The Great White Throne Is Coming, the Books Will Be Opened, and Every Sinner Without Jesus Christ Will Face the Second Death With No Hope of Deliverance or Escape

The Great White Throne Judgment is the last courtroom, the final reckoning and the ultimate point of no return for the unsaved dead. Everyone standing there has already rejected God’s salvation, and no one will leave that throne justified. The books will be opened, every hidden work exposed and every excuse stripped away as sinners are judged according to their works. Death and hell will surrender their prisoners, proving that hell is not the final destination but the temporary holding place of the lost until judgment. After sentencing, they will be cast into the lake of fire, which the Bible calls the second death. There will be no advocate, no appeal, no repentance and no second chance—only the righteous judgment of a HOLY God. This will be the point of no return.

“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.” Revelation 20:11 (KJB)

This terrifying reality is why we preach the gospel of the grace of God with urgency. During this present Church Age, salvation is freely offered to every sinner who will place his faith in the shed blood, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are not attempting merely to improve society, reform human behavior or make people more religious; we are warning souls to flee from the wrath to come. Every gospel tract, street sermon, missionary journey and personal witness is an opportunity to reach someone before death closes the door forever. The Great White Throne reminds the saved that evangelism is not optional religious activity—it is an urgent rescue mission. The time to believe is now, because there will be no gospel invitation given when the books are opened.

The Bible Believers Sunday Service: The Point Of No Return

The Point Of No Return

I. This Is the Final Judgment of the Unsaved Dead

The Great White Throne takes place after the thousand-year reign of Jesus Christ. It must not be confused with the Judgment Seat of Christ, where saved members of the Body of Christ have their service examined for reward.

“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.” 1 Corinthians 5:10 (KJB)

The people standing before the Great White Throne are called “the dead.” These are the lost dead of every generation, resurrected to receive their final judgment.

• “Small and great” means that earthly position will mean nothing.
• Kings will stand beside beggars.
• Religious leaders will stand beside atheists.
• The famous will stand beside the forgotten.
• Every Christ-rejecting sinner will stand personally before God.

Death is not the end. Every lost person will eventually stand before the Lord Jesus Christ. This doctrine is declared in both Testaments.

“Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.” Isaiah 45:22,23 (KJB)

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 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.” Philippians 2:9-11 (KJB)

II. There Will Be No Place to Hide

The earth and heaven flee from the face of the One sitting upon the throne. The condemned sinner will have nowhere to run, nowhere to hide and no one behind whom he can conceal himself.

“The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” Proverbs 15:3 (KJB)

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” Hebrews 4:11,12 (KJB)

At this judgment there will be:

• No defense attorney.
• No excuse accepted.
• No plea bargain offered.
• No opportunity for repentance.
• No second chance to believe the gospel.
• No appeal from the sentence.

The Great White Throne is the final point of no return.

III. The Books Will Be Opened

“And the books were opened” shows that God maintains a perfect and complete record. Nothing has been forgotten, overlooked or erased. None of it.

Those books contain the record of every:

• Sin committed.
• Lie spoken.
• Evil thought entertained.
• Opportunity rejected.
• Gospel invitation refused.
• Work performed in rebellion against God.

People may hide their sins from family, government, employers and churches, but no one can hide anything from God. All their sin will be paid for, and must be paid for, by themselves for eternity in the Lake of Fire.

IV. The Book of Life Will Be Opened

Alongside the books of works, God opens “the book of life.” This book settles the eternal question. The books demonstrate the sinner’s guilt. The book of life reveals that the sinner never received God’s salvation. The final issue is not whether someone performed religious works, joined a church, received baptism or tried to live a moral life. The determining issue is whether that person belonged to Jesus Christ.

“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:15 (KJB)

No one standing at the Great White Throne will be justified by works. Their works will determine the measure of their judgment, but works cannot produce salvation. We are all born in the image of Adam, and only the New Birth can, and will, fix that!

“And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:” Genesis 5:3 (KJB)

“Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” John 3:7 (KJB)

V. Hell Will Deliver Up Its Dead

“And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.” Revelation 20:13 (KJB)

Hell is not the final destination of the lost. It is the present place of conscious punishment where the lost dead await final judgment. At the Great White Throne, hell will surrender its inhabitants. They will be bodily resurrected, brought before God, judged and cast into the lake of fire.

