Category: Evangelical Christian

 WHY CRY?

By Rick Mathes

John 20:13 (NASB77) ¹³  And they •said to her, ” Woman, why are you weeping?” She •said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

We know why she was crying. She thought someone had stolen the Lord’s body and of course we know He rose from the dead. Knowing the whole story and believing that He is the resurrection and the life, why in the world are you crying now?

Is it elfish sorrow? Are you not getting your share of the world’s toys? Are others prospering and passin you by with flashy cars fashionable clothes and gated community homes? Are the years slopping away to fast?

Are you still in rebellion? The thought of fun being called sin is more than you can bear. How could you possibly give up drugs, sex and rock-n-roll? What else is there? Can you even imagine how boring and wasted life would be without the money, girls, gambling and parties?

Have you at least made a try but find your Church deader than a door nail? It’s hardly worth going to a church that reeks of formaldehyde?

Chances are very high that you have grieved the Holy Spirit. You can commit a sin. That’s easy to understand: commission. But there is also omission when you leave part of the truth out to cause a favorable impression. The worst sin is one of permission when you allow a fellow professor to continue in sin without your rebuke or correction. You are inadvertently endorsing the sin by doing nothing about it. We are our brother’s keeper and don’t you ever forget it!

I suspect one reason you are crying, at least on the inside is because you are not serving the Lord as the Holy Spirit is urging you to or your prayers are going unanswered. These are the main two reasons even the strongest saints get weak at the knees.

The strongest candidate for number one is probably your only nature raising up that “Garden of Eden” sin of doubt couples with our evil nature digging up the ghosts of past sin.

The simplest antidote or cue for all the above is you have not been able to understand the Word of God and you need a pastor that follows that Master and peaches only the Gospel according to Jesus. These saints are an endangered species!

PRESS ON!

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WHY?

By Rick Mathes

John 20:15 Jesus •said to her, ” Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing Him to be the gardener, she •said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”

Why are you crying? Is your church dead and cold? Let’s sort out what church isn’t: it isn’t the building you attend on Sunday morning for an hour. It is the temple you carry on your two feet. Like metal to a magnet Christians are drawn together to worship as a community of believers but church is where you are standing, on holy ground,

Have you grieved the Holy Spirit? His feelings are hurt when you are an unrepentant sinner seeking God’s favor. This is akin to running you hands through a cesspool and then lifting them to God in prayer. You are making Him gag.

Are you mourning about unanswered prayer? Believe me, He answers all prayers yes, no or not yet. You are probably suffering from doubt and doubt is a sin you must repent of. According to your faith your prayer will be answered in His best interests for your well-being. This may not be as you want it to be.

Are you falling back into your old evil nature? Chances are you have gotten lazy about your prayers, bible studies, fellowship and repentance. If you don’t feel as close to Him as you once were, you can rest assured it wasn’t Jesus who moved. You need to work at it. Let me ask you this, “How long can you coast your bike uphill without pedaling?” You have to work at it!

Most likely you are in the midst of sinful gain and you refuse to get honest and make things right. You can’t enjoy Satan’s treasure that caused our Lord’s tears. The biggest fear is that you have reached a point of no remorse or conviction of wrong-doing. When there is no more of your heart to break you will continue to be Satan’s right hand man. It’s hard to let go of the world and be belly-up. People of the world will hurt you but Jesus suffered a whole lot more than yhou for you. There won’t be a U-hall on the back of the hearse carrying you to a hole in the ground that you will be planted in.

Chances are that you don’t understand the Word because you have not been in fellowship with the Words of God. You let them take your Lord away. Little by little, one thing after another has filled your time until there is nothing left between you and the gates of Hell. That will make any grown man cry. Jesus saw ahead of time to this moment of your grief and cried tears of blood.

Believe me, He feels (felt) your pain!

PRESS ON!

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WHO IS JESUS?

By Rick Mathes

John 1:1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

You are entering Holy Ground when you venture into the first eighteen verses of the Gospel of John. My hand is trembling in His presence as I reach feebly for finite words to explain the infinite. All we can do is try to understand the essence and form of God in the Word and Jesus. Like a crown of jewels, let’s together catch a glimpse here and a peek there into the Godhead as John so valiantly did his best for us in the Gospel.

In the beginning the pre-existent Godhead blessed humanity with the pre-incarnate Messiah in fellowship with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus separated in form and visited mankind, the Savior of the world. He grew in wisdom and stature a little lower than the angels, stepped out from the “Jesus & Bros. Construction Co.” and without reserve marched to the death stake for our salvation. A fully divine God-man suffered crucifixion because He loved us that much

Make no doubt about it, He is the eternal God that spoke creation into existence. That’s a breathtaking accomplishment when we consider all we know of outer space. It is in and through Him life has its source and sustenance. He describes Himself with the 7 “I AM’s” in His gospel. It is by His light we get glimpses of eternity. He is the only giver of life and the facts of its origin were passed from Adam to Methuselah to Noah, to Moses, to us. Whew!

