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Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil. (KJV)
How about some spring cleaning Church; go into that place you have kept the door shut to, stashing things in secret, and clean it out. Today we have many in a secret society who think no one see’s or is watching. Many of those people claim to be God’s, but don’t renew their mind daily, and forget that God has some things He would like to speak with them about; like those secrets you think you are keeping from Him. Isaiah 42:13-15 The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies. 14 I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once. 15 I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools. (KJV) Our Lord is longsuffering and very patient with us. The trick of the enemy is to get the Church thinking that they are getting away with something that they are trying to keep secret and hidden; but when the Lord decides enough is enough, many will experience a side of Him they didn’t expect or desire to see. 2 Corinthians 4:1-2 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. (KJV) The Day of Judgment should not be something we dread; for the Church it is something to look forward to if you are willing to come clean before God. There are things man may not be aware of that is an offense to God. By giving heed to His correction it will be like a spiritual drano that gets rid of the clogs that keep the living waters from flowing through you. Psalm 19:12-13 Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults. 13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. (KJV) How about joining a different secret society, one where we get rid of things that are not healthy, and replace them with something that is pleasing in God’s sight. Psalm 90:8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. (KJV) In today’s society we are surrounded by scandals, people in places of importance caught doing things they knew were not right for their own advantage. Well it’s not the scandal itself that is so annoying; it’s the cover up that bothers people the most. The same holds true with God’s people, the sin is one thing; it’s the cover up He doesn’t appreciate and not something that will go unnoticed or unpunished. 1 Corinthians 15:49-50 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. (KJV) So what kind of resume are you bringing to the throne today? Is it one that our Lord accepts, or is there fine print you tried to hide on the bottom that you thought would go unnoticed? Dearly loved, let the weight of anything hidden be lifted off of you so that you can freely move forward in peace with God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:10-11 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 is good or bad. 11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. (KJV)
Today mankind is so puffed up that they have the gall to say “my body my choice”. Half that statement is true, at least the choice part, but the reality is that your body is not yours but the Lord’s. Someday you will have to stand before Him and give an account of what you did with His temple before trading it in for a new glorified one that will last forever. However, just like with a car lot, they are going to check out your trade in to make sure it is not junk. Our Lord has His own car fax so to speak, so He already knows what has happened with your vehicle. 1 Corinthians 6:13-15 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. 14 And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power. 15 Know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of a harlot? God forbid. (KJV) The devil has convinced many that marriage is old fashioned and out of date. Many think it's okay to take a test ride before marriage, but our Lord still considers that a deal breaker. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. (KJV) It took quite a price for you to be bought back and redeemed from the curse. Someday our Lord is going to have you stand before Him and give and account of what He is getting in return. It is important what you do with your body, or who you decide to do it with. Something you may want to keep in mind before selling your soul for a feeling. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. (KJV) The question was asked about smoking and would it keep one out of the kingdom of heaven. The statement was also made by the individual trying to justify their actions which they already knew was wrong. If you destroy this temple which is the body, well as you see clearly above what goes around will come back around. You were given this temple to get you through this realm and into the next one without any major breakdowns. So if you are the one responsible for the breakdown, it will need to be fixed. 3 John 1:2-4 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers. 3 For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walks in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. (KJV) Many of God’s people are getting sucker punched because they haven’t kept the temple of God up and running the way they should. You know people catch colds and other ailments, but good health is something you just don’t catch unless you pursue it in a godly way. God bless dearly loved and stay healthy; body, soul, and spirit. Have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. Luke 6:36-39 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. 37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: 38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. 39 And he spoke a parable unto them; Can the blind lead the blind? Shall they not both fall into the ditch? (KJV)
How many times have we heard Luke 6:38 quoted, or rather misquoted? So many false prophets use this verse thinking it only refers to money or tithing, but as we see above the Lord is more interested in things like the self righteous judgments we make on others because of a lack of mercy we are willing to show them. So when you hear all these phony money pitches from so many false prophets you can see in verse 39 they have ditched the truth and are upside down with their wheels spinning idly in circles. Matthew 7:1-3 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3 And why behold thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considers not the beam that is in thine own eye? (KJV) Is something rubbing you the wrong way? Your brother is having a bit of a struggle, so you chose to turn the high beams on in their direction instead of looking within to see if it is something that you may not have overcome yet. Not something our Lord is pleased with; and what usually happens is the light is shined back on you exposing the truth you’ve been trying to hide. 1 Corinthians 4:3-5 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. 