Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church

Tolerance

I am amazed that we have become so afraid of offending someone in America.  But also, I think we have become very dumb.  We think we are doing the right thing morally about immigration and same-sex marriage but it quickly has become a disaster.  We excuse it by calling it tolerance and acceptance.  Tolerance is the dumbest word in the world today.  We don’t tolerate those who are intolerant to our views and we tolerate and accept only those who think like us.  

I don’t care what people think and say as long as you let me think and say what I want.  That’s tolerance.  But when you don’t like what I say and try to keep me from saying it…that’s intolerance.   What if someone says something bad about my loved ones?  I won’t stop them from saying it but I will certainly challenge the truth of their assumptions.   Why don’t Muslim’s challenge the assumptions of their critics if those assumptions are wrong? It’s because their critics are not wrong!  So, all Islam has left is to shut down truth so they can carry out their agenda without backlash!  We are dumb if we can’t figure that out.

But I’m not surprised because the Bible predicted that people would lose their sense of right and wrong in the last days.  Romans 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.   “Reprobate mind” means “moronic” minds in the Greek language.  I think of the Three Stooges when I hear that word. Moe called Larry and Curly “morons” because they were always trying to do something right but it always would up a disaster.  Why?  Because they truly were morons!   God has allowed us to become morons in our sense of right and wrong in these last days.  We accept anything except Biblical Christianity out of our attempt to take the moral high ground of intolerance so we become the frog in the boiling kettle. 

God is very intolerant in the Bible.  He won’t tolerate sin. He won’t tolerate those who will not follow His word.  Though He is not tolerant, He is very loving and patient with us.  Not willing that any should perish.  He is trying to change our minds and draw our hearts to come to salvation in Jesus Christ. 

We claim to be tolerant but the Bible does not ask us to be tolerant but firm, steadfast and faithful unto death to our Lord Jesus Christ.  No room for compromise and tolerance when Jesus is the only way to truth and eternal life.  We cannot water down this most important of all truth with tolerance toward other religions. We love them but we hate their religion.  We love people but hate their sin.  God loves you but hates your sin.  So He is not tolerant of your sin so that you might have victory over sin and death, hell and the grave.

Praise God He is not tolerant but gives us a clear message that “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  

Threats and Intimidation

Facebook is threatening to shut down a fast-growing conservative page for its views on immigration and other topics.  The Counsel for American Islamic Relations, (CAIR) Southern Poverty Law Center and ANTIFA made phone calls to five hotels in the Milwaukee area.  They used threats and intimidation in an attempt to stop these meetings from happening.  Christians ironically were to gather at these hotels to hear speakers warn Americans that free speech is in danger.  In danger from being shut down by these very groups that shut them down.  The hotels response to the intimidation and threats……as predicted ….shut the events down.  They shut down free speech in America! 

I don’t care what someone wants to say…..in America we have the right to say it!  We stand for the right of even our enemies to say what they will. 

Why are American’s giving in to these groups that want to silence decenters?  Isn’t this communism?  Clearly, these groups are out to shut down the world view of Bible believing Christians in America.  And Americans are giving in to intimidation and threats.  Isn’t this the criminalization of Christianity?

Where have the courageous people in America gone?  Americans have become obedient sheep. What happened to the bold, courageous who are willing to stand up for truth in our nation!  Oh yeah, since Roe Vs Wade and 35 million children aborted, we probably aborted those who would have grown up and fought this attempt to subvert the constitution of our nation! 

This country was built on courage and boldness and freedom of speech!  But this generation is laying down those freedoms out of fear of retaliation and fear of offending someone.  We must not give up or back down where the truth of God’s word is concerned.  God give us courage in the last days!

Remember when the apostle were threatened by the Romans and the Jews for speaking about Jesus in the book of Acts?  They were beaten, jailed and threatened but what was their response?  Acts 5:29  “We ought to obey God rather than men.”  

Shouldn’t Christians sound the warning that Islam is not equal to Christianity and that the Koran is not “holy?” Don’t we have to right to say publicly that Jesus is the only way to God?  And when we get intimidated and threatened by them what do we do?   What did the apostles do when they preached Jesus Christ and Him crucified as the only way to God?  They went to jail and later to the chopping block, the cross or the spear. 

Should politics be kept out of church?  Absolutely.  Should warnings about false teachers be kept out of church. Absolutely not!  Should the church sound warnings to everyone in America about false teachings that will lead millions to hell?  Of course…that’s our job.  We are to go into all the world and preach the gospel and TEACHING them to observe all things…the truth.   

"The Christian hope is the hope which has seen everything and endured everything, and has still not despaired, because it believes in God. The Christian hope is not hope in the human spirit, in human goodness, in human endurance, in human achievement; the Christian hope is hope in the power of God." --William Barclay, The Letter to the Romans.

The Christian gets stronger when the world gets farther from God.  At least we ought to get stronger!  As this world gets farther and sours from all accountability toward God to the Christian Jesus is more precious and heaven gets sweeter and sweeter.

The church today has seen everything and we have endured all these things.   We endure because Christ endured for us.  We keep on because Christ is sitting at the right hand of God cheering us on.  Finish strong is the goal of every athlete.  Everybody starts out the same in every sporting event.  In baseball, basketball and football. The score starts zero to zero. In racing everyone starts at the same place.  But as the athletic event unfolds the victory goes to those who finish stronger than the others.  It’s never how you start but how you finish in every sporting event.  So it is in life also.

