Consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly.  Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord.  Alas for the day!  For the day of the Lord is near, and as destruction from the Almighty it comes.  Joel 1:14-15

Many prefer pastors don’t preach on God’s judgment, but rather on His mercy and grace and love.  What they fail to realize is the stories of God’s past acts of justice and judgment are stories of His love and mercy toward us.  People say, “You are never going to win anybody to Jesus by talking about God’s Judgment.  It's His kindness and love that lead people to repentance.”  Scripture is clear that God’s past judgments and His promise of a future judgment are His mercy.  Reminding us of these things is a loving and kind thing for God to do because they remind us that there is a greater day of judgment coming and are meant to lead us to repentance.

For more on how God's past judgments and His promise of a future judgement are His mercy click HERE and listen to my sermon on JOEL.