You have probably heard about the preacher who introduced a sermon on “Procrastination” by saying, “This is a much needed subject and I’ve been intending to preach it for several months, but for some reason, I’ve kept putting it off.” If we are honest with ourselves, we are all guilty of putting off until tomorrow what we should do today. Students put off studying until the last minute, employers put off a big project that is due. Many put off filing their taxes until April 15^th. Husbands are good at putting off what their wives ask them to do.

While these tasks seem minor (maybe not to your wife), some tasks and decisions are very significant. One such matter of great significance is deciding to become a Christian. Paul preached to Felix and his wife Drusilla about righteousness, self control, and the coming judgment (Acts 24:25). Felix’s response is one of procrastination. “Go away for now; when I find a more convenient time I will call for you” (Acts 24:25b). Felix found himself believing a lie of the devil (cf. John 8:44). The lie is that there is no hurry to become a Christian. Satan has deceived countless people into believing that there will be a more convenient time down the road to obey the gospel. Sadly, many have died without ever finding a convenient time. It’s been said that, “Someday is not on the calendar.” The Scriptures teach that principle.  “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring” (Proverbs 27:1). “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (James 4:13-14). We are not guaranteed the next day much less a “convenient time.”

Felix thought that he was able to make a decision about Christ later on. What he did not understand is that he made his choice that day. He chose to reject Christ! He chose to reject Christ despite knowing what Christ did so that He could be saved          (cf. Acts 24:22). He chose to reject Christ even though he “trembled” at the fact that he would stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Are you like Felix, waiting for a more convenient time? Are you waiting for your friends and family to accept your obedience to the gospel? Are you waiting for a time when you will have to make less sacrifices? Are you waiting for Satan to move out of the way? If so, you are waiting for a time that will never come! Why not choose to become a Christian today? The plan is simple and it is found in the Bible:

• Hear the gospel and recognize your condition. You must come to the realization that you are a sinner and the only way to be saved is by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ. (Romans 3:23; 2 Thessalonians 1:8)

• Have Faith in God. You must have faith in God because we are told, “Without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who see Him.” (Hebrew 11:6).

• Repent of your sins. Jesus said, “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:5).

• Confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved” (Romans 10:9-10).

• Be baptized for the remission of your sins. Having believed, repented, and confessed that Jesus is the Son of God, you must be baptized for the remission of your sins. The Jews interrupted Peter on the day of Pentecost by asking the question, “what shall we do?” Peter answered, “repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:37-38).

If you will accept the plain teaching of the Bible you can become a New Testament Christian today.

March 20-25

We will be meeting Monday through Friday at 10:00 am and 7:30 pm

Hope to see you there!

To answer the question, let us consult the words of Jesus. He said, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.  14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:13-14). The words of Jesus make it clear that the majority of people will be lost. He himself said that few would be willing to walk the path that leads to glory. This fact spoken by Jesus is a far cry from what we are hearing in the religious world around us. Listen again as Jesus speaks: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Jesus is the one and only way, the one and only truth, and the one and only life. There is no other way to heaven! Muhammad or Buddha will not lead a person to eternal life in heaven. Martin Luther, John Calvin, Joseph Smith or the Pope is not the way to heaven either. We cannot get there unless we are willing to follow Jesus Christ.  “Whoever does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 10:38-39).

Are you following Jesus? Are you allowing His words to be your roadmap through this life? (Psalm 119:105). Those who would teach you that we are all going to heaven by different ways did not find that teaching in the Scriptures. Get on the only road to heaven and do not look back!

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.”

Psalm 23

A famous actor was an after dinner speaker at a big fund raising function; and apparently he was well known for his voice because when he stood up to speak, he invited his audience to choose a poem for him to recite. There was a long silence until an older preacher raised his hand and asked for Psalm 23.

The actor was slightly taken back, but agreed to read the Psalm provided the preacher recite it after him; which the old man reluctantly agreed to do. So the actor recited Psalm 23 and received a standing ovation.

Then the preacher recited the Psalm, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Upon seeing this reaction from the crowd, the actor went over to the older preacher and said to the guests “Do you know the difference between his version and mine? I know the 23rd Psalm; but this man knows the Shepherd.

The difference between the two men in that story is that one knew about the Lord and the other knew the Lord. The reason why the old preacher’s recitation of the psalm moved people more than the actor’s is that it was obvious to them that the old preacher was not simply going through the motions but was actually familiar with the Shepherd of whom he spoke.

Is He your Shepherd?

If He is your Shepherd you will submit to Him. One cannot actually know God without obeying Him. You can know that He is your shepherd by keeping His commandments (1 John 2:3). Sheep follow the Shepherd (Psalm 23:2). They listen to His voice and follow His directions.