I am concerned that our nation that started with such great trust in almighty God and now we are falling apart in a barrage of secular humanism where man has replaced God. I see our nation as growing weaker and weaker until we no longer exist.  We started out great in faith and we are finishing very weak toward God.

That great preacher Adrian Rogers said “The world is growing gloriously dark.”  The Bible said that evil men would wax worse and worse.  But we as Christians know that everything is not falling apart but falling into place. 

The blessed hope of Christ’s return for His church has become the “blasted hope.” I have been called “one of those stupid prophecy teachers” and that is the attitude of most of American’s today about Bible prophecy and future events.  Instead of the blessing promised for those who bless Israel and believe in her future in the coming kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, we have cursed Israel.  We are siding with their enemies who are the enemies of the Bible and Jesus Christ Himself.  God promised to curse those who curse Israel.  Has God cursed this nation for years of cursing Israel?  Yes I believe He has. 

My advice is for living is the same for the past, today and the future.  It’s from Hebrews 12:1-2 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Your only hope is Jesus!  My only hope is Jesus!  America’s only hope is Jesus!  This world’s only hope is Jesus! 

The Butterfly

"The Christian hope is the hope which has seen everything and endured everything, and has still not despaired, because it believes in God. The Christian hope is not hope in the human spirit, in human goodness, in human endurance, in human achievement; the Christian hope is hope in the power of God." --William Barclay, The Letter to the Romans

We have hope because Jesus is alive!  We have hope because the Bible is alive!  Why is the Bible alive?  Because of Bible prophecy.  The Bible’s verses contain 31,102 verses of which 8,397 are prophetic.  All of the prophecies about Jesus, about Israel returning to their land and the prophecies in Daniel about the weeks of years for Israel are on their way to being fulfilled or have already have been fulfilled.   Those prophecies about the end times are being fulfilled every day when we look at the days headlines.

But this article is not about prophecy, but it’s about the future.  You lose hope when you have no future.  You lose all desire to go on when you look at a bleak or non-existent future.  We humans live on hope.  We hope all the time.  We hope for tomorrow and we hope it will be better and it usually is better.   But when we are facing death or a terrible loss of some sort we lose all hope and we give up on life. 

But Jesus came to defeat our greatest foe, death.   Now we die all will die physically (unless we are raptured!).  We all dread death.  But for the Christian we have hope after death.  Death for the Christian is just shedding these physical bodies that hold us down and going into a glorious physical state that we cannot even imagine.     

It’s like a caterpillar.  How hopeless it seems.  It is a gross looking worm that is limited to crawling in the mud and mire.   It crawls up a tree one day and makes a cocoon and shortly is transformed in to a glorious beautiful butterfly.  The butterfly is free to fly and is experiencing things it could never have imagined while a worm.  It is beautiful and glorious.  It is still a worm that has been transformed forever into a new creature.

When we trust in Christ the Bible says we have become new creatures.  The Bible says we look now through a glass darkly but soon face to face.  The Bible says we cannot even imagine all the things God has prepared for those that love Him.   We have a hope in a glorious future.  Our hope is steadfast and sure.  We will be transformed into something beautiful and glorious. 

The next time you lose hope, look at the butterfly.  He was once that old saying “lower than a sow’s belly.”  Now look at him soar!

A Faithful Church Member

Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna was brought before the Roman authorities and told to curse Christ and he would be released. He replied, "Eighty-six years have I served him, and he has done me no wrong: how then can I blaspheme my king who saved me?" The Roman officer replied, "Unless you change your mind, I will have you burnt." But Polycarp said, "You threaten a fire that burns for an hour, and after a while is quenched; for you are ignorant of the judgement to come and of everlasting punishment reserved for the ungodly. Do what you wish."

We should be thankful that we in America don’t face death for our faith as 90,000 Christians do each year in other nations of the world.  I just wonder how we would do if we did.  He is a letter a church member wrote to their pastor….

Dear Pastor:

You often stress attendance at worship as being very important for a Christian, but I think a person has a right to miss now and then. I think every person ought to be excused for the following reasons and the number of times indicated.

Christmas Holidays (the Sunday before & after) 2

New Years (the party lasted too long) 1

Easter (get away for the holidays) 2

July 4th (national holidays) 1

Labor Day (need to get away) 2

Memorial Day (visit hometown folk) 1

School closing (kids need a break) 1

School reopens (one last fling) 1

Family reunions (mine & wife’s) 3

Sleep late (stayed up too long Saturday night) 9

Deaths in family 2

Anniversary (second honeymoon) 1

Sickness (one per family member) 5

Business trip (a must) 1

Vacation (three to four weeks) 6

Bad weather (ice, snow, rain, clouds) 2

Ball games 2

Races 2

Unexpected company (can’t walk out) 2

Time changes (spring & fall) 2

Special on TV (superbowl, etc) 3

Pastor, that leaves two Sundays per year. So, you can count on us to be in church on the 4th Sunday in February and the 3rd Sunday in August unless we are providentially hindered.

Sincerely,

A Faithful Member.

Yep, I would say that kind of sums up most of the Christians in America.  Why would you die for Jesus when you won’t even make the time to go to church?

