On Day 100 of our 120 Day Upper Room Prayer Campaign we pray for the churches of the nation to awaken to the realization that we are standing at a crossroads between repentance and judgment, before it’s too late
Listen to today’s Prayer Podcast for more and to pray along with us!
“And I will set my face against them; they shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I set my face against them. And I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord God.” – Ezekiel 15:7-8
The bible says that because the punishment for sin does not come quickly, it is in the heart of men to do evil. I’m other words, because people think they are getting away with it they set their heart to do it. Yet eventually judgment will fall for God is just.
However, the truth is that God does not desire judgment. The very reason that He takes so long to act in judgment is because He is allotting time for repentance in hopes that His judgement not have to come.
“And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.” – Jonah 4:2
So if God does not desire judgment, then why does it come at all? Because God is just, and He is not a man that He should lie. If He has said that the wages of sin are death then one who continues to work iniquity must be paid the wage they have been promised. Once God speaks something, it becomes law and His justice requires that He honor His words for better or for worse. This is why He sent Jesus to atone for our sin with His own life, to pay the price for us, that we might be given a clean slate, a new life, and escape the curse of the law.
However. A simple truth that few seem to realize is that unless you have been atoned for by the blood of Jesus, washed clean, born again into a new life, have repented and turned away from sin, and empowered by the Holy Spirit of God to walk no more there in, then you are actually still under a law and condemned by that law.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” – Romans 8:1-4
The law did not pass away, it was simply atoned for, paid for, and fulfilled by a better covenant. There is no law for those who are in Christ but for those who are not, the law remains, and the judgment of that law remains. Though God may tarry in hopes of your repentance that you might escape the wrath of the law, if you do not take the atonement that He has provided, judgment will eventually find you.
“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. 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 and godliness,” – 2 Peter 3:9-11
God has been more then merciful, but we are not promised tomorrow, nor is He obligated to continue turning a blind eye forever. However, He is obligated to judge the sins of the unrighteous who have refused His mercy and done despite to the Spirit of Grace. Don’t push your luck, don’t waste God’s mercy, don’t mock His grace. He took your place that you might escape. Don’t take it for granted, for eventually judgment will fall. Whether God wants it to or not, He must pay out the wages of unrepented sin, because He said He would and therefor He must, for He is just.
“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” – John 3:18-20
“Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.” – Ecclesiastes 8:11-13
“For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” -Hebrews 10:26-31
“Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.” – Song of Solomon 6:4
Oh how beautiful our God is. Great and mighty, tender and sweet. He is love itself. He is gracious and kind, yet He is also terrible in power, authority, and judgment. He is a God over angel armies. He is a just judge enacting sentences for sin. Yet over all that He does and/or allows to be done, His banner is love.
“He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.” – Song of Solomon 2:4
God does nothing that isn’t rooted in love. His grace and mercies are rooted in love for all. His judgments and wrath are rooted in love for the faithful. His corrections and even His stepping back and allowing the enemy to shake us is rooted in love for the straying unto repentance.
God is a good father and thus exhibits all the characteristics of a good Father. Love, kindness, grace, mercy, correction, wrath, direction, lessons; and once raised up and instructed in truth He lets you choose to trust His wisdom and obey what He has taught you or trust in your own wisdom, or that of those around you. If you choose the latter, He will step back and let you walk out the consequences of that decision in the loving hope that you might (through the consequences) see the folly of it.
In the end everything He does, doesn’t do, or allows to be done is rooted on love. This is why you can know those that are rooted in Him by their fruit. If someone is truly connected to the root of love they will produce the fruit of love, for God is love and so are His true children. Therefore, if one does not show forth the continual fruit of love, then they are not connected to the root of love. No matter what they say, or imagine, the fruits do not lie. God is love, and so are His children.
“For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.” – Romans 11:16
“For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” – Romans 11:21-22
“And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.” – 1 John 2:3-11
“The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.” – 2 Peter 2:9-10
This passage is a warning of those whom the Lord will judge the most harshly on the day of Judgment. Being such a serious offense in the sight of God, let us look more closely to gain a clear understanding of what is being said here.
