I am the amateur’s amateur of golf. I seldom play, but even I know what a mulligan is. Every golfer knows the term. It is not “legal” under the Rules of Golf, but is sometimes used during “friendly” play with your buddies. In easy to understand language, a mulligan in golf means simply, “I hit a bad shot, so I am calling a mulligan and replaying the stroke (doing that shot over).” Many people live their lives in this fashion. However, the “Rules of Death” allow no mulligans.

I simply cannot understand why anyone would gamble with their eternal destiny. The scriptures say, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” (Hebrews 9:27)

Only if we belong to Jesus Christ, are we not condemned, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1) A closer examination of this verse reveals that the opposite is also true, i.e., if we are not in Christ Jesus, and do walk after the flesh but not the Spirit, then we are condemned. Compare John 3:18, which says,  “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” You can’t get any clearer than that.

Perhaps you have witnessed to someone about Jesus who has told you something along the lines of, “I’ll take care of that later”, but “later” never comes. Many excuses are offered, but perhaps the underlining thought for most people is that they think God will reconsider their plight, and “let them through the pearly gates”. In other words, they’re banking on being able to take a “mulligan” after death when standing before God.

There are many people who do not believe in God at all. There are others who think there might be a God, and if there is, “He would never send anyone to Hell”. Let’s get one thing clear. God has made every provision for anyone and everyone to avoid the judgment of Hell. Those who wind up there, have chosen that place as their eternal destiny. Read again, John 3:18. God came to earth as Jesus, to provide a way of escape from eternal damnation. But those who reject Him will find themselves in the lake of fire. “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:15) There are no mulligans for the Rules of Death. When our eyes close in death, there are no second chances (mulligans).

Children usually disobey their parents because they either think they won’t get caught, or they will be able to talk their way out of any punishment (mulligan).

Criminals probably commit crimes for the same reasons. They think they won’t get caught, but if they do, the punishment can be avoided. Perhaps their guilt will not be sufficiently proven, or they will receive a light sentence (mulligan). Often this is true, in our humanly designed, liberal court system.

God, being God, knows all things and is absolute justice. Nothing is hidden. However, the real issue is this. Did you accept His Son Jesus as your very own personal Savior or not? If you did, your name will be written in the book of life, and you will enter His glory. If you did not, your name will not be in the book of life, and you will be cast in the lake of fire. Period. No mulligans. Just one simple question. Will your name be in the book of life? The only way it will be there, is if Jesus Christ is your personal Savior.

Many areas of our lives are approached with the attitude of “I’ll call a mulligan”. If I get pregnant, I’ll just have an abortion (mulligan). If this marriage doesn’t satisfy me, I’ll get a divorce (mulligan). I’ll try this ______ (fill in the blank), and if I don’t like it, I’ll quit (mulligan).

We may get “lucky” and be able to mulligan (or second-chance) our way out of some choices we make on earth, but once our eyes close in death, the decision has been made, and it will stand for all eternity. There is no going back. The most important decision we will ever make while we are alive upon this earth, is “what are we going to do about Jesus Christ, the Son of God”. There are only two choices; (1) we call upon His holy name for eternal life, or (2) we do nothing. Many choose to do nothing, and by that choice, choose Hell.

Does it make any sense to purchase a house, a car, or a business without getting all the facts before signing the contract? Would not one get all the facts before undergoing a serious operation? How many have turned their noses up to God’s Son, and haven’t even bothered to hear what He has to say about their soul? It never ceases to stagger my mind at the number of people who have their minds made up and are self-appointed experts about spiritual matters, but have never really listened to the facts about their eternal destiny, from the only One who actually knows … God. That, my friends, is the epitome of stupidity. Maybe they are relying on that “mulligan”.

I mentioned earlier that mulligans are not legal in the Rules of Golf for professional play. That is true. That reminds me though, that we readily adhere to the rules of the sports we play, whether it be golf, football, basketball, etcetera. One requirement for winning the game is to follow the rules to the letter, or be disqualified. God has one rule if we want to spend eternity with Him, and that is, we come to Him through His Son Jesus Christ before we die physically. The alternative is not a mulligan, but eternal damnation in hell and the lake of fire. Choose wisely.

Grant Phillips

grantphillips@windstream.net

Pre-Rapture Commentary

http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com

Two words, differentiated by two letters, have two contrasting meanings. “Obvious” means clear, understandable, palpable, noticeable, apparent, evident, and observable. “Oblivious” means unaware, unconscious, unmindful, ignorant, and insensible.

Two groups of people are walking this earth, those who are wise and those who are fools. The Bible says, “A wise person thinks much about death, while the fool thinks only about having a good time now.” (Ecclesiastes 7:4 NLT) It also states, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.” (Proverbs 12:15 NASB)

It is obvious to the wise that Jesus could return at any moment. They know that time is running out for the church age. However, the fool is totally oblivious. What a contrast!

Greed, morality and violence are off the charts, but fools continue to rush head-long into the mouth of judgment. I am reminded of the Chaldean king, Belshazzar, and his big party, in the book of Daniel. While they were indulging in their revelry, judgment was at the door. That same night Darius the Mede killed Belshazzar and took his kingdom from him.

