The Judgment Seat of Christ

By Leonard Ravenhill

This is the King of kings, and He's the Judge of judges, and it's the Tribunal of Tribunals, and there's no court of appeal after that. The verdict is final!

We're not going to be judged just because of what we've done, we're going to be judged for why we did it! Not for the action, (but) for the motive.

- Leonard Ravenill

The Idolatory of Entertainment

"America has a king and his name is Sport. He has a wife and her name is Entertainment!"

Because there isn't enough real joy in the house of God, we need entertainment. Entertainment is the devil's substitute for joy. Because there isn't enough power in the house of God, people are always looking for something to take its place.

- Leonard Ravenhill

I am in many ways an avid gamer, always on the lookout for the latest in PC games and hardware upgrades. Recently I had, for the first time, manually installed additional hardware into my computer on my own. Needless to say, it was a trying experience just having to figure out how to open up the casing. I also follow the latest football news and often troll through various football related sites throughout the day in order to get that latest piece of news or results.

And it has struck me how obsessed I can become with them.

I still remember clearly this incident months ago. It was about 11.30pm and I was just about to quit procrastinating and actually get down to doing my devotions. As a sort of last gesture, I just skimmed through a football news site and the thing that caught my eye was the game currently being played. It was Arsenal versus Manchester United with the score at 2-0 in Arsenal's favour. Being somewhat an Arsenal supporter (with a strong dislike for the other team) and seeking to justify my procrastination I reasoned, 'surely just watching the last twenty or so minutes won't be that bad.'

I turned on the television just in time to see Man Utd pull one goal back with fifteen minutes left to play. The final few moments were nerve-wracking as Arsenal fought valiantly to protect their lead. When the final whistle sounded I remembered I was literally trembling with excitement over what I had just seen. And as the adrenaline wore off, a crushing reality struck me. You get so excited over a small insignificant football game while fellowship with the Awesome God hardly interests you?

I also have many PC games scattered throughout my room, legacy to a buying spree that has spanned more than a decade. Games ranging from those simple city-building sims to the graphic-intensive monsters of today's strategy games. With improvements in graphics comes the need for improvements in graphics hardware. If there is one thing that I do splurge on, it would be on much computer hardware. With any decent graphics card today costing upwards of $300 at the least, any proper upgrade is sure to cost an arm and a leg. One thing I have come to realize over the years however, is that no matter how good or addictive a game is, sooner or later you will get bored with it. The same goes with any toy Man may conceive. Soon the urge to get the latest games in order to keep oneself entertained would spur one to buy whatever is being offered on the market, or if one is less financially endowed, rotate the games that one already has in order to find that thrill again. I found that whatever "joy" I had in any game soon began to turn stale in my mouth. It could not satisfy me forever.

Is it any wonder that idolatry is as rampant today as it was in days of old when men bowed before images of trees and animals? (Come to think of it, they still do so today.) Now men bow and worship gods of steel and leather, of electronic components and balls that roll and bounce. People support and participate in sports events more zealously than any religious service. It has always struck me how men can stand, lift up their hands, worship and sing praises with such gusto to eleven men kicking a ball around a field and yet the worship of an Almighty God can remain so cold. The same men who would speak excitedly and ecstatically of sports, would remain indifferent or dismissive to any subject which is of eternal value. Oh what hypocrisy we live in today. Is it not truly madness? Can such an attitude truly be the reflection of a regenerated heart?

Now I am in no way opposed to sports or computers per se, but the fact still remains. There is no lasting joy in any temporal thing. Games come and go. Hardly have they reached the store shelves when another, better, one takes its place. Sporting "greats" remain but for a little time before they are eclipsed by the "next big thing". True Joy and Satisfaction is found only in the One for whom we were made for, to delight in. For God does not have a man-shaped hole in His heart, as so much contemporary teaching makes Him out to be, but Man does have a God-shaped hole in his heart. That infinite hole which can only be satisfied with that which is infinite.

