I use these devotionals to be brutally honest, yet I hope that the intent is clear: this isn't a feel good "pick yourself up" message that I preach but the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We can't pick ourselves up. This world is not all there is, and without Jesus Christ, we are lost in rebellion. I just finished my early reading of Scripture, and the Final Judgement is something I could not avoid, if I am to remain true to the entirety of Scripture, so here is what John wrote in the Revelation concerning the subject: Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11-15). This is important! There should be an urgency, because not a single one of us is promised any more than the moment we have now! We are either in the Lambs book of life, or will be judged according to our deeds in accordance with the Law! I know that should I be judged by my works, I will fail, and be sent away from His presence forever. It is by Christ and His righteousness that I am saved! So I ask this question: what are you heading toward? Every one of us will stand before God. We will be judged, and if our names are not in the Lamb's Book of Life, we will be, then, judged according to our works. This is a great act of love, because God, through Christ will be giving us exactly what we sought out in this life: to those who sought God through Christ with everything, they will receive God through Christ; and to those who seek themselves, or selfish versions of God they create, they will receive themselves, forever apart from the presence of God. Look at your life. What are you seeking? That, then, is what are you heading towards. Eternity with Jesus, or Eternity apart from Him. I pray you seek Christ. Revelation 21:1-8 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Comments