Category Archives: Justice / Judgment

Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Father / Yahweh, Guide, Hearing from God, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Holy, Justice / Judgment, Obeying God, Promises, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Jehovah Does Not Accept You The Way You Are, He Calls You To Change

Sometimes we talk about our covenant with Jehovah without a clear communication and understanding of what a covenant is and what it is not. To put it simply, a covenant is an agreement between two parties, perhaps a bit like a contract. Each is expected to do their part and meet their commitment. There is no expectation that one side can ignore it and the other is still bound by it.

Others confuse scripture and think we have a separate covenant with Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew). Jesus is the way to the Father, He is one with the Father… He does not offer us a separate and different covenant that somehow accepts us just how we are without repentance for wrongdoing.

A covenant agreement requires commitment on both sides. Typically for Jehovah and His people this comes down to something like the following “If you will be My people and obey my instructions then I will be your God.” If His people break covenant, Jehovah is not pleased and He is not ambivalent or neutral… He is disappointed or even angered.

Leviticus 26

     14‘But if you do not obey Me and do not carry out all these commandments, 15if, instead, you reject My statutes, and if your soul abhors My ordinances so as not to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant, 16I, in turn, will do this to you: I will appoint over you a sudden terror, consumption and fever that will waste away the eyes and cause the soul to pine away; also, you will sow your seed uselessly, for your enemies will eat it up.

People often make the mistake of concluding that Jehovah has committed to “be their God” no matter how they behave and no matter where their heart lies and what they worship. Big mistake. Take note again in Exodus 24 as God calls the people to affirm their covenant with Him. The focus is on their obedience… not His acceptance of them the way they are.

Exodus 24

People Affirm Their Covenant with God

      1Then He said to Moses, “Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel, and you shall worship at a distance. 2“Moses alone, however, shall come near to the LORD, but they shall not come near, nor shall the people come up with him.”

      3Then Moses came and recounted to the people all the words of the LORD and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words which the LORD has spoken we will do!” 4Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. Then he arose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. 5He sent young men of the sons of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD. 6Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and the other half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 7Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!” 8So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

      9Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, 10and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself. 11Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank.

      12Now the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and remain there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the law and the commandment which I have written for their instruction.” 13So Moses arose with Joshua his servant, and Moses went up to the mountain of God. 14But to the elders he said, “Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a legal matter, let him approach them.” 15Then Moses went up to the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16The glory of the LORD rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; and on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud. 17And to the eyes of the sons of Israel the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountain top. 18Moses entered the midst of the cloud as he went up to the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Another beautiful theme we see shared in Exodus 24 is that those who submit themselves to Jehovah in obedience will literally be allowed to draw nearer to Him spiritually and relationally. It is a transformational experience to come into the presence of Jehovah! Praise to our Father in heaven. What a glorious and loving Father that provides us guidance on how we are to live and draw near to Him. If we live out our part of the covenant through wholehearted obedience, then we certainly can count on Him to fulfill His promises to be our God!

—-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Adultery / Sex Outside Marriage, Doubt / Lacking Faith, Drunkenness, Envy / Jealousy / Coveting, Greed, Homosexual Behavior, Idols / False Gods, Justice / Judgment, Mockers, Righteousness / Serving God, Sin, Stealing / Theft, Wickedness / Evil, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

The Unrighteous Will Not Inherit The Kingdom of God

All to often we are told by the culture of the world today that God loves and accepts all people regardless of behavior choices… whether they rebel against God or obey Him. The world twists scripture and reality to claim that people are born “with a tendency to sin” in a certain area and thus it is “not their fault”. Somehow, we are to believe, if someone is “predisposed” to a certain sin, then they are not expected to overcome it and turn from it. Instead we are told it is to be accepted out of love. The truth is much more clear and perhaps to some, harsh.

