Month: February 2016

BAIT AND SWITCH

Tagged , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

BAIT AND SWITCH

By Rick Mathes

Acts 20:28 Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

The sheep or our post-Christian era are being sheared by false shepherds that only care about themselves. I have attended enough Baptist minister breakfasts to know that the main topic of their passion is not baptizing new believers. I spoke at a Baptist pastor’s conference and scolded them. I said that they had fifty ministers in the room and collectively hadn’t had fifty baptisms in the last ten years. I even preached on, “Is Judas still treasurer of your church?” Needless to say, they gave me their left hand of friendship and turned their backs on me ever since.

I’ve had it with demons in the pulpit preaching another Christ. They have exchanged the Word of God for the words of men! Emperor Constantine began the smoldering sacraments and rituals of Father Satan and the Roman Catholic Church, cults and the carnal Protestant churches have continued the apostasy. It’s called religion. My unsaved, hell-bound half-brother once said, “All our world’s problems can be traced back to their origin in religion!” He was dead-on right.

Religion is man’s best effort to reach God, faults aplenty. Christianity is Christ’s faultless efforts to reach man. Believers reach back because we are made in His image and likeness. When someone insists on evolution I respond, “If you think your great, great, great grandfather was a monkey, I am inclined to agree with you.” So much depends on you believing that, “In the beginning was the Word, etc.”

Religion provides a manmade Poe or some other such officer that bloats with pomp, power and becomes a despot seeped in tyranny. We are misguided from faith to presumption and that we worship the creature instead of the Creator. It becomes a satanic cult community.

Christianity does not separate and isolate it’s followers. It unifies them in superior splendor far above the hell bound fallen angels. The true salvation of faith and fear can overwhelm trust Christianity has been marketed by bait and switch con-men. They will attract you with enough plausible truth to disguise the lies that are to follow.

 

BAD SHEPHERD

Tagged , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

BAD SHEPHERD

By Rick Mathes

Luke 4:18 THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE DOWNTRODDEN,

The biggest assurance I have of being saved from sin is my conviction of sin. Satan would not nag me to repent so it must be the Holy Spirit within me. Only the offended can demand restitution form the offender. And only a sinner who has a Savior can respond and be regenerated and baptized in holiness, not of ourselves but the holiness imputed to us from the final sacrifice of God’s Son and our Savior on the cross that was risen from the dead.

I thank Jesus with all that is within me that He left His Holy Spirit behind to teach and guide me and to intercede when my sinful knees hit the ground and my soul aches for only the salvation Christ can gift us with.

The anointing of the Holy Spirit fills us with His righteousness and cause to rise on behalf of the King. From the top of our head to the soles of our feet we are committed to the cause of Christ. We put on the armor, lift the sword and dig in our cleats to keep the faith, fight the good fight and finally finish the race.

The best analogy of being Spirit-filled is being in love. You can’t see it, you can’t hear it, you can’t taste it, you can’t smell it but you sure can feel it! You start out being the hand and the blood of Jesus becomes the glove that protects the hand: that’s justification. Then you exchange places. You become the glove and your skin covers our Lord who becomes your hand. Then you go about the Father’s business with Him working it out through you.

The witnesses of Father, Son and Holy Spirit agree that you are theirs and sealed until that last day when you will be released: like a caterpillar into a butterfly, from black and white to color. He indwells in you and when people get to know you they get to know Jesus.

Once born-again and exchanged for Him we are endowed with all the blessings of our first nature to walk in the coolness of the evening and have communion with the God of our creation on earth as it is in heaven.

 

ATTENTION SINNERS!

Tagged , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

ATTENTION SINNERS

By Rick Mathes

1 Timothy 1:15 (NASB77) 15   It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.

Civilizations in every age back to Adam have demonstrated in every nation of people without change to ratchet up the decrees of their actions continue without change to where sin is normal and bad has been accepted as good. You need to search long and carefully to find a penitent when you are the chief and worst of sinners.

Some truths are never learned and yes, history repeats itself. For example, many professing Christians confess Jesus is Lord but don’t always confess Jesus as Lord. They have intellectual ascent but have not surrendered to lordship salvation. Justification without sanctification is a fraud or akin to talk without walk. You can’t be part pregnant. You can’t get part of you into heaven.

On and on, one after another are convinced by the devil an the Roman church (or do I repeat myself) that you can be saved from hell by your good works; that you can be self-righteous and stand in the presence of God. Hogwash! You cannot make yourself savable than you can breathe under water unaided by a respirator. You need your Savior, walk your talk, believe-obey and make Him your Lord: your Master. When you do, the Word will flow through your veins like fire and you will openly confess Christ to others.