And is that not such a struggle. Man has been conditioned for so long in his fallen nature to live apart from God that he does not seek to find fulfillment and joy in the only Person who can provide it. No, but because Man are by nature enemies of God and haters of Him, they seek other ways and means of satisfying themselves. They would rather kill themselves in an endless and hopeless search for joy and satisfaction rather than bow the knee before the One who provides it, and unless the Lord so acts to remove their blindness, no man will turn to Him.

But praise be to Him, who in His unsearchable Wisdom and Love, has restored the sight of His elect. That they may not be satisfied by what the World has to offer, but have clung to the Cross, "by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." (Gal. 6:14)

How wide, how high, how long, how deep is the Love of Christ? Gaze upon the wondrous Cross and be satisfied.

"Remember, again, if you cling to earthly pleasures, they will all be unsatisfying, empty, and pointless. Like the locusts of the vision in Revelation, they seem to have crowns on their heads: but like the same locusts, you will find they have stings--real stings--in their tails. All that glitters is not gold. All that tastes sweet is not good. All that pleases for a while is not real pleasure.

Go and take your fill of earthly pleasures if you will--you will never find your heart satisfied with them. There will always be a voice within, crying, like the leech in Proverbs 30:15, "Give! Give!" There is an empty place there, which nothing but God can fill. You will find, as Solomon did by experience, that earthly pleasures are but a meaningless show--promising contentment but bringing a dissatisfaction of spirit--gold plated caskets, exquisite to look at on the outside, but full of ashes and corruption within. Be wise in your youth. Write the word "poison" on all earthly pleasures. The most lawful of them must be used in moderation. All of them are soul- destroying if you give them your heart. Pleasure, must first have the guarantee that it is not sinful--then it is to be enjoyed in moderation."

- J. C. Ryle

Wake Up Church

A Question of Obedience

"...[A lot of] you don't need more light, this will only make it worse for you at the judgment, what you need is more obedience. Some of you have known for years what you should do and you hold back... "

- Leonard Ravenill
1907 - 1994

Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”

- Matthew 11: 20 - 24

None of Self

Oh, the bitter shame and sorrow
That a time could ever be
When I let the Saviour's pity
Plead in vain, and proudly answered:
All of self and none of Thee!

Yet He Found me; I beheld Him
Bleeding on th' accursed tree,
Heard Him pray: Forgive them Father;
And my wistful heart said faintly:
Some of self and some of Thee!

Day by day His tender mercy,
Healing, helping, full and free,
Sweet and strong and, ah! so patient,
Brought me lower, while I whispered:
Less of self and more of Thee!

Higher than the highest heavens,
Deeper than the deepest sea,
Lord, Thy love at last has conquered;
Grant me now my spirit's longing:
None of self and all of Thee!

- Theo Monod

Taken from Leonard Ravenhill's book, Revival - God's Way

Why? Because we have tried every other way.

- Leonard Ravenhill
1907 - 1994

Quote of the Day

One fellow said, "I just finished three years in Seminary."
I asked him,
"Did anyone ever preach a sermon on eternity?"... "No."
"Did you ever hear a sermon on the judgment seat of Christ?"... "No."
"Did anyone preach a sermon on "The Bride of Christ?"... "No."
The man burst into tears.
I said, "In God's name, why do you go to seminary? To learn how to bury the dead?"

There is an eternity in front of us! There is a world that now is in more rebellion than ever! "As in the days of Noah" they rebelled against God. For 100 years Noah never preached a new message, he preached repentance, he preached righteousness. Alexander White used to say, "You can preach divine healing, you can preach prophecy, you can preach anything, but you can't preach righteousness; people won't have it."

- Leonard Ravenhill
1907 - 1994

Quote of the Day(2)

I say with all my heart, we’re looking for a painless Pentecost.
We want to invest a dime and get a million dollars back.
Can you drink of the cup? "We are able," and so they drank, and were crucified.

Today it is considered sadistic if you even say that people have to take up their cross. "Don’t tell young people about the cross—they’ll be discouraged." Are you suggesting that Jesus wasn’t smart? "If you’re going to be my disciple, kiss the world goodbye." You see, when people are born again these days, they don’t get separated from the world. Most likely their pastor is the most worldly guy around! But if you’re going to get what He wants to give, if you’re going to get the true baptism of the Spirit, you have to drink of that cup.