Hope

Alexander Solzhenitsyn was a prisoner in Russia.  He was on a program of hard labor and slow salvation.  One day he felt like giving up.  He felt his life could not make a difference.

He sat down on a bench knowing that when he was spotted by a guard he would be ordered back to work when he failed to respond the guard would bludgeon him to death. As he sat waiting, head down, he felt a presence. slowly he lifted his eyes. Next to him sat an old man with a wrinkled, utterly expressionless face. Hunched over, the old man drew a stick through the sand at Solzhenitsyn’s feet deliberately tracing out the sign of the cross.

As Solzhenitsyn stared at the rough outline his entire perspective shifted.

Yet in that moment, he knew that the hope of all mankind was represented by that simple cross - and through its power anything was possible.

Solzhenitisyn slowly got up, picked up his shovel and went back to work - not knowing that his writings on truth and freedom would one day enflame the whole world.

It is the cross that gives us hope when there is no hope.  Is there any hope beyond the cross?  Can we hope in government?  Government’s come and go. Can we hope in our health?  Health comes and goes.  Can we hope in our family?  Families come and go.  Can we hope in money?  We all know money comes but it mostly goes!  Can we hope in eternal life?  Yes, we can but only through the cross! 

It is through the cross that we have been redeemed and made righteous.  The cross shouts to us that our hope is not based on what we have done but what Christ has already accomplished for us on that cross.  That is our hope.  Not hope in ourselves but in the one who died for us and rose again.   He rose again for His glory and for the assurance that our hope in the cross is not in vain!

Jesus died for my sins and yours.  He died so that we might have hope.  The word “Hope” in the Bible does not mean crossing your fingers, grasping your lucky charm and maybe all things will be alright……..”hope” in the Bible almost always means “the steadfast assurance that everything is already okay.”
 

Nobody on earth can promise you that everything will be alright.  We can only hope that everything will be okay.  Only Jesus can keep the promise that everything will be okay.  Not only did Jesus make everything okay…He makes it above and beyond anything we can imagine or dream.   The old hymn says “Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteous.”  The cross.  It’s the only hope we have. 

Valentine’s Day

The story is told of a woman involved in bitter fighting with her husband. Seeking professional help she was asked by the counselor, "Have you tried heaping coals of fire on his head?" to which she responded, “No, but I tried a skillet of hot grease!"

A wife woke up one morning and said, “Honey, I just had a dream that you bought me a new gold necklace. What do you think it means?” “I don’t know, but Valentine’s Day is coming soon. Tuesday, you’ll know,” He replied.

A few nights later, she again woke up after having a dream, “This time, I dreamed you gave me a pearl necklace. What do you think it means?”
“You’ll know Tuesday,” He replied.
The night before Valentine’s Day, she again woke up telling him about her dream, “This time I dreamed that you brought me a diamond necklace. What do you think it means?”
“Honey, be patient. "You’ll know tonight." he said.
That evening, the husband came home with a package and gave it to his wife. Delighted, she opened it--to find a book entitled, "The meaning of dreams."

And, when asked how best to make a marriage work, 10-year-old Ricky perceptively replied: “Tell your wife that she looks pretty even if she looks like a truck.”

I heard of a couple who, as they were paying for groceries in the check-out line, were discussing their soon to be 50th wedding anniversary, when the young cashier interjected by saying, "I can’t imagine being married to same man for 50 years!"
The wife wisely replied, teaching the young girl a lesson at the same time, "Well, Honey, don’t get married until you can ."

So many people in relationships try to change the other person. Reminds me of the young fiancé who, after learning that her husband to be didn’t believe like she did, cried to her mother saying, “Mom, what should I do? How can I change his thinking? He says he doesn’t believe in hell?” The Mother said, “Honey, that’s alright, you marry him and both of us will make a believer out of him”...

A husband is advised by a psychiatrist to assert himself. "You don’t have to let your wife henpeck you. Go home and show her you’re the boss." The husband takes the doctor’s advice. He rushes home, slams the door, shakes his fist in his wife’s face, and growls, "From now on, you’re taking orders from me. I want my supper right now, and when you get it on the table, go upstairs, and lay out my best clothes. Tonight, I’m going out with the boys, and you are going to stay at home where you belong. And another thing, guess who’s going to comb my hair, give me a shave, and tie my necktie?"
His wife says calmly, "The undertaker."

The greatest Valentine: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosover believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

I Could Live Forever If It Were Not For Death

King Philip of Macedon charged one of his slaves with a unique responsibility. The King instructed his servant to awaken him every morning with these words: "Sire, remember you must die."

That is true of all of us. I want us to think about this subject of death today. Dwight L. Moody said, "If I can get a man to think seriously about death for five minutes, I can get him saved." I know we don't like to think about death. We don't like to talk about death, and we don't like to hear about death. There are some of you who wouldn't have come this morning if you had known that I was going to talk about death. It is a morbid subject that most of us avoid at all cost.