Scripture tells us that there is no temptation that we face that God has not also made a way of escape so that if we walk according to His will we will avoid the snares of sin. This passage repeats that point in saying that by walking in righteousness (right-standing or obedience to God), we will be delivered from temptations. Yet those who choose to assume that they know better then God, fail to seek and submit to God’s will and walk in self will (obeying their own will and logic) are promised to receive not only punishment but a greater punishment being counted as “Cheif” among those being punished on the day of judgment.
Why is this? To understand we need to look at the passage in the Greek to see that these people are church folk with no fear of God. They are prideful and presumptuous assuming they know what they do not and are unwilling to seek the Lord for His will imagining that they already know what it is when they do not. They speak evil of Godly things with they do not understand, something not even the Angels will do, and thus blaspheme God in their prideful ignorance. They mock and slander, they gossip and gripe, and they do it all while sitting among you and feasting on the word of God with you polluting the sanctuary of the strength that comes from purity, righteousness, obedience, and faith just as Balaam did among the Israelites of old.
You see the word translated to “government” in this passage in the original Greek was “kyriotes” which means “dominion“. It is not referring to earthly governments but to God’s authority in the same manner that the messianic prophecy said that the government would be upon Jesus’s shoulders. It was referring to dominion, or God’s authority; for all power, authority, dominion, and might was given unto Jesus. The world translated to “dignities” in the original Greek was “doxa” and meant “a good thing belonging to God.” Therefore do we see that they do not bow to God’s authority but trust in their own will, presuming to know what is right without humbling themselves to seek God they just speak evil of the things that are of God that they do not understand and in doing so cause others to be polluted by their error and pride. They are spots of iniquity filthying the white dress of the Bride of Christ. For this does God count them the chiefest of those who will receive judgment on that great and terrible day of the Lord when the secrets of all mens hearts will be revealed.
“The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;” – 2 Peter 2:9-13
“But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;” – Jude 1:10-12
“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” – Ephesians 5:25-27
“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” – Revelation 19:7-8
“The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live? But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal? When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal? Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord God. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.” – Ezekiel 18:20-32
From the Old Testament, unto the New Testament, the way that GOD judges sin remains the same. Remember he said:
“For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?” – Malachi 3:6-7
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” – Hebrews 13:8
“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. 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 and godliness, Looking for and hasting 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. And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” – 2 Peter 3:9-18
It is the mercy of the LORD GOD that causes Him to wait, with long suffering not wanting anyone to perish, but desiring all to repent. However, the day is yet coming when He shall return just as He promised He would!
And Jesus himself said after telling us the parable of the unjust judge…
“And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” – Luke 18:7-8
Many see GOD as their Creator, and well said for so HE is. Some see Him as Father, yet how many remember that HE is also our JUST JUDGE? How many will DO according to ALL HE COMMANDS because HE is right?! When HE returns will HE find faith? Will HE find any who will take heed to His Word because they truly trust: what He says He will do?
If speaking of these things at all makes you uncomfortable and nervous then come to the mercy seat of the cross of Jesus Christ while you still have breath, REPENT TODAY, AND TRUST HIM FOR SALVATION. Lay down your pride, lay down your sins, lay down and die with Christ, crucifying the old selfish sin nature, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that now while you live you can live unto GOD in the power of His resurrection and righteousness of Jesus Christ… and then when HE returns you will find peace in knowing that by trusting in JESUS who is the way of Salvation, and following in His steps of obedience to the Father, you will live with HIM forever!
Salvation is a free gift of GOD, but receiving it comes by way of TOTAL COMMITMENT! Choosing Christ = turning away from sin abandoning it! Whole choosing sin = turning away from GOD and abandoning HIM. So choose you this day! Today! Who will you serve?
Grace is the work and power of GOD provided in JESUS CHRIST! Faith on the other hand is our part, we must choose to trust HIM, and if truly we do, we will love and obey HIM because we do.
