Title October 2018

ARE YOU SURE YOU WON’T BE JUDGED ON THAT DAY?

Imagine, for a moment, Adolf Hitler—the German dictator who sparked the Second World War and orchestrated the deaths of millions of innocent civilians worldwide. If he were alive today, what do you think his fate would be? What kind of punishment would the whole world demand he receive?

It’s clear: most would call for a punishment marked by severe suffering, one that could begin to repay the evil he inflicted. The victims of the gas chambers, the innocent lives brutally cut short, the war itself—the injustice cries out for justice. People would want to see him pay for these crimes. And rightly so.

Now, imagine a shocking alternative: what if Hitler were captured, secretly held somewhere, but then released a few days later without trial or punishment—simply returned to freedom as an ordinary citizen? It sounds impossible. But with God, the impossible becomes possible.

Jesus said in John 5:24 (ESV):

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”

THE PROBLEM OF HUMAN IMPERFECTION AND GOD’S JUSTICE

My friend, no one is perfect. Our conscience bears witness to this every day. The Apostle Paul affirms this truth in Romans 3:23 (ESV):

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Because of this universal sinfulness, the just requirement of God’s law is judgment. The consequence of sin is death, as Paul explains in Romans 6:23 (ESV):

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The Bible is clear: everyone deserves judgment. But God, in His mercy, offers salvation through Jesus Christ. He promises eternal life to all who believe in Him—a life that begins now and continues forever, free from condemnation.

THE FINAL JUDGMENT AND THE GREAT WHITE THRONE

On the day of judgment, Christ will sit on the great white throne to judge all the nations. But those who have trusted in Him will not be there to face condemnation. Instead, they will stand with Him to judge the world.

This is described in Revelation 20:11-15 (ESV):

“Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.
The sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.
Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

WHERE DO YOU STAND?

Today, you might be struggling with addictions, sins, or guilt—maybe you feel hopeless or condemned. The truth is, without Jesus, everyone faces the terrifying reality of judgment and eternal separation from God.

Why continue risking your life by living carelessly? Why reject the amazing grace offered by Jesus—the grace that delivers us from judgment and grants us eternal life?

Jesus invites you:

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28 ESV)

WHAT MUST YOU DO?

  1. Repent — Turn from your sins and turn to Jesus (Acts 3:19).
  2. Believe — Trust in Jesus as your Lord and Savior (John 3:16).
  3. Be baptized — The Bible commands baptism by immersion in water, in the name of Jesus Christ, as an outward sign of your inward faith and cleansing from sin (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:4).
  4. Receive the Holy Spirit — Upon true faith and baptism, God gives His Spirit as a guarantee of your new life (Ephesians 1:13-14).

If you haven’t taken these steps, you have not truly passed from death into life. You remain under judgment.

A FINAL WORD

No one wants to stand trial—especially before God, the righteous Judge. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Repent now while there is still time. Surrender your life to Jesus Christ today.

May God bless you richly.

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The Sin That Caused Satan to Fall

Many of us know what happened before the events in Eden: the devil—Satan—rebelled against God and was cast down from the exalted position he once held. The Bible describes him as “the anointed cherub who covers,” highly honored and exalted on God’s holy mountain, above other angels. He was perfect in beauty, full of wisdom, and blameless in his ways—until the day iniquity was found in him (Ezekiel 28:12–17).

Because of the abundance of gifts, wisdom, and honor surrounding him, Satan’s heart became proud, and he desired to exalt himself to be like God. Isaiah 14:12–14 recounts his ambition:

“How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!
… You said in your heart: ‘I will ascend to heaven;
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
… I will make myself like the Most High.’”

Who deceived Satan?

The answer is simple: no one deceived Satan—he deceived himself. Seeing how God had exalted him, he longed for even more. Pride entered his heart, and though he was warned, he refused to turn back. Eventually, he was cast out of heaven, losing his place in God’s glorious presence. Yet God did not destroy him immediately, nor did He strip away his wisdom, beauty, or power—only his heavenly position.

