Turning the World Right-Side Up: When Judgment Day Comes

You are listening to a new beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast supported by harvest partners for more ways to deepen and challenge your spiritual walk and roll and pastor breaks free online courses sign-up at harvest out alert one very personal member will mean Jesus drawing don't mean him as Savior. You will meet him as a day of reckoning. Lori points out today, people will be judged on whether they know Jesus as their Savior. Leaders. Movie star. There, everyone for this road so they with excuses when were hungry.

Hey aren't hungry anymore. That big meal seemed less expensive weight afterward so alive. We wonder if the variance was worth the cost spiritually speaking somewhat of a similar experience on Judgment Day was the experience worth the cost today on Lori points out how we can make the right choice right now the book of Revelation about the last leg of this amazing book. So, I'd like you to grab your Bibles and turn to Revelation chapter 20. Now we move from the millennium on earth to the great white throne judgment and haven't last time I talked to you about the judgment seat of Christ, also called the bema seat of Christ, which is where the Lord is giving out rewards to his faithful servants. This is different.

This is that, this great white throne judgment.

Revelation 20 verse 11 then John writes, I saw a great white throne and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them and I saw the dead, small and great study before God, and books were opened. Might underline that word books notice its plural and another book singular was open, which is the book of life and the dead were judged according to their works, by the things that were written in the books and the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades delivered up the dead that were in them and they were judged, each one according to his works. Then death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire.

This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire while what an ominous scene.

This is probably the most serious and sobering passage in all of the Bible and Dante's poem inferno are the famous words over the gates of hell abandon hope all you who enter here." So here's this great white throne wasn't white because it's pure and God is going to judge from this pure throne and if a person ends up at this judgment gets to lay there's going to be no debate over guilt or innocence. There's going to be a prosecutor but no defense attorney will be an accuser but no advocate will be an indictment but no defense mounted by the accused, the convicting evidence will be presented with no rebuttal or cross-examination. There is no jury, there is simply a judge that holy judgment will be final and binding for all eternity. Some people like twilight symbol for God will make my case though it's too late.

There are thousands of chances before death. But if you wind up at the great white throne judgment is to lay who will be at this judgment will number one no just be out and out sinners by out and out sinners I mean people who acknowledge there is center they own it, they don't make excuses for the kind of like being a sinner.

These are people that have no interest in God they believe in God.

Another way to mock God to make fun of people who believe in Jesus Christ's elbow be there at this great white throne judgment but there's some other people that will be there as well. Like self righteous people, another different from the outright sinner because a self-righteous person feels because of the things they've done for the good life they've led LB admitted in heaven. They don't think they need God they don't need Jesus. They don't need forgiveness they'll be there as well because he ignored the passage that said it's not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us procrastinators will be there as well know these people are different from your average center or even your self-righteous person. The procrastinator is a person you tell about Jesus and they'll say something along the lines up when you know what I really am interested in that.

I would look into that and y'all go to church with you sometime or I watch Harvest at Home.

Maybe someday, and I think it's good that you seem to have found something that is helped you in and I'm open to this. But I'm busy and I don't have time right up W or to because they procrastinated for too long. Guests will also be there unstable church members just because you go to church. It doesn't necessarily mean you're a Christian, and there are people that attend churches. There are people that have their name on the membership role of the church, but they are not followers of Jesus are living a double life because they're not really Christians at all.

They'll be there at the great white throne judgment. Everything's going to be known.

Look at verse 12. I saw the dead, small and great study before God and the books were opened. Now here's a question. Why is someone at the great white throne judgment.

In other words, if they put this wicked life and rejected God's offer of forgiveness. Why does the Lord to send them the judgment answer because he wants to reveal to them why this is happening.

The final confrontation between God and man is there to demonstrate why this is happening. Jesus explains it in John 318 he that believes in me is not content but he who does not believe in me is condemned already, because he is not believed in the name of the only begotten son, listen, I know this isn't popular. I know this will offend someone, but I'm in the said because it's in the Bible there is only one way to come into our relationship with God the father and that is through Jesus Christ. Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life no man comes of the father but by me. So if you reject that if you say no to Christ who suffered and died in your place on the cross and said I don't want your forgiveness. I don't care about your sacrifice, you'll end up in this judgment because there's only one way to get to heaven and it's by having Christ come and live inside of you, as I've said many times, heaven is not for good people have in this for or given people have you been forgiven of your sin. If not, I'll tell you how to be in a few moments and I'll tell you how you can be sure your name is written in the book of life. So stay with me because I'm almost done. Isn't it interesting how we read here that books are open plural in a book is open, singular, which is the book of life.

So what is written in these books will I don't think I can say with certainty, but I think I can offer an educated guess based on other passages of the Bible. I think one of these books may be the book of God's the book of God's law. By that I mean it's 10 Commandments.