The biblical order is:

1. The lost person dies.
2. The soul goes to hell.
3. The lost dead are resurrected.
4. They stand before the Great White Throne.
5. They are judged according to their works.
6. They are cast into the lake of fire.

VI. The Lake of Fire Is the Second Death

“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” Revelation 20:14 (KJB)

The first death separates the soul from the body. The second death is eternal separation from God in the lake of fire.

The second death is:

• Conscious.
• Final.
• Irreversible.
• Eternal.
• The righteous judgment of God against sin.

The lake of fire was not invented by medieval religion. It is the unmistakable teaching of the word of God. Jesus Christ warned about it, and Revelation identifies it as the final destination of everyone whose name is not found in the book of life. In our day, Laodiceans like Kirk Cameron, Rob Bell, John Stott, Brandan Robertson, David Bentley Hart and many others all preach either a universalism salvation or annihilationism, instead of what the word of God so clearly proclaims to be true about the place called Hell.

“We think of God as a just God, he is a just God and we believe that the punishment should fit the crime. Exactly, and so, if the punishment was cruel and unusual punishment that went far beyond the severity of the crime, that would no longer be just. After 10,000 years of anguish and pain and torment and darkness, you’re not one day closer to finding relief. You’re not even one second closer after a billion years. You’re not one second closer to the end.” – Kirk Cameron

What Cameron overlooks is that the sinner has sinned against a righteous and holy ETERNAL God who never dies, so the punishment must be eternal. Cameron’s estimation of who God is is far too small, so he rejects eternal conscious torment as the Bible teaches.

VII. This Is Why We Preach the Gospel of Grace

The Great White Throne explains the urgency of evangelism. We do not preach merely to improve people’s temporary lives. We preach because lost souls are heading toward an eternal judgment from which there will be no escape.

The gospel for the Church Age is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ:

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” 1 Corinthians 15:3,4 (KJB)

Salvation is not found through human works, religious rituals or personal goodness. It is received by believing the gospel and trusting the finished work of Jesus Christ.

This is the ministry committed to the apostle Paul:

“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20:24 (KJB)

Death will no longer threaten us:

“The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” 1 Corinthians 15:26 (KJB)

“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 (KJB)

Application

To the Saved

• Remember what Jesus Christ saved you from. Keep it personal.
• Stop treating salvation casually, it’s literally life or death.
• Pray for lost family members and friends.
• Support missionaries and gospel-preaching ministries.
• Hand out tracts, witness publicly and preach the gospel plainly.
• Never substitute politics, social reform or religious activity for the gospel.

To the Preacher

Preach the whole counsel of God. Tell people about the love of God, but do not hide the wrath of God. Preach heaven, but also warn about hell and the lake of fire. A preacher who refuses to warn sinners about judgment is not showing compassion. Biblical compassion tells people the truth while there is still time to be saved.

“Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” Hebrews 13:17 (KJB)

“My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.” James 3:1 (KJB)

To the Lost

You are not promised another opportunity. You may dismiss the gospel today, but you will not dismiss the Judge at the Great White Throne.

“For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2 (KJB)

Do not trust your works, church membership, baptism, morality or sincerity. Trust the shed blood and finished work of Jesus Christ.

Closing Challenge

The Great White Throne is coming. The books will be opened. Every lost sinner will be found guilty, and everyone whose name is not found in the book of life will be cast into the lake of fire.

For the saved, the question is: Whom are you warning?

For the preacher, the question is: Are you still preaching the gospel plainly?

For the lost, the question is: Will you trust Jesus Christ now, or meet Him later as your Judge?

There will be no gospel invitation at the Great White Throne. There will be no altar call, no opportunity to repent and no second chance to believe. The time to be saved is now.

The war is REAL, the battle HOT, and the time is SHORT…to the FIGHT!!!

Now The End Begins is your front line defense against the rising tide of darkness in the last Days before the Rapture of the Church

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I Quit: When God’s Mightiest Servants Reached Their Breaking Point, Lost Their Courage And Discovered That Their Calling Was Stronger Than Their Discouragement

“I Quit” are two words that nearly every servant of God will be tempted to say at some point in the ministry. The Bible does not airbrush its heroes or pretend that men of faith never collapse beneath the burden. Jeremiah decided to stop preaching, Peter returned to his fishing boat, Elijah asked God to let him die, John the Baptist questioned Christ from prison, Moses could no longer carry the people, David became convinced that Saul would eventually kill him, and Paul despaired even of life. These were not weak men playing at ministry; they were mighty servants who discovered that calling does not make the flesh indestructible. The difference was not that they never reached the breaking point—it was that God met them there and refused to allow their darkest moment to become the final chapter. Christian, do you feel like quitting today? This message is for you.

