Tag: Judges

13.q. “He gives showers of rain to all people”

Zachariah 10:1  Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime; it is the Lord who sends the thunderstorms. He gives showers of rain to all people, and plants of the field to everyone.

Psalms 65:9    You visit the earth and water it; you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it.

Ezekiel 34:26     And I will make them and the places all around my hill a blessing, and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing.

Job 36:27  For he draws up the drops of water; they distill his mist in rain,  which the skies pour down and drop on mankind abundantly.  Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds, the thunderings of his pavilion?  Behold, he scatters his lightning about him and covers the roots of the sea.  For by these he judges peoples; he gives food in abundance.

How often do we take rain as a given act of nature?  It is God who supplies it.  It is in God’s timing for His glory and honor, but how often do we thank Him for it?  This blessing of rain we take for granted is an opportunity each and every time to thank God.   How many times do we acknowledge the routine things in life as being from and provided by God?  How many times have you heard “boy we sure need some rain”?  Shouldn’t it rather be said, “God please send us rain”?  But we seem to think rain is an uncontrollable act of nature and God is not in control of it.  He sends the rain, and as well, He withholds it.  Both are for His plans and purposes.  By faith, we trust God for forgiveness, redemption, and salvation.  This mysterious act of grace, mercy, and love toward us is so far above our ability to understand that we can only believe and trust in God.  Like the early and late rains that are considered by many an act of nature and deny God His glory and honor for it, so are there many who deny the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  They believe God is not in control of the very “nature” He created.  They believe either that God does not exist or that He is not in control of their eternal destiny.  There is nothing created in heaven or earth that God is not in control of.  Just as He sends showers of rain and man can deny or believe it is of God so it is when He sent His Son. We can either believe and thank, honor, and glorify Jesus Christ for His gift of salvation or deny it.  The only difference is to deny God sends the rain has no eternal consequences but to deny that He sent His Son to forgive and redeem has eternal “forever” consequences.  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

8.k. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty

Revelation 19:11  Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Faithful and true, the Word of God, and King of kings and Lord of lords, all describe Jesus Christ at His return to earth.  Heaven opens and Christ is seen bringing armies of heaven.  The battle that is about to take place will cast judgment on nations, (all of those who rejected God).   They will experience the fury of the wrath of God.  We know and experience God’s grace, mercy, and love.  It is hard for us to understand the fury of His wrath.  We can read stories of some of His judgments on nations and individuals but nothing like this has happened before.  Wars, famine, disease, earthquakes, hail stones, fire, drought, etc….. all lead up to the fury of God’s wrath but are in no way to be considered other than judgments on man and nations with witnesses present and proclaiming salvation through Jesus Christ.  Now these witnesses are gone.  All that remains are those who reject and deny and blaspheme God.  They did not repent and will now see His fury.  All the times they have rejected Christ will flash before their eyes and in a moment they will realize He is Lord of lords and King of kings.  They have all said in their heart that they will not acknowledge Him or bow to Him and will suffer eternity in hell because of this.  In the end they will kneel and bow before Him.  The sad thing is that all of these people have intentionally chosen to reject Him.  They have chosen confusion, unrest, fear, hate, and war in hopes it will satisfy their soul some way.  They have rejected peace, love, grace, mercy, joy, happiness, and rest in Jesus Christ in exchange for what the world has to offer.  They chose to believe a lie and will suffer eternity for the choice they have made in this life, this side of eternity.  There is still time to repent and come to Jesus Christ.  There is still time to repent and be forgiven.  There is still time today.  Do not wait until it is too late.

3.v. But even now there is hope

Ezra 10:1  While Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, a very great assembly of men, women, and children, gathered to him out of Israel, for the people wept bitterly. And Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, of the sons of Elam, addressed Ezra: “We have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, but even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this. Therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God, and let it be done according to the Law. Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; be strong and do it.” Then Ezra arose and made the leading priests and Levites and all Israel take an oath that they would do as had been said. So they took the oath.

Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and went to the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib, where he spent the night, neither eating bread nor drinking water, for he was mourning over the faithlessness of the exiles. And a proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the returned exiles that they should assemble at Jerusalem, and that if anyone did not come within three days, by order of the officials and the elders all his property should be forfeited, and he himself banned from the congregation of the exiles.

Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. And all the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain. And Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have broken faith and married foreign women, and so increased the guilt of Israel. Now then make confession to the Lord, the God of your fathers and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives.” Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, “It is so; we must do as you have said. But the people are many, and it is a time of heavy rain; we cannot stand in the open. Nor is this a task for one day or for two, for we have greatly transgressed in this matter. Let our officials stand for the whole assembly. Let all in our cities who have taken foreign wives come at appointed times, and with them the elders and judges of every city, until the fierce wrath of our God over this matter is turned away from us.” Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah opposed this, and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supported them.

Then the returned exiles did so. Ezra the priest selected men, heads of fathers’ houses, according to their fathers’ houses, each of them designated by name. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to examine the matter; and by the first day of the first month they had come to the end of all the men who had married foreign women.

In Chapter 9 Ezra became aware of the sin and now, in chapter 10 he confronts it head-on with the people.  People wept bitterly when Ezra spoke of the sin.  Ezra called out the sin, the people were convicted, and he spoke of making it right. “We have broken faith with God but even now there is hope for us”.   This sin problem was not just with common folks but with the leaders who were in Jerusalem.  With hearts raw from Holy Spirit conviction and given hope the leaders called for a meeting of all the people within three days.  This was a mandatory meeting for all.  Note, if anyone did not show up they would forfeit their land and be banned.  People came and sat in the square trembling because of this and it was raining.  No rain delay, no rain check for another day.  It was rain or shine open-air mandatory meeting.  The sin issue was so big and personally complicated that, not to mention the rain, that a decision was made to meet with each city official 10 days later to fully assess the magnitude and take note of all who had taken the foreign woman as wives. Within two months they had reported that all the men who had married foreign women had taken care and followed through on their commitment to God.

Sin has a way to slide into our culture because we allow it.  It comes in with one person defending that it is right and ok to do and then more and more people just buy into it.  Sin feeds our self-centered interests and seems right in our own eyes.  Do you ever wonder how this happens?  Intentional commitment to God is not made.  Whole heart, mind, and soul and strength are given to self and that what pleases self.  Humbly serving, honoring, following, glorifying, trusting, and obeying God is nothing more than lip service as a result of neglecting God’s word.  These all happen when we become complacent and turn our back and close our eyes and ears to God.  It happens when things of this world are put in front of serving God with our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength.  We do well to take inventory of where our heart, mind, and thoughts are spending their time. Be mindful of the pull this world has to try to draw you away from serving whole heartily committed to God.  We do well to make a covenant with our heart, mind, and soul to humbly serve, honor, trust, and obey God and to make serving Him the reason and purpose of every day.

100. “But the Lord will not answer you in that day.”

1Samuel 8:1   When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice. Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.” So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking for a king from him. He said, “These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.” But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, “No! But there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” And when Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey their voice and make them a king.” Samuel then said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.”

The nation of Israel did not have an earthly king for many years, they were under the guidance of God. Men like Samuel were God’s intermediary between God and the people. Samuel was the last of the Judges of Israel.  Because Samuel was getting old and his appointed sons did not follow after God, the people of Israel they demanded that Samuel appoint them a king so they would be like all the other nations. They wanted a King he could judge them, and go out before them and fight their battles. God was not enough for them.  They rejected His Lordship.

Do we possess a secret desire to reject the Lordship of Jesus in our lives? Do we want to benefit of the relationship, but we seem to be complacent when it comes to developing the relationship with Him?  “They have not rejected you; they have rejected me as their king.” Are we walking down a watered down walk of faith without realizing the Lordship of Jesus Christ in our lives is being rejected? God told Samuel to listen to the people, but also to warn them of what will happen if they choose to want an earthly king to rule over them.  Likewise, any time spent in God’s word reveals that there are two paths of life we can pursue, the path with Jesus as Lord and the path without Him. Both of these have consequences. One leads us on a path of searching for satisfaction in things of this world and what it offers to fill the yearning and every day is filled with uncertainty.  The other leads us on a path of joy, rest, peace, satisfaction, hope, courage, faith, and certainty for eternity.

When one chooses to reject the Lordship of Jesus in their life, they are not free, they are enslaved to sin.  God allows people to make the choice but it is a choice they will have to live with. God will allow you to choose who will be Lord of your life, but know you will live with the consequences of that choice.

Samuel warned the people of what was to come if they chose the path they were on.  They refused to listen to Samuel.  No, they said.  We must have a king over us then we’ll be like all the other nations: our king will judge us, go out before us, and fight our battles.”  The nation wanted to trade God in for corrupt man, the nation wanted to trade God in for sinful man. “For though they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became worthless, and their senseless hearts were darkened.  Claiming to be wise, they became fools”

Do not be fooled and give any ground to a complacent life with Jesus.  He died for us so that we might repent, turn away from sin, be forgiven and live an abundant life with Him now and for eternity.  Choosing to reject His lordship over your everyday life is rejecting Him for eternity.  Spend time in His word, humbly server, honor, follow, obey, and rely on Him each waking moment of every day.

80. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.

Judges 2:6   After Joshua had dismissed the Israelites, they went to take possession of the land, each to their own inheritance. The people served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel.  Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten. And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Heres in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.  After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. They forsook the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They aroused the Lord’s anger because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. In his anger against Israel the Lord gave them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the Lord was against them to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress.  Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders. Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped them. They quickly turned from the ways of their ancestors, who had been obedient to the Lord’s commands. Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the Lord relented because of their groaning under those who oppressed and afflicted them. But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their ancestors, following other gods and serving and worshiping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.

In one generation God was forgotten and what He had commanded was discarded. How can this happen?  How can a generation of believers and followers be succeeded by a generation that does not know God or what He had done for them?  If you laid out a plan for this to happen what would absolutely need to happen to be successful.

Get people comfortable with life by giving them prosperity and ease of life.  Introduce some other thoughts and religions into their culture so that they question what and who to worship.  Erode away the truth of God by tolerating complacency and neglect in your life. Do not think or speak of what God has done in the past, nor look for His hand in your life today.  Do not speak of God’s warnings. Do not speak of sin. Do not speak of God’s promises.

There is a reason we are told to faithfully walk with Jesus Christ.  There is a reason we are to meditate on His word when we wake, throughout the day, and when we lie down at night.  There is a reason we are to speak of His awesome deeds and wonders.  There is a reason we are to place His word around out neck and over our doorposts.  There is a reason we are to seek and desire to know Him more and more each day.  There is a reason we are to be faithful in humble service, reliance, and obedience to Him.

God’s word

Psalms 119:140  Your promise is well tried, and your servant loves it.

Psalms 119:128    Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right; I hate every false way.

Psalms 12:6     The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.

Psalms 18:30     This God—his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

Psalms 19:8     the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;

Proverbs 30:5    Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

Romans 7:22     For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being,

1 Peter 2:2   Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—

2 Peter 1:21     For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 4:12   For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

2 Timothy 3:16    All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Note scripture with references to God’s word:

How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.

He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless;  he shields all who take refuge in him.

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.

I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.

Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them.

My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart.

Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: None of my words will be delayed 

You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

“In the word of God there is no error or sin. It is pure in its sense, pure in its language, pure in its spirit, pure in its influence, and all this to the very highest degree – ‘very pure’.” (Spurgeon)

God’s word is living, active, convicting, judging, saving, empowering, encouraging, pure, true, Holy, knowledge, wisdom, training, correcting, enlightening, giving purpose, equipping, food for the soul, perfect, flawless, giving hope, promise, peace, refuge, blessings, shielding, forgiving, accomplishing, never passing away, enduring, spoken by God, given by God,  and inspired by God.

Neglect and complacency to His word rejects the full purpose and plans of God for our life.

Cheating God

“Thus says the LORD concerning this people: “They have loved to wander thus; they have not restrained their feet; therefore the LORD does not accept them; now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins.”

Malachi 1:8   When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the LORD of hosts. And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the LORD of hosts. Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the LORD of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand. For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts.  But you profane it when you say that the Lord’s table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised. But you say, ‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the LORD of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the LORD. Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.

Hosea 8:13    As for my sacrificial offerings, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but the LORD does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins;

Romans 2:11   For God shows no partiality.

1 Peter 1:17    And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear.

What does it mean to give our all to God?  Would this not include our time, our thoughts, our actions, what we say, what we are in possession of?  Our definition of our “ALL” is diluted by many things.  The first and biggest deception and lie affecting us is that we think we can make it on our own and only come to God when things get sideways.  Another lie we believe is that we can know and understand God without being in His word.  Another lie we hang on to is that what is in our possession is ours and we can do with it as we please.  Another lie tied to this is our giving to God is from what we have left over and not from the commitment of right off the top.  I recently was talking with a young man who looked after his grandfather and grandmother’s estate when they passed away.  There was little the family had wanted.  An estate sale was conducted to clear their possessions from the house.  All of what his grandparents had kept and cherished was now being sold for pennies on the dollar.  In less than a couple of weeks all was gone.  Such is life we come into it with nothing and we certainly leave with nothing yet we hang on to it as though it was coming with us.  In reality we are only stewards of what God has allowed.  It is all His.  Shouldn’t we be seeking what His will is for this and be willing to give the best of what we have when His quiet small voice calls to us.  Being ready and willing to give the best of our time and possessions to God is a heart that pleases Him.

