The Judgment Seat of Christ or The Great White Throne Judgment (Part 1 of 2)

Hello Friends!

Welcome to a new 2-part Daily Devotionals series titled “The Judgment Seat of Christ or The Great White Throne Judgment”

In the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon summarizes what life should be all about:

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all – Ecclesiastes 12:13

Thus, the conclusion of the “whole matter” of life is to "fear God" and to "keep His commandments" in honoring Him with our Christian walk – life style.

Although King Solomon wrote this entire book to ultimately remind us of what he sums up in three little words – “all of life is vanity!” He also faithfully warns us of this sobering truth:

For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil – Ecclesiastes 12:14

Yes, even the “secret things” we do will be brought “into judgment.” All our of deeds – “good” or “bad” – will be brought into God’s Holy and Righteous judgment. This truth will be very real to each of us at the judgment of God we will all face… One day…

Please join us over the next couple of weeks as we learn more about this very important topic. Today we will consider the judgment of God upon the believer…

The Judgment Seat of Christ or The Great White Throne Judgment

The Word of God is very clear. Every person's works – whether that person be “saved” or “lost” – will be brought into the righteous judgment of God…

The Judgment Seat of Christ

For the saved person their personal works will be judged at the "Judgment Seat of Christ" as described by the Apostle Paul to the Romans:

But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ – Romans 14:10

And again to the Corinthians:

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, whether good or bad – 2 Corinthians 5:10

Paul also describes for us the procedure at the “judgment seat of Christ” in that it is for Jesus Christ to judge the believer’s “labor”:

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor – 1 Corinthians 3:6-8

Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.  If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire – 1 Corinthians 3:12-15

The Apostle John also promises that we will receive "rewards" and "crowns" that we then cast at His feet in thanksgiving for the things that our Lord has done for us:

the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne… – Revelation 4:10

These "rewards" and "crowns" are the “good works” we've “done in the body” by His power and for His glory – “gold, silver, precious stones.” However, we will suffer “loss” for those “works” we do in our own power and for our own glory – “wood, hay, straw.” Jesus Christ will be the “righteous judge” over all of our “works” – whether they are "good" or "bad.”

In closing:

Let me remind you, the Word of God is very clear – we're not saved by works, but by “grace through faith”:

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast – Ephesians 2:8-9

Although we are not saved by our “works,” we were created ”for” the “good works” that the Lord has ordained – “prepared beforehand” that we should “walk in them”:

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them – Ephesians 2:10

It is the "works" that we have done for the Lord in which He will judge the Christian at the “Judgment Seat of Christ”…

Praise the Lord!

Thank you for reading! Don’t miss next week’s edition as we investigate The Great White Throne of God to better understand the Lord’s perspective concerning His future judgments on all of humanity… Believers and Unbelievers.

May the Lord Jesus Christ continue to bless you with His perfect love, mercy and grace!

Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!

Blessings!

Shane <><

Dealing with Exhaustion

17 Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. 18 You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. Exodus 18

I've said many times previously that we need to listen to God.  He speaks to us and leads us, and we need to be receptive, even though it may be outside of our comfort zone.  However, there are times where our interpretation may be a little bit off.  How do you know the difference?  It's tricky, but that's where your brothers and sisters in Christ can come to help.

Jethro was Moses' father-in-law.  He saw the burden that Moses had taken by being the sole judge for the Israelites.  That's a lot of people to handle.  I advise a group of 30 women and yes, there is drama there.  I can only imagine taking the number of people up to the thousands and being the sole person to handle disputes.  It'd be exhausting!  So Jethro gave him another way to handle the situation.  Appoint judges to handle the smaller disputes, and anything they can't figure out, pass along to Moses.

Does this stay in line with God's direction? Absolutely.  Does it make things more manageable for Moses so he can really devote his time and efforts towards those difficult to handle disputes?  Yes, it does.  Is Moses still doing God's will?  Yes!

Sometimes we need someone else to come in and talk to us to let us see that there is still another way to follow God's will.  I've been in the situation before where I knew God was pushing me in a certain direction, but I fought it.  It was too hard!  No matter what I did to try to follow his will, I was met with road block after road block.  It was exhausting, and I was exhausted with getting no where.  In a moment of panic (yes, that's how you know I'm exhausted) I called my mom and my aunt who both calmly talked to me about the situation and about how God was using me in this event.  They had a different perspective on the situation, so they could see a way that God was putting me in this position that hadn't occurred to me yet.  Ah-ha!