“O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me.” Jeremiah 20:7 (KJB)

The Bible Believers Sunday Service: I Quit

I Quit

“For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;” 2 Corinthians 1:8-10 (KJB)

God’s calling does not make His servants immune to exhaustion, fear, disappointment, loneliness, or doubt. God sometimes allows His servants to reach the end of their own strength so they will learn to trust “in God which raiseth the dead.”

MAIN POINT: The breaking point does not have to become the quitting point.

Dispensational Note: Jeremiah and Elijah ministered to Israel under the law and the prophetic program. John the Baptist and Peter ministered in connection with Israel, Messiah, and the kingdom. Paul is our apostle and doctrinal pattern for the present Church Age. These men did not occupy the same dispensational position, but the spiritual principle remains: God’s servants are weak, but God remains faithful.

I. Jeremiah: When Faithful Preaching Brings Reproach

“O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me. For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily. Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.” Jeremiah 20:7-9 (KJB)

A. Jeremiah was faithful, but faithfulness did not protect him from discouragement

Jeremiah preached exactly what God told him to preach. Instead of producing repentance, his preaching produced mockery, opposition, persecution, and reproach. His discouragement was not caused by disobedience. It came while he was faithfully carrying out his calling.

B. Jeremiah allowed his circumstances to distort his perception

When Jeremiah accused the LORD of deceiving him, he was speaking out of anguish, not giving a doctrinal statement about God’s character. God had already warned Jeremiah that the people would fight against him. Jeremiah had not been deceived; he had become overwhelmed by the cost of obeying God.

C. Jeremiah attempted to resign

Jeremiah said:

• “I will not make mention of him.”
• I will not “speak any more in his name.”
• I am finished preaching.
• I will remain silent.

D. The Word would not release the prophet

Jeremiah could close his mouth, but he could not extinguish the Word burning inside him. The pain of holding back the message became greater than the pain of delivering it. Jeremiah tried to silence the message, but the message would not release the messenger.

II. Peter: When Personal Failure Makes You Go Backward

“Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.” John 21:3 (KJB)

A. Peter had once appeared fearless

Peter had promised to follow Jesus even unto death. But when confronted during the Lord’s trial, Peter denied Christ three times. His confidence in himself was shattered. That’s a great starting point for the Christian, to have your self-confidence broken. You must decrease, He must increase.

B. Peter returned to something familiar

Peter did not formally say, “I quit.” Nevertheless, his actions indicate retreat. Not knowing what place remained for him, Peter returned to the occupation he had known before Jesus called him.

He could return to the boat, but he could not return to his old life as though Christ had never called him.

C. Peter’s retreat influenced other people

When Peter said, “I go a fishing,” the others answered, “We also go with thee.”

A discouraged leader rarely retreats alone. Other people are watching, and they may follow him into his withdrawal.

D. The Lord allowed Peter’s nets to remain empty

Peter had years of fishing experience, but “that night they caught nothing.” The empty nets demonstrated that Peter could accomplish nothing independently of Christ. Jesus already had fish and bread waiting on the shore. Christ did not need Peter’s catch; Peter needed Christ’s provision.

E. Christ restored Peter through love and recommissioning

“So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.” John 21:15 (KJB)

“He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.” John 21:16,17 (KJB)

Jesus did not ask Peter whether he still felt brave. Peter’s self-confidence was gone. The question was, “Lovest thou me?”

Peter’s restoration was followed by a renewed commission:

• “Feed my lambs.”
• “Feed my sheep.”
• “Follow me.”

Teaching Truth: Failure said, “Go back.” Jesus Christ said, “Follow me.”

III. Elijah: When Exhaustion Follows a Great Victory

“But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.” 1 Kings 19:4 (KJB)

A. Elijah’s collapse came immediately after his Mount Carmel victory

Elijah had confronted 450 prophets of Baal. God had answered by fire. The people had confessed that the LORD was God.

