Tag: hell

NO ESCAPE

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NO ESCAPE

By Rick Mathes

We are in a revolt against God: as a nation, as a civilization, as a church and personally. We are warring against heaven itself. Satan is our Lord because we are obeying him. Scary isn’t it? But it is the truth. We have been in rebellion with God since we left Eden and there is no sign that we will be letting up.

Think about it. Man has renounced Divine Lordship. Even professing ministers hare rejecting the light of God’s Word and being consumer friendly with large music productions and stage shows instead of a solid sermon from God’s Word. This is a complete rejection of the purpose of the Holy Spirit to bring to our remembrance God’s Words and guide us through the deep knowledge of who Jesus is and what He did: the words and works of our Savior.

Church after church has turned a blind eye to adultery, active homosexuality, incest, child molesting and all responsibility to account for the sheep before the throne of God. The revenue of offerings cannot be disturbed because the costs go on for salaries and overhead expenses that must be met, no matter what. We must keep our doors open to everyone! A practical of choice made is to actually avoid messages that mention death, sin, or hell. You will never hear the words “believe and obey” ring from the pulpit of a church for fear of losing tithing membership! The church has totally ignored man’s last condition before the throne of judgment. We can’t be judgmental can we?

Why has Christianity degenerated to a helpless pool of wimps?

The answer is the unsaid escape plan man has of 3 ways to avoid God’s wrath. His first thought and probably yours is you won’t get caught. Somehow your plans to escape the detection of your sin will succeed to allow you to continue to sin freely undetected. You next consideration is that you can escape the jurisdiction of the sin by making life changes of where you live and the people you associate with. If that don’t work you will have to fall on the errors of our legal system and depend on your attorney to find a loophole in the system that lets you beat the charges. But when all this fails your only recourse is to escape!

The formidable difficulty is that none of this will get by the Paraclete and there in no escape from hell but for you to repent right now, this very moment!

The time will come when it will be too late. You must settle out of court of face the consequences, there is no escaping the truth.

MORE THAN A MAN

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MORE THAN A MAN

By Rick Mathes

Maximum security penitentiary leaps off the screen of a James Cagney movie with long metal catwalks and tier after tier of cages holding the incorrigibles locked down 23 hours a day. The level 5 security risks are separated into four geographical quadrants so that even a chow or shower-time, the gangs cannot assemble together. Divide and conquer is particularly applicable to this bizarre nation of murderers and mutilators doing life without parole sentences.

Once a month, at my evangelistic service, the chapel is the place where all the campus general population is restricted to a central and presumed contained location; the chapel! As over four hundred inmates began filing in by group sections, I was painfully apprehensive that two high-powered rifles were being directed at them by sharp-shooters from the safe position overhead and behind my back. They assembled into their respective gangs; Chicago, East St. Louis, gang-bangers, black Muslims, white Aryans and of course the Christians.

The Warden came up to me and he said that he anticipated an insurrection to take place because he was compelled to allow sixty trouble makers and effeminate homosexuals from Protective Custody to join us from the balcony overlooking the auditorium. These infidels could not even live their own kind! The bottom of the barrel.

The balcony began to fill as they flexed their muscles, sneered and could he heard cursing the name of Jesus. The crowd was growing anxious and I sensed the presence of Satan. I signaled the praise team to begin singing and I dropped to my knees in foreboding desperation of the danger I had led my devoted volunteers into. I cried out to the Lord and began rebuking Satan with all the faith that was in me. A hollowed hush fell over the chapel and through tear blurred eyes, I looked out over the assembly and witnessed a modern day miracle.

About two hundred Christian prisoners had turned their backs to me and were standing upright, in the midst of this living hell. They lifted their holy hands to the balcony and began praying out loud in the Spirit of the Lord. Those few minutes seemed like an eternity as I observed the Spirit of God rush through that demon possessed gallery of incorrigibles. Behold, fourteen notorious gang leaders rose to their feet and cried out to Jesus for salvation! With tears streaming down their faces, the overwhelmed gang members on the ground floor began to stand with their leaders to do the same and I had yet to deliver a word of my sermon to any of them. I cried out, “There is a God!”

The service then began and at the completion I gave an alter call. The alter was flooded with a sea of repentant sinners. I was sobbing too hard to even recite a sinner’s prayer, so I handed the microphone to the black Pastor assisting me. He too was helpless to say a word. So a prisoner doing a double life sentence plus 50 years led them to the throne of grace; the old rugged Cross.

When the service had concluded and the men were led out cell block by cell block, I gathered our team for praise and prayers of thanksgiving. I later learned that 23 shanks (weapons) were left on the stage! Faith coupled with fervent prayer had prevailed.

WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

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WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

By Rick Mathes

 

Welfare’s 23rd Psalm

The Government is my shepherd,

Therefore I need not work.

It alloweth me to lie down on a good job.