If He is your Shepherd you will trust in Him. If you are going to keep His commandments you will have to come to trust in His care. Following the Lord’s directions can be difficult at times. It can be hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. However, if you will trust in Him you can say with David, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me” (Psalm 23:4).

If He is your Shepherd you will enjoy Him. Having fellowship with God is not meant to be a burden but a joy. Praying to Him, doing His will, and worshipping Him are wonderful blessings that we are to enjoy. Do you enjoy spending time with Him?

If He is your Shepherd you will want for nothing. “I shall not want” are words that imply contentment. The satisfaction that is received from God is deeply spiritual and lasting. Searching for satisfaction from material things may satisfy you for a moment but it will always lead you to want more. Sheep are completely satisfied when they submit, trust, and enjoy their Shepherd.

Can you recite Psalm 23 as someone who knows the Shepherd?

Not long ago, one of the highest compliments an individual could receive was to be called a God-fearing person. Today, to say that an individual is a God-fearing person would bring ridicule and scorn. As Christians, we must not lose touch with how important fearing God is to our spiritual success.

Defining the Fear of God

• “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him” (Psalm 33:8). In this passage the Psalmist defines the fear of the Lord as “standing in awe of Him.” Having the fear of God is to have an awesome reverence of Him due to His being the glorious Person that He is. We are overwhelmed when we think of His greatness—His infinite knowledge and power, His complete sovereignty, His holiness, justice and goodness. We are nothing compared to Him. He is awesome and being aware of that fact produces awe and reverence for Him.

• A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? (Malachi 1:6). The Lord teaches us what it is to fear Him by using two earthly examples. A child is to honor their father. A servant is to fear their master. Honor and fear come from recognizing authority. The child is not equal to their father neither is the slave equal to their master. God is both our Father and Master. We are to honor and respect Him due to His rightful authority over us. This is another part of fearing God.

• I tell you my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear Him who, after He has killed , has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear Him! (Luke 12:4-5). If someone put a shotgun to our head it would be normal for us to fear that person because our life is in their hands. Just as we would tremble in the presence of one who could take our life, Jesus taught us to fear the Lord and more so. Jesus says that another human might be able to kill your physical body but they cannot kill your soul. God, on the other hand, can not only kill us physically but He has the power and authority to destroy our soul in hell. He can make us suffer for eternity and that should cause us to have a fear of God!

There is a difference in fearing God and fearing man. It is natural to run away from another human being that we are afraid of. However, our fear of God should not cause us to run away from Him but to run to Him. Our fear of God should cause us to desire to draw closer to Him. Yes, He can punish us in hell, but He is the only One who can save us from hell. He is the One who offers us salvation. In Psalm 103:10-12 we read, “He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us.”

How to Show Our Fear of God

Let’s consider how we can show that we are a God-fearing person:

• Seek Divine Instruction: “Surely you will fear Me; you will accept correction” (Zephaniah 3:7). The first thing we can do to show our fear of God is to seek and accept instruction from Him. Our awe of God’s infinite knowledge and wisdom should make us want look to Him to see how we should live our lives. Furthermore, our honor and respect for Him should motivate us to want to learn how to live so that we can be pleasing to Him. God will teach us how to live so that we can live a happy and successful life. “Who is the man who fears the Lord? Him will He instruct in the way that He should choose” (Psalm 25:12).

• Obey God’s Will: It is not enough just to learn what the commandments of God are. We must put the things that we learn into practice. “Oh that they had such a mind as this always, to fear Me and to keep all My commandments, that it might go well with them and with their descendants forever!” (Deuteronomy 5:29). “Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commandments!” (Psalm 112:1). “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

• Hate and Depart Evil: It is not only important to obey God and follow His commandments but we need to show the fear of God by avoiding evil. We will not avoid evil unless we first hate it. “The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil” (Proverbs 8:13). Here is a reason why some Christians still have sin dominating their lives: They are in love with it! Have you reached a point where you hate evil? Or do you flirt with sin and continue to be corrupted by it? Instead of hating evil do you spend your time and money filling your mind with evil? If we truly fear God we will hate evil in all its forms. “Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil” (Proverbs 3:7).

Based on these points, are you a God-fearing person? If you are, that fear is not in vain. Living your life in the fear of God will lead to an eternal reward. “The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life” (Proverbs 22:6).

One way to become unpopular with many people today is to stand up for an absolute standard of right and wrong. It is just not the “thing” to do these days. When you stand up for what is right and wrong with any amount of conviction you may be ridiculed, laughed at, and even flat out rejected. It even gets worse when you take a stand in the name of Jesus. People will call you names. You may even be called a religious fanatic or even a bigot. Yet some people are still able to stand up for what they believe in.