Then one threat from Jezebel sent Elijah running.

• Yesterday, Elijah faced 450 prophets.
• Today, he was afraid of one woman.
• Yesterday, he prayed for fire to fall.
• Today, he prayed for his life to end.
• Yesterday, he stood before a nation.
• Today, he sat alone beneath a tree.

B. Great victories can be followed by dangerous emotional lows

Spiritual victory does not make the flesh indestructible. Elijah had expended tremendous physical, emotional, and spiritual energy. When the excitement ended, exhaustion, disappointment, fear, and isolation descended upon him.

C. God addressed Elijah’s physical exhaustion

“And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.” 1 Kings 19:5-8 (KJB)

God did not begin by rebuking Elijah. He allowed him to sleep, provided food and water, and allowed him to sleep again. Sometimes a servant does not immediately need another sermon. He needs rest, nourishment, and time in the presence of God.

D. Discouragement distorted Elijah’s perception

“And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” 1 Kings 19:10 (KJB)

Elijah felt alone, so he concluded that he was alone. But feelings are not facts.

“Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.” 1 Kings 19:18 (KJB)

Elijah saw no one. God saw seven thousand.

E. God restored Elijah in five ways

God gave Elijah:

1. Rest for his body.
2. Food for his strength.
3. Truth for his distorted perspective.
4. Work for his prophetic calling.
5. Elisha for companionship.

MAIN POINT: Elijah’s juniper tree was a terrible moment, but it was not the conclusion of his ministry.

IV. John the Baptist: When Circumstances Contradict Expectations

“And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities. Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.” Matthew 11:1-6 (KJB)

A. John had been a mighty and fearless preacher

John had publicly identified Jesus Christ:

“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” John 1:29 (KJB)

John had seen the Spirit descend upon Christ. He had identified Jesus as the Son of God. Yet confinement, uncertainty, and approaching death brought him to a moment of doubt.

B. John struggled to reconcile his circumstances with his preaching

John had announced:

• The coming King.
• The approaching kingdom.
• The axe laid to the root.
• The fan in Christ’s hand.
• The coming judgment by fire.

Yet Herod remained on the throne, and John remained in prison. The King had come, but John was still bound. Other people were receiving deliverance, but John’s prison door remained shut.

C. John did not understand the interval between the Advents

John belonged to Israel’s prophetic and kingdom program. He saw the prophecies concerning Messiah’s coming, His kingdom, and His judgment, but he did not yet understand the gap between the First and Second Advents or the still-unrevealed mystery of the Church Age.

The prophetic timetable was unfolding differently than John expected.

D. John took his question to the right Person

John did not send his disciples to Herod, the Pharisees, or public opinion. He sent them directly to Jesus Christ.

Faith is not the absence of painful questions. Faith takes those questions to the right Person.

E. Jesus answered John with scriptural evidence

“Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.” Matthew 11:4-6 (KJB)

Jesus did not explain every detail or promise that John would be released. He directed John back to the evidence of fulfilled Scripture.

The answer was essentially: Do not judge who I am by the bars surrounding you. Judge who I am by the Word of God.

F. Jesus did not define John by his weakest moment

“Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” Matthew 11:11 (KJB)

John was questioning Jesus, but Jesus was not questioning John’s faithfulness. Christ knew the difference between hardened unbelief and a faithful servant suffering through a dark hour.

MAIN POINT: John’s question did not erase his calling, his courage, or his entire ministry.

V. Moses: When the Burden Becomes Too Heavy

“I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.” Numbers 11:14,15 (KJB)

A. Moses became overwhelmed by responsibility

Moses was attempting to carry the burden of the entire nation. The work truly was too heavy for one man.

B. Moses saw death as his only escape

Overwhelming pressure can narrow a person’s thinking until he can no longer see any solution except escape.

C. God provided shared responsibility

God instructed Moses to gather seventy elders. The LORD did not remove Moses from his calling; He provided other men to help carry the burden.

MAIN POINT: Sometimes the answer is not quitting the work but sharing the weight.

VI. David: When Fear Becomes Greater Than the Promise

“And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.” 1 Samuel 27:1 (KJB)

A. God had promised David the throne

Saul could not kill David without overthrowing the promise and purpose of God.

B. David listened to his heart instead of God’s promise

The verse begins, “David said in his heart.” David looked at Saul’s repeated attacks and concluded, “I shall now perish.” His circumstances appeared more powerful than God’s Word.

