Articles

With all that’s taking place in this world today, there is less and less focus on the cross and the true meaning of our Savior’s sacrifice. Please know that the cross was an evil and cruel instrument of death, and no one should worship that image or any likeness of it. However, when I see a cross, it is a symbol that reminds me of my Lord and Savior and what He gave of Himself for my sake and for all who will receive and accept His pure and holy gift. Each person is given the free choice to receive or reject the Savior. God forces no one but would love for everyone to repent and have eternal Salvation and a Home forever with Him (2 Peter 3:9; ESV; all emphasis mine).

First, Jesus was not forced to come here and die for us but chose to do so willingly (John 10:18). He is one-third of the Holy Trinity – Father, Son, Holy Spirit – that has always existed and will exist forever. When our Savior left His heavenly home, He allowed Himself to become lower than the angels for a time and lived as a human. (Hebrews 2:9) He never ceased being God but was completely obedient to the will of the Father in order that we would have a perfect advocate.

This is found in Philippians 2:6-8, which states, “Who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself by taking the form of a servant; being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Following this, we observe just how much importance the Father has placed on this obedience. Verses 9-11 state, “Therefore, God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father.”

And it should be noted, for all who choose to worship Satan as if he were some sort of god, even the devil will bow to the Savior before he is cast into the lake of fire forever. Satan and his demons are created beings and are not deities.

Sadly, there are far more souls that are turning to evil and the so-called pleasures of this earth than are turning to the One who shed His pure blood for our sakes. Jesus Himself stated this would be so in Matthew 7:13-14. Just watching world events unfold, we’re seeing more and more end-time prophecy being fulfilled, and the pace is more rapid than ever.

Hebrews 10:4, 12-14; “for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until His enemies should be made a footstool for His feet…. For by a single offering, He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.”

Our Heavenly Father is all about perfection and could never accept anything other than a pure and holy sacrifice to atone for any sin, no matter how large or small the sin is. Jesus led a perfect sin-free life on this earth, the only person to have ever done so and the only person who will ever do so.

When we confess that we are helpless sinners in need of saving grace, and that we have faith and believe that Jesus is our only pathway to the Father (John 14:6), and we call out for Him to save us, He will do so (Romans 10:9-13). When God sees any of the Shepherd’s flock, He sees Jesus in us and accepts us because of His Son, not for any works that we may do.

The ones that accept the world over our Blessed Savior believe we are totally foolish, and we actually become a threat to them in their minds (1 Corinthians 1:18-31). When the time comes that the evil antichrist and his false prophet will come forth, those who will choose him will be given a strong delusion so they’ll believe that what is false is right (2 Thessalonians 2). Prior to this, they will have had opportunities to turn and accept Jesus but will have refused. At the Great White Throne of Revelation 20:11-15, they will be shown this.

Up to now, I have referenced songs, one at a time, in the messages that I have been privileged to post. For this message, two songs stand out and are presented below. Both were written by Carroll Roberson from Ripley, Mississippi. He is a pastor, songwriter, singer, and author. He can be located on YouTube with many wonderful hymns.

The first song shows that we all are tempted daily by the evil forces, but if we will turn to the Savior, He will cover us with forgiveness through His precious shed blood. It’s called “Hidden By The Cross.”

1) The devil used to find me every single day, no matter how I tried to stay out of his way. Our little game of hide and seek would still be going on, but I found the perfect hiding place, and I’m making it my own.

Ref.) I’m hidden by the cross, hidden by the cross, behind those Holy timbers, where Jesus pled the cause. I’m under His protection and grace that can’t be bought. And the devil cannot find me while I’m hidden by the cross.

2) I know the devil wants me to come back out and play, so he can see my weakness and lead my soul astray. I’m where he can’t reach me now; there’s nothing he can do. And if he still wants to play, he’ll have to find someone new. (ref)

The second is called “Lord, Keep My Eyes On The Cross.” It’s a song that shows we want to serve and honor our Savior, and we realize that it is only through His pure, shed blood that we are saved.

1) Oh Lord, with my life, I want to serve thee. And Lord, guide my steps that I might see the pathway that You would have me follow every day to lead others and bring glory to Thy name.

Ref.) Lord, keep my eyes on the cross to remind me of Thy love. For in sin my life was tossed, and mercy I’m not worthy of. Help me never to forget, with Your blood, You suffered loss to redeem and set me free. Lord, keep my eyes on the cross.

2) And Lord, when I’m tempted to forsake Thee, when this road is filled with deep despair, help me know that when You died, You were forsaken by the world. And on the cross, Your love and mercy unfurled. (ref)

As stated earlier, the signs are getting stronger every hour of every day. Jesus said that when they “begin” to take place, our redemption will be near (Luke 21:28). The beginning started just about a decade or so ago.

