ONCE TO DIE; THEN THE JUDGMENT

Hebrews 9:27 states ” And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment .”

One of the strange aspects of modern life is the way that so many wish to ignore the fact that death is the inescapable lot of every human being. People close their minds and do everything possible to forget the sure coming of the grim reaper.

Only the Christian, washed in the Blood of Jesus, can face the inevitable with the serenity of Dr. F. B. Meyer, one of the great saints of a bygone time. Just hours before his death, Dr. Meyer wrote to a friend: “ I have just heard, to my surprise, that  I  have only a few days to live.  It may be that before this reaches you I shall have entered the palace. Don’t trouble to write. We shall meet in the morning. With much love, yours affectionately, F. B. Meyer.

One reason men fear to face the fact of death is that we all instinctively realize that death is not the end. Death strips away all disguises and reveals us as we really are. Death does not change eternal destiny; it confirms it.

Please see our section on first steps.

A MESSAGE ON HEALING BY PASTOR SCOTT CORBIN

The question, I suppose, has been asked by many, does God heal today? Sadly, some are even unaware that they should at least ask the question. They assume that miracles are not for today, and sadder still, some of these people are Christians. 

To answer the question simply, Yes, God certainly does heal today. How do I know this? I don’t have to personally witness one single miracle or even see one on television or read about one in a book. I know God heals today because the Bible says so. Anyone who tells you differently is, frankly, not telling you the truth.

We see throughout Scripture that God is a God of Healing. In the earthly ministry of Jesus, He healed. He said He came to destroy the works of the devil and do the will of the Father. So what does that say about sickness? Sickness is from Satan. Actually, sickness and all else that plagues mankind is the result of the fall in the Garden of Eden, i.e., sin. But Jesus’ death on Calvary paid the penalty for our sin, and we’re told that by the beating he took, He paid the price for our healing of sickness. The Bible also tells us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So the question should not be raised concerning a “day of miracles.” Instead we should realize that we, if we are saved, serve a God of the miraculous.

If this is true, you many ask, why are so many people sick? One might also ask the question, why are so many people dying lost and going to Hell? It’s certainly not because that’s what God wants; He wants everyone to be saved. People either die lost because they never heard the Gospel or else they heard and rejected it. 

So why are some people not healed? Some have never heard that God is a Healer. Unfortunately it is not preached from the pulpits today as it should be. Some have heard the message and rejected. What about those who have heard, are believing, and still haven’t been healed? I don’t think anyone who is as humble and honest as he should be can answer that question completely. But the fact is many have been healed, are being healed today, and more importantly, God’s Word says that healing is ours. 

The important point is that we should start believing God to work out our physical problems, just as you would believe Him to work out anything else that’s wrong in your life. If you’ve already been believing for a miracle and it hasn’t come yet, don’t give up! God has not forgotten you. And He will give you the grace you need to get where He wants you to go.

So often we short change God and don’t allow Him to be the God He has promised that He is. Our unbelief stops God. He is moved by our faith. Ask God to increase your faith. Make sure that you have given your life as totally to Him as you know how to do at this point in your life.

Remember, in the Atonement, there is not only Salvation, which, of course, is the most important thing, since it’s eternal, but there is also Healing provided for the physical body. God may heal you by medicine and by working through a doctor, He may not be able to heal some until they take the proper care of themselves. But where medical science has to stop and say “There’s nothing else we can do,” that’s when God step in and provide for His own.

Please believe Him for your miracle today. Again, He’s only limited by our faith. He’s a big God, so believe big. He’s conquered cancer, AIDS, heart disease, and any other disease you can name. Start to praise the Lord Jesus Christ right now for buying the gift of healing at Calvary. All that’s left for us to do is to receive it.

NO TURNING BACK

“And Jesus said unto him, No man,having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God”. [Luke 9:62]

By the grace of God, I started out living for Jesus many years ago. Along the way I have stumbled and made many mistakes and missteps. Always and without exception, when I reached out for the Lord to pick me up, He did.
Never has there been a time when He left me to my own devices or to wallow in my defeat. Because of the finished work of Christ upon the Cross, I am saved today and preaching this glorious gospel. Whether on the mountaintop or down low in the valley, the object of faith has always remained the same; Christ and Him Crucified. There is no other solution for any of us nor do we need any other.

We live in a world today that is very, very different from the world at the time I received Christ. Today, political correctness is all the rage and tolerance is demanded. Compromise is on the lips of many top christian leaders these days. Nowadays, so many in the church are trying to mix Jesus in with the rest of their “stuff”. In the world of seeker-sensitive evangelism it is a crime to mention the word sin or to call men sinners. I never would have gotten saved had not a true man of God told me that I was a sinner that needed a savior. I did not receive Christ for life enhancement; I received Christ to escape the wrath to come. I have broken the laws of God, as we all have, and can do nothing myself to set it right. I need and in fact must have, a savior.
I did not receive Christ to merely “enjoy the trip”, I want to be saved from the judgement at the end of the trail. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only way that man-kind can become right with God again and though that is not popular today, I will never quit preaching it. It is the truth!

