Points of Authority

This past week a group of us watched the message “The Holiness of God” by Francis Chan. It was good and I just thought I’d share some random thoughts from it. The first is this; when you face God, and every one of us will face God, you will be terrified. You won’t be able to do anything else except fall flat on your face, I’m not kidding about this. It will be the most intense moment of your life. Some people go around with a chip on their shoulder, they think that when they face God that He’s going to have to answer some pretty tough questions. You couldn’t be more wrong.

Every single person who has faced God has done so terrified for his or her lives. Prophets and even he whom Jesus was closest to (John), those who had lives probably far holier than any of ours, cowered when they saw God. Isaiah says, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” Here was one of God’s own prophets and the moment he faced God he saw how unworthy he was.

You see we like to compare ourselves to each other, we say “My life is far better than theirs” or “Look at what they’re doing, I’d never do that! I’m glad I don’t struggle with that.” These may not be your exact words but lets face it, as humans we measure ourselves in human standards. That’s a problem because God is not going to judge us according to human standards, He judges us according to His standards. And when it comes to God we all fall very short. I don’t know what kind of picture you have in your mind of God I promise that it’s too small. If you don’t believe it then read Revelation 4. John can’t even find the words to describe what he sees; it’s far beyond anything we can imagine.

More Like Falling In Love by Brandon Peters

This is a big problem in our society, we like to think the world revolves around us. We like to think that God owes us something because we believe in Him, because we spend a couple hours with Him a week. God doesn’t need you. God doesn’t need me. He doesn’t need our worship, He has millions of angels worshiping Him 24 hours a day shouting “Holy, holy, holy, LORD God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.” He has four creatures; one like a lion, one like a calf, one like a man, and one like an eagle, each with six wings and each covered completely with eyes that shout His praises. These creatures are terrifying and all they do is worship God day and night. He has lightning and thunder coming from His throne and a sea of glass like crystal before Him. One day you will stand in that room, before that King, and He will judge you. What else matters? I wish you could see the burden on my heart; it pains me that so many people don’t live life for that moment. You should want nothing more than to hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” So many of you don’t get it, you’re still concerned with things of this world and I don’t know how to make you see…

I don’t say this to judge you, I say this because I honestly care about you. I don’t want you to end life consumed with this world, you NEED to be an overcomer! The point is this, God is far more serious about Himself than most of us are and He’s far holier than we could ever imagine. He created you and everything around you and He has every right to judge you however He pleases. We are nothing. Some think that Hell is too harsh of a punishment but maybe, just maybe, we as humans we don’t fully understand justice. We don’t understand just how far we fall from God because we compare ourselves with each other, not Him. We sometimes like to put the attribute of love above everything else, but He is equally love and equally just. Would you expect a just judge to let a guilty person go free? Then why do we expect God to do it for us?

Yet, He loves you enough that He sent His own Son to save you. God doesn’t send you to Hell, you’re already on your way. He offers you a way out. It’s not an easy life but I promise you that it’s worth it.

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.” Matthew 7:13