What brought this judgment down upon Belshazzar? Daniel reminds Belshazzar that his father, Nebuchadnezzar, was humbled by God, and that his father recognized the Most High God as the real Ruler of mankind. He then told Belshazzar that even though he knew this, he had not humbled his heart, but had actually exalted himself against the Lord of Heaven. Belshazzar took the vessels from God’s house and drank wine from them, and if that were not enough, he and all his court worshiped false gods, or idols, of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood and stone. He did not glorify the very God that gave him breath. Then God wrote upon the wall for Daniel to translate: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. The interpretation was,

“God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.  Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.” (Daniel 5:26-28)

I believe that our country is at the same point of Belshazzar and his court on the night of judgment. Good men of God have said that if America would just turn back to God, we could avoid His judgment. That is still true, but I believe we are well past that point. I do not believe that we will turn back to God as a country, and I do not believe we will avoid His imminent judgment. I further believe that we as a nation will receive a judgment far more severe than any nation in history, simply because we have been blessed more than any nation in history, except Israel. Would you like to take a guess of the severity of God’s judgment upon Israel in the past, and what awaits them in the Tribulation? Let us not be fools, and think we are more highly esteemed that Israel, and will not be judged. If you can imagine a golf ball teetering on the edge of the hole just prior to falling in, that is where I see the United States of America in our day.

We, as Belshazzar, have desecrated God’s house. We have filled our Lord’s pulpits with men (and women) of corrupt minds. We have blasphemed His Holy Word with our own Satanically inspired hogwash.

Our pews are filled with people who would rather be somewhere else, but hope their occasional presence might allow them to sneak in the back door of Heaven. Other pew sitters deem the church as their own, instead of belonging to the One who bled and died for it. Some churches are country clubs. Some are politically correct social gatherings. Some are happy hour (but not in the true spiritual sense).

We have corrupted His vessels. We have taken His message and even His music and turned them into our own. We have taken His human vessels and corrupted their minds with the strong wine of false gospels. We party at the altar, and dance our cares away.

We have worshipped other gods in our drunken stupor. We pride ourselves in the décor of our “playground”. Instead of worshipping God, we worship the pulpits, the pews, the instruments, the activities, the stained glass windows, the high steeples, the robes and the carpets. We worship the created more than the Creator. Since we now know more than God, prayer is no longer necessary either.

Thank God for those who still faithfully know their place with the Almighty God, the Daniels of this world, but their numbers are dwindling. Jesus said,

“… Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) I believe the Father is waiting for that last one to come to His Son to be saved, and then will say to Him, “Go. Get your bride.” Then soon after, “Darius” will enter the door of this fallen world.

If two particular groups in our day and age fail, our nation will fall, and they have both fallen flat on their face. They are the church, and womanhood. The church is obvious. We have been talking about that already. The other, womanhood, is not so obvious to those who are oblivious, but is an important key to the stability of a family, the church, and the nation.

A wise pastor once stated years ago when I was just a pup, that when women stop being ladies, we are in trouble. I thank God for the Christian women in my family, and in my associations with the Church and communities where I have lived. Many times, if it were not for the women, the church doors would not have been opened, because the men were just too sorry. The women may not be appointed by God to be in lead positions, but they are the backbone to the church and the family.

Let’s face it. What a child learns at his/her mother’s knee, can change the direction of a country and has done so in the past. From the mother’s knee have come soul winners for God, but also Satan’s little hellions on earth. Pastors and missionaries have been produced from mothers’ knees, as well as murderers and rapists.

Too many women today strive to be equal with men, without realizing they would have to step down to do so. When ladies stop demanding respect from men, they will get none, and that is where we are today. This attitude has produced a society where the words “lady” and “gentleman” are unknown, and obviously not practiced.

So many of us are living our lives today as if there is no tomorrow and no consequences for our actions. Our court system may sympathize with your sob story, but the Heavenly Court will look right down into your soul and cast you, body and soul, into the lake of fire, if you are without Jesus Christ in your life.

People today are “running to and fro”, indulging themselves in their own interests, whether they be “good” or “bad”. They have not a care in the world that something is about to happen. God is the last thing on their minds. Even if Jesus delays His coming many years down the road, we all are going to die. Then what?

Jesus said, “He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.” (Luke 6:48-49) What have you built your house upon?

God has appointed watchmen on the wall for this generation. He is warning all who will listen that time is running out, but so many are strolling along with the headphones of the world’s enticements blaring in their ears, totally oblivious to the obvious that is all around us. We think all is going to proceed as it always has, but our little house of cards is about to fall. Are you all about having a good time, or are you ready to listen to wise counsel? The writing is on the wall. We can either be a fool like Belshazzar, or wise like his father, Nebuchadnezzar. Better yet, if we would prefer not to be eating grass alongside the cattle, we could be even wiser, and be like Daniel.

Grant Phillips

grantphillips@windstream.net

Pre-Rapture Commentary

http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com