Today’s Readings:
Matthew 25:31-34, 41, 46
Revelation 20:4-6
"But when the Son of Man comes in His glory and majesty and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. [Rev. 20:4-6] All the nations will be gathered before Him [for judgement]; and He will separate them from one another, as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats; [Ezek. 34:17] and He will put the sheep on His right [the place of honour], and the goats on His left [the place of rejection]. Then the King, will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father [you favoured of God, appointed to eternal salvation], inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. … ” Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Leave Me, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels {demons}; … Then these [unbelieving people] will go away into eternal {unending} punishment, but those who are righteous and in right standing with God [will go, by His remarkable grace] into eternal unending} life” [Dan 12:2]; (Matthew 25:31-34, 41, 46 AMPV)
The passages above are very devastating and frightening to imagine, but they are true. It is an undeniable fact that our Lord Jesus Christ is coming back to judge the quick and the dead, because the dead shall rise from their grave. The issue here now is how prepared am I; how prepared are you to meet Him. The terms wrath, trouble, distress, destruction, devastation, darkness, gloom, clouds and thick darkness are clear indication that it is a great day of the Lord’s furious judgement, a day of doom, a day of confusion and calamity (Zeph. 1:15). A day that the military, the untouchables, the stupendously rich, and mighty, the high and low shall be terribly helpless and there will be no route of escape. This is as a result of sin of gross disobedience against God.
At judgement, the Lord shall separate His obedient followers from the pretenders and the unbelievers. The evidence of our belief is seen in the way we response to God’s deeds of mercy (Matt. 25:35-36):
By confessing Jesus Christ (Matt. 10:32).
By treating others as you would love them to treat you.
By dealing with the less privilege, the widows, orphans, helpless and the poor (Lk16:19-25).
By your belief in Christ and trust in Him (Mt. 10:32-33).
By the way you are dealing with the Gospel of Christ, and the messengers (Mt. 12:50; 28:10).
By the way you are forgiving those who offended you, and praying for them.
By the way you deal with the perishing souls, the pretenders and the unbelievers after your own salvation.
Hell is real, the place of eternal torment, lake of fire. For Jesus, works, faith, and approval at the judgement are consistently linked with his teachings. All Jesus’ teachings, the preachers proclaiming the Gospel of truth and love in Christ are the beginning of genuine repentance (3:8-10) that brings transformation of the heart and mind that results to turning away from sin to God (4::17). These guidelight leads to internal reorientation through the acts of God’s grace which result in life time obedience by the help of the Holy Spirit. This is to save us from the place of torment. Good words is an undiluted consequence of a cordial relation with Jesus Christ (7:15-20; 10:32-33; 12:33-37).
A misappropriation of the concept of our salvation by grace alone will lead to false division of faith and works. We are not saved by works alone, but by work, and faith. And Jesus promises blessing and reward to those who live according to the will of God (Mt. 5:3-12). Therefore, holy living and righteousness of God is expected of any one who aspires to operate in the realm of the kingdom of God (5:20-48; 7:21; 22:11). A saving faith results in works (Jas 2:14-26).
The day of the wrath of God is coming, when everything will perish (Jer.10:11), And the lake of fire is for eternity.
OLUFUNMILAYO TITILOLA ADEKUSIBE
Prayer:
O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth.
Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people
For the Lorde is great, and greatly to be praised: He is to be feared above all gods.
Lord, grant me the wisdom, the love, the understanding with revelation to deal with the perishing souls and the unreached, in Jesus name.
Whether the enemy likes it of not, I will fulfil my destiny to the glory of God in Jesus name.
By the mercy of God and the blood of Jesus, I release myself from every inherited backwardness, bondage and limitation, in Jesus name.
Lord, let there be deep, great, mighty deliverance and transformation in my life and family, in Jesus name.
Lord unite Your Church in mercy and love to courageously proclaim Jesus Christ, in Jesus name.
Lord by the power of Your Holy Ghost, empower our leaders to lead us according to the will and plan of God for our nation, in Jesus name.
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