“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:11-15
Men, for ages, have reflected in their words the stirrings of their souls’ impulses regarding the judgement of God.
Shakespeare (in Henry VIII) wrote: “Heaven is above all yet; there sits a judge That no king can corrupt.”
Author of Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan said, “At the day of Doom, men shall be judged according to their fruits. It will not be said then, ‘Did you believe?’ but, ‘Were you doers, or talkers only?’”
“Foolish men,” wrote Thomas Carlyle, “imagine that because judgment for an evil thing is delayed, there is no justice, but only accidents here below. Judgement for an evil thing is many times delayed - some, day or two; some, century or two - but it is sure as life; it is sure as death!”
“You may juggle human laws, you may fool with human courts; but there is a judgement to come, and from it there is no appeal,” said Orin Philip Gifford.
Jesus said, “For this reason you be ready too; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will” (Matthew 24:44).
When the saints and the sinners shall be parted right and left - are you ready for the judgement day?
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
The Final Judgement
“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:11-15
George Sweeting tells the story of how the message of the final judgement affected the unbelieving world in an unusual way:
“One of the greatest paintings of all time is Michelangelo’s The Last Judgement. The action of the painting centers on Christ as He raises His arm in a gesture of damnation. Though some elements of the painting appear unbiblical, at that time it’s message reminded people of God’s holy presence which had been forgotten in the humanism of the day.
The painting pictures the dead as they are resurrected to be judged. As hell releases its captives, the Judge of Heaven reviews their works. The entire painting reflects the despair of that generation. When the painting was unveiled, a storm of conviction fell upon the viewers. All Europe trembled as the story of the power of The Last Judgement traveled from city to city.”
Within the heart and mind of mankind is the created realization that there must be a final day of accountability. Past deeds of wickedness must be punished; kindness, generosity, and service to others must be rewarded. Why are we so concerned with justice and with criminals paying their debts to society if we don’t believe in an ultimate day of justice?
The witness of conscience and the witness of Scripture point to the reality of the final judgement.
“Do not be deceived...for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.” Galatians 6:7
George Sweeting tells the story of how the message of the final judgement affected the unbelieving world in an unusual way:
“One of the greatest paintings of all time is Michelangelo’s The Last Judgement. The action of the painting centers on Christ as He raises His arm in a gesture of damnation. Though some elements of the painting appear unbiblical, at that time it’s message reminded people of God’s holy presence which had been forgotten in the humanism of the day.
The painting pictures the dead as they are resurrected to be judged. As hell releases its captives, the Judge of Heaven reviews their works. The entire painting reflects the despair of that generation. When the painting was unveiled, a storm of conviction fell upon the viewers. All Europe trembled as the story of the power of The Last Judgement traveled from city to city.”
Within the heart and mind of mankind is the created realization that there must be a final day of accountability. Past deeds of wickedness must be punished; kindness, generosity, and service to others must be rewarded. Why are we so concerned with justice and with criminals paying their debts to society if we don’t believe in an ultimate day of justice?
The witness of conscience and the witness of Scripture point to the reality of the final judgement.
“Do not be deceived...for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.” Galatians 6:7
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Following Christ, Part 2
“Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him. Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.” Matthew 4:18-23
Five major requirements come to mind when considering the issue of following Christ. Each one builds upon the exercise of the rest, and all unite to lead a person into the pathway of true discipleship.
- Sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. Develop your sensitivity to the leading and guiding ways which the Holy Spirit used to direct you. Sensitivity is reduced quickly by disobedience. We are admonished: “Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thess. 5:19).
- Service. The natural response of a child of God to known needs is to take on the role of a servant and use talent, time, and resources to meet that need under the direction of the Spirit of God.
- Sacrifice. In many cases, little will be done for the cause of Christ without the need for some type of sacrifice on our part. Our willingness here is an indicator of our surrender to God’s will.
- Self-denial. “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Mark 8:34).
- Suffering. Are you willing to follow Christ up to the point where it may cause you discomfort or the loss of the approval of friends? “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12).
God is not so much concerned about your ability as with your availability.
Five major requirements come to mind when considering the issue of following Christ. Each one builds upon the exercise of the rest, and all unite to lead a person into the pathway of true discipleship.
- Sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. Develop your sensitivity to the leading and guiding ways which the Holy Spirit used to direct you. Sensitivity is reduced quickly by disobedience. We are admonished: “Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thess. 5:19).
