Tag: aftercare

COMFORTER

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COMFORTER

By Rick Mathes

Who or what is the Holy Spirit? If I ask 100 Christians I will get 100 answers that share a shred of similar gold: comfort. Isaiah 40:1 pleased God to comfort His people unaware that the God he was praying to was comfort personified in the third person of the Holy Trinity. He is the Comforter and the comforted.

All His attributes intersect at comfort. What are the components?

Let’s begin with the relief that comes with knowing we have the heaven’s best attorney, our Paraclete before the highest court of law. This ultimate Judge only has two sentences; eternal life or eternal death. So it is very comforting to have the Holy Spirit stand in our defense of deserving the death penalty.

Once we have been exonerated of all culpability of crimes worthy of the flames. We now have our best Friend monitor our activities, kind of like a house arrest. We are under constant surveillance and every infraction of God’s favor is dutifully brought before our attention by a genuine guilt that causes a sincere repentance before the bench of justice.

Now we are teachable and willing to hear, listen, learn, apply and then evaluate all the Holy Spirit lecture us on. We become His most apt and attentive student. Oh, what will our report card say!

This last stage is a real “follow the leader” stage. Whoever the Holy Spirit leads we must follow without question. Faith means just that. Our Lord is going to do with us what He wants to, when He wants to and if He feels like it. His Holy Spirit is our advocate for all the good we do to please Him and all the bad we do that angers Him is forgiven.

It is refreshing to know that there is a God that loves the weary and those perplexed with life’s complexities. It is so comforting to know who or where we are to turn when life seems unbearable. Jesus said he would not leave us without the Holy Spirit to walk with us as He would until His return. How comforting to know that He is with us when we need Him the most. We are never alone and always have Him to turn to when our world is upside down. He really is our Comforter and for that reason we need to thank Him!

CHOOSING A MINISTER

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CHOSING A MINISTER

By Rick Mathes

Lucifer was an angel of light. He was the superstar of heaven until his narcissism consumed him in pride and he challenged God for heaven. Well you know what happened, he dropped like a rock to earth and began his war on Christendom

Be honest with me. When did you meet privately with your pastor and quiz him on his doctrine? Let’s go a little deeper. Do you even know what doctrine you believe and can prove from the Word that it is true? There’s two serious considerations you need to make.

Just because you park your body in a church doesn’t make you a believing Christian. And that Preacher in your pulpit might be a devil with a mask on. You don’t know and probably don’t care. As long as he’s entertaining and you get “holy ghost bumps” from the music, the rest is ok with you.

Honestly, most people choose their church like they pick out their favorite hamburger: this one has cheese, the other has catsup but this one has a sesame bun and that one didn’t have a pickle. Oh, please spare me this mindless nonsense.

If your preacher is a counterfeit you will never or very rarely hear the words: sin, death, hell, believe, repent or obey He will say those things that will sooth your checkbook into a generous donation.

The next time you sit under him and his sermon take a steno-pad with you. On the left side do a stick count every time he says: He, Him or His. On the right side do a stick count when you hear I, me or mine. Look at the bottom totals and you will know who he was lifting us to worship.

True evangelical Christianity is Bible only, Jesus only, grace only and faith only: nothing added. The true gospel according to Jesus is commonly called Calvinism. All other faiths are “doing” but the real deal in “done.” Jesus really meant it from the cross when He said, “It is finished!” So I strongly suggest that you trust your soul to the real ambassador of Jesus. You only have one soul, one life, and once chance to get it right!

Go to www.missiongateministry.org or www.RickMathes.org for further “good stuff.”

 

CAUSE AND EFFECT

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CAUSE – EFFECT

By Rick Mathes

(Author of “Allah or Jesus”)

Every cause has as effect, every action has a reaction, and every effort has a consequence and so on. You can always tell the value of the tree by the fruit it will produce. Truth may be obscured by a lie but it will truth will prevails, it will emerge.

J.I. Packer: “Justification is the truly dramatic transition from the status of a condemned criminal awaiting a terrible sentence to that of an heir awaiting a fabulous inheritance.”

Repentance is God’s answer to Satan’s sin. John the Baptist, Jesus, Paul, and Peter all began their ministry with an altar (alter) call. This is an acknowledgement of an upward call to holiness. To be holy we must first be wholly His. You can’t be part pregnant nay more than you can be part saved. Jesus wants all of you or none of you: it’s that simple.

Repentance is a full pardon from the King. If ever you have even did time in a prison you really understand a retrial that provides you with an acquittal from all charges and a release from the prison cell. “Bunk your junk.” I have picked up more than one who when we got through the prison gate fell to the ground outside the fence and kissed it. I’m sure we’ll do the same when we sets foot in glory.