C. Discouragement drove David into enemy territory

When a servant stops resting in God’s promises, the world begins to look like a place of safety. David fled into the land of the Philistines because fear told him there was “nothing better.”

MAIN POINT: Discouragement causes us to calculate the future without including the faithfulness of God.

VII. Paul: When a Church-Age Servant Reaches the End of His Strength

“For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:” 2 Corinthians But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:” 2 Corinthians 1:8,9 (KJB)

A. Paul was pressed beyond his natural ability

Paul did not say that God would never allow something beyond human strength. He said that he was “pressed out of measure, above strength.” The pressure exceeded Paul’s natural ability to endure it.

B. Paul “despaired even of life”

This was not an immature believer. This was the apostle to the Gentiles. Yet he reached a place where death appeared certain.

C. God was destroying Paul’s self-reliance

The purpose is stated plainly:

“But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:” 2 Corinthians 1:9 (KJB)

God brought Paul to the end of himself so that Paul would place his complete confidence in the God of resurrection.

D. Paul also experienced abandonment

“At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.” 2 Timothy 4:16,17 (KJB)

Every human companion may leave, but the Lord remains.

MAIN POINT: When no man stood with Paul, the Lord stood with him. As it turned out, that was all he needed.

Spiritual Application

1. Recognize the Different Causes of Discouragement

These servants became discouraged for different reasons:

• Jeremiah: mockery and rejection.
• Peter: personal failure and shame.
• Elijah: exhaustion, fear, and isolation.
• John: confinement and unmet expectations.
• Moses: overwhelming responsibility.
• David: prolonged persecution and fear.
• Paul: suffering, pressure, and abandonment.

The cause may differ, but the temptation is the same: stop, retreat, isolate yourself, or abandon the calling.

2. Do Not Make Permanent Decisions During Temporary Collapse

Jeremiah decided never to preach again.

Peter decided to return to fishing.

Elijah asked to die.

David fled into enemy territory.

None of them was seeing clearly at that moment. Exhaustion, fear, humiliation, and loneliness are terrible counselors. Do not make a permanent decision while standing inside a temporary storm.

3. Distinguish Between Rest and Retreat

Elijah needed sleep and food. Moses needed help carrying the burden. Peter needed restoration. John needed reassurance from Scripture. Rest is not quitting. Receiving help is not weakness. Stepping back long enough to regain strength is not the same as abandoning God’s calling.

4. Do Not Turn Feelings Into Facts

Elijah felt alone, but seven thousand remained.

David felt certain that Saul would kill him, but God had promised him the throne.

John felt confused by the prison, but Jesus was still the Messiah.

Peter felt finished, but Christ still intended to use him.

Feelings are real, but they are not always reliable.

5. Return to the Word of God

Jeremiah had the Word burning inside him.

Jesus directed John to the scriptural evidence.

David needed to remember God’s promise.

Paul learned to trust the God who raises the dead.

Discouragement grows when circumstances interpret the Bible. Faith returns when the Bible interprets the circumstances.

6. Take Your Questions Directly to God

Jeremiah poured out his complaint before the LORD.

Elijah spoke honestly to God.

Moses cried unto the LORD.

John sent his question directly to Jesus.

God already knows the condition of the heart. Honest anguish brought into His presence is better than silent bitterness carried away from Him.

7. Accept God’s Provision

God may provide:

• Rest, as He did for Elijah.
• Help, as He did for Moses.
• Correction, as He did for David.
• Scriptural reassurance, as He did for John.
• Restoration, as He did for Peter.
• Strength in loneliness, as He did for Paul.
• Renewed fire for the message, as He did for Jeremiah.

Do not reject the form in which God sends His help. He knows best, let HIM do it.

8. Remember That Your Retreat Can Affect Others

When Peter said, “I go a fishing,” others followed. Leaders must remember that their responses to discouragement can influence families, churches, ministries, and younger believers. This does not mean pretending to be invincible. It means taking weakness to God before that weakness becomes a path others begin following.

9. Do Not Define a Servant by His Weakest Moment

Jeremiah was more than his complaint.

Peter was more than his denial.

Elijah was more than his juniper tree.

John was more than his prison question.

Moses was more than his frustration.

David was more than his fearful retreat.