- Service. The natural response of a child of God to known needs is to take on the role of a servant and use talent, time, and resources to meet that need under the direction of the Spirit of God.
- Sacrifice. In many cases, little will be done for the cause of Christ without the need for some type of sacrifice on our part. Our willingness here is an indicator of our surrender to God’s will.
- Self-denial. “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Mark 8:34).
- Suffering. Are you willing to follow Christ up to the point where it may cause you discomfort or the loss of the approval of friends? “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12).
God is not so much concerned about your ability as with your availability.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Following Christ
“Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him. Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.” Matthew 4:18-23
It was D.L. Moody who said: “The world has yet to see what God will do with one man who is totally surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.” That statement has been a challenge point to Christian men and women for decades. Many will know eternal rewards due to their obedient response to that desire to know the joy of full surrender.
Following Christ is a simple matter - yet one from which the “old man” pulls back in sheer terror. Jesus taught: “To gain, you must give up. To live, you must die. To be great, you must be a servant.” The human mind and human will push these principles away as if they were poison. They are poison in that they do exactly what God wants - they kill self-will and lead to full surrender.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that the outcome of following Christ will be ease, comfort, and pleasure. Those are not by-products of a true disciple. The joy of a true follower of Christ stems from and intimate relationship with the One Who brings true satisfaction and fulfillment. The Christian life revolves around a relationship, not things. Open yourself to that relationship with Christ, an know the joy following Him can bring.
“The greatness of a man’s power is the measure of his surrender.” - William Booth
It was D.L. Moody who said: “The world has yet to see what God will do with one man who is totally surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.” That statement has been a challenge point to Christian men and women for decades. Many will know eternal rewards due to their obedient response to that desire to know the joy of full surrender.
Following Christ is a simple matter - yet one from which the “old man” pulls back in sheer terror. Jesus taught: “To gain, you must give up. To live, you must die. To be great, you must be a servant.” The human mind and human will push these principles away as if they were poison. They are poison in that they do exactly what God wants - they kill self-will and lead to full surrender.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that the outcome of following Christ will be ease, comfort, and pleasure. Those are not by-products of a true disciple. The joy of a true follower of Christ stems from and intimate relationship with the One Who brings true satisfaction and fulfillment. The Christian life revolves around a relationship, not things. Open yourself to that relationship with Christ, an know the joy following Him can bring.
“The greatness of a man’s power is the measure of his surrender.” - William Booth
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
The Shield of Faith
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.” Ephesians 6:10-18
Deliverance from temptations and trials requires the right kind of armor. Paul says: “In addition to all, taking up the shield of faith” (Eph. 6:16). Why the emphasis on the shield? Paul may have been thinking of the large, rectangular type of shield which soldiers used in his day. It protected every part of the body since it was large enough to hide behind. If you take your firm stand behind the shield of faith, it will protect:
- Your head. Your thoughts are vitally important in the battle to conquer self and sin. The shield of faith can stop Satan’s fiery darts of doubt, greed, deceit, lust, and sensuality.
- Your heart. The driving motivation of your life can find protection behind the shield of faith. This is the core of your being, the seat of your affections.
- Your hands. Our offensive weapon (God’s Word) is wielded by the strong arm of the Christian soldier. Read the Word; be prepared to use its power.
- Your feet. The pathway is open to the one who trusts the shield of faith. As you trust, you’ll be able to go where God wants you.
The shield of faith - don’t leave home without it.
Faith is believing what God says, simply because it is God Who says it.
Deliverance from temptations and trials requires the right kind of armor. Paul says: “In addition to all, taking up the shield of faith” (Eph. 6:16). Why the emphasis on the shield? Paul may have been thinking of the large, rectangular type of shield which soldiers used in his day. It protected every part of the body since it was large enough to hide behind. If you take your firm stand behind the shield of faith, it will protect:
- Your head. Your thoughts are vitally important in the battle to conquer self and sin. The shield of faith can stop Satan’s fiery darts of doubt, greed, deceit, lust, and sensuality.
- Your heart. The driving motivation of your life can find protection behind the shield of faith. This is the core of your being, the seat of your affections.
- Your hands. Our offensive weapon (God’s Word) is wielded by the strong arm of the Christian soldier. Read the Word; be prepared to use its power.