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” – Romans 6:1-16
“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Romans 6:17-23
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:1-10
“For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.” – Titus 3:3-8
Submitted by Heather Wright
“The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord.” – Obadiah 1:3-4
We’ve all heard the saying that pride comes before a fall. Well, truer words are seldom spoken according to scripture for pride has never run so ramped and a fall never more eminent then now. Though it be hidden to the proud, it is made evident to the humble, for the Lord is the strength of the righteous and they are never taken in a fault because their trust is in the Lord who sees all, knows all, and cannot fail. Herein is the arrogance of the prideful to think that they could ever have an advantage over God or His people. Anything they may perceive as ground gained is merely God allowing them to be led by their own pride into position for the checkmate.
“The steps of his strength shall be straitened, and his own counsel shall cast him down. For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare.” – Job 18:7-8
Jesus told us repeatedly that the humble will be exalted by God Himself but the prideful will He resist and cast down. It may not happen right away leaving room for repentance but rest assured that without it, no matter how many people you cause to come into agreement with your pride, judgment and a fall will surely come, for no pride in will go unpunished.
“Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.” – Proverbs 16:5
All pride is rooted in standing against God. God’s will, God’s plan, God’s wisdom, God’s authority, or God’s people. For this the anger of God is stirred against a person, people, or nation and all manner of trial rises up against them as God turns them over to the chastisement of the enemy. Yet even this is a mercy that they might be humbled and saved.
“To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” – 1 Corinthians 5:5
However the intently prideful that will not be humbled, repent, and turned from their wicked ways will be turned over to the master they chose to serve and separated from the one they choose to stand against for all eternity. So that, in the end, will they be humbled in hell. Therefor are all men humbled, either in this life by choice or in the next by force. For EVERY knee will bow and EVERY tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. There are no exceptions. Humble yourself now and stand boldly before the thrown of God on the day of judgment, or stand boldly now and be humbled before the thrown of God on the day of judgment. The choice is yours, the choice has always been yours. From the two trees in the garden of Eden in Genesis to the antichrist or Messiah of Revelations, there has always been a choice and the choice has always been yours to make. Humble yourself and make the right one.
“Therefore as I live, saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them. This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the Lord of hosts. The Lord will be terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen.” – Zephaniah 2:9-11
“For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” – Romans 14:11-12
“Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled: But the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.” – Isaiah 5:14-16
“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” – Colossians 3:1-4
This world is not our home, nor is this life our true life, but a preparation for our real life which will not truly begin until Christ return and we be risen with Him! Until then, our life is hidden with Him as He is hidden even now until His appearing in the clouds with glory. Therefor, do not live for this life but for the next. Let your thoughts be for the life to come. Let your decisions be toward building a better life in the one to come. Let your actions, the meditations of your heart, and the words of your mouth be centered around preparation by faith in the one to come.
“But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” – Matthew 12:36-37
It is important for the true believer to truly believe! One that truly believes that he will be risen with Christ, judged, and rewarded for the life to come (the real life) according to what he did in this life (the test life) will live everyday, preparing for that day. Every decision will be based on making that day as good a day as possible. Every prayer will be focused, not toward asking for things to make this life better, but in asking for the power to forsake this world and live for the one to come (which is true grace), enabling you to store up treasures in Heaven by your actions here at every opportunity.
“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” – Matthew 6:19-21
Yes we are saved by grace (which is the power of God) that is released to us through faith when we believe. However, if we truly believe what he says then we will do what he says. Therefore will our fruits be judged to see if we have done the will of the Father, for those who believe His words will do His will.
“Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” – Matthew 7:19-20
The day of the Lord will come and it will come very unexpectedly. Today is your chance to decide if you will make that day a good day or a bad one. Christ will judge all men on that day according to their words and deeds and will reward them accordingly. This life is but a proving ground of your faith and what it proves about you will be brought to light on that faithful and inevitable day. You say you believe? Do you? Do you really believe in Jesus, in what He said, in His death and His resurrection, in the fact that He is coming back for a pure and spotless bride, in the reality that you will be judged according to your works? Do you really believe and will your life prove it? Will your words have proved it? Will your actions have proved it? Did you really believe? Did you believe His words, all of them? Do you believe His Word, all of it? Do you believe enough to live like you believe, because if you’re daily focus is on building a better life now then you really don’t believe in the one to come. If your daily focus is on building a better life to come at the cost of this one, then you have truly believed. Understand today that only those who give up this life now will receive a better life then, yet those who hold dear this life now will loose the better one to come. Therefor, set your sights on things eternal.
