The Most Valuable Gift

The Coming Examination Day

"You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness ..." 2 Peter 3:17

I have shared with you my concerns in recent days over some of the erroneous teachings floating around out there and this morning's devotional is one that in some circles you wouldn't hear taught these days as it would be "offensive." But in light of the compelling messages we have heard this week about what God is doing to set the stage for the return of his Son, and the implications that His return could be soon, this is a good reminder of how we should live in light of his return:

"I must realize, Lord, that the only record of my life that exists is the one I write myself. I see now what the judgment seat of Christ is - only a playback. It is there we receive 'the THINGS do in this body for our earthly life,' not simply the reward of those things (2 Corinthians 5:10).

I will meet up with my actions again, like a re-run movie. But this time I will see them from God's standpoint, how they were recorded in HIS eye and ear. There can be no addition to, or subtraction from, what I WAS and DID.

The books of God (Malachi 3:16) are nothing more than His retrieval system. Lord, your eye and ear remember everything! My 'examination day'
will be only my REREADING day, and You will show be the daily pages written with my own life. There is a sense in which heaven and hell are now, right here. Not in the sense of fulfillment, but in the sense of possibility, My destiny is not decided later, in eternity, but now in the sense of possibility. The destiny is only the echo of my present decision.

Also, not only destiny itself, but the QUALITY of that destiny is decided here, whether stubble or precious stones (1 Corinthians 3:12)

Lord, what a responsibility! Only one walk through life and yet an eternity depending on it! How glad I am for my gracious Forerunner, who first removed my sins by His Calvary work and who promises to walk in me and beside me to help me. He wants to help me write the story of my life, which one day will cause Him to smile. After all, Jesus is in the business of producing 'approved' saints! He wants to be able to say to me, 'Well done ... faithful servant: enter . . . the joy of thy Lord.'
(Matthew 25:21)" from Daily with the King by Moody Press

Pretty powerful words to think about today.

Great quote: There is absolutely no substitute for this secret communion with God. The public Church services, or even the family altar, cannot take the place of the 'closet' prayer. We must deliberately seek to meet with God absolutely alone, and to secure such aloneness with God we are bidden to enter into thy closet.' God absolutely insists on this 'closet'-communion with Himself. One reason, no doubt, that He demands it, is to test our sincerity. There is no test for the soul like solitude. Do you shrink from solitude? Perhaps the cause for your neglect of the 'closet' is a guilty conscience? You are afraid to enter into the solitude. You know that however cheerful you appear to be you are not really happy. You surround yourself with company lest, being alone, truth should invade your delusion. Gordon Cove