UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE JOKE
February 24, 9:30 am
Before anyone drinks the Dems kool-aid and signs up for the very long lines that are a direct result of universal health care... at least do some research on your own and quit believing the rhetoric that comes from the chief talking-head in Washington: Obama.
The Fraser Institute prepared a report to show the Canadian health-care system for what it is. I am going to include some pertinent information from that report. "In recent years, patients treated by the Canadian health care system have increasingly experienced lengthy waits to see providers." They went on to say... "Waiting times are the legacy of a medical system offering low expectations cloaked in lofty rhetoric."
Since the mid-1980s, the Vancouver-based think tank (The Fraser Institute) has produced an annual report on how long patients are required to wait for medical care in Canada. As a result of the group's research, treatment waiting times are now part of the public policy debate on the quality of the Canadian health care system.
In its 16th annual installment, the report titled "Waiting Your Turn" tracks how waiting times vary across Canadian provinces depending on the type of treatment needed. The report also documents waiting times for referral to specialists and the subsequent amount of time spent waiting for actual treatment from the specialist.
"Despite all of the promises made by Canada's provincial and federal governments, and despite the fact that Canadians are spending more on health care than ever before, the total wait time in Canada continues to hover near the 18-week mark as it has since 2003," co-author Nadeen Esmail said in an interview for this article. "Equally troubling is the reality that the total wait time in 2006 is 91 percent longer than it was in 1993."
These findings should give pause to proponents of universal coverage, who often cite Canada as an example of a country where health care costs less than care in the United States and everyone has free health care at the point of service.
"While many proclaim Canada's Medicare program to be one of the best in the world, or suggest it should be the model for reform in the United States," Esmail said, "the reality is that health spending in Canada outpaces that in most other developed nations that, like Canada, guarantee access to care regardless of ability to pay, and yet access to health care in this country lags that available in most of these other nations."
In 2006, the average amount of time spent waiting to receive treatment after referral by a general practitioner averaged 17.8 weeks across Canada. At 14.9 weeks, Ontario had the shortest waits. Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick had average waits of 25.8 weeks, 28.5 weeks, and 31.9 weeks, respectively.
Patients referred to a neurosurgeon waited an average of 21 weeks just to see a specialist. Getting treatment required an additional 10.7 weeks.
Patients waited an average of 16.2 weeks to see an orthopedic surgeon, and another 24.2 weeks for treatment to be performed after the initial visit.
The number of people routinely waiting for services is staggering, according to the report. In 2003, the most recent year for which data were available from Statistics Canada, approximately 1.1 million people had trouble accessing care on a timely basis.
About 201,000 had problems obtaining non-emergency services. An additional 607,000 had problems getting in to see a specialist, and about 301,000 patients experienced problems obtaining diagnostic procedures.
"So much for the myth of government-run health care being compassionate and fair," said David Gratzer, a Canadian doctor and senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. "Canadians wait and wait and wait."
In Canada, waiting lists are considered a way of rationing medical care and holding down health care spending. Because health care in Canada is largely free at the point of service, demand is likely to exceed supply.
In a typical market system, the price would adjust to the point where the quantity of services provided is equal to the amount patients are willing to buy. But in a system devoid of a market mechanism, scarce resources are rationed through means other than price.
"The long waits for needed care in Canada show the danger of abandoning markets in favor of central planning," explained Sean Parnell, vice president of external relations at The Heartland Institute, an Illinois-based think tank. "Just as there were long lines for food and other basic necessities in the old Soviet Union because planners couldn't accurately match supply with demand, the politicians and bureaucrats who run health care in Canada can't provide enough health care to meet the citizens' needs."
VERY CAREFULLY READ WHAT FOLLOWS!!!
Gratzer agreed.
"It's like the old Soviet system," Gratzer said. "Everything is free, but nothing is readily available. Except that we're not talking about lining up for toilet paper in Russia in 1976, but queuing for surgery in Canada in 2006."
Economists generally agree such "non-price" rationing of resources is less efficient than a system that uses prices. One reason is that productivity is lost when people are unable to work due to treatment delays. Also, the risk of death while waiting is higher for serious conditions such as cardiac care.
Waiting lists are consequences of the way the Canadian health care system is structured, not a lack of money, critics say.
"The fact that this is the 16th annual report on wait lists for needed care should be enough to prove that the problem isn't a temporary one that can be fixed with just a little more money, as defenders of Canada's government-run system have claimed for years," Parnell said.
"Long waits and widespread denial of needed care are a permanent and necessary part of government-run systems," Parnell noted.
Keep in mind also that this is not just a single report I had to search for... Google "waiting time" for patients in countries where health care is provided by government and you will find that there are thousands of articles all saying the same thing... universal health care that takes your treatment out of your hands and places it in control of government is destined to fail!
I want to use my own personal experience to try and prove a point. I was having some health issues beyond the norm, so my family doctor sent me to a specialist. Keep in mind that in Canada and other countries there are weeks and months from the time you are referred to even see a specialist, and from that meeting to get certain tests such as MRI or Cat-scans can be more months. For an example... a needed heart bypass surgery can be ten weeks in Canada, from diagnosis to procedure. It is quite common in America to be diagnosed today with the need for bypass and having surgery the following day!
How many of you reading this blog right this very second know someone who has had this very thing done? They are diagnosed today with a problem and they are in surgery the day following? I bet several of you can name a friend right now who had this done. However, you do not know someone in Canada where that has happened. They are diagnosed today needing that procedure and in ten weeks... ten weeks they can get the surgery. Of course, that is if they live from diagnoses to the operating table?
Now, I want to tell you of my experience in trying to find the source of my bleeding... let me give you a list of what the five different specialists have done for me: keep in mind that from one specialist to another, and from one test to the next... was a time period of only six months! Remember, six months time and I saw all of these specialists and had all of these tests ran! If I were in Canada and needing these tests ran: I would have had to wait more than six months to be seen by a single specialist and have even a single test ran.
What follows is the list: endoscopy, (twice) involving two different specialists ... colonoscopy ... stress test on heart ... cat-scan from chest to pelvis ... cat-scan on sinuses ... four different sets of lung x-rays (over a three month period) ... bronchoscopy ... flexible laryngoscopy, (three separate times) and a rigid laryngoscopy. It is also important to know that every test ran and all procedures done involved a hospital and five of the procedures required sedation and an operating room. In other words... no noticeable waiting time for all of this to be done; regardless the procedure!
Also, in case someone reading this believes I was just fortunate to be in a certain state or hospital system: keep in mind the following facts. For all of these specialists and doctors that were used: I was seen in two different states and four different hospitals!
Now, some more facts about socialized medicine compared to our American system. I read facts where thousands of Canadians have come to America for heart surgery, needed medical tests, and routine care... etc. Then I wanted to see if the opposite was true: that is are Americans leaving here to seek medical care in Canada? I found out that... Yes... there are people who do that. Now, according to statistics compiled in Canada about this fact... let's see what Americans are looking for up north.