The Bible tells us in Romans 319. The commandment forgiven that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world would be guilty before God, the 10 Commandments open my eyes and they shut my mouth because I might or will I live the good life and I was a good person okay really here's a 10 Commandments member. The story of that guy that we called the rich young ruler cruised up to Jesus and is lowered supercool BMW chariot, drinking a latte, but he he was a wealthy guy. He came up to Jesus. He says good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life. Jesus says you know the commandments and Jesus quotes a bunch of the commandments to the rich young ruler, and then that young man said all of these I have From my youth up and then we read Jesus looked at him and loved him. It would've made more sense that we read and Jesus looked at them and smacked up like what you talking about you broken all these commandments on but the point is Jesus quoted the commandments to show that young men he had broken them and that's why he needed Jesus but that young. I miss the memo.

Everyone of us are broken these commitments and we ask you a question of your life. Have you ever stolen. Have you ever taken the Lord's name in vain. Have you ever comforted something that belong to someone else's and what will of course okay then you broken a commandment. The Bible says if you offend in one point of the law, you're guilty of all of it so we might say well I'm good I lived a good life and God will say open up this book and it's a book of the law showing that I have broken these commandments perhaps another book would be a record of everything I've said and done everything I've said and done. Ecclesiastes 1214 says God will judge us for everything we do, including every hidden thing. Good or bad thing about that everything you've done is recorded in heaven, every word you spoke every thought you had every text you sense everything is recorded in heaven.

In Matthew 1236 is every idle word, a man speaks left to give an account of the day of your great glory will have the second half of this message in just a moment. Sometimes, we can always make sure here's the good news church is coming to you is coming due on your TV screen or on your tablet or your computer or even your phone.

We do it every weekend and it's called harvest home.

We worship we have a message of the word of God. If you want to find out more, just go to harvest.org enjoy this this weekend for harvest at all were learning that books will be open on that great day of judgment. Heavenly record of our earthly actions. Pastor Ray continues his message now called turning the world right side maybe another one of these books would show that you didn't even live up to your own standards because sometimes people will say well I'm not into organized religion.

I have my own beliefs that I live by, really, when you say you're not into organized religion.

Can I be so bold as to suggest what you're really saying is I don't want to hear about Jesus Christ or the Bible because of what is all organized religion is that what you call it high: a relationship with Jesus Christ. But anyway, I have my own rules and I live by. I suggest you don't even live up to your own standards you set a standard. This is wrong and I'll never do this thing than you do that, they will maybe it's not as wrong as I thought this other thing is bad I'll never do that, then you do that well you keep adjusting it. According to bad choices you make. The Bible says in Romans 214 evil when nonbelievers who don't have God's law instinctively follow what the law says because in their hearts they know right from wrong. They demonstrate God's law is written in them because her own conscience will accuse them or tell them what they're doing is right. The day will come when God through Christ will judge everyone's secret life. You don't even live up to your own standards, much less God's standards to all these books are open this show. You really brought this on yourself maybe another book is a record of every time you heard the gospel and rejected because someone might sit allowing no one ever told me about Jesus.

No one ever told me he died of the cross for my sin. No, hold it, check this out and maybe there's a film reel with highlights of your life all the times you heard the gospel you are as a little kid in Sunday school and the teachers telling you Jesus loves you and you're cutting off the pigtail of the girl sitting in front of you, dear, you are as a young man and someone engages you on the street to talk about price and you push them away. Here you are looking the channels are you're on YouTube just looking at different things and you hear some bald guy telling you need Jesus in this. I don't watch that right now I would go watch a Video instead see you heard the gospel in your held responsible to what you've heard, you know more than you think you know knowledge brings responsibility. The question will be, is your name written in the book of life one day. Every person on earth will meet Jesus Christ is inescapable.

These unavoidable and if you don't meet him as Savior.

You will one day meet him as judge, let me say that again one day. Everyone's going to meet Jesus Christ. And if you don't meet him as Savior.

You will meet him as judge because Philippians 2 says at the name of Jesus Christ every knee will bow, of those in heaven and those earlier than every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the father every person world leaders, presidents, Prime Minister's Kings and Queens movie stars, rock stars billionaires unknown people. Everyone will stand before God, and know this. The road to hell is paved with excuses. If you end up in hell. You have no one to blame but yourself. Hell is a prison in which the doors are first log from the inside by us and then are locked from the outside by God. The last thing God wants is for any man or woman made in his image to spend eternity separated from him in this place called hell.

And this is why Jesus Christ dying on the cross for you and for me because we all sin.

We've all broken God's commandments. We've all fallen short. We've all messed up.

But Christ died for us and he rose again from the dead and now he stands at the door of our life in the knots and pieces. If you hear his voice and open the door to come in I mentioned earlier that passage that describes this time of judgment as this second death. Listen to this. If you're born one shall die twice if you're born twice you'll die one what is it mean if you're born one shall die twice what this simply means is your you're born physically but then you will die physically and you'll face the second death, which is the judgment of God. But if you're born twice you'll die once. Let me explain born twice you're born physically but then you're born again. Jesus said in John three unless you are born again, you will not enter the kingdom of God. By the way, Jesus said that to a religious dude name Nicodemus, a man who was pretty self righteous amendment who was known to be a spiritual person but a man he was searching for God was honest enough to come to Jesus look for help. Jesus at all just cut to the chase. We didn't say that, but it's implied I was going to cut to the chase with your buddy Nicholas and you need to be born again. What is that meanings are born from above. It means US Christ to come and live inside of you and he forgives you of all of your sin. Remember I told you earlier God's in the restoration you made a mess of your life. Have you made decisions you wish you would not made have you done things you wish you would not done. Have you said things you wish you would not said, but you can turn the clock back right will listen God to make all things new.

