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God’s Wrath Went Forth

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Photo by Michał Mancewicz on Unsplash

Gods Wrath Went Forth

After God led the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt, they rebelled against Him time and time again. They made a golden calf and worshiped it as well as some of them wanted to go back to Egypt. Another time they rebelled against God and He sent firey serpents among them. Other times God sent plagues. When you read the Old Testament accounts of their disobedience, then God’s wrath went forth.

Even after the Israelites entered the promised land, they continued rebelling against God. His wrath went forth and He allowed other nations to conquer Israel and Judah. Eventually, the Lord allowed the Israelites to be carried off to far away lands. They rebelled and God’s wrath went forth again.

Whirlwind Of The Lord Is Gone Forth

Jeremiah describes such rebellion and God’s wrath in Jeremiah 23. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord. They say still unto them that despise me, The Lord hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.

For who hath stood in the counsel of the Lord, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it? Behold, a whirlwind of the Lord is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked (Jeremiah 23:16-19).

God’s wrath went forth like a whirlwind of fury. We might describe it nowadays as going forth like a tornado. Either way, God’s wrath went forth. You may be thinking, well, that’s all fine and dandy. That was in the Old Testament. But folks, the New Testament also talks about God’s wrath. Romans 1:18-19:  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

God’s Wrath Still Goes Forth Today

That’s right, God’s wrath still goes forth today. Romans 1 goes on to tell us that God turns unrepentant sinners over to a reprobate heart. In other words, you want to disobey God, live like there is no God, then God removes His hands of mercy from you, then you live your life to your wicked heart’s desire. You call evil good and good evil. You live sexually immoral lives and continue in debauchery. Make no mistake, even though you may not feel God’s wrath, His whirlwind of wrath is upon you.

Romans 2 continues in that you are just storing up more wrath against the day of wrath. In other words, you are heaping up more of God’s wrath against you that will be poured out against you for all eternity. Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile (Romans 2:4-9).

You Aren’t Getting Away With Your Sins

Oh, folks, don’t continue barreling down the road to destruction, foolishly thinking that since God doesn’t wipe you off the face of the earth today, that you are getting away with your sins. No, your hard heart is just becoming more and more seared over. You really are just storing up more wrath against the day of wrath. God will render to everyone what they deserve.

What do we deserve? We all deserve eternal damnation. Every man and woman on this earth deserves the firey flames of Hell and we deserve to suffer those flames for all eternity. Oh, but you do not have to foolishly die in your sins and go to Hell. No, you can be saved today – through repentance and faith in Jesus.

The Lord Jesus is the only Savior of mankind. There is no other. Buddha can’t save you. Muhammad can’t save you. The pope can’t save you. Only Jesus saves. Why? Because He is the only perfect, sinless One. Unlike you and I, Jesus never sinned. Not one time. Jesus was born of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary. The Lord walked this earth 2,000 years ago and He never sinned in His thoughts, words or deeds.

Can you say that? Have you lived a perfect, sinless life? Of course not. How many lies have you told in your life? How many times have you stolen something? How many times have you lusted or coveted someone or something? Do you always honor your parents? Have you ever loved someone or something more than you love God? I hope you are seeing that we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.

Jesus Willingly Went To The Cross

That’s why we need the salvation that is found in Christ alone. Not only was Jesus always perfect and sinless, but He willingly went to the cruel cross where He suffered God’s anger over sin, God’s whirlwind of wrath. He took the punishment for sinners who repent and trust in Him. The Bible says that Jesus was the propitiation for our sins. Propitiation means that God’s wrath was satisfied when He poured His righteous anger out upon His own precious Son.

That shows you how much God hates sin! Someone has to be punished over sin and Jesus willingly took that punishment, that is, for His people. Jesus suffered, bled and died on the cross. He was buried and rose victoriously from the grave three days later. Jesus defeated sin, death, Hell and Satan. Salvation is for all who repent and surrender their lives to the Lord. Jesus came to save His people from their sins.

Oh, tonight, you are either lost or saved. You are spiritually dead in your trespasses and sins or you are alive in Christ. God’s wrath remains upon you or your sins have been forgiven. Which is it? God’s wrath went forth in the past, is still going forth today and will go forth for all eternity upon all who die in their sins. Jesus says that unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins (John 8:24).

