PART #1
Matthew 24: 42-51
Chapers 24 and 25 form what is known as the "Olivet Discourse", so named because this important pronouncement was given on the Mount of Olives. The discourse is entirely prophetic; it points forward to the Tribulation Period and the Lord's second coming. It primarily, though not exclusively, concerns the nation of Israel. It's locaion is obviously Palestine.
In his short life on this earth Jesus spoke many timeless words that were filled with love, joy, peace, and compassion; but here we find Him and the Apostles on Mount Olivet privately discussing latter day prophecy. Now let's find out what they were talking about. Matthew Chapter 24 begins when Jesus departs from the temple, and this action reminds us of the words that he spoke in (Matt. 23-38) "...Your house is left unto you desolate" (read the description of the glory departing from the temple in Ezekiel 9:3; 10:4; 11:23).
The disciples wanted the Lord to admire the beauty of the temple with them, but as William MacDonald puts it in his classic "Belivers Bible Commentary": "They were occupied with the transient instead of the eternal, concerned with shadows rather than substance." Much like the apostles many Christians today are so blinded by the temporary things of this world that they no longer talk about eternal things. He now begins his instructions to the Apostles.
(V.42) Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. This verse tell us that no man knows the hour of his second advent. (V.43) But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered (allowed) his house to be broken up. (V.45) Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? (V.46) Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. (V.47) Verily I say unto you, that he shall make him ruler over all his goods. (V.48) But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart My lord delayeth his coming; (V.49) And shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and to drink with the drunken; (V.50) The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour he is not aware of. (V.51) And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Dear reader, be not like those who put their trust in straws in the wind for these last days will test every child of God to see if they will stand or fall.
Until He Comes Again,
Friday, January 27, 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
GOD'S ABIDING GRACE
In Genesis 6: 5- 8, the first book of the bible, we read in V.5 where "God saw that the wickedness of man was so great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." (V.6) “And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.” (V.7) “And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made him. (V.8) “ But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”
It would take a spiritually blind person not to be able to see the similarities of that day and the day we’re living in. Men today seem to have nothing on their minds but lust and greed, and the thoughts of their hearts are on evil twenty four seven, three hundred and sixty five days a year. Murder, robbery, lying, and cheating seem to be the everyday norm.
While church leaders are struggling to stem the surge of pornography among many of their ministers, rape, incest, wife swapping, and other kinds of promiscuity are at high tide.
What’s missing today is not God’s abiding grace, but a preacher like Noah that will tell it like it is and believe what he is preaching enough to build a safety net for all that would get in.
Today we need preachers with backbones like saw logs and tongues of fire that will burn loose the chains that have the congregation bound and set the sinners free. What kind of preacher would that preacher have to be? Well, first of all he (or she) must be born again, read John 3: 1-13; also that preacher would need to be a praying person with knees as shiny as a bowling ball and preach the Cross until the blood flows from Emanuel’s veins down Mount Calvary until it quenches every thirsty soul that will receive it.
When I was a farm boy in the rugged hillsides of Kentucky, my dad taught me how to use a grubbing hoe to bring out the root of the sapling. He would yell at me and say, “Son get the root out, get the root out!”. My wise ole dad knew if I didn’t get the root out we would have to deal with it again the following year. That’s the way the true gospel preacher must use the sword of the Lord, he must sink the blade down to the sinful root and bring it out.
In closing, let me say that no matter what your situation may be, if you will accept it, God’s Abiding Grace will always abide with you.
Remember, these conditions let’s us know where we are on the Apocalyptic Highway by the words that Jesus said in Matthew 24: 37 “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be”.
It would take a spiritually blind person not to be able to see the similarities of that day and the day we’re living in. Men today seem to have nothing on their minds but lust and greed, and the thoughts of their hearts are on evil twenty four seven, three hundred and sixty five days a year. Murder, robbery, lying, and cheating seem to be the everyday norm.
While church leaders are struggling to stem the surge of pornography among many of their ministers, rape, incest, wife swapping, and other kinds of promiscuity are at high tide.
What’s missing today is not God’s abiding grace, but a preacher like Noah that will tell it like it is and believe what he is preaching enough to build a safety net for all that would get in.
Today we need preachers with backbones like saw logs and tongues of fire that will burn loose the chains that have the congregation bound and set the sinners free. What kind of preacher would that preacher have to be? Well, first of all he (or she) must be born again, read John 3: 1-13; also that preacher would need to be a praying person with knees as shiny as a bowling ball and preach the Cross until the blood flows from Emanuel’s veins down Mount Calvary until it quenches every thirsty soul that will receive it.
When I was a farm boy in the rugged hillsides of Kentucky, my dad taught me how to use a grubbing hoe to bring out the root of the sapling. He would yell at me and say, “Son get the root out, get the root out!”. My wise ole dad knew if I didn’t get the root out we would have to deal with it again the following year. That’s the way the true gospel preacher must use the sword of the Lord, he must sink the blade down to the sinful root and bring it out.
In closing, let me say that no matter what your situation may be, if you will accept it, God’s Abiding Grace will always abide with you.
