Who knows the power of God's anger?
(Ralph Venning, "The Plague of Plagues!")
God always acts like Himself--like a God. When He shows mercy--it is like the God of all grace who is rich in mercy and loves with a great love.
In the same way, when He executes wrath and vengeance--He makes bare His arm and strikes like a God!
"Who knows the power of God's anger?" Psalm 90:11
None but the damned!
"If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left--but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God!" Hebrews 10:26-27.
It is a terrifying a thing to fall into the hands of the living God, when He acts like a God of vengeance! How dreadful a thing then would it be to be in Hell itself--under the tortures of His executed wrath forever?
A stone thrown from a weak arm will not hit very hard--but when the hand and arm of God shall throw down that wrath from Heaven which is now only threatened against ungodly men, and turn them into Hell--how will it sink them deep into Hell!
I cannot go any further without pleading with you. Do you need anything more to dissuade you from going on in sin, which is the way to damnation--than the thought of damnation, and such a damnation, which is the wages of sin? For your soul's sake, hear and fear!
What! Will you be damned?
Can you think calmly of going to Hell?
Have you no pity on your precious soul?
If you were to go from reading of Hell--into Hell--you would surely say, "I would not believe it--but now I feel it!"
"It is Mine to avenge--I will repay! It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God!" Hebrews 10:30-31
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Godliness
There is a common misconception that believers should be perfect. Pretending to have our lives in order, many of us wear happy faces and speak words that sound acceptable. At times we’re ashamed to admit our shortcomings, as if they should not exist. Salvation through Jesus, however, doesn’t change the fact that sin is present in our life. When we’re born again, God forgives us and sees us as righteous. Yet our battle with sin continues till we arrive in heaven.
In fact, striving for perfection actually can be a trap that pulls us away from living a godly life. Functioning in this way is a form of relying on our own capability. Jesus said that He came to heal the spiritually sick because they recognized their weakness. With an awareness of our inadequacy comes the realization of our need for Him.
The world sees successful individuals as powerful and self-sufficient, but Jesus didn’t care about these qualities. Instead, He wants people to be aware of their own brokenness. This is the foundation for godliness.
We should accept our neediness and seek God passionately. Doing so allows the following attributes to develop: a hunger for God’s Word, faithful service, deepening trust, and decision-making based upon principle rather than preference. Patiently and mercifully, God matures us.
Be careful not to cover up your sins in order to look like a “good Christian.” Without recognition and confession of our sinfulness, we are unable to rely fully on God. It is only with this awareness that we can passionately seek Him, obey in His strength, and confess with repentance when we miss the mark.
~Dr. Charles F. Stanley~
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Luke 22:32
I have prayed for thee.
How encouraging is the thought of the Redeemer's never-ceasing intercession for us. When we pray, He pleads for us; and then we are not praying, He is advocating our cause, and by His supplications shielding us from unseen dangers. Notice the word of comfort addressed to Peter - "Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat; but" - what? "But go and pray for yourself."
That would be good advice, but it is not so written. Neither does he say, "But I will keep you watchful, and so you shall be preserved." That were a great blessing. No, it is, "But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not." We little know what we owe to our Saviour's prayers. When we reach the hill-tops of heaven, and look back upon all the way whereby the Lord our God hath led us, how we shall praise Him who, before the eternal throne, undid the mischief which Satan was doing upon earth. How shall we thank Him because He never held His peace, but day and night pointed to the wounds upon His hands, and carried our names upon His breastplate! Even before Satan had begun to tempt, Jesus had forestalled him and entered a plea in heaven. Mercy outruns malice. Mark, He does not say, "Satan hath desired to have you." He checks Satan even in his very desire, and nips it in the bud. He does not say, "But I have desired to pray for you." No, but "I have prayed for you: I have done it already; I have gone to court and entered a counterplea even before an accusation is made."
O Jesus, what a comfort it is that thou hast pleaded our cause against our unseen enemies; countermined their mines, and unmasked their ambushes. Here is a matter for joy, gratitude, hope, and confidence.
~Charles Spurgeon~
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He who trifles with it is a fool!
(J.A. James, "The Practical Believer Delineated")
"Show me, O LORD, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life!" Psalm 39:4
If the man who trembles at death is a coward--then he who trifles with it is a fool!
There is a thousand times more rationality in the trembler--than in the trifler!
There is a phenomenon in the rational world well worthy of consideration, inquiry and solution--the strange and fatal insensibility of men to the grand fact that they are mortal! Since it is infallibly certain that they must and will die, and since death is so solemn an event--how does it happen that so few ever seriously think of it or really prepare for it?
One would think that so grand and solemn a fact as death, especially viewed in connection with the events which are to immediately follow it--Heaven, Hell and eternity--along with the uncertainty how soon it may be realized--might operate with an unlimited and altogether overpowering influence upon men's minds and hearts!
But men wish to forget death--and alas, too often succeed in accomplishing this fatal oblivion! Yet we can scarcely wonder at this, when we consider what their spiritual condition is--and what death is!
It is the commonness of death, which deprives it of its extreme dreadfulness. If death happened in our world only once in a century, it would be felt like the shock of an earthquake--and would hush the inhabitants of earth into a breathless silence, while the echoes of the knell of the departed soul were reverberating around the globe!
Death is . . .
the moment of destiny;
the seal of eternity;
the cessation of probation;
the commencement of retribution and judgment!
The accompaniments of death are solemn, and so are the consequences!
To every sense--death is revolting!
To every social affection--death is harrowing!
To reason--death is perplexing!
To everything but saving faith--death is overwhelming!
"Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom!" Psalm 90:12