The Bible says of any man be in Christ, he is an altogether different kind of person old things have passed away and behold, everything becomes fresh and new. I love the winter rains don't you. For starters, people with dirty cars get the car wash that they want to or not. The sun comes out. The bird started singing again, and this is what can happen to you if you believe in Jesus, the son can come out in your life again. You can find purpose again I'm talking to somebody right now that is really depressed. I'm talking to somebody right now that is so despondent you contemplated suicide. Maybe even someone who's attempted it. Listen, I want you to know there's a God in heaven who loves you and he is a plan for your life. Don't give up hope this is your moment for your life to change when I was just a young kid 17 years old heard the gospel in a way I understood. I put my faith in Jesus and I've never looked back with regret that decision right now you can have your life change because Jesus is ready to forgive you and come into your life would you like to be forgiven of your sin. Would you like to go to heaven when you die, or would you rather go to hell and face the great white throne judgment. The choice is yours. Listen you decide in this life where you will spend the afterlife where you want to go. I think you want to go to heaven.

I know I sown a moment on the prayer, prayer, and I'm in ask you to pray this prayer with me. This is a prayer where you would ask Christ to come and live in your heart you would ask him to forgive you of your sin in your making the decision to follow Jesus.

This can happen for you right here right now so if you want Jesus to come of your life if you want to go to heaven when you die if you want your sin forgiven. I want you to just stop what you're doing and I want you to pray a prayer with me.

You can pray it out loud if you like you can pray quietly but say this to God and mean let's all pray pray these words. If you would, Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner but I know you're the Savior who died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead.

I'm sorry for my sin, Lord, and I choose to follow you from this moment forward you my Savior, my Lord, my God and my friend. Thank you for hearing this prayer in answering this prayer in Jesus name I pray, amen to Greg Laurie important prayer, leading those who are making a decision for the Lord today.

If you pray that prayer just now. We want to help you get started in your new relationship with God. Let us send you our new believers growth packet. It's a resource collection.

Pastor Greg is assembled to help you get started off right in your walk of faith and will send it your way without any charge just right is that a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300. We can take your call anytime 24 seven again., 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and click the words know God will Pastor Greg, I'm sure listeners are enjoying this new series in the book of Revelation and they'll enjoy your new book of Revelation takes this insight even further as well. But I think that the first time a pastor decides to teach from the book of Revelation is a little sobering a little intimidating.

Just the remember the first time you dove in. Yes, it it is all the above i.e. it it's an overwhelming book gets a book that's filled with imagery. It's a book that's filled with statements that are not always easily understood what I think as you begin to piece it together and understand that studying the book of Daniel is a great help in understanding the book of Revelation. Understanding the format of an understanding the purpose of it, it suddenly comes into focus for you, you know, just take the word Revelation by the way, it's Revelation singular, not revelations plural. I bring this up because people often say why been reading revelations while Doug, it's Revelation, but Revelation means to unveil. So God's not trying to hide things from us. He's trying to unveil reveal things to us. You know it's interesting Jesus in Matthew 24 I and what we call the all of the discourse says when you see the abomination of desolation happen then we read let the reader understand. So Jesus is talking about end times events and there's that little detail. Let the reader under stand. So why would Jesus say that if he didn't want us to understand Bible prophecy and how it applies to us today. I believe were living in the last days. I believe Jesus could come back at any moment and I believe we need to be ready in the book of Revelation will help us to live a life that is prepared for the return of Christ, and we are not only teaching on it here on a new beginning, but we have a brand-new book that we have just completed and I'm so excited about this because this is going to help you understand this great book of Revelation in out Bible prophecy applies to you. The title of the book is simply Revelation subtitled a book of promises so I hope you'll order this book that we will send you for your gift of any size and whatever you said we will use to enable us to continue to teach the word of God here on our radio broadcast a new beginning and also to proclaim the gospel and call people to Jesus Christ. So order your copy of this brand-new book Revelation, a book of promises. I will send it to you for your gift of any size you try to such a rich book if I could even promises a special blessing. No other book of the Bible does that and will send you this new resource to thank you for your donation right now a Dave. Let me jump in really quick and not only are we offering this new book Revelation about the promises, but we have this really cool graphic bookmark that we have put together that gives you a timeline of end times events so you probably wondered okay I know I've heard about the rapture and the tribulation. In the antichrist and the second coming. What happens when will this very beautiful little visual bookmark sort of lease it out for you that's included in the book you're talking about right now.

Yeah that's right it comes automatically to get in touch with your donation today and will thank you with a copy of Revelation, a book of promises you can write a set a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300. That's a 24 seven phone number 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org one next time. Pastor Greg brings us in detail on how heaven actually comes down to earth to become one fascinating information. Join us here on a new beginning. Pastor and Bible teacher Greg Moore thanks Philip a new beginning.

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