Welcome to Bible Believers Fellowship and the ministry of bbfohio.com. I'm Pastor Greg, and I welcome you to our current events update, and then our study in 2 Thessalonians chapter three, verses three through five, titled The Patient Waiting for Christ. The conclusion of this study can be found at bbfohio.com. As we now begin part one of two. And it's all about Israel at war today, 12, 13, 23. Israel is flooding Hamas tunnels and flushing them out like rats. Have you seen any of this? It's a little dark, but you'll see it here. That's in the tunnels. No word on whether that person filming survived. That's why you're seeing these clips, where Hamas, by the dozens, and in some cases hundreds, are surrendering. They rip their wet clothes off of them, search them, and then line them up in the streets to put them on buses to take them to a prison camp. And so that's what's going on. The nations are uniting against Israel. With each passing day, you're seeing that more and more. The United Nations on Tuesday voted to back a resolution that demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, coming as US President Joe Biden warned that Israel was losing international support in light of Palestinian civilian casualties. In the name of humanity, I ask you all once again Stop this violence now. After dire warnings by UN officials about a growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, more than three quarters of the 193-member UN General Assembly backed the resolution. The US and Israel voted against the measure, along with eight other countries. Ceasefire means one thing and one thing only, ensuring the survival of Hamas. The resolution is not binding, but it carries political weight, reflecting a global view on the war. A similar vote was held in the 15-member UN Security Council last week and vetoed by the United States. The Palestinian Authority welcomed the resolution and urged countries to pressure Israel to adopt the ceasefire, as fighting between Israel and Hamas intensified across Gaza on Tuesday. Residents said Israeli shelling in the south was some of the heaviest in days, despite its forces earlier ordering people to flee there for safety. There are growing signs Israel is becoming diplomatically isolated over its conduct of war. Biden told a campaign donor event early on Tuesday that most of the world still backs Israel, but that it was, quote, starting to lose that support by indiscriminate bombing. Biden's comments came as close ally Australia backed the UN ceasefire resolution in a rare split with the United States. A joint statement with Canada and New Zealand said, quote, the price of defeating Hamas cannot be the continuous suffering of all Palestinian civilians. though they also added that a ceasefire cannot be one-sided and demanded Hamas stop using Gaza's residents as human shields. Amen. Only 10 voted against the UN call for a ceasefire. That includes Austria, the Czech Republic, Guatemala, Israel, of course, Liberia, Micronesia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, and the United States. There were 23 countries that abstained, which, to their credit, at least they didn't vote for it. And that includes Argentina, Bulgaria, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Georgia, Germany. Germany, you know. Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Malawi, Marshall Islands, Netherlands, Palau, Panama, Romania, Slovakia, South Sudan, Togo, Tonga, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and Uruguay. That left 153 countries that voted in support of Hamas. But in Turkey, a lawmaker cursed Israel with the wrath of Allah, and this happened. He suffered a heart attack. We have the video. Watch the credits at the bottom. Now watch, he said, you cannot be saved from the wrath of Allah, and then said one more salutations, and then bam. He's not been pronounced dead yet. They keep saying he's in critical condition. That sends a message, or at least it should. I believe this man is a recipient of this promise in God's Word, Genesis 12, 3. And I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curses thee. It was a prophecy. If you listen to what he said, he was making a prediction. And his failed prophecy reminded me of Jeremiah 5, 13. What he is calling for Israel fell on his own head. Ginny was saying it reminded her of when Herod received the adoration that the Pope receives all the time as God, and then died and the worms ate him. This is Israel's message to Hamas and their supporters, Isaiah 8.10. Take counsel together and it shall come to naught. Speak the word, and it shall not stand, for God is with us." The spirit of Antichrist has been trying to destroy the Jews for over 4,000 years, really. The Holocaust was just the most recent major attempt at genocide against the Jews, and that resulted in the birth of Israel, May 14th, 1948. uh... but not before holocaust survivors imagine surviving the holocaust there's only one place safe on planet earth and that's your homeland where israel is now as a nation but they were fleeing the holocaust and were arrested uh... as they were approaching israel on the mediterranean they made ready their banners and their true flags The flag was hoisted before the world. They're off the coast of Israel right now. ♪ O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. ♪ ♪ O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. ♪ They were arrested. Some of them died in the camps before they finally, some of them did get to go into the land after the Holocaust. That was still going on. So, hashtag never again. The patient waiting for Christ. That's how the word puts it in our text. The patient waiting for Christ. 