Paul was more than the moment when he despaired even of life.

God recorded their weakness, but He did not allow their weakness to write the final chapter.

10. Understand What God Is Accomplishing

“But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:” 2 Corinthians 1:9 (KJB)

The ultimate purpose is the destruction of self-confidence. God does not need invincible men. There are none. He uses weak men who have learned that His grace, His Word, and His strength are sufficient.

Closing Challenge

Jeremiah tried to silence the message, but the Word burned within him.

Peter tried to return to fishing, but Jesus stood on the shore.

Elijah asked to die, but God fed him and sent him back.

John questioned Christ, but Christ answered him with the Word.

Moses wanted to escape the burden, but God sent men to help him.

David feared he would perish, but God’s promise remained unchanged.

Paul despaired even of life, but the Lord stood with him.

The common thread is not the strength of these men. The common thread is the faithfulness of their God.

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9 (KJB)

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:58 (KJB)

Final Questions

• Are you interpreting God through your circumstances, or your circumstances through the Word of God?
• Are you calling yourself alone when God still has seven thousand?
• Are you returning to old nets because of one terrible failure?
• Are you making permanent decisions while physically and emotionally exhausted?
• Are you looking at prison bars instead of the works of Christ?
• Are you trying to carry a burden God never intended you to carry alone?
• Are you trusting in yourself, or “in God which raiseth the dead”?

Final Challenge: Do not quit in the dark what God called you to do in the light. Rest if you must. Receive help when it is offered. Pour out your heart before the Lord. Return to the Word. Then arise, go back to the work, and continue in the strength which God supplies.

“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38,39 (KJB)

Now The End Begins is your front line defense against the rising tide of darkness in the last Days before the Rapture of the Church

• HOW TO DONATE: Click here to view our WayGiver Funding page

When you contribute to this fundraising effort, you are helping us to do what the Lord called us to do. The money you send in goes primarily to the overall daily operations of this site. When people ask for Bibles, we send them out at no charge. When people write in and say how much they would like gospel tracts but cannot afford them, we send them a box at no cost to them for either the tracts or the shipping, no matter where they are in the world. We have a Gospel Billboard program. We are now broadcasting Bible studies, Podcasts and a Sunday Service 5 times a week, thanks to your generous donations. All this is possible because YOU pray for us, YOU support us, and YOU give so we can continue growing.

But whatever you do, don’t do nothing. Time is short and we need your help right now. The Lord has given us an open door with a tremendous ‘course’ for us to fulfill that will create an excellent experience at the Judgement Seat of Christ. Please pray for our efforts, and if the Lord leads you to donate, be as generous as possible. The war is REAL, the battle HOT and the time is SHORT…TO THE FIGHT!!!

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)

“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB

The Secret Of The LORD Shows Us His Ways, And The Faith Of Him Secures Our Standing — One Reveals God’s Eternal Purpose While The Other Guarantees That It Cannot Fail

The secret of the LORD is not some mystical code reserved for religious elites; it is the intimate counsel of God entrusted to those who fear Him, receive His words and walk in obedience to His testimonies. The proud man may possess information about God, but the surrendered servant is taught the ways of God. Psalm 25 shows the order clearly: fear produces teachability, obedience places us in the paths of mercy and truth, and fellowship with the LORD brings understanding of His covenant and purpose. God reveals His secret to servants because revealed truth carries responsibility—we are expected to believe it, obey it and proclaim it. Welcome to the Sunday Service of the Bible Believers Church at the Bookstore!

“The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.” Psalm 25:14 (KJB)

When God brings us into the revelation of His eternal purpose in Christ, we discover that our access, righteousness and security do not rest upon our own wavering faithfulness, but upon “the faith of him.” We believe in Jesus Christ, but we are justified by the faith of Jesus Christ; our believing receives the gift, while His perfect obedience and finished work provide its unshakable foundation. Our confidence may tremble, our emotions may change and our performance may fail, but Jesus Christ cannot falter or deny Himself. The secret of the LORD reveals His purpose, and the faith of Him guarantees that purpose will be accomplished: the servant may falter, but the Saviour can never fail.