Ponder what He has done

“Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.”

“For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

“Mankind will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on earth.”

Psalms 64:9  Then all mankind fears; they tell what God has brought about and ponder what he has done. Let the righteous one rejoice in the LORD and take refuge in him! Let all the upright in heart exult!

Psalms 40:3    He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.

Psalms 53:5  There they are, in great terror, where there is no terror! For God scatters the bones of him who encamps against you; you put them to shame, for God has rejected them.

Psalms 119:20    My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times.

Jeremiah 51:10     The LORD has brought about our vindication; come, let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God.

Psalms 107:42  The upright see it and are glad, and all wickedness shuts its mouth.  Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD.

Isaiah 5:12   They have lyre and harp, tambourine and flute and wine at their feasts, but they do not regard the deeds of the LORD, or see the work of his hands.

Proverbs 1:5  Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance,

Proverbs 4:18    But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.

Daniel 12:10   Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.

Have there been times in your life where the hand of God was so present and real that you just pondered what had just happened?  Where one step, one glance, one decision, or one word at the wrong time  would have changed your life in another direction completely.  How many times have you said “I was very lucky”?  People of God ponder these acts of God and give Him praise. They do not say it was luck or chance but by the sovereign hand of God working in their life.  How do they know this is the work of God?  Because they know Him.  They know His promises.  He is their rock, refuge, hope, faith, love, joy, power and they rely on His steadfast love.  The Holy Spirit within them confirms to their spirit it was the work of God.  They absolutely know.  His hand, power, love, joy, peace, kindness, strength, might, forgiveness, hope, mercy and grace is known to them.  They find anchor to these in His word.  They cling to, rely on, and trust in Him.  To the world and those who know Him not this all seems foolish, but to those who have put their hope and trust in Him it is the purpose and meaning for life this side of eternity.  Desire and seek to know Him and to be able to hear His whispers into your life.  Humbly serve, honor, follow and obey Him.  Believe in His promises.  Trust in Him.  Cling to Him.  Rely on Him.  And you will see His hand at work in your life.

Day of Wrath

“ But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.”

Psalms 58:11  Mankind will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on earth.”

Psalms 92:15    to declare that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

Malachi 3:14    You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the LORD of hosts?

Isaiah 3:10    Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.  Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for what his hands have dealt out shall be done to him.

Romans 6:21  But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.  But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

Psalms 9:16    The LORD has made himself known; he has executed judgment; the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands.

Psalms 64:9     Then all mankind fears; they tell what God has brought about and ponder what he has done.

Psalms 33:18    Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,

Psalms 96:13   before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.

Malachi 2:17    You have wearied the LORD with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”

2 Peter 3:4  They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”  For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God,  and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished.  But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.  But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

Do you ever wonder how you will be judged by God?  It is never based on comparing ourselves with others.  I see those who pretend there is nothing wrong in their life which leads to a very complacent walk with God.  I see others who try to preform various acts to overshadow that which they know is contrary to being right with God.  Do you think we are judged based on how bad other people are or how well we preform?     We will be judged according to what is found in His word. Those who come to God and believe it is in what they do that makes them right before Him – “Trying to earn it” – His word says being made right before God is a gift of grace to all who believe and not by works less any man would boast.  What in our life can stand up to His holiness?  What can make us clean if we can’t earn it?  Believing in the redeeming work of Jesus Christ, trusting in, clinging to, and relying on this alone to be right in God’s eyes.  It is not by what we do but by believing in what He has done. If we have trust in anything else we fall short.  If we try to make up for it by some act of kindness we fall short.  We can not earn something that is given freely.  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.”  It is by belief not works.  However there are outward signs of those who believe.  At least there should be.  Joy and Praise – because of God and His grace and mercy, Hope – because of His promises, Peace  & Rest –  because of knowing our lives are a work of His hand,  Strength & Courage – because God is our rock and sovereign over all, Love and Kindness and Sacrificial Giving – because of His demonstration in giving us His son to redeem us.  Our lives should reflect humble service, honoring, following, and obeying God for the single purpose of who God is, what He has done, and what He will do.  God asks for our whole heart, mind and soul.  Stop pretending everything is ok.  Stop preforming, thinking this makes you right before God.  Start with a heart deep desire to honor, serve, follow and obey.  Spend time in His word each day.