2 Thessalonians 3, 3 to 5. As we continue our study of 2 Thessalonians 3 and focus on the need for the patient waiting for Christ. A lot of Christians aren't even waiting for him. They're not looking for him. But of those who really are looking for him, our problem is being patient. We just want him to come back now. So let's read those verses. We're in 2 Thessalonians 3. Just read verses 3 through 5. If you're there, read that with me. But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you and keep you from evil. And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you. and the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patient waiting for Christ. Amen. So after requesting prayer, that was our previous study in the first two verses, Paul had requested prayer for the ministry and then also against those who do not have faith, the unreasonable wicked men who don't have faith. Paul then, in these verses, assures us, beginning in verse 3, but the Lord is faithful. How many of you say amen to that? I don't know the percentage, but of all the people who have quit the Lord, it's usually because they have a totally false idea about God's responsibility versus man's responsibility. I'm reading a book, Hearts on Fire, put out by Voice of the Martyrs, and there's a young lady who It was in China, and her father died, and that left her family in poverty. And she got mad at God and said, what kind of a God would do this? Well, folks, listen. One of our memory verses is Romans 5.12, wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin. And so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Everybody's going to die if you don't go up in the rapture. That's the only exceptions. Everybody else, we're going to hear, I think, Janey will read it in Hebrews 9, 27, 28, but it's appointed unto men once to die. You're going to die. It's appointed. And if you don't have that settled, and the fact is, you know, just that guy, Turkey and Turkey that dropped with the heart attack, that has happened to good men. They've been up preaching in the pulpit and dropped dead in the pulpit. I could drop dead just up here teaching you right now. I could drop dead. James is like, don't you dare. But it's happened. It could happen. And so if I drop dead, What kind of a God would allow his preacher to drop dead in the pulpit? I'm here to tell you that the kind of God who's holy and said, you have sinned, you will die, and you don't know the time, but it's appointed. It could happen, you know, sadly, it's someone driving down the road and just has a heart attack and drives off the We don't know what happened. Last night a young lady was found in a small lake and they don't really know what happened, but she went off the road into a lake and they had to drudge her out of there. Death is a part of life. Here's the thing, if you're going to live, you got to die. You got to stay in this world. You're only going to stay a certain amount of time. And it's just a reality. Sin is why. Go down to Nationwide Children's Hospital. It's heart-wrenching. I've been there. I've done it. You really want to test your faith, go to the burn unit. It's horrible. And yes, it crosses your mind probably. If it doesn't you, it does me. I'm thinking, you know, it'd just be wonderful if God would give me the ability to heal. And I can just walk up to those children and touch them and heal them and they get their skin back the way it's supposed to be. But you know what, folks? That day's coming. I think we'll get to it again when we get to the end of the verses we read. The patient waiting is the hard part. But there's coming a time and a day when all those who belong to God, if you reject Jesus Christ, you forfeit this. But this includes all the aborted babies, all the miscarriages, all the little toddlers that have died, all the children who are not of the mental ability to be accountable. All them and all those who are adults who have received Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior, you're going to live in a world where you're going to see all that. You're going to see God do away with every every single issue that every one of us have when it comes to health, when it comes to our brains and our mental capacities or lack thereof. Amen? I mean, how many times Jenny and I are constantly trying to help each other because we're forgetting things and losing things. You realize that's not going to happen anymore in heaven. You will never again lose your car keys. Amen, Mary? We found a key out here, who's the first person we thought of, you know? It turned out it wasn't. Yeah, so if you lost a Honda key, we have one. So, in other words, if we overcome, I'm sorry, if we are overcome, it'll be our own fault because we have refused to think God's thoughts. If you will take the Word of God and think God's thoughts, then when things happen, you'll understand. I'm not saying you understand, you know, why this five-year-old and not my five-year-old or vice versa. You know, there's people whose children die, and they understand what I just said, but they still wonder, why? Why did it have to be my child? That school bus that got hit. Why my child and not any of the others? Not that you wanted the others to die, but it's natural to think like that. So there are questions that we're going to have answered. And God's going to tell us. And I don't know what that answer will be, but I'll guarantee you one thing. We'll all be going, oh, OK. You were right. That's going to happen. Paul's prayer is basically that he and we will faithfully obey God's Word. He's saying he's not taking for granted his own walk with the Lord. Do you notice that? So don't be afraid. You should not be afraid to openly ask for prayer when you need it. It's one of the saddest things as a pastor is how many times people are going through things and then they're pew away and they come back after it's over. And we say, you know, that's what we're here for. Well, if you're sick, but you still, they contact me, you know, like Mary let us know, I'm not going to come because I'm sick. And we're like, thank you. And, but now she's better. So she's back. Thank you. But We've had people, they'll be gone for weeks and even months, and then when they come back, you find out they've gone through some stuff. They're like, that's what, family is here for you, and we want to be there for you. Maybe there's something we could do other