If I am born with poor balance and I fall often… I still get hurt. It is up to me to change my behavior to avoid the consequences of it. In this example of poor balance I should avoid walking along the edge of a roof or canyon where I may fall and die. I am responsible for my behavior.

To make it more silly… if I am born such that I will be very tall, like a basketball player… it is still up to me to make sure I adjust my behavior to avoid getting hurt by walking into the tops of low doorways or ceiling fans. The consequences are the same regardless of whether or not I have been “predisposed” to certain risk.

One area where this is still generally accepted is predisposition to alcohol or drug abuse. We do not encourage those individuals to drink and do drugs anyway… telling them it is not their fault. We encourage them to get help and change their behavior. They must choose to avoid situations that would even be tempting to them. If they drink or do drugs they still face the consequences of their actions.

The same is true of all manner of sin and we must take heed, lest we get in the habit of excusing all of it. Someone is not defined by their sin. They do not need to remain in it and accept it. It must be overcome with God’s help. To accept our sin and remain in it is to live in active rebellion to God and those who do so will not inherit the kingdom of God. Quite simply… when we actively ignore God and live in rebellion to His word it shows that we do not really believe in Him and that is a big warning sign that we are headed for hell when we die, unless we repent and submit to God.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

      9Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

Do not be deceived. Whether or not we are predisposed to a certain sin, the consequences of actively choosing to remain in sin are the same… separation from God and eternity without Him when we die. We do no one a favor by telling them it is ok to disregard what God has told us and just to embrace and accept their sin. We obey God and show love to others by showing them the truth with gentleness and love. We help them… not by accepting them in their sin but by leading them out of it.

—-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Justice / Judgment, Righteousness / Serving God, Sin

Are God’s Laws Really That Weird?

I am amazed how often I meet people who say they are disciples of Jesus, and then insist that all of the laws and commands that He obeyed and that Jehovah provided to His people are obsolete… no longer meaningful. “Grace allows us to do whatever we want”, they say. “Besides, all those Old Testament laws are weird and no longer apply anyway.”

To begin with, those who are true disciples of Jesus should model their behaviors and actions after those of Jesus. Jesus modeled and taught obedience to God’s laws, not a disregard for them.

Further, many who have already dismissed God’s laws do not even know what they are… have not read them or studied them. Are God’s laws really that weird? or are they actually foundational to our western civilization and to a just and loving society that lives in obedience to God?

Exodus 23:1-9

Sundry Laws

      1“You shall not bear a false report; do not join your hand with a wicked man to be a malicious witness. 2“You shall not follow the masses in doing evil, nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after a multitude in order to pervert justice; 3nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his dispute.

      4“If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey wandering away, you shall surely return it to him. 5“If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying helpless under its load, you shall refrain from leaving it to him, you shall surely release it with him.

      6“You shall not pervert the justice due to your needy brother in his dispute. 7“Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent or the righteous, for I will not acquit the guilty.

      8“You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of the just.

      9“You shall not oppress a stranger, since you yourselves know the feelings of a stranger, for you also were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Taking just this simple collection of laws as an example…

  • Do not bear false witness
  • Do not follow the crowd and do evil
  • Show respect even to your enemies and help them
  • Do not acquit the guilty nor kill the innocent or righteous
  • Do not take a bribe
  • Do not oppress a stranger

Which of these would we willingly want to discard? None. These are all foundational to a righteous and civilized society that lives according to God’s instruction. It is irrelevant if we are talking about thousands of years ago, today, or thousands of years from now. God’s values and instructions are timeless. Let us not be so quick to discard what He has provided to guide us… instead relying on our own fallible and ever-changing “wisdom” to guide and govern.

—-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Grace / Forgiveness, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Justice / Judgment, Kindness / Gentleness, Love, Obeying God, Praise / Worship / Glorify God

Follow The Example Of Christ, Our Loving Shepherd

We all have a tendency to stray, like sheep. Often foolishly straying into harm and away from our Shepherd. Jehovah’s plan included coming in the person of Jesus Christ to show us the example we should follow. What a loving Father indeed!

