I Wonder???
Hey Friends,
Do you ever wonder? I do all the time! Let me share what I was wondering this morning: Why do so few Christ-followers think about the Bema seat of judgment? We all know that we “will give an account” of our lives. In this context, the account will be what we did with what He gave us. Sins are not judged (that happened at the cross) but it will be about how we managed all we have. As I read the four Gospels this is a huge issue for Jesus. We seem to ignore or overlook this critical concept of Christ’s communication.
I wonder if Lucifer has lulled us to sleep? Has the deceiver detoured us off the track? We need to live with the end in sight. If we really believed that we will stand and give an account and all of our works will be judged, shouldn’t it affect our daily lives? I actually live in fear of this day. The Apostle Paul did also, so I’m in good company.
Do you think the church, pastors, and members would act differently if we really believed this? Do we think daily of this biblical concept? It sure seems like we ignore it! If we forget this it will be to our own peril. The words I want to hear more than any other are, “Well done good and faithful servant.” I believe the furnace that Jesus tells us our works will be judged by refers to the flaming eyes of our resurrected Lord – the same one Paul saw on the Damascus road and never forgot.
Are you living as if you will give an account? If so, how? This will help all of us leaders live.
Yours to count on,
Pastor
12 Comments
I’m pretty much convinced it’s a daily struggle, the fleshly wants versus the higher standards for our life the Lord requires. I imagine it’s doubly tough on leaders considering they are often scrutinized with an often harsh judgmental attitude, and on a constant level.
I have noticed that in my own progress as a believer, and amazingly, from some of the people I most love, the response to my change in spirit has been called anything from “fanatical” to “pretense.” I just have to put it off possibly as the old devil distorting their perception, because I just feel too right about my convictions to be a better believer. Sometimes I am flabbergasted (old silly southern word) that they can call themselves “Christians” and not feel that wonderful high euphoria that I do, at least part of the time. But at the same time, I pray I am not being judgmental of what I see of their actions and attitudes. It seems it’s somtimes harder to convince a “Christian” than a total non-believer. Anyone else ran into that issue? But in the end, like Pastor says, we are here to serve our God in lieu of that fateful day of judgment, not our fellow man.
Important meat before us on our plate; could be the discription of your blog today Pastor. Thank-you.
This response could span both todays and yesterdays blog. I think that we become desensitized to alot of things in this world today but more alarming than that would be the desensitization to His Holy Spirit or the provision He fills us with to equip us to serve both God and man. I admit in the last three months that I’ve been coming to FP I have heard the Bema Seat mentioned a handful of times but didn’t know what it was. I never made the connection of the title to 1 Cor.3:12-15. I went online for the expanation and in light of your blog and what I found I begin to process.
I had to take notes so as not to loose any as I write, but I also am aware that this is the begining of dialog between God and me for probably an indefinate time. I do not want to be guilty of turning away from those Flaming Eyes either, I want to be found staring straight at them for direction, even if I become blind to all else.
I do have a ? for you Pastor…I have believed strongly that depending, in some cases, on what we do as stewards with clear directives from God we could still find ourselves separate from God? Well…statement/?. I am refering to Mt.25:14-30 I have been given a Word of knowledge & wisdom this morning, therefore a clue…the problem was in his thoughtlife. He rejected what God signified was his “several ability” and judged himself(not for him to do), out of fear and worse than that thought that Jesus was a HARD man. Those thoughts were not for him, but he took the bait of deception and ran with it out of eroneous thinking and laziness. Nothing that God gives us to do is to HARD if He says we can. Jesus’ reply says it all in that he was a wicked and slothful servant I believe because he denied Christ(Gods Word) on who he was meant to be or should be. He effectively denied Christ before both men and God. Calling on your years of training in the scriptures is this correct? In obediance of being a teachable spirit I sight Malachi 3:16 for covering.
The ? is, how do we discern what we want to do, that really is good, in deferance to what the Holy Spirit shows us is needful and that we MUST do? My biggest fear is to be found seperate from God. I need Him all the time I can’t function well if I can’t see His Presence, those beautiful Fiery Eyes! I guess that, to be with or without God is found in how well I guard my thoughtlife concerning God, myself, and the world around me and willinging choosing to trust in His unfathomable goodness both in His leading and what His Word speaks still today. And simply look foward to His Bema seat.
Cathy, it’s called, if I may say so, the spirit of religion and in some cases requires a serious miracle to be set free from. It is right up there with the spirit of treachery and most often they go hand in hand manifesting sometimes with dissention and grieves me too. A good time to fast AND pray.
Sabrina,
I’m not a long-time Christian (~4 years), but here’s my take.
A “Christian” whose life does not change as a result of being a “Christian” is not a Christian and is not a follower of Christ. And yes, that person is not living any freedom from death (sin & its consequences) in this life and will not be in heaven. If you’re committed to praying, learning God’s will, trusting God, and following God’s will, you will be in heaven. All Christians will screw up; all of us have strongholds and sins that we have trouble giving up even with God’s continual offer of support. To me, a major part of being a Christian is having a passionate pursuit of God and God’s will for your life.