At times, we hit that same level of exhaustion.  We're focused on what God has asked of us that we don't stop to see that there are sometimes multiple ways to accomplish what he has asked of us.  Now, notice that I'm not saying you should find anyone to help give guidance, but to find someone close to you who is also a Christian.  They'll be able to keep leading you in a Christ-focused direction with your actions.  Use those other followers to help you along the way.

God is always with us (Part III)

Continuing with my niece’s skating lessons…

Our third day out, Maria practiced skating to and from me and then began to turn around on her own. Once she started skating on her own, I didn’t always prevent her from falling, but I was always there to help her up. If she never tried skating on her own, she wouldn’t ever learn.

God is always there for us. He never leaves us. He knows we will fall, but that’s how we learn. He is always there to pick us up when we do fall, if we turn to Him for help.

When Maria was focused on what she was doing and put into practice what I was telling her, she didn’t fall and even improved. When she let herself be distracted by her brother or when she stopped heeding instructions, then she became unstable, tripped, or fell.

The same is true in our spiritual life. If we let ourselves be distracted by the world or stop heeding God’s instructions, then we will become unstable, trip and fall.

Psalm 37:23-28a
  The Lord makes firm the steps
of the one who delights in him;
²⁴ though he may stumble, he will not fall,
for the Lord upholds him with his hand.

²⁵ I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.
²⁶ They are always generous and lend freely;
their children will be a blessing.

²⁷ Turn from evil and do good;
then you will dwell in the land forever.
²⁸ For the Lord loves the just
and will not forsake his faithful ones.

Right now, are you and I distracted by the world and those around us, or focused on God? Would God call you and me His faithful ones and those who delight in Him? If we’ve fallen, He wants to help us. It’s easier to rely on Him and turn to Him for help, if we remain close to Him. He is always available!

Alice

Godly Contentment

But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.  1 Timothy 6:6-8
  

My wife celebrated a significant birthday yesterday.  She will be planning her trip to Florida courtesy of me, and she had all the grandchildren surrounding her for her special day.  Listening to her, there was this smile in her voice and joy on her face. She said to me, “I am so happy! There is nothing else that I want!” Now I’m sure that will last until the next Michael Kors purse goes on special, but honestly, I knew she meant every word of it.  She had reached contentment.  Nothing else was needed because God had given her all that she wanted.  Now some might wonder if her expectations are too low.  However even though I love giving her gifts and taking her out, they are an abundance of stuff to her.  Shouldn't we all strive to be where she is?

  

With contentment, we recognize the many blessings God has given us. I remember when I first got a promotion and writing a goal for myself to have a Mercedes-Benz in five years. But after five years, I bought an SUV instead.  Why? Because it was more important to spend future time driving with family than to have a name brand for a car.  My goal is not to point out that this choice was better than someone else’s (could have spent less, and again, we all fall short of God’s glory).  It is to share my realization that once I reached Godly contentment with my life, it became easier to make choices that had a bigger purpose than what I might have planned for.  That is not always easy!  Each of us will have moments where we need to make a big decision to choose something we worked for or have an opportunity to do, but we must always challenge ourselves to ensure that we have Godly contentment.  Then decide accordingly.

  

It is truly amazing to serve a God who gives abundantly.  2 Peter 1:3 says, “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”  If we understand this lesson, there is little else that we would need, right?  Where can you exercise contentment today and beyond?  My prayer is that we are thankful for all we have, and continually practice the act of Godly contentment.  Amen.

Tues Devo: Active faith

1 John 5:1-5 “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” (NASB)

Hello,

When looking over these verses and hearing my Pastor preach through them, something struck me about faith. I have always related faith to action – but some focus on verse 5 has helped further my understanding of the correlation of faith and action. You see, there is a difference between being active in your faith, and being active with your faith.

If you are active in your faith this tends to be more introspective/personal in nature. We do things inwardly and the focus is very defensive..

But, if you extend this and become active with your faith then it begins to go on the attack. This is when we begin to use our faith to really impact others. We get vocal and practical with our outreach to others. We seek out areas in our own lives that need fixing and attack them.

Nothing wrong with being active in your faith – that is a needed thing….but, are we also being active with our faith?

Have a blessed day,

Will Hill

The Deceived Church - A Follow-up...

Hello Friends!

As a follow-up to our Daily Devotionals journey through the epistles of Jude and the Apostle John, I assembled some additional thoughts on the false teaching and apostasy that the Holy Spirit reveals throughout these Divinely inspired books of God.

These important thoughts were derived from an article I originally posted on my personal Encouraging Concepts blog (http://encouragingconcepts.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-deceived-church.html) and thought I’d share them with you as they address many of the theological and doctrinal issues we have discussed in past weeks...