No power in this world [or in the church for that matter] can compel me to change my convictions just because a mob wills it.
Our enemy, satan, would love for us to stop preaching the true gospel and the message of the Cross. Because the moment the preaching of the Cross stops, people stop getting saved.[ 1 Cor. 1:18, 21-23]
When a preacher like Joel Osteen states that he never mentions the Cross or sin, how can people truly be saved?When we allow a man like Rick Warren to try and bring all religions together in our christian churches, what does that say about the significance of our faith in the Lamb of God? And by the way, isn’t Jesus enough purpose? Did not Jesus provide us with the real “Purpose Driven Life” when He went to the Cross?
Why do we seem to think we need some fad to take the place of what Jesus did for us at Calvary?

Just like David did, you and I need to stop hiding from the things we fear and go after them face-to-face. Shake no hands with the enemy. If you are a true gospel preacher, then do not negotiate with the powers of hell. Don’t flirt with your enemies and do not let them flirt with you. The enemy and his demons are not in charge of me. Refuse to allow anything or anyone to conform you to the spirit or the ways of the world. Do not be conformed, but be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ.[Rom.12:1-2] We need to boldly march into these last days and follow the path least chosen instead of following the path of least resistance.

The world and the modern liberal, seeker-sensitive church can do as it desires; But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. [Joshua 24:15]. Its high time to cease halting between two opinions and choose this day whom you will serve.
As for me, I will take the way of Calvary.

A CONFESSION IN TIMES OF TRIAL

Through my trials and testings I am: 1- going to reaffirm my position in Christ.
2- I will profit from them.
3- My faith will be tested and proven.
4- In times of testing and trial, I will learn what is valuable in my life.
5- My faith will mature.
6- I will be purified by the Lord.
7- My faith throughout the trial will bring glory and honor to God.
8- I will learn to love God even more.
9- I will learn of the faithfulness of God.
10- As a result, my life will become more useful to God.
This confession of faith is based upon 1 Peter 1:3-11

THE TRIALS WE FACE

Sometimes it is very difficult to maintain our courage during times of trial. Satan loves to discourage us and to put fear on us. Let none of us imagine that we will have smooth sailing merely because we follow Christ. Trials will come to each believer.God allows us to go through so that we can get to.

We must often go through something in order to get to something.

We grow spiritually as we encounter trials and learn to trust the Lord through them.

Allow me to share some things that I have learned about trials.
1-Trials and hardships can be used by God to build our character and purify our faith. [1Peter 1:3-7]
2-The trials that we go through can be used of God to help us have compassion on others and comfort them in their times of trial. [2 Cor. 1:3-7]
3-If we keep our eyes on Jesus and look for the eternal perspective, trials and tough times are survivable. [2 Cor. 4:7-18]
4- Our trials often cause us to examine ourselves and allows our foundation to be tested. If we are grounded firmly in the Lord Jesus Christ, we can make it through with our faith intact. [ Luke 6:47-49]
5-No matter what we are called upon to go through, no matter how hard or difficult: Jesus is always with us in the storms of life. We are never outside His watchful eye, His caring and compassionate embrace, and His holy, awesome, abiding presence. [Mark 4:35-41] and [ Matt. 28:20b]
6-God gives us hope right at the time when our heart is so very, very troubled. We can have the peace of Jesus in the midst of our greatest trials. [ John 14:1-7]
7- We must endure and persevere through our trials.

Read the following verses of Scripture.
Luke 8:15
James 1:2-4
Hebrews 12: 1-3
2 Timothy 4:7-8

In the times we are living in I believe that trials are going to increase, but so will our peace. Calamity is coming but so is our Lord. Dark days are truly ahead, but so is the finish line. As Christians, we should not fear what lies ahead but we must put our trust in the Lord.

Len Paxton

WHO WAS IT THAT REALLY CRUCIFIED OUR LORD ?

From scripture, we know who it was that cried for His Blood. We also know who nailed Him to the tree.  The Jews will say “it was the Roman soldiers that drove the nails into His hands.”   The Roman soldiers will say ” it was the Jews that cried out for His Blood.”  Pilate will say that he is innocent of this mans blood.  Who was it, then,  who crucified  our  Lord  ?

Isaiah gives us the answer: ” Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But  He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”  Isaiah 53:4-6

We are all guilty and we can all be saved; but only because Jesus died. We must receive His sacrifice Personally.

The Wages Of Sin Are Not Pleasant To Behold.

“The way of  transgressors is hard” Proverbs 13:15

No heart can rejoice in the sight of a man destroyed, even though it is by his own doings.  Sin is the fountainhead of all sorrow, and it is the mother of all tears. Sin is a mighty destructive force. Sin is never satisfied until a life is ruined, disgraced, and brought into shame.

