STORY OF JUDGEMENT An experienced fireman was recently charged with grave neglect of duty. The prosecutors maintained that he abandoned his responsibility when he failed to release rescue equipment. This resulted in needless and tragic deaths of a family of 5. Eye witnesses were sickened when they found out that the reason the fireman remained in the emergency vehicle was because he was testing a new high-tech CD player, which he maintained that he had bought as a gift for the fire chief. The fire chief immediately distanced himself from the defendant and he dishonourably discharged him from the department. In a prepared statement the chief said “ there are no words to describe such a betrayal of those that he was sworn to protect”. The lead prosecuting attorney argued that for more than 3 minutes after arriving on the scene the fireman wore earphones and listened to a cd, while a family of five was screaming to be rescued from the 6th floor of a burning building. Horrified on-lookers related that as flames licked her clothing a mother cried out in terror and fell to her death while still clutching an infant in her arms. Other witnesses said that the father was clutching 2 terrified children, as he was engulfed by the massive flames. This terrifying drama took place in full view of the fireman, as he remained seated in the vehicle listening to the CD. The defence pleaded no contest but added that the defendant went through great personal sacrifice to purchase the expensive gift for the chief and hoped that the judge would take that into consideration when he passed sentence. What do you think is a fitting punishment for this serious crime 2 years in prison? 20 years ? A life sentence? Capital punishment? Please choose an answer before reading on. It’s easy for a christian to love and praise the Lord, but it is not as easy to demonstrate that love by obeying his commands. His commands to seek and save the lost. Acts 1:8 (New King James Version)
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me[a] in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” The reason we and the church exist on earth is for us to be a witness to Jesus Christ. That is what being a Christian is. It is believed that only 2% of Christians in America share their faith regularly with others. It seems that the vast majority of Christians are either too locked in worship and don’t care about the cries of the ungodly or their fate or they don’t know what to say and they don’t share their faith. But that’s like that fireman saying that he didn’t know how to rescue those people. But as a fireman he should have studied and learned how to climb a ladder to rescue people. The point is that if you are not sharing your faith and you’re not seeking the lost and obeying the scriptures to save them with fear, pulling them out of the fire. If you don’t have enough concern for them to do that, then YOU are that fireman. Jesus said “if you love me keep my commandments”. And if we are merely drawing near to Him with our lip service but remaining far from Him in our hearts, refusing to do those things he’s told us to do, then He is not our Lord and he will distance himself from us on the day of judgement, despite our sacrifice of praise. We will cry to him Lord, Lord and he will say to us depart from me I never knew you. What sentence did you give that fireman? Are you and I honest enough to judge ourselves by the same standard? Think of the fate of that family, think of his dreadful neglect of duty, he was a traitor, a Judas, he was not a fireman. Their blood was on his hands. Now think of the people you know who aren’t saved and think of their terrible fate. Now think of our neglect of duty. Charles H Spurgeon said “Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you are not saved yourself, be sure of that.” If we go to heaven and face God will we be able to stick up for ourselves when he judges us and accuses us of our sins? Are we justified if he asks us why we haven’t done certain things and we tell him that we didn’t know exactly what we had to do? He gave us the bible. It’s been there all along and was written over centuries. SO are we justified? Or did we subtly reject Him and His word? Think! don’t presume or assume, these are not things to play around with, it involves eternity, now is your chance, once this life is over (and you never know when that time will come) there’s no second chance. Luke 13:25-29 (New International Version - UK)
25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.' But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.' 26 Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.' 27 But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!' 28 There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. 29 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God.
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We Christians too often substitute prayer for playing the game. Prayer is good; but when used as a substitute for disobedience, it is nothing but a blatant hypocricy, a despicable pharasaism. To your knees, man! And to your Bible! Decide at once! Don’t hedge! Time flies! Cease your insults to God. Quit consulting flesh and blood. Stop your lame, lying, and cowardly excuses. Enlist! C.T. Studd
Are you a good person? Have you ever lied? Have you ever stolen anything at all from anyone or anywhere? Have you ever used God’s name in vain? Have you ever looked with lust? Have you ever hated anybody? Please answer the questions before reading on. The bible says that whoever hates his brother has committed murder “Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him”(1 John 3:15 ) The bible also says that lusting is equivalent to committing adultery Matthew 5:28 If you have answered yes to all of these (to which most people will answer yes to) then you are a lying, thieving, blasphemous and adulterous murderer by your own admission, yet you probably consider yourself a good person deserving of heaven. This is called SELF-righteousness and below are a few things that the bible says about self-righteosness. Proverbs 14:16 James 3:16 2 Peter 2:10 Matthew 23:25 We are all unable to be Good because only God is good. No one is able to keep all the commandments and to answer no to all the questions above. That’s why we need God because righteousness comes only through Him and His grace, through our repentance and His forgiveness.
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