I am truly amazed when I consider how blessed we are in our ability to communicate the gospel and Biblical truth in our ministries today.

I am even more astonished when I think about how far the Lord has brought us, personally, in this regard, in just three-and-a-half years with The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry.

Of course, in a perfect world, we would have had everything we are doing now all laid out ahead of time—planned, prepared, produced, and ready to unveil before we ever stepped into our first ministry assignment.

Life and ministry, however, are never perfect. We learn by doing. We grow as we are able, as we go—sometimes even as we are stretched.

A turning point for us in our commitment to better communication in our ministry, and toward the greater use of technology in general, came with the shutdowns for the pandemic in 2020. Unable to travel, we had the time, opportunity, and necessity to expand our reach online.

Fortunately, I knew immediately how I wanted to go about doing that. Having assisted Dr. John Whitcomb in operating his page on SermonAudio.com since it launched in 2003, I always knew that I wanted to establish my own outreach there—which I did in April of 2020 at SermonAudio.com/pscharf.

Incidentally, SermonAudio.com/Whitcomb went past a million total sermon downloads in 2021. Since there have been roughly 414 million sermon downloads in the entire history of SermonAudio, that means that about one out of every 400 sermons listened to on the whole website has come from Dr. Whitcomb. That is truly astounding!

I cannot imagine how we ever conducted our ministry for The Friends of Israel without being on SermonAudio. Basically, everything we do, technologically speaking, now revolves around our presence there. And SermonAudio continually adds new features and provides greater tools to accomplish more—more easily.

Steven Lee, the founder of SermonAudio, visited the IFCA International Annual Convention recently in Albuquerque, N.M. I got to meet him in person for the first time and was able to thank him again for the incredible impact of his ministry.

The Lord has graciously allowed us to advance on other technological fronts, as well. I am grateful for SharperIron.org running this column since I began producing it in this current format in 2020. Recently, I have been blessed to make new connections with Dr. Jimmy DeYoung, Jr., who has added me as a broadcast partner and runs my sermons at ProphecyToday.com. RaptureReady.com has also started sharing my articles as a contributor to their website. In addition, the Lord supplied a faithful, expert volunteer to help us get our weekly e-newsletter off the ground in the last year, allowing us to share all of our news and content conveniently and broadly.

We want to be careful to give God all the praise for such advancements and opportunities while also continually looking for new ways to multiply the effectiveness of our ministry.

Jesus did tell us: “By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matt. 12:37). And His half-brother taught us: “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment” (James 3:1).

It seems reasonable that one part of that “stricter judgment” may relate to whether or not we have seized every opportunity that is rightfully available to us to get the message out in the short span of time that is ours.

And yet, right there, we are reminded of how incredibly frail, fragile, and fleeting this amazing ability to communicate that we now enjoy truly is—especially in the age of cancel culture. And we face not only this previously unexpected scourge of censorship but also the bane of cyberattacks, which threaten each of us daily.

I recently had the opportunity to interview Steven Lee about these very significant issues. The video of that interview is available on my SermonAudio page, and it will become the basis of my next columns, as I use this content to resume and conclude my series called “Two Years Later: Where Are We Now?”

I pray that these articles will be a help and encouragement to all who read them toward the further expansion of the great ministry to which we have all been called—exercising our amazing ability to communicate for the glory of God.

——

Paul J. Scharf (M.A., M.Div., Faith Baptist Theological Seminary) is a church ministries representative for The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, based in Columbus, WI, and serving in the Midwest. For more information on his ministry, visit sermonaudio.com/pscharf or foi.org/scharf, or email pscharf@foi.org.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version.

 

“My Jesus, I love Thee; I know thou art mine.” “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus; there’s just something about that name. Master, Savior, Jesus; like the fragrance after a rain.” “All my hope is in Jesus; thank God, my yesterday’s gone; all my sins are forgiven; I’ve been washed in the blood.” “In Christ alone, my hope is found; He is my light, my strength, my song.” “Jesus paid it all; all to Him I owe; sin had left a crimson stain; He washed it white as snow.” “What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear.” (ESV – all emphasis mine)

This list could go on and on and would cover numerous generations of authors and praise and worship songs from many writers and performers. For the Christians, these hymns put a melody in our minds and a peace and true hope in our hearts. For the unbelievers, this is nothing but foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:18). Today, the division is more pronounced, and definite lines have been drawn.

In some countries today, anyone who professes faith in our Lord and Savior can be subject to martyrdom. In the not-too-distant future, this will be worldwide. Even in America today, the dividing lines are becoming more and more prevalent. Activities that used to be kept “in the closet” have come out in the open as being the “new normal.” The increasing satanic influence is obvious to those who are following Jesus.

Some evangelical churches that were previously Biblical in their teachings have “new age” pastors who are actually false prophets that we were warned about in the Bible. Sin is not addressed in their messages, and in some denominations, all forms of sexual behavior are being given as perfectly normal for today’s culture. Messages are meant to “tickle ears” with rhythmic music arrangements that have nothing to do with worshiping the Savior.