According to the Canadian government, Americans are crossing the border for prescription drugs, because they are cheaper and they are getting medical marijuana because it is legal there. I almost fell out of my chair from laughing so hard. Canadians leave their own country to come to America for lifesaving surgery and tests. Americans are going to Canada for illegal drugs! LOL!!!
In fact, I could not find even one, single, solitary case of any of the three hundred million Americans going north for surgery! Folks, there is a reason for that! Their government, the Russians, and ours all fail when they try to take on what is always better in the private sector.
Can any person out there show me any one thing our government has successfully ran when they took it over? it always goes into the red. Federal Express and UPS are in the black and successful because they are private enterprise. The USPS is always in the red! The American government run public school system fails miserably in the only thing they are supposed to do... educate young people. They fail at this and are always in the red! Private sector schools operate in the black and educate students far better. Social Security, Medicaid, and everything else in control of government fails... why would any rational person believe that universal health care would be any different?
The only thing the government does well... is the only thing the constitution charges it to do... protect its people from foreign enemies; we have a great and powerful military! Everything else should be taken from government control and put into the hands of private businesses! It's because when companies are forced to operate in the black, they will always provide a better service and they will always find a way to do it better than a government which manufactures its own paper currency!
You can always email me at clarkmatthews1@aol.com
WATERSHED MOMENTS
February 19, 10:45 am
I was wondering this morning how man watershed moments does a person have in their lifetime? I suppose that it must be different for every person. In fact, some people might live their lives in their entirety without ever experiencing an epiphany that you just know, and deep down (in the place where we all live) that a change has occurred: and not a small change at that, but a sea change which will affect your life well into the future. (Just in case anyone is keeping count... this will be the third “watershed moment” in my life. As with the other two: the reasons for them and the resulting decisions have and will continue to be mine alone... and private. Although, over-time, the resulting changes might have well been obvious to any who knew me.)
The one that I had this morning (and it is of no import whatsoever the root-cause of the instantaneous decision that I made) is only important because a decision has been made. Also, when I used the word “epiphany” I am not using it with the usual connotation of having to do with religion; I am only using it in the sense of a sudden revelation: albeit, non-religious.
Probably a dozen years ago I saw a movie titled “The Edge.” It was somewhat of an entertaining movie, though I doubt any one won any awards from it. But, there were some lines in it that I thought of when I decided to write about this subject matter on my blog this morning. Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin are the two main leads in the movie and they become adversaries, after having been, if not friends at least associates through work.
After surviving a plane crash Hopkins find that he is still in danger of losing his life, first from the elements, then a bear, and finally from a supposed friend, who had become his enemy and tries to kill him. At some point Hopkins decides that if he gets through all of this that he is going to change his life. And by change, the inference is to a dramatic change and not just some subtle change in day-to-day living. He tells Baldwin of his decision and Baldwin then asks if he (Hopkins) ever knew anyone that has done that... really changed their life?
What follows are the words I thought of when I experienced my own revelation, followed by a quick decision this morning. Hopkins said, “... I never knew anyone who did actually change their life. I'll tell you what... I'm going to start my life over!”
Then, Baldwin sarcastically answers, “Yeah... you'll be the first.”
In the movie Hopkins had been what most people would consider wildly successful, yet, he didn't see that at all. In fact, early on you can see him struggling with the idea of knowing many different things, however, they weren't things that were necessarily useful or practical. At one point he said, “I seem to be able to retain all these facts, but putting them to any useful purpose is a different matter.”
In a lesser degree than what Hopkins was supposed to be capable of in the movie... I can sort of relate to that last sentiment. I can hear someone say something, and in my mind I can think of a dozen different quotes, poems, facts, or stories that either lend support or teach against what I just heard. Yet, I am at a total loss to see what useful purpose having this knowledge has ever given me?
Later in the movie we will see that knowing some of these seemingly “random” things saved his life: not once, but twice; first from the bear and then from Baldwin.
I have many dates in my mind that mean something to me: yet, to others they would have no meaning whatsoever. In fact, numbers have also been important to me as well as dates and times. If I had the money that Hopkins' character in the movie was supposed to have had... I would be considered just a little eccentric. However, with my present bank account I would more than likely just be called “crazy” because of such proclivities. In reality I would not be one to necessarily argue that last point with anyone, and to add to that distinct possibility of being crazy... today, February 19th will be another day that will be important to me. Perhaps, one day I will look back from a far future date and know that February 19, was a true watershed moment!
If you read today's blog and begin to wonder if you have ever had such a time... a “watershed moment?” Even without knowing or ever meeting you I can answer that for you... you haven't. Because if you had you would not have to “wonder” about it... you would instantly be able to recall such a time because they (watershed moments) are always and forevermore... life changing!
You can always email me at clarkmatthews1@aol.com
AN ANGRY GOD PART FOUR
February 17, 10:37 am
If you are new to this message, please read the first three parts in the Previous Posts section before reading this final part of my four part message.
My goal with a message like this is to try and expose all of the “love” preachers. And it is not because part of their message is false: for part of it is true; God is love. However, if you preach the whole Bible, and not just preach a Bible full of holes, you will find there is much more to God than just love. Therein lies their grave error... they are only preaching partial truth and thereby it makes their preaching in its entirety... wrong!
Typically speaking in a message like this where the verses I am using are familiar, and because I don't bother to put together an outline when I am writing anything on my blog, and because what I am writing about I wholly believe, this four part message would have only taken a normal person a couple of hours to finish. Albeit, because of my poor typing skills I will have more than five hours in this four part message when I am done with my thoughts today.... plus... several more hours with a concordance looking at very small print. Let me explain.
The reason I sought out a concordance was because I wanted to make sure before I wrote my next thoughts that I was correct in something I had guessed even before I ever checked to make certain: it has to do with the “God is love” phrase.
I wanted to look up the word, “God” and see how many times it is used. For this message I used Strong's Concordance and I found that God is used more than 4,400 times in the KJV Bible, the only real Bible! Each page in the concordance has extremely small print and three columns with 116 lines in each column and page after page after page after page.... do you get the idea that I was getting weary reading all of the words in the Bible which follow... “God.”
Keep in mind that Jesus changes not... now let me show you just a few things that this unchanging
God is! In the book of Numbers we see that … “God is not a man.” (Numbers 23:19) In Nahum we see that “God is jealous.” (Nahum 1:2) In Psalms we see that “God is angry.” (Psalms 7:11) In Deuteronomy we see that “God is a God of gods.” (Deuteronomy 10:17) Trust me, with more than 4,400 opportunities I could show a lot more verses speaking of things that … “God is...” Rather than take the time that would be needed to show all of that I will now get to the crux of what I want to talk about.
