Confidence for the Day of Judgment

Tears of joy is what should come when being judged. You see, when I abide in and follow the commands of the LORD, I am on the right side of judgment.

“¹⁶So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. ¹⁷By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.” – 1 John 4:16-17 (ESV)

It is with confidence that I enter each day. I know that I am with the LORD and He is with me. I know that I am working for Him and all the actions I take for the LORD are in line with His Will. Knowing that I am adhering to God’s Law and that His Law is greater than man’s law, I am confident in those actions. Therefore, any judgment that come from my actions are of no consequence as my actions would be considered righteous and I should be joyous in knowing that I have done the LORD’s Work.

Now we come to the judgment day. When I have taken on the actions of the LORD daily, I know that I have been righteous in my actions and on that day will be held to account for them. Again, I should be joyous in knowing that I have done the LORD’s Work and that He will reward me. I also will not be surprised where I am held to account on that day for where I was not adhering to the LORD’s Will and again be joyous knowing that I have been open to again having them read out.

Confidence is provided by God for all that I have done. Whether those actions are for or against the LORD, I am to be held to account and should know that all will be read out. I come to the judgment day knowing that all is known and my joy of being there should be evident in my tears. Not tears of fear and anguish, but tears of joy for the heavenly reward.

What does your confidence level look like? Are you worried about what may be found out or about the punishment to come? What if you had the confidence in the LORD that you have done all that you were to do and that now it is time to be rewarded on that judgment day?

Confidence to Enter Holy of Holies

In the Old Testament the tabernacle was a sacred place where one would come to confess their sins on the Day of Atonement. It was separated into three “chambers”. There was the Outer Court, the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies. I, being of the general population could enter the Outer Court. The Priests would enter the Holy Place, and only the high priest of the time would enter the Holy of Holies. So you can see that it was a sacred place with minimal access. Then Jesus died and the curtain was torn.

“⁵⁰And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. ⁵¹And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.” – Matthew 27:50-51 (ESV)

With this tearing of the curtain, all now have access to the LORD without intermediary of the high priest of the time. As we find in Hebrews, Jesus is Better and is the Highest Priest. Access to Him means that there is no longer a “need” for other high priests. Thanks to the tearing of curtain at the death of Jesus for my sin, I now have direct access to him.

“¹⁹Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, ²¹and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²²let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” – Hebrews 10:19-22 (ESV)

Here is the thing. Now that I have access, I have to have confidence in that access. I have to come to Him always. I have to enter His presence. I can enter the Holy of Holies and I should.

No longer am I held out of the presence of the LORD due to procedure. No longer am I separated from God by two curtains and rooms. No longer do I have to go through someone else to reach the Father. No longer do I have to wait for the one day to seek forgiveness. The LORD is available to me always, whenever I need Him. The LORD is ready to listen. I only need to come to Him with the confidence that is given me through his spilled blood for my sake.

What reason are you giving to not come to Christ? Are you waiting for the opportunity on that one day? What if you had confidence supplied by Jesus’ death on the cross for you and came to Him right now?

Confidence To Come Near to God

This morning I was drawn to think of my boys. They, as younger and to some degree even now, found it difficult to come to me when there was/is something they need to discuss. There is somehow a fear that I would not understand or not be supportive of them. I can understand to some degree as I am the patriarch of the family and as such am here to drive things, not take direction.

In the last few verses of chapter four, the writer of Hebrews identifies Jesus as the “Great High Priest”. As He is such, I can certainly see and feel the apprehension of coming to Him with my needs and wants, much like my boys.

“¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” – Hebrews 4:15-16 (ESV)

But even so, Jesus knows all that I struggle with and opens His arms to me. I have to remember that He has nothing but the best intentions and desires for me with Him. He will guide and direct me to greatness. He comforts me in time of need. He educates me in those things that are of consequence. I have to come to Him with confidence knowing all of this. He is my father and I should look to Him as the one to give me all.

This time in the mornings is my time to come to Him. I devote my time to His Word and to learning and applying to my life. I then take time here to write my thoughts on my learning to share so that others might have the chance to learn and apply themselves. I know that these are not my words, but the words of the LORD through me. I come to the LORD with confidence that He will share with me that which I am to learn and share with others.

Remember, I am not a scholar of the LORD’s Word. I am only His child, seeking His face and wisdom to get along in this world. I come to Him knowing that whatever I ask will be provided when it comes from my heart and is for His glory. I am confident in my relationship with Him and know that He will always guide and comfort me with His love.

What is your approach to coming to the LORD? Are you apprehensive at what He might think or provide? What if you were to come to Him with the confidence of knowing He is on your side and will guide and comfort you always?

Keep the Confidence

Keeping the Confidence. So easily said. The practice of it is much more challenging.

