No Greater Love :: By Grant Phillips

When I was a young teenager back during the early 1960s, our church choir performed a few John W. Peterson cantatas on Easter Sundays. He must have been a man with a heart for God because the music he composed really blessed the heart. He wrote a lot of beautiful Christian music.

One year our choir sang an Easter cantata called “Hallelujah! What A Savior!” The following year we sang an Easter cantata called “No Greater Love.”

I, and others my age, sang with the adult choir on a regular basis. We spent a great deal of time in preparation for our performance of these great musicals, and I still warmly reflect on those years long ago.

I don’t know what made me think of the words “no greater love,” but when I did, these Easter cantatas came to mind as did the following Scripture verses.

“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

“Hallelujah” is only mentioned four times in Scripture (Revelation 19:1, 2, 4, and 6). (The KJV and NKJV list it as “Allelujah.”)

“Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns'” (Revelation 19:6).

As my mind recalls the music while I consider the greatness of our God, I am overwhelmed by the love He has for all of mankind. Even during the Tribulation, when His wrath is at fever pitch, His love shines through all the devastation as His patience waits for others to come to Him and be saved.

Yes, our God is a God of wrath against His enemies, but His love is there to save any who will come to Him. Even the enemy can be saved if they will turn and come to Him, acknowledging they are a sinner and asking Him, in belief, to save them too.

“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” (Romans 5:10).

There is nothing more tragic than one who lives his life on this earth and then dies without believing in Jesus. He may possess everything the world has to offer; riches, fame, beauty, power, but what good is it when death ends this life on earth?

We cannot buy our way into Heaven. Fame is only good while alive on earth; afterward, it means nothing. Our beauty is changed to a rotting corpse. None of us has enough power to come back to life and start over.

Only those who trust in Jesus can leave this world through the gate called “death” with a smile and peace in their soul. They have gathered riches in Heaven. They are known by God. The beauty of His righteousness is their beauty, and death has no power over them.

Riches for the Believer

“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal” (Matthew 6:20).

Fame for the Believer

“In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10).

Beauty for the Believer

“And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper” (Revelation 21:10-11).

Victory over Death for the Believer

“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:55, 57).

Every believer in Christ has everything to look forward to, but every unbeliever has nothing but judgment that waits in hell. We wonder why God would even care about us, but He does, and you can be saved if you repent (change your mind) and come to Him.

“But one testified in a certain place, saying:

‘What is man that You are mindful of him,

Or the son of man that You take care of him?

You have made him a little lower than the angels;

You have crowned him with glory and honor,

And set him over the works of Your hands.

You have put all things in subjection under his feet.’

For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him.

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:6-9).

Verse nine says it all. Jesus became one of us and died in our place that we might have life in Him.

One day every believer in Jesus will joyfully shout, “Hallelujah! What a Savior!” Every believer knows now and will understand even more so then that there is no greater love than God’s love for us. Our eyes will be opened to the wonders of God and Heaven.

“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12).

Every unbeliever in hell will be asking themselves, “Why didn’t I listen?”

Every unbeliever standing before the White Throne judgment will grasp for an excuse, hoping to avoid the Lake of Fire, but none will escape.

Every unbeliever suffering forever in the Lake of Fire will be separated from God forever, never having another opportunity of changing their fate. Every moment of the flames will be a reminder of all the opportunities they had but ignored.

In the following passage, the God of Heaven calls out to all who will listen:

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

“God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.

“And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.

“All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.

“But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants” (John 3:16-21).

There can be no greater love than the love God has shown for mankind. He has shown us that love by the sacrifice of His own Son to save all who will come to Him through His Son Jesus. Jesus gave His life, was buried and rose again for us.

Today … He can be our Savior and Lord. Once we leave this world … He can be our Savior if we accept Him today, or He will be our Judge if we reject Him.

Grant Phillips

Email: Phillip5769@twc.com

Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com

Rapture Ready: https://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html

Bless the Beasts and Children :: By Dennis Huebshman

One note before starting: this message is difficult to write as the content is very disturbing. It’s hard to imagine that the evil in this world has gotten so bad, that our children, especially young ladies, are in such peril. The only redeeming factor is it’s a sign we’re close to going Home. For those who will not have received and accepted Jesus as their Savior, it’s about to become the most horrible time they will ever spend. It will make today’s events seem like a Sunday picnic. (DRH – all emphasis mine)

Looking at all the evil depravity that is taking place in this world today is like watching the reasons Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed and why God destroyed everyone except Noah and his family in a worldwide flood. There has always been a degree of child and animal abuse, but the levels of this are rapidly increasing far beyond the evils of the past.