In all of the Bible how many times do you think it states that “God is love?” 5... 20... 50... more? How about twice? And both times it is in the New Testament and both times it is in the same book of the Bible. The phrase “God is love” is found only in I John chapter four. Now, I am in no way discounting the fact that it is not mentioned often, nor am I finding fault that it is in only one Testament. One single verse found in either Testament, when kept in proper context is certainly enough to accept as truth from God and solid doctrine can be taught from it. All that I want to point out is that Jesus, who never changes is far more than a God of Love.
You see, I too believe that He is love and I believe that Romans 5:8 explains how He proved His love to us. However, I believe the whole Bible and because of that I believe that Jesus is also, “a consuming fire!” Two times in the Old Testament and once in the New Testament we read the words... “God is a consuming fire.” Deuteronomy 4:29, 9:3 and Hebrews 12:29.
Now, let me ask everyone a question. Does the fact that God is love, mitigate or make untrue the fact that He is a consuming fire? Or that He is jealous, not a man, angry, … etc. etc. etc. The whole council of God is that He loves, and judges, He makes alive, and kills: you see, God makes everything. There is an amazing verse found in Isaiah 45:7... read it very carefully. “I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil. I the Lord do all these things.” Of course this verse is speaking about what we would call inanimate objects or concepts. But, what about people?
God wants Moses to lead His people out of bondage, but Moses begins to object and he lists some of his shortcomings, and that is in the first verse, but I especially want to call your attention to the Lord's answer in verse 11. Exodus 4:10-11 “And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.” Now that verse, number ten, is Moses' complaint. Now, if necessary, read the next verse ten times, or a hundred times if need be until you fully understand what God is revealing. (verse 11) “And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? Or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Have not I the Lord?”
Again, keep in mind that I started all of this to try and help those who call themselves “Christian” to return to what every person believed and practiced who followed the true God of the Bible from creation and through the first 1,900 years of the early church... that is they greatly feared God! And I am speaking, of course, about believers... those who are born-again! The unbelievers do not fear God, for the simple reason they do not accept the fact that He is even real.
The only way I know to try and do that is by showing that in all of the theophanies and appearances of Christ throughout the Bible, He was only a meek and sacrificial Lamb during one of those times. He will not be that ever again. Hebrews 10:10-14 “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all, And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”
Let me ask you a question. When the Lord returns as a “Lion” … does that some how trump Him having been at one time been a “Lamb?” The answer of course is no! You see, what all of these “love” preachers can not seem to grasp is that Jesus was always a Lion... and always a Lamb... with great love... yet, He can still be angry... He is the Lord, He changes not!
I love the fact that Christ both died and then rose from the dead in order to pay for the sins of fallen mankind, were that not true than we have all wasted a lot of time in following Him! My point is that nowhere does the Bible teach or imply that because He did this and proved His great love for His creation that we are supposed to stop fearing Him.
Please, do yourself a favor. Take some time and read messages and sermons from church leaders before the turn of the last century. First, read New Testament messages that are found in the Bible. Then read what the early church fathers wrote and thought about God... even after He had proven His love for them at Calvary. Then, continue reading preachers, famous and otherwise, for the next 1,900 years and you will see that they took God very seriously and continued to fear Him!
Now, here is an easy choice for you to make. Because it boils down to a simple equation: someone's theology is right and someone's theology is wrong... it's really as simple as that. We have both the Old and New Testaments that teach to fear God greatly. Then we have more than 1,950 years of followers of God, all preaching to greatly fear God and shun materialism.
Only in the last 60 years or so have we had supposed leaders in the church teaching that God is really just this big teddy bear and He loves everyone and wants you to be happy, healthy, and wealthy. So, here is your choice: either believe that the Bible and 1,950 years of preaching that men had it correct... else, believe that only these men in the last 60 years with their thousand dollar suits, private planes, lavish lifestyles, and their message of God is love and He wants us happy theme is correct theology: for only one can be right. For me it is an easy choice. I accept the Bible and 1,950 years of teaching and preaching compared to the last 60 years of materialism and the brotherhood of man and the fatherhood of God lies... which are being proclaimed!
Hebrews 10:30 states: “For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.” Now, we know that the Lord takes vengeance on His enemies and we also know that He judges His people: do not forget about the judgement seat of Christ for believers, i.e., Christians. So, the above verse shows that God will punish the lost and judge the redeemed... now let's look at the next verse. Hebrews 10:31 “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” I'm going to repeat that. “IT IS A FEARFUL THING TO FALL INTO THE HANDS OF THE LIVING GOD!”
According to John 1:1-3 God Himself … the Word made all things... right. I mean, verse three states... “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” Imagine all of the stars, the planets, and all life on Earth. Picture if you can the amazing wonder of all of the beautiful things your mind can imagine... now keep in mind that it was Jesus who made all of this... correct? Now, think of something else that He made... Hell... correct? Imagine a place of eternal torment: fire, pain, suffering, endless falling, terror, etc. “...and without him was not any thing made that was made.” Again, Jesus is Love... but He is more than that... He will and can judge and condemn and that without mercy. He is to be greatly loved and feared!
In The Revelation Jesus appears to John. This time He will not be a Lamb, this time He will be a Lion... ready to rend and kill. Let's take a look at what John saw. “His head and his hairs white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;” (Revelation 1:14) This chapter Jesus begins to tell John what to write in these visions of his. Later in this same book when Christ returns we see this same description of Him... but now he is wearing a particular vesture. Revelation 19:11: “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.” Now we see Christ, not as a lamb, but as a lion ready to judge and make war!
Revelation 19:12: “His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.” Again, if you are facing a God with unlimited power, whose eyes are as a flame of fire... and he is angry with you... wouldn't you just have to be afraid?
Revelation 19:13: “And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called the Word of God.” Refer back to John chapter one and you will have no doubt that this God standing before the world and ready to judge is Jesus, the meek and lowly Lamb who is now in a different theophany, that of a Lion and judge! Notice also that what He is wearing has been dipped in blood, and not just a little blood. Revelation 14:19-20: “And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.”
Keep in mind that the killing which is taking place is God (Jesus) taking vengeance upon his enemies! Hopefully, with these next verses I can use the Bible to prove to all skeptics that Jesus is a Lion and a Lamb at the same time: for He changes not. The fact that He was a Lamb does not take away the fact that He is also a (Lion) warrior!
Revelation 5:5-6: “And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of Davis, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” You see, Jesus has always been the Lion from the tribe of Juda and He has always been the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world! You see it was the “Lion” who prevailed to open the book, yet, when John beheld Him, He was also a Lamb... as it had been slain. (Jesus)
Let me give you just three messages that you ought to read. Believe me when I tell you that they will do more for your soul than 10,000 messages you would hear from CBN. When Jonathan Edwards preached “Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God” in 1741 he was preaching to his own congregation and there was no open or known sin within that group. Most who heard that message were devout believers who were already in service to God. Yet, those people knew that God was not to be trifled with and many felt God would fall upon them in anger even before Mr. Edwards finished his message! They loved God, but they also knew to fear Him.