I strongly suggest that you join a Bible believing church that confesses Bible only, Jesus only, Faith only, and Grace only. They will guide you in reading and studying God’s Word correctly. All other churches that the true church will have something to add to add like Pope, tongues, sacraments, confessionals, rosary, second baptism, Apocrypha, etc. These churches have a demon in the pulpit!

The true test of your commitment will be your desire to spend time with Jesus in prayer. He loves to hear your voice and learn about all those things that are a part of your life. He loves you dearly and if you put your hand in His, you will walk in His footsteps, on His path to be again in His will as it is on earth and in heaven. So listen up and pay attention, bone head!

AT HIS FEET

Tagged , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

AT HIS FEET

By Rick Mathes

Hebrews 2:8 (ASV) Thou didst put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he subjected all things unto him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we see not yet all things subjected to him.

The word “Tetelestai” means “It is finished!” Jesus spoke this from the cross, gave up the ghost and died. I did too. My knees hit the ground and my soul soared in glory and submission to His Lordship at that moment I heard the word. And even to this day, my heart beats close to His and my spirit comes under His authority: at His feet.

All unfortunate sinners such as those suffering are reaping the reward of their disobedience. They must turn from the flaming king of this world and turn to the everlasting King of this universe in repentance and prayer.

Wayward children afflict fathers with shame and give good, praying mothers much sorrow and grief. No amount of crying and begging forgiveness will bring relief to their distraught parents or sin sick children but the blessing and forgiveness of our Lord. He said for us to bring our burdens to Him and He would give us rest.

The crowd that gathers at His feet frequently includes sinful women who do unnatural acts with each other and sell their sexual favors to the highest bidder. Women, made virtuous as an example of God’s purity rule; live and employ themselves with men that step fresh from the garbage and refuse of humanity.

A mission field that is frequently encountered in third world countries are those struggling with demons of alcoholism, drug addiction, mental illness and other supernatural attacks from hell. Those countries must infiltrated by Christianity are most i9nclined to hold off Satan’s demonic arrows so the father of hell goes to the weakest link which are those most inclined to fear the underworld and the attacks of the devil.

But the number one enemy and priority target of the devil is those who are seeking the truth because it’s the tuth that clearly defeats the devil. This truth is only found at the feet of the Lord. And let’s not forget the bereaved Christians in the weakness of their sorrow or the reverent worshippers in the weakness of their vulnerability or being out on the water. It’s at the precious feet of our Savior in respect and adoration that we are more than conquerors.

ASK, WILL YA?

Tagged , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

ASK WILL YA?

By Rick Mathes

John 16:23-24 (NASB77) 23 “And in that day you will ask Me no question. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you shall ask the Father for anything, He will give it to you in My name. 24 ” Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be made full.

There’s a song that has a line, “Oh Lord, Dear Lord, won’t you give me Mercedes Benz?” I’ve sang it a few times and it doesn’t work. Oh how often I have prayed for something or someone and my prayer wasn’t answered. I know, I know, He said, “Yes, no or not yet.” That doesn’t help. I have even felt it was futile to talk to an invisible God in the empty air, no answer. Do I hear an Amen?

Well, the first thing you and I need to learn is to pray in His name. When you use His name, you can only pray for those things He would be blessed by because you arfe coming to God on the coattails of Jesus. When you do this you are praying according to His name and you are praying in faith.

Faith and trust are the keys to heaven while doubt and fear will drop you into the abyss of liquid flames of unlimited intensity and duration. Point a flame-thrower down your throat for a sample.

So what’s holding the Lord back from answering your prayer? Let me enumerate just a few that I’m sure we both are familiar with.

  1. Insincerity: Praying to win a lottery ticket and having the chance to have your prayer answered is the same as winning it. Flippant prayers that are half-hearted and beneath His dignity will go unanswered.
  2. Selfishness: True prayers before the Lord are always selfless. Try praying for 15 minutes without asking Him for anything and see how hard that can be.
  3. Impatience: We live in an instant-presto, just add hot water society and move too fast to often. Blessings that last often take time to seed, plant, water, grow, and then harvest. What’s the hurry? We, as elect, have forever!
  4. Unbelief: This is the real show stopper. It’s the only sin God will not forgive and it’s at the top of Satan’s lust to entice you to sin. How can you run your hands through a cesspool of vile sin and then lift them to God and have the audacity to expect He will answer you.

Believe and obey for there is no other way.

ASHAMED

Tagged , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

ASHAMED

By Rick Mathes

Romans 1:16 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.

