“For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor, yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless, to remain in the flesh is more needful for you” (Philippians 1:19-23, NKJV).

What I appreciate so much about the Word of God is the honesty about how we feel at times when this world’s problems and heartaches seem to overwhelm even the most spiritual of us. God graciously allowed the feelings and frustrations of the kings and commoners who wrote the Bible to be displayed openly. They held nothing back in terms of praise, anger, despair, faith, and the ability to ask honest questions before the LORD, knowing that in His grace, mercy, and sovereignty, all things will fall into place and work out according to His will.

The apostle Paul was no exception as he poured out his heart to the church at Philippi. He was languishing in a dingy, dirty Roman prison chained to a soldier when he wrote this letter. This letter, along with the letters to the Ephesians, Colossians, and to a brother in Christ named Philemon, were all the products of time spent in prison for the “crime” of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What I see in these verses is the heart of a man who, while yearning to be of use to the Lord Jesus while on this earth, also desires to be with Him, free from the troubles and pain that he has endured over the years for the sake of the Gospel (2 Corinthians 11:24-28).

Although I do not in any way claim to be on the same level of spiritual devotion like Paul was, right now I can say that this is how I feel, and if you’re honest, those of you reading this message and who have served the Lord Jesus throughout your life are all thinking the same thing: We want to remain faithful and obedient to Him while in this fallen world, but at the same time, we want to be with Him in the glory of heaven where we will be free from the grip of sin, sickness, and suffering forever, seeing Him in person, having fellowship with Him and our loved ones who are waiting for us to join them one great day (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 21:1-7).

I am tired of seeing my LORD mocked and ridiculed by wicked people and governments who have turned their backs on Him. I am tired of being mocked for my faith in Christ. I am already tired of the hassle of dialysis, the increasing medical bills, the frustration of taking numerous medications, and the never-ending round of visits to specialists, nutritionists, and other professionals who keep track of my progress and reactions to varied treatments for kidney failure which has plagued me for the past few years.

Believe me, there are days when I feel so bad that I have asked the LORD to let me fall asleep and wake up in His presence. I want to see Jesus, along with my parents, grandparents, friends, family members, and especially my daughter. I believe that the day of our deliverance is nearer than a lot of us want to admit (Luke 21:28). But while I wait for that day (and I hope you feel the same), I also know that while I am here, He has work for me to do, and that is to use the internet, social media, and online broadcasting as a means of reaching out to as many people as possible with the Gospel message, both here in the USA and around the world. I want to share with you the opportunities that the LORD has given to me so that this goal can be achieved.

After the first of the year, I will be working with a fellow pastor to initiate a series of “video crusades” to be broadcast to churches and gatherings in the regions of southern and southeast Asia. I will also be working with brethren in West Africa to begin broadcasting via “Zoom” a series on Bible prophecy to be used as a teaching series for outreach in villages, urban churches, and Christian schools. I am currently teaching a series on the Gospel of Luke on my YouTube channel, “The Reality City Review,” that you can watch or download either for individual or home church/ group study. All these overseas broadcast projects will be available for viewing and future downloads as they get underway next year or earlier.

Yes, I am ready to go home, but I also know that I need to be about the King’s business while I am in this present world. I want to hear Him tell me that I was a good and faithful servant. Even when I want to just lie down and forget about this wicked world and tell myself that sharing the Gospel is growing more futile and not worth all the hassle, ridicule, and mocking, I stop and realize that I am His servant, that the word of God will not return void, and that I am the messenger, nothing else, trusting the Holy Spirit to take what I do and have it bear fruit, whether great or small. I quietly say, “Yes, Sir,” and carry on.

I felt that I needed to share this to encourage you not to give up, stay in the fight, and keep one eye toward heaven as we wait for His glorious appearing. Until the trumpet sounds or we go the way of those before us, we need to remain devoted to the Gospel call and the work that He has assigned to each of us. When we gather around His throne one day, we can all share with each other what He did for us, what He did through us for His glory, and see the fruit of our labors. If just one person comes up to us and tells us that what we did or said brought them to faith in Christ, all the hassle we had to endure will have been worth it. Amen?

See you soon, brethren. I believe He is at the edge of heaven, ready to get us. Stay faithful.

donaldwhitchard@outlook.com

www.realitycityreverend.com

www.youtube.com/@realitycityreview

 

 

 

When the Father finished creating the heavens and the earth, and after creating the animals, He created man in Genesis 1:26-27; “Then God said, let Us make man in Our own image, after Our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. So, God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female, He created them.” (ESV – all emphasis is mine)

Initially, man was created to be immortal, but after the first sin in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3), human immortality was lost on this earth. In Genesis 6:3, we read, “Then the Lord said, ‘My Spirit will not abide in man forever, for he is flesh; his days shall be 120 years.'”

Going to Psalm 90:10, “The years of our life are seventy (threescore and ten), or even if by reason of strength eighty (fourscore), yet they are soon gone and we fly away.”

