Ps 87:6, “The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there.”
Records seem to be kept for everything in life. There are records for identification, such as finger prints and DNA. There are financial records kept. We have driving records and there are criminal records. We have birth records and death records. They are all kept to be referred to, to tell a story of the past.
Somewhere the sum and substance of my life is on file. In the past twelve months, for various reasons, I have had to have a back ground check four times. They were able to check the records to find out my history and what type of a person I am. Thankfully they were all clear.
There is a Book of Life. In this book is recorded the sum and substance of my whole life. It isn’t just what man knows about me, but what God knows about me. You might be in the Yellow Pages, but are you in the Book of Life? We are told in Revelations 20:12-15, “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 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. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
All of the evidence will be in before the judgment. There is a complete audit of our lives ahead. Paul said, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” Hebrews 9:27.
There is going to be an examination. In Romans Paul said, “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God” chapter 14 and verse 12. Our deeds, our words, the thoughts and imaginations of the heart are all going to be searched. God alone will catalog them. He will decide by eternal values who has made it and who hasn’t.
There will not be a Gallop Poll taken to see who will make it. “The Lord will count, when He writeth up the people.” It rests in the hands of God alone.
There are some things I would like the Lord to count and write down by my name. Like you, I am headed for that audit.
First, I want Him to write, “This man was born again.” I want Him to write that I am saved, genuinely saved. I want this settled at the highest level and by supreme authority. I don’t want any guess work here. I want God to say that I am saved.
Church records are good. I am an ordained minister. I was married at a church altar. My Sunday school attendance and participation are matters of record. My contributions are on file. But none of these are passwords on the other side. “The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people…”
The real question is, “What is my relationship with Jesus Christ?” I must be born again of the water and the spirit. “…but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” 1 Cor 6:11. I must be saved!
Second, I want Him to write that I have been obedient to His Word. Have I lived my life my way or have I lived it God’s way? That will be a matter of eternal record. It is one thing to say that I have accepted Him as my savior. It is a totally different thing to allow Him to become my Lord and Master. He won’t be satisfied with two hours a week set aside for Him and the other one hundred and sixty-six reserved for me.
Salvation means service. Hebrews 10:7 says, “…Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.” Paul tells us in Romans 12: 1-2 that I must yield myself to God. I must be available for His service!
Third, I would like for Him to write down that my life reflected the character of Jesus Christ on earth. A Christian should be different than others. The life of a Christian should reflect Christ. I don’t want any gambling, dancing, smoking or drinking on my record. I don’t want it to be said of me, by Him or anyone else, that He heard foul language come from my mouth. I don’t want Him to say that there was lewd living and unclean thoughts on my record.
I don’t want to meet God and have on my record that I took money from my fellow man unjustly. I don’t want Him to classify me as a religious con man. Don’t let Him speak of me as a theological pitch man who was trying to make a financial gain from the work of God.
I want to live in the open. I want men to see my good works and glorify God. I am not after the glory for myself. I want my life to bring glory to God. I must overcome by the blood or the lamb and by the word of my testimony. My performance must match my preaching. I must reflect Jesus!
Fourth, I want God to write down, “This man was faithful.” Let the record show that I was faithful to His Word. I want the record to show that I was faithful to His Church. Let the record speak for itself that I was faithful to His coming. Let the record declare that I did not compromise the doctrine.
I want the record to show that I supported His Church. I was there when the doors were opened. I was faithful with my first fruits, the tithe. I was delighted and joyful in giving offerings to Him. I want the record to show that I took better care of the Lord’s house than my own. I must be found faithful!
Fifth, I want Him to write, “This man was a soul winner.” I want to redirect lives and point them to Jesus. When we stand before God, only those things which are eternal will count. Riches and fame, education and success are important only if they are used to further the kingdom of God.
When I stand before God, I want to be surrounded by the people who say that I have led them to Him. I want to have Him say I had influenced them in their relationship with Jesus Christ. I must be a soul winner!
“The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people…”
I want my record to reflect a life that was pure and clean. I want Him to be able to look at me and say, “Well done!”