The day has finally arrived for you to climb the golden stairway to the summit of the Hill of Zion and approach the throne of God. You were faithful and He was true to His Word. Now is the time to take that first step, trembling in excitement as you slowly pass walking the opposite way into the abyss of endless flames, you son. “Daddy, why didn’t you tell me about Jesus?” he sobs. There goes your daughter, wife, best friend hysterically calling back to you, “How could you have done this to us. You never shared the Gospel with us and now it is too late!” What would you respond to them.

I didn’t want to offend you. I didn’t want to look like a religious fanatic. You would probably ignore me. Religion is a private matter. Right now, get out a piece of paper and write out in a sentence why you aren’t telling souls destined to hell the way to salvation!. Now shot it to the Lord. Ouch? You bet Ouch!

To convince others you need to be convinced. “Evidence Deserves a Verdict” by Josh McDowell will reach your mind intellectually. “The Gospel According to Jesus” by John MacArthur Jr. will have you confessing Jesus as Lord like you never have had before. Once the realization that God became man, died for our sins and rose from the dad for our eternal redemption, you will never look back but you will press on, keep the faith, fight the good fight and finish the course laid before you.

To convict others of sin you must be convicted of sin yourself. Everything I communicate to others as a minister I first minister to myself. I figure that if it worked for me it might work for you. Then I pray that if I misspeak the truth that the Holy Spirit will change it to your hearing.

Lastly, to convert someone you must first be converted. All of these benchmarks convince, convict and convert mean absolutely nothing if the cross is nothing more than a sing or jewelry. How can you possibly be ashamed of Jesus? Then how can Then how can you hold back the good news from those you love when they have the spiritual cancer and you have the cure? What is your excuse and what is the Lord’s response to it?

APRIL FOOL’S DAY

Tagged , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

APRIL FOOL’S DAY

By Rick Mathes

It’s amazing how the years slip by but we are past our 25th anniversary of Mission Gate. It seems just like yesterday when Trish and I were standing in our living room the first day of our new commitment to the Lord and I asked her, “What day is this?” and she replied, “It’s April Fool’s Day!” I couldn’t believe it. I was convinced that I was either daffy, in mid-life crisis, anointed or some combination of the three but I knew the Lord was playing with me our first day I called the Pastor that led me to Christ and I asked him, “What verse do you think of when you think of prisoners and our ministry?” He replied, “John 10:9 where Jesus said, ‘I AM the Gate.” Amen! We knew the name of our ministry would be Mission Gate Prison Ministry and that’s how it started and I continued to be fascinated in that verse. Let’s take a closer look at it.

John 10:7-10 (NIV) 7 Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.

He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;

 I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Allow me to make a few points about this revelation of the “I AM.”

First, thank you Jesus there is a gate! Stepping through the gate into and then out of Satan’s mansion called The Department of Corrections (prison) was a nightmare. But now, there is another gate that offers life instead of death.

Second, thank you Jesus there is only one gate! I just know that if there were two gates, with my luck, I would choose the wrong one.

Third, thank you Jesus the gate is a turnstile! We can go through one man at a time. We aren’t herded like the cattle or prisoners in most institutions. We can put our shoulders back, lift our heads and step through the blood of Jesus, one born-again man at a time; each special in His sight.

Fourth, thank you Jesus it’s a strong gate! Jesus assured us that the gates of Hell cannot prevail against us, that He will always provide us a way out, that He will never give us more than we can bear, that no one can take us out of His hand, that He will never leave or forsake us and that where He is we will be.

Fifth, thank you Jesus by stepping thought we pass from failure to victory, sorrow to joy and from earth to heaven. Let me encourage you to step through the Gate for an experience you won’t soon forget!

Dear Lord, some people just don’t know how to step through the gate.  I remember running from you.  It is so amazing that the sinful life we are afraid to give up really amounts to nothing.  And the minute we believe, you offer us everything…everlasting peace and eternal life.

ANOTHER BAPTISM

Tagged , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

ANOTHER BAPTISM

By Rick Mathes

Matthew 28:19 (NASB77) 19  ” Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

There is only one Trinity so when you are baptized in the Name of the Father, the Name of the Son and the Name of the Holy Spirit you are baptized in the fullness of all three in one. Before Jesus was ascended, there was only the baptism of repentance with John the Baptist. This required a second baptism to receive the fullness of the Trinity. It wasn’t second dose of the Holy Spirit, was not intended to be and is not now more Holy Spirit than your original baptism permitted. Implying that you need more is blasphemous! You are saying the first baptism of the fullness of the Trinity was not enough. Jesus said from the Cross, “It is finished!” and He meant it.

How do you know you have the real deal?

First of all it is inside your soul then demonstrated by the outward immersion in front of you family of believers. The thief on the cross only had one opportunity for the first and that was all that was needed. He didn’t speak in tongues and Paul said not everyone has that gift of languages. He wasn’t’ a quart low or less than a full Christian like so many charismatics make you think you are.