1 Peter 2:21-25

Christ Is Our Example

      21For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; 23and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 25For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

Christ was without sin, so what better role model is there we should follow? None. He was reviled and hated, but refused to hate in return. He was threatened and beaten and killed, but did not threaten others. He entrusted Himself to our loving Father, the righteous judge. Jesus paid the penalty of our sins on the cross… the judgment that was due to each of us for our sin. By Jesus’ suffering and death, coupled with our genuine submission to Him as Lord, repenting wrong behavior and attitudes, and asking forgiveness… we are healed and reconciled with the Father.

We stray like sheep, but we have a loving Shepherd who cares for us and calls us to Him. Praise Jehovah for His lovingkindness! Give thanks to Him today. He made a way for us to be reconciled to Him where we could never have done so on our own.

—-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Consequences of Sin, False Prophets / Teachers, Grace / Patience, Justice / Judgment, Prophecy, Righteousness / Serving God

The Day of the Lord Is Coming… Prepare Now!

Many today mock the return of the Lord Jesus, claiming that if He has not yet come, two thousand years after He died on the cross then He is not coming. They further rationalize, incorrectly, that He will not come at all and certainly not come in judgment of the ungodly. They confidently pursue after their own lusts and sinful desires without regard for the word of God or for God Himself.

Even some genuine believers begin to doubt the flawless nature of the Bible when confronted by mockers about the amount of time that has passed without Jesus’ return.

Would it surprise you that Jesus and His disciples knew this would happen?  In fact, Peter wrote about it in 2 Peter 3.

Purpose of This Letter

      1This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.

The Coming Day of the Lord

      3Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, 4and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” 5For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, 6through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. 7But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

      8But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 9The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

A New Heaven and Earth

      10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

      11Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

      14Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, 15and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, 18but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Time from our perspective is different from that of God. We can not count time from our perspective and expect to fully anticipate God’s timing in fulfilling the prophecy. Further, God’s motives are higher than our motives. His delay is not because He forgot… it is not because He is just slow… it is because He is patient and loves us. I know personally that if God would have brought about the end of the age 15 years ago, I would be in Hell for all eternity. But now, through His grace, I have hope in the promise of Heaven with Him.

Many try to predict when the end of the age will come… to what purpose? God tells us we will not know when it comes… it will come like a thief in the night. We can not wait to predict it in order to prepare for it. As God’s righteous people, we must prepare now!

Through Jesus Christ we may be found in peace, spotless and blameless… prepared for His return. (Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.) Take heed of the warning from Peter that there will be many errors and wrong teaching about the word of God by unprincipled men. We are forewarned and should take action to prepare ourselves through prayer and consistent study of the scriptures. We must learn to discern truth from fiction in regards to God’s word. Laziness on our part to study the word is no excuse for living an unrighteous life.  Through prayer and study, we can grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As we grow in knowledge, we must also apply it continually to our lives, to transform ourselves away from our selfish nature and to become more like Jesus Christ.

Even if you do not believe the end of the age is coming during your lifetime, you will be judged based on your relationship with Jesus (or lack of a relationship) when you reach the end of your life… and none of our tomorrow’s are promised. Studies show that 5 out of 5 people die… and they do not all know ahead of time when that will take place. Prepare now!

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

—-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

the way with scripture - for posts, medium 2

Am I on the path?, Anger (unrighteous anger), Consequences of Sin, Discerning / Judging, Discipline / Correction, Envy / Jealousy / Coveting, How do I get started?, Humility, Justice / Judgment, Obeying God, Peace / Rest, Righteousness / Serving God, Wickedness / Evil

Delight In The Will of God, For His Works Are Wonderful

God calls each of us to not only accept, but delight in His will rather than clinging stubbornly to our own. He is like a master craftsman working on a tapestry. He knows the entire picture, including not only the parts that have already been completed but also the parts that have yet to be completed. He sees the whole picture and how it works together. Each of us is but a single thread, without a view of the rest of the tapestry. He invites us to become part of His masterpiece. How often we stubbornly insist to God that we know what is best, but in truth… we see only a small part whereas He has great vision.

