“I never knew you.”

The above is not the words that anyone would want to hear while standing before the Lord Jesus Christ.  We are going to take a look at that whole section of Scripture and examine it.   “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven.  Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many works of power in Your name?  And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you who work out lawlessness!”  Matthew 7:21-23   Note that “many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast our demons in Your name, and done many works of power in Your name?”.  This is extraordinary serious.  While the last several articles have often mentioned or dealt with people who claim to be Christians, yet have never accepted Christ and are therefore lost, the above quotation from the Holy Scriptures states that these people not only claim to be Christian, but are also active in supposedly doing the work of Christ!   Not only are these people active but they also achieve things, for instance they prophesize in His name, cast out demons in His name and do works of power in His name.  To the world these people would have the appearance of being Christian, of being workers of God.  To men they would be religious, those who are righteous, on the...

You’ve Been Warned

Oh, sing unto Jehovah a new song!  Sing unto Jehovah, all the earth.  Sing unto Jehovah, bless His name; proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.  Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.  For Jehovah is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.  For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but Jehovah made the heavens.  Honor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.  Ascribe unto Jehovah, O families of the peoples, ascribe unto Jehovah glory and strength.  Ascribe unto Jehovah the glory due His name; bring an offering, and come into His courts.  O bow down before Jehovah in the beauty of holiness!  Tremble before Him, all the earth.  Say among the nations, Jehovah reigns; the world also is firmly established, it shall not be shaken; He shall judge the peoples with equity.  Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and all its fullness; let the field be joyful, and all that is in it.  Then all the trees of the forests shall rejoice before Jehovah.  For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth.  He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with His truth.  Psalms 96   A lot of people would disagree with somebody telling them that they have been warned about seeking Salvation before it is too late.  Some would tell you that they don’t fully understand how to seek Salvation, most would simply scoff at the idea and say that...

If Today Were The Last Day?

What if today was the last day? What if you knew that there would be no tomorrow, that sudden death and destruction were upon you? What if it was just your last day, as you sit in a hospital bed, knowing that death is about to come?   How many people go through out life knowing that they have to be right before God, but not ever spending the time to figure out exactly how to do that? Many people believe that there is a God, yet why will they not give Him the time of day to figure out what He requires of them?   “For man does not see as He sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but Jehovah looks at the heart.” 1st Samuel 16:7b   Man’s logic is backwards. How many hours will be spent not only watching television, but watching a rerun that you have already seen, yet not picking up God’s Word and seeking Him? Do you not realize that the nagging feeling that you have about getting right with God is His warning to you that you ought to seek Him and find Salvation through His Son before it is too late?   “The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness, but is longsuffering toward us, not purposing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2nd Peter 3:9   “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?  I Jehovah search the heart, I examine the soul, even to give to each man according to his ways,...

Who Will Remember You?–Vanity

“For there is a man whose labor is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and with success; yet he shall leave it as inheritance to a man who has not labored in it. This also is vanity and a great evil.” Ecclesiastes 2:21   “For the living know that they shall die; but the dead do not know anything, nor do they have any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, have now perished; nor do they ever any longer have a part in anything that is done under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 9:5-6   The American Dream, for many it has become the American Nightmare in the past several years. The idea is simple.   After high school, go to college or get a good hard-working American job.  Either way, once your career choice is established, meet the woman of your dreams, buy a house, have a family.  From there take vacations to great places throughout your life, all while saving for retirement. Retire at a decently ‘young’ age and enjoy your later years without having to worry about money.  Die.   While the exact definition of the American dream may vary a bit, none of the versions include the last word, die.  There is a reality behind it, nobody like to think about it, but we all know that eventually death will come to find us.  We will all die.  So what has happened in the past several decades in America to help alleviate this uncomfortable truth?   The churches in America have grown in unison with...

Heaven or Hell?

If I were to take a walk down main street and asked 100 passers-by how many of them believed in Heaven, I do believe I would get an overwhelming majority. While there would be some that would scoff at such an idea, the vast masses of people believe in Heaven. Now if I were to take the same walk and ask 100 passers-by how many of them believe in Hell, I believe I would get an entirely different response. Here I would probably dare say that I would be closer to 50%, perhaps even only a third of people believing in Hell. For the sake of argument, let’s assume 50%. If I posed a second question to these same people, how do you think they would respond? How would you respond? If I were to ask these people who believe in Heaven whether or not they were going there, I would assume nearly all of them, but not all of them, would tell me that they would go there or think they would go there when they died. Likewise if I were to ask these same people that believe in Hell whether or not they would go there, I would assume most would say no, probably a few would say that they hoped not. Now the problem herein lies with this. If I were to ask those who believe they were going to Heaven if they believed in a Hell, I believe that it would quickly dive down to the 50% ratio. Now if I were to ask these same people how I would get to Heaven, assuming 85...

