October 30

2 Timothy 4
The Lord is a righteous judge. He will judge both the living and the dead. All will one day stand before His judgment seat. I have spent time in a court room as an observer. The times that I have been there have been to be a moral support to those who were either in a court battle or were there on criminal charges. One thing that has impressed me each time that I have been there is the absolute authority that a judge has in a court room. Not having ever been in the military, there is nothing else that I have experienced that is like the authority of a judge. Even a human judge carries a special authority. The lawyers treat them with the utmost respect. The officers respond immediately to their commands. If they want silence in the courtroom, they get it. Even the innocent tend to become timid before them. And this is just a human judge! What if that judge were corrupt, as we know happens every once-in-a-while? The potential for the abuse of power looms great in a judge. They have to be of the utmost highest in character.
If a human judge commands that much authority, how much more the judge of all the earth? I am so glad that He is righteous. But I am not innocent. Should I not be quaking before Him? Not any more. You see, He, the judge, has already paid the penalty for my sin and declared me to be righteous in His sight. I will stand before Him to be judged, not to see whether or not I will go to heaven. That was taken care of on the day I trusted Him as my Savior. I will stand before Him to see if I have done anything that is worthy of reward from Him. Now that is a deal! Not only does He pay the penalty due me and declare me righteous, but He also rewards me of any good work that He deems worthy of reward! Isn’t He glorious? Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John