Junior Tate

Scripture (KJV) – 2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” Reflection There is coming a day when every believer will stand personally before Jesus Christ. Paul does not say that some Christians will appear before Him. He says, “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” That should cause every believer to think seriously about how we are living the life God has given us. For those who have trusted Jesus Christ for salvation, this is not a judgment to determine whether we are saved or lost. Christ settled the penalty for our sins at Calvary. We are saved by grace through faith, not by our works. But being saved does not mean the way we live no longer matters. There will be an accounting. How did we use the time God gave us? How did we treat people? What did we do with the opportunities He placed before us? Did we faithfully serve Him when nobody was watching? Did we share the Gospel when He opened the door? Were our motives centered upon Christ, or were we more concerned about receiving recognition from people? Those are uncomfortable questions, but sometimes we need uncomfortable questions. It is easy to become so occupied with everyday life that we forget eternity is approaching. We work, make plans, pay bills, take vacations, build homes, and prepare for retirement. There is nothing wrong with those things, but none of them should cause us to forget that our earthly life is temporary. One day our opportunities to serve Christ here will be finished. There will be no going back to encourage the person we ignored. There will be no second opportunity to share Christ with someone after our earthly life is over. There will be no way to recover years that were wasted living entirely for ourselves. That is why this Scripture should motivate us rather than merely frighten us. We still have today. We can serve Him today. We can love someone today. We can forgive today. We can share the Gospel today. We can make things right today. We can invest our lives in things that will still matter when we stand before Jesus Christ. I believe every Christian should occasionally stop and ask one simple question: “If I stood before Jesus Christ today, would I be pleased with how I have been living for Him?” We cannot change yesterday, but by God’s grace we can determine how we will live today. Live today with eternity in view, because one day we will stand before the One who gave His life for us. Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You for the salvation You have given me through Jesus Christ. Help me never take Your grace for granted. Remind me that my life belongs to You and that one day I will stand before Christ and give an account of how I lived. Show me where I have wasted opportunities, neglected Your calling, or lived too much for myself. Help me use my time, abilities, possessions, and opportunities for Your glory. Give me a greater burden for lost souls and a stronger desire to faithfully serve You. When I finally stand before Jesus Christ, may I look back upon a life that was lived faithfully for Him. In Jesus’ name, Amen. juniortateministries.com greatcommissiontoday.com amazon.com/author/juniortateministries

Scripture (KJV) – John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” Reflection Jesus did not say that the world would recognize His disciples simply because they attended church, knew Scripture, or talked about their faith. He pointed to something that should be clearly visible in the life of every believer: the way we love one another. But notice the standard Jesus gave us. He said, “as I have loved you.” That takes love to an entirely different level. Jesus loved people when they failed Him. He loved Peter even though Peter denied Him. He loved His disciples even though they sometimes argued among themselves. He showed compassion toward sinners, touched those others avoided, and gave His life upon the cross for people who did not deserve His mercy. That is the kind of love Christ calls us to demonstrate. It is easy to love someone who agrees with us, appreciates us, and treats us well. The real test comes when someone disappoints us, hurts us, misunderstands us, or simply gets on our nerves. How do we respond then? Sometimes Christians can speak about the love of Christ while carrying bitterness toward another believer. We can sing about grace on Sunday and refuse to show grace on Monday. We can tell lost people that Jesus loves them while allowing anger, jealousy, gossip, or unforgiveness to control the way we treat one another. Jesus said the world is watching. “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples.” That should cause every one of us to examine our hearts. Our testimony is not only found in what we say about Jesus. It is also found in how we treat people. Love does not mean approving sin or compromising biblical truth. Jesus never compromised truth. But He always spoke and acted from a heart of perfect love. Maybe there is someone in your life who needs to see the love of Christ through you today. Perhaps they need forgiveness. Maybe they need encouragement. Maybe they simply need someone to listen. We live in a world filled with anger, division, and hatred. What an opportunity Christians have to show something different. Let people see Jesus not only in what you believe, but in the way you love. Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me when I did not deserve Your love. Thank You for sending Jesus Christ to die for my sins and showing me what true love looks like. Help me love others as Christ has loved me. Remove bitterness, jealousy, anger, and unforgiveness from my heart. Give me compassion for those who are hurting and patience with those who are difficult. Help me stand firmly upon Your truth while always treating people with grace and love. May the way I live and the way I treat others show the world that I belong to Jesus Christ. In His name, Amen. juniortateministries.com greatcommissiontoday.com amazon.com/author/juniortateministries