We are like the man I heard about one time who owned a cat named Albert. This man was very attached to his cat, he loved him. Well he had to go away on a business trip, and he lived with this cat, his mother, and his brother. Well he told his brother to take care of the cat, at all cost, and let nothing happen to it; that he would be calling everyday to check to see how everyone was doing, especially the cat. Well the next day this man called home and said, "John, how are things going?" He said, "Well, Albert is dead." The brother was shocked, and extremely upset. He said, "What happened?" He said, "Well, the cat got on the roof and jumped and fell to his death." The brother was livid. He said, "How insensitive can you be. You know how much I loved that cat. How could you just tell me all of a sudden he's dead?" The brother said, "Well what would you have had me do?" He said, "Let me tell you what would have been so much better." He said, "For example, I called today and you could have said, 'Charlie, the cat's on the roof. Now don't worry, everything will be fine. I've called the Fire Department. The Fire Department is on their way, and everything should work out alright, and I'll let you know how things are going tomorrow.'" Then when I call the next day you could have said, "Charlie, I have some bad news for you. The cat jumped off of the roof while the Fire Department was on their way, but don't worry we have taken the cat to the finest veterinarian in these parts. He is undergoing emergency surgery right now, and we expect the cat to be fine. I'll let you know how the cat is doing tomorrow." Then he said, "When I call back the next day you could have said, 'Charlie, the cat's not doing well at all. The cat is in a coma. The doctor's doing everything possible to save his life. Call me tomorrow and I'll let you know how the cat is doing.'" Then when I call back the next day you could have said, "Charlie, we did everything possible for your cat, but the cat died, and I'm so sorry." He said, "Now do you see how much more sensitive that is?" The brother said, "Well, I guess I do." He said, "By the way, how is mother doing?" He said, " Well, uh, she's on the roof."

That is the way we are toward death. We are like the man who said, "I hate death; in fact, I could live forever without it." But the fact is, we can't live with it, and we can't live without it. Every person has an appointment with death. Some sooner, some later, but all ultimately. Hebrews 9:27 “For it is appointed unto man once to die and then the judgment.“ There is only one way out and that is to accept Jesus Christ who died that you might live and overcame death by raising from the tomb three days later. John 14:19 “….Because I live, you shall live also.“ John 17:3 says “this is life eternal that I may know thee.“ 2 Timothy 1:12 “…For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.“ Do you really know Him?

The Perfect Book

I want you to understand that the Bible is not just any book. It is not an ordinary book. It is THE BOOK! It is the Word of God! It is the Holy Writings! Because it is the Word and Book of God it is a perfect book. It is a book without error, flaw, or contradiction. Those who claim the Bible is full of mistakes, errors, discrepancies, and contradictions only reveal their spiritual ignorance and stupidity. Psalm 19:7 says, "The law of the Lord is perfect."

Throughout history there have been printing mistakes found in copies and publications of the Bible. An 1832 edition had Rebekah leaving her tent to meet Isaac with a group of "camel's" rather than "damsels." An 1810 version read, "If any man come to me, and hate not ... his wife (instead of "life"), he cannot be my disciple." The first English Bible printed in Ireland in 1716 encouraged its readers to "sin on more" rather than "sin no more." A version in 1631 had the seventh commandment saying "Thou shalt commit adultery" instead of "Thou shalt not commit adultery." A similar version in 1653 declared, "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall inherit the kingdom of God." An early American edition had the "Parable of the Vinegar" instead of the "Parable of the Vineyard." We may occasionally find a printing mistake in the Bible, but the Bible itself in the origianal texts is without error or mistake. It is a perfect book.

Because the Bible is The Book and the Word of God, it is also a permanent book. We read in Psalm 119:160, "Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever." We also read in Psalm 119:89, "For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven." The nature of the Bible is eternal; therefore it will last for eternity.

Samuel Morris declared, "Men may spurn the Bible, they may burn it; they may abuse it, they may misuse it; they may seek to disprove it with their lexicons, their mathematics, their philosophies, their theories, their chemical formulas, by their spades and their prehistoric bones, but when they have said their final words, they will lie down in death like those who have gone on before them and some preacher of the simple gospel of Christ will be called upon to stand over the casket and read from its sacred pages, and while their bodies are crumbling back to the dust from whence they came, the Bible will continue on its Heaven-gladdening, life-purifying, sin-smiting, and soul-saving way."

The Bible is a book for which we should have great respect and reverence. To put it another way, it is a book that ought to have a very important place in our life. Our respect and reverence for the Bible shows our love for the Bible.

Living With Purpose

Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth

Proverbs 27:1.

Come now, ye that say, today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain; whereas ye know not what shall be on the next day. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away

James 4:13-14.

I read a story years ago of a country that was overthrown by a military general. He had the king and the queen beheaded, and the young prince, the only son, was brought before him to decide his fate. He knew of an elderly woman, a very wicked woman, who lived in the city. And rather than taking the life of the prince, he decided to let this woman have custody of this young prince, and ordered her to turn him into the most vile, wicked young man she possibly could.

But when she began the very first day trying to teach him the language of the street, she began to try to coerce him to drink the liquor that she had in the house. She began to try to influence him to read the dirty literature that she had lying around. She tried every method she could to get this young man to violate the moral standard which he had been reared. But this young prince finally looked at this old woman and said, "You may beat me, you may even kill me, but I am a prince, a child of the king, and I will never become like you." That is to be our attitude as children of God, we are to be holy, without compromise, standing firm for the one we represent, live with purpose, the purpose of pleasing the Lord Jesus Christ our King

I heard about a country couple one time who decided to go into the big city and see all of the attractions there. And they came upon the country fair. Well they only had a few dollars and they went into the fair and spent just about all of their money on some trinkets, gadgets, etc. They had 15 cents left and the old man saw a carrousel, a merry-go-round. He wanted to ride it, but his wife didn't want him to. But he decided he would anyway. So he paid his 15 cents, which was all the money he had left he got on that merry-go-round. He went round and round and round and round. It stopped and he got off his wife said, "Now just look at you. Look at what you've done. You have spent all of our money. You got on this merry-go-round. You went round and round and round. You got off exactly where you got on and you ain't been nowhere."