- Your feet. The pathway is open to the one who trusts the shield of faith. As you trust, you’ll be able to go where God wants you.
The shield of faith - don’t leave home without it.
Faith is believing what God says, simply because it is God Who says it.
Monday, August 2, 2010
How to Increase Your Faith
“Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.” Luke 17:1-6
Everyone has been given a measure of faith. No one is without some amount of faith. But we soon realize that life calls for more faith than we possess, so how we must ask the question, “How do I increase my faith?”
There are six vital steps to increasing our faith:
Begin to read the Word of God. Too simple? “Faith comes from hearing.” Rom. 10:17
Exercise the faith you now have. How do you develop physical strength and endurance? Exercise. Allow your faith to face life’s circumstances and go through your troubles and develop by holding on to the Lord.
Face the trials God allows in your life. Through the trials and difficulties of life, we either lose our faith or develop the strength and value of our faith.
Faith is increased by the testimony of others. Keep your ears open for the stories others have to tell of God’s faithfulness.
Pray. Prayer develops an intimate relationship with God and increased faith as answers come.
Live in obedience to God. A life of disobedience is the greatest hindrance to a growing, maturing faith in God.
Little Faith: “I’m not sure.”
Great Faith: “I’m confident He can.”
Perfect Faith: “It’s already done.”
Everyone has been given a measure of faith. No one is without some amount of faith. But we soon realize that life calls for more faith than we possess, so how we must ask the question, “How do I increase my faith?”
There are six vital steps to increasing our faith:
Begin to read the Word of God. Too simple? “Faith comes from hearing.” Rom. 10:17
Exercise the faith you now have. How do you develop physical strength and endurance? Exercise. Allow your faith to face life’s circumstances and go through your troubles and develop by holding on to the Lord.
Face the trials God allows in your life. Through the trials and difficulties of life, we either lose our faith or develop the strength and value of our faith.
Faith is increased by the testimony of others. Keep your ears open for the stories others have to tell of God’s faithfulness.
Pray. Prayer develops an intimate relationship with God and increased faith as answers come.
Live in obedience to God. A life of disobedience is the greatest hindrance to a growing, maturing faith in God.
Little Faith: “I’m not sure.”
Great Faith: “I’m confident He can.”
Perfect Faith: “It’s already done.”
Sunday, August 1, 2010
The Foundation of Our Faith
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:3-8
Upon what foundation is your life built? Is your confidence in your own wit and wisdom? Your own strength and possessions? Or have you chosen to allow God and His promises to be the foundation upon which your life is being built? We will always be able to stand the strains and stresses of life in proportion to the strength and the solidity of the foundation upon which we rest.
The foundation of your life can be built upon a God Who is: He’s the Sovereign of the universe; a God of love; a God Who is personally interested in you; a God Who is just, Who is fair, Who knows you inside and out and still loves you in spite of that knowledge. He is with you every moment of your life, and his unlimited power is available to you in proportion to your faith in Him.
If we do not know Him, we will not believe Him. The real test of our faith is evident when the bottom drops out and we don’t have anyone to turn to but God. That is the crucible of our faith. God doesn’t want us to wait for that moment to believe. He wants us to walk in prefect trust in Him each day. Your faith will increase only in proportion to your knowledge of the true nature of God. Where is your faith today?
You may trust the Lord too little, but you can never trust Him too much.
Upon what foundation is your life built? Is your confidence in your own wit and wisdom? Your own strength and possessions? Or have you chosen to allow God and His promises to be the foundation upon which your life is being built? We will always be able to stand the strains and stresses of life in proportion to the strength and the solidity of the foundation upon which we rest.
The foundation of your life can be built upon a God Who is: He’s the Sovereign of the universe; a God of love; a God Who is personally interested in you; a God Who is just, Who is fair, Who knows you inside and out and still loves you in spite of that knowledge. He is with you every moment of your life, and his unlimited power is available to you in proportion to your faith in Him.
If we do not know Him, we will not believe Him. The real test of our faith is evident when the bottom drops out and we don’t have anyone to turn to but God. That is the crucible of our faith. God doesn’t want us to wait for that moment to believe. He wants us to walk in prefect trust in Him each day. Your faith will increase only in proportion to your knowledge of the true nature of God. Where is your faith today?
You may trust the Lord too little, but you can never trust Him too much.
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