Our Father promised that the Shepherd’s flock – all true believers – will not go through the wrath. Think for just a moment of where you want to spend your forever. It’s your choice to make, and there are only two options – Heaven or hell. Today would not be too early to make the most important decision of your life.

We do not know the day or hour, but we do know our God does not lie, and He does not waste time on fables (Titus 1:2). All He has said that will happen, will happen. This world is becoming more evil and deadly by the day, and the next event on the prophetic scale will be the Rapture.

After the Trumpet of God sounds and the shout from the archangel is made, this world will go through the worst 7-year tribulation ever. What evil and mayhem happening right now will seem like a Sunday picnic compared to all that will take place.

You don’t have to be here for that time of wrath. We hope you’re with Jesus and all that will have been taken up to meet Him in the twinkling of an eye (1 Corinthians 15:52).

So, until that time, we wish you “Ahavah Olin” – Love Everlasting!

huebshman46@gmail.com

Have you ever, in a moment of immersion in deep thought, had a question like “When did the existence of God begin?” Or perhaps: “How could God always have existed, and how can He exist forever?”

I’ve had similar questions a number of times over my life as a Christian. Yet it isn’t with doubt but rather with wonderment that I’ve indulged in these imponderable ponderings. The finite mind is incapable of such infinite cogitation. That is, the human brain is not able to carry out such thought to the point of securing satisfactory answers.

We who are believers in Christ for salvation know that every word in the Bible is absolute truth. We can trust what is written in God’s love letter to mankind to us, His born-again children. John wrote the following regarding his and his fellow disciples’ closeness to Jesus during His time of ministry:

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare us unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:1-3).

So, while it is not just difficult but impossible to understand the questions above concerning the eternal existence of Jesus, we trust that every Word is truth.

Another question along this line might be: “Did God the Father Create Jesus?”

This is how we interpret naturally. Everything has a beginning–a moment of coming into existence. Every one of us had our conception, our birth. So it is a natural question for the human mind: “Did Jesus begin when He was born upon planet Earth?”

Of course, we who believe God’s Word about our Lord’s earthly incarnation know God didn’t create Jesus Christ, the Son—just as God didn’t create the Holy Spirit. All three are, and have always been, God. They are coequal as the Triune Godhead–the Trinity.

The Bible teaches that Jesus is a separate and distinct God who existed with the Father before anything was created. The Father did not create Jesus; in fact, all three –God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit—have existed from eternity past and will exist forever.

I want to delve into…well…into pondering with our finite thinking the infinite matters of that most important statement in all the Scripture so far as mankind is concerned.

We have just passed through another Christmas, a time when we honor the earthly incarnation –the advent/birth—of our Lord Jesus Christ.

While the Apostle John was exiled by the Roman government on the Aegean Island of Patmos, Jesus gave Him a vision–the Revelation, as we know it. The following is what John tells us he heard Jesus say to him at one point very early in the vision.

“And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death” (Revelation 1:17-18).

Much later in the Revelation, Jesus said: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last” (Revelation 22:13).

The Lord also said:

“And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son” (Revelation 21:6-7).

Wrapped up in those powerful words is Christ’s declaration of His Godhood and eternal existence.

He exclaims that He is the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and Omega.

Jesus says without equivocation: “It is done!” He promises further:

“To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.”

You see, He declares He is God and gives eternal life to all who overcome. We know, of course, that we overcome only through our absolute belief and trust in Jesus, who has overcome the world.

The Lord’s declaration, “It is done,” is the most thrilling, greatest promise of all. Since He is the Alpha and Omega–the beginning and the end—He alone can say that salvation of the believer is already done.

It was done as He said while voluntarily giving up His life to death in order to rescue you and me from the penalty of sin: “It is finished!”

Really, though, it was done–finished—from eternity past. God’s plan for our salvation was already in effect then, as God is outside of time. He had His plan in place back in eternity past, and it is already finished in eternity future. He chose us from the foundation of the world.

“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:4-6).

When we look around us at things going on–the world seeming to fall apart—we can say along with our friend Jan Markell: Things aren’t falling apart; they are falling together. They are coming together just as our Lord said they would. Everything is right on the heavenly course for redeeming us and rejuvenating planet earth.

The Rapture, too, is going to be right on time–on God’s time! And I, for one, believe it is so close we could reach out and touch it, were that possible. You don’t want to miss it. Here again is how to make sure you are part of Jesus’ profound promise, “It is finished!”

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).

About The Cross :: By Dennis Huebshman

“It Is Finished” :: By Terry James