It leadeth me beside still factories;

It destroyeth my initiative.

It leadeth me in the path of a parasite

for politics’ sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of laziness and deficit-spending,

I will fear no evil,

for the Government is with me.

It prepareth an economic Utopia for me, by appropriating the earnings of my own grandchildren.

It filleth my head with false security;

 

My inefficiency runneth over,

Surely the Government should care for me

all the days of my life!

And I shall dwell in a fool’s paradise forever.

 

SATAN

And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

—Rev. 12:3

 

PRISON

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

—Rev. 2:10

ALCOHOLISM

For as in the days before the flood; they were . . . drinking.

—Matthew 24:38

NARCOTICS

For men shall be . . . lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.

—2 Tim. 3:2, 4

MURDER

Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

—Rev. 9:21

HYPOCRISY

Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.

—1 Tim. 4:2

ADULTERY

Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children.

—2 Peter 2:14

HOMOSEXUALITY

Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

—Jude 7

EVIL IMAGINATION

Now as Jan-nes and Jam-bres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.

—2 Tim. 3:8

JEALOUSY

Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

—Romans 13:13

IDOLATERS

And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood, which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk.

—Rev. 9:20

OCCULTISM

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.

—1 Tim. 4:1

MEET FATHER LUCIFER

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MEET FATHER LUCIFER

By

Rick Mathes, author of “Allah or Jesus”

http://www.MissionGateMinistry.org

“Just look at me. Recognize the dignity of my office. I publicize with a pomposity of arrogant authority. My stride is purposeful and brisk. My carriage erect and stately. My apparel is fashionable and professional to perfection, as is my Rolex watch, diamond ring and bright false teeth. I’m tailored to accommodate the image of calm assurance and confidence. I’m always conscious of admiring glances and I respond in due course with heightened self-image. I always appear to be as I must in the eyes of others.

“My reassuring manner is well practiced and my handshake firm and manly. Surely, I exude warmth, intelligence and reliability. The same phony impeccable smile, the same imperial posture, the selfsame charisma. Why change a deception that works!

“My words are invariably just inside or outside the truth. Moderation is best accomplished by compromising ambiguity; ill-defined positions established in a humanizing, solicitous fashion. I give the impression that I am piously contemplative, thoughtful and unprejudiced. None of which is true.

“I never take sides so that I can keep controversy alive, especially in Biblical doctrine and apologetics. I only side with the heavy hitter contributors. This approach is shrewd, forthright and politically correct.

“The misimpression of holiness is very material to my intentions. It’s all a matter of expression and demeanor. Stoic and unobtrusive. Quiet and restrained. The appearance of reflection more than the boredom it really is, but it suits my corrupted purposes. I am held in high esteem by fake Christians. I’m appointed not anointed. Don’t look for Him, just look at me!”

JUSTICE?

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Justice?

Rick Mathes

There I stood in a chapel packed out with death row inmates. To the novice this can be very disconcerting. And I admit I still get nervous to this day because any one of them can do harm to you and what does it matter to his sentence of death?

Looking over this unusual congregation I could hardly notice any difference from a normal church service except for the drab uniforms they are required to wear. It was and has been since a blessed event to bring the good news to the last, lost and least which I have been committed to these last 20 years.

As the inmates are dismissed they return to their regular activities such as watching a big screen television with a bowl of popcorn at their side. Or they resume playing fooz-ball or ping-pong while they wait for their craft classes to start.

You will notice that they are all well shaven and fed and have a wonderful fellowship that for most is the best life they have ever had.

Contract this to the dead victims and their families which essentially had no part of the judicial process and no restitution has been made. They are dead or grieving and in many instances falling out of society and away from the God that permitted this dastardly event in their lives.

Now I am all for justice and mercy but something is wrong with this picture.

Numbers 35:30 If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death…..

Capital punishment is meted out for punishment and their life is required as restitution to the life they so wantonly took. They deserve their punishment to the full measure not to have mercy this side of glory.

I once discipled a death row inmate scheduled to be executed and he told me that it was like peeling an onion. He kept taking off layers such as wife, kids, friends, minister, etc and crying until he got down to just him and Jesus. He said, “You know Rick there is really some humor in this execution.” I was aghast at his comment and asked him to explain further. He replied, “They are punishing me by sending me straight into the arms of Jesus!”

For those on death row, this side of glory should be hell itself and the other side mercy in the presence of our Lord.

IN HIS WILL

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IN HIS WILL

By Rick Mathes

Look back in the sinful history of your mind to the most horrible, despicable, unmentionable, horrid sin you have ever committed. You know, the one that you would never ever tell anyone about and just for this experiment force yourself to live through that nightmare all over again. I know it hurts!

Now brace yourself for a big chuck of raw meat from the Word of God.

