The Seven Bowls of Wrath
An evil man died yesterday. There should be jubilation when your arch enemy has perished. Yet, I was not happy. Oh, I was happy for the thousands he had killed and the millions instilled with terror by his actions. Isn't that what he was going for - fear?
I was consumed with fear on September 12Th. It was months later that I realized that fear is a sin; the opposite of faith. So, I asked God what I could do to banish the fear. If you know God, you can guess at his answer - pray for your enemies. Even some believers don't understand this commandment. We are not to pray for their blessings, their prosperity, their peace - we are to pray for their salvation. Have you ever prayed for someones salvation? It is a terrible thing to watch. Instead of love, peace and prosperity, the object of your prayers suffers because no one calls on God when things are going well. Even an atheist will call on God when he hits his finger with a hammer, spins out of control on an icy road or is thrown about the ship in a ferocious storm. This is why it is called Conviction - the labor pains of your new birth. New life is not achieved without pain; thus the term - Born Again.
His opportunity for salvation is now lost. Perhaps many would have followed him in a new Spirit - who can say? So, this was my thought this morning when I heard the news that he was killed. His fate is sealed - it is over for him, and I wondered. Did I pray enough? Did I pray long enough, or was his fate sealed a long time ago?
God sent me this - "The fourth angel poured his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch men with fire; men were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power of these plagues, and they did not repent and give him glory." Revelation 16:8
Some men will never repent, not even when the full power of God is shown to them. Not even when they stand on the precipice of death. Still, we should pray for their salvation - for we never know who will choose God's eternity.
I was consumed with fear on September 12Th. It was months later that I realized that fear is a sin; the opposite of faith. So, I asked God what I could do to banish the fear. If you know God, you can guess at his answer - pray for your enemies. Even some believers don't understand this commandment. We are not to pray for their blessings, their prosperity, their peace - we are to pray for their salvation. Have you ever prayed for someones salvation? It is a terrible thing to watch. Instead of love, peace and prosperity, the object of your prayers suffers because no one calls on God when things are going well. Even an atheist will call on God when he hits his finger with a hammer, spins out of control on an icy road or is thrown about the ship in a ferocious storm. This is why it is called Conviction - the labor pains of your new birth. New life is not achieved without pain; thus the term - Born Again.
His opportunity for salvation is now lost. Perhaps many would have followed him in a new Spirit - who can say? So, this was my thought this morning when I heard the news that he was killed. His fate is sealed - it is over for him, and I wondered. Did I pray enough? Did I pray long enough, or was his fate sealed a long time ago?
God sent me this - "The fourth angel poured his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch men with fire; men were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power of these plagues, and they did not repent and give him glory." Revelation 16:8
Some men will never repent, not even when the full power of God is shown to them. Not even when they stand on the precipice of death. Still, we should pray for their salvation - for we never know who will choose God's eternity.
posted by Hepzibah The Watchman at 9:09 AM
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