Tag: Rick Mathes

COME OUT

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COME OUT

By Rick Mathes

John 11:40 (NASB77) 40 Jesus •said to her, ” Did I not say to you, if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

He said, “I AM the resurrection. Do you believe this?” It’s an important question to ask your-self and answer honestly. Your faith and future depend on what you really, down deep believe. You can’t fake or con your way past the devil. Both Satan and Jesus know the true answer.

So you need to take an honest appraisal of yourself if you want to step away from death and move toward life everlasting, so ask yourself:

Are you a questioning believer? It is good to be the “devil’s advocate” that is, to challenge the Word of God to see what the truth really is. I went into the Bible to prove to my wife once and for all that Jesus did not raise form the dead anymore that Lazarus did at His word. Well He did and I believe but learning that truth has not stopped me 30 years later from questioning the Word and mining it for proofs.

Are you an anxious seeker? Anxiety is manufactured fear. Ninety percent of what you fear isn’t going to happen and the other ten percent is unavoidable It is good to fear the Lord, that is to fear offending Him but if you are a believer, you never need to fear His wrath.

Are you a suffering believer? He took the cross for you. What can man do to you to separate you from the love of God? Nothing! How deep is your love? You don’t really appreciate His mercy when you are on top of the world. Did you ever notice that you are closest to Christ when your knees are closest to the ground in prayer?

Step out of your grave of death and don’t be a discouraged worker for the Lord. We are only under assault by the demons for a season. All the Lord asks of us is to keep the faith, fight the good fight and finish the race. Don’t give up, maybe for the first time.

And lastly, you might be a dying Christian. Well praise the Lord you are close to meeting your Maker! Take heart. What greater thrill could there be but to sing, “Nearer my God to Thee” and really mean it. Come out and confess you believe today, there may not be a tomorrow.

COFFIN NAILS

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COFFIN NAILS

By Rick Mathes

1 Corinthians 1:2 (NASB77) 2  to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:

Paul’s companion Clement became the third bishop of the Church in Rome right behind Cletus and Linus. Fifty years afer the Church of Corinth was founded, Clement wrote to them after Paul had written the letter “3rd Corinthians” to sort out the internal dissention and abuse of the gifts. Clement had to rebuke them again because now the younger members were disrespecting their Elders and the whole mess was stirring up all over again. I might add that charismatic churches in your community have continued in this prideful destruction and here are some reasons that keep reappearing over the years:

  • Dissentions
  • Personality Cults
  • Cliquishness
  • Moral Compromise
  • Carnality
  • Sexual Perversion
  • Fornication
  • Incest
  • Adultery
  • Worldliness
  • Materialism
  • Suing Christians
  • Idolatry
  • Selfishness
  • Homosexuality

The sign gifts were being perverted to mimic the old rituals that included estate behavior and glossolalia. They became boastful of the gifts they claimed they had and they used them at times for personal gain as they do to this very day!

How awful must the Holy Spirit feel when so called “Spirit-filled full-gospel” churches do the same thing? It’s as if nothing has changed. This type of behavior is flat-out prostitution of the gifts and dangerously close to the unforgiveable sin of unbelief!

 

 

CHURCH

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CHURCH

By Rick Mathes

The corporate church is the Body of Christ which is composed of all its elect. We don’t “go to church” we “are church.” The ground I’m standing on is church property because I am the visible temple of the Holy Spirit: He lives through me.

We come together to worship because like metal to magnet we cannot do otherwise. Our spiritual comfort zone is to be in “one accord” worshipping and enjoying our Lord in His glory.

So far we are in agreement with the Roman Catholics. Where we depart is when it becomes a “Mass” that features a ritualistic re-crucifixion of our Savior: another unnecessary atonement, one done on a weekly basis: over and over and over as the slaughtering of lambs in the Old Testament.

When Jesus said, “It is finished,” He meant it. He died once to free us form the punishment of sins, the power of present sinfulness and the presence of future sinful consequences. This was done once never to be repeated ever again. There has never been any need for a sacrifice since His and there never will be. The Roman Catholic Mass is blasphemy!

This “mass” of atonement for our sins in another gospel and is a direct reflection of ancient temple offerings. The need for these useless rituals is forever dispelled in the Book of Hebrews. There is not even a hint of the mass being held by a priest anywhere in the New Testament or any history of Christianity until it was invented by Rome in the fourth century.

A typical gathering of the Saints was usually held outdoors by a river, stream or lake or in the home of some wealthy Christian. It was a simple service that included prayer and singing. They would all take oaths of the 10 commandments and someone would bring a Word from the Lord. They would have a communal breaking of bread, drinking of wine in memory of the Lord and when applicable conclude with baptism of newly born-again children of he promise,.