You were perfectly in God’s will while you committed this shameful act. Follow me on this: God is all-knowing isn’t He? Then He knew you would commit this sin before you even thought of it, right? Hold on now, God is all-powerful right? That means He personally empowered you to commit the sin. Stop here and think until you agree. Now, He is all-present, he’s everywhere always. He was there when you did this, watched you while you while you were doing it and made absolutely no effort to stop or hinder you. Catch your breath and realize here that you were to tarry in God’s will to Satan’s delight. Whew!

Allow me to clear the air and explain where this is all going.

You are always in God’s will: He perfect or permissive will.

The goal of our soul is to repent, truly repent of all our sins and reach a height of holiness for however it might last. It’s an amazing rush to b wholly His and experience the joy of His Triune fullness: Holy. We will remain in that ecstasy forever when Jesus returns, just hang in there.

In the meantime, He has His permissive will where He allows the devil to have a go at you as He did with Brother Job. This is your chance to stand firm in the Lord and earn your rank. You went through the Lord’s basic training and now your are battle ready to attack the forces of Hell. It was all in His plan, aren’t you glad?

Who better can our Jesus count on for the last days? Certainly not a Girl Scout troop! You personally know Satan well. You once was his best pupil. You responded to his beck and call and you have the mental and physical scars to prove it. You know how he thinks, how he acts, where he is, what he is likely to do and now you are a soldier of the Lord’s!

Unleash the Person of the Holy Spirit within you and in the Name of Jesus shout, “Victory to the King!” and attack. You were formed and fashioned for this moment. You were and are in His will.

I’M NOT READY YET

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I’M NOT READY YET

By Rick Mathes

Walking down a metal cat-walk past prison cells of convicts is an awesome experience that is novel and exhilarating every time. There is an electrifying adventure about it that cannot be adequately described. You never know which prisoner will reach out for Jesus and be saved. It is thrilling to look a prisoner in the eyes with love and encourage him to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour. I can imagine that this feeling has similarities to a hunter in the midst of perilous jungles seeking the prey and being sought by the predator. The spiritual combat is indescribable in this heart of hell, called a cell-block. A locus, a concentration of evil. Satan’s turf.

It was in this sense of spiritual adventurism that I was followed by a blue uniformed guide to the prison chapel. We approached the stairwell, serpentine corridors and vacated court yards. Each lower floor level became darker, dirtier and more austere until we leveled off on a dingy walkway with the strongest aroma of stench I have ever smelled!

This was the dungeon within the dungeon for detention of the most evil offenders. A dimly illuminated community of “slickers.” A slicker is an incommodious drab cell with bricked-in windows, no cot, sink or toilet. Nothing but the pollution of an endless number of previous residents. No attempt whatsoever had been made to clean up. A hole in the floor dropped directly into the cesspool that was rumored to back up regularly in these cells. This was the home for those who were ill-suited to live with the other residents. Rejected by their own kind! The odor caused me to gag and gasp for air.

The officer was determined to hustle me out of this, “No Visitor” area. His stride picked up and I was close on his heels escaping this restricted zone. The wall shackles dated back to before the Civil War era of slavery. The men were strangely hushed, either seated on the floor or standing up with a drugged glaze in their eyes. No sound. Silence. No radio, televisions or even idle chatter. A thick dark cloud of oppression; Satan was there.

One of these pathetic captives caught my attention. What I saw and what he said to me has everlastingly cemented itself in my memory as though it just happened yesterday.

He was crouched like a creature on the cement floor. If you looked closely you could see the filth he sat in undulate with the vermin that lived in it. He wore only his grossly stained underwear and his hair was standing out in a frightful, wild fashion. He eyes were bulging and yellow. His fingernails long and his toenails curling under. His matted beard barely hid his rotted teeth and infected mouth.

I spoke out, “You need to accept Jesus Christ as both your Saviour and Lord!” He didn’t arouse. I cried out another time, “Jesus is your only salvation. It’s time to repent and receive Jesus!” He turned and looked me full in the face but gave no indication of reply. Finally, the guard angrily took my arm to keep me moving. I shouted behind me, “Why won’t you do this?” I will never forget his heart wrenching reply. “I’m not ready to give it all up yet.”

I was horrified as he left my sight but not my spirit. I still mourn over those who still repeat those words, “I’m not ready to give it all up yet.”

I YIELD TO NONE!

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“I YIELD TO NONE!” CHS

By Rick Mathe

Someone said, “If you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything.” It is so important for you to plant your stake on holy ground and press on no matter what. Preachers of the true faith must stand firm on the gospel according to Jesus and not be so concerned with church attendance numbers nor federal tax exemptions What is the true doctrine that we must all believe?

Bible only

Jesus only

Grace only

Faith only

This is the profound yet simple outline for the basis of evangelical fundamental faith. I bet my soul on these precepts and I stand with C.H. Spurgeon and the other reformation ministers. Join me and look Satan in the eyes and say, “I yield to none!” or as Luther once said, “I can do no other.”

