Tag: judgment

Banished/Driven Out/Cast Out

On By vickleaIn Admonition, ScriptureLeave a comment

These verses are very sad, aren’t they? Adam and Eve were living in a perfect world, in total harmony with God and nature. Then, they sinned and God banished them from the Garden of Eden that He had created for them. Not only that, God put cherubim with a flaming sword to guard the tree of life. God, who made man in His image, casts him away from the closeness that he had enjoyed since creation. The hopelessness and despair must have been overwhelming.

Lest we decide to blame Adam and Eve for all of mankind’s problems, the Bible is filled with reminders that we are ALL sinners. Not one of us would have been allowed to stay in the Garden of Eden! We can now stop pointing that finger at Adam and Eve and point it back at ourselves. We are sinners. We are the reason that Christ had to die for the sins of mankind.

Aha! Hope follows despair if we know that Jesus is our Lord and that He died for us. God didn’t just send man out of the garden. He already had a plan for the redemption of mankind, if man would only believe and accept His free gift of salvation.

Like many of you, I have been watching with horror as a great swath of Los Angeles burns. I have been praying for the people there and for the firefighters and rescuers. But I have also been praying that no one has to suffer the eternal fires of hell. These fires in L.A. look hot and unrelenting. Imagine if you can the torment of eternity in a fire created by God for those who choose to go there. Yes, that’s right. If we don’t repent and ask Jesus to be our Savior, we are choosing to spend eternity separated from God and in the eternal fire of damnation.

As you sit mesmerized in front of your screen, please pray for all the people in L.A. But, more importantly, pray for the souls of all those who have not yet come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Let’s pray together that they come to salvation before Judgment Day.

God Is Our Devoted Doctor and Loving Parent

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion AppLeave a comment

www.bible.com/reading-plans/13952/day/4

The newspapers and all of the news stations on television are filled with stories of murders, assaults, wars, and general mayhem in the world. Social media is filled with people blasting one candidate or another who is running for an office. Meanwhile, God patiently waits for us to recognize that we need a physician to fix what ails us. We have turned from God and towards our own pleasures, losing ourselves for hours at a time in mindless social media. God loves us enough to wait patiently for now, but He will not always do so. Just as He judged Israel and allowed them to be taken captive to Babylon, He will one day judge all of the earth for our folly in not paying attention to His glaring warnings about what is to come. I’m glad that I can depend on God to be my physician and fix what is really hurting me…it’s a heart matter, a matter of knowing who you are supposed to be in God and striving towards that goal every day. I’m thankful that God is a loving parent and He never gives up on me!

Hope, Mercy and Comfort

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion App1 Comment

www.bible.com/reading-plans/13952/day/2

If any nation today needs restoration, it is the United States. We have not fallen away as some say…we have walked away (in some cases, run away) from God as hard as we can. May the God of all hope offer hope, mercy and comfort to those of His servants who live here and are waiting for Him to act. His action may very well be a much deserved judgment and justice, but that, too, shows God’s love. After judgment comes the restoration.

We Have Earned Justice

On By vickleaIn Book Review, Scripture, YouVersion AppLeave a comment

www.bible.com/reading-plans/13952/day/2

The word “justice” is much talked about these days. There is the feeling that justice has been perverted, that there is no real justice. Our understanding of justice is clouded by the actions of those who do not support what true justice is. God is just; He would be totally just in destroying the earth right now, just as in the days of Noah. Instead, He reached out and provided grace and mercy for us in the form of His own Son. It’s difficult for us to fathom what justice would look like if it were meted fairly to all, but that is what God’s justice is all about. But if you explore the Old Testament and the many times that God destroyed an entire group of people because of their sin, or when the Israelites and then those in Judah were taken captive, we see a clear picture that God will not be mocked. We have earned His justice, but He offers us His grace in place of it. It is our choice to accept it or not. I am blessed to have received God’s grace and mercy, His free gift of salvation, over five decades ago. But my story does not end there. Every day is a new day to say “yes” to God and “no” to my own desires. God’s mercy is indeed new every day and we can all be grateful that He loves us enough to show us His mercy instead of His justice. One day His judgment against all of mankind will come, but if you have accepted His gift of salvation, His justice is not to be feared, but rather to be welcomed because it means that we who know the Lord as Savior will be able to live with Him forever. Yes, we have earned justice, but thanks be to God that He has shown us His love and mercy and called us His own. God’s great love for mankind reaches out in love while He holds back His mighty hand of justice until the time is right for His judgment. Why is He waiting? Because He is God and justice and judgment are His choice in His time. I believe, and I think that others believe the same, that God is waiting until as many as possible come to the knowledge of His grace. He does not want to destroy His beloved creation, but one day He will. We will stand before God without excuse because He provided the only way to Him, the way to escape His justice, and so many have turned away and chosen to live in sin instead. May we ever be mindful of the fact that we have earned God’s justice, but He extends His mercy and grace.

God Doesn’t Lie

On By vickleaIn Scripture3 Comments

This is a popular verse to refer to when we are claiming God’s wonderful promises of protection and blessing. But we must remember that it is equally applicable to God’s judgment and justice. As I read the Bible, I am more and more aware that God’s judgment is coming just as He said because He does not ever lie…not about the good things He has promised to those who are faithful and the judgment He has established for those who have chosen to follow their own way. Think about it. God’s word is absolutely true from beginning to end and He will carry it out. May He find us faithful!