Scripture (KJV) – Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Reflection Pride is one of the easiest sins to recognize in someone else and one of the hardest to recognize in ourselves. It does not always appear as boasting or arrogance. Sometimes pride quietly shows itself when we refuse correction, will not admit we are wrong, hold ourselves above others, or believe we can handle life without depending upon God. Scripture gives us a serious warning: “Pride goeth before destruction.” Pride tells us that we do not need advice. Pride says we do not need to apologize. Pride convinces us that our way must be right and everyone else must be wrong. Eventually, pride can even cause us to resist God when His Word confronts something in our lives. That is a dangerous place to be. Think about how different Jesus Christ was. The Son of God had every right to receive glory, yet He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. If our Savior demonstrated humility, how much more should humility characterize those who follow Him? This Scripture calls for personal conviction. When was the last time you sincerely admitted that you were wrong? Can someone correct you without immediately making you angry or defensive? Do you secretly look down upon people because of their failures, possessions, education, appearance, or position in life? Pride can also affect our relationship with God. Sometimes we pray only after we have exhausted every other possibility. We try to solve everything ourselves and turn to God when nothing else works. Humility recognizes that we need Him every day, not simply when trouble comes. The opposite of pride is not thinking that we have no value. Biblical humility means recognizing who we are before a holy God and understanding that everything good in our lives ultimately comes from Him. If God reveals pride within your heart today, do not defend it. Confess it. It is far better to humble ourselves willingly before God than to have pride bring us to a fall. Prayer Heavenly Father, search my heart and reveal any pride that I may not recognize in myself. Forgive me for the times I have refused correction, looked down upon others, insisted upon having my own way, or tried to live without depending upon You. Give me a humble and teachable spirit. Help me admit when I am wrong, ask forgiveness when I have hurt someone, and remember that every blessing in my life comes from Your hand. May the humility of Jesus Christ be seen in the way I speak, serve, love, and treat others. Keep me close to You and protect my heart from the destruction that pride can bring. In Jesus’ name, Amen. juniortateministries.com greatcommissiontoday.com amazon.com/author/juniortateministries

Scripture (KJV) – John 3:19-21 “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” Reflection Jesus tells us something very revealing about the human heart. The problem is not that God has left mankind without light. The Light has already come. Jesus Christ came into this world bringing truth, salvation, and the opportunity for sinners to be reconciled to God. Yet Jesus said that “men loved darkness rather than light.” Why? Because light exposes what darkness tries to hide. That is still true today. God’s Word shines light into areas of our lives that we might rather leave untouched. It exposes pride, lust, bitterness, dishonesty, jealousy, unforgiveness, selfishness, and secret sin. Sometimes we become uncomfortable when Scripture confronts us, but that discomfort can be God’s mercy calling us to repentance. When someone wants to continue in sin, the truth often becomes offensive to them. They do not necessarily reject Christ because there is not enough evidence. Sometimes they reject Him because coming to the Light means admitting that something in their life is wrong. But we should also apply this personally as believers. Are there areas of our lives that we do not want God’s Word to examine? Are there things we would be embarrassed for other Christians to know? Do we behave differently when nobody is watching? We can hide things from people, but we cannot hide them from God. The answer is not to run farther into darkness. Come to the Light. Bring the secret sin before God. Confess it. Turn from it. Allow the truth of Scripture to expose whatever needs to change. There is something beautiful about walking in the light. We no longer have to spend our lives hiding. Through Jesus Christ there is forgiveness, cleansing, restoration, and a new direction. For the person who has never received Christ, this passage carries an eternal warning. Rejecting the Light does not remove the coming judgment. Jesus came so that sinners could be saved, but salvation must be received. Do not choose darkness because it hides your sin for a little while. Come to Jesus Christ, step into the Light, and let Him change your life. Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus Christ, the Light of the world. Search my heart and expose anything I have tried to hide from You. Forgive me for the times I have preferred darkness because I did not want my sin confronted. Give me humility to receive correction from Your Word and courage to turn away from anything that does not please You. Help me walk openly and honestly before You each day. Give me a burden for those who are still living in darkness and help me point them toward the salvation found in Jesus Christ. May my life reflect His light in a dark world. In Jesus’ name, Amen. juniortateministries.com greatcommissiontoday.com amazon.com/author/juniortateministries