We may not like our absence of participation in predestination and election but then He’ God, not us. Luther and others including John Calvin nailed down the most specific principles. They can be remembered by the acronym TULIP.

T: Total Depravity

No matter how hard we try to be holy, without sin, we always have a stain that precludes us from standing in the presence of God’s Holy Light.

U: Unmerited Salvation

This rubs against every fibre of “self” within us. We have had absolutely not one drop of effort that caused our salvation. It is completely our Lords choice.

L: Limited Atonement

It’s just logical that if God knows in advance who will choose the sacrifice of His Son and who will not, neither can change that decision. Jesus did not die for those that refuse them. They will need to take their own punishment.

I: Irresistible Grace

As the elect, all our decisions flow to Him and His purposes as metal is drawn to a magnet. We are irresistibly drawn to His perfect will and make our decisions accordingly.

P: Perseverance of the Saints

The elect always get up and off the mat and press on no matter how hard they are hit by the devils blows. We Christians just simply do not give up. No matter what, we return to the Cross.

Now don’t get mad at me, the messenger, because you take issue with all the above. Take issue with the message not the messenger. Rebuke and correct me Biblically and I will repent and publically beg your forgiveness if the above is my mistaken theology. Thank you.

 

 

 

 

I CAN SEE

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I CAN SEE

By Rick Mathes

Vison that looks inward becomes duty,

Vision that looks outward becomes aspiration,

Vision the looks upward becomes faith.

Whether it be a program, movie or commercial the cameraman directs your eyes to focus of what he wants to keep your attention. Try looking away to the area around what he’s drawing your eyes to focus on. It’s really hard to do at first but eventually you ‘get out of the box” and see what’s round you and be amazed at what you didn’t notice.

Looking inside yourself is equally difficult because the first thing Jesus reveals is the evil that resides there. This is not what the devil’s cameraman has in mind as he directs your eyes to sin.

What Satan doesn’t what you to see an does everything he can to blind-side you is your worth to Jesus. God doesn’t make junk. He has a purpose for your life that makes the angels jump and shout “Glory!” You have a huge need to prepare your future to comply and conform to His reason for electing you to choose Him.

Your eyes will be opened to the truth when you turn from the focus on the lie. Hell’s cameraman used both hands to hold your attention to his focus on sin. If only you will look around, you will see the joy of your salvation and the freedom of broken shackles only the Holy Spirit can do.

Now with your spiritual eyes wide open, the meaning of truth becomes glaringly apparent. The fog lifts and your line of sight goes upward instead of outward.

You can count on the fulfillment of God’s promises as the end of God’s discipline lets the blue skies of glory emerge from the terrifying heat and darkness of the eternal furnace fades into all the tomorrows. Satan hounded you to look away from what the Cross or Christ so plainly would immerse you in. The beauty of our Satvior cannot be hid by the smoke, cinders and flames of Hell. You can see and your blindness has been healed.

I AM READY

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I AM READY

By Rick Mathes

The slave asked the young country preacher, “Was you sent or did you went?” It’s a question we should ask every minister. My proof-source is the Word of God and so I am going to use four golden verses to outline my personal calling which may serve as a guideline for you to follow.

My Baptist Brethren, in a church of 600 ordained me a prison minister and Chuck Colson, founder-director of Prison Fellowship encouraged me to form a Mission Gate aftercare ministry and my wife and I joined Sen. Jim and Brenda Talent to form this ministry in 1985.

Romans 1:14-15 (NASB77) I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 Thus, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

We knew we were called and chosen of God to step out of the boat in faith. So I preached an average of 7 times a week in churches and prisons all over two states. We were ready to go anywhere so we put our home up for sale to show the Lord we were dead serious.

Acts 21:13 (NASB77) Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

I abused my body terribly with alcohol, drugs, etc. for the 25 years I ran with the devil. I have since spent all I am and have clean with what was left on my health which isn’t much. I have the body of a man that could die any moment. I remarked to my doctor, “My zeal for the Lord is killing me.” His nurse replied, “What a great way to go!” I want to die in the pulpit so I treat each sermon I deliver as my last. I’ve passed the 70 year mark and I’m ready.

2 Corinthians 10:6 (NASB77) and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.

When my sheep (ex-offenders) know better but defy the Gospel I jump on them with both feet big time! If they don’t repent, I throw them out of our program. I consider that their actions are the equivalent of giving Jesus the finger. Don’t mess with my Lord, my wife or my ministry!

2 Timothy 4:6 (NASB77) For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.

So I am pressing on to lead that last soul to the Cross of salvation. There will be a last one and I can’t help but inquire, is that you? If you are I am eternally grateful o the Lord that he gave me the eternal honor to introduce you sinner to your Savior. Do it now!