Tag Archives: Judgment

The Coming Judgment of God (Part 2) – Preparing Yourself Spiritually

19 Wednesday Aug 2015

Posted by in Bible, Christian, Christianity, Faith, God, Inspiration, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Life, Love, Spiritual

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Full Size ImageThunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes and even snow storms are a normal part of the natural occurrence of weather patterns. Each year, we can see both the beauty and the severity that exists as it relates to active weather scenarios. With each storm that approaches there is also the personal responsibility of everyone who will be affected to prepare and prepare adequately. Storms that are severe can and often impose hazardous conditions to those within range.

Thus, it is paramount that anyone who is warned of a looming storm prepare before it actually occurs. Lack of preparation will only lead to a disaster which could mean suffering minor or major injuries or even losing your life. Natural disaster mitigation has become more important than ever before due to the increase in the severity of weather patterns.

Spiritually speaking you and I must prepare ourselves before the judgment of God falls upon the nation that we live in. It is a fact that all nations will be judged by God at some point. In the book of Psalms chapter 9, the Psalmist David is actually giving adoration unto God for the judgment that He gives. Many of the Psalms which were written by David are songs of praise for the attributes and even the many acts that God had done for David in his life.

In chapter 9, David starts in verses 1-2 by giving praise:

(NLV) “I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart. I will tell of all the great things You have done. I will be glad and full of joy because of You. I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.”

Verses 3-6:

(NLV) “When those who hate me turn away, they fall and are lost from You. For You have stood by my right actions. You sit on Your throne and are right in how You judge. You have spoken sharp words to the nations and have destroyed the sinful. You have thrown out their name forever and ever.”

It is clear in verses 3-5 that David found himself in conflict with those who were considered to be his enemies. In Psalm 109, David prayed for the destruction of those who hated him or were against him. However, in Psalm 9, notice that the word ‘judge’ is used. This word is used to indicate that God is the ultimate judge over each person. This means that ultimately God will have the final say over every life and every nation.

Verses 6-8:

(NLV) “Those who fight against You are finished forever. You have destroyed their cities. They will be remembered no more. But the Lord lives forever. He has set up His throne to say who is guilty or not. He will punish the world by what is right. He will be fair as He rules the people.”

These verses point to the fact that God has and will judge the world. David says that God “will punish the world by what is right.” which means that any nation or any person who is not following God’s decrees or His will, will find themselves in a state of punishment as it relates to the wrath of God. As mentioned in part 1 of the topic of the coming of God’s judgment, there will be a day in which God’s judgment will fall.  Sin cannot continue without a penalty. David made it clear that God’s judgment during His time of living was one of fairness and swift punishment against all who rejected God in His righteousness.

If you look at our world today, there are many signs of the coming judgment that God will bring. Various acts of violence occur daily in addition to blatant examples of God’s decrees being rejected by the masses.  The truth is that we are living in a world that is godless.  It doesn’t mean that those who God has called out of darkness do not exist. However, the majority have decided to embrace wickedness and a lifestyle that is open to sinful behavior. Even with the monumental evidence pointing in a direction of accepted sinfulness, there are things that you and I can do to prepare for the coming wrath of God.

1. Ensure that you are truly in Christ – To be found in Christ is the safest place that you can be during a time of disaster.  Scripture makes it clear that everyone who engages in pride and a rejection of God’s authority will be judged and taken down.  Isaiah 2:12 says the following:

(KJV) “For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon everyone that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:”

However, in order to avoid calamity, you and I must find ourselves in a position of surrender unto Christ. You can think of being in a relationship with Jesus as being in a bunker or a cellar during a time of destruction. A bunker is a place in which you can hide during a time of a nuclear explosion. The purpose of a bunker is to shield those who are confined within it from the chemical elements and explosions that would be a result from chemical warfare. If you haven’t accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord & Savior, you are living in a life of sin and you are vulnerable to God’s judgment.  By finding yourself in Him, you will escape the penalty of a life that will be judged by God rather harshly.

2. Know what the signs of the times are – The truth is that we are living in the End Times. The End Times represent the active scenarios that will take place before Jesus Christ returns for those who have accepted Him as Lord & Savior.  The book of Matthew chapter 24 is a passage of scripture that points to many of the signs that would occur on Earth just before Jesus Christ will return. Many of the signs have taken place such as Earthquakes in many places, in addition to wars and rumors of wars.  Another such sign is the increase in wickedness which is stated in 2 Timothy 3:2.

