IS PENDING JUDGMENT A CONCERN?

                                  IS PENDING JUDGMENT A CONCERN

"Stern discipline is for him who forsakes the way; he who hates reproof will die." Proverbs 15:10

"And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to children, 'My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint  when you are rebuked of Him.' For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives." Hebrews 12:5-6

"For this you know, that no whoremonger(immoral), nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolator, has any inheritance in ethe Kingdom of Ghrist and of  God. Let no man deceive you with vain words, for because of these things come the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Ephesians 5:5-6

"Mortify(put to death) therefore your members  which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness inordinate affection, evil concupiscence(lust), and greed, which is idolatry. For these things the wrath of God come on the children of disobedience." Colossians 3:5-6

  During King David's reign, aside from the discipline/punishment he underwent as a consequence for his sin with Bathsheba, the land had suffered drought for three years, which is contrary to the blessings promised to Israel by God if they were walking in obedience. When David inquired, the Lord told him that it was because of what Saul did when he tried and exterminate the Gibeonites who dwelt in Israel. David was further required to avenge their blood in order to stay God's judgment on God's people. 2 Samuel 21:1-14 If and when things go wrong, and especially keep going wrong, we need to enquire.

  Also during King David's reign, we have another account of God's judgment on His people. "And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, that He moved David against them...2 Samuel 24:1, "And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel." 1 Chronicles 21:1

  From these verses regarding the same event in Israel we can learn a few things about how God deals with His people, and nations. We understand that, as with Job, although Satan was the driving force behind each vile incident, it was conducted by the permissive will of God (there is even more we can say about that) to fulfill His purposes and judgments. What we need to understand is that we have an enemy who continually presses for opportunity against us, and it is only the sovereign hand of God Almighty that keeps him at bay; however, if our behavior warrants our discipline or correction, then God may deliver us into his hand. When we complain about our leader(s) doing abhorrent things, maybe it is because the Lord has become "Fed Up" as the expression goes, with the Godlessness and disobedience of us as a nation. Instead of complaining about our government, maybe we need to do repenting. "If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14 We can bark at the devil and our leaders all we want, but if we do not repent as His people of whatever compromise of faith it may be, we will see no change. 

 The apostle Paul exercised this method on individuals more than once in the Scriptures, 1 Corinthians 5:4-5, "In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, and My spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesu Christ, to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." (please note the purposes) "Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander whom, whom I delivered to Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme." 1 Timothy 1:20  We must be so careful not to take the Gospel and the grace of God flippantly, but fear the Lord and keep in step with Him - His Kingdom and His will. We are in a very dangerous battle, not merely for our lives, but for our souls, and not only for our souls, but for all those around us.

 Do not assume God does not still execute judgments on us as individuals: 

-On more of personal extreme cases, God killed the two sons of Juda because of their wickedness. Genesis 38:7-10. Please note that this was before the Law.

 -In the New Testament, Ananias and his wife Sapphira were killed by the Lord for lying to the Holy Spirit and keeping back some of the money they promised to give to the Lord.  Acts 5:1-11

  These are extreme cases, but even for the Lord's Supper, if we take it carelessly, we are in danger of His judgment, "But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. For he that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For his cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world." 1 Corinthians 11:28-32 This last line shows the heart of God's judgment on us as His people, IT IS NOT TO CONDEMN US, BUT TO KEEP US FROM BEING CONDEMNED WITH THE WORLD. It may seem harsh, but it is done in our Heavenly Father's love and our best interest. He paid a high price through the death of His Son, so as not to lose us to our folly. By the way, that goes for those who struggle with unforgiveness, Matthew 18:34 "And his lord delivered him to the tormentors till he should pay all that was due him." 

 Dear friends, I have one more observation from the Scriptures that I will point out. For those of you who are loving God with all your heart, do not fear, He loves you and cares for you extremely, no matter how poorly you may feel about yourself. But for the rest of us who feel confident and secure in our righteousness the apostle Peter warned the people of his day as did John the Baptist,  "...flee from the wrath to come!" Matthew 3:7, " ...Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." Acts 2:40

 In the Book of Ezekiel, much of the content is about God pouring out His judgments on the nation of Israel and on all the nations. There are a couple of passages I would like to point out as a warning for us as God's people that we not live carelessly or presumptuously in our generation, but be ever waiting for the Lord and not be caught up with the cares of this life no matter how justifiable they may seem or be. 

  What the Scriptures point out, is when the cup of iniquity of a people is full the Lord will execute His judgments, ("...for the cup of iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full." Genesis 15:16)  "And say to the land of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord, behold I am against you, and will draw forth My sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked. Seeing then that I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall My sword go forth out of his sheath against all flesh, from the south to the north. That all flesh may know that I, the Lord, have drawn forth My sword out of his sheath...'" Ezekiel 213-4, "The word of the Lord came again to me, saying, 'Son of man, when the land sins against Me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out My hand upon it and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine ( also beasts, sword, or pestilence) upon it, and cut off man and beast from it. Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job,(three of whom the Bible describes as the most righteous before God) they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness,' says the Lord God...they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness." Ezekiel 14:12-21

 My dear friends, we can grow numb as we continually see the depravity and wickedness in our land, and forget that its judgment is pending. When we see the laws of God being broken "...moreover by them is Your servant warned..." Psalm 19:11, the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ being despised, we must take warning. We are all in danger of reaping the fierce righteous wrath of God in our land! How many Christians died in disasters? Shall we escape? We must understand that God holds all the citizens of a society accountable for the behavior of that society. If we share in its blessings, will we not also share in its consequences? What can we do?  Let us shake off complacency, lack of concern, compromise, and lack of genuine love for God and His people. We must continually seek His Kingdom and His righteousness in our daily activities. Please look at this verse, "Behold, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: pride, fulness of bread, abundance of idleness (unconcerned NIV) was in her, and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abominations before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw good." Ezekiel 16:49-50 

  Can we afford to sit passively by feeling secure in our salvation while the world is in torment? Do we feel that we have no responsibility to help, or that we are powerless to do anything? Do we actually love them and care? There are things we can all do.

 - "Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them."  Ephesians 5:11

- "Love one another fervently...in deed and in truth." 1 Peter 1:22, 1 John 3:18

- "PRAY without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:17

- "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord..." James 4:19

- "But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness..." Matthew 6:33

May God, our Loving Heavenly Father, have mercy and grace through our Lord and Savior JESUS CHRIST!!!