2 A Full Believer Overcomer Series

I got pulled over about a week ago. I was pushing it a little too hard through an intersection to try to make it, and it was not even yellow not even orange. It was red the whole way through. I felt really bad about that. But I also wanted to make sure we got to Jonathan‘s band concert in plenty of time and not miss it. Which I explained to the very nice police officer when he pulled me over, I know people who have spoken about police officers behind their back and have been very judgmental and bitter, and to be honest very sinful in those comments. The Bible actually backs up those police officers for doing their job. And when the police officer brought back my license and registration. He explained to me again what I did wrong and what I should do right. And I confess to him that he was right and pulling me over and that I did except that I was doing wrong and then I thanked him for doing his job And the last thing he said to me was, I hope you make it to your son’s program on time.

When the Bible gives people correction, they pretty much deal with it in the same way they do with the police officer.

Why isn’t the preacher preaching about THIS topic –why is the Good Lord making me hear this again; Why doesn’t he leave me alone and go arrest some criminals and leave me be?

The reason is because He loves you and He wants you to hear it so that you might draw near to him and be the vessel of honor in this world that he has for you to be. Without holiness, that process of Jesus making you more like HIM, to restore the blessed humanity you were created to have, so you might love God with your all and your neighbor as yourself.

There was a book I had to read my senior year of College, one that took colleges by storm back in 1989. It became a global best –selling over 20 million copies. You can readily find it on the shelf of any Goodwill Store. Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Some of you may remember STEP#2 Begin with the End in Mind.

That principle is what John writes the 2nd church about. What kind of life do you want to end with when you leave it? When you leave this life and enter the next one, what do you want to have to show Christ for it?

NLT-REV 2:8-11

I can take you right to where John tells us what the second death is, Rev 21:1-8!

Rev 20:12-15 - And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

What happens in the lane of fire? Is that it? Is it just seem to exist? Am I just annihilated?

Did any of you have an older sibling who tormented you? Did any of you have a younger sibling who was a torment to you? How?

20:10 torment. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

That’s what happens. And it never lets up.

But if that is the 2nd Death, then what is the first death?

Well, did you know that everyone has died already? I can take right where we know this to be true–you’ve already read it this morning. 2 Cor 5: 14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So many people want to live a life of comfort, of RELIEF NOW with no thoughts of obtaining a CROWN OF LIFE with Jesus.

The discipline of living a life of deferred gratification is nearly non-existent in this world. Why DENY ourselves anything? We are blessed people, so we must enjoy everything! SO many people live a life of pleasure at all costs, and avoid pain at all costs. That philosophy of life isn’t new - the Greeks called it Epicureanism - Epicureanism is a philosophical system (340 years before Jesus) emphasizing the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain as the highest good.