A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
Daily
Encouragement on
Wednesday,
February 20, 2019
"Ultimate
Accountability"
Note: We have snow storm today with snow through the afternoon then sleet and freezing rain. We are thankful our schedule keeps us home with our coal stove cranked up on high! Message
summary: Today
and every day let's be
mindful of our ultimate
accounting, make sure
that our record is
clear, and rejoice in
Christ's atoning blood.
Listen to our
message on your audio
player.
"So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God" (Romans 14:12). "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). "Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you" (Hebrews 13:17). This
is a very busy season
for accountants with all
the work involved in tax
preparation. We know
several CPA accountants,
including my niece
Heidi. It's very hard
work requiring attention
to detail and
preciseness.
The first
two daily texts speak of
this ultimate accounting,
"So then, each of
us will give an
account of ourselves to
God". "For we
must all appear
before the judgment seat
of Christ".Rich Landis is a CPA friend whom I met shortly after moving to Lancaster County through our association with a Christian business group called CBMC. Several years ago he had a brain tumor requiring major surgery at Johns Hopkins. Now fully recovered since that critical health crisis he continues to honor God in his accounting business. This last weekend we drove past a office building along Lititz Pike (PA Route 501) here in Lancaster County. The Walz Group is an accounting firm with an interesting motto below the firm name on their sign stating, "Ultimate Accountability". Now that's an expression of their diligence in doing their accounting work well just as we expect from competent accountants. But it also got me thinking about another ultimate accounting we all have coming. For many years we used a pocket calendar to keep our schedule, although now Brooksyne and I use a calendar app. We use it not only for appointments but tasks such as "Change air filter". Since we share the calendar Brooksyne finds reminders exclusive to me a bit annoying. In a sense, on a repetitive task, there's a tendency to zone it out due to familiarity. But in a solemn sense we would all do well to always be aware of our ultimate accounting with an entry each day of our lives reminding us "Ultimate Accounting - I will give an account of myself to God" Bible teacher Henry Morris observes, There is only
one thing that is
absolutely sure to
happen to every
person—each one will
have to face God some
day. Not even 'death and
taxes' are certain for
everyone, but meeting
God is (Amos 4:12;
Hebrews 9:27; etc.).
Believers will meet
Christ at His judgment
seat to receive rewards
or loss of rewards (2
Corinthians 5:10; 1
Corinthians 3:13-15),
while unbelievers will
meet God at His great
white throne for
consignment to the lake
of fire (Revelation
20:12-15).
The third text
is a solemn word to
those in ministry. There
is a greater sense of
accountability for those
who shepherd God's
flock. Note especially
the phrase, "who
must give an account".
This is expressed in a
somber teaching in the
pastoral epistle in 1
Timothy 4:16. "Watch
your life and doctrine
closely. Persevere in
them, because if you
do, you will save both
yourself and your
hearers."
Now of course we don't literally save anyone, including ourselves. Salvation is a gift from God. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8,9). However, in our role of influence, we can go astray and then lead others astray (John 6:66). Thus we must watch our life and doctrine closely and persevere. Another version states, "Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right." Today and every day let's be mindful of our ultimate accounting, make sure that our record is clear, and rejoice in Christ's atoning blood. Be encouraged
today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber I
wasn't satisfied
with just taking
the photo from
the car this
time, so Stephen
dropped me off
for a close up
photo. Of
course, quiet as
I tried to be,
you can see by
my long shadow
that I
frightened the
little lamb so
he jumped down
off the cow and
ran toward his
mother (on the
left). Mama rose
from her lying
down position so
she could move
in quickly if
needs be to
protect her
precious lamb
from the
approaching
stranger.
As you
can see, the
lamb made it
safely to his
mama where he
found
protection,
comfort, and
nourishment.
(These photos
were taken as we
passed the "Breakaway
Farms" on
Valley View Road
north of Mount
Joy yesterday on
the way to our
first chaplain
visit.) (Google
map)
We
passed this
sprawling farm
in Lebanon
County yesterday
morning with a
one room
schoolhouse to
the right in the
photo. The
"pond" is
actually
slow-draining
rain water in
which the
resourceful
ducks have
decided is a
good home for
them!
See
this photo
from a Google
map.
Today's
Suggested
Music and Supplemental Resources
"What
A Beautiful Name/Agnus Dei
(Live)" Video
Travis Cottrell along with his
daughter Lily (Brooksyne is
looking forward to singing this
song with the choir leading our
congregational worship this
Sunday.)
Brooksyne's
Note: Three
different genres and time
periods of "The Old Account Was
Settled" which reinforces our
message today, at least in my
mind. I included an adapted line
from this hymn in my prayer
which was one of my favorites as
a child. We sang it from hymn
books whose covers no longer
existed, just the staples
holding the songs together. Not
only did I like the men echoing
in the chorus, but the words of
the song spoke to my heart even
as a child. It reminded me that
I needed to get right with God
before He called me home and
surely this song was a seed
planted in my spirit regarding
my decision to give my whole
heart to Jesus at 14 years of
age.
"The
Old Account Was Settled"
Video
Homecoming Friends
"The
Old Account Was Settled" Video
Small Church Recording, not sure
of the accompaniment but it has
a definite rhythm. Notice the
overhead projector rarely seen
these days. We recall how
exciting it was in our first
church to get our first overhead
projector! (Hi-tech at that
time)
Finally
today:
Yesterday
we visited the employees at
Audrey's and I shared a brief
devotional based on yesterday's
Daily Encouragement which had
the command "Write them
(the commandments of
God) on the doorframes of
your houses and on your gates".
Audrey's is a wholesale
distributor of home decor items.
Walking through the warehouse,
prior to sharing the message, I
found this neat laser cut
portion of Scripture I used as a
demonstration. Janice is holding
it, you might otherwise think it
is a stencil.
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