“He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.” – John 12:25-26
“But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God.” – Romans 2:5-11
“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 delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.” – Revelation 20:12-13
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” – Genesis 1:1
Jesus, the early apostles, and the disciples all warned through out the New Testament that there will be an end to all things and that we should be vigilant to be prepared for it at all time, for no man knows the day or the hour of it, but God alone.
“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 and godliness, Looking for and hasting 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 Peter 3:10-14
However it is hard to grasp the inevitability of an end without first taking hold to the reality of a beginning, and that both are by the hand and prerogative of God, the creator of all. All things were made by God and for God, and without Him was not one thing made, it is He that gives and He that will one day take away that which was given. All things are for His glory and what little time we have on this mission field of an ark we call Earth to give Him the glory that He deserves before judgment befalls us all should be used to the fullest. You see, we are given but a short time here to try and to test our faithfulness for greater things beyond this proving ground. God has bigger plans then we do, bigger then our house, our career, our hobbies, our meager intellect or education. God has grander things in store that are so far beyond our comprehension in this current life that it fails us to fathom the breath of it. Yet God, desiring a people that willingly love, serve, trust, and obey His greatness, must first acquire this people through a testing. By this are the rebellious, selfish, and self willed, weeded out that a second rebellion not arise in the heavens.
To this ends the earth is but a proving ground. A place where faith and trust is tested, where submission and obedience is tried, where lessons can be learned and wisdoms gained, where loyalties and allegiances can be made clear, where hearts can be revealed and choices made. The span of time that this earth will exist is very short, for its purpose is a quick one. It’s a temporary proving ground for and eternal home. A temporary interview for an eternal job. A temporary trial for an eternal reward. It had a beginning and it will have an end, and the sum of it all is very short in the scope of things. The God that made all will be the same God that ends it all and the same God that judges all. According to your actions here, will your eternal faith be determined there. Make sure that you were on God’s side. Don’t expect Him to be on yours, you choose to be on His, He is the creator, He is the judge, He is the boss.
“Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to (makes a way for) repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds:” – Romans 2:4-6
“And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” – Acts 17:30-31
“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” – Colossians 3:2
“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 delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell 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.”Revelation 20:12-15
In the end it will all have been about sifting out the obedient from the rebellious, the humble from the prideful, the righteous from the wicked, the faithful from the unbelieving. This is why when asked about the end, Jesus said that it would be like a shepherd separating the sheep from the goats. The sheep to follow the shepherd to His pasture and the goats to be cast into the fire (Matthew 25:31). He also said that it would be as a farmer separating the wheat from the tears (weeds). The wheat unto the masters barn and the weeds unto the fire, being of no use to Him (Matthew 13:24). It’s all about sifting out this chaff and this world is but the threshing floor. So don’t hold so dearly to it. See it in perspective. This world is not our home. Labor as you might you will never make it to be. Set your eyes on Jesus and on the things eternal and remember that from it’s beginning to it’s end, this world is only a proving ground, so what is it proving about you?
“He (Jesus) answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” – Matthew 13:37-43
“And thou (Elijah) shalt speak unto him (Ahab), saying, Thus saith the Lord, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.” – 1 Kings 21:19
Ahab was a King of Isreal, he was seen as evil in the sight of the Lord though at times he repented, yet his evil was most often not so much that which he did as it was that which he didn’t do and that which he allowed to be done. Ahab had someone close to him (Jezebel) that continually hurt God’s people and though Ahab may not have participated in these acts himself, he knew about them and had the authority to stop them but didn’t. However, God was abundantly merciful to Ahab, sending him correction, words, and warnings continually for years. Yet though Ahab knew what needed to be done, he never put his foot down on Jezebel and did it. Therefor Elijah continually had to deal with them both until God’s mercy eventually ran out and judgment came.