Scripture (KJV) – James 4:17 “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” Reflection We often think of sin only as something wrong that we do. But James reminds us that sin can also involve something right that we refuse to do. There are times when we know exactly what God expects from us. We know we should forgive someone. We know we should apologize. We know we should help someone in need. We know we should share Christ with that person God has repeatedly placed upon our heart. We know there is something in our life that needs to change. The problem is not always knowing what is right. Sometimes the problem is simply refusing to do it. James says, “to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” That makes this a deeply personal verse because it forces us to stop looking at everybody else’s failures and ask ourselves, What has God shown me that I am still refusing to do? We can become comfortable with delayed obedience. We tell ourselves, “I’ll take care of that later.” But when God has clearly shown us something through His Word, continually putting it off does not make the responsibility disappear. Perhaps God has convicted you about your attitude toward someone. Maybe He has shown you that bitterness needs to go. Perhaps there is a relationship that needs to be made right. Maybe you know your prayer life has become weak, your Bible has remained closed too often, or your opportunities to witness have repeatedly passed by because you were afraid to speak. Personal conviction is not meant simply to make us feel guilty. God brings conviction because He wants to change us. There is also a lesson here about love. Sometimes loving someone means doing something inconvenient. It may mean giving our time, offering encouragement, showing mercy, forgiving an offense, or helping someone who can never repay us. Knowing what is right is important, but knowing is not enough. God has not called us merely to hear His Word. He has called us to obey it. So today, instead of asking only, “Lord, what am I doing wrong?” perhaps we should also ask: “Lord, what do You want me to do that I have been neglecting?” And when He answers, do not wait for tomorrow. Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You for speaking to me through Your Word. Search my heart and show me not only the things I am doing that are wrong, but also the things I know I should be doing and have neglected. Forgive me for delayed obedience and for the times I have made excuses instead of responding to Your conviction. If there is someone I need to forgive, help me forgive. If there is someone I need to help, give me compassion. If there is someone who needs to hear about Jesus Christ, give me courage to speak. Help me not merely know Your Word but live it faithfully every day. In Jesus’ name, Amen. juniortateministries.com greatcommissiontoday.com amazon.com/author/juniortateministries

