---- Pointing Beyond by Pastor Bob coy “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” —Matthew 10:28 (NKJV) Throughout His ministry, Jesus made it a point to point people beyond this world. He was constantly sounding an alarm about the eternal realities they needed to be ready for: that earth wasn’t “it,” that there was a Heaven and a Hell, and that their current life was best spent preparing for the next one. For example, on the point of fearing man, Jesus taught that we shouldn’t be afraid of those who can only punish in this life, but instead we should fear God, who can punish us in eternity. What’s He saying here? He isn’t just telling His audience to be afraid of God. He’s telling them to recognize the fact that eternal reality should take priority over the earthly reality. How foolish it would be to live your temporal life in a way that only sets you up to suffer eternal consequences. No one wants to sign up for that. But the reality is that the daily grind of life on earth can dull people’s sensitivity to eternity. So Jesus reminds them to look past man and to look to God. If you’re going to fear someone, fear Him! His warning to them is His warning to us, as well. We’re also in danger of making the same mistake they made…the mistake of not having an eternal perspective on our existence. When that happens, our judgments, convictions, and actions become based on the short-term. Wisdom dictates that we base these things in view of eternity. So, receive Christ’s warning, and recognize that this life is best spent preparing for the next one. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. James 4:14 (NKJV) THINK ABOUT IT... What does this passage reveal to me about God? What does this passage reveal to me about myself? Based on this, what changes do I need to make? What is my prayer for today?
Posted on: Fri, 27 Sep 2013 04:37:19 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015