Repentance is a new lease on life. You were one a dead man looking for a place to be buried. It’s a personal renaissance to a better level of existence and a new life in Christ like you have never imagined. If you really have the Lord it is quite comfortable and He fits like an old shoe, so to speak. The tail doesn’t wag the dog anymore.

Remember though, the sin you have is the sin you want more than Jesus. Because if you didn’t want it more than you do want it you would have it! The devil didn’t make you do it.

Repentance is a gift of love from God. It’s the key that opens your heart to believe and obey the Lord of your salvation. You can accept it as the Holy Spirit’s labor of love, AMEN?

Go to www.RickMathes.org for more.

Go to www.MissionGateMinistry.org for an experience you won’t soon forget!

Go to www.lordshipsalvation.net for my blogs.

CAGE FIGHTING DEMONS

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CAGE FIGHTING DEMONS

By Rick Mathes

Our culture leans increasingly toward returning to the arena of violence and bloodshed. Unless we Christians pull out the whole arsenal of Holy Spirit weapons we are going to find ourselves in the Superbowl of Christians vs. demons in a high tech coliseum. Only the champions of the universe will survive in a new kind of “ground and pound: that has been around since Cain did a number on Abel.

Winning is everything in the kingdom because we stand with Jesus and cannot fall in defeat to Satan. The evil one has no defense to combat our weapons of war and as a result he is not even a worthy opponent to stand before “the look of love.” Our enemies dissolve before our very eye when we look at them with a look of pity and love for those that only need to confess Jesus as Lord to see the glory of His creation through our eyes.

A soft word is a razor sharp sword that circumcises a dead-beat heart and re-awakens it to a rush of ecstasy no drug can surpass. The swelling love, the rightly placed Word, births a delight to observe as he stained tear stained face of the attacker melts in bewilderment as we speak love and resuscitation to even the “least of these.”

A tear from a repentant child will wash away any hard-heart to forgiveness as that of our worst enemy will. We may have to lose the battle to win the war but in time our opponent will tire of beating up a praying saint and will drop to his knees and plead “forgive me for I have sinned.” If only we will fight our battles on our knees. A prayer of love that is sealed with a genuine tear will ratify any peace agreement.

The annihilator of course is a “love bomb” whereby we love our enemy! I’m a person that once had a volatile, violent temper that would quickly turn into a street-fight. I learned that it is real hard and not at all fun to slug another fighter that is on his knees praying for me! That takes all the fun out of it. It takes the wind out of my sails, so to speak. Love is more than a conqueror and you can also be if you will only go into training at Camp Jesus. He’ll make you a champion over a adversaries and you will be a new-world gladiator that has put down the sword and lifted up holy hands, has put down the bottle and picked up the Bible and has put down the needle and picked up the Cross of Christ. Walk in His footsteps to  the victory lane and all of creation will applaud you!

BORN TO DIE

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BORN TO DIE

By Rick Mathes

The moment our baby Jesus took His first breath, He began a life of dying. Although sinless, He experienced all the devil’s little stabs to stop our walk through this valley of death. The good news for we who are elect is that as we walk through this life of demonic landmines, is that we walk in the shadow of death. If there is a shadow, then we must be walking in the Light!

From our own sinful experience our minds are continually racked and disturbed with family and social ills. It seems that we are hit with one after another grenades of unrest. Hell’s war on us is relentless. Our goods disappear before our very eyes. Such are the wages of sin.

Meaningless, everything we accumulate will be left to those who don’t deserve it only to, in time, decompose to dust and rubble. There’s no U Hall going to be attached to your hearse. Everything, all the trinkets, bells and whistles of hell are all meaningless.

Even our own progeny, our children and friends will sicken and die. You can always count on death and taxes. Think of all the family, friends and acquaintances that have passed before your eyes, slowly headed for the inevitable grace: dust to dust, for future blooming.

It just seems as though our crosses are continual. One sin dies after another as we pursue holiness and nail their sins to the cross. Our Lord said that we are to lift up our own death stake or we are not worthy to follow Him. We are seldom at ease.

Behind every glittering toy lurks a demon laughing at how weak your faith is. If we are in the image and likeness of God then as He would, we need to pass through this world of hell’s deadly playthings for the substance of eternity of glory.

We have been born to sorrow, to sweat, toil and fail because of Adam’s error. But we have been reborn to heaven’s gates because Jesus took our cross for us. Praise be to Jesus!