Another great message and a more recent one is “Pay-Day Someday” by R.G. Lee. He went to Heaven in the 70's, but that message is extremely relevant for today. Finally, by far it is not his greatest message: but “Is there a Hell” by Dr. Jack Hyles is probably the message that is more needed today than any at other time in history!
Do yourself and your immortal soul a favor. Turn off Trinity television and CBN and find some good sermons on tape by men who knew and feared God and listen to those messages instead. Don't feed your soul on the rot of modern evangelism. These men do not know God, if they did they could not tell lies about Him continually and not be punished. They get by with it because Jesus does not (in this life) discipline the Devil's children. Hebrews 12:6-8: “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.”
FEAR GOD... THAT... IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM!
You can always email me at clarkmatthews1@aol.com
AN ANGRY GOD PART THREE
Sunday 2/14/2010 12:01 am
AN ANGRY GOD
PART THREE
If you are new to this message, please read parts one and two under Previous Posts section before reading today's blog.
Before beginning part three of my message I would like to wish everyone a happy Valentine's Day and me a happy 55th “born day.” In the past I have written several times about a conclusion that I had reached. It is just this: if everyone would begin to celebrate their “born” day and clearly distinguish it from their “birth” day, it might help people who are considering aborting (killing) their un-birthed babies to reconsider.
The idea that there is a distinct difference between being born and being birthed is one of those cases where “science” and the Bible are in complete agreement. First the Bible evidence; Psalm 139:11-16 “If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not his from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth...” (Read very carefully the next words.) “...Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.” Notice the words “… curiously wrought … my substance, yet being unperfect … which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.”
The above description, of course, is recording a child being born, what we call conception. Life is apparent before a body is even present. Notice something else... God is recording in a book all of the members of the body. Have you ever wondered how God can reclaim a mortal body that has been completely destroyed here on Earth? As every child is born in the womb of their mother, God is recording what men call DNA in a book He has in Heaven. That is why at least there is some good news for the babies who are destroyed by their mothers while still in the womb. At conception, God recorded their DNA and He will give that child a body in Heaven. (Actually, God calls what He does... ATK and not DNA. Of course, ATK stands for … “After their kind.”)
Now to the “scientific” evidence of this same truth: In April, 1981 there was a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee, which held hearings on the question of when does human life begin? A group of internationally known biologists and geneticists all said the same thing … life begins at conception!
French geneticist Dr. Jerome Lejeune (discoverer of Down's Syndrome) said, “If a fertilized egg is not by itself a full human being it could not become a man, because something would have to be added to it, and we know that does not happen. This is not opinion; it is a fact.” (Remember... all of the DNA (ATK) the human being will ever have is found in that small dot of another “born” human being!)
Dr. Landrum Shettles, who is referred to as the “Father of In Vitro Fertilization” said, “Conception confers life.”
Dr. Michelle M. Matthews-Roth from Harvard Medical School confirmed their testimony and gave support with more than 20 embryology and medical textbooks which all confirmed that life (being born) begins at conception.
Dr. Hymie Gordon, Chairman of the department of Genetics at the Mayo Clinic said, “By all the criteria of modern molecular biology, life is present from the moment of conception.” (I have many more but I will just type two more.)
Dr. Leo Schneider said, “You are composed of trillions of cells now, but at one time in your life you were just a single cell. It is important to realize that even as that single cell 'you' were informationally complete.”
(Please read very carefully the last one I am including in this brief list.) Dr. Alfred Bongiovanni, University of Pennsylvania School of medicine, concluded by saying, “I am no more prepared to say that these early stages represent an incomplete human being than I would be to say that the child prior to the dramatic effects of puberty … is not a human being.”
I was birthed on November 12, 1955, but I was not “born” on that day. That's why at parties people sing “Happy birth-day to someone” and not happy born-day to someone. You (just like me) were “born” approximately nine months before you were ever “birthed.” From my actual “birth”day (November 12) I counted backward approximately nine months (272 days between birthed and born dates = 8 months and 30 days) and it brought me to Monday, February 14, 1955 (Valentine's Day) the day I was born or conceived. Then, on Saturday, November 12, 1955 after growing in the womb to sufficient size... I was finally birthed.
Nicodemus in John chapter three alluded to this truth, i.e., the difference between being born and being birthed. When Jesus said, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (verse three) read carefully how Nicodemus phrased his questions. (John 3:4) “Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?” You see, exiting the mother's womb is being birthed. Yet, entering the mother's womb (conception) is being born!!! That is why he asked... “can he 'enter' the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?”
Therefore, you can celebrate your “born” date and your “birth” date and I sincerely pray for those reading this that all of you can celebrate your “born-again” date! For me that is Valentine's Day each year is my born date. November 12 of each year is my birth date and December 17 of each successive year after 1981 is my born-again date.
Not only if you begin to think this way it will help you to view differently un-birthed (yet born) babies in the protective wombs of their mothers, it will also let you celebrate three times each year. Think about it... cake and ice cream three times each year!!! (lol) Now, to part three of this message.
Primarily I want to help drive home the point of fearing God by showing just a few of the actions of Christ (during one of His many appearances on Earth) as He takes on the role of sacrificial lamb in the New Testament. What do you imagine when you think of a lamb? Meek, gentle, non-violent, wouldn't that be three true characterizations of that animal?
Now, let's look at some of Christ's actions as a meek, gentle, and non-violent creature... the sacrificial lamb. In John chapter two this “meek lamb” sees people corrupting the House of God as they are selling animals to be used in sacrifice to God. So, He takes some cords and braids them into a whip and begins to swing this whip as He dashes through the Temple and He throws over the tables and the money of the people who were selling in the House of prayer. Do you think He did this while smiling and acting like a helpless lamb? Or, do you correctly see Him very angry as He swings the whip around and according to the Word of God... He “drives them out.” John 2:15 “And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;”
Remember, God (Jesus) never changes. He is today what He was in the past and what He will still be in the future. HE CHANGES NOT!
Let's look at this meek lamb in Luke chapter 19. The story is found beginning in verse 11 and it continues until the end of the chapter; It is the parable of the ten pounds. I want to call your attention to the slothful servant who did nothing with the gifts (money) he was given. He simply put it in a safe place and returned all of what he was given back to Jesus. Keep in mind that this servant lost nothing: however, he did not gain anything for the Lord either.
Luke 19:20-22 “And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:” WOW!!! Are those the words of a helpless lamb? And if that isn't enough: look at the words of Jesus as He finishes His words on this parable. (verse 27) “But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.” Does that sound like a squeamish and soft person: or a meek lamb? “... slay them before me.”
You are aware I hope that men who are soft and don't like the truths of the KJV always seek other books they can call “Bibles” because they don't like the actual portrait of Christ: rather, they want a “pacifist god” to serve... not the real Jesus!