God grew weary of the blood that Jezebel was spilling, of the children of God she was misleading and killing, and of Ahab’s refusal to stand in the roll that God had placed him in to prevent it. So God sent Elijah once again to let Ahab know that God was placing the guilt of the blood that Jezebel had spilt upon him. Upon hearing this, Ahab whole heartedly agreed and tearfully repented! Yet nothing changed. He continued to allow Jezebel to do whatever she pleased, spilling blood and bringing shame and reproach upon the house of Israel. Therefor, his judgment came as prophesied.
“And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded. And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot. And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own country. So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria. And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the Lord which he spake.” – 1 Kings 22:34-38
Rather it be in this account or it be those of the church of Thyatira in the book of Revelations, Ahab is always judged, and judged by God’s own hand. Struck down by an arrow that no man guided for refusing to obey the Lord and take authority over the wickedness running rampant in his own house.
What Jezabel was doing was wrong, she was teaching and encouraging God’s people to sin while ever working against His prophets and priest. Ahab of corse knew the truth and at times even told Jezebel the truth but he didn’t make her submit to it when he had both the authority and moral obligation to do so, nor did he prevent her from acting against that truth. Therefore, Ahad’s judgement came even before Jezebel’s.
In this we see that not only those who commit sin (which always negatively affects others) are found by God to have blood on their hands, but also those who allow it to be committed by acquiescence when they have the power to stop it. This sin falls on those who have been given the weight of authority such as parents within a home, leaders within a church, or rulers within a nation, and though God be merciful to warn and allow time and opportunity for repentance, if not heeded (by not just words but action), will surely be judged.
“And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.” – Revelation 2:18-24
God is love, but true love is just. True love does not favor, it is no respecter of persons, it is fair and righteous. True love corrects that which is wrong and protects that which belongs to it. God fights for your soul because He loves it. He corrects your prideful flesh because it is the enemy of your soul. All the desires of it therefor are meant to destroy you, therefor whatever means are necessary to destroy it and humble you in this life that you might be saved from the judgment of the next is a worthy effort, however unpleasant.
“Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?” – Ezekiel 18:23
God does not enjoy wrath. As many of us have heard our own parents say when correcting us, “this hurts me more then it hurts you”. So does judgment grieve the heart of God. Nevertheless, it would be better to spank a child that keeps running towards a busy highway until he be humbled into obeying your words not to, then to allow him to continue to his own sure demise. In the same manner does God have to resort to wrath when the prideful refuse to heed His warning and not only continue running full force to their demise, but also take others with them.
In this we see many times that God has had to bring harsh judgments upon a nation and a people. So desiring is He to save their eternal soul from the judgment of eternal torment and destruction that He allows a temporary judgment to befall their flesh.
You see, you are in a war. At the end you will be given over to the one you served in this war. Whether that be to God for eternal reward and glory, or the devil for eternal damnation and torture, for you have chosen your side. Though God does not enjoy doing so, sometimes His greatest mercy is to give you a taste of that war in this life that you might truly see the character of those that lead it.
“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” – Romans 6:16
War is an ugly thing and the forces that provoked that war are the same forces that provoke your soul to sin unto damnation as a weapon of warfare against your creator and Father who loves you. Yes God enacts wrath, but it is not who He is, it is only what He does. Not because He wants to, but because He has to. So when we force His hand and wrath comes, we can be assured that it hurts Him more then it hurts us, for He loves us more then we love Him. This is why, through it all, His hand is stretched out still. If you will but humble yourself and take it.
“Therefore the Lord shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together; The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the Lord of hosts. Therefore the Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day. The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed. Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke. Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother. And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm: Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: and they together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.” – Isaiah 9:11-21
“But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden.” – Galatians 6:4-5
So often we allow what others do to effect first the way we feel, then in reaction to those feelings, what we do. Yet on the day of judgment God will not ask us to give an account of what others did, He will not even ask us to give an account of what others did to us, He will only ask us to give an account of our own actions regardless of what triggered them.
