" JUDGMENT "

So how are you doing today? You know I'm often reminded of a phrase that I often heard as a child..." KEEP YOUR WITS ABOUT YOU." This week we will be looking into a subject that we all should be thinking about: Judgment.

Beware time has come for Judgment, God's refining discipline. God often allows believers to sin and then experience the consequences. He does this for several reasons:

1. To show us our potential for sinning
2. To encourage us to turn from sin and more constantly depend on Him
3. To prepare us to face other, even stranger temptations in the future
4. To earthly discipline (Judgment) from God, how much more will unbelievers receive it

If it is hard for the righteous to be saved only because of God's mercy, what chance do those have who REJECT Christ? " FOR JUDGMENT WILL BE MERCILESS TO ONE WHO HAS SHOWN NO MERCY; MERCY TRIUMPHS OVER JUDGMENT."

Now only God in His boundless mercy can forgive our sins. We can't earn forgiveness by forgiving others. But when we withhold forgiveness from others after having received it ourselves, we show that we don't understand or appreciate God's mercy toward us.

LAST POINT: Please pay attention, now this is Christ's Law of Forgiveness as taught in the Gospels. We also see it in the Lord's Prayer - " FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS, AS WE ALSO HAVE FORGIVEN OUR DEBTORS." God does not forgive us because we forgive others, but solely because of His great mercy. As we came to understand His mercy, however,we will want to be like Him. Having received forgiveness, we will pass it on to others.

Those who are unwilling to forgive have not become one with Christ, who was willing to forgive even those who crucified Him. So I say once again " Keep Your Wit's About You."

Until Next Time...
Jim