The focal point is Jesus and His creating power. His essence lies in each believer when we exchange all we are for all He is. We put skin on Him. He becomes our hand and we become His glove so that He can go about the business of the Father.

The witnesses have their day and the martyrs their night confessing to the last breath, “He is raised!” He taught for 40 days and then 500 onlookers saw His feet leave the ground and disappear into a cloud. Paul challenged the readers of his Epistles to go and question them. They were still walking around in amazement at the miracles of the resurrecting and ascending.

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us and He is with us to this day.

PRESS ON!

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WHO IS HE?

By Rick Mathes

Matthew 16:15 He •said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Let us survey those closest to Him and ask, “Who do you say He is?”

• Soldiers: He is just a fanatic fool that deserved to die this tortuous death on the cross. WE get these idiots from time to time and he just joined the rest of the phonies.
• Mary: My son, oh my son! How tortured I am to see you suffer so and I can’t do anything to protect you. I know you are a special child but this is no way to end it all for you.
• Disciples: Oh no! What are we going to do now? Our whole life of over three years has been entirely dependent in our faith that He would provide for us.
• 1^st Thief: What a waste. He sure knows how to be a fool and though innocent, die as I am a guilty felon. It doesn’t matter if you are good or bad. There is no God!
• 2^nd Thief: I can’t explain it but there is something very unusual and special about this innocent man. He’s like a lamb led to slaughter. He is truly God, our Messiah!
• Centurion: I’m an atheist. I’m burnt out on all these foreign gods. They are just one big joke. But this man has taken this pain as only God can. He is the Son of God!
• Priests: Well finally we can wash our hands of this rebel. He sure put on a good show and convinced many but we nipped Him in the bud as we have those that were before.
• Angels: Horror upon horrors fell upon God’s own Son. Is Satan winning? Has the devil finally become victorious? We can’t imagine it because we know God will prevail.
• Satan: Finished, done, complete and He is deader than a door-nail. I have killed God’s Son and made myself greater than God. Bow down and worship me, Lucifer!
• God: Well done Son! You did what we needed done. Satan is defeated and sin and death have been conquered. See you in three days. Welcome home!
• Passerby: Well, was He the last sacrifice or just another false hope that lit up then flickered out like so many broken dreams we’ve had. No big deals, nothing new, yawn.

How about you? Who do you say He really is? Don’t just repeat the expected word but dig down deep through your mind, past your heart and reach into your soul for answers. Be honest with yourself and then deal with it.

PRESS ON!

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WHO ARE YOU?

By Rick Mathes

Romans 8:28-30 (NASB) ²⁸ And we know that God causes all things to work together

for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. ²⁹ For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; ³⁰ and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

Who are you? Why are you here? Where are you going?

God is all knowing, powerful and present, right? Then use your imagination and think, however unpleasant, of the most horrible sin you have ever committed. I know this hurts to go back to the past and dig up this corpse but I want you to relive that event for the purpose of this teaching. Got it? Can you see it, feel it, smell it, recoil from it? Ok now here comes some meat, no baby food in my lessons!

Jesus knew thought you would think this evil thing before you even thought it. Furthermore, He empowered you to do this terrible sin and was there watching you do it. He didn’t even stop you! You were in His will!

Hold on, don’t panic: You were in His will. (Got it?)

There is His perfect will when you have repented back to the day you were born. And then there is His permissive will where He lets Satan have a go at you. But if His is all knowing, powerful and present, then nothing happens without His knowledge, empowerment and presence.

Where am I going with this? We know that for those who love God all things work together for (His) good. And this is for those who are called according to His purpose. There is a purpose for your life and it is most wonderfully captured in Rick Warren’s lessons on the purpose driven life.

He teaches that there are 5 purposes for your life:

1. You were planned for God’s good pleasure.
2. You were formed for God’s family.
3. You were created to be like Christ.
4. You were shaped for serving God.
5. You were made for a mission.

We only see the back of the tapestry that is all tangles and knots. But one moment the other side and we will look back at the genius of Christ and the beautiful, perfectly prepared life he fashioned us to have with Him.

You are the sum-total of all that has passed before you in the length of your life. You have been perfectly in His will! So stand tall and step out as the man of God He created you to be in His image.

I really believe that the Lord needs battle-ready saints for these last times, and the Lord knows what we have been through. We have suffered hate, suicidal thoughts, anger, rage,  and a range of miseries that we shrink and recoil from remembering.

