DISCIPLINE 2006

Philippians 1:9 And this I pray, THAT your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; 10 THAT ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till (with a view toward being ready for) the Day of Christ. 11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

.

Free of Offense in the Day of Judgment

DAY 1—We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
Rom 14:10-13a But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at naught thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one another any more...
· LORD,I am laying my life before You. Deal with everything in me that will not pass Your judgment. I am ready for the secrets of my own heart to be revealed so I can become pure before You. Search me. Try me. Know my thoughts. Cleanse me.
If we confess Christ before men, He will confess us before His Father—Mt 10:32; Lk 12:4-10

DAY 2—In the Day of Judgment everything, both good and evil, will be revealed.
Lk 12:2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid that shall not be known. Eccl 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
· FATHER, please show me Your mercy. There are things in me that I do not want revealed, but lam too weak spiritually to deal with them. Let Your grace and Your power come over me. Cleanse me, not for my shame’s sake, but for Your Kingdom’s sake.
If we come into the light of truth now, we can stand in the day of judgment—Jn 3:17-21

DAY 3—God has given the Lord Jesus authority to execute judgment at the end this age.
Mt 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then He shall reward every man according to his works. Jn 5:26,27 For as the Father hath life in Himself so hath He given to the Son to have We in Himself; and hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of man.
· DEAR FATHER, I trust in the power of Your grace for the final day. I have no hope outside of it. Please increase the desire in me for what is right. Let Your holiness enter all my inner parts and work its way through everything that I think, and say, and do.
There will be no place to escape Christ’s Great White Throne judgment—Rev 20:11-15

DAY 4—If sin remains, it will be found in the day of judgment and we shall be saved as by fire.
I Cor 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
· GRACIOUS LORD, I thank You for convicting me now about the sin in me. I know You want me to stand through the fire of judgment. And too, I want to stand without fault in front of Satan’s accusations. Indeed, I want to be pure and clean for Your Kingdom.
The early church followed a severe line with regard to sin among its members—I Cor 5:1-8

DAY 5—We stand in danger of judgment if we defile ourselves after receiving God’s grace.
I Cor 3:16,17 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile ("mar") the temple of God, him shall God destroy ("mar"); for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
(Both defile and destroy are from the same Greek word, phtheíro, which means "to corrupt to the point of uselessness." Bullinger suggests the best translation might be "to mar." I believe this conveys the meaning well. Think of it!)
· FATHER, I see my holiness is not for man to behold, but that my life might be acceptable for Your use. I can hide some sin from others, but I cannot from You. Please continue with mercy upon me. Search out every dark thing in me until I am clean in Your eyes.
We must not use the grace of God as a license to sin—Gal 5:13; I Pet 2:16; Rom 6:1,2

DAY 6—There are those who take the grace of God and defile it to their own ruin.
Jude 4,5 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness ("sensual and perverse practices"), and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed ("brought to naught") them that believed not.
· FATHER, let me stand in fear of sin’s power. I see it can be a destructive force in my life even though I’ve trusted Your saving grace. Let me count no sin as small and insignificant. Convict me of anything I don’t consider as sin but that is offensive to You.
The true grace of God teaches us to deny ungodliness—Titus 2:11-15

DAY 7—Some who walk among the redeemed will be judged unworthy of God’s Kingdom.
Mt 13:27-30 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye toget her first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
· DEAR LORD, it is an awesome and fearful thing that some in our midst may be unworthy of Your Kingdom. Please bring a spirit of repentance upon us all. Bring to us the powerful revelation of what Your grace can do in us. And please, Lord, draw these particular ones I hold before You to know the power of Your grace.
Our works cannot save us; only God’s grace can—Rom 3:20; Eph 2:8,9; Titus 3:5

WE MUST KNOW GOD’S GRACE IN ALL ITS POWER. LEST WE BE HOPELESS IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT. How far will His grace reach to make us ready for the day of Christ?

DAY 8—There is an abundance of His grace ready now to work in us.
Rom 5:17-19 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one (that is by Adam); much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of One the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous.
· LORD, thank You for taking my sin upon Yourself What mercy! What grace! Forbid it that I should now prostitute Your love. lam ready for the Holy Spirit to bring to light everything in me that is an offence to You and that would defile Your Kingdom on earth.
The grace that has begun its work in us now will reach even into the ages to come—Eph 2:4-7

DAY 9—The power of grace revealed in Jesus can set us free from the power of sin.
Jn 5:14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. Jn 8:llb Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
· LORD, show me and these I hold before You the greatness and the power of Your grace. Help us discover its glory and majesty. Show us how far it will reach. And here are some who have no hope apart from Your grace. Bring conviction upon them to repent and believe so they can know Your grace.
It is when we confess our sins that we find deliverance from their strongholds in us—I Jn 1:8-2:2

DAY 10—If we trust in Christ’s redeeming blood, we can find cleansing from ALL sin.
I Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. Eph 1:7 In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace...
· FATHER, what grace! You received even me! Sometimes I felt like the chief of sinners. But I see Your love is greater than all my sin. And, I see the redemption in Your Son is powerful enough to deliver me from the stronghold of every sin that has held me.
God’s wrath against sin can be satisfied only in the death of His Only Begotten Son—Jn 3:16; Jn 2:1,2; I Pet 1:18,19

DAY 11—We still have the hope of a grace to be revealed at the end of this age.
I Pet 1:13-16 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as He Which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
· HEAVENLY FATHER, teach me, and these I hold before You, to be sober minded and full of hope for the final day and the grace it will bring. Our ability to be good has been hindered by the sin in our hearts. But now Your grace is reaching that sin in us. Oh, let conviction continue upon us as we move toward the day when Your Son will stand as Judge on earth. Bring us forth in that day fit for Your Kingdom.
God’s abundant mercy has given us a living hope that extends to the day of Christ—I Pet 1:3-7