If Graham were preaching this passage he would say that when the servant called Christ “austere” he would say that Jesus came back with; “No my friend... you misunderstand my benign nature and you must not have looked upon my soft and loving countenance... let me please remind you that I just humbly wish that you would, in the future, just try a little harder... pretty please... at least think about it... okay?”
If Osteen were preaching this passage he would say that when the servant called Christ “austere” he would say that Jesus came back with: “C'mon buddy, you can't be serious... why... I don't judge anyone, I'm not a hard guy... I just want you to be happy, healthy, and (of course) rich!” Then, as Jesus was leaving he patted the poor misguided man on his shoulder, and then He skipped around giving all of His followers high-fives. Osteen would finish with: “And naturally, the Lord of Glory always had a perpetual smile plastered on His face.”
I want to comment on that last thought I just wrote about: however, rather than break the continuity of this message, I will put in brackets those comments at the end of the this (third part of a four part) message.
From the 14th century until today... the meaning of the word “austere” has not changed. The reason I am explaining that is the fact that the KJV was translated in the 16th century. Those translators had the same meaning for the word that we do today. The following are accurate definitions of, “austere.” ...stern and cold in appearance or manner... morally strict... giving little or no scope for pleasure.
Keep in mind that the Bible (KJV) records what Jesus said. He DID NOT say that He wasn't “austere.” In fact, He stated that the wicked servant got it exactly right. Here are the words of Jesus. “Thou knewest that I was an austere man...”
Jesus, the Lamb of God, said of Himself... while in the role of a lamb... THOU KNEWEST THAT I WAS AN AUSTERE MAN!
Do you think that Moses, in his day as Jesus communed with him thought the Lord was austere... hard? Let's take a look. Moses had everything the wealthiest nation in the world could give him: fame, money, food, clothes, women... nothing would have been withheld from Moses, that is if he would decide to stay in Egypt, rather than serve God in the wilderness.
For forty years … forty years … Moses faithfully served God amid all of the hardships the desert and God's people brought on him. According to the Bible there is only one … only one … time the Bible records that Moses did not do exactly what God had bade him to do. What do you think his punishment was? 40 years of obedience, one time of being disobedient and God did not allow Moses to do the one thing he really longed to do. Moses was not permitted to set foot in the Promised Land. Eighty years of trying to get there and God said... “No.”
Moses loved and feared God, but I also think he recognized Jesus as austere, the very word that Christ used to describe Himself.
Do you think Paul saw Christ as austere? Let's take a look. After Paul was converted and gave up all of his own desires in order to be God's servant he was beaten on five separate occasions. (forty-stripes save one) He spent several years in prison. Three times he was shipwrecked. He spent a night and a day in the middle of the sea. He was in peril and running because people were always seeking to kill him. He had a thorn in the flesh that greatly troubled him and even though he repeatedly asked Christ to take it away... Jesus said, “No.” And those are just a few things that befell one of Jesus' most faithful servants.
Paul loved and feared God, but I think he recognized Jesus as austere, the very word that Christ used to describe Himself.
Jesus, in the role of a lamb said the following: “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” (Matthew 18:6) I have two questions: what do you think this “Lamb” would do to such an offender? Do you believe this was bluster or an empty threat by Jesus?
Jesus, as a lamb, talked about the difference between a person coming to Him for salvation: exactly what would happen to such a man, and what happens if Jesus has to search that person out: Matthew 21:44 “And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.” Picture a millstone being used to grind and mash wheat into grain... now picture Christ, as a Rock grinding his adversaries to powder! Do you still see a picture of only a meek little lamb?
Paul, preaching the whole council of God said, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men;”
If Graham were preaching that verse he would lie and say... “Knowing therefore the love of the Lord...” Osteen would lie and say... “Knowing therefore the joy of the Lord...” But you see, Paul actually knew Jesus,,, unlike these other men who tells lies about Him... and Paul correctly said, in speaking about Jesus the Lamb of God, “... Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.” Also, and please do not miss this very important part. The “terror” of the Lord that Paul is alluding to in this passage... is directed toward the redeemed! This terror is directed toward those who are born-again, as these verses are talking of the judgment seat of Christ: the place where the saved will be judged!
In the last part (four) that I will type next week, I will reveal the three-word-phrase that trips up all of these false men of God and causes them to be found liars. I will also contrast Jesus as another animal when He returns at His next advent. Even as a meek Lamb I showed you several times that He displayed great strength, anger, and even promised retribution for His enemies. Just wait until I show you some of His mighty works when He returns as a lion ... from the tribe of Judah!
You can always email me at clarkmatthews1@aol.com
The following are some of my thoughts as it relates to men like Osteen and others who falsely teach and apparently believe that you can somehow grin your way to glory.
(Are you aware as a Bible believer that it is not recorded even a single time that Jesus ever smiled, let alone laughed. In fact, the Bible declares that Christ was a “man of sorrows.” (Isaiah 53:3) “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” “...A MAN OF SORROWS, AND ACQUAINTED WITH GRIEF...” He was not a man of happiness and acquainted with joy!
If you look at every emotion that either man or God has been known to display... there is one emotion that is glaringly absent from God's side: anything that has to do with mirth is absent on His part. (And that is true in both Testaments.) In fact, the only time the Bible mentions laughter, as it pertains to God (Jesus) is when He uses it to mock those who call out to Him and He refuses to help. It is because He had extended His love and mercy to them in the past and they refused Him: now, He mocks when their fear comes. Psalm 2:4, Psalm 37:13, Psalm 59:8, Proverbs 1:26 “ I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;” There are a great many other verses that teach this same truth also.
I can find at least twice (in the New testament) that Jesus cried, I can find several times He displayed anger, I can find Him sad, wistful, sorrowful, exasperated, yearning, and loving. Albeit: I do not find any record of Him being playful, laughing, or silly in any way. He is not your buddy... He is your God, and He is to be (both) loved and feared!
There is just too much heartache and sadness in the world because of the many who are lost and hurting... for men like Osteen, who purport to follow God's teachings to permanently tattoo a smile on their face and act as if the world is just a “jolly good place to be.” Many times Jesus wept over the lost, but He never tried to smile them into the kingdom. If you doubt that, then why was Jesus described as a “man of sorrows” and why do we have a written record of a “weeping prophet” but no happy or smiling prophet? Dr. Hyles understood this truth much better than many of the clowns on CBN. He often said he had a tear in his eye because the “world is a vale of tears.” It's okay to smile because you have a home in Heaven... but for every smile you have because of that wondrous thought... pause to cry a million tears for the mass of people who Christ will banish to Hell because they have not trusted in Him!
I'm not being facetious, men like Osteen remind me less a prophet from God and more like an escapee from Ringling Brothers: all that he needs is a large rubber nose, oversize shoes, his present message, and then his schtick would be complete. My, how (as a nation and supposed men of God) we have fallen.
