“For what is your life? For it is a mist,
which for a little while appears,
and then disappears.”
James 4:14 (ESV)
The Mist of Life
Our days here on earth are a precious commodity. There are seasons and allotments of time given to each of us. Our words, actions and motives will be weighed when the “books are opened” (Daniel 7:10, Revelation 20:12) and our lives are reviewed by Him whose eyes are as a flaming fire.
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”
2 Corinthians 5:10
God’s Word presents the truth of our life lived here. There is an accountability that awaits each of us in the world to come. Paul included himself in this truth and lived his life accordingly.
“Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord,
we persuade men…”
2 Corinthians 5:11
Only those who know the fear of the Lord spend their lives persuading others. They are not satisfied with words and teachings but seek by every means to live their lives in a manner befitting Him who died and gave Himself for us.
Paul prefaced these two powerful scriptures with this solemn truth:
“Wherefore we labour, that,
whether present or absent,
we may be accepted of Him.”
2 Corinthians 5:9
May God breathe afresh into us the understanding of the brevity of our life here and the Day of reckoning that is before us.
“And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear…”
1 Peter 1:17
The judgment of God upon each of us is “according to our works”; not our words, our beliefs, nor the associations we keep. We are not saved BY works, we are saved UNTO good works (Ephesians 2:8-10). The power and the dynamic of faith are expressed through His Works into the world around us.
“Faith without works
is dead.”
James 2:26
“But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”
James 1:25
Related Post: The Brevity of Life
“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me,
to give every man according as his work shall be.”
Revelation 22:12
Brian Troxel
False Cross….. True Cross
I had an early morning dream 12/31/2015. I was kneeling at the foot of what I thought was the cross of Jesus. I was expecting to be forgiven of sins I had come to confess and be washed clean by Jesus’ blood. Instead I was being hit by large rocks that were quite painful. Jesus was not on the cross because His finished work of redemption is/was completed. When I looked up at the cross I saw 2 men sitting, one on either side of the vertical beam. The stones represented accusation and judgement. These could have been religious leaders or just ordinary Christians who hijacked the cross of Christ and turned it into something it is not. God’s judgement and God’s mercy were both displayed at the cross in Jesus. The 2 on the cross were elevating themselves to a place they had no business being that is judges. Jesus said that all judgement had been committed to Him. When Jesus looked down from the cross dying He asked His Father to forgive those crucifying Him. These 2, on the other hand were not suffering but rather sitting on the cross.
We all need to be careful to be a conduit of God’s mercy and not an obstacle to it
Amen. Mercy is the means and the motivation to become “living sacrifices” unto Him.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
Romans 12:1
“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
Hebrews 10:24-25
The Spirit of the Lord moves within His own to fulfill His Word, and it is in our comprehending “the Day approaching” we feel the press of His Spirit provoking one another “unto love and good works.”
Always appreciate the comments!
Blessings
BT
Remember commenting on this dream?
Running the Race
I had a dream 06/13/2024 where I saw a running track with runners on it. I saw the finish line with an individual waiting to crown the victor. Then I saw 3 individuals, although there may have been more, but it is these 3 that were prominent in the dream as they represent 3 hindrances to finishing the race.
The first individual, although physically fit, was greatly struggling to walk let alone run. Then I was shown what looked like a concrete slab, picture a segment of sidewalk, attached to his leg by a chain.
The second individual had in their arms what looked like dolls that were piled above his head thus restricting his sight.
The third individual seemed to be very gaunt and I watched as he was blown by the wind all over the track and therefore was unable to focus on the victor’s crown awaiting him at the finish line.
The interpretation is as follows:
The slab pretty much crippling the first runner was called unforgiveness.
The second runner was hindered by idolatry thus his inability to focus on the goal of finishing the race. Idols are those things in one’s life that can keep an individual from serving the Lord with a whole heart and even take the individual out of the race completely.
The third individual being blown all over the track is described in a Ephesians 4:11-15.
Ephesians 4:11-15 (NKJV) 11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—
This is an individual not submitted to sound doctrine but rather chasing doctrines that appeal to his fleshly desires
Amen my Brother in Christ. Thank you for reminding us that Salvation is the beginning of living our lives for God our Creator. Blessings
Thank you again Curleen for stopping by.
Blessings to you and your loved ones.
BT