The marks of the true Church are:

The true preaching of the Word

The right administration of the Word

The faithful exercise of discipline

After the so-called conversion of Emperor Constantine (310AD), Christianity was declared the state religion and multitudes of pagans were admitted to the Church by baptism alone without conversion. They brought with them pagan rites, statures, ceremonies and practices which eventually found themselves incorporated into the Roman Catholic mass which is practiced to this very day.

Over 50% of this mass is of mythology and heathenism. And most of the balance is an invention of the strangest kind. Oh, how the saints that have passed must cringe as they watch the pompous display of worldly idolatry and self-gratification being displayed by men with questionable gender-orientation, parading around in gowns of mourning or celebration depending on the invention of the cause. The genuflect, bow and kiss of holy relics before a crucifix of worship as the saints look on from their statues in approval is straight from the altar of Satan.

“Oh mother of God we worship you” is the theme to the Matrix of glory. The fourth of their declared Godhead; and the faithful actually believe this! Amazing.

ALL OR NOTHING

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ALL OR NOTHING

By Rick Mathes

Luke 9:23 (NASB77) 23 And He was saying to them all, ” If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

Salvation is not free. It costs everything. We must exchange all we are for all His is. It is a total displacement of who we were for who His is. That’s Christianity, being Christ-like. Not religion.

If you sense in your heart a yearning for Jesus to be Lord, praise Him because you have been especially chosen to be His. No one comes to Him except the Father gives to Him. You are elect and like metal to a magnet, you can’t avoid coming to Him. You are not able to turn back for long for the urge to be His is too great to resist

If you confess Jesus as your Lord, you must submit to His Lordship in everything. This includes those times and places when no one is watching. Well, He’s all present so there isn’t anything you can get by Him. He sees it all. You are His slave and He owns you totally. So like boing water through coffee grounds you process your every move through Him.

We know the cross He carried for us but we usually don’t accept the cross we need to carry for Him. We have been charged with sinning and sentenced to die to self so that we might live to serve Him. It all begins at the foot of the cross when we collapse under the weight of our sinful life and repent of our sins at the feet of the Master.

We must be wholly His to be holy. You can’t be part saved either. You are or you aren’t. When you do, submission to His will naturally follows and He becomes the Hand and we become the glove. He goes about the Father’s business in our skin.

Michael Angelo was asked how he knew that David was I that discarded block of marble. He replied that he just kept chipping on that marble that which wasn’t him. So it is with us as our Lord chips away at our sins so that we might repent, say “Ouch!” and slowly return to our first nature which was to walk in the presence of God. It’s our second nature to sin but all that changes when you are brought to that moment of truth by the Holy Spirit where it is all or nothing.

 

CHRISTIANS

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CHRISTIANS

By Rick Mathes

Acts 11:26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came about that for an entire year they met with the church, and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

Little did they know when the Church of Antioch first call the followers of the Way, Christians what they had started. There is no more highly honored near in any dictionary of any nation. We are followers of Christ and disciples of His Way. What a privilege: that He died for me!

But how can you identify a Christian? Are there any characteristics that separated ttthem from the rest?

I don’t know about you but when I’m with Christians I sense a sincere kindness I really can’t find anywhere else. Being kind and compassionate were the hallmark traits of that rag-tab early community of believers. They showed such patience with each other’s short-comings and growing pains. It was a true willingness of everyone’s part to be of one accord.

They had one God, one faith, one baptism and one desire to love each other with His agape love. It produced and unprecedented happiness that set them apart and was the envy of unbelievers. The early church didn’t explode in their mission outreach only, they imploded with worship. Unbelievers were beating the doors down to get some. Such was the condition of America has abandoned.

Charity is not the entitlement of government; it is the outpouring of Christian ministry. It is their eagerness that first established hospitals, orphanages and senior living accommodations. They did so with a humble loyalty to the principle of the gospel. St. Francis of Assisi said it so well, and I paraphrase, “All I want to do is go about the Lord’s business and not know it.”

It takes a courageous warrior for the Lord to defend His name in this sewer of unbelief, apostasy and apathy. We must return to the cross and ask for forgiveness, receive it and then become forgivers. This is all supernatural and in respect for His forgiveness from that bloody death stake on Calvary.

Do you have the strength and resolve to admit, submit, commit and transmit the gospel from the top of the mountain? Then be of service to the Commander-in-Chief and defend that Name of names, Jesus. Proudly declare to all who will hear that you are a Christian!

