Click the ZionsKeeper App icon to the left, see a video demo and learn how you can go thru the Bible in a year via sermon music video with the Musical Bible app for only $.99.
There is a song I like called Wake Me Up On Judgment Day by Steve Winwood. Part of the chorus line is "Wake me up on judgment day. Let me hear golden trumpets play." I am going to be painfully truthful with you. If you wait until then, it’s too late and when God passes judgment, there will be no golden trumpets in your future. I will be honest with you because I love you: Judgment Day is not an event to be taken lightly. Standing in front of a Holy God after having "slept" your life away will be a terrible, terrible experience. When God separates the sheep and the goats, there will be wailing and much grief. When God separates the sheep and the goats, it is truly over. Those who are the children of God (His sheep) will go with Him into heavenly eternity. Those who are not the children of God (the goats) will go into eternal separation from God.
In a world where "black and white", "right and wrong", "morals into personal life styles" have been compromised, the ’goats’ will then know that there is no ’gray’ area. God loves the righteous (sheep) and despises the way of the wicked (goats). The Bible says that God watches over the way of the righteous but the way of the wicked shall perish. Judgment Day is not the time to find out what God’s desires were for your life. Judgment Day is not the time to discover the Bible is true. Many people refer to sheep as the dumbest animals on earth. On Judgment Day, many will discover why Christians do not mind at all being called His Sheep. On Judgment Day, God will separate the obedient (sheep) from unbelievers and pretenders (goats). On Judgment Day, they will be separated - permanently and forever.
There is no requirement for money, power, well being, etc. to carry out the acts of the Matthew passages. The acts presented here are simple service acts God has deemed important. About ten years ago, I was the praise and worship leader in a church in Texas. There was something missing in my life. Regardless of how many times I asked the Lord to show me what was missing, the prayers were never answered. One morning, I opened my Bible randomly. I asked the Holy Spirit to teach me what I needed to know. The Bible fell open to Matthew 25: 31. As I read and meditated on those passages, there seemed to be no connection to what "was missing" in my Christian life. The next day, the youth pastor called and asked if I could go on a youth outing because one of the adults that had planned on going could not. To make a long, wonderful story short, the youth outing was at Beautiful Feet Church in the inner city. When I walked in the door, the Holy Spirit said to me "now you know what is missing".
I have to be honest in saying prior to that day, serving the homeless, visiting people in night shelters and prisons, and visiting nursing homes had not been on my list of things to do in service to God. What I discovered was my list was what I wanted to do but God had His list of things for me. I had not realized that all the "stuff" I had been through in my rebellious days could now be used to serve those who were going through the same things. I resigned as the Praise and Worship leader and focused on music geared for the homeless and those in prison. In short, the passages in Matthew hold a special meaning for me.
Where are you? Are you a pretender or a child of God? Are you a goat or a sheep? Have you convinced yourself that on Judgment Day you can convince God to "let you in"? Do you compare yourself with others and since you haven’t killed anyone or stolen money or cheated on your spouse that you’ll be placed with the sheep? My friend, it does not work that way. God is merciful and has extended His Grace to us. However, God is a just God. Judgment Day is not the day to discover whether you are a sheep or a goat! Judgment Day is not the day to "wake up". Discover God’s plan for you now! First, get right with God. Come to know you are a sheep! Pray for guidance on where to serve. Try several acts of service. I can promise you that when you serve in an area that God wants you in, you’ll know it immediately. Trust in Jesus to do what He says He will do. Jesus is calling and His sheep know his voice. Listen closely and you can hear Him calling your name. We’ll all meet on Judgment Day. I look forward to hearing Jesus say to me "Welcome home My good and faithful servant". Yes, I am a sheep. Won’t you join me?
Papa Joe Mac's Commentary:
There is a song I like called Wake Me Up On Judgment Day by Steve Winwood. Part of the chorus line is "Wake me up on judgment day. Let me hear golden trumpets play." I am going to be painfully truthful with you. If you wait until then, it’s too late and when God passes judgment, there will be no golden trumpets in your future. I will be honest with you because I love you: Judgment Day is not an event to be taken lightly. Standing in front of a Holy God after having "slept" your life away will be a terrible, terrible experience. When God separates the sheep and the goats, there will be wailing and much grief. When God separates the sheep and the goats, it is truly over. Those who are the children of God (His sheep) will go with Him into heavenly eternity. Those who are not the children of God (the goats) will go into eternal separation from God.
In a world where "black and white", "right and wrong", "morals into personal life styles" have been compromised, the ’goats’ will then know that there is no ’gray’ area. God loves the righteous (sheep) and despises the way of the wicked (goats). The Bible says that God watches over the way of the righteous but the way of the wicked shall perish. Judgment Day is not the time to find out what God’s desires were for your life. Judgment Day is not the time to discover the Bible is true. Many people refer to sheep as the dumbest animals on earth. On Judgment Day, many will discover why Christians do not mind at all being called His Sheep. On Judgment Day, God will separate the obedient (sheep) from unbelievers and pretenders (goats). On Judgment Day, they will be separated - permanently and forever.
There is no requirement for money, power, well being, etc. to carry out the acts of the Matthew passages. The acts presented here are simple service acts God has deemed important. About ten years ago, I was the praise and worship leader in a church in Texas. There was something missing in my life. Regardless of how many times I asked the Lord to show me what was missing, the prayers were never answered. One morning, I opened my Bible randomly. I asked the Holy Spirit to teach me what I needed to know. The Bible fell open to Matthew 25: 31. As I read and meditated on those passages, there seemed to be no connection to what "was missing" in my Christian life. The next day, the youth pastor called and asked if I could go on a youth outing because one of the adults that had planned on going could not. To make a long, wonderful story short, the youth outing was at Beautiful Feet Church in the inner city. When I walked in the door, the Holy Spirit said to me "now you know what is missing".
I have to be honest in saying prior to that day, serving the homeless, visiting people in night shelters and prisons, and visiting nursing homes had not been on my list of things to do in service to God. What I discovered was my list was what I wanted to do but God had His list of things for me. I had not realized that all the "stuff" I had been through in my rebellious days could now be used to serve those who were going through the same things. I resigned as the Praise and Worship leader and focused on music geared for the homeless and those in prison. In short, the passages in Matthew hold a special meaning for me.
Where are you? Are you a pretender or a child of God? Are you a goat or a sheep? Have you convinced yourself that on Judgment Day you can convince God to "let you in"? Do you compare yourself with others and since you haven’t killed anyone or stolen money or cheated on your spouse that you’ll be placed with the sheep? My friend, it does not work that way. God is merciful and has extended His Grace to us. However, God is a just God. Judgment Day is not the day to discover whether you are a sheep or a goat! Judgment Day is not the day to "wake up". Discover God’s plan for you now! First, get right with God. Come to know you are a sheep! Pray for guidance on where to serve. Try several acts of service. I can promise you that when you serve in an area that God wants you in, you’ll know it immediately. Trust in Jesus to do what He says He will do. Jesus is calling and His sheep know his voice. Listen closely and you can hear Him calling your name. We’ll all meet on Judgment Day. I look forward to hearing Jesus say to me "Welcome home My good and faithful servant". Yes, I am a sheep. Won’t you join me?