Benefits of Timely Judgments (Poem)

It is a fearful thing to fall into the 

Hands of The Living God.

(Hebrews 10:31)

 

Judgments! My, O my, what a harsh sounding word.

We shudder at the thought of it being applied to us,

As our thoughts race to review the ways we’ve erred.

Yet when it’s applied to ‘deserving others’ among us,

How our thoughts are …considerably altered!

We’re ‘glad it’s them’, and of our bad, we are soooo not conscious.

 

But just like a well-pruned tree, judgments have many benefits,

If in a timely manner they’re administered.

From personal experience, that I learned and must admit,

When into my life, The Lord’s judgments were ushered.

To four benefits I perceive considerable credits,

So I’ll share them with you. Tell me if you concur.

 

First are ‘shame-related, course-correction opportunities’.

Grace from The Lord is designed ‘to lead us to repentance,’ ¹

But when it doesn’t, we’re then in line for His judgment miseries.

If He delays, ‘Watch out!’ He’ll give more Grace, time and patience,

‘Investments’ in your desired repentance possibilities.

But with no shame, there’re no morals, no judgment deterrents! ²

 

Bless The Lord for shame and course-correction opportunities!

Can you imagine this ole world without these?!

They often come from His timely judgment generosities.

But in thanks for such, we don’t fall on our knees!

May He open our shut eyes to His Grace-filled propensities,

And enable us to perceive what He sees.

 

Second, there is Grace to avoid a cataclysmic fall!

Since pride is the taproot of each and every sin,

It only takes a bit to start, then things quickly snowball!

When Grace is protracted, we think, ‘Hey, I can win!’

Without repentance, pride blinds us to our pending downfall,

And to the ‘ice we’re on’ that’s increasingly …thin.

 

Bless The Lord for Grace to avoid disastrous downfalls,

When His judgments are timely, and to His warnings we heed. ³

May we learn to cease our …‘beat His system' protocols’.

And study, then trust His …‘guaranteed ways to succeed’.

Learning His ways and voice, we’ll avoid many pitfalls.

That happens when it’s consistently on His Word we feed.

 

Third is the benefit of a wiser, on-looking remnant.

Other benefits are personal, this is societal.

Some judgments have a collateral damages component,

And all have a surviving remnant group that is …quite watchful.

The Lord’s keen desire is for this group to learn from your judgments,

Or folks will risk much worse fates for ignoring …His kind counsel. ⁴

 

Fourth is a unique one reserved for us born-again saints.

I refer to it as ‘wiping clean our slate’. ⁵

This choice benefit is un-available to …the ‘ain’ts’.

Since they have yet to change their eternal fate,

And reject His sacrifice for their sins, don’t think that’s quaint!

For them to repent, judgments may be …His bait.

 

That’s it, ‘benefits of timely judgments’ from my life’s notepad,

Lessons I’m learning from challenges on roads I have chosen,

Shared from my heart, to yours, with perspectives that are good and bad.

My sincere prayer is that, by them you will be enlightened,

And to my judgments benefits list, you might have some to add.

Will you share these lessons to help someone’s pathways to brighten??

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¹ See: Romans 2:4. See also: Hebrews 12:6. The Lord judges unrepentant sinners, but He generally ‘chastens and scourges’ His born-again saints who were effectively judged in Christ’s sacrificial offering. While the spiritual differences are significant (in that faithful saints will escape His final/eternal judgment), physically, we may not be qualified to discern the differences.

² See: Proverbs 11:2, 13:5, and 13:18

³ Listen to: Just Heed It! (Lyrics & Video)

⁴ See: What’s Really Going On (…Inside) and Top 10 Reasons for Crises/Tragedies (Part 4) and Un-marked (Poem)

⁵ ‘Wiping the slate clean’ is an idiom that mean a fresh start, a clean record, forgiving all past infractions. 

Christianesque (Poem)

The Gospels record, by large crowds, Jesus was often thronged,

By the sick, blind, hungry, and curious re. …‘what’s happening?’

But the crowds quickly shrunk as on folks, His core message dawned.

To just a precious few did His Word become …heartwarming.

 

But some in the crowds decided to …’hang around,’

Following Him from a comfortable distance --

In the crowds, but to Him …spiritually unbound.

In the crowds, not displaying any resistance. ¹

 

I imagine some folks who ‘hung around’,

Later converted, and their lives displayed,

Hearts warmed by His core message, so profound.

They became God’s sons when Jesus was raised.

 

Then there were hang arounds who would never be …Christianized,

Folks who may have been satisfied just to be in His crowd,

And Pharisees just seeking something …Him to criticize,

There for His triumphal entrance, and piercing of His brow. ²

 

Some scenarios just like this persist in our day,

Though Jesus isn’t here traversing Earth’s dusty roads.

Still ‘crowds’ grow, then significantly fade away.

Some folks hang around, but won’t change their life’s modes. ³

 

Then there are the few who are committed, to their core,

And of their commitment to Christ, their lives testify.

Some hang arounds might later join this committed corps,

And live transformed lives that demonstrate and verify. 

 

Then there are the hang arounds who to Christ will never commit.

Crouched in the crowd, living lives that contradict their façade,

They proudly wear the Christian label, but outwardly admit,

‘I’m a believer, just not ‘born again’. They self-defraud. ⁴

 

And just like when Christ was here as a Man, so it is today.

And to Him, for now, you’ve gotta know …that’s really okay!

You see, He foreknows who will and won’t walk His righteous pathway,

So He’s content to wait to settle scores …on judgment day.

 

Cozy in their ‘life’s boat’, not with what Christ requires and requests.

Most folks have no interest in their hearts being renewed.

Thus only a small remnant of us humans will pass His tests.

So when they parade as a Christian, whom do they delude?

 

Describing folks who just wear Christian identification,

Can quite frankly be a somewhat challenging task.

‘Fake Christians’ or ‘CINOs’ sound like such harsh expressions.

Let’s pray for/be polite to folks who’re just …Christianesque! ⁵

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¹ Like the Pharisee, Nicodemus. See: John 3:1-21

² See: Matthew 21:1-11 and John 19

³ Crowds today include folks (both the ‘churched’ and the ‘un-‘)  who are sincere in strengthening/deepening their relationship with God through Christ; others who may not yet be ready to make a solid commitment; and still others who may be only attracted to glitzy entertainment worship and preaching styles, to prospects of finding a mate, to church social scenes, etc.

⁴ ‘You must be born-again to enter into The Kingdom Heaven - born of water (physical birth) and of The Holy Spirit (spiritual re-birth)’. That is the clear message Jesus gave to Nicodemus, signifying ‘Christian’ is synonymous with ‘being born-again’. Yet this Truth many deny, or about it, they are deluded.

⁵ Christian-like in some insignificant way(s), but not in a personal, intimate, born-again relationship with Jesus Christ. They remain 'dead to God' (Revelation 3:1) because Jesus doesn't 'know them'. (Matthew 7:23). PLEASE SEE: Audacious Christians (Series) to perceive what will likely happen to most Christianesque folks who will MISS THE RAPTURE! Finally, recall Apostle Paul warned of a ‘great falling away’ from the faith toward the end of this current age of Grace, people who were formerly committed believers, losing their faith for a variety of reasons, yet for some, this loss may not be evident, publicly. Hence, they may swell the crowds that are ‘Christianesque’. My prayers are that I will not be counted in these groups, and will stay strong in my faith, and that many in the groups noted herein will wake-up and turn around before it is too late. Bible predictions are the seeds of human history, and like it or not, we are all seeing and eating their fruits.