Like a commander removed from his rank but still retaining his military expertise, Satan retained his abilities. Many mistakenly imagine that when Satan fell, he became a grotesque, horned creature incapable of rational thought. In truth, what he lost was the glory of God that once shone through him. Without God’s glory, spiritual death set in (Ezekiel 28:18).

The rise of the kingdom of darkness

By the time God created the first man, Adam, Satan had already established his rebellious kingdom—the kingdom of darkness—set against God’s kingdom (Colossians 1:13). Everything Satan does is in opposition to God’s purposes. Knowing that Adam was given a high position in God’s plan, Satan sought to extend his rebellion by bringing humanity down.

How? By planting in humans the same thought that caused his own fall—the desire to “be like God.”

Genesis 3:4–5 records the serpent’s deception of Eve:

“You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Satan tempted Adam and Eve with the very ambition that led to his own downfall. Instead of becoming like God, they lost their privileged position and were expelled from Eden—just as Satan had been expelled from heaven.

Satan’s unchanged strategy: Pride

Satan has not changed his tactics. The same spirit of pride that caused him to fall is what he uses to lead humanity astray today. Pride dethroned him, and he knows it is the surest way to bring people down.

Even within the church, Satan works to plant pride:

  • He stirs flattery and excessive praise toward pastors, teachers, or leaders, tempting them to believe they are superior.

  • He manipulates spiritual experiences—such as deliverances—where demons themselves flatter a servant of God: “We fear you! You are the only one who can torment us!” Forgetting that Satan is “the father of lies” (John 8:44), the minister may unknowingly fall into pride.

Jesus warned in Luke 14:11:

“For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Guarding against the spirit of pride

We must remember that wealth, beauty, status, talents, spiritual gifts, or ministry should never cause us to think we deserve special honor or that we stand next to God Himself. Pride remains the very weapon Satan uses to cause many to fall.

The Bible warns:

“So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12).

The antidote to pride is humility.
1 Peter 5:5–8 commands:

“Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him because He cares for you.
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

A call to repentance

Has the pride of life led you to believe that even salvation itself is not important? Repent today. Turn to Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38). Only in Christ can we resist the schemes of the devil and walk in victory over pride.

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

Stay humble, stay alert, and walk in the grace of God 

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How to Recognize God’s Voice When He Speaks to You

Many people struggle to hear the voice of God in their lives. This often happens because they don’t truly know the One they are praying to or perhaps because of how they were taught by their spiritual leaders.

Some have been told that when God speaks, it will sound like another person’s voice inside them, giving instructions and that this experience only comes once someone reaches a certain “spiritual level.”

Because of this, many people strive and struggle to reach that point trying to hear the Holy Spirit as if He were speaking audibly within them. But sadly, most end up hearing nothing, grow discouraged, and conclude that God doesn’t speak to them or that He is difficult to reach.

Yet the Lord reminds us in His Word:

Isaiah 65:12 (NIV)
“For when I called, you did not answer; when I spoke, you did not listen. You did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me.”

Do you see that?
God speaks to everyone He calls, but we don’t respond. The problem isn’t that God is silent; it’s that we don’t recognize His voice. We want God to speak on our terms how we expect Him to but we aren’t willing to listen on His terms. And that’s where we miss Him.

The primary way God speaks to His people is through His Word. If the Word of God doesn’t live in you, it will be difficult to recognize His voice. He may speak but you won’t understand.

That’s why the first thing God does in someone’s life is to fill them with His Word so that when He speaks, they can hear and understand clearly.

Let’s look at a few examples from everyday life.

Example 1: Rachel’s Story

Imagine a woman named Rachel. She has worked faithfully in the same position for years, yet she’s often overlooked, criticized, and treated unfairly. She prays with tears, asking God to promote her to lift her higher.

