Oh, Gentle Shepherd :: By Dennis Huebshman

 

Today’s world is turning more and more against anything that has to do with our Blessed Savior. In some areas of this evil world today, people are being martyred just for having a Bible in their homes or on their person. Jesus said in Matthew 24:9-13, “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation, and put you to death; and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” (ESV – all emphasis mine)

It should come as no surprise that this attitude is here today. True believers are being called “haters” because we will not indulge in the abominations that are out in the open as never before. All the attitudes Paul spoke of in 2 Timothy 3 are everywhere, thanks to Satan and his followers. None of this is a surprise to our Heavenly Father, as His word told us this would happen. Satan knows his time is getting short, and he is working in “overdrive” to pull as many souls away from the Savior as possible.

We have passages throughout the Bible that tell us to stand fast with the Lord for our strength. For example, Isaiah 41:10; “fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed for I am your God; I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

For many today, it’s easier to go along with the crowd than to live to honor our Savior. The things of this earth are more important to them rather than taking into consideration where they will spend eternity. Satan knows how to use temptation to his best advantage, and for someone who has not made any attempts to develop a relationship with Jesus, his deceptions work very well.

In the past, I have given Matthew 7:13-14 as a reminder that Jesus understands this, and He knows that more will accept this world rather than Him. “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide, and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow, and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

The “hard” part is to be different from the majority world’s view and to call out to Jesus to be saved. All who wish to ensure eternal life in Heaven must receive and accept Jesus. John 14:6 explains this in clear, easy-to-understand language. “Jesus said to him, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Romans 8:1; “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

John 3:18; “Whoever believes in Him is not condemned; but whoever does not believe is condemned already; because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” 1 John 5:12 follows this with, “whoever has the Son, has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”

Then Acts 4:12; “And there is Salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

This world is about to enter a period of time that will be worse than ever before. It will be a time when Satan will literally have control, and anyone who does not swear allegiance to his antichrist will most likely be martyred.

Right now is a good time to take the opportunity to become a part of the Savior’s precious flock (John 10). All who have received Jesus as their Savior will be kept from the coming wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10; Revelation 3:10). There will be a trumpet blast and a shout from an archangel that will call all believers worldwide up to meet Jesus in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53). Then we will be with our “Gentle Shepherd” forever. Sounds like a mass exodus, but more will be left behind than will be Raptured.

By the way, the entire Rapture process will be in “the twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:52), which is calculated to be less than one second. Anyone who believes they can call out to be saved when the trumpet and shout take place will be greatly disappointed.

Cindy Walker of Mart, Texas (7/1918 – 3/2006) wrote a beautiful song called “Oh Gentle Shepherd.” The version I prefer was sung by Jim Reeves and can be heard on YouTube.

1.) My soul is lost, so lonely and so cold; just like a lamb that has strayed from the fold. Across the bare waste of sin I roam; Oh Gentle Shepherd, hear my cry and lead me Home.

2.) The hours go by, on frightened wings of flight; while wolves of hell are waiting for the night, to claim the soul that wanders from the fold; – Oh Gentle Shepherd, hear my cry and save my soul.

3.) Oh Gentle Shepherd, hear my lonely cry, and in thy cool green pasture let me lie; beside the still clear waters lead Thou me. Oh Gentle Shepherd, safe forever more with thee.

To become a part of this precious flock, Romans 10:9-13 gives the steps. Once we have called out to be saved, the Holy Spirit will come and dwell in us until we go Home. For some, this will be through death; and for some, it will be through the Rapture. Either way, once our last breath is taken here, we will be with our Gentle Shepherd. If it is by death, Paul says in Philippians 1:23, “to depart and be with Christ.” This tells us we would be with Him immediately.

For those who choose the world, God will not force them to accept His Son. However, they will have their moment at the Great White Throne of Revelation 20:11-15. There will be no pardons there, and the sentences will be final for all eternity.

All who call on Jesus to be their Savior will be saved. There is nothing additional, such as works or money donations to earn or buy our way in. This is made clear in Ephesians 2:8-9; “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not of your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works so that no one may boast.”

Our Heavenly Father is never too busy to take our call. Jesus will accept all who call on Him to be their Savior. John 10:14-16; “I am the Good Shepherd. I know My own, and My own know Me, just as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. So, there will be one flock; one Shepherd.”

The initial “My own” referred to the Jewish people who would accept the Savior. In verse 16, Jesus includes “other sheep,” which reaches out to every other living soul on the earth. It still applies today. He verified the promise that “All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21 and Romans 10:13).