-Leonard Ravenhill
1907 - 1994

*Edit* Found a wonderfully stirring message by Ravenhill that he shared in his last meeting before his death. A must read for all true believers. Read it here.

Video uploads

Some stuff that I edited from the web for my friend. Thought that I might as well post it here.

All to Jesus (Paris Reidhead)


Revival Hymn (Various)

Fascinated by the World

"Is the world crucified to you tonight, or does it fascinate you?"
- Leonard Ravenhill

When one thinks about the 12th Company, one is hard pressed to find God within it. So often we have turned aside to our own separate way, so often we sacrifice Christ for "pragmatic" gain and worldly acclaim. Having a form of godliness, but denying its power.

"Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked"
- Revelations 3:17

When will we awake from our slumber? When will we finally realize the wretched state that we are in? When will we finally throw ourselves upon the Grace of God alone? For we would rather busy ourselves with programmes and planning instead of waiting upon and seeking the Lord, and so delude ourselves by putting ministry above God Himself.

We boast so much in our gold medals. We take pride so often in our long heritage and traditions. We have "methods" and "strategies" to "bring down" the Power of God. We seek the Lord in order that men may praise our "holiness" and "spirituality". We believe all is well, not realizing the boat we're on is sinking and so many are perishing without Christ.

Why all the arguments? Why all the "I follow Paul" or "I follow Apollos"? Why all the disputes over who gets the credit for what ultimately belongs to God alone? Why all the petty arguments over small personal sleights? Why the chasing after of what the World deems as success? Why all this foolish and meaningless boasting? Fools! Do you not know that all our righteousness are like filthy rags? What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, but lose his soul. Will God, the creator of the UNIVERSE, take a look at all your gold medals and accomplishments and be impressed? Meaningless, meaningless, all of these are meaningless. Why worry over one's "ricebowl", position or career? Is not the Lord mighty enough to provide for those who seek His Will? Or is your god so weak that you must fend for yourself.

I know of my own struggles. My struggles with pride and self-righteousness. My life-long struggle with lust and sexual immorality. The times when I have relied on my own wisdom and strength and chased after what the World says I should chase.

"But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."
- Gal 6:14

When I think of the generations of BB Boys who have passed or will pass through the doors of the 12th, how many will be secure in their faith? How many will question their faith after going though IB and all its godless studies on "philosophy" and Buddhist-like texts. Of those who return to serve, how many will do so out of a desire to be "respected" by the Boys or because they want to exercise power and authority over others and feel good about themselves?

Did not Jesus Himself come to serve rather than to be served? Did not Jesus wash the disciples feet and command them to do likewise? It's either Christ or nothing! One does not come back in order to have one's needs met. Indeed, one serves only so that Christ may be glorified and that the Gospel may be preached. For what else is there besides Christ?

In Christ Alone, I place my trust
And find my glory in the Power of the Cross.
In every victory, let it be said of me,
My source of strength, my source of hope
Is Christ Alone
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I Surrender All - Clay Crosse


I have wrestled in the darkness of this lonely pilgrim land
Raising strong and mighty fortresses, that I alone command
But the castles I've constructed, by the strength of my own hand
Are just temporary kingdoms on foundations made of sand
In the middle of the battle, I believe I've finally found
I'll never know the thrill of victory, 'till I'm willin' to lay down
All my weapons of defense, and earthly strategies of war
So I'm layin' down my arms and runnin' helplessly to Yours

I surrender all, my silent hopes and fears
Though the price to follow, costs me everything
I surrender all, my human soul desires
If sacrifice requires
That all my kingdoms fall
I surrender all

If the source of my ambition, is the treasure I obtain
If I measure successes, on scale of earthly gain
If the focus of my vision is the status I attain
My accomplishments are worthless and my efforts are in vain
So I lay aside these trophies, to pursue a higher crown
And should you choose somehow to use the life I willingly lay down
I surrender all the triumphs, for it's only by Your grace
I relinquish all the glory, I surrender all the praise

Everything I am, all I've done and all I've known
Now belongs to you the life I live is not my own
Just as Abraham laid Isaac, on the sacrificial fire
If all I have, is all that You desire
I surrender all