Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy to Judge the Dead (3/12/26)

A couple of days ago we enjoyed an unseasonably warm March day here in Michigan! In fact, we had our first outdoor dinner on our patio this year. As we were enjoying the sunshine, one kid pointed out the beautiful sun rays gleaming through the clouds. We talked about how much more magnificent it will be when Jesus returns to take us to heaven.

As the conversation continued, another kid started talking about the end times and persecution of Christians. We discussed that we may have to die for our faith, but life with Jesus for all eternity will be far better than anything we may give up in this life. The alternative, as described below, is unimaginable torture in the lake of fire forever.  

Revelation 20:11-15 ¹¹ 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. ¹² 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. ¹³ 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. ¹⁴ Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. ¹⁵ Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Death in this life is not the end. As Christians, we know that is true (although sometimes we don’t live like we know that is true). For non-Christ followers, death in this life is also not the end. They will face Judge Jesus and then be thrown into the lake of fire experiencing their second death. As we saw last week, Satan, the beast and the false prophet are the first to be thrown into the lake of fire. The torment isn’t temporary, but continuous.    

Jesus’s records are perfectly accurate, and He is worthy to judge all people. None of us could ever measure up to His standard on our own. By His grace, He has paid for our sin on the cross and offered us life through faith in Him. Then, we are judged based on His merit, and He writes our names in the book of life.

Let’s praise Him for His grace! Let’s also prayerfully recognize and take opportunities to share His grace with others so they may enjoy life with Him now and for all eternity!

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Love and Judge

When you tell people about God and Jesus, do you focus on their love or their judgment?

I think some people probably focus on one or the other. Paul, of course, did a wonderful job of highlighting both. As we talked last week, he was courageously consistent to all audiences, whether commoners or top officials (such as with governor Felix).

Acts 24:24-26           ²⁴ Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁵ As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.” ²⁶ At the same time he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him. ²⁷ When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but because Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews, he left Paul in prison.

Like Governor Felix, people often don’t want to talk or hear about God as Judge or that they may need to make changes in order to follow Christ. Earlier this year, James had several conversations with his fellow gymnastics’ peers and coaches. He told them God was real, loved them, etc. He was so saddened that many of them blew him off, didn’t believe in God and didn’t want to talk about Him. In one conversation he shared that if they didn’t believe in God then they would go to Hell. I first cringed, thinking he was a bit harsh. However, he was sharing the whole truth! He also did it out of a heart of love and not trying to scare them into belief.

May we be like Paul and James, able to consistently share the whole truth of God with those He places in our path to hear. May we gently and lovingly share God’s love and the truths of Him as the perfect Judge.

Lord, help us follow your lead for your words and timing.   

Alice

Thurs Devo: Opening the Seals

We’ve been studying recently in Revelation the worthiness of the Lamb, Jesus, to open the 7 seals of the scroll. What’s in the scroll, though, and what are the seven seals? Revelation chapter 6 begins to describe each seal as it is opened. Each seal seems to reveal preliminary events leading up to the culmination of God’s plan for redemption and justice.

Revelation 6:3-4 & 7-8        ³ When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” ⁴ Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword….

⁷ When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” ⁸ I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

God only allows this fourth rider power over ¼ of the earth. He doesn’t let the rider wipe out everyone and everything. I think this indicates how patient God is. Even though God is just and sovereign, He is also slow to anger and abounding in love. As each seal is opened, only part of God’s wrath is unleashed. Each seal or event could be seen as warning signs of worse judgment to come. God holds back the full force of His wrath and continues to give people additional opportunities to recognize God, repent of their sins, and turn to Him.

How are you and I comforted, knowing all power on earth is subject to God’s timing and control? 

Alice 

Thurs Devo: He Who Dies With the Most Toys Wins?

Have you seen that on a bumper sticker? I have. It didn’t have the question mark after it, either. I have also seen the opposite – “He Who Dies with the Most Toys Still Dies.” When I read that, it usually reminds me to focus on what really matters and not on temporal things or things of little eternal value.

I know we can get very attached to certain possessions and I’ve heard of people being buried with some of their prized possessions. Korah got buried with not just some, but ALL of his belongings!

Numbers 16:28-33   ²⁸ Then Moses said, “This is how you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these things and that it was not my idea: ²⁹ If these men die a natural death and suffer the fate of all mankind, then the Lord has not sent me. ³⁰ But if the Lord brings about something totally new, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the realm of the dead, then you will know that these men have treated the Lord with contempt.”

³¹ As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart ³² and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions. ³³ They went down alive into the realm of the dead, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community.

Wow! Quite drastic! Korah had been given opportunity to repent, but he chose to continue in his rebellion in despising God and rising up against Moses, God’s chosen leader.

What lessons have you and I learned the past few weeks from these devotionals on Korah?

I’ve been reminded how serious and destructive pride is.

I’ve also learned that even when someone else is completely in the wrong, I need to respond with humility, like Moses did.

God is to be consulted first and foremost before any reaction.

God is the ultimate Judge and will have the final say on who “wins.”

Alice

Thurs Devo: Second Chances

After Moses pointed out to Korah his “never enough” attitude and his rebellion against God’s plan, do you think Korah repented?

Korah didn’t repent, but it appears one of his ring leaders, a man named On, did. On was mentioned in Numbers 16:1 as joining Korah in his opposition against Moses (Numbers 16:1-2a “Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—became insolent ² and rose up against Moses.”). However, it appears On may have repented because he isn’t mentioned as one of the ones who suffered the consequences for the rebellion.

Numbers 16:23-27  ²³ Then the Lord said to Moses, ²⁴ “Say to the assembly, ‘Move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.’”

²⁵ Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him. ²⁶ He warned the assembly, “Move back from the tents of these wicked men! Do not touch anything belonging to them, or you will be swept away because of all their sins.” ²⁷ So they moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Dathan and Abiram had come out and were standing with their wives, children and little ones at the entrances to their tents.

On got a second chance. So did those that might have been thinking about siding with Korah. They were given a warning to stay back. Plus, even Korah, Dathan and Abiram were given several opportunities to recognize their sin and repent (read all of Numbers 16).

God is the Judge. He does punish sin, but He is also quick to forgive and extend grace and mercy when we sincerely repent.

When God or someone else points out a sin in your and my life, how do we respond? Do we acknowledge it, confess it and ask for God’s help to love Him more fully by not sinning? Or, do we continue in the sin, justifying it to ourselves and others? Will you and I take God’s gift of second chances? Let’s also think of and thank God for the second chances He has given to us in the past! 

Next week we will find out what happens to those who didn’t take the opportunity for a second chance and stubbornly continued in rebellion…

Alice