STAMP ETERNITY ON MY EYES
We would do well to pray what Jonathan Edwards, that great preacher of the 1700's, prayed, “LORD, STAMP ETERNITY ON MY EYES."
We live in a culture which places great emphasis upon the here and now. Yet, God's Word admonishes us to live our lives on earth with a view of life after earth (i.e. eternal perspective).
SOME PEOPLE OF HISTORY’S THOUGHTS ABOUT ETERNITY:
St. AUGUSTINE - It was AUGUSTINE’S prayer that Christ might find him at his coming either praying or preaching.
JOHN TILLOTSON said:"He who provides for this life but takes no care for eternity is wise for a moment but a fool forever."
NOAH WEBSTER, the brilliant man who wrote most of the dictionary:"What is the greatest thought that you have ever had?" He said, "I've thought about many things, but the most awesome, the most terrifying, the most shattering thought I've ever had, is my personal accountability to God one day."
MARTIN LUTHER said that on his calendar there were only two days:"today" and "that day."
Lord, stamp eternity on our eyes
HOW LONG IS ETERNITY??
Think about multiplied millions of years - then realize that when those years are over, eternity will be STILL JUST BEGINNING.
LIVE WITH THE FINAL JUDGMENT IN MIND. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him, for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad" ( 2 Corinthians 5:10 ).
Hebrews 9:27 says, "It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes the judgment" (NASB).
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TWO JUDGEMENTS
There will be two judgments, one for the Christian and one for the unbeliever. For the Christian, the judgment will not be for punishment of sin, because Christ bore our punishment on the cross, and this is why "...there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" ( Romans 8:1 ). Instead, the judgment which the Christian faces is to have the quality of his/her works tested for the purpose of rewards. "If any man builds upon this foundation (Jesus) using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames" ( I Corinthians 3:12-15 ).
All Christians will go to heaven because of their faith in Jesus. However, some Christians will receive greater rewards based upon their faithfulness and purity of devotion to Christ while on earth.
For the non-Christian (the person who never trusted in Christ for salvation) there is to come a dreadful and terrible and fierce judgment for sin. This judgment will result in eternal separation from God ( 2 Thessalonians 1:7-12 ). "If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire" ( Revelation 20:15 ). The Bible describes hell as a place of great physical pain ( Luke 16:24 ), such as weeping, gnashing of teeth ( Luke 13:28 ) and wailing ( Matthew 13:24 ).
Once we see the reality of hell, we can understand why Paul said "Since then we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men" ( 2 Corinthians 5:11 ).
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SPIRITUAL SIGHT AND ETERNAL LIFE-- JOHN 14:19
A Sermon Delivered on Thursday Evening June 3, 1875 by C. H. SPURGEON at the METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE
Some of you will go soon where the Sabbath bell is never heard; you will go where Sabbaths themselves are all unknown, except as dreadful memories of shamefully neglected privileges; you will go where no minister will tell you of grace, and mercy, and pardon bought with blood; you will go where you will never hear the music of:
"Those charming bells, free grace and dying love."
The very opposite sound to that will for ever grate upon your ears. There will be no godly teacher there to urge you to seek the Lord in your youth, and to give him your heart while you are yet young. There will be no loving parents there, with tears, and sighs, and pious examples, striving to lead you to Jesus. There will be no faithful preacher there, earnestly endeavouring, in simple language, to tell you "the old, old story," and to point you to Christ upon the cross. Only a little while, and there shall be no Bible for you to read, no mercy-seat to which you can go, no promise which you can plead, no blood of Jesus in which you can ask to be washed, for you will be beyond the line of hope and beyond the reach of mercy.
(from Spurgeon's Encyclopedia of Sermons)
LORD, STAMP ETERNITY ON MY EYES ! ! !
Your works today WILL BE JUDGED ! ! !
1 Cor 3:11-15 (NIV)
11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,
13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work.
14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.
15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
WHAT THINGS AROUND US ARE ETERNAL - WHAT SHOULD WE FOCUS OUR LIVES ON
2 Cor 4:18 (NIV)
18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but WHAT IS UNSEEN IS ETERNAL.
WHAT THINGS AROUND US ARE ETERNAL - WHAT SHOULD WE FOCUS OUR LIVES ON
#1) God & His Word
#2) The SPIRITUAL LIVES of people - (you cannot see their spirits, they are eternal)
#3) Our thoughts and our character.
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#1) God & His Word:
1 Tim 1:17 (NIV)
17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, INVISIBLE, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Heb 11:24-27
24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,
25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,
26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.
27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.
(NKJ)
Isa 40:8 (NIV)
8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of our God stands forever."
#2) The SPIRITUAL LIVES of people - (you cannot see their spirits, they are eternal)
“If Christ spent his blood for souls, well may we spend our sweat.”
#3) Our thoughts and our character.
Col 3:1-10 (NIV)
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, SET YOUR HEARTS on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.
7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.
8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices
10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
PASTOR, WHAT CAN I DO TO PUT THIS MESSAGE INTO PRACTICE - how can I live as if eternity is stamped on my eyes?
#1) You can spend MORE time with God & His Word.
#2) You can pray for people’s spiritual lives and open your mouth & talk about what God has done for you around people and be ready to lead them in a “sinner’s prayer” (I believe Jesus was raised from the dead for me .. I call on You Lord Jesus to take me into your family ... Jesus, be my LORD ! ! !) :"Friends don't let friends go to hell."
#3) You can stop living morally how you have been living and LIVE WITH THE REALITY THAT EVERYTHING YOU DO WILL BE REVEALED BEFORE GOD WITH YOU STANDING THERE ! !
Bottom Line: Do more things that would live on after you are dead.
Take time today to allow the Holy Spirit to search your life:your schedule, your checkbook, your use of your gifts and abilities, your relationships. Might we filter everything through the reality of eternity. Give your life for things of eternal significance!!!
As you seek to live with an eternal perspective, imagine for a moment what it would be like to have people come up to you in heaven and say things like:"Thanks, I'm here today because you told me about Jesus...or ...You gave me a tract 20 years ago, and I know I didn't show any interest, but later that year I read it and became a Christian. Thank you...or... You know all that money you gave the missions' ministry of your church? I just want you to know that some of that was given to me as I ministered in Africa. Thousands of people came to Christ and many churches were planted through that money. You played a part in that... or ...Dad/Mom, I came to know and follow Jesus so easily because of the life you lived and the things you shared with me. thanks for praying for me... or ...You taught my Sunday School class and I grew much in my Christian character because of that class. I am eternally grateful."