The point is that we are seeing an escalation in the sinfulness of humanity in addition to increasing tragedies that are occurring daily. What you see on your local, national and international news networks are many signs which are pointing to the End Times. It is important that you and I are aware of the signs so that we are not caught unprepared when Christ returns. 1 Peter 4:7 says to be sober or aware so that you can be watchful and praying. We are to be mindful of the times that we live in and we are to be prayerful about our world and our very lives.

3. Know God’s Voice and know His truth – It is incumbent upon every person who desires to prepare before God’s judgment comes to know God’s voice and His truth. Knowing God’s voice comes by spending time with Him in prayer and in worship. It is the same as building a relationship with a person. The more you communicate and have a relationship, the more you will know the person’s voice or habits. God speaks in various ways but by spending time with Him you are then aware of His voice. God may be speaking to your heart and He may be urging you to deviate from your daily routine which may one day save your life.

Having a firm sense of when God is speaking and what He is saying will be vital during these times. Discerning His voice and knowing what He commands can be a difference in what happens to you and what you may avoid as a result. Knowing God’s Word will also help you to avoid the deception that satan proposes to us daily. If you don’t have a clear understanding of what God’s Word says and how to apply it, then you will fall for the lies of the world.

The fact is that God’s judgment is coming and it is coming soon. While you and I do not know exactly when the next wave of God’s judgment will fall, I can tell you that the day is sooner than not. God has already promised in various parts of the Bible that anyone who rejects His authority will be taken down by His righteous judgment. Every nation that approves of sinful behavior will be met with destruction. The judgment of God isn’t an easy topic to discuss, but it must be shared with the masses.

Every day there are many examples of how close we are coming to the judgment of God. It is only a matter of time before He reveals His wrath on every nation and person who is not found in Him. Will you be prepared for what is coming? If you don’t know Jesus Christ, today is the best day that you can accept His sacrifice. Find your safety in Jesus Christ and avoid the wrath of God’s judgment.

The Coming Judgment of God (Part 1)

14 Friday Aug 2015

Posted by in Bible, Christian, Christianity, Faith, God, Inspiration, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Life, Love, Spiritual

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ID-10036968If you have ever watched or even participated in the sport of surfing, you would have noticed that to surf you must endure considerable sized waves from the ocean. A skilled surfer can navigate through the water by employing various techniques in order to ride through waves as they rise and thrash around. However, there are also times in which surfing can be a challenging sport.

Even the most skilled of surfers can encounter waves that are so grandiose that they are unable to maintain stability.  As a result, the wave begins to overcome the individual by completely submerging the surfer underneath the swell of the wave. In some cases, it can be deadly and dangerous to experience a gigantic wave that has the capacity to overpower your very efforts to remain balanced. That is because of the wave’s sheer force which supplants even the most experienced of surfers. Regardless of how much experience a surfer may have, there are moments when he/she is not a match for the magnitude that a raging wave can bring.

The same concept can be applied spiritually in that there will be a day in which all of humanity will see God’s judgment on display. The analogy of a tidal wave represents the judgment of God. Basically, many are in their sin and ignoring the coming wrath and judgment that God will bring. In this context, the reference to God’s judgment is not concerning our individual judgment when you and I will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. The judgment that I am referring to is the wrath that God will display towards every nation that has rejected Him.

In the book of Amos chapter 5, there is yet another example of the people of Israel being judged because of their sins. It is important to note that although God has always had a covenant with the people of Israel, they were not exempt from being judged whenever they forsook God to engage in idolatry and disobedience. Amos was one of the many prophets in the Bible who prophesied against Israel by delivering the message of judgment that God had spoken.

In chapter 5 of the book of Amos, Amos is seen giving a call to repentance as it relates to the people of Israel. As it was many times before, the people of Israel had strayed away from God by turning to foreign gods and to sinful behavior.  Each time they did this they were judged harshly with various consequences.  According to this scripture in Amos, the people of Israel were essentially encouraged to turn back to God rather than continuing in their idolatry.

Verses 1-3:

(NLV) “Hear this word, O people of Israel, this song of sorrow which I sing for you: “The young pure woman Israel has fallen, and she will not rise again. She is left alone on her land. There is no one to raise her up.” For the Lord God says, “The city of Israel that sends out a thousand soldiers will have a hundred left. And the one that sends out a hundred will have ten left.” 