The reason many people can't seem to understand this truth is that things have been this way our entire lives. So, for us it appears to be the norm. The reason it is so easy for people like myself to understand and believe that most of these people are clowns is that I study history. Because of that I see that it was never this way before, only since the turn of the last century has it been this way with preacher's who are supposed to be God-called.
Try this: find any preacher or text of any message from the Old Testament, New Testament, or any writings for the first 1,900 years of the early church leaders and preachers who behaved, taught, or preached the message that comes out of CBN and Trinity broadcasts? They simply do not exist. I might also add that this sad truth of a light-hearted message that precludes all fear of God and is full of joke- telling permeates many fundamental churches also. I have just one question: are verses like I Corinthians 13:11 and Ephesians 5:4 still in the Bible, or not?
I want you to try and imagine what would happen if Jesus came in bodily form to your church this morning, Valentine's Day … Sunday February 14, 2010? But, He disguised Himself as He did to many of His disciples after He arose from the dead. In other words, you do not know it is Jesus, but, He will behave as the only description given of Him in the Bible. In your service, He will be a man of grief, and acquainted with sorrows.
Be honest in your assessment. Would you study his countenance and begin to doubt even His salvation: because, after all, He never even smiled one time during the entire service.
Perhaps someone less then the King Himself might show up... what if Jeremiah came to your service this morning? And please... be honest in your assessment. What if he came and you didn't know he was one of the most important prophets in all the Bible... all that you see is a man who has not stopped crying since he sat down. Then, during testimony he stood and wept as he said, “Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night...” Then, overcome with tears, he sits down and sobs uncontrollably.
Because of all of the false preaching by men who do not know God wouldn't you think the following thoughts about this stranger, “Poor man, if he only knew the love of God, he couldn't help but smile all the time.” You see, modern Christians are taught to think this way because of all of the “love” preachers who do not preach or teach the Jesus of the Bible. Remember, they are god-makers and regardless the fact that the Jesus they preach has no resemblance to the Jesus the Bible records, they continue with their lies!
Incidentally, the words I typed above are Jeremiah's actual words in the Bible... “Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people! (Jeremiah 9:1)
Look, it's okay to smile: but I assure you... smiling is no indication of the depth of your spirituality. Keep in mind that clowns smile... and often. Neither is being morose or mean an indicator of devotion to God. My only point in writing about this is to try and let people know that men are not sent from God who only tell you that God loves you without causing you to quake and fear with the present knowledge that this same God who loves and can make alive... can also hate and make people quite dead! That, my friend is the whole council of God.
Saint, you are still going to be judged by Christ at His judgment seat... and sinner, you are going to be judged by a God with eyes as a flame of fire and no power in the universe will stop Him from casting you alive into a lake of fire! Be afraid... be very afraid!!!)
AN ANGRY GOD PART TWO
February 6, 2010 7:30 pm
If you are new to this message, “An Angry God”... this is part two. Please read part one to this message under “Previous Posts” before beginning this segment. If you do not follow this message in a specific order, then important points will not be clearly understood.
AN ANGRY GOD
PART TWO
At the end of part one we see Jesus ready to take on His role as a sacrificial lamb. With the clear Bible teaching that Jesus never changes: Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, (Old Testament) and to day, (New Testament) and for ever.” (which means into the ages and after this world's final judgment and destruction. (Isaiah 65:17) At that time the redeemed will see that, He, Jesus, will still be the same as He always was. Because of that truth, before detailing some of His actions during His earthly ministry in His (sacrificial) New Testament role, let's look at some of the actions of Jesus, who changes not, in the Old Testament.
It was Jesus, who changes not that shut the door of Noah's Ark and then commanded the fountains of the deep to open and He watched as every man, woman, boy, girl, and all animals who had the breath of life perish from the Earth, except for Noah and seven others who were safely on board the Ark. (Genesis 7:11)
It was Jesus, who changes not that rained fire-and-brimstone down from Heaven and killed all of the inhabitants of two cities for the sin that bears their name today... “sodomy.” Jesus then turned Lot's wife into a pillar of salt for being disobedient to what He had told her to do. (Genesis 19:24-26)
It was Jesus, who changes not that traveled through the land of the Egyptians and killed all firstborn. Exodus 12:29 “And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.”
It was Jesus, who changes not that that hardened the hearts of the Egyptians and forced them into the Red Sea in order to be drowned. (Exodus 14: 4-28.) Exodus 14:28 “And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.”
It was Jesus, who changes not that ordered Moses to slay the sinning in the camp of Israel, and three-thousand died in one day. Exodus 32:27:28 “And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor. And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people three thousand men.”
It was Jesus, who changes not that commanded fire from Heaven and killed two sons of Aaron: Nadab, and Abihu. (Leviticus 10:1-2)
It was Jesus, who changes not that that commanded the ground to open and He sent Korah, Dathan, Abiram, their wives, their sons, and their little children, (Numbers 16:27) alive into the pit of Hell itself. (Numbers 16:32) After that Jesus sent fire and killed 250 men who had offered incense. (Numbers 16:35) The day following there were some in the camp who did not like the fact that many of their fellows had perished. God heard their speech and he sent a plague into the camp that began to kill quickly. Before Moses and Aaron could appease the Lord Jesus, 14,700 more people died. Numbers 16:49 “Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.”
It was Jesus, who changes not that sent fiery serpents into the camp of the children of Israel, because of their complaining... and many who were bitten; died. Numbers 21:6 “And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.”
It was Jesus, who changes not that took the life of His prophet Ezekiel's wife: the Lord then told Ezekiel that he could not even mourn for her. He did this for a sign upon Israel because of their great sins. Ezekiel 24:15-17 “Also the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down. Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men.” Keep in mind that it was Jesus who said to Ezekiel... “I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke.” He took the love of Ezekiel's life in an instant and then commanded that Ezekiel could not mourn nor cry.
It was Jesus, who changes not that called an enemy of the children of Israel into the land and He caused children such as Hananiah, (Shadrach) Mishael, (Meshach) Azariah, (Abed-nego) and Daniel to be led away into captivity. In that land, all of the young princes (from Israel) who were saved alive were turned into eunuchs. In that way they were allowed to stand before and to serve these heathen kings. (Daniel 1:1-4)
I only recorded ten incidents that resulted in 13 separate stories which (all-told) involved millions of people dying, and mostly horrible deaths: some examples are from drowning, plague, serpents, edge-of-sword, etc. There are four inescapable truths that run throughout the above stories: (1) It was Jesus (as God) who brought these calamities upon people. (2) He did it because He hates sin. (3) This same Lord who did this is the very same Lord (Jesus) that those who are saved worship today. (4) All of God's children knew the Lord was not to be trifled with but was to be feared!
I could very easily relate another two-dozen stories similar to the above accounts I have already given. What I am trying to do is to show why the Lord is to be feared and hopefully wake some people up who have been duped by the stooges from CBN and other like-minded (so-called) preachers. Read again Hebrews 13:8!
