Are Ye Able? :: By Nathele Graham

Published on: June 17, 2023 by RR10

It’s easy to say, “I’m a Christian,” but harder to live like one. People annoy us, our selfish ambitions get in the way, and much more. We have a choice. The first choice is to accept the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for salvation. The next choice we have to make daily, even hourly, is to put our self-will aside and submit to Christ; to let our lives reflect our salvation. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). We cannot honor Christ by holding tightly to our sins.

There’s a song I’ve always loved and always feel convicted when I sing it. Are Ye Able, written by Earl Bowman Marlatt. So often, I fail to honor Christ, but He continues to lead me.

“Are ye able,” said the Master,
“To be crucified with Me?”
“Yea,” the sturdy dreamers answered,
“To the death we follow Thee.”

That’s a good question. One every Christian should ask. Crucifixion was a brutal execution, and Jesus suffered more than any other man. He was innocent. Not only were nails driven into His hands and feet, but before sentence was passed, He was beaten unmercifully. He was given 40 lashes less one. It was said that the 40th lash would kill the man, so they showed “mercy” by only inflicting 39 lashes. God’s mercy is much better. We are sinners deserving of eternal death, but by God’s mercy, we can find forgiveness through faith in Jesus. He shed His blood for our salvation. Jesus didn’t speak up in His own defense but went through with the beating and crucifixion as a lamb to the slaughter.

So, the question is, are we able to sacrifice our self-centered lives to Him? Are we able to crucify our pride and self-will that causes us to stumble in our walk with Christ? Are we able to boldly and with confidence share the Gospel with someone who is lost and headed for eternal damnation?

Jesus said, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41).

We live in a very evil world filled with hatred and wickedness, but those attitudes have been in the world as long as Satan has. Peter was a follower of Jesus from the beginning of His ministry. Peter was bold, but when Jesus was arrested, Peter denied knowing Him. In time, Peter stopped denying His Lord and became a leader of Christians. He was the one who stood up on the day of Pentecost and gave a very convicting sermon. He didn’t sugar-coat anything but spoke to the point. Pastors today should study that sermon and stop being afraid to offend someone. Seeker-friendly sermons won’t bring anybody to salvation.

Peter wrote, “But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:14-15).

Once Peter set aside his fears, he was a bold witness for Christ. Peter was indeed crucified for his faith.

Are you able to relinquish
Purple dreams of power and fame
To go down into the Garden
Or to die a death of shame?

Purple dreams of power and fame? These are the lofty ideas we have for our own comfort and glory. Do you want to be a movie star? There’s a lot of compromise that comes with power and fame. As Christians, we need to glorify God, not our own self.

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (James 4:10).

Submit your will to the Lord… crucify your pride and lofty dreams. Jesus is our example. He came to this earth willingly. He set aside the glory He had in Heaven in order to give us the only way to salvation. He set aside His glory, so we must set aside our pride. Christ knew that He would be arrested and found guilty, yet He didn’t hide. He did go to God the Father in prayer. He laid His petition before the Father but submitted to His will.

“And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matthew 26:39).

Can you submit to God’s will as fully as Jesus did? I try, but too often I fail. Learning to submit to God can be tough, but most of us have the problem of pride, which doesn’t allow us to fully submit.

Crucifixion was a very shameful according to Scripture, which says anyone who was hanged on a tree was cursed (Deuteronomy 21:22-23). The Apostle Paul referred to this.

“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree” (Galatians 3:13).

It may be hard to swallow pride in order to submit to Christ, but He suffered a painful and shameful death, becoming sin in our place and taking our punishment. Are ye able to set aside your own lofty dreams of selfish pride in order to serve Christ?

Are ye able when the anguish
Racks your mind and heart with pain,
To forgive the souls who wrong you,
Who would make your striving vain?

Have you ever been wrongfully accused of something? Most of us have, and it isn’t easy to forgive your accusers. It’s easy to spend sleepless nights thinking about how much you hurt over the wrong you suffered. “It wasn’t fair! I didn’t deserve that!!” Do you look for ways to get even with the accusers? Give them what they deserve, and that will make you feel better. What did Jesus do? He forgave. The Jewish leaders arrested Him and put him through an illegal trial; the Roman soldiers inflicted pain, drove the nails, and made sure he died. He was crucified because of Adam’s sin.

No one group of people can be accused of killing Jesus, but His blood was shed for all people. Jesus could have allowed His human side to resent the wrong done to Him. He could resent you and me because it was our sin, not His own, that put Him on the cross. It wasn’t nails that held Him there; it was love.