Verses 4-5:

(NLV) “The Lord says to the people of Israel, “Look for Me and live. But do not look for Bethel. Do not go to Gilgal or cross over to Beersheba. For the people of Gilgal will be taken away to a strange land, and Bethel will come to nothing.”

It is important to note that in these verses Amos is speaking to the reality of what Israel had become spiritually. Gilgal, Beersheba, and Bethel were all places that the people of Israel had committed idolatry.  Basically, idols and graven images had been erected in those places but as Amos prophesied, the places where idol worship had taken place would be no more.  Amos urges those in Israel to look to God so that they can live. Essentially, this was the final plea of Amos for those in their sin to turn to God rather than remaining in their disobedience.

Verses 6-7:

(NLV) “Look for the Lord and live, or He will break out like fire in the family of Joseph. It will destroy, and no one in Bethel will be able to stop it. You turn what is right into something bitter. You throw what is right and good down to the earth.”

Amos says that if they continue to reject God that God will destroy them as a fire destroys. Notice also verse 7 in which Amos says, “You turn what is right into something bitter. You throw what is right and good down to the earth.” If you look at all of the chaos and unrest that is occurring within our world today, it is a symptom of an underlying problem which is sinfulness. Just as this scripture points to the sins that the people of Israel were committing, many in our world are doing the same.  

Various laws are being passed worldwide which no longer provide a sanctity for life nor are they based on the foundation of God and His righteousness. Essentially, humanity has turned what is considered to be right or just into as Amos says “something bitter.” Even in verses 10-11, the people of Israel rejected the truth of God or anyone who spoke it. That is what many have done throughout our world. Many have chosen to deny the truth of God only to live by their own standard of truth. When this happens, there is a price to pay which is that of God’s righteous judgment.

In chapter 8 of Amos, the judgment of Israel is further predicted which eventually occurs later in chapter 9.  In chapter 8, Amos has a dream with the symbolism of a basket of fruit.  Here is what Amos says in verses 1-3:

(NLV) “This is what the Lord God showed me: There was a basket of summer fruit. And the Lord said, “What do you see, Amos?” I said, “A basket of summer fruit.” Then the Lord said to me, “The end has come for My people Israel. I will not change My mind again about punishing them. The songs of the king’s house will become loud cries of sorrow on that day,” says the Lord God. “There will be many dead bodies. In every place, they will be thrown out without a word.”

Looking at this scripture it is clear that the end of the people of Israel had come. God declared in verse 2 “I will not change My mind again about punishing them.” It came to a point in which God was so displeased that He had seen enough of the sin.  There will come a day for every nation and person who rejects God that their time will be cut short. If America and other foreign countries insist on instituting societies of blatant sinfulness, then there will be a day of reckoning.  Just as Israel received its judgment at that time, every nation that rejects God will also receive the judgment that it is due. 

The final part to notice are verses 11-12 which says:

(NLV) “The days are coming,” says the Lord God, “when I will send a time upon the land when the people will be very hungry. They will not be hungry for bread or thirsty for water, but they will be hungry to hear the Words of the Lord. People will go from sea to sea, and from the north to the east. They will go from place to place to look for the Word of the Lord, but they will not find it.”

Essentially, God declared that there would be a day in which the people of Israel would find themselves searching to hear from God, but they would hear nothing in return. The reason is because of the disobedience and rejection that the people of Israel engaged in. They were so steeped in their traditions and sinful behavior that they rejected the very God who had given them commands and even provided for them years earlier. So, since they made the choice to reject God, God decided that he would not speak to the people of Israel.

If you look at it in today’s context, our world is in a similar position.  God is speaking to us daily through people and various signs of the End Times. However, the majority are continuing to ignore what God has spoken.  As a result, there will come a day in which it will be too late to make amends for the sinfulness that has occurred.  The people of Israel were cast down for their disobedience.

God does not and will not tolerate the blatant sinfulness that is so prominent in our world today. There will be a time in which the hand of God will be completely removed. God’s grace is still hovering over our nations to a degree, but the more sinfulness that we engage in the further back his grace is removed. Now is the time for you and I to heed the call of God before His judgment falls.

If you don’t know Jesus as your personal Lord & Savior, today is a great day to give your life to Christ.  Our world continues to grow worse, but there is still hope.  Jesus Christ is the hope of the Earth. It is up to you to decide where your life will be found. Ony in Christ will you find safety.