If I Die…

Someone I’ve known for many years died the other day. It’s an interesting phenomenon that when people die, we eulogies them. We stop and pause and think about the messages they proclaimed throughout their life. It seems we find more meaning in things they may have said, done, or written only after they die.

I think we honor people more after they die because they are no longer a threat. They no longer are competition. They cannot rise and speak for themselves or defend themselves. Because of this, it is easier to say good things about them. We contemplate the mystery of their lives, passions, struggles, joys, and concerns.

I am positioning myself so that when I die (not “if” I die), people who knew me or heard about me will become nostalgic or curious and check out things that I have written. And I hope and pray that what I have written is a clear and consistent witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

When I die, I want people to read this article. I want the curious to know that there is only one way of salvation, and that is through a repentant heart having faith in Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity who died a substitutionary death on their behalf.

I want atheists to hear that atheism is entirely untenable. To deny the existence of the self-existing Triune God who has revealed Himself in His self-authenticating Bible means that you cannot prove anything. Without Him, reason, science, and morality are impossible. As Dr. Cornelius Van Til so aptly proclaimed, “Antitheism presupposes Theism.” By “theism,” he does not mean just any god, such as the false god of Islam, Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, or any other religion. Only the Christian God of the Bible mediated through the Second Person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ, is worthy of love, honor, praise, and thanksgiving.

When I die, I believe God will sovereignly direct the reader to read my words and be confronted with the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And I pray the Holy Spirit will breathe spiritual life into the core of your being so that you will become a child of God.

I pray those who read these words who are caught in the deception of our age where people, even pastors, are lying to you telling you that what God clearly calls sin is now, somehow miraculously made holy. I pray the Spirit would so convict those stopping by curious about my life, and my message will be so changed that no matter how difficult, how painful, how radical a change you have to make to get right with God, you will do it. Hell is real, and I want to see you again in heaven. I want you to tell me how God used what I wrote to change you for all eternity.

It doesn’t matter if you read these words before or after I die. What matters is that you respond to them by placing your faith in Christ.

Time for a Real Change

“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. Galatians 6:7”

You may not like this verse. You may not believe it. You may ignore it. Truth is truth and doesn't change just because the majority of people think it is not so. 

I have seen the truth of this verse in my life. I thought I could do sinful things and that I was "covered" from the consequences because I would confess my sin and because I was already saved.

But God has built His character into the universe, especially in the realm of humanity.

We were created by God, as was all of creation. Because we were created by God, His Law permeates all of creation. 

The Bible is not talking about "god" in some generic way. When the Bible speaks about God, it is testifying to the One God who exists in three Persons; Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come. Revelation 4:8”

And He is Holy. Not only is He holy, but He is also praised as being holy three times, which means He is the Ultimate Holy One.

And as the Holy One, He stands forever against sin.

Are you mocking God by living or doing things that He says are wrong? To do so is to make fun of God. It says that you know better than He does. You can think that all you want, but that won't change who God is and what He requires us.

The Bible defines sin as "the transgression of God's Law." ( 1 John 3:4). Whether you want to talk about the summary of the Law as loving God or loving your neighbor or you want to talk about the revelation of His Law in the 10 Commandments or if you wish to speak about the application of that Law all throughout the Scriptures, the Law is the Law from the beginning to the end and all the ways it is expressed in the Bible.

The truth is we all have broken God's Law, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) 

And God says, "the wages of sin is death." (Romans 6:23) Death in this context means separation from God. The ultimate death, we are told, is eternal separation from God. 

As it says in Isaiah 59:2, "your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God."

What's to be done? The good news of the Bible is that God has made a Way for sinners to be made right with Him. This Way is Jesus Christ. God the Father gave Jesus His Son to die in your place as a substitute. The wages of sin are indeed, death. The question is, who will die this death?

Jesus Christ has already died as God's substitutionary sacrifice. In whose place did He die? He died for all who trust in Him for salvation. Is that you? That is up to you. You have the responsibility to turn from your sin and trust in Jesus. 

What does that mean? It means to stop living in denial about the seriousness of your sin. Don't let others tell you that your sin is not sin. Don't let society deceive you into believing that you are a "good person." Don't let the media lull you into complacency. Don't let your lifestyle's comfort and convenience stop you from running from your sin into the arms of Jesus Christ. 

Leaving your sin can and will be difficult. But what does that matter when you are given the promise of eternal life in Christ?

To come to Christ means to leave your sin. It means to put your sinful heart into His hands and to leave your sinful life. It means to trust that His substitutionary sacrifice is all that you need to have your sins forgiven.

And when you have faith in Christ, God promises that He will forgive you, not only of your sinful heart, but all sin that you have committed in thought, word, and deed.

God also promises that He will fill you with the Holy Spirit. This means that God will empower your heart, soul, mind, and body. He will dwell in and through you to help you do the things He requires of you. The Spirit of God will continue to cleanse you from all sin on a daily bases. In Jesus Christ, you are made right with God, and through the Spirit of Christ, you are made holy in God's eyes.