Bearing Your Cross

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” Matthew 16:24   “Then He said to them all, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23   “And when He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” Mark 8:34   Who is Jesus?   Jesus is the Son of God, born of a virgin birth, He lived nearly 2,000 years ago in Israel, preaching the gospel and providing a means for all mankind to find Salvation by believing into Him and repenting of their sins before a just and holy God.   Jesus was He who created the heavens and the earth. He is the one whom was convicted to death by the Jews, carried out by the Romans. He died on the cross, guiltless, yet for us, for our sins. For anyone who would choose to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, He will be just that and more, a friend to those in need.   Jesus is the One whom rose from the dead, after having been put into a tomb, sealed and guarded by Roman soldiers. It is He who now sits on the right hand of God, waiting patiently for the time of the Gentiles to be fulfilled. It is also He who is going to come back...

Separated Unto God

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Let it not be! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were immersed into Christ Jesus were immersed into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through immersion into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be nullified, that we should no longer serve sin. For he who has died has been justified from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives unto God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For...

Trust & Obey

Trust & Obey When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word What a glory He sheds on our way! While we do His good will, He abides with us still, And with all who will trust and obey Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies, But His smile quickly drives it away Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh nor a tear, Can abide while we trust and obey Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share, But our toil He doth richly repay Not a grief nor a loss, not a frown or a cross, But is blest if we trust and obey But we never can prove the delights of His love Until all on the altar we lay For the favor He shows, and the joy He bestows Are for them who will trust and obey Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet, Or we’ll walk by His side in the way What He says we will do, where He sends we will go Never fear, only trust and obey Chorus: Trust and obey, for there’s no other way To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey     “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Let it not be! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were immersed into Christ Jesus were immersed into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through immersion into...

What is wisdom?

“The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom; and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10   Having done an article on fear, it only seemed logical to continue in that direction by completing a word study on wisdom. We’ll begin by using an old copy of Webster’s University Dictionary.   wisdom n.   1.) The quality of being wise; the faculty of making the best use of knowledge; a combination of discernment, judgment, sagacity, and similar powers; understanding   2.) Human learning; erudition; knowledge of arts and sciences; scientific or practical truth.   3.) Quickness of intellect; readiness of apprehension; dexterity in execution; as the wisdom of Bezaleel and Aholiab. – Ex. xxxi. 3,6   4.) Natural instinct and sagacity.   5.) In Scripture, right judgment concerning religious and moral truth; true religion; godliness; piety; the knowledge and fear of God, and sincere and uniform obedience to His commands.   Looking over the definitions it is obvious that the first and fifth most closely represent the type of wisdom described in relation to the fear of God in the Holy Scriptures. Let’s take a moment and go over definition three.   “And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying: Observe that I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to devise designs, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in cutting stones to finish them, in carving wood, and to work in...

Will you (or can you?) wait any longer?

How long before Jesus comes and takes those who are His out of the world?  How long before the world enters the time of Jacob’s trouble and receives judgment for man’s rejection of the Most High?   For those of you who have been paying attention and even for those of you who don’t, there is a lot going on in the world today.  The global economy is simply a ruse that is ready to tumble into obvilion.  The United States is aligning itself with Iran and other muslim interests against Israel.  China is quickly becoming a superpower, with their money-making scam of an economy and repressive regime.  Technology has absolutely exploded and continues to be developed at break-neck speeds.  This technology ushers in some very evil gene manipulation (DNA/RNA), as well as very Orwellian goods that take away the anonymous activities of individuals.  There are wars and rumors of wars, and have been for many years now.    “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.”  Matthew 24:6   There are major earthquakes happening now and then, here and there.  Record temperatures, droughts, fires, floods and other unusual weather is happening in many places.    “And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of travail.”  Mark 13:8b   Yet should you concern yourself with any of these things?   If you are not a true Believer, if you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your...

Fear of God

“The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom; and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10   What is the fear of God?   In order to try and fully comprehend the ‘fear of the Lord’, let’s begin by looking at some definitions of fear.   A.) A painful emotion or passion excited by an expectation of evil, or the apprehension of impending danger. It expresses less apprehension than dread, and is accompanied with a desire to avoid or ward off the expected evil.   B.) Anxiety; solicitude; also, the cause or object which excites apprehension.   C.) In Scripture, reverence for God and his laws, which springs from a just view and love of the divine character. (Jer. 32:40)   D. Reverence; respect; due regard for rightful authority.   (All of this in the ‘n.’ context; Webster’s University Dictionary, 1943)   Everyone understands the fear of the dark, something that is often learned as a child. When I was young I had watched scary television shows and became afraid of the ‘unknown’ in the dark of the night. What about the fear of God, certainly we don’t have a fear of Him as we would have regarding the supposed evil lurking in the night. In order to get the best understanding of the fear of God, we are going to turn to God’s Word and see what the Holy Scriptures says about fear, in respect to God.   ” And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my...