4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judges me is the Lord. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. (KJV) Given the fact that in the end we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, why not let Him take over in that area today? Paul didn’t try to justify himself, but presented himself to God a living sacrifice so that God had someone to work in and through. He kept the line of communication open between Him and God and was willing to make whatever changes God thought were needed. Paul also realized he was saved by grace and not of works, so he left the works up to the Lord. John 9:39-41 And Jesus said, for judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. 40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, are we blind also? 41 Jesus said unto them, if ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, we see; therefore your sin remains. (KJV) Man leans more to the outward appearance than the inward which doesn’t quite jive with our Lord. Many religious people today fall in the same category because they judge and compare themselves with others rather than letting the Lord handle it. John 5:21-22 For as the Father raises up the dead, and quickens them; even so the Son quickens whom he will. 22 For the Father judges no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: (KJV) If our Father in heaven is willing to turn all judgment to His Son, shouldn’t that be good enough for the Church also? God bless dearly loved, and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ecclesiastes 8:11-13 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. 12 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: 13 But it shall not be well with the wicked; neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he fears not before God. (KJV)
Pride is a precursor to the fall. Mankind has tried to ignore God and govern themselves, and as we look around we see that it isn’t working out the way they thought it would. In fact the Bible is full of examples of those that have tried and failed miserably. God’s own people have done the same thing and are destroyed for a lack of knowledge because they forgot God and what He considers to be sin. One of the enemies’ greatest illusions is to make it appear that he doesn’t exist. In fact the enemy has also fooled many of God’s people making it appear God’s judgment doesn’t exist either and nothing bad is going to happen to them. Oh what a master of illusion he can be to those that don’t have the eyes of their understanding enlightened to the truth. Galatians 6:7-9 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever man sows, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. (KJV) Just because you think you got away with something once or twice, doesn’t mean someone else wasn’t watching and aware of it. Today man keeps pushing the envelope to see how far they can go, and if nothing happens they think they’ve got it made. Well Church don’t be deceived into thinking this will work, because the more you delay the process thinking you can get away with it, the further away from the Lord you get. Don’t be weary in well doing either, because God has a book of life and everything you have done according to His will is recorded in there. 2 Peter 3:3-6 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: (KJV) We are warned about the last days we are living in because just like in the days of Noah, history will repeat itself before our Lord returns to set planet earth straight. In fact we are so far gone that the only thing that can save mankind is divine intervention; otherwise we would self destruct which is what happened in the days of Noah. Many manmade religions scoff at the Lord’s plan of salvation replacing it with their own. So when they think they are growing because of large numbers they are ignorant of the fact that ear tickling and people pleasing is not something God considers to be successful in His kingdom. Dearly loved the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. God bless and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 2:15-16 Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) 16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. (KJV)
Today we have many who could be categorized as being a part of the secret society, those that think they can hide things. For many they are able to hide things from man, but our Lord sees right through the carnal cloaks they try to hide behind. Some day just like with Adam, they will realize their spiritual nakedness, but by then it will be too late to cover their behind. This week we will take a look at the judgment of God. Despite the fact that it appears that He is unconcerned with what is taking place in today’s world He has a plan and a way of dealing with things. Romans 9:22-23 What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, (KJV) God has a reason for His timing, even though we think He is late or isn’t paying attention to what is taking place on His planet. The reality is that the earth is the Lord’s, and we are just passing through. Think of this world as being the Lord’s stage, and we have a short time to audition for our eternal part. So instead of getting bent out of shape about what is taking place all around us, keep looking above and you won’t get taken down by the things of this fallen realm. Titus 3:2-6 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men. 3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving diver’s lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. 4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 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; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; (KJV) Speaking of mercy, remember what got you into the kingdom in the first place? It wasn’t your good looks or bright bubbly personality was it? And you were not the one God chose to hang on a cross either. So remember where you came from and don’t forget what manner of man you really were and still would be without the mercy of God intervening on your behalf. Matthew 5:7-9 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. (KJV) I know it’s frustrating to see a few individuals who make laws which are so contrary to sound doctrine that you could scream, but our Lord still has things under control and a plan to handle things when He lets man know who really is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Matthew 5:10-12 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. (KJV) Sometimes when fighting the good fight of faith you will have to take a punch spiritually while in the ring. Take comfort in the fact that you are not shadow boxing, and when you have done all to stand you have hit the opponent where it counts. God bless dearly loved, and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. |
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