Psalm 37

  1Do not fret because of evildoers,
Be not envious toward wrongdoers.

      2For they will wither quickly like the grass
And fade like the green herb.

      3Trust in the LORD and do good;
Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.

      4Delight yourself in the LORD;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.

      5Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him, and He will do it.

      6He will bring forth your righteousness as the light
And your judgment as the noonday.

      7Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.

      8Cease from anger and forsake wrath;
Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.

      9For evildoers will be cut off,
But those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land.

      10Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more;
And you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there.

      11But the humble will inherit the land
And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.

      12The wicked plots against the righteous
And gnashes at him with his teeth.

      13The Lord laughs at him,
For He sees his day is coming.

      14The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow
To cast down the afflicted and the needy,
To slay those who are upright in conduct.

      15Their sword will enter their own heart,
And their bows will be broken.

      16Better is the little of the righteous
Than the abundance of many wicked.

      17For the arms of the wicked will be broken,
But the LORD sustains the righteous.

      18The LORD knows the days of the blameless,
And their inheritance will be forever.

      19They will not be ashamed in the time of evil,
And in the days of famine they will have abundance.

      20But the wicked will perish;
And the enemies of the LORD will be like the glory of the pastures, they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.

      21The wicked borrows and does not pay back,
But the righteous is gracious and gives.

      22For those blessed by Him will inherit the land,
But those cursed by Him will be cut off.

      23The steps of a man are established by the LORD,
And He delights in his way.

      24When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong,
Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand.

      25I have been young and now I am old,
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
Or his descendants begging bread.

      26All day long he is gracious and lends,
And his descendants are a blessing.

      27Depart from evil and do good,
So you will abide forever.

      28For the LORD loves justice
And does not forsake His godly ones;
They are preserved forever,
But the descendants of the wicked will be cut off.

      29The righteous will inherit the land
And dwell in it forever.

      30The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,
And his tongue speaks justice.

      31The law of his God is in his heart;
His steps do not slip.

      32The wicked spies upon the righteous
And seeks to kill him.

      33The LORD will not leave him in his hand
Or let him be condemned when he is judged.

      34Wait for the LORD and keep His way,
And He will exalt you to inherit the land;
When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

      35I have seen a wicked, violent man
Spreading himself like a luxuriant tree in its native soil.

      36Then he passed away, and lo, he was no more;
I sought for him, but he could not be found.

      37Mark the blameless man, and behold the upright;
For the man of peace will have a posterity.

      38But transgressors will be altogether destroyed;
The posterity of the wicked will be cut off.

      39But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;
He is their strength in time of trouble.

      40The LORD helps them and delivers them;
He delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
Because they take refuge in Him.

Submit your will to the Master and embrace His will with delight!

—-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

the way with scripture - for posts, medium 2

Character of God, Consequences of Sin, Discerning / Judging, Discipline / Correction, False Prophets / Teachers, Hypocrisy, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Justice / Judgment, Miracles, Prayer, Traditions / Holidays

“No Longer Shall There Be Any Fruit From You”

The context of Matthew 21:18-22 is important to understanding what Jesus was teaching. Without proper context, we will miss the point and walk away scratching our heads. Jesus had just been to the temple the night before and seen how what was holy, God’s temple, was being profaned by those selling animals and making a market out of it… a “robbers’ den”. He was returning again to Jerusalem and took the opportunity to teach His disciples about the coming judgment for those who choose hypocrisy and religion, while rejecting Jesus as Messiah.

  18Now in the morning, when He was returning to the city, He became hungry. 19Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it except leaves only; and He said to it, “No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you.” And at once the fig tree withered.