The Deceived Church

We know from the Scriptures that Satan’s plan is to deceive the whole world. His objective is to blind the minds of the unbelieving and to recruit those who have believed to become part of his agenda to set up an end-times delusion. This is what I refer to as the co-opting of the Church…

Do you recall what Paul said would happen to the early Christian church?

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them – Acts 20:28-30

A brief overview of church history reveals Paul’s prophetic warning was fulfilled. He said it would happen and it happened. Numerous church leaders emerged during the first to the third centuries. The foundational principles of the Scriptures were ignored and many followed the experiential teachings of men who claimed they had discovered new and innovative methods to get in touch with God.

So, in other words, an emerging church growth movement began to emerge or should we say diverge. The reason for this is simple.

We know that God’s Word is light. When we begin to replace the Word of God with enlightenment by the words of man, we have a perfect formula for returning to darkness. The mystics (often referred to as the “church fathers”) added ideas to Biblical Christianity that cannot be found anywhere in the 66 books of the Bible text – a recipe for spiritual disaster!

Jude also warned about the coming apostasy in the early church. He said certain men had crept in unawares because error was not being corrected:

For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ – Jude 4

How tragic, then and now.

Now, let’s bring this scenario up to date in our modern age. The latest wave of church growth methodology today is known as the Emerging Church. By the way, many of the ideas being promoted today originated when many present day church leaders studied the methods that “emerged” in the first to third centuries after Christ. These leaders say we need to reincorporate their ideas if we are going to have successful churches in this Century.

But wait just a minute! If the “emerging church” of the past was based on extra-biblical revelation and subjective experiences that led to many false ideas and doctrines which state that Mary was much more than what we read about her in the Bible, and that the presence of Jesus can be conjured up from a wafer by a priest, shouldn’t we be somewhat concerned? Do you recall that many of the reformers were tortured and killed because they refused to accept these kinds of dangerous doctrines?

Rather than reviving the teachings of the monks and early “church fathers,” I believe we as Bible-believing Christians should pray that such pagan practices be exposed rather than embraced. While proponents of the Emerging Church believe they are getting closer to God, they are not paying attention to – or reading – the Word of God!

The last days will be characterized by doctrines of demons who lead sincere Bible-believing Christians astray:

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons – 1 Timothy 4:1

The present day Emerging Church/”Sinner-Sensitive” Movement has that very same potential.

The Emerging Church Movement presently underway is riddled with teachings that contradict God’s Word. The supporters of this movement may be sincere in their efforts to reinvent Christianity for the sake of reaching this generation by making the “narrow way” a “wide way” as spoken of by Jesus Himself:

Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it – Matthew 7:13-14

But I believe it is time to cry out “apostasy” like Jeremiah did – whether or not it is popular… Time is SHORT and many souls are in the balance!

While some of the teachings in the Emergent Church Movement may seem rather harmless, a number of general trends reveal a form of Christianity that is in defiance of the central message of the Old and New Testament Scriptures. For example, Brian McLaren, a well known leader of this movement, has gone on record saying that hell is not a place of judgment. Instead, he believes that hell is nothing more than what Jesus “said” the Jews would face after His departure from planet earth – His ascension to Heaven.

Needless to say, McLaren makes no effort to hide the fact that he supports today’s “Palestine Movement” in which stands against Israel. The words of warning from God Himself should immediately come to our minds:

I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you – Genesis 12:3

This unbiblical and anti-Semitic worldview is becoming much more commonplace among “evangelical” churches these days and must be exposed…

In closing:

We have been warned through the Word of God not to engage in pagan practices – of any kind…

Contemplative Prayer

This brief commentary does not allow the space required to do this subject justice. However, if there was one item I could warn you about and one item only, it would be the onslaught of a concept known as contemplative prayer. This idea is promoted as a means to get closer to God. Here is what Richard Foster – one of the leading proponents – has to say about the practice of contemplative prayer:

“I also want to give a word of precaution. In the silent contemplation of God we are entering deeply into the spiritual realm, and there is such a thing as supernatural guidance that is not divine guidance. While the Bible does not give us a lot of information on the nature of the spiritual world, we do know… there are various orders of spiritual beings, and some of them are definitely not in cooperation with God and his way! …But for now I want to encourage you to learn and practice prayers of protection… All dark and evil spirits must now leave.” – Richard Foster, Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home (San Francisco, CA.: Harper, 1992, First Edition) p. 157

Are you shocked? If you are not, you should be! It is a fact that Buddhists and Hindus practice this same contemplative prayer methodology as a means of getting into an altered state of consciousness – Transcendental Meditation (TM). My question is simply this: Should Christians embrace the same methods used by pagans to connect with God? The Bible is clear – No we should not! What “god” will they get in touch with?