Only Two Ways To Die

There are only two ways to die. 1. Die in your sins. 2. Die in Christ. There is no third option. You say that you don’t believe in Christ Jesus? Then you will foolishly die in your sins. Unbelief is to die outside of Christ. Rebellion is to die outside of Jesus. Unrepentant is to die outside of the Lord. Oh, don’t do it. Don’t foolishly die in your sins. Do not continue hardening your hard heart. Do not reject such a great salvation. Instead, repent and believe the Gospel.

For those of you who want to continue mocking God, who want to continue going your own way. Listen to the warning tonight. Jesus talked about Hell more than anybody else in the Bible. The Lord says Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca (foolish), shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire (Matthew 5:21-22).

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart (Matthew 5:27-28). It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery (Matthew 5:27-32).

Their Worm Dieth Not And The Fire Is Not Quenched

And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. 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.

And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched (Mark 9:42-48).

Don’t Continue With God’s Wrath Abiding Upon You

The Bible describes Hell as place of never-ending torment. Where the smoke of their fire rises forever and ever. They have no rest day or night (Revelation 14:11). In Revelation 21:7-8, Jesus says: He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death (Revelation 21:7-8).

Oh, don’t continue with God’s wrath abiding upon you. Instead, repent and surrender your life to Jesus. Trust the Lord to save you. Repent and believe the Gospel. Turn to Christ and live. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent (John 17:3). He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him (John 3:36). Believe in Jesus and be saved or God’s wrath will continue abiding upon you. Call upon the name of the Lord and be saved.

(This message was lifted up at Missouri State University on April 5, 2023)

 

She Saw God

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She Saw God

Ministry Update February 19, 2023

My Christian friends are going to see this headline and think this is a good thing. But unfortunately, it isn’t. I was open-air preaching at Missouri State University on Wednesday when two students stopped to listen. The guy and the girl both recorded a little bit, but then the woman handed her phone to her friend so he could record what she was about to say and it was offensive. She yelled, “I f____d a girl so hard last night that she saw God.”

As the young woman walked off, I told her that she isn’t mocking me. No, she’s mocking God and God will not be mocked. She is sowing the wind and she will reap the whirlwind (Hosea 8:7). I pleaded with her to repent and surrender her life to Jesus. I also told her that if she dies in her sins, she will face Jesus on Judgment Day and after she bows her knee and confesses that Jesus is Lord, He will have His servants cast her into the lake of fire and brimstone (Matthew 13:41-42). I pleaded with her to turn from her sins and turn to Christ. After the message, I handed out tracts before I had to go back to work.

A Student Listened To Part Of The Message

 

Lydia And Joshua Handing Out Tracts

Exile At The Gillioz Theatre

Friday night Joshua, Lydia and I got downtown before Michael joined us, so I brought a short message and Lydia and Joshua handed out tracts. There were people walking past us who were going to see Exile at the Gillioz Theatre. The band had the hit Kiss You All Over back in the 70s. I only had one mocker while open-air preaching. Michael joined us about the time I finished the message and the concert must have been starting because suddenly there weren’t any people going into the show. So we walked around downtown. It was really cold and there weren’t many people out and about. We handed out a few tracts and Joshua tried to get into a conversation, but the person wouldn’t stick around and talk. Even though it was a slow night, we had a great time of fellowship. I truly enjoy the fellowship with the saints as much as I enjoy witnessing to lost souls.

(These updates are provided to encourage Christians to share the Gospel with others)

One Legged Woman Knocks Over Witnessing Sign

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One Legged Woman Knocks Over Witnessing Sign

One Legged Woman Knocks Over Witnessing Sign

Ministry Update August 27, 2022

Friday night was one of those stranger than fiction nights and it’s hard to know where to even start. There were eleven of us witnessing downtown Friday night and there were several strange events, but one that I’ve never seen before was a one-legged woman walked up and knocked Trevor’s witnessing sign over with one of her crutches. The sign was leaning against a pole. The sign said Repent From Your Sin Turn To Jesus Christ. As the woman crossed the street, I yelled, “What did you do that for?” She said something along with claiming that she’s a Christian. I told her there’s no way that she’s a Christian. No true follower of Jesus would knock over a sign that says turn to Jesus Christ. She just kept mouthing off as she walked away. [Read more…]

The Holiness And Wrath Of God

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Photo by Joshua Woroniecki on Unsplash

The Holiness And Wrath Of God

Most people have heard of Jonah and the whale. How God to Jonah to go witness to a large city of 120,000 people who were enemies of the Israelites and how Jonah disobeyed God. Then God sent the whale to swallow Jonah and Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of the whale. Again, most people know this true story. But do you remember which city Jonah was supposed to go witness to? Do you know what happened to that city after that? These are important questions because they point to the holiness and wrath of God.

