Latest / The Daily Word / September 15 – Is Your Name in the Book?
Transcript
- Robert Rosales: Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening, welcome to the Daily Word Podcast. I'm Robert Rosales, and along with my wife Yolanda, I have the privilege of serving as the campus pastor for our Gastonia location. Thank you so much for taking a few minutes and investing your time with us to jump into God's Word today. Whether you're listening on your morning commute, enjoying a cup of coffee, or beginning your day with the Lord. My prayer is that this time encourages you and draws you closer to Jesus. Just as a reminder, each day as a church, we're taking some time to read through the Bible together using the Life Journal Reading Plan. And today we're going to focus on the New Testament passage. One of the things that I've learned over the years is that God often speaks in the quiet moments when we simply slow down and listen. That's why I like to keep my time with him simple. My Bible, my journal, a highlighter, a pen, and a heart that is ready to receive. Don't forget, I'm using the SOAP method, scripture, observation, application, and prayer. I've been using this for a long time. It's an incredible simple framework that will help you to take God's word from the pages to your everyday life. Now, before I share with you today's scripture, just pray with me. Let's prepare our hearts. Father, thank you for this new day and for the privilege of opening your word. Quiet the distractions around us and the noise within us. Give us hearts that are teachable, minds that are attentive, and lives that are ready to obey whatever you reveal. Holy Spirit, illuminate the scriptures. And help us not only understand them, but live them out today. We ask this in the name of Jesus, and everybody said, Amen. Amen. Well, friends, today's passage for September 15th comes to us from Revelation chapter 20. And I journaled from two verses, verses 12 and 15. But to set up a little bit of context. I want to read quickly verses 11 through 15. Listen as I read out of the NIV version. John the Revelator says, Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. Now that's an important and a powerful portion of scripture. Let me read verses 12 and 15 again, because this is where I really zeroed in on. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books, plural, were opened. Another book, singular, which is The book of life was also opened. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. Plural. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. The Amplify says anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was hurled into the lake of fire. Here's the title of my journal entry, friends. Listen. Is your name in the book? Is your name in the book? Here's my observation. John's vision of this great throne judgment has all the dead from all time standing before God. And two books are opened. One book contains the works of every person. I imagine the works include both good and bad deeds. The other book, the book of life, contains the names of every person who has placed their faith in Christ and lived for him. What struck me about this portion of scripture is the finality of the scene. Anyone whose name was not found in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. There's no second chance. There's no talking your way out of this final judgment. Nobody gets a do-over or can come up with a good reason for rejecting Christ. And now the lake of fire functions as one of several biblical terms describing hell and eternal punishment for unbelievers and God's enemies, including Satan, the beast, and the false prophet. Those cast into it. Experience what is called the second death, which differs fundamentally from physical death. The first death ends earthly existence, but the second brings no end. Instead, it involves conscious awareness of eternal punishment. The worst aspect involves an eternity of conscious, guilty. Shameful separation from God and forms of all goodness for all eternity. Wow. Friends, let's be reminded in Matthew 4:17. The Bible says that when Jesus started his ministry, he preached, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. In other words, be sorrow for your sinfulness before God and make a decision. To turn away from sin and to receive the life of Christ because God's kingdom is here. I'm preaching it. I've brought it to the earth. His first message wasn't love and acceptance. His first message was turn or burn. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The Bible also says in Romans 10:13: all who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Friend, if you're listening to this, it's not too late. You can repent, you can call upon the name of the Lord, you can be saved. Romans 10, 9 and 10 says, if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with your heart you believe and are justified. And with your mouth you confessed and you will be saved. And then John 3 16, you know it. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him will not perish, but have everlasting life. Think about that. Pastor Robert, those who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Saved from what? Saved from eternal judgment. Saved from hearing. Hey, your name is not. In the Lamb's book of life, you will be forever separated from God and all forms of goodness of God, and you will be consciously aware of your punishment and your separation from God. Why? Not because you did bad things per se, but because you rejected Christ and your name was not found in the Lamb's book of life. This is sobering, friends. This is the application that I wrote down. As I think about this, I am soberly aware of the significance of my decision to receive the life of Christ and to live for Him. I'm also reminded of the fact that my name is in the Lamb's book of life, and I am eternally grateful. That said, I am also reminded that there are many people around me every day whose names are not in the book of life. And if they do not hear the message of the gospel and receive the life of Christ, they will die in their sins and face judgment for the rejectment, rejection of Jesus Christ. With this in mind, I will lean into my walk with God, choosing daily to live for Him and complete my kingdom assignment. I will also stir myself up to share the gospel and do whatever I can to win people to life in Jesus Christ, which will forever change their destiny. And by that they will have their names written in the Lamb's book of life. Friend, is your name in the book? Here's my prayer. Father God, thank you for speaking to me today through your word. I'm so grateful that my name is in the book of life, and I know that I will be with you for all eternity. Holy Spirit, help me live and help other believers live with an awareness that we are called to share the gospel with as many people as we possibly can whenever given the opportunity. I offer myself to you today, in Jesus' name. Amen. Like sure family, as you go about your day, I pray that you will keep growing in your love for Jesus and his word. Thank you for joining me today on the Daily Word podcast. If this blessed you and encouraged you, share this with a friend. I pray that you have been blessed by the word today. Walk closely with Jesus, friend. God bless you, and we'll catch you again tomorrow.