Today would not be too early to call out and become a part of the Gentle Shepherd’s flock. We could very well rise up at any moment to meet Him in the air, to go to our “Eternal Green Pasture.” The choice is entirely up to each and every individual. Don’t be left behind as fair game to the “wolves of hell,” as the song says. That would be an unnecessary tragedy.

The call is free, and so is the gift of eternal life. You too can then say, “Oh Gentle Shepherd, come quickly.” His call for the flock will be very soon, as told in Luke 21:28. All the signs began several years ago. God’s timing is perfect.

Come, Lord Jesus! Shalom!

huebshman46@gmail.com

 

 

The Coming False Flag of Pride :: By Charles Gray Adams Jr

Proverbs 16:18

“Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Pride caused the fall of Satan, angels, and mankind.[1] Satan’s lie to himself, which stemmed from thinking more of himself than he should have, is not only the first lie ever told, it is also the source of pride which has brought great destruction to all who have fallen for his deception. Previously, the article “First Horseman of the Apocalypse” speaks of the bow of the first horseman as a flag bearing a rainbow rather than a weapon.[2] This article will focus on the pride associated with this coming false flag.

Along with the primary focus of this article, two additional goals will be pursued. The first is to illuminate the greatest problem for those who walk in pride, the rejection of any corrective criticism, which manifests in their labeling anyone who disagrees with them as intolerant. The second goal is to shed light on the true purpose of the movement, which is preparing the way for the coming false flag of pride.

Pride

Pride causes the proud to become, over time, assured of their own supremacy. This perceived dominion clouds the judgment of those who succumb to this heinous deception. The primary reason for calling pride deceptive is the fact that pride left unhindered will eventually lead anyone to believe they are god. If one is god, whatsoever this god believes goes, even if what is believed is absolutely absurd. This is true of the Gay Pride Movement, which has grown by leaps and bounds in the last couple of decades.

Not long ago, the lifestyle promoted by the Gay Pride/LGBTQ Movement was considered taboo. Hence, the term used by someone who decides to be forthcoming about their alternative sexual persuasion is “coming out of the closet.” This term seems odd since this lifestyle is now mainstream. Ironically, those who are now liberated from the former closet are busy forcing anyone who disagrees with them into the closet. Accordingly, it is no longer appropriate to say anything less than affirming to someone who is now openly walking in pride. When someone does try to point out the eternal danger involved in this chosen path, those who promote the sanctity of the LGBTQ lifestyle are quick to countermand them by labeling them intolerant.

The Intolerant

Invariably, when confronted with opinions that differ from their own, the champions of this newly liberated segment of society openly display the pride which has them trapped in a vice that will ultimately lead to their destruction. This pride has led to the development of a growing sect of society that has become so haughty that they believe themselves superior to anyone else, so much so that they absolutely refuse any advice that might actually liberate them from the evil that holds them captive.

Unfortunately, this haughty spirit is leading to a great fall. In biblical terms, this pride and haughtiness causes the refusal of listening to the truth and rejection of the Holy Spirit, both of which make salvation very difficult since faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Rom 10:17, emphasis mine) and conviction comes from The Holy Spirit (John 16:8). Sadly, most who are beholden to the pride lifestyle refuse to listen to anything about God, let alone His Word, and conviction is being mitigated by elevating this sin to the position of righteousness.

Think about the true gravity of this for a second; if sin is no longer sin, why does one need to repent? Perhaps, this is why woe is pronounced upon those who call evil good and good evil (Isa 5:20).

Before assuming this is saying this lifestyle is unforgivable, keep in mind, in John 16:9, Jesus declared that the Holy Spirit convicts, “Of sin, because they believe not on me.” Jesus makes it very clear that the paramount sin is not believing on Him. Therefore, the so-called ‘gay’ lifestyle is no greater a sin than any other. The problem is this type of sin tends to, as indicated by the very name of the movement (Pride), cause the rejection of any other mindset. Lately, this rejection has become so fierce that many are caving to the lie instead of standing for the truth.

One example of this encroachment can be seen in the church, where many former churches have succumbed to the pressure exerted by the power brokers of this movement. The term ‘former churches’ was chosen because these are no longer churches. Instead, they are social gatherings that are churches in name only. Oh, the grief that will be felt by these so-called churches when God begins His judgment in the church:

1 Peter 4:17

“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?”

