today's meditation (Ps.67) Choosing How We Will Be Judged

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Psalm 67:1-7)  God be gracious to us and bless us,

     And cause His face to shine upon us— Selah 
2   That Your way may be known on the earth,
     Your salvation among all nations.
3   May the peoples praise You, God;
     May all the peoples praise You.
4   May the nations be glad and sing for joy;
     For You will judge the peoples with fairness 
     And guide the nations on the earth. Selah 
5   May the peoples praise You, God;
     May all the peoples praise You.
6   The earth has yielded its produce;
     God, our God, blesses us.
7   God blesses us,
     So that all the ends of the earth may fear Him.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

David is praying that all the Israelites and all the earth may come to know God personally, to believe and be saved.  The Israelites rejected Jesus the first time He came to earth in flesh, but through that, Jesus' work on the cross made salvation possible to all people.  Meanwhile, the Israelites still wait for their Messiah to come and fulfill their covenants.  When they see the signs (the judgements) in the Tribulation, the Israelites as a nation will realize, accept and believe in Jesus, that He is their Messiah.  He is their Lord and King.

In the Millennium, Jesus will rule over the earth so that there is peace and prosperity.  The world will witness how God fulfils His covenants with the Israelites, and  the world will witness how faithful, fair, loving and generous God is.  Still, not everyone who is born into the thousand year reign will choose Jesus, who is the only way to salvation.  

David was a man after God's own heart, because David sought after God and the things that God loves.  God desires that all come to know Him personally.  That is why God came in flesh to pay the price for all sins, for everyone, whether they accept Him or reject Him.  Everyone has the same opportunity to accept His free gift of salvation.  And everyone will stand before God, who will judge with fairness. 

The only decision we all have is to accept or reject Jesus.  This will determine what happens when we stand before Him as our Judge.  Will He be judging all your sins, or will He be judging and rewarding your good deeds which are done in His love, strength and guidance?