Tag: mission gate

NO ESCAPE

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

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 tht 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

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

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 uou 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.

 

PRESS ON!

http://www.RickMathes.net

http://www.RickMathes.org

NO ESCAPE

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

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 tht 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.

PRESS ON!

http://www.RickMathes.net

http://www.RickMathes.org

LESS THAN A MAN

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

LESS THAN A MAN

By Rick

The penitentiary mess hall was tidy but colorless and institutional; that is, void of any warmth or contrasts. Barred windows and sulky workers. Inmates shuffling past counters of tasteless, stench-filled food that fell barely within government nutritional guidelines of minimum vitamins. I suffered through lunch in the Officer’s quarters and was astonished at how they managed to eat this unappetizing menu with such relish and enthusiasm. I had lost my appetite for this torture when I was informed that the green baby lima beans were really creamed corn! And a fish head was floating around and looking up at me from the sea-food soup! It was a blessing to escape from this noxious event and begin the lengthy walk to the Chapel.

An unpretentious Asian guard or as they prefer to be addressed, Correctional Officer or C.O. for short, began escorting me out of the cafeteria into the dimly lit hallway, down some metal steps and then through a labyrinth of twisting and turning, often loud catwalks past bad-tempered prisoners on lock-down.

In one particular corridor, our gait has hasty but my eyes were drawn to the darkened prison cells in a blurred kaleidoscope of unshaven faces and slumped or sleeping bodies. All at once I stopped in my tracks and turned back to the cell I had just passed by. I had seen an attractive woman stretched out on the bunk in a very alluring pose!

Now wait a minute, wasn’t this an all male maximum security prison? What was a seductive woman doing here? I had turned so abruptly that the Officer did not think to respond before I looked again into this cell to ascertain that it wasn’t a female but rather a transvestite with long silky hair, a smooth shapely body and very obvious breasts. Horrified is an understatement!

Our eyes met in an uneasy brotherhood as I asked, “Would you like to receive Jesus Christ as your Saviour and be born again?” He leisurely got up and off his bunk, then glided in a seductive manner to the bars in front of which I was standing. As he drew nearer and I was able to scrutinize him more he said to me, “How can I change what I’ve done to myself.” His masculine voice startled me. I responded, “You must be born again. You need to change on the inside first and that begins with permitting Jesus to be your Lord. He is the God of miracles and you will become a walking trophy of His grace if only you will become willing and believe.” He looked me in the eyes and whispered, “I want to do that very dearly,” and began to sob uncontrollably.

We slipped to our knees right there on the cold concrete and tenderly held hands through the bars. A woman with man’s hands asking God for a spiritual healing. We prayed a heart-felt prayer and he sincerely asked that he would be delivered from homosexuality and become the man that God had created him to be. Just then the C.O. took my arm securely and said sharply, “We have to keep moving.”

I learned months later that he was severely beaten by his “husband” and repeatedly raped by homosexual “gang-bangers.” The prison administrators had learned of a contract on his life so they transferred him to a single cell in protective custody. The last word I received is that he is remaining steadfast in the Word of God and his family has raised the money for cosmetic surgery to physically reconstruct his manliness.

 

PRESS ON!

http://www.RickMathes.net

http://www.RickMathes.org

MEET REVEREND LUCIFER

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

MEET REVEREND LUCIFER

By Rick Mathes, author of “Allah or Jesus”

“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 m

PRESS ON!

http://www.RickMathes.net

http://www.RickMathes.org

e!”

 

KENTUCKY FRIED CHRISTIANITY

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

KENTUCKY FRIED CHRISTIANITY

By

Rick Mathes, author of “Allah or Jesus”

http://www.MissionGateMinistry.org

“Step right up ladies and gentlemen! Come one come all and see for yourself the one and the only church, held in captivity since modern man began! One green dollar, folding cash, a silent offering will give you happiness, excitement and feelings you’ve never felt before! Step right up and hear from the books written by the experts that know better than the Bible!

“With your eyes you will see the fellowship of pretenders. They hug, they laugh and they cry as you want them to. They are at your beck and call. Trained and skilled in displays of affection and carnal love, so convincing, you’ll think that they are for real. Hurry, hurry, hurry! The show is about to begin!

“See them pray, hands lifted or eyes down; you have a choice. Guaranteed results or your money back! Step right up to a prayer booth and they will pray to the god of your choice. One day only, so don’t hold back. Visa and Mastercard are accepted.

“Don’t forget the relic display and authentic souvenirs marked down to half-price but full of indulgences. A piece of the cross and bones of the saints. Can you believe it! Of course you believe it. You’ll believe anything.

“Our goal is to give you anything you want at the price you are willing to pay! Look for our cross at the top of any one of our convenient outlets, or call our 24-hour hot-line and get saved. You will be healed when you write us a big fat check. But hurry, limited time only!”

(Oh, how I pray the time is limited.)

PRESS ON!

http://www.RickMathes.net

http://www.RickMathes.org

I’M NOT READY YET

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

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.”

PRESS ON!

http://www.RickMathes.net

http://www.RickMathes.org

I YIELD TO NONE!

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

“I YIELD TO NONE!” CHS

By Rick Mathes

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 FOUND HIM IN HELL

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

I FOUND HIM IN HELL

By Rick Mathes

Mr. Carnal was a professing Christian that lived an exemplary life. He was a deacon in his church and taught Sunday school Bible study. All the congregation looked up to him and the pattern he set for others to follow. On the outside, the side all could see, he was the husband and father that all the women wished that their man would become. Unknown to everyone was the real truth that on the inside he confessed that Jesus is Lord but never became obedient to His lordship. He was living a lie that finally caught up with him in a sudden and unexpected death!

He died and went straight to hell.

As he looked out over the glowing lake of liquid flames, the abhorrence and inexpressible torture he witnessed was more than his damned soul could bear. As far as he could see was a holocaust of screaming human beings thrashing about in the white blistering conflagration, begging to die and escape this deathless tribulation.

Silently, Satan himself slithered up and rasped, “I have you!” He responded, “I know. I never confessed Jesus AS my Lord,” and began to sob. Through tears he pleaded, “I beg you, give me 24 hours more before you throw me into that lake of fire.” Satan smiled a toothless smirk and growled, “Granted!”

He hesitated and then began trudging along the steamy shoreline while flames licked at his exposed carcass. Reaching down from time to time to hoist up to eye level one wretched body after another, he looked them full in the face and cursed with all his pent up venom of loathing. Again and again he would choose and grip an anguished cadaver to curse as he eventually found his way around the smoking abyss, counterclockwise to where he began his twenty-four tedious hours before. He was totally spent and lacking the strength left to stand in front of the immoral one who had patiently waited for his prey to return.

As he collapsed on that smoldering shore, Lucifer quietly approached and hissed, “Your time is up! But before I cast your body and soul into the black inferno, I must ask you just one last question. Why were you doing that?”

The condemned looked up and gasped, “I was looking for that preacher that told me I was saved!”

Satan’s twisted features gleamed with pride as he snarled, “That was me who told you that you were saved!”

I CAN SEE

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

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.

PRESS ON!

http://www.RickMathes.net

http://www.RickMathes.org