Open Heavens Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Memorise: Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the
day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall
try every man’s work of what sort it is. 1 Corinthians 3:13
READ: 1 Corinthians 3:11-15
Death seals the fate of an individual. The Holy Ghost,
writing through Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 makes clear the fate of faithful
believers: finding themselves immediately with Jesus once they are absent from
the body; while Jesus in Luke 16:22-23 makes clear the fate of those that live
outside of God’s percepts: being welcome to hell as they close their eyes in
death. There is no middle place. There is no purgatory as taught by some
religions or Christian denominations. It is either Heaven or Hell. Wherever you
land at death is where you will live forever. It is either death or Jesus comes
to take you home at the rapture. These are the only two exit points from this
world into eternity. Where will you spend eternity?
People quake whenever they hear of death because after
death, judgment follows. Hebrews 9:27 says:
And as it is appointed
unto man once to die, but after this the judgment:
The creator of man has an appointment with man. He does not
seek their inputs concerning this appointment, although those who are very
close to Him could negotiate and shift the date of the appointment. Whether you
like it or not, you must keep that appointment someday, either through death or
through the rapture. A sinner who dies will go to hell. Revelation 20:11-15
says after they are judged at the Great White Throne Judgment, the inhabitants
of hell will be thrown into the lake of fire. That is like saying, from frying
pan to fire. The lake of fire is far worse place than hell fire. Just one sin
is enough to take you there. On the other hand, those who believe in Jesus
Christ, not just church goers, but those who received Christ into their lives
and have the evidence of a change of life will face their judgment too. 1
Corinthians 3:11-15 says every work we have done will be passed through God’s
fire. Any work that did not meet up with God’s standard will be burnt. On that
day, many believers will weep their eyes out when they see their works burnt. The
issue is not just working for God but working to meet God’s standard or
expectation. Any work done with wrong motives will be burnt. Any work done not
at the time God requested but at the convenience of the doer may be burnt. Some
people may have nothing left after the fire. You still have time now to make
amends. You must not lose your reward!
KEY POINT:
To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Unfortunately,
concerning matters of eternity, many who were forewarned never believed the
truth until they died and found it so. But alas they were unprepared.
Bible in one year: Leviticus 1-4
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