Along with the letters LGBTQ, there’s another that a certain part of society is trying to add, and that’s “P” for pedophiles. Just saw a comment from the Governor of California that says he can’t understand why his state is being “punished,” yet he just signed a bill reducing any penalty for pedophilia. There are actually satanic-led people who are advocating sexual relations between adults and children of all ages as being somehow normal. Sadly, their evil desires are gaining popularity. By the way, all the letters involve acts that God labeled as abominable, and He does not change His mind on any of them.

Let’s look at how our Savior viewed children. Matthew 19:13-15; “Then children were brought to Him that He might lay His hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the Kingdom of Heaven.’ And He laid His hands on them and went away.”

Matthew 18:1-6; “At that time, the disciples came to Jesus saying, ‘Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven’? And calling to Him a child, He put him in the midst of them and said, ‘Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever humbles himself/herself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him/her to have a great millstone fastened around his/her neck, and be drowned in the depth of the sea.’”

These passages do not leave a lot of room for debate. What’s so pathetic is the trend of today’s media, in numerous forms, giving positive reinforcement in their “reporting” to such garbage that the radical left is spewing out. I was fortunate to grow up in the 1950’s and 1960’s when cartoons and “kid” programs were entertaining and fit for the whole family to watch.

Since the Vietnam protest era of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, a satanic attitude has emerged. Today, the protesters have become the “educational” leaders, and now they are out in the open as never before. Even the Disney cartoon features are incorporating the LGBT messages in their programs. Knowing how Walt Disney tried to keep his productions pure, I have no doubt that he would be sickened by having his name associated with such smut.

Old fashioned “Super Heroes” are being updated to include the transgender and gay themes. How about the “drag queen” storytime events that are being imposed on very young children. There are those who are even including “drag kids” in their presentations. Anyone who comes out and criticizes such garbage is subject to being labeled as a hater and anti-LGBTQ bigot. Personally, I have no problem being labeled as such, as I’m sure my Heavenly Father will have the last word on this.

Is it any wonder that children of all ages are being kidnapped and sold to “sex rings”? This is increasing daily as this world turns more and more to the rule of the prince of darkness. One of the pedophile mantras is “Love knows no age.” If we are talking about a parent’s love for their child, I would totally agree. If we’re talking about loving children as Jesus did, with no hint of any sexual connotation, I would agree with this also.

However, when it involves 11-year-old girls performing porn acts in a movie on Netflix, I have a real problem justifying any part of it. Be assured, I have not watched even one frame of this production, but have read several Christian commentaries about it. No matter what the writers, director or actors may say, this is a form of child abuse at its worst, and it’s sickening.

In the matter of animal abuse, there’s stories on social media every day about some terrible abuses of God’s creatures. Some are stories of rescue and rehabilitation; some are just features of terrible and hostile treatment. For anyone to think these are dumb critters with no feelings, they are caught up in Satan’s lies which try to downplay the significance of all of God’s creation.

After God made all the sea life and birds of the air, He populated the land. Genesis 1:25; “And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds, and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. (Important message here) And God saw that it was good.” Does this sound like animals are insignificant to Him? Remember, He made animals before humans.

Every moment that passes draws us nearer to leaving this sin-filled planet. Though we are repulsed by what’s taking place, true believers are getting more and more excited that our “forever” is about to happen. Brand new bodies, brand new mindsets, and being with the One that made it all possible. Can you just imagine how the Father is using great restraint by not totally destroying all humans? His promise to keep all who have accepted His Son from the wrath to come is our blessed assurance from Him (1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 and Revelation 3:10).

Jesus died for everyone (John 10: 14-16), but He knew even then that more would reject Him than become a part of His flock. (Matthew 7:13-14). Our promise from the Father in several places (Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21; Romans 10:9-13) is that “All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” It doesn’t mean we will totally escape persecution, and the flock will be subject to persecution as long as we’re in these human bodies. We wait with anticipation for our call to meet Jesus in the air, and forever be with Him.

A song performed by the Carpenters in 1971 can be looked at as a prayer we should repeat often. A few lines are:

“Bless the beasts and the children; in this world they have no voice; they have no choice.

Light their way when darkness surrounds them; give them Love (pure love), let it shine around them.

Give them shelter from the storm; keep them safe; keep them warm.”

All I can add to that is “Amen Lord; please make it so.” Also “Come quickly Lord Jesus.”

As stated, there will be a 7-year period of time that will be horrific on this earth. At the end, Jesus will return and put down the rebellion with just a word. Then, He will rule on earth for 1,000 years, after which will be the final judgments. After all the sin this earth has witnessed from the beginning of creation, is it any wonder that the Father will destroy this planet and make new heavens and a new earth? This time, there will be no Satan or demons to tempt anyone. We will live in pure love, peace and harmony forever. No more abuse of any kind.

Is your reservation intact? Do you have Jesus in your heart? If not, today would not be too early to call on Him; tomorrow could be too late.

Be Blessed! Maranatha – come Lord Jesus!

huebshman46@gmail.com