How do people do that today? How is it that some people have the courage and conviction to stand up for what is right?

Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12).

There are at least four things in this passage that suggest to us how we can stand up for what we believe in.

• Know what is right. It does us no good if we stand up for something that is false. We are blessed when we stand up for righteousness. God’s word is our standard and we can know what is right by studying and allowing His word to guide our lives.
• Condition yourself to opposition. Notice the opposition that Jesus says we will face if we are going to stand up: insults, persecutions, and all kinds of evil said about us. Those are difficult things for us to accept. However, if we are going to make a stand we will have to condition ourselves for ridicule.
• Anticipate your reward. It is hard for us to understand how we can rejoice and be glad while we are being insulted and ridiculed for standing up for what is right. However, when we are facing opposition our thoughts can focus on the reward that we have waiting for us if we take a stand.
• Keep company with God’s greats. “For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” The ill treatment and ridicule for standing up for what you believe in is nothing new. Parents often worry about who their children are keeping company with. It should not be different for adults. The people we keep company with can greatly influence us. Why not keep company with great Bible characters? These examples can encourage and strengthen us to know that we are not the first to go through persecutions for righteousness.

Take a stand for the TRUTH today!

We are on a journey to our final destination in eternity. Many are trying to take the “shortest route” to heaven when they, like this Nevada couple, do not realize that it is not the “safe route.”

As we make this journey and punch in our desired destination to heaven, please allow me to share with you G.od’s  P.lan of S.alvation, which is not the “shortest route” but the “safest route”:

Faith:

The Hebrew writer states, “without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). Faith is essential in obtaining the salvation that God offers through His Son, Jesus Christ, who said, “unless you believe that I am He you will die in your sins” (John 8:24). The Son of God left the glory of heaven and came to this earth and lived as a man. He was rejected by His own people and put to death on the cross. Three days later He rose from the dead and appeared to over 500 people. This is what the apostle Paul says is the good news. “Now I would remind you brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). To reach our final destination we must have faith in this gospel! However, our directions do not end here. This is where many choose to take the “shortest route” to heaven and sadly, it will not lead them to their desired destination. God still has more directions for us.

Repentance:

Repentance is defined as “to change one’s mind.” When we choose to make heaven our destination we turn around and go in a new direction. We change from evil to righteousness. John the Baptist preached repentance: “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:1-2). Jesus preached repentance: “From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’ (Matthew 4:17). The apostle Peter preached repentance: “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:39). It is clear from the Scriptures that we are commanded to repent. Sin has separated us from God (Isaiah 59:1-2) and G.od’s P.lan of S.alvation requires that we repent.

The next direction is:

Confession:

Confession is a necessary direction to reach our final destination. Jesus said, “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33).  If we do not confess Him before men He will deny us before God. Paul tells us that, “with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:10). We confess with our mouth something that we believe. This direction is one that is often misunderstood. Some churches teach that the sinner must confess all of their intimate sins to a priest. This is not the confession we read  about in the New Testament. Some churches tell the sinner to confess, “I accept the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Savior.” That is not found in the Bible. What then is the confession that is made unto salvation? Peter said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). The Ethiopian eunuch confessed before his baptism: “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (Acts 8:37). This great confession affirms that the person referred to as Jesus in the Scriptures, who was born in Bethlehem and later died on the cross of Calvary is the only hope for sinful man. Confession by itself does not cause us to reach our destination. There is still one more direction that we must pay attention to.

Baptism:

Three times in the book of Acts the question or its equivalent is asked, “What must I do to be saved?” On the day of Pentecost during Peter’s sermon the people asked, “Brothers, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37). On the road to Damascus, Paul asked, “What shall I do, Lord?” (Acts 22:10). Then, the jailer asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30).  The answer in every case involved baptism. Peter told the people to be baptized for the remission of sins and about 3,000 people were baptized (Acts 2:38,41). Saul was commanded to “rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on His name” (Acts 22:16). The jailer and his family were baptized at once after Paul and Silas spoke the word of the Lord to them (Acts 16:31-33). Baptism is a burial in water. Paul said we have been “buried with Him in baptism” (Colossians 2:12). Sprinkling or pouring water over someone’s head is not the baptism that is found in the Bible.  Baptism is clearly taught in the New Testament that it is essential to reaching our final destination. Jesus said, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16). Baptism is an essential direction in G.od’s P.lan of S.alvation.

G.od’s P.lan of S.alvation includes:

• Faith in Jesus Christ
• Repenting of sins
• Confessing Christ with the mouth
• Baptism in the name of Jesus Christ to receive forgiveness of sins

Leaving any of these directions out will result in a very dangerous turn away from the final destination of heaven.