The problem is that we have thousands of weak-kneed false men of God who only preach what “sells” and not what is true. Do you know why they get large offerings from their duped followers. It is because they paint a stupid smile on their faces and their whole mantra is... “God loves you.” Guess what... I believe God loves people also, but I tell the whole truth about God... not just what sounds good to a casual reader of the Bible.
I am so tired of the lies told about God. It makes me want to throw up whenever I hear one of these false men say things like God doesn't really send people to Hell, they say that... “in reality they do it to themselves.” LIARS,,, every one of them... LIARS! Show me the verse that either states or intimates such a falsehood.
I believe that He is, “... not willing that any should perish...” (II Peter 3:9b ) but make no mistake, Jesus does not “allow” the lost to go to Hell... HE “SENDS” THE LOST THERE! Because the real Jesus, as revealed in both Old and New Testaments, is offensive to the average effeminate men who apparently are wearing their wives panties while preaching from the pulpit... they imagine a “god” they can accept more readily... then they invent him.
I'll give you a good example of a well-known “god-maker” … Billy Graham. Before I tell you about him, let me show you the only two ways you can create your own “god.” In Judges chapter 17 we see one way. Micah took money given by his mother and he gave two hundred shekels of silver to the founder and he had them make him a molten god that he then took to his “house of gods.” Micah then hired a priest and together they worshiped his little images. That is one way, “make” a little god... rabbit's foot, lucky buckeye, Jesus on a cross, etc. Now all that you do is rely or wish on these little gods to help you through times of trouble and you are a god-maker. Then there is the other way, and men like Graham, Osteen, Warren, and hundreds of others on CBN do this: they fashion their gods in their own minds, and it always begins the exact same way; first, they deny the authority of the Bible.
Are you aware that nearly 60 years ago several young men who said they loved the Lord covenanted together to preach the Gospel of Christ to America and restore it to its Christian roots? Included in this group were men like Dr. Jack Hyles, Jerry Falwell, and Billy Graham... to name three of the five I know about. Soon though, the first one would fall away, (Graham) then Falwell in just a few years would follow Graham's lead.
At one time Graham was on the board of the Sword of the Lord along with John R. Rice and Dr. Hyles. Graham was asked to leave when he could no longer state that the Bible was the inerrant Word of God. Remember, god-makers all start the same way... deny the Bible. Today you might as well listen to Benny Hinn as Billy Graham... there is no difference. I'll give you just two examples of Billy Graham calling Jesus the Christ of God, a liar... that should be enough for any follower of Christ's to cast aside this man as a false teacher and a liar not sent from God.
(1978) in an interview for “McCall's Magazine” Graham said, “I used to believe that pagans in far off countries were lost going to hell if they did not have the Gospel of Jesus Christ preached to them, I no longer believe that. I believe that there are other ways of recognizing God through nature for instance and plenty of other ways of saying 'yes.' So, Graham said that Jesus is a liar, because here is what the Bible states that Jesus said of Himself. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the father, but by me.” (John 14:6) NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER, BUT BY ME!
April 10th 1983 in the Orlando (Florida) paper they interviewed Graham and asked him about Hell? "Surveys tell us that 85% of Americans believe in heaven, but only 65% believe in hell. Why do you think so many Americans don't accept the concept of hell?" Graham replied: "I think that hell essentially is separation from God forever. And that is the worst hell that I can think of. But I think people have a hard time believing God is going to allow people to burn in literal fire forever. I think the fire that is mentioned in the Bible is a burning thirst for God that can never be quenched."
Of course you must choose either between the words of Graham, a known liar, or Christ, the Son of God. Jesus is speaking... Mark 9:43-44 “And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched. Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”
If you wonder why I am telling you about false preacher like Graham, and the rest of those from CBN and Trinity, etc. is that they are the root-cause of so many people not fearing the Lord. They do not preach the whole counsel of God, as true preachers sent from God are commanded to do. Read Acts chapter 20. Notice especially Paul's words, “Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.” (Acts 20:26-27) Then, as a follow-up, look at verse 31, “Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.” Paul was not preaching the mercy and love of God for the space of three years... he was WARNING them!
You see, the whole counsel of God is to tell of His love, and His judgment: you can not have one without the other. And these men are not from God when all they do is to say that God can and does make alive, without also showing that God can and does kill as well.
I want to use an example in my own life to show that only telling a partial truth, frames the entire conversation as a lie. For many years my knees have been bad. As a younger person I played sports and I ended up with several injuries. I have had surgery on both knees, and they hurt most of the time. A few years ago I was playing a pick up game of football and I went down and hurt one of my knees. Now this next part is important. My knee hurt badly for a few hours and then the pain and swelling started to ease up.
The next morning I decided I wanted a day off work. I had a lot of sick time built up and I figured I would use a day of it. Now, you (the reader) know the particulars of what happened: you let me know when I begin to lie in my story to my boss.
I called in and asked for my supervisor, I told him that I had been playing a pick up game of football the day before... true. I told him that I fell... true. I told him that I hurt one of my already bad knees... true. I told him that I would not be coming in to work that day... true. Now I ask you... did I lie? Of course I did, even though I factually stated everything that happened. My lie is in what was implied but never spoken. My implication was that the injury was serious enough to keep me at home. I LIED BY NOT TELLING THE “WHOLE” TRUTH!
In a court of law you are asked to swear on the Bible that what you say is the truth. You are to agree to what is asked with an affirmative statement: “Do you swear to tell the truth, the WHOLE truth, and nothing but the truth?”
Men like Osteen and others are all liars by implication. When they say that God loves... which is a true statement, but it becomes a lie by withholding the fact that He judges and condemns as well. Men like these are going to smile themselves to Hell, and my greatest fear is that they are taking multitudes with them.
In part three we will look at the earthly ministry of Christ, and talk about the only three word phrase that all false preachers know and use.
You can always email me at clarkmatthews1@aol.com
AN ANGRY GOD
02/02/2010 9:14 am
I am not an apologist for God, nor His written record the Bible. I am always amazed at “supposed” Bible believers and preachers who constantly feel the need to correct God. They treat Him like some child who is a wonderful idiot savant that can amaze with certain abilities: however, because of their peculiar mind they have many rough edges; which causes their caretakers to constantly feel the need to make apologies for rude behavior.
I have an idea for all of you who treat God and His Book in that manner. Stop playing god! Try letting God be God, you will find it quite liberating. If He said something, proclaim it from the housetops and stop acting like you know better than He, and though He said it (in His Word) that is not really what He meant and you alone are ready to run to His rescue... just in case there are some nasty people out there who might get a bad idea about Him. PLEASE!!!
Keep in mind the following truth for all of you preachers who pervert the Bible by changing it so that it does not offend your girlish sensibilities... change any one verse... and you can change all of them! It is not up to you to pick and choose what you like and (or) dislike about His Book: this is not a buffet meal and you can pick-or-choose: the Bible is a finished meal prepared by God that He has set before you and you will partake of all of it... or none of it! You are not god... He is! If God does not mean every word of Romans 9:13, (for example) perhaps He doesn't mean every word of Romans 10:13 either?
