The Clouds Of Judgment Gather

Text: 1 Peter 4:7; 2 Peter 3:10; Isaiah 13:9

Key Verse: "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man" (Luke 21:36)

The clouds of judgment gather,

The time is growing late;

Be sober and be watchful;

Our Judge is at the gate:

The Judge who comes in mercy,

The Judge who comes in might

To put an end to evil

And diadem the right.

Arise, O true disciples,

Let wrong give way to right,

And penitential shadow

To Jesus’ blessèd light:

The light that has no evening,

That knows no moon or sun,

The light so new and golden,

The light that is but one.

The home of fadeless splendor,

Of blooms that bear no thorn,

Where they shall dwell as children

Who here as exiles mourn;

The peace of all the faithful,

The calm of all the blest,

Inviolate, unfading,

Divinest, sweetest, best.

Oh, happy, holy portion,

Relief for all distressed,

True vision of true beauty,

Refreshment for the blest!

Strive now to win that glory;

Toil now to gain that light;

Send hope ahead to grasp it,

Till hope be lost in sight.

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A Worldly Spirit, The Worst Heresy

Text: John 15:19, 17:14-16; 1 Corinthians 2:12

In this world there are two kingdoms, contending for the master. Each kingdom has its animating spirit, in which its strength lies, by which all it does is guided, and through which it holds rule among men.

Everything we are or do derives its character and its worth in the sight of God from the spirit in which it is done. This spirit is in each kingdom, not a blind force or an unconscious tendency, but an intelligent power working towards a definite goal. The spirit of the world and the god of this world hold rule over every child of Adam. The spirit which is of God is the power of the living God, working as a divine life in the hearts of those who have received him.

The terrible sin of the fall consisted in this: that man chose the visible, that which this world offered of beauty, and enjoyment, and wisdom, in preference to the unseen, spiritual good of God’s will and favor. And the ruin and punishment of the fall is that man became subject to the power of the seen and temporal, that worldliness became a second nature to him, so that this world was nearer, and clearer to him, and affected him far more than the God of all glory and blessedness, who had created him.

However, little it may be thought or taught, the greatest danger to a child of God is from the spirit of this world secretly and unconsciously influencing his judgment and conduct. And one of his greatest needs is to have his eyes opened to see what the world and its spirit is, and how nothing can free him from it but being entirely possessed by the Spirit of God.

*** Written by Andrew Murray ***

(Excerpted from The Coming Revival, by Andrew Murray , pg. 25).

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