As He looked down from the cross and His blood was running from His body, He saw the people responsible for His death. He saw the Jewish Pharisees, the Roman soldiers, and the regular sinners like you and me.

“Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots” (Luke 23:34).

Those people at the foot of the cross didn’t care that Jesus had asked for them to be forgiven, and they went right on sinning. How about you? He gave His life for our salvation, but we treat His sacrifice lightly.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Are ye able to set aside your petty ways and see that Jesus’ love is for everyone, even those who have wronged you?

Are ye able to remember,
When a thief lifts up his eyes,
That his pardoned soul is worthy
Of a place in paradise?

This is a tough one. We all know people who are just bad. We know them by reputation; they’re drunkards, obnoxious loudmouths, thieves, and worse. Jesus was crucified between two sinners. One mocked Him. “And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, if thou be Christ, save thyself and us” (Luke 23:39).

That sinner didn’t understand how much he needed Jesus’ forgiveness. There was no way out; he was dying. Still, he mocked. So many people do the same thing today. We’re all dying, and we all need Jesus’ forgiveness before we take our last breath.

There was another man on a cross that day. “But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom” (Luke 23:40-42).

This man didn’t have time to add works to his faith. He simply asked Jesus to remember Him. He wasn’t baptized; he didn’t say a special prayer or go through religious instruction. He didn’t agree to denominational rules or prove to anyone that he was born again, or display any spiritual gifts. His faith in Jesus brought salvation. It was earnest and not just a quick word or two at an altar.

“And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

No matter what sin you’ve committed, it’s not too big for Jesus to forgive. The problem with humans is that we continue to condemn. Jesus forgives, but we continually condemn. Are ye able to remember that Jesus forgives sinners? He will forgive everyone who earnestly comes to Him for salvation. He forgave me, and I know He will forgive you.

Are ye able when the shadows
Close around you with the sod,
To believe that spirit triumphs,
To commend your soul to God?

From the moment of conception, we all have an appointment with death. Look at most tombstones; there’s a date of birth, a hyphen, and a date of death. Unless the Rapture takes us Home, there will be a tombstone for each of us. What we do during the years indicated by the hyphen will determine where we spend eternity. We can do nothing to save ourselves, but if we believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we will spend eternity with Him.

The Apostle Paul explains that our works are rewarded if they were done for God’s glory. “If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (1 Corinthians 3:14-15).

It may not seem important to you today to earn rewards, but it will be very important one day. If your works are burned up, you’ll still be saved, but you won’t have any crowns to return to Jesus. It only takes faith in Jesus to bring salvation, not works of any kind. That being said, faith in Him should bring about a changed attitude. You should no longer be self-centered and do things for your own glory. Your attitude should be to follow Christ’s example of love.

Are ye able? Still the Master
Whispers down eternity
And heroic spirits answer,
Now as then in Galilee.

It’s been nearly 2,000 years since Jesus hung on the cross. Do you claim to be a Christian? How close is your walk with Him? Throughout the years, many men have led the way to a closer walk with Jesus, but it’s up to us to follow their lead. Many of those men sacrificed their lives in order to translate the Bible into a language that the common people can read and understand. Because of them, most people today have a Bible; some read it, and many people even study it. It’s more than just a book; it’s the inspired word of God.

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

As you prayerfully read Scripture, the Holy Spirit will guide you and teach you. He will give you strength to face each new day, and He will calm your fears, give you boldness in your witness, and lead you in the ways of the Lord. It isn’t your own strength that enables you to live for Jesus, but the Holy Spirit living in you that enables you to fight the good fight. When He whispers His orders to you, respond.

Lord, we are able. Our spirits are Thine,
Remold them, make us, like Thee, divine.
Thy guiding radiance above us shall be
A beacon to God, to love and loyalty

Accepting Christ’s sacrifice for our redemption should bring a change within. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Remember that it is God who judges our hearts and knows if a sinner has truly repented. To human eyes, that sinner may still look like a sinner, but the Holy Spirit is working on each of us to bring us to a closer walk with our Lord. Some Christians need to learn to stop gossiping and embracing lifestyles abhorrent to God, while some of us need to be less judgmental. With God’s help, we can become more like Jesus.

Are ye able? Am I able? With God’s help, we can all be able.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com
ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

www.rapture ready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

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Looking for a Sign :: By Nathele Graham

Published on: June 10, 2023 by RR10

We all want signs that we are following the right path or a sign of what God has planned.

During a very troubled time in Israel’s history, they were being harassed by the Midianites. Israel had been in rebellion against God and were paying for their sins. This was a constant theme with Israel and God.

“And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years” (Judges 6:1).

Even though Israel has periodically rebelled against God, He will never desert them. In times of rebellion, God allows them to be overrun by foreign nations, but He will never completely turn away from them. During one of those rebellious times, God called Gideon to stand for Israel. Gideon wasn’t sure he had heard God right and wanted a sign.

“And Gideon said unto God, if thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, behold I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou will save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said” (Judges 6:36-37).

Morning came, and the fleece was soaked, but Gideon still wasn’t convinced. He asked for another sign. He wanted the fleece to be dry while the ground all around was wet. Once again, God patiently gave Gideon the sign he wanted. Gideon went to war; the battle was won, and God was glorified. God calls Christians to battle evil every day, and we need to be prepared. The signs are all around us.

God knows the beginning from the end and uses prophecy as a sign. Too often, we neglect to study the Old Testament because we think it doesn’t relate to Christians. That’s very wrong. There’s much to learn from Abraham, Job, David, the Judges, and all the prophets of God. Prophecy helps us to prepare for the battles we face.

The prophets of old most likely didn’t fully understand what they recorded from God, but they knew that it was important. When Daniel was young, he was taken captive and relocated to Babylon, a very pagan place to live. Although he was young, he never stopped worshipping and serving God Almighty. He knew the Temple had been destroyed, but he still openly worshipped God. When he was given a prophecy about the distant future, he didn’t question God but recorded the words.

Today we have more understanding of their truth. Because we live in the times that were written about, we can see prophecy coming into focus. Daniel didn’t question prophecy, so he knew from Jeremiah that the Babylonian captivity was about to end. Daniel was also given many prophecies, including one that told when Messiah would come and signs of the end of time.

“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy” (Daniel 9:24).

That verse alone holds a lot of information. God hasn’t replaced Israel, nor has He turned away from them. Also, be aware that a “week” equals seven years, not seven days. The prophecy is about Daniel’s holy city, Jerusalem. Jerusalem would be rebuilt and one day there would be no more sin. How could that happen? Daniel didn’t know how, but he knew God said it, so it would happen.

“Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again and the wall, even in troublous times” (Daniel 9:25).

This is also a prophecy about Jesus. It has been calculated that from the day that Artaxerxes issued the decree to rebuild Jerusalem (history records that date) until Jesus entered Jerusalem to the praises of the people, Daniel’s prophecy was fulfilled to the day.

The Scribes and Pharisees should have known, but they chose to ignore prophecy. God knew they would. Their ignorance allowed other prophecies to be fulfilled. The prophecy given to Daniel reveals that the Messiah would be killed and Jerusalem would be destroyed again. History confirms this happened. Why do so many people question the truth of God’s word? Like the religious leaders of old, many religious leaders today choose ignorance. Jesus had publicly given many signs that He was the Messiah. He healed many people and cast out demons, but the Scribes and Pharisees still wanted a sign.

“Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: for as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:38-40).

Scripture was their sign. The religious leaders knew the Law and the Prophets, but they refused to believe that prophecy was being fulfilled in their lifetime. Biblical prophecy will be fulfilled whether we choose ignorance or not.

The Apostle Peter was a witness to all the miracles that Jesus did and heard His teachings. Peter didn’t attend a seminary, so he wasn’t confused by man’s interpretations. He was a fisherman. Jesus saw his character and knew what Peter could accomplish if given the chance. Peter stumbled a few times in his walk, but when he finally realized his calling, there was no turning back. I guess he might have been somewhat like Gideon and was surprised that he had been chosen for important work for the Lord. Even though Peter was an eyewitness to the healing of deaf and blind people, and he heard the voice of God the Father booming out of Heaven, he knew prophecy was better proof than those signs.

“We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:19-21).

If you’re living in fear of all the wars and diseases that trouble the earth, then you need to open your Bible and study prophecy. There are hundreds of prophecies in Scripture that Jesus fulfilled. Since those were fulfilled, why would you doubt that the other ones will come to pass? Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Amos, Zechariah, and others all give insight into today’s world and what will soon come to pass.

We live in the end of days. Daniel was shown prophecy about our world today. He saw that Jesus would be crucified and that Jerusalem would be destroyed.

“And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate” (Daniel 9:26-27).

The Messiah would be “cut off” (killed) and reveals that the temple would be rebuilt. It was rebuilt but destroyed again in 70 AD. Many Jewish people are actively working toward rebuilding the temple. Three pure red heifers have been found, and that is an important part of rebuilding the temple, which has to be rebuilt before the man we call the Anti-Christ is in power. It will happen just as God foretold in prophecy. The temple will be rebuilt, but the Anti-Christ will defile it. It’s a sign, but a sign that evil is still in the world.

There are many more signs of prophecy being fulfilled. Again, look to Scripture for answers. Prior to Jesus’ crucifixion, He had a quiet talk with four of His disciples. These men were curious. Before embarking on a study of these verses, keep in mind that the ekklesia (Christians) had not been born yet. Jesus had not been crucified, nor had He risen from the dead. Pentecost was still in the future. Jesus’ Jewish disciples asked questions about Israel.

“And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming; and of the end of the world?” (Matthew 24:3).

No matter which Bible translation you read, it’s only a translation of the original text. The word translated “world” is “aion,” which should be translated “age.” The disciples had finally understood that Jesus was going away, but they wanted to know when He would return. They knew that when He returned, the oppression would end. They didn’t understand that He had to die, and when He returned, the oppression He would end wasn’t Roman rule but Satan’s evil. The first point Jesus made was not to be deceived by false Messiahs.

“And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many” (Matthew 24:4-5).

If you don’t study Scripture, you’ll easily be deceived. Then He gave general “signs” to watch. “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet” (Matthew 24:26).

If you listen to the news media, you’ll hear of many wars. Russia is at war with Ukraine, but that’s just a stepping stone to their ultimate goal of controlling the Middle East, specifically Israel. Iran hates Israel and attacks on a regular basis. Go back and study the book of Judges. We know Israel has been in rebellion and mostly doesn’t honor God. It’s time for them to return to the God of their fathers and fight. Unfortunately, they’ll only call out to God after seven years of tribulation (read Revelation). Today, Israel is tired of rockets and terrorists attacking them, and war is looming.

“For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom…” (Matthew 24:7a).

As we read this, it seems redundant. “…nation against nation and kingdom against kingdom,” but once again, going back to the original language will help to make it clearer. “Ethnos” is translated “nation,” which is a people group… ethnic groups. We see daily that there is fighting within a nation because ethnic groups can’t get along. There are also many wars between nations. Do you see any of these signs happening? I do, and it’s all very troubling.

The signs continue and can cause great concern. “…and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places” (Matthew 24:7b).

If you follow the earthquake events, you’ll understand that there are thousands happening each month, and they are getting stronger. Pestilence is also a sign. Most of us remember the craziness of the last few years over a man-made disease. People willingly allowed the government to control every part of their lives. There will be more of the same coming as the world is being conditioned to accept a one-world leader… the Anti-Christ and his mark. But that’s another story for another commentary.

Jesus also told of famine. We see problems beginning now. Food shelves aren’t stocked like they once were. Animals have been dying, fires break out in chicken houses, and thousands of chickens die. Our food supply is being tampered with, so the food we buy is not the food that God created for our nutritional health. Scripture also tells of another type of famine.

“Behold the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, or a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: and they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it” (Amos 8:11-12).

Oh my, this is happening! Preachers are politically correct instead of Biblically correct. Drag queens are invited to preach in some congregations, and it gets worse by the day. People are starving for God’s truth.

Remember, Jesus wasn’t talking with His disciples about today’s world but the way the world would be just before His second coming. “All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:8).

The word “sorrows” is from the Greek word “odin,” which means “birth pains.” I’m sure many who are reading this can relate to that feeling. I remember walking the floor all night because of pain as my baby was beginning to get in the position for birth. It hurt, but the pain would intensify. The pains grew stronger, and finally, it was very painful. As my husband held my hand, all he could do was encourage me. Then, it was time, and the baby was born, and the pain was worth it. As we watch the signs coming to pass in our own time, we know we are very close to the final seven years of history. As it gets closer, we need to encourage each other.

“For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-11).

Don’t forget that Jesus wasn’t telling the disciples about the Rapture but about Daniel’s 70th week… the tribulation. That’s an event that will happen after the Rapture. Jesus took our punishment at the cross, and Christians will be taken to Heaven prior to God’s judgment being poured out upon the entire earth. In His words to the disciples, Jesus gave many, many more signs to look for, and we see the shadows of all of them falling upon our world today. The days of Noah and the Days of Lot are especially prominent as genetic manipulation and sexual perversion are all around us.

Brothers and sisters, don’t be a part of the sin in this world, but set your sights upon Jesus and His promise. Even though we see the signs happening, Christians have the promise that we will be taken Home before the Anti-Christ begins his reign of terror.

“And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10).

When Jesus returns to establish His Kingdom on earth, we will come with Him. That final battle will be over quickly. No evil can withstand the King of kings.

Looking for signs? Look to Scripture for signs of the times and act accordingly. Conform your life to Christ’s example. Share the Gospel. The signs say that time is getting short.