Prepare To Meet Thy God

HoHum:

There are many important events that take place in a person’s life: Birth, first word, first step, first date, marriage, first job, first promotion, etc. Not all of these happen in every life.

Regardless of the person, or the event, no experience can outmeasure the experience of meeting God, and every one must meet God.

Many refuse to consider this momentous event. Some may doubt the existence and authority of God. Some may disbelieve or scorn the thought of the possibility of having to meet God face to face to give an account for their lives on this earth.

WBTU:

There are several judgments of God in the Bible. There is the judgment seat of Christ.

There is the judgment of the nations. The context of Amos 4:12 is talking about the judgment that God is going to bring onto the northern nation of Israel because they refused to return to God. God brought famine, drought, blight, plagues, war and destruction upon them but they refused to repent. Therefore, God is going to put an end to them.

Even though that is the context we cannot help but think about the Judgment Day from this verse. There is coming a day when we will be alone with God the Judge to give an account and this will determine our eternal destiny.

Thesis: Let’s talk about this meeting.

For instances:

This meeting is inevitable.

Hebrews 9:27: man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment

No amount of contrary belief or unbelief can ever change this fact. This belief is all over the Bible and called: the Day, Day of the Lord, Day of Judgment, Day of the Lord Jesus Christ, Day of God’s Wrath, End of the Age, Great Day, the Last Day.

C. This is one of the unalterable and eternally fixed decrees of an unchanging and unchangeable God. Hosea 9:7: The days of punishment are coming, the days of reckoning are at hand.

The condition of our soul will determine the nature of this meeting.

Good standing, good deeds, honorable attainments, will not help in this meeting.

Titus 3:5 says that it will not be based on righteous things we have done. Isaiah 64:6 says that all our righteous acts are like filthy rags in God’s sight. Romans 3:10 says: As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one

But I’m a good fellow. I’m a whole lot better and righteous than some of the people I know. Probably true but Romans 3:20: Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

In other words, God does not judge on a bell curve. Pass or fail and we all fail. Romans 3:22-23: There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

If the meeting is to be a good one, preparation must be made.

This meeting with God will be one of joy or grief, salvation or condemnation.

There is a desire in all people to have God come and set things right. Psalm 42:2-3: When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” When things are not fair and life turns sour, people want God to come and set things straight.

Unfortunately, there is no hope for a peaceful meeting without preparation. John 3:3: “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”

No one in his natural condition is fit for heaven. We are sinners and not fit for our meeting with God. Hebrews 12:14: without holiness no one will see the Lord.

Nothing holy, impure, or imperfect will be allowed to enter heaven and be in the presence of God. Revelation 21:27: Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Must prepare like with any important meeting, but how?

How shall this preparation be made?

Look at His Word, the Bible:

A. Romans 1:16: I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.

B. 1 Peter 1:22-23: Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

C. Which truth am I to obey? All of it. That is impossible. Obey the gospel commands. What are the gospel commands?