That is exactly how the vast majority of people all over this world are living. Life for them is a merry-go-round. They're going to get off where they got on without ever having been anywhere. Listen, without Jesus there is no purpose in life. But with Jesus there is no life without purpose. I am so glad to know that my life is going to mean more in eternity than what I made, what I spent, what I bought, and what I left. I am so glad to know that I can, and I am, laying up treasures in heaven. That I can have an eternal impact in the lives of others, and that I am living with purpose, His purpose. www.tomahawkmbc.com

Which is Best? Not Doing Bad Or Doing Good

Matthew 19: 16-22

And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? 17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. 18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, 19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? 21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

A little boy was once asked by his Sunday school teacher if he knew the Ten Commandments. "No ma'am," came the reply, "my dad said that I don't have to know them since they are doing away with them anyway." It is one thing to be ignorant of the Ten Commandments; it quite another to mock them with impunity. Millions dismiss them as mere platitudes fit for nothing more than a dusty old bookshelf. They disdain them because they are "religious."

There are still others who want to do away with the Ten Commandments altogether. This cannot be an option. These are not just words; they are principles woven into the very fabric of life. They are not just another lifestyle option. They are basic realities upon which all of creation is structured. If we violate them, there will be consequences.

As one person has written: "They are the Ten Commandments, not the Ten Suggestions." I think because the Ten Commandments are so stern they have gotten a bad press. They are often thought of as a list of don'ts and shalt nots. It has been correctly pointed out that, except for the first and fifth commandments, all are worded negatively. That does present a problem. Think about this: It is possible to keep negative commandments by simply doing nothing. A person might truthfully be able to say that he had not stolen, committed adultery, or murdered, but that does not mean that that individual is loving and caring.

There was an ancient expression in Judaism that stated: Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you. Jesus took these words out of the negative and put them in the positive: Do unto others what you would have them do unto you, the golden rule. In other words, love requires us to take action. It is not enough simply to refrain from coveting what our neighbor has. If we want to be please God we must act well; if we want others to be kind and respectful to us, then we must act so to them. In other words, much of the Ten Commandments call upon us to refrain from doing bad. But the call of the Christian life is to do good.

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Time to Get Serious

1 Peter 4:7 “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober…..”

Never has there been a time to serious about your commitment to Christ than now.   A recent survey found out that these are the top ten things people are thinking about in 2018…..

10. My pet’s health

9.  Paying the rent or mortgage

8. My appearance and health

7. Wrinkles or aging

6.  Job security

5. financial and credit card debt

4. Health, diet and exercise

3. Terrorist attacks

2. my savings and financial future

1. Nuclear war

My pet’s health more important than Jesus Christ?  Personal health, diet and exercise is number four.  Of course, our health is important.  But what good is your health if you die and go to hell?  Matthew 16:26 “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” 

Obviously not many are concerned about at all the return of Jesus Christ.  As a matter of fact, Jesus didn’t make the top twenty of any poll I found on the internet. 

The Bible is quite different as to our priorities should be for today.  The Bible is about God creating the world for people.  A people for the world Israel.  Then God sent a savior for the world Jesus Christ and a coming king of the world Jesus Christ. 

Jesus is the hero of the Bible!  Jesus is the Bible! The Bible says that Jesus is God!  The Bible says that Jesus is our life! The Bible says that Jesus is the only way, the only truth and the only way to life!  The Bible says that Jesus Christ is the king of kings and lord of Lords! The Bible says that every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!  The Bible says that Jesus Christ will judge every man, woman boy and girl.  Yet He doesn’t make the top ten in societies priorities. 

The apostle Paul thought that Jesus was priority number one for him.  Philippians 3:14 “This one thing I do.  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”  He encouraged people to live in the light of His return. 

1 Corinthians 7:29-31 “But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; 30 And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;  31 And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.”

What are you serious about?  I’m not saying you can’t have fun and enjoy life.  But there is a time to be serious about things.  And definitely the return of Christ is something to be serious about. 

It’s time to get serious about Christ.   When you watch a basketball game the last two minutes is time to get serious.  Games are won or lost in the last two minutes.  If you are going to win for Christ we are in the last minutes of the game of life.  It’s time to get serious.

 

How Much Does Jesus Mean To You?

I read the story of a young woman who out of curiosity entered a little Presbyterian church one evening. She heard the gospel for the first time and was converted. Later she heard God’s call on her life to go to China as a missionary. She was the only daughter of a multi-millionaire. She was socially prominent and wealthy. But her parents were not Christians. When she told them of her decision to go to the mission field, they sneered at the very idea. They were sure they could quickly put a stop to her passing whim.

The girl was engaged to a successful businessman who was also not a Christian. When she approached him about surrendering his life to the Lord, he took a stand similar to her parents. Sometime later her parents gave a social function to which they invited their socially prominent, wealthy friends. The parents told these friends about their problem, and asked them to help change their daughter’s mind.