I again come to the analogy of athletics. Athletes are generally very successful when their confidence is high. When they are knowing that they can and will do something that has a positive impact. And even when they find themselves in a moment of failure, they understand that it is only a moment and that they will find the way back from that failure.

Our life with Christ is rooted in confidence. Not so much in our ability or our talent, but in the hope that regardless of where we might be the LORD is there with us. I have to know that I am going to prevail in all thanks to the LORD and His will and His watching over me.

“⁵Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, ⁶but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.” – Hebrews 3:5-6 (ESV)

The writer of Hebrews in this passage is specifically identifying Jesus to be greater than Moses. Yet I am looking to verse six this morning. I am to have confidence in Christ as He is faithful over God’s house, the church to which I am. It is not me that I have confidence in, it is in Christ. He will always win out.

Here is where things get a little complicated for us has humans, we have to overcome failure and know that Christ does win. Our confidence is in Christ, not ourselves. I am a sinner and filled with failure. It is Christ who lifts me up and not myself. I will have moments of failure to which I must move on knowing that my confidence is in the LORD who does not fail. My failure is just a momentary setback that was likely of design to redirect or keep me from some calamity. Like the athlete who is confident they will overcome, I must as well. But, different from the athlete who is confident in their ability to overcome, my confidence is in Christ who will lead me through that which is challenging my view of success.

Failure is going to come, it is for sure. The way through the failure is to have confidence that we will overcome. Our confidence to do so should be in the LORD as He will not fail. I must keep the confidence in Him, knowing that He will lead me through whatever is upon me that may not feel like success.

Where are you putting your confidence? Are you looking to yourself to get you through the challenges and failures? What if you were to keep your confidence in the LORD knowing that He will not fail?

Confidence for You

I have mentioned that my family competes/competed in sports and with that came a lot of different coaches and we were able to witness a lot of different coaches as well. One thing that is evident in the successful coaches is the confidence they have and communicate to their players. The coaches are able to seemingly get more out of the players when they are confident in their ability to do the work. But, it is not really getting more out of them, they are giving them the courage and permission to to do the work they are capable.

“⁴And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. ⁵May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.” – 2 Thessalonians 3:4-5 (ESV)

Paul, speaking for Timothy and Silvanus, is pointing out to the church that they have the skills to continue doing the work for Christ. And he lets them know that he, Timothy, and Silvanus are confident that they will do just that. Coaching at its best here. The coach, Paul, letting his team, the church, know that he knows they can do it.

Paul does not get this confidence from just anywhere, it comes from the LORD. Paul is abiding in the LORD and conveying His will to the people. Paul knows that the LORD will be with the church and he reminds them that they should abide in Christ and they will find the path and work they are to take.

Paul is the example for me. In the training profession I teach and coach others to do the work they are assigned. It is up to me to ensure that they know I have confidence for them in their work. Likewise, or really before my worldly work, I am tasked with having confidence for those around me in the work of the LORD. I am to witness to them and give them the Word of God to use as their guide and provide for them the words of confidence for their spreading of the gospel to the world around them.

What is your approach to getting others to do the work? Are you telling them to in hopes they will find it within themselves? What if you showed confidence for them that comes from your abiding in the LORD that encourages them to do the work they are capable?

No Confidence in the Flesh

I cannot rely on myself and my lineage and my own actions as they will ultimately always fail me. Yes, I know that in the short run, there may be some benefit to me taking control or my ancestry from the ruling class (not really from royalty) or my great visible actions. I may see some “comfort” from it all, in fact Paul experienced all of it in his life.

“⁴though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: ⁵circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; ⁶as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.” – Philippians 3:4-6 (ESV)

Paul was a great man in the world prior to his becoming great for Christ. He seemingly had it all, and yet when the LORD appeared to him, he saw that it all was just of the flesh and that there was so much more in the LORD and for following Him.

“²¹Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” ²²When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” – Matthew 19:21-22 (ESV)

The world is an enticing place and can lead to dependency and will ultimately lead to our undoing. I have to remember this in my life. The world is tempting, and seemingly even more so today. There is social media that is so easy to manipulate and everyone has things so great. The sense that “you too can have it all” is the sentiment as displayed. It is all about the comfort and the carefree approach. I hear and see of people having $100K monthly expenditures and I find myself wondering how I too can have it all and how good it would be. This is the fleeting life and so temporary. At any time the comfort could be gone and then, without the “needed” resources, I would find myself right back to the same place as before.

“²Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. ³For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—“ — Philippians 3:2-3 (ESV)

I have to put my confidence in the LORD and not in the world. Paul found that out and warns us to be aware of the evil in the world. The world only thinks of itself and its own survival and will toss us away once it has chewed us up. With Christ, we are not chewed up, we are lifted up and given the prospects of such a glorious future. The now may not be comfortable in the sense of the world standards, but our long term outlook is so great. Confidence in the flesh or the world will only lead to disappointment in the long term.

