Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 356

December 21;   Romans 14:10;   131/260(II);   ‘Standing Tall’

Romans 14:10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 

If you are a Christian, heaven is your home.  The Judgment Seat of Christ sounds terrifying.  Actually, it is where the Lord Jesus, after the rapture of the Church, will hand out rewards to each Christian for their faithful service to Him while they were on earth.  ‘Judgment’ in the Greek, is the word Bema.  The Bema seat was the seat in Olympic type games where the king would sit.  Winners of events would be brought to the king, sitting on the Bema seat and be rewarded for their victory.  Gold, silver and precious stones are the reward for our ‘works’ done faithfully for the Lord.  We will not need those treasures in heaven and we will probably just sincerely and lovingly lay them at the feet of Jesus.  Wood, hay and stubble will also be given to Christians at the Bema seat.  They would represent our ‘works’ done with improper motives or as this verse teaches with aught in our hearts toward others.  Our ministry will be greatly hindered by our judging or showing contempt for another.  The wood, hay and stubble will literally be burned up as we stand before our loving Lord.  None of us would ever want this.  Our Lord, Jesus, has put into our spirit His love and deposited the fruit of the Spirit into our spirit as well.  In essence, we can manifest the character of Jesus.  A life of sharing the gospel, laying hands on the sick and seeing them recover, flowing in the supernatural is more exciting and thrilling than anything else could ever be.  We need not and must not minimize the ‘well done’ rewards the Lord Jesus desires to give every Christian.  Refuse to walk out of love, you can.