All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 TIMOTHY 3:16–17 NIV
When their son left for his freshman year at Duke University, his parents gave him a Bible, assuring him it would be a great help. Later, as he began sending them letters asking for money, they would write back telling him to read his Bible, citing chapter and verse. He would reply that he was reading the Bible, but he still needed money. When he came home for a semester break, his parents told him they knew he had not been reading his Bible. How? They had tucked ten and twenty dollar bills by the verses they had cited in their letters. The rewards of Bible study are life-changing—even if there is no money between the pages. It is vital to spend time in God’s Word because it is the guide to help you prosper in everything you do. Create new ways to revitalize your walk with the Lord—invest in new study materials, find an accountability partner, or rearrange your schedule to include a different environment in which to meet with God. When you commit to reaching out to God, He has already committed to meeting you where you are. - Dr. David Jeremiah Morning and Evening
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. Psalm 1:2
Meditation means “to think deeply and continuously about something.” For a Christian, this means remaining in the presence of God and pondering each truth He reveals about Himself until it becomes real and personal in your life. This takes time. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus accused certain would-be followers of calling Him “Lord” and yet never doing what He told them (Luke 6:46). They had the correct truth in their heads, but it had never translated into obedience. When you meditate on Scriptures, the truth moves from your head to your heart and results in obedience. As the psalmist said: “Your word have I hidden in my heart, / That I might not sin against You” (Ps. 119:11). When you know God's Word in your mind but not in your heart, it means that you have learned the principles and concepts and doctrines of God, but you have not come to know Jesus personally. You can reject a doctrine, or ignore a concept, or challenge a principle, but it is much more difficult to ignore a Person. You can have Scripture in your mind and still sin against God. There are those who can recite long passages of Scripture and yet live ungodly lives. However, you cannot have Scripture fill your heart and continue to sin against God. When God's truth is allowed to touch the deepest corner of your soul, the Holy Spirit will transform you into the image of Jesus Christ. Don’t just read your Bible; meditate on God's Word and ask Him to change your heart. - Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day
The worst confrontation in the history of your life will be when you face Jesus, either as your Lord or as your Judge.
We are professionals at fooling ourselves or others, given the right circumstances, but in no way, on that day we stand before Christ will we be fooling Him.
Jesus will be shown to be THE Judge.
Jesus will be THE One who knows every single individual who stands before Him.
He will separate those who are Saved from those who are not.
Notice very clearly is it written that NOBODY is asked if they are or are not a Christian. He, the perfect, righteous Judge, already knows.
We spend a great deal of time, energy and effort trying to find our own way to be prosperous and to enjoy 'life'. We often only do what we feel is 'just enough' of what the Bible says in order to quench the slightest guilty feelings that we feel. Just enough to not feel selfish or prideful. Enough to be able to think we have God off our backs about obedience to Him.
I have been convicted many times in my life of selfish behavior, and not just by family, friends or people that I have run across in life.
But all of those combined amount to a drop in the bucket compared to the impact of Jesus's wanted more of me.
I have often thought of things like retirement or of seeing things of historical significance to me before I might die.
What the Bible comes back to tell me in that regard is that nowhere in it is there mentioned retirement. No where is things of worldly significance important in light of people not going to Hell.
Right now in my life I, like you, face the strangest of experiences in this so-called pandemic. Regardless of what you feel about it, it's altered how we gather to worship God. No doubt that was what Satan was hoping for when he asked God's permission in releasing it. Yes, I am a believer in his needing permission to do anything towards the Church, the Bride of Christ. Likewise the Children of Israel. Read the opening chapter of the book of Job.
Honestly, your words, my words, mean nothing when we stand before Christ.
What does your life say that you lived for? For you or for Jesus?
I may have great ambitions, may have great dreams of success in this life. If I am not living in obedience to God, what good is it?
What good is it if you claim to believe in Christ yet don't live it?
The Bible says that even the demons believe in God, and at least they shudder at the thought of His judgements against them. All His judgments are against demons. There never will be any that will not be judged guilty.
When at last, after the thousand year reign of Christ all mankind that hasn't already died or hasn't found themselves in Heaven, stands before Jesus, He will see right through every single person.
He also doesn't need a thousand years nor the 7 year Tribulation to see through you now.
Jesus already sees through you and I.
Jesus already sees what idols are in our lives.
Jesus already sees who is most important to you.
Jesus already knows if you value yourself more than Him.
Jesus already knows your secret sins. Knows what you lie to yourself about.
If you value anything or anyone more than what's right in the eyes of God then it's time to reevaluate your life. Yes I love my family and friends. But I refuse to ever again love my job. I refuse to build collections of stuff that in all reality amounts to idol worship. It's been a struggle to follow Scripture in that passage that says to love not the world nor the things in the world.
Personally, I read my Bible every day. I need it. I may not immediately remember what I am shown it it later on but I am shown things in it. I also read 4 devotionals each day. Am reading 4 other books by other Pastors that I believe God is indeed speaking through in this day and age.
But you are missing out on life! No, I am not. Life, as defined by the world is submerged in selfishness. It's all about me me me. Jesus said to find life we must give it up for His sake. Those who do will find it. The it we find is what He says that life is all about.
In your life have you been deceiving yourself? Are you trying to skate on by in your obedience to God? Trying to do the minimum? Trying to see how much of the world you can embrace without getting caught? Remember in any given moment we can find ourselves standing before Jesus. Nobody is guaranteed a next breath. Breathing is an unmerited favor granted to the living. It's based in the hope that we would come to Christ and live for Jesus. The dead cannot. It's not about living until we're 65 then run off to live however we want to.
A friend of mine, until his dying day, remained faithful to serving God. Dr. John C. Whitcomb was in his 90's, was still editing papers and writing them for future generations when that day came and God called him home.
My Grandfather was found with his Bible opened having been called home to Jesus himself.
If I indeed don't make it to the day of the Rapture of the Church, I want to be found doing life for Christ and not myself.
I don't want to be revealed to be a phony.
Will you be? Will you be revealed to be a phony or as a Christian? What is in your life that you are intentional about in learning to be more like Christ? Or are you skating by for the sake of your kids. Teaching them that they too don't need to give their best to God because, quite frankly, you didn't and are not.
Is your heart changed or are you lying to yourself?
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