If you kill the Goliath in your life, the Philistines will scatter. Kill that big one that Satan has holding you back and the rest of the devils will run for the hills. This can only be done when you realize that you are wonderfully made to be the man of God He wanted you to be for His glory and honor.

You are a Christian! There is no higher office on this planet but to be in God’s gang, to be a Savior’s survivor as you have been by His grace only and do this now. The Lord is near!

PRESS ON!

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WHICH WAY?

By Rick Mathes

John 14:6 (NASB77) ⁶  Jesus •said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.

You have to deal with this. Jesus is either a liar, a lunatic or Lord and you can’t escape this decision without getting into denial this question even exists. You can block it out or ignore I but believe me it will never go away, never. So which way do we go and why? Let me name just a few.

A needed way: Apart from Jesus’ salvation from the Cross what is there to save us from the punishment we clearly deserve. The alternative of not having any way to turn but into the flames is unthinkable!

A new way: Believe me, I tried every conceivable way possible next to suicide to stop the madness that was selling up in my mind and hammering my old dead heart.

A finished way: He spoke a seven statement sermon from the Cross until He finally gasped, “Tetelestai;” it is finished, paid in full! From the very lips of God He assured us of a salvation that even the gates of Hell could not prevail against. There is nothing left to do. Your salvation is complete.

A personal way: The road to heaven begins at a turnstile. We go through it one soul at a time. You see, you will be standing before the Lord all by yourself as He reviews your faith and works in Him and then you get in.

A free way: You can’t buy a ticket one way to heaven because there is no charge or anything you’ve done or can do that will get you in. He paid the price in full and bought and owns you. You don’t owe Him anything for what is already paid for. Just sign the check or freedom and cast it in.

A blessed way: We don’t need lessons in the cursed ways of the devil. We have been there so that any benefit that comes from His hand in unmerited and unearned It is a blessing beyond belief and we will have eternity to bless Him back with our praises and worship.

An unfailing way: God doesn’t fail. Satan has no authority to disrupt His purposes any more than darkness can obliterate the light.

Only way: Anyone and everyone who refuses to confess that Jesus is Lord and does not believe God raised Him from the dead will not be saved. They have nothing but an eternity of blistering flames and unending dying to look forward to. No matter who they are, or how close they are to you or how kind and considerate, they have a fate of endless horror unspeakable!

PRESS ON!

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WHICH MASTER?

By Rick Mathes

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him,

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Nicodemus was a government employee The Supreme Court was under the thumb of Rome. Caesar signed his paycheck because he worked for the world, not God as is too often the case of ministers who have sold their souls for a state grant. The world is leprosy to the Church and that includes you. You’re born once to die twice but when you are a Christi you are born once and die once. Your Master lifts you from the dust and restores you in glory. We are to examine ourselves.

Have you been born again? If you think evil, read skin magazines, listen to filthy rap music, say dirty words, fondle women, walk with the sinners and have sex outside of marriage, your fruit is rotten and there is a high likelihood that you are lost and doomed to Hell.

In whom do you trust? WE all need to be under someone’s authority. When I followed Satan and feared Christianity I was led into bars, jails and worse. I was repulsed by Christians because they were all hypocrites. They were challenging and condemning my lifestyle, imagine that! I finally resolved that Jesus wasn’t a hypocrite. I dropped to my knee in repentance, He forgave me and I have trusted to follow His bloody footprints ever since: trust not fear.

Whose work are you doing? Take His seventh discourse to heart. You know, separating the goats from the sheep. You can’t go wrong if you feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, comfort the sick and visit those in prison. Remember, it wasn’t what the goats did that sent them to Hell; it was what they didn’t do.

What company do you keep? Losers hand out with losers. Learn from this!

What is you conversation? Feces come out of your backside not your mouth! Your words are what you are on the inside. Your word becomes flesh in you. His flesh is the form of His Word, but His essence is the Holy Word itself. When you exchange your insides for His your words will become His.

What you learned from your Master? I learned to drink, drug, lie, cheat and steal from my old master, Rev. Lucifer. I have since learned to be an ambassador for the Godhead in Him. Who could be better qualified to battle with His sword but me. I am wounded and battle prepared by the devil and now armed with the Word of God and His Holy Spirit. We win!

WHICH HAT?

By Rick Mathes

Luke 1:1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us,

Don’t confuse prayer as a dry, lifeless written speech to recite is perfect King James or a litany of words you repeat over and over again. It is a communication that God takes notice of. The question is, “Who is praying?”

I like to feel as though I am God’s child as I approach the loving and tender Father I never had. He’s my “Daddy” (Abba) and I am his son. That secure dependence gives me assurance that He will answer me in love even if I need a belt to my backside. I ache for Him to approve and be proud of me.

