I was terrorized! I was nine years old, standing outside the principal’s office and waiting to be called in, but for what I was not sure. It was the most scared I had ever been in my life! The principal was not a nice person. She gave a lot of mean stares and always looked mad. She had disciplined me, me slapping me across the face in front of the entire class a few weeks earlier for something I did not do. My teacher told her she had disciplined the wrong child and instead of apologizing to me, she gave me a dirty look, and in front of the entire class said, “He probably deserved it anyway,” and walked out of the classroom, leaving a teacher and 34 students shocked with their mouths open. Now, here I was waiting outside her office again. To get pulled in for judgment before someone like this felt terrorizing!
Many people are afraid that this is what it is going to be like when they die and stand before God one day. They are so fearful about this that they don’t even want their imagination go there. Is God going to play back the video of every inappropriate thought, word, and sinful action they’ve ever carried out in their life? Will He be thundering mad and push them down the express chute to hell?
Many people have built a wall greater than the Great Wall of China around those kinds of thoughts, pushing them as far back into their mind as possible. This terrorizing fear drives many to push the reality of God out of their mind instead renaming Him a concept, a myth, a crutch for weak people, or nonexistent, rather than think about and feel terrorized in their heart over the thought of one day standing before God for their life’s actions.
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I was terrorized! I was nine years old, standing outside the principal’s office and waiting to be called in, but for what I was not sure. It was the most scared I had ever been in my life! The principal was not a nice person. She gave a lot of mean stares and always looked mad. She had disciplined me, me slapping me across the face in front of the entire class a few weeks earlier for something I did not do. My teacher told her she had disciplined the wrong child and instead of apologizing to me, she gave me a dirty look, and in front of the entire class said, “He probably deserved it anyway,” and walked out of the classroom, leaving a teacher and 34 students shocked with their mouths open. Now, here I was waiting outside her office again. To get pulled in for judgment before someone like this felt terrorizing!
Many people are afraid that this is what it is going to be like when they die and stand before God one day. They are so fearful about this that they don’t even want their imagination go there. Is God going to play back the video of every inappropriate thought, word, and sinful action they’ve ever carried out in their life? Will He be thundering mad and push them down the express chute to hell?
Many people have built a wall greater than the Great Wall of China around those kinds of thoughts, pushing them as far back into their mind as possible. This terrorizing fear drives many to push the reality of God out of their mind instead renaming Him a concept, a myth, a crutch for weak people, or nonexistent, rather than think about and feel terrorized in their heart over the thought of one day standing before God for their life’s actions.
What I know and I hope that all of you know is that God is not like my less-than-wonderful school principal. God is God. He is merciful, patient, kind, just, holy, all-knowing, all-seeing, and a thousand wonderful things more. People can mentally deny His existence and can push Him away, or bury His existence in their mind, but He is still God and He is still there. He is not evil. He is pure goodness. He has a plan that He has already executed and prepared for every person – the plan to stand before Him without fear. That plan is Jesus!
Jesus paid the price for our sins through His death. He paid the price, enabling us to stand before Him washed and cleansed from sin – this out of His great love for us. The book of Revelation shows a time where all of Heaven is singing about this great love and what Jesus did for all mankind – for all who would believe. Rev. 5:9 says, “And they sang a new song with these words: …For you were killed, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” God is not someone to be afraid of! He is someone to seek after!
Terrorists hate and take lives; not love and give up their life out of their love of others. God is not someone to be afraid of. An understanding of our destiny in Him is something to be desired. When we stand before God as believers, it will be to receive the rewards for being obedient to do the things He has taught us in do. That’s something you want to know about.
Every little thing you do for God from a pure heart carries a reward. Everything! Your prayers will be rewarded, your right attitude and integrity rewarded, your good actions rewarded, and so much more. That is why you want to know Jesus and understand how to walk out His destiny for your life. Standing before God one day is not a day to be afraid of or terrorized by. As a believer, it’s a day about encountering the God who loves you, and about a life to be rewarded! This is Easter! That is why Jesus said,
When that happens, rejoice! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven…”
(Luke 6:23)
Copyright © Tim Burt | FreshManna.org
Timothy Burt is a pastor, author, and writer. He is best known as the author of Fresh Manna, a daily devotional and online Bible study.
Pastor Tim became a part of the leadership team at Living Word Christian Center in 1984 and was an Associate Pastor from 1989 until May 31st, 2017. He and His wife Renee, also a Pastor at Living Word, resigned after being a part of Living Word for 33 years on May 31, 2017. They felt impressed by God to pursue the tremendous growth of their ministry "Fresh Manna," as well as teaching conferences and seminars and increasing their involvement in the mission field through Tim and Renee Burt Ministries. Tim has a Bachelor of Theology degree and is a Christian blogger who has been writing a daily inspirational and teaching devotion three days a week called "Fresh Manna" for the past 22 years. It has been read in over 227 countries (official countries and territories). Tim was named one of the top 55 blogging Pastors. He is one of the top Social Media influencers in Minnesota with a strong presence on Twitter at https://twitter.com/TimBurt with over 187,000 followers. Between Tim's Fresh Manna Devotional and Twitter influence, he virally averages reaching over 4 million people daily with the gospel of Jesus Christ and the love of God.
Prior to working at LWCC, he worked at Northwest Airlines for 13 years. In 1985 he founded and was President of American Infant Care Products which marketed his patented invention, the first fold-down commercial infant changing table now used worldwide in public restrooms.
In their tenure at Living Word, Timothy Burt and his wife Renee created a Small Group Ministry when the church was about 800 people in size. Under the leadership of Sr. Pastors Mac and Lynne Hammond, the church grew to over 10,000 people. Pastor Tim and Renee led a diverse Small Group Ministry of over 200 groups. Tim also led weekly men's groups and a monthly Men's Breakfast of 250 plus men called Manhood for 27 years. Tim's responsibilities also included oversight over the Visitor and Member Relations Department, Leadership and Volunteer Development, and the Pastoral Care Department. Pastor Tim was also the Minnesota State Director of Christians United for Israel from 2006 thru 2017.
Tim and Renee are the parents of four children and have seven grandchildren. Tim loves to write, golf, run, and walk, and is a master gardener. He is a five-time marathon finisher. He is also a three-time award-winning gardener winning the Grand Prize in his city for his beautiful home garden and is a Master Gardener for the University of Minnesota's Master Gardener Extension Program.