Lord or Judge

" If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honor" (John 12:26)

Every man holds his future in his hand. Not the dominant world leader only, but the inarticulate man lost in anonymity is a "man of destiny." He decides which way his soul shall go. He chooses and destiny waits on the nod of his head. He decides, and hell enlarges herself, or heaven prepares another mansion. So much of Himself has God given to men.

"If any man will ... let him... follow me," He says, and some will rise and go after Him, but others give no heed to His voice (see Matthew 16:24, Luke 9:23). So the gulf opens between man and man, between those who will and those who will not. Silently, terribly the work goes on, as each one decides whether he will hear or ignore the voice of invitation. He will not put Himself again on trial; He will not argue, but the morning of the judgment will confirm what men in the twilight have decided.

Christ will be Lord, or He will be Judge. Every man must decide whether he will take Him as Lord now or face Him as Judge then.

Lord, give me a sensitivity to those around me who have not yet accepted Christ. It may be my words that could help them come to know You as Lord and keep them from facing You as Judge. Amen

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The Manger, The Cross and the Throne

"Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25)

Of course we must include in our total creed the manger, the Cross and the throne. All that is symbolized by these three objects must be present to the gaze of faith; all is necessary to a proper understanding of the Christian evangel. No single tenet of our creed must be abandoned or even relaxed, for each is joined to the other by a living bond. But while all truth is to be at all times held inviolate, not every truth is to be at all times emphasized equally with each other.

Christ was born that He might become a man and become a man that He might give His live a ransom for many. Neither the birth nor the dying were ends in themselves. As He was born to die, so did He die that He might atone, and rise that He might justify freely all who take refuge in Him. His birth and His death are history. His appearance at the mercy seat is not history past, but a present, continuing fact, to the instructed Christian the most glorious fact his trusting heart can entertain.

Let us remember that weakness lies at the manger, death at the Cross and power at the throne.

Lord, it's an astounding thought that Jesus, having completed His work through the manger and the Cross, is now at the mercy seat pleading on my behalf. I rejoice in the power of the throne. Amen

~A. W. Tozer~