Will it be difficult to stop living the sinful lifestyle you are living now? Of course, it will be. But God promises blessing on all who walk in His ways. (Psalm 1) This does not mean that God will make you wealthy or famous or prosper you according to the world's standard. It does mean that He will give you a new heart, a new outlook on life, a new purpose, and a new mission. 

If you don't turn away from your sin, the original verse I started with will hold true, "God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap." It may not happen today. It may not happen next week or next year. In fact, you may think you are living your best life, but someday it will all come crashing down. And when it does, I hope my words will come to your mind. I pray you will see the destruction of your life, peace, comfort, and blessing of God.

It will be a blessing because God loves you so much that He would strip you naked in this life to clothe you with His best garments for all of eternity. 

Why wait for everything to come crashing down? Leave your sin and turn to Christ today. You know what is in your life that He is not pleased with. He is pressing you at this moment on that very thing. Shut out every other voice but God's voice and listen, and after listening, do what He says. 

First, acknowledge your sinfulness. Next, trust in Jesus Christ. By faith, hold on to the truth that God, in Christ, completely forgives you. Last, be filled with the Holy Spirit and make whatever changes you need to make in your life to get right with Him.

I am here if you want or need someone to help you walk through this process. Otherwise, heed these words. However you respond, it will make all the difference in your life.

Amen

The Ultimate Precaution

There’s something affecting humanity that is far deadlier than COVID-19 and yet so few pay it any mind. I think people fear the coronavirus because they ultimately fear death. It’s interesting to me to see how few people fear sin. The Bible says, “The wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23) What if we feared sin as much as the coronavirus? Sin has caused more death and destruction and devastation than any virus the world has ever seen, yet so many of us are as comfortable with sin as we are with an old familiar pair of bluejeans.

Look at all the precautions people are taking to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Governments have closed much of the world. People wear masks and keep at least 6 feet apart. We are even willing to tank the economy and all the devastation that will cause in order to flatten the curve.

Imagine if we took sin as seriously as we are taking COVID-19? Imagine if we feared God more than we feared sickness and death? Jesus said, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28)

Please don’t misread me. Take precautions against real threats. Yet, I’m amazed and saddened by a world that puts so much energy into battling a virus while giving so little attention to sin and God.

There’s no cure for COVID-19, but there is a cure for sin. The cure is faith in Jesus Christ and His atoning blood that was poured out when He died on the cross. Take precautions against coronavirus, but shouldn't we take the greater precaution of where we will spend eternity? In Christ, we do not need to fear death or disease or destruction. Take the ultimate precaution by trusting in Jesus Christ today.

A Call to Prayer

April 10, 2020

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

If God’s own People aren’t willing to do this, then what hope is there for our State, our Nation, or our World.

Wake Up Believers and Pray!

A Call to Prayer

God is calling His people to pray. Whether you are worried about COVID-19, the economy, the expansion of government, how you’re going to pay the rent, or for the safety of your friends and family, the best thing we can do is pray. Prayer is not just something we can do to pass the time. It is the work that Christians are called to do especially during times of crisis.

I invite you to join me in prayer for all that is happening in our world right now. You can pray at any time, but I am inviting you to pray particularly when you wake up in the middle of the night or during a time when you are quiet and free from distraction.

For those of you who like some help in how to pray, I came up with a way to have Christ-centered prayer. Each letter in the name of C.H.R.I.S.T. stands for an important aspect of prayer. Whether you use this Christ-centered guideline or something else, the most important thing is that you pray.

Here is a brief explanation of each letter with one supporting Bible verse. I plan on expanding and explaining each aspect of prayer on my blog on the www.the100thsheepministries.com website. Check there in the next coming days if you want a deeper explanation of each letter.

C - Confession
Start with confessing your own personal sins. (1 John 1:9)
Continue with confessing our corporate sins as a nation. There are plenty of sins we can confess such as the sin of pornography, sex trafficking, child abuse, racism, greed, etc. The list is long. (Nehemiah 1:4-11)

H - Hallejuja (Praise)
Take time to worship God and realize who He is and how great He is. (Psalm 103:1)

R - Requests
It’s important to ask God for what you want and what you need. (Philippians 4:6)

I - Intersession
Take time to intercede for our world, for our nation, for our government, doctors, for the sick, for friends and family, for God to have mercy on us, for God to move on those who don’t know Jesus Christ. This is the heart of the work of prayer.(1 Timothy 2:1-2)

S - Scripture
Take some time and meditate on a verse or passage of Scripture. (Joshua 1:8)

T - Thanksgiving
Finally, take time to give God thanks for the many blessings He has given you. It is vitally important that you have a grateful heart. 1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Please share this with fellow believers and ask them to share it as well. Together we can and will make a difference. Our prayers will turn things around.