That evening the daughter listened in silence to the discouraging pleas of everyone at the party. She stood up, went to the piano, and began playing and singing: ‘Jesus, I my cross have taken. All to leave and follow Thee, Destitute, despised, forsaken, Thou from hence my all shall be.’

Her fiancé was deeply touched by her commitment. He walked over to her and said, ‘I did not know Jesus Christ could mean that much to any person. If He means that to you, please pray that I can become His follower too.’ Her prayer was answered. They were married and both went to China where they labored for the Lord many years.

Will this new year bring the same old half-hearted commitment to Jesus?  Or will you finally understand just how much He really means to you?

How much does Jesus mean to you?  The Bible says that Jesus is our life!  When we trusted in Him as our Savior He became our God, our Lord, our master, our Savior and our very reason to exist!  Do we treat Him as such? 

May Jesus mean that much to you in 2018…… and if the Lord tarries even beyond that! 

 

The Light Of The World Is Jesus

Isaiah 9:2 “people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.”

Some people think things have never been better in the world.  I agree that technology and health care is better than ever.  You hold in your had more computing power than we had to put a man on the moon in 1969!  We are curing many diseases and able to keep people alive longer with advanced detection devices that can discover a health defect before it becomes a problem.  I am alive today because I had a colonoscopy when I was 50 and they removed precancerous polyps.  

Let me add…..get a colonoscopy after you turn 50!  Ladies get regular mammograms!     Yes, medical costs and insurance are rising but it’s something we have to put up with if we want gold standard health care. 

Transportation is amazing.  When was the last time you had a flat tire while traveling? When was the last time you had a vehicle breakdown?  Every one of us in Martin County can be in sunny Florida in just two hours!  Roads are better, hotels are better, restaurants are better. 

Speaking of restaurants…food is everywhere!  There is refrigerator that can order food for you when you get low on something.   It can make suggestions to you when you open the door or it can even show you what’s inside on your smartphone so you don’t even have to go to the fridge!!

Entertainment options are incredible.  Cable and satellite TV and Netflix makes your favorite TV shows available on demand.  That device in your hand makes Captain Kirk’s communicator look like a child’s toy. 

You can access any information instantly.  You can talk to people anywhere in the world by text message.  You can find out all about someone on facebook and twitter.  You can be a TV star on Youtube  and Facebook.   

TV’s are amazing today and are much larger and cheaper today than they were when my dad bought our first color TV in 1966.  HD and 4K viewing is amazing with its clarity and quality.  Sports are better.  Athletes are bigger and faster.  You can watch just about any game at any time. 

The stock market is soaring and congress is about to enact tax reform which will put more money in everyone’s pocket.  Life seems to be good. 

But with the increase in quality of life many, many people are depressed and bored.  What is wrong? 

The Bible says “to whom much is given much is expected.”  The Bible says that mankind is accountable to God but instead of walking with Him we are walking in darkness.  This is darkness of soul and spirit.  Mankind is without hope despite all the wonderful things in society. Mankind is without joy and peace in his heart. 

We hate one another.   We steal from one another.  We worship our children instead of our God.  We fight at kids sporting events.  We abuse our spouses mentally and physically.  We sue each other.  Neighbors fuss and fight.  Sexual abuse is everywhere in the media, in the workplace and in families.  We kill and murder one another at alarming rates.  We are addicted to sin.  Porn, opiates, marijuana, heroin, cigarettes, and alcohol.  And even nations are threatening each other with war every day and nuclear disaster is looming.  

The world is in darkness despite our incredible advances and technology.  We need the light of the world.  That light came into the world on the first Christmas.  Light stands for God’s blessings, presence, and revelation.  Jesus was born to bring light to the world.  Let Him put light in your life by faith and trust in Him.  The light of the world is Jesus!

God Changes Everything

Luke 1:48 “For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.”   Henceforth means “from now on.” Things would never be the same again as all generations will call me blessed: Mary a poor unknown Hebrew girl to the most honored woman in the history of the world. went from being. 

One thing about this passage is that God changes everything.  When the Lord intercedes everything changes.  One day with no warning or preparation, God intervened in the life of a young girl and the whole world would never be the same again.  Jesus Christ who was born would be the greatest man, the God-man who ever walked the earth. He was God walking among humans.  Born of a virgin as no other man had been born.  Born to give His life as a ransom for many as no other man had been born.  Raised from the dead after three days like no other man had been raised.   He would change everything in the lives of those who followed Him. 

One day God is going to suddenly intervene again.  This time you have been warned to prepare.  Many passages in the Bible tell us to prepare for this event.   But very few are heeding the warnings and even fewer even believe that Jesus is going to rapture His church.  

But whether people believe it or not does not change the fact that Jesus Christ will come for His church and everything will change for those who are His followers.  When Jesus came the first time He changed His address from heaven to earth when He comes to get His church it is the church that is changing their address from earth to heaven. 

Christianity has changed the world and the world has never been the same since Jesus was born.  And been a light to the world.  Through salvation, the blessings of God on His people.  This includes the blessings of God upon Jews and Christians. 

Israel is an inventive state that is attracting business from all over the world.  Mercedes Benz, Google have recently moved headquarters there.  You can go on and on with the technology and developments of Israel. 