“But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God.” – Romans 2:5-11
“For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” – Matthew 16:27
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” – 2 Corinthians 5:10
“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” – Revelation 22:12
“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 delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.” – Revelation 20:11-13
These are just a small sample of the many scriptures that express the reality that we will all be held accountable for our actions. In Matthew 12:36 Jesus tells us that on the day of judgment we will even be held accountable for every idle word that comes out of our mouth. Yet not once does it make exceptions for words or actions that are provoked by others. What others do they will surely be judged for, but how you react to what they do, you will be judged for. So never allow the thoughts, words, or actions of others to effect your actions or even your words. It’s not about who is right or who is wrong, it’s about how you react to both right and wrong treatment. Learn from Christ’s example, who was perfect, loving, innocent, truthful, and without sin. Yet he was hated, slandered, shamed, rejected, lied about, persecuted, and crucified, but still He loved, held no bitterness, spoke no guile, never strayed, and willingly gave His life, even for those who mistreated Him.
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” – Hebrews 12:2-3
“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” – Luke 9:23
You see, judgment belongs to the Lord and every man will one day be judged for their every thought, word, and action, you can be assured of that. You need not prove yourself to men, for what they think of you has no weight in eternity. Only prove yourself to God of whom your eternal destination rest.
“Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” – Matthew 10:26-31
God sees all, God hears all, and God knows all, let that be enough for you and care not what men see, hear, or know of you. God will reward all good for good and evil for evil lest the evil be repented of, His word is clear on that. Don’t let evil drive you to evil that both receive the rewards of evil, but let God’s goodness shine through you as you bless those that curse you and pray for those that persecute you, that the evil be overcome with good. Even when you think no one is watching, God is. He sees what no one else does, be it for good or for bad, and He will reward us all accordingly, let it be for good.
“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;” – Philippians 2:12-15
“…and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” – Acts 16:30
Jesus tells us in The book of John, chapter 14, and verse 6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” This means that there is no other way, no other person, and no other god or deity that can save you from the penalty of sin, which is an eternal death (or separation from God) in hell. For only Jesus died to pay that penalty for you with His own atoning blood that you might be reconciled to God the Father and be able to inter into eternal life and your blessed rest with Him in Heaven. This is why scripture so clearly states in Acts 4:12 that, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” but by the Name of Jesus Christ only, the chosen and anointed one.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” – John 3:16-17
“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” – John 1:29
So scripture is clear Jesus is the only one who can save us, but what must I do to be saved by Him? In John chapter 3 a pharisee (a priest) named Nicodemus ask Jesus this very thing, to which Jesus tells him, “you must be born again“. Jesus explains that we were all born once into this natural world, naturally of water by way of our mother’s womb, but to be able to inter the Kingdom of heaven (which is Spiritual) we must be born again of the Spirit. This will allow us to be changed, to be cleansed, to be made pure and sinless, to be made new, to become a child of God.
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;” – 2 Corinthians 5:17-18
So to answer the question what must you do to be saved, it’s not really “what you do“, for there is no work or ritual that can save you, but rather it is “what you believe“. Not what you say you believe, but what you really believe, because what you believe you will obey with your very life. Because you see, while your actions won’t change what you believe, what you believe will most definitely change your actions. Therefor, are we saved by grace through faith and empowered unto good works.
So this is what you must do to be saved according to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Truly believe in your heart that Jesus is the son of God who died to take away your sin. Believe that He is the only way to the Father and to Heaven. Believe that He can take away your sin and give you His heart and Spirit that you will be born again as a child of God freed from the bondage of sin and the penalty of it. Believe that by the power of His Spirit (or Grace) you can now resist the devil and overcome him and his temptations. You must confess these things with your mouth. Repent (or turn away) from your sins. Pick up your cross (which represents laying down selfish desires for obedience to God’s will and the leading of His Spirit) and follow Him. By this are men saved! That first by faith in who Christ is and what He has done is released by us, to which God then sends us His Spirit (the Spirit of Grace), to impart unto us His favor, power, and divine influence, that we might abstain from evil and do good works unto His glory and become a witness of the saving grace of the risen Christ to a fallen world.
“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:” – Acts 3:19-20
“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” – Ezekiel 36:26-27
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:8-10
“And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” – Zechariah 12:10
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” – Romans 10:9-11
“But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:” – Romans 8:11-16
Type a message…
Daily Manna 