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It seems that our attention lately has consistently veered between North Korea and the Middle East. Like a ball moving over the net at a tennis match, our heads are scanning left, then right, then left then right...If NK is quiet for a while, there is a coup in Mali. The African coup settles down, only to find NK suddenly preparing to launch a ballistic missile. Then Kim Jong Un goes quiet and there is a rocket attack on Israel. Back and forth, wars, and rumors of wars. Just as Jesus said it would be.
It was unusual that NK's new leader, Kim Jong Un, spoke for half an hour in public. It was unusual because in the entire time his father Kim Jong Il ruled North Korea from 1994 to 2012, he never spoke in public. That NK is secretive to the outside world is a given, that they are this reclusive and secretive with their own people is another thing entirely.
Fox News reports, "North Koreans are told he graduated from Kim Il Sung Military University and speaks several foreign languages, including English. But his age, marital status and even the name of his late mother — said to be one of Kim Jong Il's wives, Ko Yong Hui — have never been made public."
Now that's secretive. For the most part, Kim Jong Un has kept his personal history a secret, even from schoolmasters in Switzerland and from schoolmates.
However, Jesus knows all. He knows Kim Jong Un's heart, his motivations, his intent. "For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." (Ecclesiastes 12:14). In Psalm 90:8 we read, "You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence."
Of that last verse, I read a book last year that brought that situation to light. It was an edgy book, I read about a third of it and then stopped. It was kind of like an apocalyptic, dystopian Pilgrim's Progress. The protagonist was wandering from place to place and at one point he wound up in a city. It was a dark city but he stayed for a bit because it was intriguing, the sins of the city, I mean. So all the people were streaming toward this large building and he went in. It was a show! In the center of a massive auditorium with seats all around it, like a boxing ring without the ropes, a raised stage was lit up. He settled in his seat and as the lights darkened, he saw that the wife and children he thought he had lost were sitting in the front row. He tried to get to them but couldn't. And then the show started. Suddenly the stage was transformed into a hotel room, and inside the hotel room on the bed was the protagonist, or a replica of him! And the woman he had been in an adulterous affair came in and prepared to sit on the bed with him. Oh, no, the man realized, this was a show of the secret sin he had committed, and his wife and kids were watching!
He was in agonies of embarrassment and shame, and his wife began to cry as the scene shifted to its sordid conclusion.
I never forgot that part of the book, a book whose title I can't even remember now. But I remember that scene. In His time, on His day, every secret shame, every hidden sin, every private motivation will be brought to light;
"Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God." (1 Corinthians 4:5).
All the kings of the earth will be laid low, those who do not know Jesus that is. Men like Kin Jong Un, who oppress an entire nation and live in utter luxury, choosing to reveal this or that about himself, deciding to keep this or that private...all his life and all his deeds and all his works will be revealed. Him and others like him, the great and the small will be judged. (Rev 20:12). Sin grows in the dark, but Jesus is the Light, shining it upon the hearts of all men to expose them.
Even those who do know Jesus, or who or did know Him while they were alive, will wait patiently in line for their turn before the throne at the Bema Seat where our works will be examined and rewarded. (1 Cor 3:13-15; Rom 14:10-12). Ours will be a reward ceremony. However, I work hard every day to ensure, I hope, that my works bear fruit for His name and are not just hay and stubble to be burned. I hope that there will be things left in the pile that show I was motivated rightly and worked for His name and not my glory. I pray that's your wish as well.
Remember, every secret thing will be brought out. "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." (Ephesians 5:11). There are no secrets from Jesus. Wait patiently, brethren, and soon Jesus will rectify all private things, all back room deals will be exposed, all undercover deeds will be seen.
"For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light." (Mark 4:22).
It was unusual that NK's new leader, Kim Jong Un, spoke for half an hour in public. It was unusual because in the entire time his father Kim Jong Il ruled North Korea from 1994 to 2012, he never spoke in public. That NK is secretive to the outside world is a given, that they are this reclusive and secretive with their own people is another thing entirely.
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Now that's secretive. For the most part, Kim Jong Un has kept his personal history a secret, even from schoolmasters in Switzerland and from schoolmates.
However, Jesus knows all. He knows Kim Jong Un's heart, his motivations, his intent. "For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." (Ecclesiastes 12:14). In Psalm 90:8 we read, "You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence."
Of that last verse, I read a book last year that brought that situation to light. It was an edgy book, I read about a third of it and then stopped. It was kind of like an apocalyptic, dystopian Pilgrim's Progress. The protagonist was wandering from place to place and at one point he wound up in a city. It was a dark city but he stayed for a bit because it was intriguing, the sins of the city, I mean. So all the people were streaming toward this large building and he went in. It was a show! In the center of a massive auditorium with seats all around it, like a boxing ring without the ropes, a raised stage was lit up. He settled in his seat and as the lights darkened, he saw that the wife and children he thought he had lost were sitting in the front row. He tried to get to them but couldn't. And then the show started. Suddenly the stage was transformed into a hotel room, and inside the hotel room on the bed was the protagonist, or a replica of him! And the woman he had been in an adulterous affair came in and prepared to sit on the bed with him. Oh, no, the man realized, this was a show of the secret sin he had committed, and his wife and kids were watching!
He was in agonies of embarrassment and shame, and his wife began to cry as the scene shifted to its sordid conclusion.
I never forgot that part of the book, a book whose title I can't even remember now. But I remember that scene. In His time, on His day, every secret shame, every hidden sin, every private motivation will be brought to light;
"Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God." (1 Corinthians 4:5).
All the kings of the earth will be laid low, those who do not know Jesus that is. Men like Kin Jong Un, who oppress an entire nation and live in utter luxury, choosing to reveal this or that about himself, deciding to keep this or that private...all his life and all his deeds and all his works will be revealed. Him and others like him, the great and the small will be judged. (Rev 20:12). Sin grows in the dark, but Jesus is the Light, shining it upon the hearts of all men to expose them.
Even those who do know Jesus, or who or did know Him while they were alive, will wait patiently in line for their turn before the throne at the Bema Seat where our works will be examined and rewarded. (1 Cor 3:13-15; Rom 14:10-12). Ours will be a reward ceremony. However, I work hard every day to ensure, I hope, that my works bear fruit for His name and are not just hay and stubble to be burned. I hope that there will be things left in the pile that show I was motivated rightly and worked for His name and not my glory. I pray that's your wish as well.
Remember, every secret thing will be brought out. "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." (Ephesians 5:11). There are no secrets from Jesus. Wait patiently, brethren, and soon Jesus will rectify all private things, all back room deals will be exposed, all undercover deeds will be seen.
"For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light." (Mark 4:22).
I find meat to ponder in every post. Thanks.
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