Scripture (KJV) – Ephesians 4:26-27 “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.” Reflection Anger itself is not always sinful. There are things that should trouble us. Sin, injustice, cruelty, and wickedness should never become things Christians simply accept. But Scripture gives us a serious warning about what can happen when anger is allowed to remain in the heart. Paul says, “Be ye angry, and sin not.” Anger can quickly cross a line. What begins as hurt can become resentment. Resentment can become bitterness. Bitterness can produce harsh words, broken relationships, hatred, and sometimes actions that cannot be taken back. That is why God tells us, “let not the sun go down upon your wrath.” We should deal with anger rather than feed it. Replaying an offense over and over in our minds rarely brings peace. Usually, it makes the wound deeper. Then Paul gives an even stronger warning: “Neither give place to the devil.” Unresolved anger can become an open door for Satan to work within our lives. He can use bitterness to divide families, destroy friendships, damage churches, and weaken our testimony for Christ. What began with one offense can eventually affect almost every area of our lives. This calls for personal examination. Is there someone you are still angry with? Are you continually replaying what they said or did? Have you allowed an offense from yesterday to control your attitude today? You may have every reason to say that what happened was wrong. Forgiveness does not make the wrongdoing acceptable. But God does not want another person’s sin to become bitterness within your own heart. There are times when we must simply place the matter into God’s hands and say, “Lord, I cannot change what happened, but I refuse to let it control me any longer.” Jesus Christ knows what it means to be mistreated. He was mocked, falsely accused, beaten, rejected, and crucified. Yet even from the cross, He demonstrated mercy. Do not give the devil a place in your heart through unresolved anger. Deal with the hurt. Forgive where forgiveness is needed. Give the matter to God—and do not carry today’s anger into tomorrow. Prayer Heavenly Father, search my heart today and reveal any anger, resentment, or bitterness that I have allowed to remain. Forgive me for the times my anger has caused me to speak or act in ways that dishonored You. Help me deal with offenses quickly and biblically instead of allowing them to grow within my heart. Give me the strength to forgive those who have hurt me and the wisdom to make things right when I have hurt someone else. Guard my heart from bitterness and do not allow me to give the devil a place in my life. Help me respond to others with the grace, mercy, and love that Jesus Christ has shown me. In Jesus’ name, Amen. juniortateministries.com greatcommissiontoday.com amazon.com/author/juniortateministries

Scripture (KJV) – Romans 2:15-16 “Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” Reflection God has given mankind something powerful within—the conscience. There are moments when we know something is wrong even before another person confronts us. Something inside begins accusing us, warning us, and telling us that what we are doing is not right. The dangerous thing is that we can learn to ignore that warning. When conviction comes and we repeatedly excuse our behavior, the voice of conscience can become easier to disregard. We begin saying, “Everybody does it,” “It isn’t really hurting anyone,” or “God understands.” But excuses do not change God’s standard. Paul then takes us beyond the conscience to something even more serious: “God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ.” There are secret things in every life that other people may never know. Hidden thoughts. Private conversations. Secret habits. Motives behind actions that appear good on the outside. We may successfully hide those things from family, friends, the church, and the world—but nothing is hidden from God. That should bring personal conviction. We sometimes spend more effort protecting our reputation than protecting our relationship with God. We worry about someone discovering what we have done when our greater concern should be that God already knows. But conviction is also evidence of God’s mercy. When God troubles our conscience through His Word and the work of the Holy Spirit, He is giving us an opportunity to deal with sin rather than continue hiding it. For the believer, the answer is confession and repentance. Bring the matter before God, turn from it, and walk again in obedience. For the person without Christ, there is an even greater issue. One day you will stand before God, and the secrets of your life will not remain secret. Good works cannot erase sin. Religion cannot erase it. Only the blood of Jesus Christ can cleanse a sinner. Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again. The One who will one day judge is the same One who today offers salvation. When your conscience speaks, do not silence it. Let it drive you toward repentance and toward Jesus Christ. Prayer Heavenly Father, You know everything about me. Nothing in my heart or life is hidden from You. Search me today and reveal anything I have been hiding, excusing, or refusing to surrender. Keep my conscience tender toward Your Word and help me respond quickly when the Holy Spirit brings conviction. Forgive me for the times I have been more concerned about what people think than about what You know. Give me strength to turn away from sin and walk faithfully with You. Thank You for the forgiveness available through Jesus Christ, and give me a burden to warn others lovingly that a day of judgment is coming. Help me live today with a clean heart before You. In Jesus’ name, Amen. juniortateministries.com greatcommissiontoday.com amazon.com/author/juniortateministries