We must heed these words from the Prophet Jeremiah to the people he was called to warn:

And the Lord said to me, “A conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers who refused to hear My words, and they have gone after other gods to serve them; the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken My covenant which I made with their fathers. Therefore thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will surely bring calamity on them which they will not be able to escape; and though they cry out to Me, I will not listen to them – Jeremiah 11:9-11

Do you see the desperate need for Jeremiah’s message today? Being led away from God and His Word by seducing spirits and doctrines of demons is a serious offense. It’s time to wake up Bible-believing Christians – or suffer the dire consequences!

Closing Prayer: Lord help us to lovingly reach out to the lost with the saving grace of Jesus Christ, as we understand the times in which we are living today!

Praise the Lord!

May the Lord Jesus Christ continue to bless you with His perfect love, mercy and grace!

Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!

 

Blessings!

Shane <><

For You

Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you.  Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.  And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.  Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  1 Thessalonians 5:12-18

Around this time of year, I give thanks for the many things God has given me.  Of course, I have thanked family members and friends along with my team and peers.  I also gave thanks to my fellow devotion writers.  Today, I want to give thanks to someone that inspires me each and every Wednesday to write my devotions even when I do not feel God inspired.  This is a person when I feel that I’ve lost my way gives me words of encouragement to continue fighting the good fight.  Today, I quite simply want to thank someone who I rarely directly acknowledge; you.

Each of you who chose to receive and read my devotions each and every week has driven me to write what God has placed on my heart.  This is not to say that God is not awe inspiring alone and does not give me fuel.  However sometimes, I lose sight of God.  I will just throw my hands up, and say to God, “I don’t know what to do or say.”  Then feeling confused and uninspired after hitting the proverbial button of doom that says ‘Post,’ one of you will say something.  “That’s what I really needed to hear today,” one said.  “Amen, and amen,” says another with exclamation points.  Each of us fights their own battle in the world, and as today’s verses remind me, you work hard, live in peace, challenge the status quo, and do what is good.  That gives me reason to rejoice and give thanks today and beyond.

Humility is knowing through Christ you can do extraordinary things and not much without Him.  Each of you humbly has the ability to inspire through His spirit that dwells within.  As you enjoy this Thanksgiving, remember that you can be the voice of God to others who have never heard Him.  Don’t think about it.  Know it.  Who can you thank for your journey of faith?  Who can you inspire or encourage with the heart of Christ?  My prayer is that your hearts are filled with the love of Christ in knowing that this God centered devotion is simply to give thanks for . . . YOU.  Amen, and have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving!

Tues Devo: Thankful

Hello - For this week, a Psalm that gives thanks to our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:

Psalm 9 (NASB)

“1 I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart;
I will tell of all Your wonders.
2 I will be glad and exult in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

3 When my enemies turn back,
They stumble and perish before You.
4 For You have maintained my just cause;
You have sat on the throne judging righteously.
5 You have rebuked the nations, You have destroyed the wicked;
You have blotted out their name forever and ever.
6 The enemy has come to an end in perpetual ruins,
And You have uprooted the cities;
The very memory of them has perished.

7 But the Lord abides forever;
He has established His throne for judgment,
8 And He will judge the world in righteousness;
He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity.
9 The Lord also will be a stronghold for the oppressed,
A stronghold in times of trouble;
10 And those who know Your name will put their trust in You,
For You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.

11 Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion;
Declare among the peoples His deeds.
12 For He who requires blood remembers them;
He does not forget the cry of the afflicted.
13 Be gracious to me, O Lord;
See my affliction from those who hate me,
You who lift me up from the gates of death,
14 That I may tell of all Your praises,
That in the gates of the daughter of Zion
I may rejoice in Your salvation.
15 The nations have sunk down in the pit which they have made;
In the net which they hid, their own foot has been caught.
16 The Lord has made Himself known;
He has executed judgment.
In the work of his own hands the wicked is snared. Higgaion Selah.

17 The wicked will return to Sheol,
Even all the nations who forget God.
18 For the needy will not always be forgotten,
Nor the hope of the afflicted perish forever.
19 Arise, O Lord, do not let man prevail;
Let the nations be judged before You.
20 Put them in fear, O Lord;
Let the nations know that they are but men.”

So thankful that God has chosen to desire relationship with us, and to offer us His fellowship and love.

Have a blessed day,

Will Hill