The Bible Believers Sunday Service: The Secret Of The Lord

The Secret Of The Lord

“The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.” Psalm 25:14 (KJB)

“According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.” Ephesians 3:11–12 (KJB)

The LORD reveals His secret counsel to those who fear Him, receive His words and walk in obedience. But our standing, access and security before God do not rest upon the strength of our faith. They rest upon the perfect and unfailing faith of Jesus Christ. The secret reveals God’s purpose; the faith of Christ guarantees its accomplishment.

I. The Secret of the LORD Is Given to Those Who Fear Him

“The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. For thy name’s sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great. What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth. The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant. Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.” Psalm 25:9-15 (KJB)

The fear of the LORD places a man in a teachable position. God does not entrust His counsel to the proud, rebellious or self-sufficient. He teaches the person who approaches Him with reverence, humility and submission. The secret of the LORD is not occult knowledge or a hidden code. It is the privilege of understanding God’s ways, His counsel, His covenant and His purpose. Being teachable and willing to follow Him appears to be one of the LORD’s special secrets.

In the opening of Psalm 25, there are 4 requests being made in the first 7 verses.

• “Shew me” verse 4
• “Lead me” verse 5
• “teach me” verse 5
• “remember me” verse 7

Application

Before asking God to show us deeper truth, we should ask whether we are obeying the truth He has already shown us. A person who refuses God’s plain commandments should not expect illumination concerning deeper spiritual matters.

II. Obedience Places Us in the Path of Mercy and Truth

“All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.” Psalm 25:10 (KJB)

The secret is not merely something we hear; it is something we walk in. God’s paths become clearer as we obey His testimonies. Obedience does not earn divine revelation. Rather, obedience demonstrates that we are prepared to receive, value and act upon what God reveals.

Application

The serious Bible student must come to the Scriptures with more than curiosity. He must come with a surrendered heart:

• What does God say?
• What does God require?
• What must I believe?
• What must I change?
• What must I do?

III. God Reveals His Secret to His Servants

“Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” Amos 3:7 (KJB)

“And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,” 2 Timothy 2:24 (KJB)

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,” Romans 1:1 (KJB)

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ – James 1:1
Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ – 2 Peter 1:1
Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ – Jude 1:1

Before God acted in judgment, He revealed His counsel to His prophets. They were called “servants” because divine revelation always carries divine responsibility. The prophets were not given God’s secret so they could admire their own knowledge. They were commanded to proclaim what God had revealed.

Application

Whenever God gives a preacher, teacher or Bible believer understanding, that person becomes responsible for what he knows.

Truth creates accountability:

• Truth must be believed.
• Truth must be obeyed.
• Truth must be proclaimed.
• Truth must never be corrupted for personal advantage.

IV. The Secret Leads Us to God’s Eternal Purpose in Christ

“And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:” Ephesians 3:9 (KJB)

“According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:” Ephesians 3:11 (KJB)

Psalm 25 speaks in covenant language, while Ephesians 3 reveals the mystery concerning the Church, the Body of Christ. These programs must not be confused, but the spiritual principle remains: God reveals His purpose according to His own timing and to His chosen servants.

The mystery revealed through Paul was not a revised version of Israel’s prophetic program. It had been “hid in God.” It reveals the unsearchable riches of Christ and God’s eternal purpose for the Church.

Application

We must rightly divide the word of truth. Everything in the Bible is written for our learning, but not everything is written doctrinally to us.

The believer must distinguish:

• Prophecy from mystery.
• Israel from the Church.
• Covenant promises from the Body of Christ.
• The earthly kingdom from our heavenly position.

V. Our Access to God Is by the Faith of Him

“In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.” Ephesians 3:12 (KJB)

Our access does not rest upon our feelings, performance or ability to maintain perfect confidence. We have access because we are in Jesus Christ, and that access is “by the faith of him.” Our faith may be weak, but His faith cannot weaken. Our confidence may fluctuate, but His faithfulness cannot change. Our performance may fail, but His finished work remains eternally sufficient.

Application

We do not approach God by presenting our worthiness. We approach God in the worthiness of Jesus Christ. Our boldness is not self-confidence. It is Christ-confidence.

VI. The Bible Distinguishes Our Believing From the Faith of Christ

“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” Galatians 2:16 (KJB)

This verse contains both sides of the doctrine:

• “The faith of Jesus Christ” describes the divine basis of our justification.
• “We have believed in Jesus Christ” describes our personal reception of it.