The most natural “hat to remove” is the one you are wearing when you step into His house of prayer. There are many “synagogues of Satan” that pass themselves off as Christian or Catholic Churches. To be sure, I know our feet as believers always stand on holy ground and with our eyes closed we enter our own private chapel to worship. So wherever you are is Church!

It’s hard to think like a subject of a King because we don’t have such a heritage. It is akin to a slave to a master which in our times has a negative connotation. But the fact remains that we must drop to our faces, throw our crown at His feet and cry, “Only you O lamb of God are worthy!”

We are literally beggars that know where the daily manna is. Dr. Bob and Bill W. had it right when they said that it is “one day at a time.” Biblically our Lord only gives us enough grace for today. There’s nothing we can do about yesterday and today will join yesterday if we can just hole on to the cross until tomorrow. It is our duty to let others know where the bread of life is.

Lastly, we are sinners on our way to a well-deserved hell without a savior. I learned in boxing to see the punch coming and then counter-punch. Applied to this devotional, if implies that we need to be so grounded in the Word that we see the sin coming and drop to our knees in prayer.

WHICH DONKEY?

By Rick Mathes

John 12:15 (NASB77) ¹⁵  ” FEAR NOT, DAUGHTER OF ZION; BEHOLD, YOUR KING IS COMING, SEATED ON A DONKEY’S COLT.”

Imagine the scene: Jesus is marching into Jerusalem as a King would and all those with Him expect Him to be. Look around and take notice of the variety of those in this parade and the onlookers in the crowd along the way.

There was of course the donkey’s owner and the Disciples of Christ with their palm leaves falling in front to pave a way for their Messiah. The Pharisees, I’m sure were thumbing their noses at the Apostles formed tightly around Him with Peter in the lead. We’re talking thousands here who also came to see Lazarus that Jesus had raised from the dead. But for this moment, let’s examine the donkey, which is you: what kind of donkey are you?

Exalted: I can imagine that the donkey thought the parade was for him and he was bursting with pride that he was carrying the Lord of the universe. How could Jesus every think of doing anything without him? Has that ever been you?

Forced: He was mumbling and grumbling about everything he could think of. It was too hot, Jesus was too heavy, the crowd didn’t appreciate him, and he would not have done anything for Jesus if they hadn’t pressured him to do this wearisome deed.

Serving: Mr. Donkey was so blessed to really be of some service to the King of Kings. He was willing to step through the fires of Hell itself if his Master asked him to. A serving donkey is a happy and fulfilled donkey. Sound familiar?

Humble: I would like to think he thought as I did, I was astonished and am so to this day that Jesus would choose me to go about His work. I know the filthy sinner I am and I could never have died for a wretch like me but He did. If that doesn’t humble you, nothing will.

My choice of hat the donkey was and what we need to be is  to be a silent warrior. St. Francis of Assisi said, “All I want to do is go about the Father’s business and not know it.” How humble and unnoticed can one get?

The front altar of heaven is reserved for those that have prayed and served faithfully and no one really knows who they are but the Lord. God help me to be that warrior!

WHERE IS HE?

By Rick Mathes

John 7:11 The Jews therefore were seeking Him at the feast, and were saying, “Where is He?”

Remember when Mary returned to the empty tomb? She said, “They have taken my Lord away.” Then Jesus reassured he He was there and heaven and earth kissed at that historic moment. There are times in the hearts of even faithful Christians, like us just can’t seem to find Him nd we feel alone, empty and depressed so we ask ourselves, “Where is He?”

There are several ways of asking. Let’s examine a few together:

Hatefully: There are certain personalities that are very demanding and sometimes harsh and impatient. I can recall meetings with Christians that got so angry they would just throw their hands in the air out of exasperation.

Tauntingly: This person keeps you on the edge. They seem to get real close to the Lord and then unexpectantly wander off.

Doubtingly: My confessing of Christ when I finally cried out to Him, “If you even exist, you have just 30 days to prove yourself to me or I will blow my brains out.”

Humbly: I finally just put my faith in the mud, blood and tears at the foot of the cross and cried, “Lord save me!” The more I have come to know His holiness over the years, the more I have realized my sinfulness.

Lovingly: How can you approach a loving Christ nailed to a cross for you with loving appreciation that defies words? How deep is your love?

Longingly: If you will be totally honest you will have to admit that you have always wanted a God like Jesus Christ. Your heart ached for the forgiveness and love only Jesus can provide.

Let’s take a brief inventory and forgive me if I get too close but is Jesus at the bottom of your trust or do you still sing, “I did it my way.” He has to be at the root of your joys or it’s not a joy at all. It shows in your conversations. Your words are the exploration of your mind, heart and soul. They are the landmarks that point out the narrow or wide road you have chosen to travel. Then your actions are the sum total of who you are because this goes to the center of your being.

Where is He? I know, I know He’s looking for you!