BLACK AND WHITE

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BLACK AND WHITE

By Rick Mathes

(Author of “Allah or Jesus”)

Two years of preaching and teaching every Friday night at this prison had developed a dependable and capable fellowship of believers. A small turnout was seventy attending, out of an inmate population of several hundred prisoners. Any praise band or female volunteers would swell the chapel attendance but I resisted that because I was resolved to disciple these inmates and solidly ground them in the Gospel according to Jesus Christ, without distraction.

I have memories of many exhilarating services where the altar was frequently flooded with repenting sinners. However, one particular evening stands out above the rest.

It was a chilly nightfall and more prisoners than usual had shown up. It seemed that they were up, positive and ready to worship and praise the Lord.

We began with a thoughtful prayer, sang a few old time hymns and as usual asked for testimonies before I got into God’s Word. It was at this time in the service that a big muscular inmate with a callous expression stood straight up. He was one of those athletes who pumps iron all day long and everyone fears his strength. He got up in the center of the men and spoke is a coarse gravel voice, “Hey Mr. Preacher man! I got something to say!” I relied in humor, “Anyone your size can say anything he wants! And take your time sir.”

Everyone had a good laugh at my feigned timidity and when the clamor had died down he continued, “I’m a two time loser. If I mess up again they are going to give me a life sentence. I’ve been a violent man all my life and it’s my fists and uncontrollable anger that has put me in the joint every time. I want to thank you for leading me to Christ last week but I’ve got to tell you about this crazy thing that happened to me the day after I gave my heart to Jesus for real.”

“Remember, you said that the Holy Spirit would come upon me, that I was a new creation? Well, the very next day I was in the day-room, just killing time and this big black dude come in and gets right in my face with an attitude. He was making fun of me being a Christian. He was doing this right in front of everyone. Well, Rick, to tell you the truth, I have killed men with my bare hands for less than that!”

“He kept on and on and all of a sudden, Bam! I was knocked to the floor. He blindsided me with a great left hook sucker punch. Down I went but I jumped right back up on my feet. It was then that something real strange happened to me.”

“My arms dropped to my sides, my hands went limp and ice water flowed through my veins and my mouth said, ‘Forgive me brother if I have offended you.’ I couldn’t believe it! He couldn’t either. He was all set to go at it but this took the fight out of him. He turned around and walked off real fast.”

“About four hours later, he came to my cell and said he was sorry that he had picked a fight. We talked for a while and I told him that I was born again and that Jesus now lived through me. We got on our knees and he gave his heart to Jesus.”

At that moment, the black guy got to his feet. They both walked toward each other, hugged and wept for joy in front of everyone. A hush went over the inmates and one by one they headed for the altar. I led them all in the sinners prayer and I hadn’t even preached yet!

Jesus had become Saviour and Lord to these two brand new evangelists and the witness of their salvation was winning souls to Christ. I learned from this experience that men would rather see a sermon than hear one.

BEFORE AND AFTER

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BEFORE – AFTER

By Rick Mathes

The following is a good overview of an unbeliever. I know it describes my thinking until I received my Lord’s invitation to be saved and accepted it. It might sound like you.

  1. I will not give up my sins.
  2. I will not worship an invisible God.
  3. I will not attend a place of phony worship.
  4. I really have no love for the man Jesus,
  5. I will not pray in public.
  6. I will not do a morning-evening devotional.
  7. I will not pray in the air to an invisible God.
  8. I really don’t believe anyone is really saved.
  9. I will not tithe or make donations to this nonsense.
  10. I don’t believe He rose from the dead.
  11. I will not be a hypocrite and fake it.
  12. I don’t believe in sin, death and the devil.
  13. I don’t believe the Bible, it was just written by men.

The downside of our pilgrimage on planet earth is that Satan’s kingdom is thriving and for all intents and purposes succeeding to twist the Christian truths with alternative thinking contrary to God’s purposes. The history channel’s Ancient Aliens, UFO’s, visitors from other planets, Nostradamus, the list goes on and one to prove every celestial appearance by provable and repeatable science.

Christianity is not a blind leap of faith nor man’s invention to explain the unexplainable. But unbelief is the easy, most comfortable way out. Jesus was spot-on when He published in His Word, “My people perish for lack of knowledge.”

God blessed me to my earliest remembrance as a youth to question “Why?” and “What is truth?” Those two questions have hounded me all of my life even to this moment. I can tell you before God and man, with all the honesty, logic and secular investigation I am capable of, Jesus rose from the dean of His own volition and in His perfect timing!

This is the hinge that will take you from the before to the after if ony you will make it a priority in your studies. You won’t have a second chance. We only pass this way once. There is no room for error!