I am not speaking against someone clarifying the Word of God and using analogies to better explain verses... I am against men who pretend to be God's servants, yet they constantly delete or change words to make them more acceptable to the general public.
Let God be God without further explanations or apologies from any man! ...”let God be true, but every man a liar...”
“GOD IS ANGRY WITH THE WICKED EVERY DAY”
(PSALMS 7:11b)
PART ONE
For this message I am going to do something I've never done before: that is my title is part of a verse; verbatim. In fact, the title is the last eight words of Psalms 7:11: “God is angry with the wicked every day.”
Over the years I have prepared hundreds of outlines: of course many of them I have used, but I have a lot which have never been preached and I even have a few that I have no intention of ever using; those are the ones for my eyes only...it just helps me sometimes to write them out. The reason I am telling you that is because I have several outlines for messages that (I think) would be well received. In other words, I believe that most Christians would either read them or listen to them as they were being preached and like what they read or heard. Today's message will not be one of those, it is not intended for anyone to finish this and then begin to feel good about themselves... and that is on purpose, and by design.
I will also try to make sure that we are all understanding the same truth as it relates to three key-words which I will be using. In giving their definitions it has absolutely nothing to do with trying to “talk down” to anyone. In fact, I would like to imagine that most Bible believers would not need it, but (just in case) there might be some person reading this who does not know, I will define them.
At first we will be looking at four different passages and verses, but our main text verse will not be used until farther along into the message. II Peter 1:20-21: “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
John 1:1-3: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.”
Hebrews 13:8: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”
Malachi 3:5-6: “And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts. For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” Please read again: “For I am the Lord, I change not...” (I CHANGE NOT.)
Now, to the words I want to make sure that we all have the same understanding. The words are theophany, incarnation, and advent. Whenever Christ appeared in human form to men in the Old Testament that is referred to as a theophany. Jesus appeared to Abraham in the 17th chapter with the words... “I AM GOD ALMIGHTY.” In Genesis 32 Jesus appeared to Jacob. In Exodus chapter three, Jesus spake to Moses from the midst of a burning bush. Jesus appeared to Joshua in the 5th chapter of the Book that bears his name: and, of course, it was Christ who walked with the three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace.
Keep in mind: every time that Jesus appeared to His people in the Old testament it is called a theophany. There are several more examples of this type of manifestation, but I only recorded five of them.
Incarnation is a term that is used to help us understand Christ being conceived by the Holy Ghost in the womb of Mary.
For the final word... advent, there are two advents which are spoken of in relation to Christ, and the first one was accomplished at His birth. The Second Advent will be when He returns to judge the end of the world at the battle of Armageddon. (The Rapture of the church is not His second advent, which is more commonly called His Second Coming: as, at that time, He only returns in the air to call away His church. Of course what immediately follows for those who are raptured is the Judgment Seat of Christ. Then, His Second Coming (advent) is where He brings the redeemed church with Him and this will be seen by everyone, according to Revelation 1:7.)
Now, everything to this point has been the introduction trying to set up this message. What I am going to talk about is a central theme running through every single Book of the Bible and was often taught from the early church until about the middle part of the last century... then a dramatic change began to take place.
A lot of the fault with our nation and the deplorable condition of the church (at large) today has to do with men who fail to preach the whole council of God. I think, at least in part, it is because they don't understand the true purpose of the different advents and (or) theophanie's of Christ in the Bible. It seems they are forever hung up on a three word description of God, which is found only twice in the Bible and both times it is in the same Book. We will look at that phrase in just a little while.
Now to our main text. Psalms 111:10a: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom...” THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM. THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM. THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM.
Christ, as a sacrifice is first taught in Gen. 3:15: “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”
Following this is the first picture of how this sacrifice will be implemented: Genesis 3:21: “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.” Of course this is a picture of an innocent sacrifice needing to shed blood and die for a guilty sinner.
This is pictured in Christ's words to Abraham... “And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.” (Genesis 22:12) The reason Abraham had such faith is found in verse eight of the same chapter as Abraham was talking to Isaac: “...My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering...” GOD WILL PROVIDE HIMSELF!
Jesus' future sacrifice is again pictured... as a lamb without blemish was killed and the blood was applied to the door-posts and the lintel (12:22) of the house: of course this is found in Exodus chapter twelve: 12:7a: “And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses...” If you picture how the blood would drip from the top post and down both sides of the door frame you will better understand Psalms 22 and you will see its fulfilment at Calvary: as Christ, with a bloodied head from the crown of thorns and two outstretched and pierced hands would form the same image as what is taking place in ancient Egypt.
When the sacrifice was complete and the blood was properly applied, then verses 12 and 13 would be fulfilled. Exodus 12:12-13: “For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” WHEN I SEE THE BLOOD, I WILL PASS OVER YOU!
Once each year there was a Day of Atonement in the seventh month and the tenth day of the month (Leviticus 16:29) and a sacrificial lamb was offered for the sins of Israel: and, of course, this pictured Christ's future sacrifice. In Numbers chapter 21 God sent fiery serpents into the camp of the Israelites and the Bible states: “... much people of Israel died...” (Numbers 21:6) As the people cried to God for deliverance Moses was commanded by God to fashion an image of what was killing the people in the camp, in this case it was a serpent, and to raise it up on a pole. Verse nine tells us that for everyone who was bitten and dying who beheld the raised up image of the serpent... lived.
Naturally, this was a picture of the time when Christ would be suspended between Heaven and Earth, raised up on a pole, and all who will (spiritually speaking) behold what is killing them, in this case it is sin, will live. The Bible states that He (Jesus) was made sin for us. II Corinthians 5:21a: “For he hath made him to be sin for us...”
It is worth noting also that the Israelites kept this image of the serpent and called it, “Nehushtan” and it became a snare and sin to them. Hezekiah, (a good king) comes into power and he breaks this image into pieces and causes the children of Israel to stop their sinning in burning incense to this man-made idol. Of course, today in Christianity we still have the “Nehushtan” worshipers who continue their idol worship as they wear around their necks and hang on their walls, man-made images of a crucified Christ... raised up on a pole. Will someone please show me in Holy Scripture why this is not sin? Of course it is! If you want to use, wear, or display a cross to remind you of His sacrifice... fine... but, remove His image from that symbol... HE IS NOT THERE... BUT IS RISEN!!!
The culmination of the symbols and images of Christ's predicted sacrifice from the Old Testament came into its own with the words of John as he beheld Jesus in the New Testament: “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” John 1:29
To this part in the message I have been speaking about the need for a sacrifice, something innocent dying for something guilty. I will begin the next segment of God Is Angry With The Wicked Every Day by making certain we understand that He was only a “Lamb” once, and that for a brief time: 33 years.
You can always email me at clarkmatthews1@aol.com