As far as how to know when it’s the Holy Spirit and when it’s our own desires to be good… I have trouble with that myself. Sometimes, I try to focus on what I know God wants me to do and try not to get sidetracked with other things God might want me to do. Prayer, patience, and the advice of other Christians has helped me too.
Andy Kercher.
Thank-you Andy, We really are all sojourner’s no matter the time.Wisdom is knowing that we must defer to God for His take on what we think. I am risking a little more of thought exposure in saying this but I consider it dutiful in the interest of edification and support, because I know that we are not omniscient or omnipresent that we are definately bound by time and limited in knowledge of the mysteries of God. I, in that light, stop short in saying someone is a “christian” or not. My place is to love God and all men no matter what their state is at the time. Further saying that until someone breathes their last breath the race is not over and I for one can not say what time will bring to them or what God will reveal to them in order for them to hear “Well done good and faithful servant.”
Yesterday I brought John 17:6-26 (highlighting vs. 24) in on my comment and I guess I will bring it back today because I accept and hold to Phil.2:1-16,Eph.4:17-32,& 1 Cor.2:14-16 that He(Jesus) says in prayer that where He is their we may be also. I take that that means even now and I can live my life looking up knowing that He has not, nor ever will leave me or forsake me. My comment earlier was primarily about gaurding my mind in His power so that I don’t at any point become as the son of perdition and have my talent taken from me by missing his directives because I decided mine were better. Prefering to set my hands to work His goodness not my own. If you haven’t read those scriptures they are a treasure trove of jewels to live by and are deeply comforting. The Holy Spirit loves to teach us and we will not be denied if we seek and ask. That is a promise that I live by daily. So again Andy thank you for the deeper thoughts and in Jesus name may He be with you in Peace and Joy. May He give us all, the desire and wisdom and provisional strength to bare out 2 Tim.2:15.
Sabrina,
I do have problems being a judgmental person, but I would still say that we should be concerned about people who apparently don’t bear fruit. Although I haven’t been brave enough to do this hardly ever, we should be correcting and encouraging those who aren’t bearing fruit in loving, humble ways. It’s an area I need to grow in.
In reference to your comment, I conceed to your point… our human level of knowledge cannot know for certain whether someone is a true Christian or a fake one, and we shouldn’t be trying to weed out fake Christians.
The son who gets the talent taken from him represents someone going to hell. No one in heaven goes “into darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt 25:30). I think that each servant could have invested more wisely and gained more (missed opportunities and times when we focus on our will & not his). Based on your heart-felt blog entries, I do not suspect that you are a servant who is burying her talent. As said in 1st John 4:16-18, you can focus on your love of God and his love for you and you don’t have to fear the final judgment of a talent-burier.
Andy Kercher.
To me the thing that remains in my mind when I think of judgement day is not what I have done, but what I have not done. Why did I not share Jesus with my best friend? Why did I not help that person out when I know I could have? Those questions linger in my mind …
It’s something I have been asking God for advise on for a long while…a few years. One day the impression came to “quit worrying about the “hows” that’s for God to work out” and it gave me rest and comfort. All the more strengthening my resolve to trust His Voice. It’s a course of learning and one day I’ll graduate, His love guarentees it.I can say; I know for sure, I trust that He will not give up on actively pursuing His children’s growth. I must say I’m getting more of Malachi 3:16 today than I expected…God is full of surprises. Read the rest of Malachi as well, as the conversation seems to admit it. I accept that He will give us what we need to do when we need to do it by HIS leading so again i hear “Quit worring about the how’s Just look to Me.”…yes?
You chris have nothing to worry about i think you have done great things with what god has giving you . and thank you you have done some much for me . god has gifted you
As a business owner, it amazes me how many times people choose to leave their concerns about bema seat judgement on the shelf when they head out to the office. Just as a pastor has great accountability as a sheperd, so does a business person whose decisions effect the lives of many families.
Wow, what a wonderful insight and a reminder I needed! Thank you for pointing out that at the judgment seat we will be responsible for how we managed what God gave us. I need to remember this. I am going to seek Him daily and aim to make the most of my time, talents, and opportunities.
From what I read into this we are to walk in fear because of the judgement of man? Have not looked it up nor do I have this verbatim, however…my thoughts are
Aren’t we not already judged righteous through Christ our Lord? Are we not judged daily by the Holy Ghost and supposed to repent and turn any situations around that we have wronged?
The conotations that I am reading here is of fear and pessimism, honestly I don’t know how people can go day to day like that. I had enough second guessing when I was heathen I certainly don’t want any of that now. I was set free years ago and it seems to me that if I walked on egg shells every day wondering if I had done enough I would never get anything else done. That’s about as double minded as anything I have ever heard.
We are going to recieve crowns that represent our accomplishments for the Kingdom and then will get to toss them, how does that line up with a judgement seat? Maybe I am interpreting this Bema seat as a negative and not a positive, I really don’t know where this is coming from. Judgement to me seems to always be used in a negative light.
I certainly do not see God treating His children in such regard, as He is a the good Father.
Pastor I think you have it right with Paul, however I think that was his thorn.