Before or after, it’s your decision!

BE REASONABLE

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BE REASONABLE

By Rick Mathes

Greg Albrecht: “In the latter half of the 20th century the politically correct view that all lifestyles, behaviors are equally valid gained acceptance and came to be known as postmodernism. If we accept this, we must conclude that there is no objective truth and that each of us are lfet to subjectively decide moral trust” and everyone did as they thought right.”

Pilate asked, “What is truth?” Jesus didn’t waste His breath on him and neither should we. It is so ignorant. Consider that when a dummy says, “There’s no such thing as an objective truth,” what he just said then was relative! Stupidity trumps stupidity.

An indisputable fact is true no matter what you think is. There’s the law of non-contradiction which stats that two diametrically opposed facts cannot both be true. Duhhh!

It takes a wise man to humble himself and keep his rationale modest and simple. Satan makes it so enticing to muddy the waters and confuse the issues in circular reasoning. It’s a dog returning to its vomit.

The liberalism of the majority confirm that flattering and complimenting religious doctrines win the day with the wishy-washy sassiest that don’t man up and have an objective answer for when they profess to be their faith.

Where are the wholesome, uncorrupted and refined apologists who have a fundamental evangelistic doctrine that will depend on their faith and fight for the true doctrine: the truth?

What is sound? Try Bible only, Jesus only, Faith only, and Grace only. Now that’s reasonable.

 

ARE YOU CHOSEN?

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ARE YOU CHOSEN?

By Rick Mathes

When you take that first step for the Lord, believe me, there’s no turning back. You have declared war on Father Lucifer and his national headquarters in Rome. He knows his time is limited so he and his priests are working themselves up into a frenzy to take you down no matter what they have to do within the Lord’s permitted bounds. Now or never, you must do spiritual push-ups and be ever alert to the unceasing barrage of flaming arrows from that bogus nation of demons.

Your first fortification or live of defense is your state of mind. You need to abandon all the plans you had for yourself and your family to be available for whatever He wants and wherever He wants you. This takes a tough discipline to be an anvil that is the cause of many broken hammers because Satan will hammer your efforts even with professing Christians. It’s a commitment that cannot be broken, no matter what, even death, you must press on!

You must have excellent principles of faith so tight there isn’t any crack in your integrity or character for the devil to slip on through. Just imagine a rabid, junk-yard dog gnashing his teeth a hairs-breath away from your carotid artery! He just needs you to blink with your defense and it’s all over. Think of yourself soaked in lighter-fluid and the devil is just a little lit match. It doesn’t take but one mistake to destroy a lifetime of achievement. Strengthen your courage to preach the truth and be totally convicted that there isn’t any plan B: Bible only, Jesus only, Grace only and Faith only. Calvinism is the gospel according to Jesus.

Now brace yourself for good results. Don’t let His successes go to your head. Remember it was pride that dropped Lucifer into hell like a rock and it is pride that you didn’t fail. You tried and the Lord said, “Not now.” Keep your armor on and your sword (The Word) up and ready at all times in season and out of season: when you expect combat an even when you expect peace.

Remember, father Lucifer is the father of lies and his home office in Rome will do all they can to coerce your obedience to them not Jesus. Nothing less than obedience to Jesus will do. Are you ready togie out the gospel no matter what? Are you ready to die for it!

WHY NOT?

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WHY NOT?

By Rick Mathes

There are two questions that have nagged me from as far back as I can remember: Why and what is Truth? Apart from Jesus and the constant teaching of the Apostles, neither question can ever be objectively answered. To this day my mind goes haywire when I hear people philosophize in a relative and often circular manner of reasoning. To them, truth is whatever they believe to be true. They cross their eyes when I remind them of the law of non-contradiction: A cannot be both A and B at the same time or A and B cannot both be true.

Socrates drove everyone nuts with his incessant questioning of “Why?” His dialectic method of questioning made fools out of those who lived without constants, nothing objectively secure.

My parents would say, “You need to be in by 10PM!” I’d ask, “Why?” and they would say, “Because we said so!” Made no sense to me the difference between 9PM and 11PM so I would stay out until midnight which made more sense to me.

And my second nagging question was, “What is truth?” I read almost every word in the Great Books Library, had a I Q of 140 and still didn’t know what truth was. I didn’t learn until I read the Bible Jesus say, “I am the way, the truth and the life.”

I still can’t understand how Jesus can be the truth. I can understand how he has the truth, or he knows the truth, or he teaches the truth but how can a man be a concept, and why?

There I go again, I’m right back to where I started!