“Lord, make me to know my end, and the measure of my days, what it is, that I may know how frail I am. Behold, You have made my days as a handbreadth, and my age is as nothing before You. Truly, every person at their best state is altogether vanity. Surely, every person walks in a vain show… and now, Lord, what am I waiting for? My hope is in You.” – (Psalm 39:4-7)
In the midst of our world’s distresses, the Oscars took place this week. People came from all over the world, at their best state – best dressed, best time of their life, best bodies, best jobs – yet it was altogether meaningless. Nothing seems more glaringly out of touch in these last days than this vain show of ‘lets-pretend” while the world sinks like the Titanic. The brevity of life should cause people to care about their eternal destiny.
A true Awards-Ceremony will happen at Christ’s return that will make the earth blush in shame. It is only for those who have lived for Jesus in sincerity and truth in this life. It’s called the Judgment Seat of Christ… “For we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ, that every person may receive the things done in his body, according to what he has done, whether it be good or bad” – (2 Corinthians 5:10).
This is not a judgment of salvation, but of service, bringing rewards or loss of rewards… “Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the secret counsels of the hearts: and then shall every person have praise from God.” – (1 Corinthians 4:5).
Hebrews 11 gives us a running list of these true heroes of the faith… “Time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of foreigners. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection…
Others had trials of cruel mockings, scourgings, chains, and imprisonments. They were stoned, sawn in two, tested, slain with the sword; they wandered around in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented – of whom the world was not worthy! – They wandered in deserts, mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.”
What an Awards-Ceremony that will be! God bless you as you live faithfully for the King of kings.
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