Evidence of a genuine repentance is most obvious. The load of sin is lifted and the tears that wash the soul begin. What a wonderful, unforgettable experience for a might sinner to become a mighty saint. A worm turned into a butterfly. Black and white explodes into vivid IMAX color!

Sin killed the Father’s Son! Get a handle on the seriousness of this. Imagine His pain for the souls He created that would have to suffer His righteous judgment of eternal torture in the flames of His created hell. What would you do with the murderer of your child if you could have immunity from being charged with any crime? Think about this.

So sorrow, deep sorrow from sinning must slap you right in the face and kick you in the stomach. How could you have been so low to do those heinous deeds to those you love much less to those you hate? The next step is insanity or life without.

The determination to turn form that sin must be monumental. Let me ask you: Do you love Jesus more than the sin which infuriates the Father? Then walk your talk and stop that sin dead in it’s tracks and never do it again, never! Ever!

Declare your allegiance to Jesus and never turn back. If you kill the Goliath sin the Philistines (lesser sins) will scatter. Salute your King and prepare for duty. There isn’t another baptism.

ANOINTED

Tagged , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

ANOINTED

By Rick Mathes

Luke 4:18 THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE DOWNTRODDEN,

The biggest assurance I have of being saved from sin is my conviction of sin. Satan would not nag me to repent so it must be the Holy Spirit within me. Only the offended can demand restitution form the offender. And only a sinner who has a Savior can respond and be regenerated and baptized in holiness, not of ourselves but the holiness imputed to us from the final sacrifice of God’s Son and our Savior on the cross that was risen from the dead.

I thank Jesus with all that is within me that He left His Holy Spirit behind to teach and guide me and to intercede when my sinful knees hit the ground and my soul aches for only the salvation Christ can gift us with.

The anointing of the Holy Spirit fills us with His righteousness and cause to rise on behalf of the King. From the top of our head to the soles of our feet we are committed to the cause of Christ. We put on the armor, lift the sword and dig in our cleats to keep the faith, fight the good fight and finally finish the race.

The best analogy of being Spirit-filled is being in love. You can’t see it, you can’t hear it, you can’t taste it, you can’t smell it but you sure can feel it! You start out being the hand and the blood of Jesus becomes the glove that protects the hand: that’s justification. Then you exchange places. You become the glove and your skin covers our Lord who becomes your hand. Then you go about the Father’s business with Him working it out through you.

The witnesses of Father, Son and Holy Spirit agree that you are theirs and sealed until that last day when you will be released: like a caterpillar into a butterfly, from black and white to color. He indwells in you and when people get to know you they get to know Jesus.

Once born-again and exchanged for Him we are endowed with all the blessings of our first nature to walk in the coolness of the evening and have communion with the God of our creation on earth as it is in heaven.

AND THEN

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

AND THEN

By Rick Mathes

2 Timothy 2:13 (NASB77) 13  If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself.

What does a hopeless unbeliever expect will happen the moment after their last heartbeat? It musts be scary. How about expecting to fry in the flames of Purgatory for thousands of years like the Roman Catholics believe or soul-sleep nothingness of the Jehovah’s Witnesses? At least the Mormon men believe that they will become a god on their own planet! You can’t make this up. Thank you Jesus the God-breathed words of God assure us otherwise.

The blessed hope evangelists live for is drawing near when we will step into the presence of the Kind of this universe and our personal friend Jesus the Christ. It’s a sure bet because it’s the Word of God and He keeps His word. It would be contrary the very fiber of His being to be mistaken or unknowing or eternal things.

The Word of God washes and purifies the soul. Holiness is a rush if only for a moment so you can imagine how it will e in glory when we are wholly His!

What price would you put on comfort or contentment? I had the wife of a famous millionaire call me and ask what I need and she would write out a check for it. It was the first time I realized that I didn’t need anything. Imagine that! Having a clear conscience and clean record is priceless; no amount of money can buy it. Our Lord promised our needs would be met and they are.

A hope of eternal life in heaven sustains a taste of heaven here on earth. Consider that it all was created for our pleasure and we were created for His. He’s coming back and in fact very near at this moment. We are about to embark on an adventure beyond compare so fasten your seat belt and hold on!

How satisfied can one get, to know that now and forever He will never leave us nor forsake us? We will soon see Him as He really is and receive our reward: now that’s what I call total satisfaction no matter what I had to go through to get there. We surely will be blessed: that is, we will be happy beyond words or any joy we have ever experienced. It’s all about Him and His return that anchors us in the Faith.