DAY 12—When we bring our sin into the open, we can find the way of deliverance.
Pro 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. Jas 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
· DEAR LORD, raise up in Your church honorable believers to whom those who struggle with sin can go with their confessions. Show us all the power of repentance and the power of praying one for the other. Bring honor and awe upon us who deal with the delicate matter of confessed sin. Show us the power of grace and deliverance.
Jesus teaches how to deal with those who sin against us and then confess their sin—Lk 17:3-5

DAY 13—We are blessed when we can lay all our sin before the Lord and receive forgiveness.
Ps 32:1,2,5 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. ... I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.
· FATHER, I’m glad now for the pain sin brought me. It has made the blessing of Your forgiveness all the sweeter. Thank You for convicting me and for not letting me go on with hidden sin. Help me never forget what sin did and what Your grace is now doing.
Paul became a martyr because he dared preach the word of God’s forgiveness for all—Ac 26:14-23

DAY 14—We find an example of God’s end-time grace in His selection of Noah.
Gen 6:6-8 And it repented the LORD that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth Me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
· LORD, strengthen me within so I can resist the sin that is spreading in the earth. I’ve experienced Your grace. Now let me know how you detest sin. Teach me to hate what You hate and love what You love so I can be, like Noah, a fit vessel for Your Kingdom in the final days.
As in The days of Noah, so shall it be in The days of The Son of Man—Mt 24:37-39; Lk 17:26-30

THERE IS NO PLACE IN THE WORLD WHERE CHRIST’S JUDGMENT WILL NOT REACH. Does this mean His redemption also will become known to every person?

DAY 15—The power and the glory of God’s Kingdom will be known in all the earth.
I Chron 29:11 Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty:for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine; Thine is the Kingdom, O LORD, and Thou art exalted as Head above all. Hab 2:14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
· LORD, I feel You want to make me a vessel fit to bear Your glory in the day when the knowledge of Your Kingdom fills the earth. I know it is only Your grace that can bring this forth in me. With strong desire, I long to know the greatness and power of Your Kingdom. I yearn to see its glory and discover its majesty. Help me exalt You as my King today.
Let our prayer be that His glory will fill all the earth—Ps 72:17-20

DAY 16—The righteous government of His Kingdom will extend over every nation.
Isa 2:2,3 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the Word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
· LORD, I want to be free to stand before You in Your day. But, I know I still hold ways of thinking and responding that will hinder me in Your Kingdom. Please let the conviction of Your Spirit increase in me. Let Him come upon me like afire to consume all that offends You. I want my life to give praise to Your grace.
It is God’s will that all people come to the knowledge of the truth in Christ Jesus—I Tim 2:1-6

DAY 17—The earthly rule of God’s Kingdom will be manifest under the headship of His Son.
Dan 7:13,141 saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought Him near before Him. And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed ("brought to a place of corruption").
· FATHER, instruct my heart with awe for the Kingdom of Your Son. Show me the extent of its glory and splendor. Let its rule be made firm in my inner man as we approach the day when its Government will reach over all the earth.
There shall be no end to the increase of Christ’s Government—Isa 9:6,7

DAY 18—Every knee shall bow to the Lord Jesus.
Isa 45:23 I have sworn by Myself, the word is gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Phil 2:10 That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.
· FATHER, this is awesome. I can’t begin to imagine what it will mean for every knee to bow to You. But, I receive Your Word that it is so. Oh, prepare us for that day! Remove dread from us. Bring forth in us great honor for Your Kingdom so we can meet that day with rejoicing, and peace. Do this in these I bring to You.
The Holy Spirit has come to prepare us for The day of judgment—Jn 16:7-11

DAY 19—In the light of Christ’s final judgment, we must be careful how we judge others.
I Cor 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, Who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. II Cor 5:10 For we must all appear ("make our appearance and be laid bare") 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.
· FATHER, I’m one who has been quick to judge others. I repent of this. It has arisen in me because of the haughty attitude of my heart. Rid me of this fault. Teach me to be compassionate toward those I think are wrong. Let them see Your light in me so they will want to respond to the righteous rule of Your Kingdom.
How we judge others will set the standard as to how we are judged—Mt 7:1-5

DAY 20—The Word preached with long-suffering will prepare people for the final judgment.
II Tim 4:1,21 charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, Who shall judge the quick ("the living") and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine.
· FATHER, let faith come in the church. Let understanding come for these dark days. Bring a spirit of supplication upon us as a body of believers—in this area, and in this area, and in these people I love so dearly. Help the preachers in the land bring a clear and anointed word. May Your Spirit bring repentance to people everywhere who hear Your word.
And many people will submit to the Kingdom of the Lord—Isa 2:1-4

DAY 21—With the fear of the Lord and wisdom, we minister the Gospel in the final days.
II Cor 5:lla Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men... Col 1:25-28 .. I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the Word of God; even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints: to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
· FATHER, help us who minister to understand what You are bringing to pass for this hour. Bring forth in all of us—and in all who pray—a conviction that is right for this time. Let it come over upon all Your people that we may stand pure before You in the final day. Make us right for Your Kingdom.
As servants of The Lord, we must remain meek and patient as we help prepare a people for Christ’s Kingdom—Il Tim 2:24-26

Top of Page

© Berean Gospel Fellowship. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Permission to reprint in part or in whole is usually granted.