CHRISTIANITY

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CHRISTIANITY

By Rick Mathes

Acts 11:26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came about that for an entire year they met with the church, and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

There is no higher rank, accomplishment or title that is greater than being a Christian. It hurts my heart deeply that it has been dragged through the mud and worse by the devil and his ministering demons in synagogues of Satan (carnal churches). It’s to the point that only 2% of professing Christians are really Biblical Christians that once populated that first church in Antioch. That means that the vast majority of religious counterfeits who call themselves Christians are going to a hotter place in hell. This begs the question; what is a Chritian and what is the vital doctrine of all Christians

A Christian is one who will not deviate from; 1) Bible only, 2) Jesus only, 3) Grace only, and 4) Faith only. That acronym TULIP (You can look it up.) and the gospel according to Jesus is Calvinism (All other faiths are bogus.).

The first step we need to take is to admit our sins and the need of a Savior. This conviction can only come from the Holy Spirit. No sermon or ritual will produce a real conversion apart from the moving of the Holy Spirit. Only a heart-felt appeal to God will suffice. So put your face in the mud, the blood and the tears at the foot of the Cross and cry out, “Lord save me!”

The next step is to submit to His will. You start out as your hand doing your thing and then He covers it with His glove of protection. This is called justification. Sanctification is where you exchange places with Him. He becomes the hand and your skin becomes the glove that covers Him so that He can go about the Father’s work through you. At this point, the rest of your life is none of your business! God is going to do with you what He wants to, how He wants to, where He wants to, when He wants to, if He feels like it. (Read this again)

You need to commit all you are for all that He is. This is a covenant that is deeper than deep. Even you can’t break it; once saved always saved. I can’t take the blood of my father from my veins anymore than I can take the saving grace of my new Father from my soul.

The natural outcome of these steps to holiness is to transmit or communicate the good news to others. The Word will get into your veins like fire and you will not be able to shut up!

CHRIST’S LOVE

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CHRIST’S LOVE

By Rick Mathes

2 Corinthians 5:14 (NASB77) 14  For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died;

How deep is your love? It depends on what kind of love you are talking about. Eros is the love hat is expressed and enjoyed though our five senses: see, hear, taste, smell and touch. This can include everything from the scent of flowers, to the thrill of sex, to the savory taste of a filet.

Another love is filial. This is the most familiar love of very solid friendship as we are expected to have with our best friends and closest neighbors.

Finally there is agape. This love was displayed in the Word of God such as: David-Johnathon, Paul-Timothy, or you and Jesus. It is a complete and total love worth dying for. This is most usual in a husband-wife or parent-child relationship.

Christ died for us because it was the wages of our sin. He dided that we might live: that’s agape love. Whoever would believe in His atonement would be saved by those who refused it would experience the second death. Since all have sinned this should be a matter for all to consider however Satan has his hooks in those who ae in the state of unbelief.

Christ’s love is the antidote of the sentence of death that is upon all me. We all fall short of the perfection God requires. Christ’s death proved His love for mankind and His resurrection proves His love for man. This second Adam was the love that overcame the raging hate and evil of hell.

It was expedient that this one would die to save the citizens of God’s new heaven and new earth. So Jesus died fo us ad now all of His will willingly and eagerly ie for Him. This is a relationship that none of Satan’s monarchs were capable of without the force of war

All of us elect now die for Him. We die to sin so that we may live in holiness. He left us His Holy Spirit to guide and encourage us to repent, believe and obey the Word of God: the essence of Jesus. What can exceed the love of Christ? God is the lover, Jesus is he loved and the Holy Spirit I the love that flows between them!

CARNALITY

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CARNALITY

By Rick Mathes

Romans 6:23 (NASB77) 23  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

A carnal Christian is one who claims allegiance to heaven but lives only for everything on earth. The temporal toys are worth more than the eternal blessings later. Carnal Christians are just demons with a mask on. The devil has learned that to beat the church to death you must o it from the inside with a pillow instead of outside with a sledge hammer

A church with no real spiritual leaders is defeated before it has ever begun You would shudder if I told you of the experiences I have had with demonic churches over the years. I was even paid to get a Bishop and two Priests a hooker for the week-end on time I now the darkside of Satan’s synagogue well because I worshipped there for 25 years. Then as a minister for over 25 years I saw from the inside that all I saw on the outside was just a prelude to an orchestration of demons behind protestant altars.

Evil associations and personal material gain are rampant to those that gather under the cross to achieve worldly success. Why even the prostitutes in South America gather to pray to the Virgin Mary for a profitable evening!