Satan cannot stand the fact that Jesus Christ has come and now Israel is in their land again.  He knows His time is short.  He must stop Israel from being in the land so that Jesus cannot rule there.  He must destroy Israel so that He can destroy God’s plans for Jerusalem as the capital of the whole world. 

God can change everything for you if you will trust in Him. 

Prophecy of Ezekiel 38 About To Become Reality.   

Just recently three world leaders teamed up for the first time in history.  This was of such important Bible prophetic importance that it went totally ignored by the whole world.  But those of us who know Bible prophecy and are looking for the signs of His return every day are as excited as we can be.  For the first time in world history three nations came together to join in an effort to bring power and stability to the middle east.  To those how know Bible prophecy it signifies that Jesus is getting ready to return for His church very, very soon.  What is this monumental meeting of nations and who are the nations?  First let’s look at some important points. 

Daniel 12:10 says concerning the last days….”Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.”   The wicked….those who reject Jesus Christ will not understand the signs of the time but the wise…those who trusted in and are following Jesus Christ….will understand the signs of the times. 

Here are just a few of the obvious signs of Jesus soon return.  Israel and Jerusalem in particular have become the “cup of Trembling” mentioned in Zechariah chapter 12.  We have written many times about how Israel is God’s billboard that Jesus is coming soon.  Everyone is crying “Peace treaty with the Palestinians.”  “peace and safety” is the cry all of the time just as the Bible predicted in 1 Thessalonians 5:3.  “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”

Jesus warned about being deceived in the last days.  Have you ever thought about all this “fake” news that we hear about?  We can’t trust the news media anymore.  We are being deceived so much that it is more and more difficult to know who and what to believe than ever before. 

Wars and rumors of wars.  The word “rumors” means “threats” of wars.  We know that North Korea, Islamic nations and Russia, Iran, Turkey and China are all threatening war.  Even the US has threatened to destroy North Korea if it attacks us.

Earthquakes.  Last week geologists said that 2018 will be the year of “monster” earth quakes.  We already have seen an exponential increase since 2000 of earthquakes in the world. 

Lawlessness will abound.  Riots and civil unrest happen daily around the world.  Christmas shopping has been dubbed “seasons beatings” for all of the fights that occur as shoppers battle for bargins.  Mass shootings, violent marches, civil unrest part of the violence just like in the days of Noah is a part of the last days scenario. 

But the biggest and most amazing sign that I began the article about just occurred recently when Russia, Iran and Turkey met together in Russia.  Vladamir Putin called the meeting “victory summit” as he met with the presidents of Turkey and Iran.  Soon they will come down and attack God’s people.  Russia will be seeking for oil and gas and Iran and Turkey seeking the destruction of Israel. 

It is amazing that we are seeing these things happening just as Ezekiel chapter 38 prophesied over 2500 years ago!  This meeting Between Russia, Iran and Turkey is gigantic billboard that screams “behold I come quickly.”  The end time plays have been assigned and the end time players are ready to hit the court and sadly we continue as a nation and the world to ignore the game going on right in front of us.  We are more concerned with tax reform, media sex scandals (by the way that everybody knows have always been going on) and destroying Roy Moore and Donald Trump than looking at what is happening right before our eyes.  This is to our great peril to not heed the warnings.  Matthew 24:44 “Be ye therefore ready, in an hour ye think not the Son of Man cometh.”

The Secret To Success

Everyone wants to be successful.  Think about it. Even criminals want to be successful in their crimes.  Every man wants to be successful when he goes deer hunting.  He wants to be successful in repairing that faucet.  He should to be a successful father and husband.  He wants to be successful in his work so he can make more money for his family.  A woman wants to be successful as a mother and wife.  She wants to raise successful children and grandchildren. She wants to be successful in all of her endeavors.  Nobody wants to be a failure.  But failures come every day. 

Let me give you an example of a failure…….

He was fired from his first job

He was defeated for state legislature

He failed in business then was appointed postmaster

He was soon fired as Postmaster

His sweetheart died  

He had a nervous breakdown

He was defeated for Speaker of Illinois House 

He was defeated for nomination for Congress  

He was elected to congress…..but Lost renomination two years later

He was rejected for land officer 

He declined appointment as secretary and then as governor of Oregon Territory

He was defeated for U.S. Senate

He was defeated for nomination for Vice President   

And once again defeated for U.S. Senate ….

Who was this colossal failure?  Abraham Lincoln!  Success comes when we refuse to let our failures discourage us.  Lincoln never quit and today we remember him, no actually….. we revere him as one of the greatest men in our nation’s history!

Jesus was rejected of all men, yet He was successful in everything He did.  What is the secret to Jesus success and for us as well?    Mark 1:35 “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.”

Pretty simple.  Jesus prayed!  If Jesus who was the perfect Son of God needed to spend time alone in prayer……how much more do we as sinful man need to pray? 

John 17 is the prayer of Jesus.  Jesus got up early enough, prayed long enough, said enough, and then got up.  That should be your prayer life.  We should get up early enough to pray alone each day, pray long enough to say what we need to say…..and then get up and go on our way………. fully prepared for what we need to do that day. 

The secret to success is no secret.  It is walking with the Lord each day and talking with Him each day.  Jesus said in John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice (because of prayer) and I know them (because of prayer) and they follow me (because of prayer). You cannot walk with someone if you do not talk to them.  You cannot walk with someone unless you listen to them (the Bible is God speaking to us).