Nothing New Under the Sun

“That which has been is that which shall be; and that which has been done is that which shall be done; and there is nothing new under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:9   Recently on Memorial Day I was pondering what is happening in this country and watching as the evil is seemingly taking over. A friend of mine sent me a reply reminding me that America was never a Christian nation back in the 1950’s and older pictures of women in that era have the same sort of inappropriate poses that modern women due, just that they are dressed more. He also threw in how Solomon had already married an Egyptian woman at the time he was dedicating the new Temple to Jehovah. I pondered these things and saw valid points, knowing that America was never a Christian nation, but I thought that surely the world is getting worse.   “But evil men and pretenders will grow worse and worse, leading astray and being led astray.” 2nd Timothy 3:13   “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Matthew 24:37   Around America it seems as if this year God is judging the nation more so than in recent past, the weather is quite unusual and even meteorologist are trying to figure out why it is so severe, their main argument points to global warming, a doctrine that I find to be fanciful and imaginative. I ponder the decision from the Supreme Court regarding sodomite marriage. Remember much of the world will take note and follow what the United...

Memorial Day

This Memorial Day I think it would be fitting to remember an America that once at least adhered to much of God’s laws.   An America where there was no debate over sodomite marriage. Who would have dared in 1950 to promote from coast to coast marriage outside of God’s purpose?   An America where public school students were not subjected to having the opposite sex use their locker rooms and rest rooms. An America where boys were boys and girls were girls, not an America where a child is taught at a young age to decide what sex they are, not based on actual gender, but a supposed preference. An America where liberals wouldn’t critize parents for putting newborns in blue or pink based off of their sex. Shame on California and Colorado (and where ever else this goes on).   An America where our public schools have ‘centering rooms’, which are really padded rooms with no windows, to lock children in ALL day long, some of which have the air conditioning on to make it cold.  In these rooms a teacher will wear a jacket as the youngster is shivering with their arms in their shirt, mocking them.   An America where businesses where closed on Sundays.  At least the people had respect to set aside one day to their Creator, whether or not they followed Him, they at least acknowledged the One whom they will give an account to.   An America where people didn’t decide to riot for something to do or gangs of youth didn’t use social media to plot their next mass theft...

Gap Theory & Two Floods, Fact or Fiction?

Many years ago while sorting out for myself what the truth of the matter was regarding evolution (what was taught to me in school), Creation (what was taught to me in church), how the dinosaurs fit into the Holy Scriptures, how all of the animals could have fit in Noah’s ark, what could explain things like the Grand Canyon and plate tectonic movements, I can across the Answers in Genesis (AIG) ministry.   The purpose of this article is not to address my beliefs on whether or not I completely agree with AIG’s ministry or not (I do not), but their books, particularly the ones written by Ken Ham, offer reasonable explanations to all of the above questions. I learned what likely happened to the dinosaurs, how they were all able to fit on Noah’s ark, how the Grand Canyon was formed and then finally the Holy Scriptures explained plate tectonics to me. My questions were answered, my faith was satisfied.   “Let it not be! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar.” Romans 3:4a   In doing all of this research I had decided during those days to pick up an evolution book, so that I would also understand their ‘side’. The truth is, I had always believed in Creation, ever since such thoughts came to mind, but during school I had begun to wonder quite a bit about how dinosaurs fit into the bible. I had even asked a pastor who, though he tried the best he could, was unable to provide a satisfactory answer. As I began to try to understand the evolutionist...

Are You Listening & Obeying?

“To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? Behold, their ears are uncircumcised, and they cannot give heed. Behold, the Word of Jehovah is a reproach to them; they have no delight in it.”  Jeremiah 6:10   Who listens nowadays?  The world is full of God’s message of Salvation through Jesus Christ.  The Gospel has been preached to every country in the world.  The United States is full of churches, numerous churches large and small in every city.  Who listens to God, of those who listen, who obeys?   Why has such a simple message of Salvation through repentance and faith into Jesus Christ, our Savior, been so difficult for many to understand?  Why is it so difficult for those who are in the church, those who name the name of Christ and call themselves Christians to keep God’s message to humanity pure and simple.  Is it too difficult?   Instead some churches pile on burdens to people, making the way of God to be through works, which is not how one gets to Heaven.  Others, more frequently found in the United States and indeed much of the world now, do the opposite and simple water down God’s Word so much that people never find Salvation through the preacher.  Where are the preachers that speak the truth, where are the ones who are truly called of God into the ministry of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior?   “He who is of God hears God’s Words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”  John 8:47   Most of these churches are...