Go through the Bible and look at the payday of sinning.  See Cain walking down the road, driven from the presence of God, saying, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.” [Genesis 4:13]

Then look at mighty Samson, champion of Israel, “grinding in the prison house” with his hair cut and his eyesight gone, having become the laughing stock of Gaza.  

Look at David, the sweet singer of Israel. No one could play the melodious tones of the golden harp like David could. See him, this great warrior of Israel, as he stands over the lifeless body of his ill-gotten son, unshaven, unkept, brought into open shame for his sin.

There is only one way to avoid the tragic consequences of sin, and that way is CHRIST.  

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” [Romans 3:23]

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” [Romans 6:23] 

by Len Paxton

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY; May 11

Mother, you mean the world to me. Thank you for all you have given to make my life succeed. You are a truly special person. I do not often tell you how proud I am when all of your friends talk highly of you. You have blessed people wherever you have gone in life and most of all, you have been a blessing in my life. I love you Mom. You will always be with me in my heart,forever.

Happy Mothers Day to all the mothers in the world.

NEW BOOKLET ON PRAYER NOW IN STOCK

We now have Brother Len’s new booklet on prayer in stock here at the ministry. Write or e-mail us today for details as to how you can secure your copy[s].  It is a very easy, quick read that we feel will be a blessing to you whether you are just starting a prayer life with the Lord or you are a seasoned prayer veteran.

GOD ON BOTH SIDES WITH US IN THE MIDDLE PART 1

GOD ON BOTH SIDES WITH US IN THE MIDDLE. Part One

Romans 6:1- ” What shall we say then?  Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?

6:2- God Forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

The finished work of Jesus Christ upon the Cross is our victory over sin, just as it is God’s method of salvation.  Salvation and victory over sin can only be brought about as one puts their faith one hundred percent in what Jesus did at Calvary. It was on the Cross where Jesus paid the penalty for sin and broke the power of sin.

Jesus victory there at Calvary becomes our victory when we place our faith in His finished work.

A simple outline would be as follows:  1- Jesus paid it all at the Cross; When we place 2- Our faith in what He did at the Cross, the 3- Holy Spirit will the help us and do His work within our lives.  So there we have it!  1- The Cross  2- Our faith  and 3- The Holy Spirit.

  This is God on both sides and us in the middle..  How could we possibly lose if we are surrounded by God ?  Glory to God!!!

The Christian life is a work of the Holy Spirit within us. [ Galatians 2:20]

We can never live this Christian life as we should without the help of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit only has the legal right to help us if our faith is in what Jesus did for us at the Cross.

If a believer places his/her faith in good works of any nature, the Holy Spirit can never honor that. That is flesh. The Holy Spirit will not anoint the flesh.  

The problem that each of us face in our lives is sin.  Sin comes in many complexities and forms.

Even though we , as believers have been freed from the old sinful nature, God has allowed it to remain dormant within us for some very specific reasons that we will not discuss  here.

One thing I will say about that though, is the Lord want us to continually look to Him for our daily walk of victory and, in fact, all that we need.  We need to learn to trust the Lord always. 

The Christian must always depend upon the Lord for everything. We must never place faith in self. 

Sin is serious and so severe that we cannot confess it away by positive confession. We cannot even pray it away. Jesus dealt with the sin problem at Calvary. We must exhibit faith in Him.

The devil will continue to tempt us but our victory is in the finished work of Christ upon the Cross.  We must always place our confidence in what Jesus has done and not in what we are doing. This is not to say that we don’t do proper works. As the Holy Spirit does His work within us; proper works on our behalf will be the result. [ Eph. 2:10 & Philippians 2:13]

Proper faith will always produce proper works in the child of God. But it will only happen if our faith is one hundred percent in the Cross of Christ. We must never trust in anything else. 

When we properly place our faith in the finished work of Christ on the Cross, the Holy Spirit will give birth to many good works within us— But our faith must never be in what we do, rather in what Jesus has done. 

There were those in the church at Rome who believed that sin didn’t matter anymore because they were under grace, but our text refutes that thinking.  Lets also look at Romans 6:14

” For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” See, grace is what gives us the power to stop sinning. Grace is not a license to keep sinning; it is the power to stop.  The grace of God doesn’t mean freedom to sin; it is freedom from sin. Hallelujah !!!

 ” Christ in you, the hope of glory:” [ Colossians 1:27]  produces Christlikeness and holiness in the true believer, but this will only happen if our faith is in what Jesus did at the Cross. Salvation, sanctification, holiness and whatever else is needed by the believer from the Lord, can only come to us by and through the Cross.  There is no other way. This is the message of the Gospel.

The way that the child of God is to obtain victory over sin and also, to walk free from sin, is the same way that they got saved.  Colossians 2:6 states,  ” As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him.”   Simple faith in what Jesus did at Calvary is all that is required. Then, the Holy Spirit comes and works His work within us.  Praise God!

by Rev. Len Paxton