Scripture (KJV) – Philippians 2:10-11 “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Reflection Today, people can choose what they believe about Jesus Christ. Some worship Him as Lord and Savior. Others reject Him, mock His name, ignore His Word, or live as though He does not exist. But Scripture tells us that a day is coming when there will be no question about who Jesus Christ truly is. Every knee will bow. Kings will bow. Presidents will bow. The wealthy and the poor will bow. Those who believed will bow, and those who rejected Him will bow. Every person who has ever lived will ultimately acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord. The question is not whether we will bow before Christ. The question is when. There is an enormous difference between willingly bowing before Jesus today as Savior and standing before Him one day as Judge. Today, the invitation of salvation is still being offered. A sinner can come to Christ, repent, believe the Gospel, and receive forgiveness and eternal life. But after death, the opportunity to choose Christ as Savior is gone. Those who rejected Him in this life will still acknowledge His Lordship, but that confession will not reverse the judgment they face. This truth should also bring personal conviction to believers. If Jesus truly is Lord, is He Lord over every area of our lives? It is possible to call Him Lord with our mouths while resisting Him with our actions. Is He Lord over our relationships? Our finances? Our thoughts? Our entertainment? Our time? Our plans? Calling Jesus Lord means more than speaking a title. It means surrendering ourselves to His authority. For Christians, bowing before Christ should not be something we fear. It should be something we desire. The One before whom we will bow is the same Savior who loved us enough to die upon the cross for our sins. One day every voice will confess what God’s Word already declares: Jesus Christ is Lord. Do not wait until eternity to acknowledge what you can joyfully confess today. Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus Christ to be my Savior and Lord. Help me never to treat His name casually or take His sacrifice for granted. Search my heart and reveal any area of my life that I have not fully surrendered to Him. Give me the humility to bow before Christ willingly and the courage to obey His Word faithfully. Give me a greater burden for those who still reject Jesus, knowing that one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord. Help me share the Gospel while there is still time for people to receive Him as Savior. May my life bring glory to Jesus Christ today and every day. In His name, Amen. juniortateministries.com greatcommissiontoday.com amazon.com/author/juniortateministries

Scripture (KJV) – Matthew 6:19-21 “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Reflection There is nothing wrong with working hard, providing for our families, saving for the future, or enjoying the blessings God allows us to have. But Jesus warns us about allowing temporary things to become the treasures of our hearts. Everything we possess in this world is temporary. Homes eventually deteriorate. Cars wear out. Money changes hands. Possessions can be lost overnight. Even the things we spend years accumulating will eventually belong to someone else. Jesus directs our attention toward something greater: treasures in heaven. Every act of obedience to God matters. Every time we help someone in need, encourage a discouraged believer, share the Gospel, support the work of Christ, forgive someone who has wronged us, or quietly serve the Lord without seeking recognition, we are investing in something that reaches beyond this life. Then Jesus makes the issue personal: “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” If we want to know what truly has our heart, we should examine where we spend our time, energy, money, and attention. We can say that Christ comes first, but our priorities often reveal what we truly value. This is where personal conviction becomes necessary. Has something temporary become more important to us than something eternal? Are we spending more time building our earthly life than strengthening our relationship with God? Are we so busy gaining things that we have forgotten about reaching souls? One day we will leave everything on this earth behind. We will take no money, property, possessions, titles, or accomplishments with us. But what has been done for Christ will have eternal value. Do not spend your entire life collecting things you cannot keep while neglecting the things you can never lose. Live today with eternity in mind. Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You for every blessing You have given me. Help me enjoy Your blessings without allowing them to possess my heart. Search me and reveal anything that has become more important to me than my relationship with You. Teach me to invest my time, abilities, resources, and opportunities in things that have eternal value. Give me a greater burden for lost souls and a stronger desire to serve Jesus Christ faithfully. Help me remember that everything in this world is temporary, but what is done for You has eternal significance. May my heart and my treasure always be centered upon You. In Jesus’ name, Amen. juniortateministries.com greatcommissiontoday.com amazon.com/author/juniortateministries Top of Form