Jesus said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me” (John 6:44-45). One must be drawn to God to enjoy the benefits of the resurrection on the last day.  How does that take place? Is a person drawn to God through a vision or dream, or some mysterious feeling? Thankfully Jesus answers this question for us. He teaches that a person is drawn to God by being taught the truth and learning of the Father. In other words, a person is drawn to a relationship with God when they have heard the gospel message.

When Jesus gave the great commission He said, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15). We are commissioned to proclaim the gospel to the world because one is drawn to God through the message of the gospel.  Man has absolutely no hope of ever being reconciled to God without preaching and teaching the gospel. The message of the cross of Christ is God’s drawing power. Jesus said, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (John 12:32).

As disciples of Christ we cannot sit back and wait for lost souls to experience some mystical feeling or dream because God does not draw man in that manner.  It is the hearing and obeying of God’s word that is able to save the soul (James 1:21).  No other message or method will draw will save one’s soul. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16).

The Ascension of Christ

Goodbyes are not easy, especially if we will be gone for a long time. One of the hardest goodbyes that anyone has to say is to an elderly family member or friend because we know it may be the last time we will see them.  We have recorded for us in the Scriptures the goodbye between Jesus and His disciples. It must have been a difficult goodbye for Jesus’ followers. However, it was necessary for Jesus to ascend back into heaven.

In Acts 1, Luke recorded Jesus’ instructions that they should not leave Jerusalem, but should wait for the Holy Spirit to come upon them, and then they would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, and in Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Luke then wrote, “And when He had said these things, as they were looking on, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as He went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven’               (Acts 1:9-11). There are several reasons why the ascension of Christ was necessary:

There had to be a final moment when Jesus returned to heaven. Imagine if the appearances of the resurrected Christ just simply faded out. There would be something wrong and indefinite about that. There had to be a day dividing when the Jesus of earth would become the Christ of heaven. The ascension marked the transition from His earthly ministry to His heavenly ministry. Behind Him was the persecution of men, before Him was the rejoicing of angels. Behind Him was the cruel cross, before Him was the glorious crown. So the ascension was necessary because there had to be a final moment when Jesus left the earth.

Jesus’ going allowed for the Spirit’s coming. Jesus told His disciples, “But now I am going to Him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ but because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you” (John 16:5-7). Jesus continued saying, “I still have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak and He will declare the things that are to come”     (John 16:12-14). The going of Jesus allowed for the coming of the Spirit and the coming of the Spirit ushered in the beginning of the church in Acts 2.

The ascension allowed Jesus to begin His permanent, heavenly ministry. Just as the grave could not hold Him when His Father raised Him from the dead, the earth could not hold Him when the time came for Him to return to His Father. “He was taken up into heaven and He sat down at the right hand of God” (Mark 16:19). In heaven, at God’s right hand, Jesus is our interceding high priest, giving us the grace that we need for life and service. “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession” (Hebrews 4:14). He is also our advocate with the Father. “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:1-2). We have proof that Jesus ascended and is now ministering at the right hand of God. When Stephen was on trial before the Sanhedrin, he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, ‘Behold I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God’ (Acts 7:55-56).  The ascended Christ is very much alive and active in heaven.

The ascension was necessary for His return. Jesus could not return if He never left. Before their eyes that very day, Jesus began ascending into heaven in a way that would be described as dignified and majestic. No whirlwind came along and swept Him away like it happened with Elijah. Rather, as He ascended, a cloud appeared and hid Jesus from their gaze. Unlike the transfiguration, where Jesus remained after the cloud disappeared, in the ascension, Jesus did not remain after the cloud hid Him. There the disciples stood gazing into the sky, when they were interrupted by two men in white robes standing beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “Why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus who was taken up into heaven, will come in the same way you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). The ascension testifies to the fact that the Lord will return. The disciples were not told that they themselves would see the coming again of Christ. The time is left open and to speculate when His return will be is ridiculous and foolish. Jesus Christ has gone to prepare a place for those who will live for Him. “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am going you may be also” (John 14:1-3).

Are you ready for His return?

At His Baptism“Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:21-22)

The book of Luke informs us that Jesus prayed at important times in His life. Despite all that was going on around Him Jesus withdrew from the world and went to God in prayer. “But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear Him and to be healed of their infirmities. But He would withdraw to desolate places to pray”  (Luke 5:15,16).

Take the time to withdraw yourself from the cares of the world and go to God in prayer. Leave the cell phone, laptop, and any other distraction in the other room. Find a place where you can be alone and pour your heart out to God.