20Seeing this, the disciples were amazed and asked, “How did the fig tree wither all at once?” 21And Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen. 22“And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

Mark 11:12-14 also records these events, but provides a bit more detail in regards to the fact that figs were not in season, and thus the tree was not expected to have figs.

   12On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry. 13Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening.

Why did Jesus curse the fig tree? Was Jesus just grumpy because there were no figs when He was hungry? Did Jesus not know figs were out of season? Of course not!

Jesus was taking the opportunity to have a teachable moment with His disciples. Having just witnessed how the chief priests had allowed God’s holy temple to be profaned and made common, Jesus was making a point. The religious leaders that were supposed to be serving God faithfully and prayerfully, doing things God’s way, and bearing godly fruit in service to God were instead clinging to traditions of men and living as hypocrites, losing sight of the commands of God. They even refused to recognize Jesus as Messiah despite their knowledge of the coming Messiah and the evidence all around them that Jesus was the Messiah.

Jesus uses the fig tree to illustrate to His disciples the curse that God will put on such a people who reject Him. Yes, God does provide righteous judgment to those who reject Him, even more so when they should clearly know better.

The disciples are, of course, amazed by the noticeable withering of the fig tree. When Jesus tells them that faith enables them to do the same or even cast a mountain into the sea, we must be careful not to take it literally. Clearly, with God, many mighty miracles are possible such as those with Moses and Elijah. However, we must look throughout scripture and test how the disciples understood Jesus’ message to verify what Jesus meant. We never see prophets or disciples of God just going around “moving mountains” literally at their own discretion. That is not the point and that is not what the disciples understood Jesus to be saying, or they would have tried to do so at some point. The point is that when we seek God’s will, and listen to His instruction faithfully and without doubt, He will enable us to accomplish the work He has for us, even if it requires incredible miracles! God’s power is not something that we control for our own use and our own will, but something Gods provides as He helps us accomplish His will.

Each of us should  consider if we are bearing good fruit for God. Is it visible in our lives? Do people clearly know we are serving God? Are we serving God His way, set apart from the way of the world? or are we serving God to the point of comfort and convenience?

Do not expect miracles if you  are only submitted to God to the point of comfort and convenience and are still doing things your way instead of His. So long as you are not fully committed to Jesus, you are still in rebellion against Him. There is no neutral ground. You submit to Him fully or you rebel against His leadership.

—-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

the way with scripture - for posts, medium 2

Character of God, Consequences of Sin, Heaven and Hell, Justice / Judgment, Parables

Hell Is Real – Prepare Today To Avoid It Tomorrow

If you accept Jesus Christ as Lord, so must you accept that hell is real. Many of our churches today do not teach on hell because it makes people uncomfortable. People want to believe that everyone goes to heaven and there is no hell. However Jesus Christ Himself spoke about hell on many occasions and warned people to avoid it with a sense of urgency. He knew it to be important to warn people about hell because it is a miserable place and our decision to accept or reject God will have eternal consequences.

[John 3:16-18] 16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave[a] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.

[Matthew 25:41-46] 41 “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.[g] 42 For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’

44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’

45 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’

46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”

[John 5:24-30] 24 “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.

25 “And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear my voice—the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live. 26 The Father has life in himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son. 27 And he has given him authority to judge everyone because he is the Son of Man.[d] 28 Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, 29 and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment. 30 I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will.

 If we love others, we must tell them about hell as Jesus did. If we saw a building was on fire and people were having a party inside, would we not come and tell them with a sense of urgency? If they still did not believe us, would we not tell them again trying to point to the evidence of it, urging them at least to come and look for themselves? It would be a true failure on our part as Christians to just walk by their house as it burned and say “I am sure they are aware of the fire and have chosen to remain inside, so they are responsible for themselves. I do not want to upset them and disturb their good time. I don’t want them to make fun of me and I certainly don’t want them to feel embarrassed or self conscious about remaining in an house that is on fire. ”

If you accept Jesus as Lord, you must also accept heaven and hell as real. He taught about them often. Just because it may be unpopular does not make it false. Are you living your life as if heaven and hell are real and eternal? Are you telling others with a sense of urgency, as if to rescue them from a burning building?

