Romans 10:17; “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Matthew 17:19-20; “Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, ‘Why could we not cast it out? [a demon].’ He said to them, ‘Because of your little faith. For truly I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” (ESV – all emphasis mine)

To give a bit of perspective, a mustard seed is smaller than the middle of a typed “o.” Doesn’t seem like much, but in today’s world, even that much faith in the Lord is missing. If something can’t be seen or touched, belief becomes difficult. The turning away from Jesus is becoming more evident with each passing day. Video games and “chat” rooms are opened a whole lot more than Bibles. Also, a number of previously Bible-based churches are becoming entertainment centers, and the true word of God is absent.

Missouri is commonly known as a “show-me” state, which implies they will only believe what can actually be shown to them. When it comes to Christianity, our whole country is acting like a “show-me” nation. Sadly, Satan is only too willing to present every kind of so-called earthly pleasure that will draw multitudes of people away from Jesus, and he knows every “lure” there is to tempt us.

Our Savior’s message is plain, simple, and in easy-to-understand words. 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.” That leaves little room for any other meaning to anyone who believes the Bible is the inerrant word of God. And therein lies a big problem. The New Testament is full of warnings about false prophets and antichrists being present and influencing the masses, especially near the end of this age. They were here in Jesus’ time, and their numbers have grown a lot in just the past couple decades. Satan has his minions proclaiming that there are many ways to heaven without Jesus; all religions worship the same god; all sexual relationships are perfectly okay; and so on and so forth.

This world can be very confusing without telling a child they can be any gender they wish. Matthew 19:4; “He answered, have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female?” Mark 10:6 echoes this; “But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.” Nowhere in the Bible does it say anything about humans having a choice of what gender they are. That’s pure satanic.

With all this confusion taking place in the world today, it would seem logical for us to go to the source the Creator gave us as our instruction manual. Some have said the word “BIBLE” actually stands for “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.” God doesn’t force His word upon us, but it is there for our use, if we choose to study it. There are several true interpretations to help us understand what is written, and a study Bible is an invaluable source of learning.

John 14:6, as given, is a definite statement that tells us Jesus is the only way to eternal life. Acts 4:12 makes the same statement; “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.” Furthermore, Joel 2:32, Acts 2:21, and Romans 10:13 all tell us that “All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Seems this would be enough to convince everyone that if they have Jesus in their hearts, they will have eternal life in an imperishable, immortal, pain-free, death-free, forever body. But first of all, they must accept God’s word as truth, not as just a book of fairytales and myths.

Romans 10:9-13 gives the steps to Salvation in ABC form. First, we admit and confess we’re sinners; believe and have faith that Jesus died for our sins and that God raised Him from the dead; and we are to call on Jesus to forgive us and to be our Savior forever.

Simple enough, but for some, it’s too simple. Surely, to get a place in heaven, we must do “x” number of good deeds to earn or buy our way in, don’t we? After all, there can’t be anything such as a free gift of eternal life for everyone, is there?

How about Ephesians 2:8-9; “For by Grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works so that no one may boast.” We’re saved by the Grace of Jesus, through the Mercy of the Father, with a gift we could never “afford” on our own.

James 3:1 is a warning that I take very seriously; “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”

Romans 10:14-15 puts in perspective why myself and others try to get the true messages out. “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news.'” The good news is what “Gospel” stands for, and the passage Paul referred to is Isaiah 52:7-8.

It has never been my intent to impress others with “eloquent speech” filled with fifty-cent words when nickel words would do just fine. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 14:19, “Nevertheless, in church, I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others than a thousand words in a tongue.” Jesus’ Church is all the believers of the world, not a building that people go to for a couple hours each week. Anywhere the Gospel is given is Church. Our Savior gave messages and parables from boats at the shore, on hillsides, and just about any other place other than the Temple that was there. He stated, “For where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I among them” (Matthew 18:20).

Today, more than ever before, we all need to have Jesus as our Savior. This era is rapidly coming to a close, and the next one will be absolutely terrible, especially for anyone who tries to receive and accept Jesus as their Savior. God has promised to keep all true believers from that time of wrath/tribulation. That will be through the “taking up,” “Harpazo,” or “Rapture” which takes place before the ultimate evil one begins his 7-year reign. Our Heavenly Father will provide comfort and security for all who accept Jesus. We may face some persecution here, but our faith lies in our Father’s word that our eternity will be wonderful. He cannot lie, as given in Titus 1:2.