Where are you putting your confidence? Are you looking to the world and all of the “riches” it gives to get you through the long term? What if you realize that the now is just that and your confidence should be in the LORD who gives you future glory?

Boldness with Confidence

My role in this world is to proclaim the Gospel of Christ to all who are there. What a daunting and frightening role it is. I already indicated that I have a fear of failure and now I am to speak to those who don’t want to hear. In comes the fear of rejection.

This is the problem with looking at things from the human perspective and not in the LORD. I cannot do things on my own as in the way are these fears that are amplified by the evil one to keep me from doing the work.

“¹¹This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, ¹²in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.” – Ephesians 3:11-12 (ESV)

But, I have a purpose to attend to based on my acceptance of grace and salvation and being adopted into the family of God. That purpose is, as noted, to proclaim the Gospel of Christ to all who are there. And to take action, I can rely on the confidence I have through my faith and reliance on Christ. I will use that confidence to take bold action. I will face my fears and know that God is with me all the way to and through them as I am working to fulfill my purpose.

It will not be easy. I have to remember that the work is worthwhile, but there is no guarantee of ease. I have to continue to lean on the LORD for strength and know that I can proceed boldly with the confidence afforded me through I life in Him.

What fears are in your way? Are you allowing them to keep you from your purpose? What if you were to rely on the confidence afforded through the LORD and take bold action to overcome those fears?

No Fear with Confidence in the LORD

I for one have a fear of failure and that fear keeps me from trying new things. I don’t want to make the mistakes and be seen as unable to do things. I am over 50 and I should have the experience to be competent at all things I do or try. The thing is that I have been this way my whole life. It took me some time to start this writing over eight years ago as I was afraid of what others might think. But, I don’t have to be afraid when I am in the LORD.

“²⁵Do not be afraid of sudden terror

or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes,

²⁶for the Lord will be your confidence

and will keep your foot from being caught.”

— Proverbs 3:25-26 (ESV)

It is not about what others think nor what I think. It is about what the LORD thinks and knows about me. I have to remain in Him and when I do, I have the confidence to do most anything. I do not have to fear failing at something as the LORD only wants me to do what He has for me and He will get the results He is wanting.

I trusted that Jesus died for my sins and that I have eternal life through Him. I will receive glory in heaven when my time is done here in this world. I have been tasked with carrying forward the gospel of the LORD and that means doing as the LORD commands. I know that He will give me the strength to carry it out and all I have to do is remain in Him and doing the work He has for me, regardless of what that might be. And that may mean being comfortable and be a master of the task or maybe I am to fail forward with Him for others to see that it is okay and that when we are in the LORD, He makes it all worthwhile.

I have to not be afraid for I have the LORD to dwell in. I have confidence in Him that He will provide. Regardless of the situation, the outcome is known by the LORD and in line with what He had planned. I have confidence in Him for all.

Where is your confidence? Are you leaning on yourself and what others see or think? What if you took action based on the tasks the LORD has for you and approached them with the confidence that comes from your remaining in Him?

Confidence From Fear of the LORD

This morning I begin a study of the word “confidence”. I start with a passage in Job and see that I am to have confidence from the LORD and the fear of Him.

“⁵But now it has come to you, and you are impatient;

it touches you, and you are dismayed.”

— Job 4:5 (ESV)

Look at the words of Eliphaz the Temanite above to Job. It is natural for us to feel subjected to many a difficult time and circumstance. And this can lead to doubt and fear. We are going to feel all that is bad and ugly as though it is directed at us. Society and the world does not understand and that lack of understanding creates fear in their own life and they want for all to feel the same way.

“⁶Is not your fear of God your confidence,

and the integrity of your ways your hope?”

— Job 4:6 (ESV)

Now we have fear as well, yet that fear is in the LORD and instead of allowing it and the world of society to create doubt and fear in us, it should create confidence beyond understanding. With the fear of the LORD and the confidence that comes, we are to be strong like a lion and get out into the world.

“¹⁰The roar of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion,

the teeth of the young lions are broken.

¹¹The strong lion perishes for lack of prey,

and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.”

— Job 4:10-11 (ESV)

The lion is not deterred by the world. They will continue until there is no more way to continue. Notice that they will “perish for lack of prey”. That is not that we are to seek others as prey, but more that we are to continue with the confidence of the lion in that there is nothing that can be overcome.

The lion continues providing and protecting and caring for their world and we should be doing the same. We cannot let the world defeat us. We have to go through the world with the confidence that we will overcome. That confidence comes from our fear of the LORD. When we tap into that confidence we will not be defeated.

What does your confidence look like? Are you confident in only a few things? What if you were like the lion and had confidence in all things and drew on the confidence that you get from your fear of the LORD?