“Father, I Adore You” (Coelho, 1972),  the Doxology (Thomas Ken, 1674), and Psalm 8:1 with 16:2.

I met my Shepherd in His green pastures, and He laid me down in Acts 24. The Mind of the Spirit drew the attention of the spirit of my mind to verse 15:

Acts 24:15 And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

When I contemplate the resurrection, I rarely think about the resurrection of the unjust.

As we walked along the banks of the still waters, I thought about these categories: the just and the unjust. Is anyone ever all of one or the other? The classifications, however, do not speak of constancy of character but of one’s standing before God.

Jesus spoke of the “unjust” judge who was prevailed upon to act justly (Luke 18:4-6). David, a “just” man, did not behave justly in the matter of Uriah (2 Samuel 12:1-14). Abraham was “justified” (made just) by faith, and the prophet Habakkuk declared, “The just shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:5; see Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; and Hebrews 10:38). 

When I got in trouble with my Dad, he sometimes verbally chastised me and sometimes used the “rod of correction” (Proverbs 22:15). Whether he was teaching me, correcting me, or expressing approval — my “standing” did not change: I stood before him as his son in any case. Those who are “children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26), whether for correction or coronation, stand before Him justified by His blood (Romans 5:9). 

So, the just might sometimes behave unjustly, and the unjust might sometimes behave justly. So what sets one as just and another as unjust? Faith. “By [Jesus] all that believe are justified from all things” (Acts 13:38).

Whether one is just or unjust, he will rise again from the dead. That’s right. All will be resurrected, the just and the unjust. The just will stand before Christ at His judgment seat (2 Corinthians 5:9-11). The unjust will be gathered before the Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11-15). The one will rise again to eternal life and the other to eternal damnation.

In the valley, kneeling in the shadow of His Cross, I thought about the Holy One Who was not allowed to “see corruption” but was risen from the dead before (Acts 13:35).* I thought about the glorious body in which Jesus was risen. I marveled that I would be given a body like his (Philippians 3:20-21). And I wondered with what body will the unjust rise? “It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body” (1 Corinthians 15:44). Ours will be fashioned after our Lord’s glorious body. Perhaps theirs will be fashioned after their chosen lord, Satan, a snake, a worm (Mark 9:44-48). Indeed, they are of their father, the Devil (John 8:44). 

Jesus spoke: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). I reckoned myself to be dead indeed unto sin, alive to GOD, and committed to the mission and the message!

At the table, He anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup with His grace. We rose and walked into the Harvest. I understood that everyone is sentenced to death and resurrection. How they die determines how they rise. The just to eternal life, the unjust to eternal damnation. Sobering thought! 

Praying for revival! 🙏

Going live ASAP.

https://rumble.com/v6vgkyf-shepherds-pasture.html 

[*See 2 Kings 19:22; Psalm 16:10; 71:22; 78:41; 89:18; Isaiah 1:4; 5:19, 24; 10:17, 20; 12:6; 17:7; 29:19, 23; 30:11, 12, 15; 31:1; 37:23; 40:25; 41:14, 16, 20; 43:3, 14, 15; 45:11; 48:17; 49:7×2; 54:5; 55:5; 60:9, 14, and Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, and Hosea, and Habakkuk—then hear the testimony of devils saying to Jesus, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Naareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God” (Luke 4:33-34).]