My Thoughts on a Potpourri of Verses

On By vickleaIn Scripture1 Comment

As I read my Bible and devotionals this morning, my mind kept returning to all of the chaos and evil in the world. I sought God’s help in understanding and the hope that only comes from knowing and believing His Word.

Fear tries to overtake my heart because of all of the rampant evil. But God continually reminds me that He is trustworthy and I need not be afraid.

God will always protect me from the evil that surrounds me. I can count on Him to be with me in the middle of the storm.

Our hope lies in the cross where Jesus stated, “It is finished.” He completed the sacrifice for me so that I can be with the Lord forever. Victory is assured…I just have to get through to the end of this present evil age.

It’s a scary thing to contemplate that the God of justice will judge our nations for their wickedness. Refusing to acknowledge God won’t end in anything good for those who turn their backs on Him. I’m blessed to be on the winning side but I am sad for those who flaunt their evil ways and taunt God with their worship of self.

God does not want to destroy nations or the wicked. He prefers that everyone join in accepting His free gift of salvation and come to Him as victorious servants, not continue to be seemingly free evil doers. The second death is the final and ultimate death, the one that determines whether we end up in the lake of fire with Satan or in Heaven with God for eternity. God prefers that we repent but He will not force us to do so.

God gets a lot of the blame for what happens on earth. My thoughts are that people get the consequences that they deserve for their foolish choices. Being angry with God is worthless because in the end, the one who is destroyed is the one who refuses to be wise and repent.

Out of all of my verses this morning, this is the one that stood out to me most and made my heart leap, not necessarily with joy, but with recognition of truth. One day, there will be justice. God’s final judgment will mete out justice to all. The godly will be rejoicing but the evil will be terrified. Sounds fitting to me…and a hope to look forward to. When I was growing up and didn’t know God as Lord, I was frequently bullied. Since I did believe in a higher power, I would pray that one day God would “give them what they had coming to them.” Little did I know that the final judgment is exactly what that will be…God has the final word, so fearing the Lord before judgment day is a must if you want to be in the group that is rejoicing.

Praise the Lord that the victory is already His!

No Excuse

On By vickleaIn Scripture3 Comments

Look all around you. There is evidence of God’s everywhere we look, so mankind is without excuse to believe in God. I have friends who say that they cannot possibly believe in a supernatural power whom they cannot see. Well, have they seen the wind? The recent blast of wintry air was a testament to God’s power and His presence. No one can see the wind, yet we know it exists because we dress in layers to protect ourselves from the cold that it brings. Some say that they cannot believe in God who doesn’t control all of the evil in the world. Hmm. Why does evil exist? Not because of God but because of man’s choices. We continue to laugh in the face of God and to refuse to acknowledge His sovereignty and then we claim that we are angry at God because of all of the evil that is taking over the world. Once again. If you want to know the source of evil, check out the choices that mankind is making. Building museums to honor unholy practices of matrimony, exhorting politicians who steal from the people they serve, and in general calling the things that God calls sin as okay. So, once again, there is no excuse. One day, we will all stand before God and give an accounting to Him for our lives. We cannot stand there and say that we had no idea that God actually existed because He shows us each day that the sun rises, the moon comes up, the tides roll, the rains pour down. God is showing us His sovereignty in nature and in all of the creatures around us.

Even the animals know that God exists. Mankind, in trying to establish his own control over his life, has denied the existence of God, much to their eternal detriment if they don’t repent and turn away from such foolishness. God is in control and there is no excuse not to know that and to give Him the glory due His Name.

May the Lord who does indeed exist bless you with the knowledge of His power, grace and mercy.

Scoffers

On By vickleaIn Scripture1 Comment

One of the words that is not used often in today’s world but is one that is active is ”scoffers.” These people, according to http://www.dictionary.com are those who make fun of or mock beliefs, especially moral and religious ones. If you don’t look around and notice a boatload of scoffers in the world today, then I don’t think you are paying attention. I am concerned for those who mock God and His coming judgment because the “Day of the Lord” is coming whether they believe in it or not.

Thinking that they are secure in their own worship of self and their own choices of evil, they mock God and are kind of saying, “Uh-huh. Sure. God is going to judge and Jesus is returning. Yeah, right.” Unfortunately for them, that day is coming. We don’t have to know when; we just have to believe and wait.

The Day of the Lord will be a fearsome and terrible day, coming when we least expect it. As one who likes to be organized and prepared for every possible eventuality, I have studied the Scriptures for years about that coming day and what I am supposed to do to be ready. The answer are simple and straightforward, summarized by Peter.

Did you hear that flourish of trumpets that played a “ta=dah” kind of note? Since everything as we know it will be destroyed, we should be living godly and holy lives. We are not to join in with the scoffers, the unbelievers who are digging their own grave to the pit of eternity separated from God. We are to choose rightly, stay close to God and trust that in the end, He will take care of us. He took care of Moses, Daniel, Noah and Abraham and He is no respecter of persons. He loves us just as much and gives us a guidebook about how to be living while we wait. Just as you cannot adequately create a new dish in the kitchen or put together a complicated toy for Christmas without directions, neither can you lead a holy and godly life without the directions that are contained in the Holy Bible.

As you ponder the truth of God’s Word, may you be blessed with peace and the absolute certainty that God is indeed coming in judgment, but there is no fear for those who remain in Him. Have a blessed and wonderful day in the Lord!