Remember, these conditions let’s us know where we are on the Apocalyptic Highway by the words that Jesus said in Matthew 24: 37 “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be”.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
The Judgment Seat of Christ
The Apostle Paul wrote in chapter (5: 10) of his second letter to the Corinthians “For we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in is body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” Again, in Romans 14:12 he writes “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
In the early sixties I spent about four years in law enforcement, and during that time, I arrested many law breakers and took them before the Judge and I never witnessed a single one of them go before him cool, calm and collected. But all of that was just a drop in the proverbial bucket to the day when all Christians shall appear before The Judgment Seat Of Christ. After meeting Jesus in the air at the Rapture of all Christians, (1st Thessalonians 4:13-18) the next stop will be The Judgment Seat Of Christ which will expose the true nature of the believers works whether they be of gold, silver, stone, wood, hay or stubble. The Christian that stands before Christ with works of gold, silver or precious metal will abide, while those who present works of wood, hay or stubble their works shall be burned up. In 1st Corinthians 3: 13-15: (V.13) “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.”
(V.14) “If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.” (V.15) “If any man’s works shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”
Christians, Have you ever given much thought to the fact that since all must appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ that you are included? Have you ever thought how you will give an account of yourself on that day?
In the early sixties I spent about four years in law enforcement, and during that time, I arrested many law breakers and took them before the Judge and I never witnessed a single one of them go before him cool, calm and collected. But all of that was just a drop in the proverbial bucket to the day when all Christians shall appear before The Judgment Seat Of Christ. After meeting Jesus in the air at the Rapture of all Christians, (1st Thessalonians 4:13-18) the next stop will be The Judgment Seat Of Christ which will expose the true nature of the believers works whether they be of gold, silver, stone, wood, hay or stubble. The Christian that stands before Christ with works of gold, silver or precious metal will abide, while those who present works of wood, hay or stubble their works shall be burned up. In 1st Corinthians 3: 13-15: (V.13) “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.”
(V.14) “If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.” (V.15) “If any man’s works shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”
Christians, Have you ever given much thought to the fact that since all must appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ that you are included? Have you ever thought how you will give an account of yourself on that day?
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
A NATION WITHOUT JESUS
In the KJV version of the bible, we read these words from the LORD that came to the minor prophet, Hosea, in chapter 4: 1-6. His writings not only described the spiritual condition of his day but also paints an unmistakable picture of a future day that’s rapidly approaching. In v1. he writes: Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. v2. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. v3. Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea shall also be taken away. v4. Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest. v5. Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with you in the night, and I will destroy thy mother. v6. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
I believe, anyone guided by pure common sense can see the difference in our children since Jesus was expelled from the school systems in the early sixties. I’ve often heard it said, ah, we will get prayer back in the schools again, but the same dumb dogs that would not open their mouth then still have lockjaw today.
Those churches and pastors that have forsaken Jesus in the pulpit are the same ones that are preaching another gospel through mammon sermons. Many of them are so blinded by their fortunes that they can’t see that our demonic charged society is trying to do the same thing to this once Christian nation.
I ask you what would our nation be without Jesus? There would be no reason for churches to exist or church bells to chime. Think about the empty stores on Christmas and Easter Sunday there would absolutely be no reason for either if Jesus was removed from this nation.
Awake Oh Pastors! Awake Oh Evangelist! Awake Oh Bishops! arise from sleep and set fire to your pulpits and melt the ice cubes in the pew. So called TV preachers, it’s time to get up from your book pedaling couches and stand before the camera and preach Jesus Christ as the only way to heaven and that hell is still the burning alternative for those that deny and reject Him.
When the last puff of smoke is seen rising from the Armageddon battle, and the last nation is defeated in the blood filled valley of Megiddo, then all born again believers who were raptured earlier will be with him and watch as he takes the Antichrist and the false prophet and tosses them into the burning fire that burns forever and forever.
Until the next time, I will see you down the Apocalyptic Highway.
I believe, anyone guided by pure common sense can see the difference in our children since Jesus was expelled from the school systems in the early sixties. I’ve often heard it said, ah, we will get prayer back in the schools again, but the same dumb dogs that would not open their mouth then still have lockjaw today.
Those churches and pastors that have forsaken Jesus in the pulpit are the same ones that are preaching another gospel through mammon sermons. Many of them are so blinded by their fortunes that they can’t see that our demonic charged society is trying to do the same thing to this once Christian nation.
I ask you what would our nation be without Jesus? There would be no reason for churches to exist or church bells to chime. Think about the empty stores on Christmas and Easter Sunday there would absolutely be no reason for either if Jesus was removed from this nation.
Awake Oh Pastors! Awake Oh Evangelist! Awake Oh Bishops! arise from sleep and set fire to your pulpits and melt the ice cubes in the pew. So called TV preachers, it’s time to get up from your book pedaling couches and stand before the camera and preach Jesus Christ as the only way to heaven and that hell is still the burning alternative for those that deny and reject Him.
When the last puff of smoke is seen rising from the Armageddon battle, and the last nation is defeated in the blood filled valley of Megiddo, then all born again believers who were raptured earlier will be with him and watch as he takes the Antichrist and the false prophet and tosses them into the burning fire that burns forever and forever.
Until the next time, I will see you down the Apocalyptic Highway.
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