The infiltration of the church is but one sign of the malignity of this movement. From its lowly beginnings, in the closet, this movement of pride is now salting the entire planet. Every facet of society is currently affected by the challenges that come with promoting this abhorrent lifestyle. Education, government, the church, and even sports are being overwhelmed by the problems associated with this walk of pride. The question is, why is this happening?

Preparing the Way

Man is the pinnacle of God’s creation. This is evidenced by the fact that he is the only creature made in God’s image (Gen 1:26-27). This is further affirmed by the fact that God gave man dominion over all other creatures He had made (Gen 1:28-30).

Since Satan desires to be god, it would appear that his chief method of achieving this is to cause men to reject the true God and form a new alliance with him where each is their own god. Perhaps, the surest way for him to achieve this is to confuse man about who he is via gender confusion. After all, if one can decide what sex they are, it would stand to reason that all other decisions are to be made without the counsel of God.

Herein lies the problem. God made male and female, and these two, who become one in marriage (Gen 2:24; Mark 10:8), then produce offspring who are also either male or female (Gen 1:27). This is how God designed and implemented procreation. From this model, all of humanity has stemmed; from Adam and Eve to you and me.

However, the ever-faithful deceiver, Satan, wishes to turn creation on its head by convincing the created that they are not what God made them. Instead, they can be whatever they desire to be. In other words, the creation is no longer just dominant over all creatures, they are dominant over God. Unfortunately, this mindset is taking hold at an alarming pace. Here are a few examples:

A child is now going to school as a boy and playing at being a girl while at school and returning home as a boy, and vice versa. The incredible thing about this is the school systems are helping and, in some cases, encouraging the child’s delusion. How can this child ever realize their God-given potential if they have been deluded into accepting the lie that they are god over their own genetics?

Parents are succumbing to this mania as well; some are helping their child ‘change sexes’ at a very young age, often so young that the child has no real sense of what it means to be a boy or girl yet. This means the change is the preference of the parents. Unfortunately, this trend is expanding rapidly.

One last example is worthy of mention. This mindset has crept into the church to such a degree that pastors are coming to church and preaching in drag. Sadly, this is but one indicator that these churches are no longer legitimate. Some of the reasons this is happening have been dealt with in the aforementioned article, “The Greatest Lie Ever Told: The Origin of All Lies,” and the article, “Only the Ready are Raptured.” [3] These articles point out that the church is losing its savor, and the Bible is now being altered in its translation in order to please the reader. And one such alteration is the removal of any intolerant references to the gay lifestyle.

Incredibly, all of the aforementioned describes only the beginning of this movement’s tenure, especially if the bow of the soon-coming first horseman is, in fact, a rainbow flag.

The Coming False Flag

All of these examples point to the coming false flag of pride. The first horseman of the apocalypse will come forth conquering and to conquer (Rev 6:2). At the same time, he is spoken of by Daniel as one who will come in a different manner than his predecessors (Dan 7:24). Indeed, he will regard no other gods, for he will magnify himself above them all (Dan 11:37). Finally, he will destroy many by peace (Dan 8:25). This latter point raises the question, if he destroys many by peace, how can his bow represent a weapon?

The aforementioned article, “First Horseman of the Apocalypse,” points out that this bow could actually depict a flag or banner since the Greek word for bow is ‘toxon,’ which has its root in the word ‘tikto,’ which means “the simplest fabric.” Therefore, John could be saying that he saw a rider who carried a flag or banner which displayed a rainbow just like those seen at any gay pride event. This would therefore mean that the antichrist first arrives as an arbiter of peace whose chief weapon, pride, causes people to believe they have every right to choose their own identity, thus overruling the God of creation, which is the epitome of pride.

Keep in mind, when this first rider arrives, he will be preaching to the choir, so to speak, as the true church has just been raptured, removing the restrainer, which must happen before the antichrist can be revealed (2 Thess 2:7-8).[4] Therefore, this group will be greatly energized by the fact that their champion arrives, waving their flag, right after those pesky Christians vanish. The fact that he, the antichrist, speaks great words of arrogance (Dan 7:8), and blasphemies (Rev 13:5), and marvellous things against the God of gods (Dan 11:36), indicates that he will be ‘Pride’ personified. It is, therefore, only logical that he will arrive under the banner of pride.

Some may argue that the antichrist does not arrive until the midpoint of the Tribulation, as seen in Revelation chapter thirteen. However, close examination of the text reveals that he is indeed the first horseman of the apocalypse who begins to conquer at the very onset of the Tribulation. Perhaps, he will do so by assuming command of the already burgeoning pride movement, which has already infiltrated all of society. This would explain his being considered most blasphemous since the act of the creature telling God the creator that he was wrong about their gender or sexual persuasion is great blasphemy, indeed.