Right now, the evil one is being held back by the Holy Spirit, but during the 7-year tribulation, the world, through Satan, will lead you down many fearful and confusing and evil paths. There will still be a possibility of calling out and being saved during that period, but most likely at the cost of your life.

As for entering eternity, all who refuse the gift from Jesus that He paid so dearly for and by accepting the things of this world rather than Him, it will be a very painful forever. What is available here on this earth isn’t even a blink of an eye compared to eternity. Revelation 20:11-15 tells of all the unbelievers’ final judgment. The antichrist, false prophet, and Satan will already be in the Lake of Fire – Hell. All the cartoons of little devils tormenting people there are so wrong. Satan and all his demons will have their own misery and won’t torment anyone else.

This is so unnecessary to endure. It’s your free-will choice of where you will spend eternity – Heaven or Hell. And yes, it’s just that plain and simple. Receive and accept Jesus as your Savior, and have faith and believe He will forgive you and save you. Heaven will be your eternal home.

Reject Him, and it will be Hell forever with no chance of pardon. No one has committed sins that are bad enough that they cannot repent and be saved. The thief on the cross next to Jesus was saved because he accepted Jesus before taking his last breath. The unforgiveable sin is to not have Jesus when you die. Jesus could return at any minute now, as everything that had to be done before His call has been accomplished. It’s just a matter of time before the Father sends Jesus to gather His “flock” and to take us Home.

Call today – right now would not be too soon.

huebshman46@gmail.com

An Exposition

Hebrews 1:5-14: “The Son is Exalted Above the Angels”

“For to which of the angels did He ever say, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You?’ And again, ‘I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to me as a Son?’ But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, ‘Let all the angels of God worship Him.’ And of the angels He says, ‘Who makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire.”

“But to the Son He says, ‘Your throne O GOD, is forever and ever, a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions.’ And: ‘You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You remain, and they will all grow old like a garment; like a cloak You will fold them up, and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years shall not fail.”

“But to which of the angels has He ever said, ‘Sit at My right hand, until I make your enemies Your footstool.’ Are they all not ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:5-14, NKJV).

Hollywood and television have a love affair with angels and other supernatural creatures yet produce programs and films that blaspheme and spew hatred towards God and His Son. They rarely allow any kind of film or program to be produced that gets most of the facts about Jesus straight, or at least some kind of logical order to His life and work. A couple of years ago, one of the cable networks put on a ten-part special about the Bible and garnered several thousand views, although a lot of liberty was taken with the characters and their situations. I remember the time when NBC, of all places, ran the classic miniseries “Jesus of Nazareth” for a week, and it drew a large viewership.

Whenever the story of Jesus is presented that is based primarily on the Scriptures and not someone’s imagination, attention is given to the role of the angelic host in heralding His birth and other episodes in His life, such as the temptation from the Fallen Angel Satan, the casting of demons out of people, and the day of His resurrection when the angels told the women that Jesus no longer occupied the tomb, that He was alive, and with this came the greatest change in the direction and history of humanity that still affects us today.

Brethren in Christ have told stories of what they believed were times when an unseen force or guardian kept them from harm or comforted them in a time of distress. There are also the times when those who were dying in the assuredness of eternal life in Christ tell their loved ones that they could hear the singing and praise of the angels as they took their final breath here and entered glory. Unfortunately, there are also stories of people who died unredeemed and lost in their sins, crying out in terror as they saw the demonic host carry them off into hell’s flames. The testimonies of those who witnessed the demise of non-believers and their descent into darkness have said they would never want to see such a spectacle again.

What are angels, according to the Scriptures, what are they designed to do, and are they to be placed on a level of reverence as some people tend to believe, especially those who are in what is referred to as “New Age” thinking and mysticism?

The first fact to know about these beings is that they, like all of us and the universe, are a creation of God (Psalm 148:2, 5; Colossians 1:16). They are spiritual beings who are immortal, having a beginning but no ending (Hebrews 1:14; Luke 20:36). Two-thirds of them are in the presence of God in heaven and are holy in nature (Matthew 25:31). They are innumerable, wise, and powerful (2 Samuel 14:17, 20; Psalm 103:20; Hebrews 12:22). They are elect, chosen to serve and praise God and are meek in nature, not seeking attention or notoriety (1 Timothy 5:21; Jude 1:9).

