July 9, 2019
Good Morning Fellow Travelers,
Read: I Peter 4:12-19
“Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after. Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand…” I Tim. 5:24-25
Judgment must begin at the house of God. God means to try Christians now, before they stand before Him in the Judgment. The trial it speaks of in verse 12 is the trial of the cross. It is what we face in a voluntary self-denial of worldly lusts and pleasures. God does not want to judge us later; no, He wants to sift us and prove us right now (verse 17-19). We cannot have the joy of the world here and also get to enjoy the joy of heaven. “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (II Timothy 3:12).
Someone has said rightly that “we are a prepared people for a prepared place.” That preparation of persecution causes us to rejoice as we contemplate the ecstasy of being in the very presence of Jesus.
Everything we are called to endure, from being mocked to being burned at the stake, is a messenger of Christ. We must not resist these messengers of mercy. Invite them in as Abraham did. The ones who visited Abraham had the awful message that Sodom was going to be destroyed along with all its inhabitants, Lot included. Abraham endured a long season of intercession for his nephew. These sessions of heart searching help us to be cleansed of the follies of our sinful hearts. Judgment and clearing are a result of this kind of submission.
There are some heavenly songs that you will never learn without suffering the cross. And we should begin now, because now is our judgment time. This scripture makes it clear that the righteous are scarcely saved. Sins of the Christian are more grievous than the sins of those who know not the gospel. When a Christian sins, he sins against light and knowledge.
We can be sure and we can be sure now, of our condition before God. Send your sins before to heaven and they will not meet you at the judgement (I Tim. 5:24). We do this by coming to Christ continually, and letting Him place His new life within our hearts now.
~~James Baer
