There is a day coming in which we will all stand in judgment before the Lord. “And as it is appointed for men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Each individual has two appointments, which we will definitely keep: death and judgment. They cannot be cancelled or changed. When we draw our last breath our eternal destiny is sealed. We don’t know when we will die. We might drop dead of a heart attack or stroke in the next few minutes or be killed in a car accident in the next week.
Life is uncertain, but Judgment day is certain. There is no way to escape it. All of us will be there for this final appointment. We will not get out of this life alive.
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done in the body, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men” (2 Corinthians 5:10-11). No one will be excluded from the Judgment. Every person, who has ever lived, that is now living, and who ever will live, will stand before the Lord and be judged.
We do not know when Judgment Day will come in spite of man’s predictions. “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness” (2 Peter 3:10-11).
We must take very serious this Judgment. When God decides to end time, as His Word states, “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” (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). “For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written ‘As I live says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God’. So then each of us shall give an account of himself to God” (Romans 14:10-12).
What will the judgment be like? “Then I saw a great white throne, and Him who 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, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things written in the books…And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire…The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and false prophet are. And they shall be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Revelation 20:11-12,15). Being cast into the lake of fire with the devil is not very good company to be with forever and ever. Is your name in the Book of Life? Are you sure? Your eternal destiny of either Heaven or Hell will be determined by whether your name is there or not.
Take life, and death, seriously.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
Sentinel Found Standing
In Ephesians 6:11-13 we read these words, “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (NIV)
In 79 AD POMPEII was destroyed by the volcano Mt. Vesuvius in Italy. The ash and rocks from the volcano covered 65 acres.
History tells us that some 25,000 people were buried in the ruins that remained. Many of the residents were afterwards found in very different situations. There were some who were found in the streets, as if they had been attempting to make their escape and avoid destruction. Some were found in deep vaults below ground, as if they had gone there for security. There were others found in high, lofty chambers trying to avoid death itself.
But where did they find that Roman sentinel? They found him standing at the city gate, with his hand still holding tightly to his weapon, where he had been placed by his commanding officer; and there, while the lava stream rolled, he had stood at his post; and there, after a thousand years had passed away, he was still found standing. Dear Christian, we have been given a duty by The God of this universe. Let us never be found away from our post but always remaining faithful to His Word and the teachings of Christ. May the Captain of our salvation find us faithful in spite of the trials and problems this world may offer.
In 79 AD POMPEII was destroyed by the volcano Mt. Vesuvius in Italy. The ash and rocks from the volcano covered 65 acres.
History tells us that some 25,000 people were buried in the ruins that remained. Many of the residents were afterwards found in very different situations. There were some who were found in the streets, as if they had been attempting to make their escape and avoid destruction. Some were found in deep vaults below ground, as if they had gone there for security. There were others found in high, lofty chambers trying to avoid death itself.
But where did they find that Roman sentinel? They found him standing at the city gate, with his hand still holding tightly to his weapon, where he had been placed by his commanding officer; and there, while the lava stream rolled, he had stood at his post; and there, after a thousand years had passed away, he was still found standing. Dear Christian, we have been given a duty by The God of this universe. Let us never be found away from our post but always remaining faithful to His Word and the teachings of Christ. May the Captain of our salvation find us faithful in spite of the trials and problems this world may offer.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
"RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE"
As we look throughout the Holy Scriptures, the message of Christ was always one of love. Yet He never once taught religious tolerance, this has become a fabrication of man. When speaking to the Pharisees and teachers of the law, Jesus said, "You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: "'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men'" (Matthew 15:7-9 NIV). Does that sound like He is tolerant of their religious ideas? By no means. In speaking with them in another passage Jesus says, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God.......you belong to your father, the devil" (John 8:42-47). This does not look like Christ is indulging these folks.
If Jesus did not teach religious tolerance, where do we get the idea? It must be something man devised for the sake of himself and not God. The question we must ask, and answer, is "How important is doctrinal purity?" In a world where anything goes, are we allowing anything that comes down the pike to become the norm when it is pronounced as religious teaching or belief?
In Romans 16:17 the apostle Paul, as he was inspired of God's Holy Spirit, says, "I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them" (NIV).
As "The Church" gathers each Lord's Day to honor God and the sacrifice of Christ, doctrinal purity is something that must be maintained. When anyone or any group begins to allow practices or teachings that are contrary to God's Word to enter their lives, problems are not far behind. God was, and is, very serious about the teachings He gave the apostles to give to us. Let us make sure we are doing and saying only those things that God has already approved of in THE WORD. Worship God this Lord's Day, not with your lips only, but from the heart as it is written.
You have probably seen billboards or signs that say "Go to the church of your choice." I want to encourage you to go to the Church/worship of God's choice.
If Jesus did not teach religious tolerance, where do we get the idea? It must be something man devised for the sake of himself and not God. The question we must ask, and answer, is "How important is doctrinal purity?" In a world where anything goes, are we allowing anything that comes down the pike to become the norm when it is pronounced as religious teaching or belief?
In Romans 16:17 the apostle Paul, as he was inspired of God's Holy Spirit, says, "I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them" (NIV).
As "The Church" gathers each Lord's Day to honor God and the sacrifice of Christ, doctrinal purity is something that must be maintained. When anyone or any group begins to allow practices or teachings that are contrary to God's Word to enter their lives, problems are not far behind. God was, and is, very serious about the teachings He gave the apostles to give to us. Let us make sure we are doing and saying only those things that God has already approved of in THE WORD. Worship God this Lord's Day, not with your lips only, but from the heart as it is written.
You have probably seen billboards or signs that say "Go to the church of your choice." I want to encourage you to go to the Church/worship of God's choice.
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