During the first half of the Tribulation, the antichrist, who arises to power with very few people (Dan 11:23), will gain strength until he comes into his full might right after the now cast to earth Satan gives him his seat and authority and power (Rev 13:2). This is when his full fury against any who will not submit to his authority comes to the fore. This will happen near the midpoint of the Tribulation; therefore, it may appear that he only arrives at this point. However, he will have already been on the scene, conquering, for some time.

This brings to mind the fact that, not long ago, the White House was adorned with the colors of the rainbow in celebration of marriage equality. Our parents would have never dreamed such a thing possible. After all, until recently, judges knew without question the distinction between a man and a woman. Now, even the simplest of things are in doubt. All of this confusion stems from the arrogance of men thinking they know better than God.

This is not to say the antichrist is already revealed. His ride has not begun because the church is still here. However, his forerunners are already working diligently to ensure the landscape is prepared for the arrival of their champion. One thing is for sure; these have the same prideful spirit that he will conquer with. Therefore, when he does emerge, they and he will be like two peas in a pod. In other words, his army of sycophants is already forming.

One final point should be made about those who await the ride of the first horseman. As seen before, he will rise to power with a few people. This could be referring to this very group of people who make up the LGBTQ community, for they actually represent a small fraction of society. According to a recent Gallup poll, 7.1 percent of U.S. adults identify as LGBT.[5] This would definitely fit the description of a few people. Incredibly, though this group is small, they have managed to gain tremendous influence in a very short time. Imagine their growth when all of the children now being deluded into not knowing what sex they are come of age.

The last statement indicates that the rapture must be very close. Think about it; the very fabric of society is crumbling at such a fast pace that the end is palpable. Indeed, everywhere you look, there is another sign of the coming Tribulation. Therefore, the rapture, which comes first, is truly imminent. If you are reading this after the rapture, the article “Open Letter to Those Who Miss the Rapture” is for you.[6]

Plea to the Proud

Before concluding, if you are reading this as a participant or supporter of the LGBTQ lifestyle, please know this information is not intended to be intolerant. Instead, this article is written to bring hope to anyone who is separated from God by any type of sin. After all, knowing that sin is a problem is the very beginning of the narrow path, which alone can lead to full recovery from any sin. By the way, at the end of the line, each individual, great and small, will be judged by God based on their own actions.

Revelation 20:11-15

“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

Citing the coming judgment is important because sin causes one to flee the only true hope available, God. Eventually, this flight develops into pride which, in essence, is believing one is god, in the sense that no one else can tell said god what to do. However, there is hope, and it starts with returning to a place of knowledge that God is. The following verse is, as indicated, the beginning of recovery. The fear spoken of should be understood as reverence for the Lord. In other words, believing God is God and no one else is.

Proverbs 9:10

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”

Matthew 7:13-14

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

With this in mind, reject the pride that disallows the belief of the truth that there is a living God who made a way through Jesus Christ for each one who believes on Him to live.

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Conclusion

Pride will be the downfall of many. The chief reason is they are too proud to acknowledge the need of a Savior. This condition is exacerbated by the fact that the proud see other opinions as intolerant simply because they disagree with their own. Further difficulty arises when sin is no longer sin. This problem deepens even further when the church, which is supposed to correct the errant, disregards the duty to warn of the dangers involved with violating God’s prescribed way to behave.

Therefore, the one who comes bearing the flag of pride will seem like the perfect answer for those who are already operating in this sin. After all, if the leadership is affirming this aberrant lifestyle, it must be the way to live. However, this flag is false because pride is the very thing that separates man from God. It represents the very antithesis of what God wants for man. This is why Jesus came as a lowly servant to die for all mankind, including the proud, so they might see the error of their ways:

Mark 10:45

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Website: In His Commission

April 14th, 2022

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[1] For greater understanding, see the article, “The Greatest Lie Ever Told: The Origin of All Lies.

[2] For greater understanding, see the article, “First Horseman of the Apocalypse.

[3] For greater understanding, see the article, “Only the Ready are Raptured.

[4] For greater understanding, see the article, “The Man of Sin Arising.”

[5] Gallup poll, What Percentage of Americans are LGBT?, 2021

[6] For greater understanding, see the article, “Open Letter to Those Who Miss the Rapture.”