This is not unexpected by our Father, His Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Paul lists numerous actions and attitudes that will be present at the end of this age (2 Timothy 3:1-5). Jesus said there would be more people on the broad pathway to destruction than on the straight and narrow path to eternal life (Matthew 7:13-14).

Peter told about the “scoffers” in the last days in 2 Peter 3. And in 1 John, chapters 2 through 5, the Apostle tells us about false prophets and antichrists that will be more and more out in the open. John stated they were already present during his time, and he gave numerous examples of what we are to watch for.

When someone takes note of all the increased evil and hate that is here today, we can honestly say the “birthing pains” have more than just started. Jesus told us that when all this “starts to happen,” He will soon be close to coming back for His flock (Luke 21:28).

For all who put their faith and trust in this world, there is a terrible eternity waiting for them. Some are so far lost and Satan-possessed that God will be giving them a “deluding influence” so they will continue to believe what is false (2 Thessalonians 2:11). All who would repent and seek the forgiveness of the Savior will change their eternal address. This includes every living soul on this earth as long as they do so before taking their last breath here. After that, whatever their status was – saved or lost – is set for them for all eternity.

There is only one way to eternal life. John 14:6; “Jesus said to him, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” Only Jesus!

No one else left a Holy Kingdom as part of the Heavenly Triune Godhead and became flesh so that we could have the perfect advocate. Only Jesus!

No one else ever lived a sinless, perfect life as a human so that their sacrifice could be accepted by the Heavenly Father. Only Jesus!

No one else willingly (John 10:18) went to a cruel cross, bled and died for us – for me. Only Jesus!

For the triumph, no one else was raised from the dead and conquered sin and death for all who would call on Him. Only Jesus!

With this in mind, please consider a song by Casting Crowns that was released in 2018 titled “Only Jesus.”

1.) Make it count, leave a mark, build a name for yourself. Dream your dreams, chase your heart, above all else. Make a name the world remembers. But all an empty world can sell is empty dreams. I got lost in the light when it was up to me to make a name the world remembers; but Jesus is the only name to remember.

Ref.) And I don’t want to leave a legacy; I don’t care if they remember me; Only Jesus. And I, I’ve got one life to live; I’ll let every second point to Him; Only Jesus.

2.) All the kingdoms built, all the trophies won, will crumble into dust when it’s said and done. ‘Cause all that really mattered, did I live the truth to the ones I love? Was my life the proof that there is only One whose name will last forever?

Jesus is the only name; Jesus is the only name; Jesus is the only name to remember. Oh, Jesus is the only name; Jesus is the only name; Jesus is the only name to remember.

When all is said and done, how will you be able to answer the Father when He asks, “What did you do about My Son?” He won’t be asking about any works you may have done. He won’t be checking how many man-made religious rules you followed. His question, plain and simple, is did you receive and accept the gift My Son gave so that you could be with Me forever? Nothing we could ever do could earn or buy even one second in Heaven. Our deeds are as filthy rags to the Father (Isaiah 64:6).

Jesus is one-third of the Godhead, and with the Father and Holy Spirit, has always existed. John 1:1-4 plainly states this, and as verse 3 states, “All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.”

Our God is all-knowing (Omniscient), all-powerful (Omnipotent), everywhere at once (Omnipresent). When humans sinned in the Garden of Eden, our Father was not taken by surprise. He knew that eventually He would have to provide the “payment” for the sins of His created beings, and the Old Testament is a record of all that was done prior to our Savior becoming fully human to be that payment. Even though Jesus was fully human, He still was fully God. He willingly gave Himself as the only pure blood sacrifice that would be able to save us (John 10:18).

God allowed His Son to be beaten and nailed to a cross in our stead. Jesus died; He did not “swoon” and survive the crucifixion as some would have you believe. He was buried, and His body remained in that tomb until the Father rose Him up from the dead that third day. When Jesus told the thief that he would be with Him that day, when The Savior died, his spirit went to the Father, just as ours does when a believer dies. He came forth out of the grave victorious over sin and death and has offered the gift of eternal life to all who will call on Him to forgive them and be their eternal Savior.

This does not mean for any particular “religion” but for every human that is on this earth who will truly accept Him. As Peter said in Acts 4:12, “And there is Salvation in no one else, for there is no other name given under Heaven among men by which we must be saved.”

Only Jesus! No one else. Is it any wonder that this would be the only requirement our Father insists on? If someone worships a deity other than Jesus, God will allow them to do so, but they will end up at the Revelation 20:11-15 White Throne Judgment to receive their eternal condemnation.

Only Jesus – “Spread the tidings all around, Jesus Saves; Jesus Saves.” God will force no one but will accept all who call on His Son to be saved (Romans 10:13).

This world as we know it is rapidly coming to a close. Before the next phase begins, Jesus will call up all of His true followers to meet him in the clouds to keep us from the coming Tribulation. It’s completely your choice to make – at Home with Jesus, or here on earth to be ruled by Satan’s antichrist.

He is waiting for your call, but it won’t be for much longer. Today would be the absolute best time to make your decision in favor of the Gentle Shepherd. Tomorrow could be “a day late, and a dollar short,” as the old saying goes. Only, money isn’t the issue; your eternal soul is at stake.

Shalom aleichem – Peace be with you!

huebshman46@gmail.com