Today's Daily Encounter 7th April 2021

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Today's Daily Encounter

Judgment Day Is Coming

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of
Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for
the things done while in the body, whether good or
bad."1

In a sermon Matt Woodley shared how, “On the first day
teaching his class of 250 college freshmen, R. C.
Sproul carefully explained the assignment of three term
papers. Each paper was due on the last day of
September, October, and November. Sproul clearly stated
there would be no extensions (except for medical
reasons). At the end of September, 225 students
dutifully turned in their papers, while 25 remorseful
students quaked in fear. ‘We're so sorry,’ they said.
‘We didn't make the proper adjustments from high school
to college, but we promise to do better next time.’ He
bowed to their pleas for mercy, gave them an extension,
but warned them not to be late next month.

“At the end of October rolled around, 200 students
turned in their papers, while 50 students showed up
empty-handed. ‘Oh, please,’ they begged, ‘it was
homecoming weekend, and we ran out of time.’ Sproul
relented once more but warned them, ‘This is it. No
excuses next time. You will get an F.’

“The end of November came and only 100 students turned
in their papers. The rest told Sproul, ‘We'll get it in
soon.’

‘Sorry,’ Sproul replied. ‘It's too late now. You get an
F.’

“The students howled in protest, ‘That's not fair!’

"‘Okay,’ Sproul replied, ‘you want justice, do you?
Here's what's just: you'll get an F for all three
papers that were late. That was the rule, right?’

"‘The students had quickly taken my mercy for granted,’
Sproul later reflected. ‘They assumed it. When justice
suddenly fell, they were unprepared for it. It came as
a shock, and they were outraged.’"2

God has clearly put every Christian on notice that
every one of us will stand before the judgment seat of
Christ and give an account of how we have lived our
life here on earth.1 And for those who have never
received Jesus as their Savior they will stand before
God at the Great White Judgment Throne of God and be
judged for their sins and will have to pay the just
penalty thereof because they never accepted Jesus as
their Savior and asked for and accepted God’s
forgiveness.

As God’s Word says, “And I saw the dead, great and
small, standing before the throne, and books were
opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of
life. The dead were judged according to what they had
done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead
that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead
that were in them, and each person was judged according
to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown
into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second
death. If anyone's name was not found written in the
book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."3

Whatever you do, don’t ignore God’s warning and don’t
take God’s mercy for granted. “Behold, now is ‘the
acceptable time,’ behold, now is ‘the day of
salvation.’"4 If you have never accepted Jesus as your
Savior and asked God for forgiveness for all your sins,
I urge you, friend, to do that today.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank You for Your Word
that tells me what I need to do to have my sins
forgiven; and thank You for giving Jesus, Your Son, to
pay the penalty for all my sins through His death on
the cross. I also thank You for giving me a clear
warning that ‘As it is appointed for men to die once,
but after this the judgment.’5 letting me know that it
is imperative that I make things right with You today
as it is too late after I die. Thank You for hearing
and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name,
amen."

1. 2 Corinthians 5:10 (NIV).
2. Matt Woodley, in the sermon "The Grieving Heart of
God," http://www.preachingtoday.com/48566
3. See Revelation 20:12-15.
4. 2. Corinthians 6:2 (NASV).
5. Hebrews 9:27 (NKJV).

<:))))><

NOTE: If you would like to accept God's forgiveness
for all your sins and His invitation for a full pardon
Click on: http://www.actsweb.org/invitation.php. Or
if you would like to re-commit your life to Jesus Christ,
please click on http://www.actsweb.org/decision.php to note this.

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