Our believing is necessary, but our believing is not the meritorious work that purchases salvation. We believe on the One whose faith, obedience, blood and finished work are completely sufficient.

Application

The sinner is not told to have faith in his own faith. He is commanded to believe on Jesus Christ. Salvation does not depend upon how intensely a sinner can believe. It depends upon whether the object of his faith is the Lord Jesus Christ.

VII. The Faith of Christ Provides the Righteousness We Could Never Produce

“Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:” Romans 3:22 (KJB)

“And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:” Philippians 3:9 (KJB)

Salvation requires perfect righteousness. We cannot produce it, maintain it or deserve it. God therefore gives the believer His righteousness through the faith of Jesus Christ.

It is:

• Not our righteousness.
• Not the righteousness of the law.
• Not religious performance.
• Not human faithfulness.
• The righteousness of God in Jesus Christ.

Application

Stop examining yourself to determine whether you are righteous enough to remain saved. You’re not and never will be. Instead, look to Jesus Christ, in whom we have been made accepted. Our assurance rests in His righteousness, not ours.

VIII. The Faith of Christ Sustains the Believer’s Daily Life

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 (KJB)

The faith of Christ is not only connected with our justification; it is also the foundation of our Christian life. Paul did not say that he lived by confidence in himself. He lived by the faith of the Son of God. Christ loved us, gave Himself for us and now lives in us.

Application

Christian living is not attempting to ‘imitate Jesus’ through human determination. Imitating Jesus is what Antichrist will do! Rather, it is the life of Christ operating through a surrendered believer.

We supply the surrendered vessel; Christ supplies the life.

IX. The Two Doctrines Come Together

The Secret of the LORD	The Faith of Him
Reveals God’s counsel	Accomplishes God’s purpose
Is with those who fear Him	Is found perfectly in Jesus Christ
Calls the servant to obedience	Gives the believer boldness and access
Shows us God’s covenant and ways	Gives us God’s righteousness
Creates responsibility	Produces security
Tells us what God is doing	Guarantees that God’s purpose cannot fail

Combined Truth

The secret of the LORD shows us that God desires surrendered servants who fear Him, obey Him and receive His counsel. The faith of Him shows us that the fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose does not finally rest upon the servant’s strength—it rests upon Jesus Christ. We are called to be faithful, but we are secured by the One who cannot be unfaithful.

“If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13 (KJB)

Application

Ask yourself:

1. Do I truly fear the LORD, or do I merely possess religious knowledge?
2. Am I obeying the truth God has already shown me?
3. Am I a servant whom God can trust with greater understanding?
4. Am I rightly dividing prophecy from mystery?
5. Am I trusting my feelings and performance, or the finished work of Christ?
6. Is my confidence resting in my faith, or in the faith of Him?
7. Am I using revealed truth to serve others and glorify God?

Closing Challenge

The secret of the LORD is not given so that we may become proud of what we know. It is given so that we may understand His ways, submit to His Word and faithfully serve His purpose. At the same time, we must never confuse our service with the foundation of our salvation. We fear Him, obey Him and serve Him—but our boldness, access, righteousness and security rest completely in Jesus Christ. The servant may falter, but the Saviour cannot fail. The secret is revealed to those who fear Him, and its eternal purpose is secured by the faith of Him.

Now The End Begins is your front line defense against the rising tide of darkness in the last Days before the Rapture of the Church

• HOW TO DONATE: Click here to view our WayGiver Funding page

When you contribute to this fundraising effort, you are helping us to do what the Lord called us to do. The money you send in goes primarily to the overall daily operations of this site. When people ask for Bibles, we send them out at no charge. When people write in and say how much they would like gospel tracts but cannot afford them, we send them a box at no cost to them for either the tracts or the shipping, no matter where they are in the world. We have a Gospel Billboard program. We are now broadcasting Bible studies, Podcasts and a Sunday Service 5 times a week, thanks to your generous donations. All this is possible because YOU pray for us, YOU support us, and YOU give so we can continue growing.

But whatever you do, don’t do nothing. Time is short and we need your help right now. The Lord has given us an open door with a tremendous ‘course’ for us to fulfill that will create an excellent experience at the Judgement Seat of Christ. Please pray for our efforts, and if the Lord leads you to donate, be as generous as possible. The war is REAL, the battle HOT and the time is SHORT…TO THE FIGHT!!!

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)

“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB