Month: August 2013

  • The Sedgefield Community - August 2013

    Prayer Requests
    Sedgefield Community of Ashland, VA

    [Related Article: Prayers for the Black Community of Richmond, VA]

    Constitution of the United States, Amendment I:
    Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

    Prayer


    The Sedgefield community of Ashland, VA:

    Please pray for Mark B., that he would be convicted of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Pray that he would be delivered from spiritual blindness and self-deception. Please pray that God would heal and bless him and his family.

    Please pray for Cheryl C., that she would be convicted of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Pray that she would be delivered from spiritual self-deception and an antichrist spirit. Please pray for her daughter, Samantha, for conviction of sin, righteousness, and judgment leading to repentance and genuine salvation.
    [Related Articles: Is It Really "All Grace"? / The 'Jesus' the World Loves / When Tolerance Is Sin!]

    Pray with me for my neighbor Wendy McCreary, and her brother Mike-pray that the conviction of the Holy Spirit would descend upon their hearts and penetrate the spiritual darkness...that they would be convicted of sin, righteousness, and the final judgment to come...that they would receive Jesus Christ and be saved; and that Wendy would be delivered from the antichrist spirit which is controlling and manipulating her...
    Pray that Wendy would be delivered from her alcohol abuse...
    Pray that her daughter would be delivered from the rebellion and ungodly worldviews which she has picked up from her mother...

    mccrearys_heart

    Please pray that Wendy's shouting of profanity and blasphemy would be silenced. Pray that Wendy would be removed from the community to a place more suited to her lifestyle.

    wendy_mccreary

    [Related Article: The Spirit of This Age]
    Please pray for the individuals who are encouraging her lifestyle and behavior:

    Please pray for Roger and Kelly: praying that they would be delivered from rebellion, arrogance, and self-deception. Pray that they would be set free from the powers of darkness, and that the Holy Spirit would penetrate their hardened hearts with a godly conviction of sin, righteousness, and the judgment to come. Pray that they would repent of their spiritually lawless lifestyles and surrender their lives to Jesus Christ.
    Pray for Brandon, that he would be convicted of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Pray that he would repent and receive Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.
    Please pray for Michelle; pray for her repentance and salvation. Pray that there would be a complete surrender to Jesus Christ, and deliverance from false doctrines.
    [Related Article: Repentance...the Missing Message]


    RELATED ARTICLES:


    The Spirit of Antichrist (ONE WAY)

    Ten Lies of Feminism (Thoughts.com)

    What Is Freedom? (Thoughts.com)

    God's Wonderful Plan of Salvation (Thoughts.com)

    An Open Letter to Richmond, VA (Thoughts.com)

  • The Truth About Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

    Civil Rights Does Not Impart Righteousness

    Author: Donzell
    Source: The Latter Days - January 17, 2012

    The Truth About Martin Luther King and His 'Christianity'

    What if I told you that I was a Christian, BUT...

    I didn't believe that Jesus was the Son of God.
    I didn't believe that Jesus was God Himself.
    I didn't believe Jesus was born of a virgin.
    I didn't believe that Jesus ever rose bodily from the dead.


    What if I said that all of these things - indeed, much about the story of Jesus Christ - was simply a reworking of historical fables & myths?

    What if I claimed that the "truths" in Scripture were no more valid than the "truths" found in Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Greek philosophy, and among other great minds throughout civilization? That the Scriptures were not the words of God, but the words of men under the "spell" of Jesus and as affected & infected by their cultural surroundings? Would you still consider me a believer? Would you call me a heretic? Or would you call me one of the greatest Christian leaders of our time?
    In the vein of coming against man's natural inclination to be religious, I thought I would post here an answer to someone asking me about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
    My grandparents & parents attended the March on Washington. They were rightfully enraged and protested when Dr. King was unjustly assassinated. Still today there are pictures of, and books about, Dr. King in their homes as he is fondly remembered for the sacrifices he made - even of his own life - to bring about social justice for the disenfranchised. And yet none of that has anything to do with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
    It would shock most to realize that this great reverend, minister, preacher, and "man of God" didn't even believe in Jesus Christ and never preached the Gospel a day in his life.
    Dr. King taught an ecumenical, new age "gospel" of social justice that he learned from Mahatma Gandhi and only used Christian principles when convenient to promote that platform.

    [Related Articles: Social Justice (Part One) and Social Justice (Part Two)]


    social justice: the distribution of advantages and disadvantages within a society

    civil rights: of, relating to, or promoting equality in social, economic, and political rights

    [Related Article: Prayer Requests for Richmond, VA and the Greater Richmond Area]

    I am not talking about the rantings of racists or the efforts by government officials to discredit him. You only have to examine Dr. King's own words to see what he believed:

    What Experiences of Christians Living in the Early Christian Century Led to the Christian Doctrines of the Divine Sonship of Jesus, the Virgin Birth, and the Bodily Resurrection?

    "Doctrines and creeds do not spring forth uncaused like Athene sprang from the head of Zeus, but they grow out of the historical settings and the psychological moods of the individuals that set them forth...But if we delve into the deeper meaning of these doctrines, and somehow strip them of their literal interpretation, we will find that they are based on a profound foundation. Although we may be able to argue with all degrees of logic that these doctrines are historically and philolophically untenable, yet we can never undermine the foundation on which they are based."


    A Study of Mithraism

    "For an instance, in the mystery-religions identification between the devotee and the Lord of the cult was supposed to be brought about by various rites of initiation; the taurobolium, or bath of blood; the eating of flesh of the sacrifical beast and the like. Now there was something of this in Paul too, for he thought of the believer as buried with Christ in baptism and as feeding upon him in the eucharist. This is only one of many examples that I could give to prove the similarity between the developing Christian Church and the Mystery Religions...That Christianity did copy and borrow from Mithraism cannot be denied...To discuss Christianity without mentioning other religions would be like discussing the greatness of the Atlantic Ocean without the slightest mention of the many tributaries that keep it flowing."

    Unfulfilled Dreams

    "It’s there: a tension at the heart of the universe between good and evil. (Yes, sir) Hinduism refers to this as a struggle between illusion and reality. Platonic philosophy used to refer to it as a tension between body and soul. Zoroastrianism, a religion of old, used to refer to it as a tension between the god of light and the god of darkness. Traditional Judaism and Christianity refer to it as a tension between God and Satan. Whatever you call it, there is a struggle in the universe between good and evil."

    Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution

    "The world in which we live is geographically one. The challenge that we face today is to make it one in terms of brotherhood...We are tied together in the single garment of destiny, caught in an inescapable network of mutuality. And whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. For some strange reason I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. And you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be. This is the way God’s universe is made; this is the way it is structured."


    I've Been to the Mountaintop

    "And I'm always happy to see a relevant ministry. It's all right to talk about long white robes over yonder, in all of its symbolism, but ultimately people want some suits and dresses and shoes to wear down here...Now let me say as I move to my conclusion that we've got to give ourselves to this struggle until the end...But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land."


    An Autobiography of Religious Development

    "From this it seems quite clear that I joined the church not out of any dynamic conviction, but out of a childhood desire to keep up with my sister... I guess I accepted Biblical studies uncritically until I was about twelve years old. But this uncritical attitude could not last long, for it was contrary to the very nature of my being. I had always been the questioning and precocious type. At the age of 13 I shocked my Sunday School class by denying the bodily resurrection of Jesus. From the age of thirteen on doubts began to spring forth unrelentingly. At the age of fifteen I entered college and more and more could I see a gap between what I had learned in Sunday School and what I was learning in college...As stated above, my college training, especially the first two years, brought many doubts into my mind. It was at this period that the shackles of fundamentalism were removed from my body. This is why, when I came to Crozer, I could accept the liberal interpretation with relative ease."

    Is it just a fable that Jesus is God, the Son of God, born of a virgin and risen from the dead?

    Is faith in Jesus Christ just a copy-cat belief adopted from pagan myths? Are other world religions and philosophies just as valid as Christianity? Is God "struggling" with Satan or is Satan a created being subject to the will of God like every other creature? Is the purpose of God to make all people one and share a common brotherhood? Is there an intertwined destiny for all mankind or does God say there there are two destinies, one to salvation and the other to damnation? Is the here and now supposed to be more real and important to the Christian than our eternal destiny? Are the fundamentals of faith in Jesus Christ merely illogical & unscientific "shackles" incongruent with an educated, reasoning mind?

    What Promised Land is Dr. King speaking of? What faith? What god? Is it not the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Some might say, "How can you say these things about such a great American hero? He has done great things for African-Americans!" I would respond, "How can a 'man of the cloth' say such things about my Savior, Jesus? How can people who claim to belong to Christ deny Him in order to champion some sort of perceived justice in this temporal world?" Yet this is more than just about Dr. King.

    In Dr. King, we have the "beliefs" of many Christians, the teaching of many "Christian" colleges, and the tenets of faith for even our own President Barak Obama. According to such persons, Jesus Christ is not the Truth, the Way, and the Life, but is one of many truths, ways, and lives. Being a "Christian" is simply about taking what one can from these "stories" about Jesus and seeking to be a better person through them. No matter how many "good works" one has done, unless one has done the will of God, such persons will hear the terrifying words, "Depart from me you worker of iniquity. I never knew you." (Luke 13:23-28; Matthew 7:21-23)

    Israel was unable to receive Jesus as their Lord & King because they were looking for someone to "right the wrongs" done to them in this present, evil world. They were looking for an earthly kingdom with earthly justice. Jesus gave it no consideration. In fact, He told His followers that His kingdom was not of this world. They were to expect injustice in this life because the god of this world is Satan. Instead, Jesus tells us to set our affections on things above, and not below (Colossians 3:2).

    [Related Article: The Shameful Social Gospel]

    Does such mean that we should ignore injustice and do nothing when inequity occurs? No, but it does mean that we must never set aside the fundamental truths of our faith in order to obtain some temporary justice, peace, or unity in this world. If we do, then we have become idolators. Today, schools, lunch counters, libraries, housing, workplaces and the like are largely integrated (albeit perhaps not equitably). Yet the majority of folks in them are on their way to being damned. Giving people a life of social equality may give them 60, 70, 80 years of justice in this life, but they will still wind up spending an eternity in Hell if they never come to know and believe in Jesus Christ.

    Don't be shocked by this, but most folks don't care about Jesus. They are simply pimping Him to further their social, financial, political, corporate, community agendas. Whether in the pulpit, on the street corner, or on the Internet...you had better be sure you know which Jesus people are professing faith in and be even more certain of the Jesus you personally confess (II Corinthians 11:4). Jesus was more than just a good man. He is God incarnate and is the name above all names by which man must be saved.

    Coexist

  • Persevere!

    spiritual_discipline

    Persevere

    Author: John Lysaught
    Source: RaptureReady.com

    Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us(Romans 5:1-5, NIV).

    Our walk with Jesus is a lifetime journey. We will suffer for Him in our own ways, some more than others, but the troubles we face will create for us perseverance for our walk with Jesus.

    fight-the-good-fight

    God knows each and every one of us. He knows our thoughts, our desires, but most important, He knows our hearts. Because He knows each one of us, He therefore loves each one of us. He loves us so much, that He wants us to be with Him in heaven.

    God is sinless and because we are sinful creatures, He had to make a way for us to be with Him. To do this, He sent his Son - His only Son - into the world to be a sacrifice for our sins, and His name is: Jesus Christ. Christ died for our sins so that we could be God’s children. The blood of Jesus washed away our sins so that we may be with the Lord in heaven for all eternity.

    This sacrifice is a gift. This gift is not earned but was freely given by Christ to make a way for us to be sinless in the sight of God so we can spend eternity with Him. All you have to do is to accept Him into your heart and believe that He is the risen Son of God.

    The walk with Jesus is a lifetime journey. As you walk with Jesus, learn about Him and His teachings and commandments, your life will change for the better. The journey may seem hard at times because the world will do its best to make you stray from your walk with Jesus. The journey is worth the trouble you will find when you walk with Jesus. This is the greatest adventure you can have. Nothing in the world is more fulfilling and satisfying than being one with Jesus and following His ways.

    If you know Jesus, you understand what I’m saying. The journey is filled with troubles from the world that will do its best make us stray from our walk with Jesus. The world is filled with all sorts of trouble, sin to be more exact, that if tricked into following, will take you off the path you are walking with Jesus. Do we all fail in this? Yes, but we can ask for forgiveness when we stray and can be led back to the path of righteousness every day be renewing our relationship with Christ by confessing our sins and following his ways.

    run-the-race

    For me, this is a daily occurrence. I sin every day, not necessarily in action, but in thoughts and desires of worldly temptations. I must do my best to resist these temptations and if I fail, Jesus is there to help me get back on my feet and lead me back to the narrow path toward His eternity.

    The world is full of sinful temptations that we are faced with every day, the troubles we face in our walk with Jesus. We must resist those sinful actions and allow Jesus and the Holy Spirit to lead us throughout each day as we navigate this sin filled world we are surrounded by. This can be difficult because our culture is centered now on sinful actions and ungodly ways that Satan uses to try to get us to get off course in our walk with Jesus.

    We need to persevere. Each day is a new day that God has blessed us with. Each day is another opportunity to get closer to the Lord and to learn and practice His ways and commands for us as Christians. We must persevere to the end, to finish our walk with Jesus until it is time for us to meet Him face to face in heaven. The walk may be hard at times, but in the grand scheme of eternity, our walk is short.

    Perseverance is always looking forward and looking up. Put each day behind you and don’t reflect on the sins you have committed and have been forgiven. Always look forward and look up for the Lord. Pray hard and study hard, every day.

    never-give-up

    In trials and troubles, persevere in Jesus. Persevere in your walk with Jesus and rebuke the temptations Satan throws your way. Satan knows your weaknesses and will try to capitalize on them to drive a wedge between you and your Savior. He will use every trick he has to make you think you are unworthy and to steer you to a path of destruction. Maybe your weakness is alcohol, or pornography, or drugs, lust, or whatever is contrary to the commands of Christ. It is your duty as a Christian to resist those temptations and persevere in your walk with Christ.

    Will you mess up and slip at times? Yes, of course you will because we are all sinful creatures by nature. It’s what you do after you slip up that matters. Do you continue down the path of destruction or do you pray for forgiveness and strength to not slip again? Persevere and ask for forgiveness and renew your mind and heart in Christ Jesus.

    For unbelievers who are reading this, this may all seem foreign to you. You think you are doing fine living in the world without Jesus and His free gift of salvation. What you don’t realize is that without Jesus as the center of your existence and daily life, you are on the path to destruction; meaning you are destined to spend eternity in hell and not in heaven. Sounds pretty harsh, right? It’s true. Eternal life in heaven is found only through Christ Jesus.
    [Related Article: Salvation for Richmond VA]

    For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him(John 3:16-17, NIV).

    You see my unbelieving brothers and sisters, God loved you enough that He sacrificed His Son to take on all of the sins of mankind from all time so you can make the choice to spend eternity with Jesus in heaven or deny Him and spend eternity in hell. It is that simple.
    [Related Article: Prayer Requests for the Sedgefield Community]

    If you don’t know Jesus, the verse above from the book of John makes no sense. It means nothing to you but words of zealous Christians. I hope though that your interest in finding out about Jesus has tickled your mind a little bit so that you will desire to seek out more information about Jesus.

    Know this: You are full of sin, just like Christians. The difference between Christians and nonbelievers is that we Christians have accepted Jesus and the sacrifice He made for us on the cross when He died for our sins. We believe in His teachings, His life, His death, and most importantly, His physical, literal resurrection. By believing in Jesus, our sins - past, present, and future - have been forgiven by our faith in His sacrifice for us. His blood was the sacrifice for our sins so we are made clean and blameless at the judgment.

    unshackled

    All you have to do to attain eternal life is to believe in the name of Jesus, that He died for your sins, and was resurrected from the dead and is your Advocate to God the Father. Through Jesus, your sins are forgiven. You can’t earn heaven by doing good deeds, or leading a moral life, or being a good person. You need Jesus to enter into eternity with Him and that is grace. By grace, you don’t have to do anything to earn heaven, but by grace through Jesus Christ, you have that access to heaven.

    After you truly and sincerely accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you will become part of the family of God, one of His beloved children. You will change. Your heart will begin to soften and you will be filled with love and compassion and a desire to want to know Jesus more and to walk with Him on the path to eternity.

    You will be filled with the Holy Spirit that will be there as your guide and teacher to the things of Jesus. You will want to do the will of Jesus, to participate in his plan of salvation with you. You will be given gifts of the Holy Spirit and you will want to use those gifts for the furtherance of the kingdom of God through works and deeds inspired to you from the Holy Spirit. All you have to do is accept the gift of salvation.

    salvation

    Ask Jesus right now to come into your heart, and to take control of your life, your ambitions, and your desires. Surrender your life over to His perfect will. Repent of your old life, your past sins, and your rebellion towards God. Ask Him to forgive you and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness. Believe in your heart that God has heard your prayer and that He accepts you because you have placed your life in Jesus; because you have been cleansed by faith in the power of the shed blood of Christ to cleanse you. You won’t be disappointed. If you have been walking with Jesus but have strayed off His path for you, now is the time to renew your relationship with him and ask for strength to get back on the path of righteousness and ask for the strength to persevere to the end.

    But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life
    (Jude 1:20-21, NIV).

    God bless,
    John Lysaught

  • The Wrath of God

    'The Attributes of God'

    Chapter 16. The Wrath of God


    Author: A.W. Pink
    Source: pbministries.org

    It is sad to find so many professing Christians who appear to regard the wrath of God as something for which they need to make an apology, or at least they wish there were no such thing. While some would not go so far as to openly admit that they consider it a blemish on the Divine character, yet they are far from regarding it with delight, they like not to think about it, and they rarely hear it mentioned without a secret resentment rising up in their hearts against it. Even with those who are more sober in their judgment, not a few seem to imagine that there is a severity about the Divine wrath which is too terrifying to form a theme for profitable contemplation. Others harbor the delusion that God’s wrath is not consistent with His goodness, and so seek to banish it from their thoughts.
    [Related Article: Why Is A Major Church Denomination Banning Famed Hymn “In Christ Alone” From Its New Song Book?]

    Yes, many there are who turn away from a vision of God’s wrath as though they were called to look upon some blotch in the Divine character, or some blot upon the Divine government. But what saith the Scriptures? As we turn to them we find that God has made no attempt to conceal the fact of His wrath. He is not ashamed to make it known that vengeance and fury belong unto Him. His own challenge is, "See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no god with Me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal; neither is there any that can deliver out of My hand. For I lift up My hand to heaven, and say, I live forever, If I whet My glittering sword, and Mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to Mine enemies, and will reward them that hate Me" (Deut. 32:39-41). A study of the concordance will show that there are more references in Scripture to the anger, fury, and wrath of God, than there are to His love and tenderness. Because God is holy, He hates all sin; And because He hates all sin, His anger burns against the sinner: Psalm 7:11.
    [Related Article: The Seeker Friendly Way Of Doing Church]

    hell_is_real

    Now the wrath of God is as much a Divine perfection as is His faithfulness, power, or mercy. It must be so, for there is no blemish whatever, not the slightest defect in the character of God; yet there would be if "wrath" were absent from Him! Indifference to sin is a moral blemish, and he who hates it not is a moral leper. How could He who is the Sum of all excellency look with equal satisfaction upon virtue and vice, wisdom and folly? How could He who is infinitely holy disregard sin and refuse to manifest His "severity" (Rom. 9:12) toward it? How could He who delights only in that which is pure and lovely, loathe and hate not that which is impure and vile? The very nature of God makes Hell as real a necessity, as imperatively and eternally requisite as Heaven is. Not only is there no imperfection in God, but there is no perfection in Him that is less perfect than another.
    [Related Article: Wake Up!]

    The wrath of God is His eternal detestation of all unrighteousness. It is the displeasure and indignation of Divine equity against evil. It is the holiness of God stirred into activity against sin. It is the moving cause of that just sentence which He passes upon evil-doers. God is angry against sin because it is a rebelling against His authority, a wrong done to His inviolable sovereignty. Insurrectionists against God’s government shall be made to know that God is the Lord. They shall be made to feel how great that Majesty is which they despise, and how dreadful is that threatened wrath which they so little regarded. Not that God’s anger is a malignant and malicious retaliation, inflicting injury for the sake of it, or in return for injury received. No; while God will vindicate His dominion as the Governor of the universe, He will not be vindictive.
    [Related Article: Prayers for Richmond VA]

    That Divine wrath is one of the perfections of God is not only evident from the considerations presented above, but is also clearly established by the express declarations of His own Word. "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven" (Rom. 1:18). Robert Haldane comments on this verse as follows:

    "It was revealed when the sentence of death was first pronounced, the earth cursed, and man driven out of the earthly paradise; and afterwards by such examples of punishment as those of the Deluge and the destruction of the Cities of the Plain by fire from heaven; but especially by the reign of death throughout the world. It was proclaimed in the curse of the law on every transgression, and was intimated in the institution of sacrifice. In the 8th of Romans, the apostle calls the attention of believers to the fact that the whole creation has become subject to vanity, and groaneth and travaileth together in pain. The same creation which declares that there is a God, and publishes His glory, also proclaims that He is the Enemy of sin and the Avenger of the crimes of men . . . But above all, the wrath of God was revealed from heaven when the Son of God came down to manifest the Divine character, and when that wrath was displayed in His sufferings and death, in a manner more awful than by all the tokens God had before given of His displeasure against sin. Besides this, the future and eternal punishment of the wicked is now declared in terms more solemn and explicit than formerly. Under the new dispensation there are two revelations given from heaven, one of wrath, the other of grace."
    [Related Article: Salvation (for Richmond, VA)]

    Again; that the wrath of God is a Divine perfection is plainly demonstrated by what we read of in Psalm 95:11, "Unto whom I swore in My wrath." There are two occasions of God "swearing": in making promises (Gen. 22:16), and in denouncing / threatening (Deut. 1:34). In the former, He swears in mercy to His children; in the latter, He swears to terrify the wicked. An oath is for solemn confirmation: Hebrews 6:16. In Genesis 22:16 God said, "By Myself have I sworn." In Psalm 89:35 He declares, "Once have I sworn by My holiness." While in Psalm 95:11 He affirmed, "I swear in My wrath." Thus the great Jehovah Himself appeals to His "wrath" as a perfection equal to His "holiness": He swears by the one as much as by the other! Again; as in Christ "dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily" (Col. 2:9), and as all the Divine perfections are illustriously displayed by Him (John 1:18), therefore do we read of "the wrath of the Lamb" (Rev. 6:16).
    [Related Article: Salvation Explained]

    The wrath of God is a perfection of the Divine character upon which we need to frequently meditate. First, that our hearts may be duly impressed by God’s detestation of sin. We are ever prone to regard sin lightly, to gloss over its hideousness, to make excuses for it. But the more we study and ponder God’s abhorrence of sin and His frightful vengeance upon it, the more likely are we to realize its heinousness. Second, to beget a true fear in our souls for God: "Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire" (Heb. 12:28,29). We cannot serve Him "acceptably" unless there is due "reverence" for His awful Majesty and "godly fear" of His righteous anger, and these are best promoted by frequently calling to mind that "our God is a consuming fire." Third, to draw out our souls in fervent praise for having delivered us from "the wrath to come" (1 Thess. 1:10).
    [Related Article: Hell Bound]

    Our readiness or our reluctancy to meditate upon the wrath of God becomes a sure test of how our hearts’ really stand affected toward Him. If we do not truly rejoice in God, for what He is in Himself, and that because of all the perfections which are eternally resident in Him, then how dwelleth the love of God in us? Each of us needs to be most prayerfully on his guard against devising an image of God in our thoughts which is patterned after our own evil inclinations. Of old the Lord complained, "Thou thoughtest that I was altogether as thyself" (Ps. 50:21), If we rejoice not "at the remembrance of His holiness" (Ps. 97:12), if we rejoice not to know that in a soon coming Day God will make a most glorious display of His wrath, by taking vengeance on all who now oppose Him, it is proof positive that our hearts are not in subjection to Him, that we are yet in our sins, on the way to the everlasting burnings.
    [Related Article: The Call To Discipleship]

    "Rejoice, O ye nations (Gentiles) His people, for He will avenge the blood of His servants, and will render vengeance to His adversaries" (Deut. 32:43). And again we read, "I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God; For true and righteous are His judgments: for He hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of His servants at her hand. And again they said Alleluia." (Rev. 19:13). Great will be the rejoicing of the saints in that day when the Lord shall vindicate His majesty, exercise His awful dominion, magnify His justice, and overthrow the proud rebels who have dared to defy Him.

    lake_of_fire

    "If thou Lord, shouldest mark (impute) iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?" (Ps. 130:3). Well may each of us ask this question, for it is written, "the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment" (Ps. 1:5). How sorely was Christ’s soul exercised with thoughts of God’s marking the iniquities of His people when they were upon Him! He was "amazed and very heavy" (Mark 14:33). His awful agony, His bloody sweat, His strong cries and supplications (Heb. 5:7), His reiterated prayers ("If it be possible, let this cup pass from Me"), His last dreadful cry, ("My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?") all manifest what fearful apprehensions He had of what it was for God to "mark iniquities." Well may poor sinners cry out, "Lord who shall stand" when the Son of God Himself so trembled beneath the weight of His wrath? If thou, my reader, hast not "fled for refuge" to Christ, the only Saviour, "how wilt thou do in the swelling of the Jordan?" (Jer. 12:5)?

    When I consider how the goodness of God is abused by the greatest part of mankind, I cannot but be of his mind that said:

    "The greatest miracle in the world is God’s patience and bounty to an ungrateful world. If a prince hath an enemy got into one of his towns, he doth not send them in provision, but lays close siege to the place, and doth what he can to starve them. But the great God, that could wink all His enemies into destruction, bears with them, and is at daily cost to maintain them. Well may He command us to bless them that curse us, who Himself does good to the evil and unthankful. But think not, sinners, that you shall escape thus; God’s mill goes slow, but grinds small; the more admirable His patience and bounty now is, the more dreadful and unsupportable will that fury be which ariseth out of His abused goodness. Nothing smoother than the sea, yet when stirred into a tempest, nothing rageth more. Nothing so sweet as the patience and goodness of God, and nothing so terrible as His wrath when it takes fire." (Wm Gurnall, 1660).

    Then flee, my reader, flee to Christ; "flee from the wrath to come" (Matt. 3:7) ere it be too late. Do not, we earnestly beseech you, suppose that this message is intended for somebody else. It is to you! Do not be contented by thinking you have already fled to Christ. Make certain! Beg the Lord to search your heart and show you yourself.

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    A Word to Preachers.
    Brethren, do we in our oral ministry, preach on this solemn subject as much as we ought? The Old Testament prophets frequently told their hearers that their wicked lives provoked the Holy One of Israel, and that they were treasuring up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath. And conditions in the world are no better now than they were then! Nothing is so calculated to arouse the careless and cause carnal professors to search their hearts, as to enlarge upon the fact that "God is angry with the wicked every day" (Ps. 7:11). The forerunner of Christ warned his hearers to "flee from the wrath to come" (Matt. 3:7). The Savior bade His auditors "Fear Him, which after He hath killed, hath power to cast into Hell; yea, I say unto you. Fear Him" (Luke 12:5). The apostle Paul said, "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men" (2 Cor. 5:11).

    Faithfulness demands that we speak as plainly about Hell as about Heaven.

    arthur_w_pink