The shallowness of this tragedy is the lack of a solid gospel message. The carnal church is built around doing instead of done All these empty lives are reinforcing each other with trivial distractions, plays, music, videos and laser shows to attract those with no spiritual insight to return next Sunday for some more entertainment, with an offering of course.

Endless hours are spent on the business plan and the sermon soon becomes a brief after thought. There is no love of God but there is an all-encompassing love of the world to build bigger and better buildings: for denominations to outdo each other in worldly attractions instead of the exercise of spiritual gifts. If you call yourself a Christian and you love this world more than the next, the love of the Father is not in you. You are a carnal, demonic moron.

 

CAN’T BE SAVED

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CAN’T BE SAVED

By Rick Mathes

Matthew 19:25 And when the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?”

Whoever believes in Him will be saved. This is true, but Jesus didn’t die for those who refuse His hand: it’s called limited atonement. Some are reprobates. I know you won’t like this truth but truth is truth. Here it is: If Jesus is all-knowing, they He knew before the beginning of time who would as well and who wouldn’t be saved. Neither had a free will to change what He preordained. In short, those who are neither chosen nor elect cannot be changed or saved no matter what they do. To confess otherwise would be to limit God’s knowledge to wondering who would or would not accept his atonement on the cross; this flys in the face of predestination and elect that you will find throughout the whole Bible.

However, there are temporarily the undecided that most certainly have the choice of their lifetime before them. Is that you? Let me run through some of your excuses.

The most blatant is that you have no desire for Jesus or anything else about Him. My kid brother fits this bill and will know that starling truth one moment past his last heartbeat but then it will too late.

If you are honest with yourself, the Holy Spirit has been using those close to you to reach you withj the gospel and you have been fighting them off, because you want to hold on to your sinning. Satan doesn’t mind that you desperately want to repent, just don’t do it today: tomorrow never comes.

One game we play is to confess part of the sin but continue to disbelieve the atonement. We can’t be part saved by confessing part of our sins. Either you are a saint or you are an ain’t. The word for you is impenitent. You are too proud to bring the vileness of that sin into the light so you get what I call Roman Catholic mentality and think that if you do more good than bad you have earned the grace to keep you out of hell.

You still are an unforgiving person because you haven’t received our Lord’s forgiveness because of your selfish motives. You really are neglectful of the harm to others and believe that life is all about you. Well you are wrong. It’s all about Him. Is it too late? Are you a reprobate?

Just ask Him.

BY YOUR DEEDS

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BY YOUR DEEDS

By Rick Mathes

Acts 26:20 but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.

Pray this: “Father God, by your grace I have been saved; Brother Jesus, by your stripes I have been healed: Holy Spirit, you know the mind of the Father and the heart of the Son, What does God want me to do?”

For openers, it is an answer to prayer when the Holy Spirit convicts you of the sin you have been hiding in that dark closet in your soul. Our deepest desire should be to be wholly holy. Any compromise is spiritual prostitution. A little lie with the truth or a little truth in the lie is deceitful beyond compare: neither integrity nor character. In either case the simple law of non-contradiction occurs: A cannot be non A. Sin is spiritual cancer and it must be removed or you will die and eternal death while still on your feet.

The Lord sees us in ways our natural eyes are unable to. If you could see my heart as the Lord sees it, you would run from me and I would be terrified to see yours. We really are sin-machines and our deeds show it. It is only in His shed blood that we receive a full pardon. When Father God looks upon us all He sees is His Son interceding for us. We truly are forgiven and our sins forgotten.

This is how it works; 1) You approach the Cross and as Jesus for forgiveness, 2) He will extend His blessing, 3) You receive the forgiveness (no guilt) and 4) You become a forgiver. The tough one is to walk away from guilt and become a virgin all over again. Flush your toilet and move on.

The vital life is exhibited by the works we produce. I know it’s by grace we are saved not by works but as James taught, if there aren’t any works there is good cause to question the health of this barren tree with no fruit. As the verse clearly teaches, we must repent, turn to God and prove that transaction by deeds. I wouldn’t trust it any other way.

God inhabits His praises like the fragrance of a rose. He also activates good works like a kaleidoscope of good deeds. I would rather see the sermon over hearing it, wouldn’t you? If you aren’t walking your talk, your talking is moot. It’s a waste of oxygen. The Comforter will bring you comfort in the highest degree.

The proof of repentance is a gift of the Holy Spirit. He is to infuse Christ and His efforts into you. You cannot do it without the Holy Spirit and it won’t get done without you. Your hands pick up the baton of continued blessing. Don’t drop it: press on!