—-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

the way with scripture - for posts, medium 2

Anger (unrighteous anger), Bitterness / Resentment, Consequences of Sin, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Heaven and Hell, Justice / Judgment, Suffering / Adversity, Wickedness / Evil

Harsh Judgment Awaits Those Who Reject Christ

Jesus speaks about the judgment of unbelievers in Matthew 11:20-24. He indicates that there are different levels of judgment in hell as He elsewhere in scripture indicates about heaven as well. He refers to the wicked people of Tire and Sidon being “better off” on judgment day than those of other cities like Korazin and Bethsaida where Jesus personally performed many of His miracles.

20 Then Jesus began to denounce the towns where he had done so many of his miracles, because they hadn’t repented of their sins and turned to God. 21 “What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse. 22 I tell you, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you.

23 “And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead.[a] For if the miracles I did for you had been done in wicked Sodom, it would still be here today. 24 I tell you, even Sodom will be better off on judgment day than you.”

For those to whom He clearly reveals Himself as God, there is a higher punishment when they reject Him. Those of us who are exposed to the gospel in our country or in our churches will have no explanation other than outright rejection of God if we refuse to listen and hear Him. Judgment will be harsh.

Do not let anger or bitterness separate you from God. Do not let suffering in this world separate you from God, but rather let those things draw you closer to Him as you seek comfort and protection.

Each of us will come before God and face judgment. None of us is promised a tomorrow in which to get right with God. We must seize the moment in time that God has given us and seek Him wholeheartedly now, repenting from our sinful and selfish behaviors and choices and following Jesus.

To delay to risk living a pointless and selfish life now and eternity separated from God in hell.

—-

Please share our devotionals with your friends and family and visit our website at www.HearingFromJesus.org to see more.

the way with scripture - for posts, medium 2

Character of God, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Justice / Judgment, Sin

No Condemnation For Those Who Belong To Christ Jesus

Many in the world and in the body of Christ focus on God’s love and then use that as an excuse to remain in sin and choose not to repent.

“I was born this way. Since God is love, He would not make me to  be drawn to drunkenness or homosexual behavior or adultery or unrighteous anger or gossip or lying (and so on…)  and then judge me for it.”

This line of reasoning is a rationalization (a.k.a. excuse) to remain in sin. One could use this misguided rationalization to excuse any sin. That is not consistent with God’s call for us to turn from our sin, repent and seek Him wholeheartedly.

We are all born inherently sinful and must ultimately make a choice as to whether we will embrace and accept “our sin” or reject it and work to overcome it through Jesus Christ. Some are drawn more to one sin vs. another, but all sin is offensive to God.

Love is one important aspect of God’s character. His character also includes righteousness, holiness, and justice.  God is holy and righteous and calls us to be the same. There is a necessary judgment for our sin as we fall short of God’s perfect standard. But because God loves us so much, He came in the person of Jesus Christ, lived a perfect life both fully man and fully God, and then died on the cross for our sin.

All we have to do now is accept His grace, His offer of salvation… by accepting Jesus Christ as lord and savior. When we truly do this, our lives change and we become more like Him and less like the world. We turn away from our sin and change our behaviors and thoughts.

[Romans 8:1] So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.

[2 Peter 3:8-10] 8 But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.

God has given us, as followers of Jesus Christ, the task of reconciling people to Him and sharing the good news of the gospel.

[2 Corinthians 5:18-21] 18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin,[e] so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

—-

Please share our devotionals with your friends and family. Help us to share the good news of the gospel!

the way with scripture - for posts, medium 2