But soon after praying, things at work get even worse. The mistreatment increases, her workload doubles, her boss dislikes her more, and yet her salary stays the same. Rachel begins to think, “God hasn’t heard my prayers.” Discouraged, she gives up.

But what was God’s plan for Rachel?

At home, Rachel is a married Christian woman with two children and a housemaid who helps with household chores. Rachel loves her family—but she treats her maid harshly. She wakes her up very early, gives her too much work, scolds her often, and never appreciates her efforts. The maid works late into the night but never receives extra pay or rest.

Now notice: the same way Rachel treats her maid is exactly how she is being treated at work.

When Rachel prayed, God answered but not in the way she expected. He allowed her to experience what her maid experiences, so that she might learn through His Word.

If Rachel had paused to reflect on Scripture, she might have heard God saying:

Matthew 7:12 (NIV)
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.”

Luke 6:38 (NIV)
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

That was God’s voice to Rachel. Because He loved her, He answered her prayer according to His Word.

If she had recognized His voice, she would have repented treated her maid kindly, allowed her time to rest, and raised her pay. And without striving or struggling, she would have soon seen transformation at work: favor with her boss, promotion, peace, and blessing.

God’s Word proves true:

“For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Example 2: The Single Woman

Another woman prays earnestly for a husband someone who is loving, God-fearing, and mature. Shortly after, she hears a sermon about how Christian women should dress modestly, in a way that pleases God. The preacher reads:

1 Timothy 2:9–10 (NIV)
“I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.”

But she brushes it off, thinking, “That’s old-fashioned.”
What she doesn’t realize is that God is speaking to her preparing her heart and character to become the kind of woman a godly man is praying for.

Meanwhile, somewhere else, a man of God is praying for a modest, humble woman who lives in holiness. Because she ignores God’s gentle correction, she misses that opportunity and continues to struggle in singleness—or ends up with the wrong partner.

The problem isn’t that God didn’t answer; it’s that she didn’t recognize His voice when He spoke.

Example 3: The Sick Man

A man is suffering from a chronic illness say HIV. He prays in faith, goes from one preacher to another, even travels to different countries seeking healing but nothing happens. Eventually he loses hope and thinks, “God isn’t listening.”

But soon after he first prayed, he heard a sermon on the radio that said, “The root of all suffering is sin. The root of sickness is sin.” The preacher urged repentance and holiness, encouraging people to turn from sin and surrender their lives fully to Jesus Christ.

That message stirred his heart but he dismissed it as just another “religious talk,” not realizing that it was God’s voice calling him to repentance, which was the doorway to his healing.

If he had known God’s Word, he might have remembered:

Proverbs 3:7–8 (NIV)
“Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.”

Jeremiah 30:17 (NIV)
“But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,” declares the Lord.

Sometimes illnesses are tied to spiritual covenants that can only be broken through the new covenant in the blood of Jesus. Many people ask God for healing, deliverance, or success—but they ignore the way He speaks. They want Him to respond according to their ways, not His.

But God always works according to His Word.

Unless you are a true follower of Christ one who stands firmly in His Word you will not recognize His voice. You may pray daily, fast, and cry, yet receive nothing. The issue isn’t with God it’s with you.

Listen again to what God says:

Isaiah 66:4 (NIV)
“I also will choose harsh treatment for them and will bring on them what they dread. For when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened. They did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me.”

A Call to You

Dear friend, hear the voice of God speaking to you today.

Do you want to be part of the Rapture?  Repent! Let your sins be washed by the blood of Jesus and live a holy life.
Do you want healing? Turn away from sin!
Do you want deliverance?  Abandon fornication, pornography, drunkenness, gossip, bribery, theft, and immodest dressing!

Stop filling your life with things that don’t build your spirit. Instead, start studying God’s Word so that when He speaks, you can recognize His voice and understand His answers.

Remember this truth:
Prayers are not answered through anointing oil, water, or salt God answers only through His Word.

May God bless you richly.

 

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