What we as humans do in our individual lifetimes becomes significant when we realize our bodies will die, but our souls are eternal. Every human, from Adam and Eve all the way through the Millennial Reign of our Savior on this earth, will make a choice as to where their soul will spend their forever. Some will have eternal life in Heaven with Jesus; others will have eternal punishment in the lake of fire with Satan and his demons or fallen angels.

In our lifetime, my wife and I have experienced the passing of numerous loved ones, friends, acquaintances, and even those who did not really care for us. Those who have passed are set to enter one of two places, and their destiny cannot be changed.

Our hope is that all who have gone on will be scheduled for the 2 Corinthians 5:10 “Judgment Seat of Christ.” No one at this event will go into the lake of fire; however, rewards will be gained or lost depending on what was done on earth, whether good or evil. All that will attend this will have received and accepted Jesus as their Savior before they died. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

From creation to the Savior’s gift at Calvary, all who were in the will of God have experienced peace, which Jesus talked about in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16:19-31. Jesus’ blood at Calvary reached back for those who died in the will of the Father while waiting for the arrival of the Messiah to give us the perfect sacrifice. From His sacrifice on, bull and goat sacrifices would not be acceptable (Hebrews 10:4).

For all from the creation to the end of this earth’s existence who were out of the will of God and all who refused to receive and accept Jesus after Calvary will attend a very sorrowful event.

Revelation 20:11-15; “Then I saw a great white throne, and Him who was seated on it. From His presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it; Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

Please note, there is no forgiveness or pardons here, and all will answer for every single sin they ever committed while on the earth.

As stated, we pray for all the persons we know that they will not be at the great white throne. Right now, we have a loved one who very likely will be in the presence of Jesus very soon, and we are absolutely confident her appearance will be at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

The great part about being a true believer is that all sins are forgiven. No one has sinned so greatly that the blood of our Savior cannot cleanse them. When, not if, we sin as believers, we follow 1 John 1:8-10 where the Father forgives us when we confess to Him. It’s as if we never sinned, but only because the blood of His Son, Jesus, covers us.

The hardest part of a loved one passing is the loss of their fellowship here. That person now is in the presence of the Savior and would not want to return here for anything.

Legacy Five, a very fine Gospel Group, performed a song written by Barry Weeks, Tony Wood, and Jim Brady in 2009 called “Hello After Goodbye.” It was done in honor of Roger Bennet, a group member who passed away. The words express a wonderful message for us all.

1.) “We dress in black, and we say goodbye; how our hearts break, and oh how we cry. Yet though we grieve, we still have hope ’cause for all hearts of faith, we trust and know,

Ref) There’s a Hello after Goodbye, a blessed reunion promised in time. We will be with them far longer than we were without, no doubt; no more tears in our eyes in that beautiful, wonderful, Hello After Goodbye.

2.) Next time we see them, we’ll never more know the sorrow and pain of letting go; we’re with them forever, life without end, in that most blessed sweet moment when,

Ref) There’s a Hello after Goodbye, a blessed reunion promised in time. We will be with them far longer than we were without, no doubt; no more tears in our eyes in that beautiful, wonderful Hello after Goodbye.

We will see them again, be with them again, laugh and talk like before, sing and worship forevermore. There is a Hello After Goodbye, a blessed reunion promised in time. We will be with them far longer than we were without, no doubt; no more tears in our eyes in that beautiful, wonderful, Hello after Goodbye.”

Everyone who has truly received and accepted Jesus, as given in Romans 10:9-13, will be reunited with all who passed away that were saved. There will never be anymore good-byes, as death has been conquered by our Savior. Imagine having a conversation with Daniel or Ruth or many others and knowing that they are truly interested in us as well.

The day is rapidly approaching when the Father will have Jesus take His flock off this earth to keep us from the coming wrath. Those left behind will experience a terrible earth that has never been before. The news headlines today are as if they are taken right out of the pages of Bible prophecy. One thing for certain, we don’t know the day or the hour this will take place, but the Father knows the exact second the Rapture will occur, and it will happen right on time.

For anyone to get their reservation secured for that event, just follow the ABCs of Romans 10:9-13.

-A – Admit we’re all sinners and in need of a Savior.

-B- Believe that Jesus is our only Savior and the only way to the Father. We have faith and trust that God raised Jesus from the dead to conquer sin and death for all who would receive and accept the gift that He gave us on that cruel cross at Calvary.

-C- Call; all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Tomorrow is not promised, but a Home with Jesus is promised forever for all who become a part of His precious flock. Today would not be too early to make your reservation. 1 Corinthians 15:52 states that when the Trumpet of God sounds, it will take place “in a moment; in the twinkling of an eye….” No one will be able to call out in time to repent and be taken up to meet Jesus when the Trumpet and shout from the archangel takes place.

The choice is totally up to each and every individual to make. God will force no one to accept His Son. Take a moment and make the absolute best and most important decision you will ever make. Heaven or Hell; your choice. Hope to see you at Home with the Savior.

Shalom! Peace and Blessings!

huebshman46@gmail.com