Fret Not

The entire 37th Psalm is a wisdom psalm written as simple message is to maintain patience in the midst of the wicked and the troubles they cause. God’s people can have such patience because they know that their eternal reward will abundantly surpass any temporal troubles.

It is an indictment of the ungodly and a blessing to the Godly.   The wicked are those who have rejected the Bible and its Savior Jesus Christ.  Therefore, we are greatly outnumbered by the wicked.  It’s not that they are all outwardly bad in human terms.  Most of the non-saved are good citizens in again in human terms but they are ignorant of their situation or don’t believe they are in any trouble.  But there are many who are very wicked and outwardly so.  They reject the God of the Bible and hate those who believe the Bible and in the Lord Jesus Christ.  They are hell bent on destroying anything that has to do with the Bible or Christianity.  And their goal is to  make our lives as miserable as they can and destroy us if they could.  

But the Bible has some very harsh words for those who reject the truth of God.  We are told to “Fret not” in this passage because of them.  The Bible says that evil men shall wax worse and worse in the last of the last days.  We see frightening things that the wicked are plotting. I see ten things the wicked are doing today to destroy the Godly. 

1. Islam…. is threating our own nation with Sharia as we see more and more of them coming to our nation as refugees.  They will not assimilate but seek to get us to submit.  Islam means “submit” to Allah who is NOT the God of the Bible.  But those who speak against it will be described as suppressing religious freedom and Islamaphobic.  

2. The homosexual agenda….. has taken over our nation.  Same sex marriage and transgenderism is harmful to a society and sinful according to the Bible yet commended as good behavior by the vast majority of people.  It has become so powerful an agenda that you better not be against it or you will suffer the consequences. 

3. Violence…. is everywhere and we are not truly safe anywhere in this nation not even in church!

4. War…Nations are threatening war and sabre rattling with each other and many nations now have nuclear and EMP bomb capability.

5. Eroding of freedom….. We are being watched and monitored constantly and it’s going to get worse.   Our young people believe that socialism and communism is an acceptable way to live.  Globalism is the goal so that we can all be controlled to save our planet.  

6. Disease…… and death still reign despite all of our medical advances.  We can keep people alive but we can’t give them quality of life in many cases. 

7. Free speech….. will soon disappear over the fear of offending people.  If you say something that offends a certain group that is called “hate speech.”  Even the Bible can then be declared “hate speech.”  That is not how our founding fathers described free speech. 

8.   Lying.…...  They can accuse you of anything with no basis of facts, use outright lies and ruin your life.  Fake news is just plan lying and it is used by almost every news organization. 

9.  Antisemitism…..Everyone seems to hate the Jews and even the church is no exception to many. 

10.  False Teaching…….There are bad Bible teachers and lost men in the pulpits.  They are taking the church from the standards of Biblical righteousness to promote social justice, pop psychology and tolerance of sinful lifestyles. 

But despite all this we have a hope in our God that is steadfast and sure and there is no hope for the wicked.  Therefore, we should have complete confidence in the promises of God and “fret not.” 

The Curse of Blindness

Hellen Keller, so brave and inspiring to us in her deafness and blindness, once wrote a magazine article entitled: "Three days to see." In that article she outlined what things she would like to see if she were granted just three days of sight. It was a powerful, thought provoking article. On the first day she said she wanted to see friends. Day two she would spend seeing nature. The third day she would spend in her home city of New York watching the busy city and the workday of the present. She concluded it with these words: "I who am blind can give one hint to those who see: Use your eyes as if tomorrow you were stricken blind.'

As bad as blindness is in the 20th century, however, it was so much worse in Jesus' day. Today a blind person at least has the hope of living a useful life with proper training. Some of the most skilled and creative people in our society are blind. But in first century Palestine blindness meant that you would be subjected to abject poverty. You would be reduced to begging for a living. You lived at the mercy and the generosity of others. Unless your particular kind of blindness was self-correcting, there was no hope whatsoever for a cure. The skills that were necessary were still centuries beyond the medical knowledge of the day.

Little wonder then that one of the signs of the coming of the Messiah was that the blind should receive their sight. When Jesus he announced his messiahship, he said: "The spirit of the Lord is upon me. He has sent me to recover sight to the blind."

Someone once said, “no one is so blind as he who will not see.” Many people will not accept the truth about Jesus Christ because they have been blinded by pride, selfishness, and sin. They do not want Jesus because they do not want to admit that they need a Savior. They do not want to surrender any part of their lives to anyone. They do not want to give up their sin.

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good. Psalm 53:1

This verse actually means “the fool hath said in his heart, NO GOD FOR ME, I don’t want any part of the God of glory.” The Bible calls these people fools, corrupt and abominable.

God is not going to force Himself upon anyone. God has given us the light of Jesus Christ and His word. God has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ. It’s either believe in Jesus Christ and be saved or ignore Him and get you want.

Anyone who does not want God in their life, then God is going to give them exactly what they want. They will have their wish for all eternity. There will be no God to condemn them, no God to convict them of sin. But there will be no God to pray to, no God to ask for help, no God to give comfort, no God to relieve pain, to give hope, joy, peace and happiness. No wonder God calls them fools!

The curse of spiritual blindness has only one cure…faith in someone you can’t see, The Lord Jesus Christ!