than, you know, sick people. People are just struggling. Sometimes they need a little help. We can help them out one way or another, and we can pray for you. And a lot of times, it's just being there. But you rob yourself of that if you cut yourself off. And, you know, I went through a similar situation 25 to 20 years ago where I was kind of cut off because I had to relocate, I didn't know anybody, I'd visit churches, and you know what that's like. And so finding a good church was a horrible process, and I didn't have anybody, and it was really difficult. And I am so thankful to have a local church. I'm so thankful to have other believers. We don't agree on 100% of everything, but we believe on this, and we agree on this, and we can share our relationship with our Father. And I can talk to my father, who's your father, and you can talk to your father, who's my father. Amen? And we can pray for one another. Sometimes a hug, sometimes a good handshake and a pat on the back. Doug prefers a kiss. Yeah, Jessica? I'm going to kiss on your head. Yes, that's where Jessica likes to kiss me. And I keep it nice and shaven, so she doesn't chafe her lips or anything like that. We're given all kinds of simple instructions like this. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen? Now, of course, that goes for our loved ones who want to pray to statues and things. The Orthodox have the icon pictures, and they pray to it and kiss them and all that, and then the Catholics have their little dashboard idols, and then they got some big ones in their churches, and they cross themselves and pray. That's idolatry, and it's wrong. But, you know, anything you put between you and God becomes your idol. And so, what happens? When you see people do that, you'll see their relationship with God fall. And so that's a very simple but difficult one for a lot of people. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. That's a simple one. But scripture is scripture. Who's got Jude? Is that Mary? Jude, just one chapter in that little book. You read it today if you're following our calendar or you'll read it later if you haven't already. But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. You see, God's always telling us to be active participants in this thing. Too many Christians don't want to do what they're supposed to do, but then pray, Dear God, Do something. And that's not how it works. Not that God won't do anything. He does. But a lot of times, He doesn't because the reason you're where you are, and I'm preaching to myself as much as anybody, so don't think for a moment that I'm not taking this. This is from my own experience. Because you haven't done or I haven't done what we're supposed to do, we've dug ourselves a nice big hole. And I watched one time a guy was thrown into a pit, or he might have fallen into it, I can't remember. But instead of just crying and everything, because he couldn't climb up the sides of it, it was really soft dirt and everything, and he tried to climb and everything. So what did he do? He just started building his own stairway. He took that dirt and packed it and made it. He started and made about 3 or 4 or 5 inches tall and then he went on top of that and made a little more and made a little more. He literally made his own steps. to get out of that thing. And it took a lot because that dirt was really soft and everything, so he had to work on it and pound it and fist like you would a sledgehammer or something. He'd worked and worked and worked. And it took him, I think it was a day or two he was in that thing. But he made his way out of it. There are other people who get in a pit like that and then end up dying. Because they just sit there and cry and scream and wait for somebody to come and get them. I don't know about you, but that's what the world kind of seems like. A lot of times in my life, I feel like I'm in a pit. But sitting around crying and screaming has never helped. I mean, yes, there's the chance that someone will come along and be able to help you, but for the most part, how many, you know, MacGyver? You know, most of the time, the right thing to do is to pray and say, Lord, I've got myself in this pit. Show me how to get out. Show me how to get out. And spiritually, we're told to go back. A lot of times I think we just got to go back to the first works and start to build our way back out because that's how we dug ourselves in by not doing what we're supposed to do. Johnny? This reminds me of a cartoon series we saw, or we've seen, where the idea is the main character is constantly getting into trouble and having to constantly get himself out of it. And one of his friends is with him for one of them, and the friend is screaming, and he's just calmly running. Why aren't you screaming? And he says, I've found it doesn't help. That's it. Now, I'll be the first to admit there's been a few times where I've let out a, you know, like a Tasmanian devil or something. But it, you know, it feels good for, you know, it does. Just, it shouldn't be abuse toward anybody else or anything. But Jenny will tell you, I've been in my office and I just use the excuse that she's in the back of the house to yell. Jake! What? This stupid thing. And she comes in and says, what? And then I feel all calm, and I'm like, and then she's stressed. We are to hear and do the word. And so if you don't do what you're supposed to do as a Christian, you don't lose your salvation. God doesn't kick you out of the family, but he doesn't reward bad behavior. So if you're not in the Word, you're not, I mean, and it should study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth. It's work. It takes some work, but you know what? I can't speak for you, but you know what really feels good to me is when I work hard and accomplish something. My dad taught me that as a kid. If I bought something because he just gave me a $5 bill, that was great. But if he made me do something around the house and work, and then he gave me that $5 and I went and got that thing, it was so much more satisfying.