Jesus taught that the angels do not marry as we do (Matthew 22:30). They tend to remain invisible to us, and display emotion and concern towards us when God calls them to assist us (Numbers 22:22-31; Luke 15:10; 1 Peter 1:12). They have been known to assume human form (Genesis 18:2-8). They are not perfect beings, as many followed Lucifer in his rebellion towards God (Isaiah 14:12-17) and were cast out of heaven, unrepentant and fully aware that they are headed for eternal hell as their punishment (Matthew 25:41; Mark 5:7; Revelation 20:10-15). Like an army, angels are assigned ranks and responsibilities by God (Isaiah 6:2; 1 Thessalonians 4:16). They perform their duties as given by the LORD.

Angelic ministry and duties are listed in Scripture. They guide us (Genesis 24:7, 40), provide for us (1 Kings 19:5-8), protect us (Psalm 34:7), deliver us from peril (Daniel 6:22), will direct activities that glorify God (Acts 8:26), provide comfort (Acts 27:23-24), and minister to us as needed (Hebrews 1:14). They are not as benevolent towards unbelievers, as they can bring about their destruction (Genesis 19:13), can place curses from God upon them (Judges 5:23), send pestilences (2 Samuel 24:15-17), and are given the authority to bring about persecution of the ungodly as well as their death (Psalm 35:5-6; Acts 12:23).

Angels waited upon Christ while on Earth and serve Him in heaven today (Daniel 7:10; Matthew 13:41, 16:27, 24:31, 25:31, 26:53; Mark 8:38; Luke 2:13, 9:26, 22:43; John 1:51; 2 Thessalonians 1:7; Hebrews 1:6; Revelation 1:1, 5:11). They will not accept worship as God’s messengers and servants (Revelation 22:6-11).

That was what Lucifer desired, even going so far as to think that he could get Jesus to bow down to him during the time of temptation in the Judean desert (Matthew 4:8-9; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:5-8). He believed that by offering the Creator of all things (John 1:1-4; Colossians 1:15-16) the kingdoms of the world, He would bypass the need to die for the sins of the world. Jesus rebuked Him by using the Scriptures, and he left for a time. Jesus had to rebuke Peter by calling him “Satan” for trying to dissuade Him from going to the cross and be the “Suffering Servant,” as prophesied in the book of Isaiah (Matthew 16:22-23).

Satan and his fallen angelic horde, known as demons, have attempted to thwart the work of Christ and His followers since the birth of the church at Pentecost (Acts 2). He pretends to be an “angel of light” as a means of deceiving as many people as he can to join him in hell, not for any companionship, but as a way of getting back at God since he has nothing to lose. While for now, he has some freedoms (Job 1:12; Luke 4:6, 22:53; Acts 26:18; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 6:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:9; Hebrews 2:14), he knows all too well he is a defeated foe (Genesis 3:15; Luke 4:13; John 12:20, 14:30; 2 Thessalonians 2:8; Hebrews 2:14; 1 John 3:8; Revelation 20:10).

His deceptive work has caused people to believe they have heard “messages from angels.” This has resulted in the spread of false religions such as Islam, Mormonism, New Age, varied cults, and the worship of the devil himself, which is rapidly growing here in the United States and worldwide.

Satanism is known for its malevolent practices and dark rituals designed to blaspheme and deride the power and person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Satanists want to deceive the gullible into thinking that the devil is more powerful than God. Theirs will be the rudest and most terrifying of awakenings to his evil intentions as these souls are inevitably cast into the Lake of Fire at the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15). They will be eternally condemned by their own words and works and pronounced guilty by none other than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

No one is to be worshipped or honored except the Lord Jesus Christ, not any angel or other being, not an earthly figure or dark leader of a questionable movement. Jesus Christ and He alone gives eternal peace, mercy, love, forgiveness, and grace that no other religion or lifestyle can provide (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 10:9-10).

This is the first of several proofs to the persecuted Jewish believers that Jesus is worth following, to be given all glory, praise, and honor, the eternal King now and always, and no one is His equal. What has been presented so far should convince you of the same conclusion.

donaldwhitchard@gmail.com

www.realitycityreverend.com