends, just listen to it!It’s the Bible Promise on which our poem today was based. It comes from the Revelation of John. Or as one pastor likes to call him, John the Revelator. (smile) But regardless of what you call him, you must be mightily enthused about his revelation, which reads as follows. ‘And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 

And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne (Jesus) said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me (John), Write: for these words are true and faithful.’ (Rev. 21:1-6) 

Yes my fellow saints, that’s the goodness of God we have to look forward to. But we must have accepted His Son, Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, if we want to be included in that bright New World! And for those of us who have already done that, let’s go home now declaring (chuh!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. 

As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’ 

And having said all of that, it now behooves us to go out and share Christ’s amazing LOVE and friendship with those we meet, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…thankfully…in the new world…there will only be the goodness of God…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

Today’s Scrip-Bit   1 April 2023   2 Peter 3:13.

01 Apr 2023 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

2 Peter 3:13. Nevertheless we, according to his promise look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Well can you believe it? It’s the first of April already! No, it’s not an April Fool’s Day joke, it’s the real thing. (smile) We just sailed through the first three months of this new year as though it was one day. It’s like Peter says: ‘one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.’ (2 Pet. 3:8) Those last three months certainly passed in a hurry. It seems like we just celebrated Christmas, New Years, Valentine’s Day and Carnival, now we’re about to celebrate Easter. 

The weather is just as contrary too. After raining all through yesterday and last night, till early morn, it’s now bright and sunny with a temperature around eleven degrees Celsius, but it’s going to seem colder because of the brisk wind that’s blowing in the sunshine. So, all in all, it’s a beautiful day to be lazy. (smile) Unfortunately though, I’ve already used up my lazy rations for the day. Now I’ve got to be about my Father’s business. And it seems that the scriptures after the verse we quoted in 2 Peter are ideal ones for us to look at today. 

So, let’s continue, as Peter tells us. ‘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.’ (2 Pet. 3:9) Right there friends, we see that our God is worthy to keep His promises, but He’s also patient and persevering with us, and desires everybody to come to salvation, but we need to trust in Him, if that’s to happen. 

Then Peter goes on to explain: ‘But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.’ (2 Pet. 3:10) Now let’s be careful and recognize there that Peter is talking about the final apocalyptic judgement, when Jesus returns to close out the old earth and heavens, not the Rapture of the church. 

And since that will happen as suddenly and without warning like the Rapture, Peter therefore makes these very pertinent statements for those who will be living in the Millennial Kingdom, as well as to us living right now before the Rapture. ‘Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation (conduct) and godliness. Looking for and hasting (hastening) unto the coming of the day, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?’ (2 Pet. 3:11-12) 

Oh friends, at some stage of the game, the old heavens and earth will be destroyed, what then? Peter tells us: ‘Nevertheless we, according to his promise look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.’ (2 Pet. 3:13) Oh my brethren, Peter is urging us to look past this heaven and earth to a new heaven and earth, one characterized by righteousness, with this further admonishment. ‘Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.’ (2 Pet. 3:14) 

Yes, as a consequence of our looking forward to bigger and better things, we also need to come up higher in our walk with God. And if you don’t believe that one day the old earth and heaven will be destroyed, then read Revelation chapters 17-19, and they should clear up your doubt. Let’s not forget either the earlier promise of God that Peter talked about. It’s highlighted in the prophecy of Isaiah, where he speaks of the prosperity of God’s servants, beyond the millennial kingdom, in His promise of the new day. 

‘For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered,, nor come into mind (come upon the heart). But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem in a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. There shall be no more thence an infant of days (who lives but a few days), nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.’ (Is. 65:17-20) 

Ah mih people, that was just the foreshadowing of what we read in Revelation 21 about the new heaven and new earth that John saw coming down from God. In particular this verse that we all look forward to. ‘And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.’ (Rev. 21:4) 

Oh my fellow saints, what a magnificent scripture of promise that is! And remember it’s the third time it’s found in the Good Library, The second time is in Isaiah 66:22-24, which means it’s certainly going to happen some day, whenever the Father chooses. But for us to be there celebrating that momentous occasion we have to start living right from right now. We can’t say we haven’t been warned. And for good measure, let’s read some of that scripture. 

John says in the Book of Revelation: ‘And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 

And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell (hades) delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell (hades) were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.’ (Rev. 20: 11-15) 

Those are not my words my brethren, but the inspired, inerrant, truthful word of God. Now it’s up to ensure that our names are found written in the book of life.  We know what to do to make that happen, so please let’s do it nuh. Much LOVE!

…we have everything we need to do it…so there’s no reason whatsoever…that our names…should not be found in the Book of Life… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