God wanted Jonah to witness to the city of Nineveh. Jonah didn’t want to witness to them because they were Israel’s mortal enemies. The Assyrians (Ninevites) carried away captives out of Israel and Judah when they overran their countries. Jonah didn’t want to warn the enemy of God’s impending judgment.

What Happened To Nineveh?

No, Jonah wanted God to judge them and destroy them. So warning them was the last thing Jonah wanted. But after three days and three nights in the whale’s belly, Jonah decided to obey God. So Jonah went to Nineveh and it took him three days to walk through a city of 120,000 people and he warned them that God was going to destroy their city because of their wickedness. But from the king on down, they repented of their sins. They humbled themselves by putting on sackcloth. God did not destroy the city at that time.

This was approximately in the 8th Century B.C. But do you know what happened approximately 100 years later in the 7th Century B.C.? Nineveh was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar – by the Babylonians. They were God’s judgment against the Assyrians. The point is, the repentance of Nineveh did not last. They repented when there was danger of impending doom and destruction, but when they perceived the threat was over, they went back to worshipping idols and back to their wicked way.

Unpunished Today Doesn’t Mean You’ve Gotten Away With It

Just because God doesn’t judge you today over your sins, doesn’t mean that you’ve gotten away with it. God is Holy and God does punish sin. The holiness and wrath of God is very real. Please listen to these words found in Nahum chapter 1: God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth; the Lord revengeth, and is furious; the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.

The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein. Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him. The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies. What do ye imagine against the Lord? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time. For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry (Nahum 1:2-10).

Verses Show The Holiness And Wrath Of God

These verses clearly show the holiness and wrath of God. When the Bible says that God is a jealous God it doesn’t mean that he’s jealous like a jealous teenager over their boyfriend flirting with another girl. No, it means that we are to have no other little g gods before God, we are not to worship little g gods. We are to worship the one true God, the God of the Bible. These verses also say that God revenges. Vengeance is mine saith the Lord (Romans 12:19).

Oh do not be deceived tonight. God hates all workers of iniquity (Psalm 5:5). God is angry with the wicked every day (Psalm 7:11). The soul that sins, it shall die (Ezekiel 18:4). The punishment for sin is death. We’ve all sinned and we all will die. You have a day that you were born and you will have a day that you will die. You and I cannot cheat death.

But as bad as dying is, dying in your sins dying as an enemy of God is the worst thing you can do. God punishes unrepentant sinners and those who die in their sins will suffer God’s righteous anger for all eternity. A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape (Proverbs 19:5). Revelation 21:8 says: But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Fear God

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but most people don’t fear God. Oh if Jesus is not your Lord and Savior, you should be very afraid. You should tremble and sleep should depart from you. Hell is real and everlasting damnation is real. Do not foolishly die in your sins as God’s enemy. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God (James 4:4). is

I hope that by hearing these Bible verses tonight that you realize that there is wrath to come. Don’t continue sauntering through life with God’s anger abiding upon you. God’s wrath over your unrepentant sin is very real. Flee the wrath to come. Repent and believe the Gospel.

Not only is God’s wrath very real, but so is His Holiness. The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein (Nahum 1:5). The mountains quake sounds very similar to when God descended down to Mount Sinai and gave Moses the 10 Commandments. Exodus 19:18 states: And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke (covered with smoke), because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.

Why does the Bible describe Mount Sinai as being covered in smoke and fire ascending as a furnace? Because God is Holy! Folks, most people don’t realize how Holy God is. A lot of people mistakenly bring God down to our level and/or elevate themselves to God’s level. In other words, they make themselves their own God. But this will not work in the end. God is Holy and it’s time that people recognize and understand this.

Yes God Is Holy

God is Holy. I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel (Psalm 71:22). For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour (Isaiah 43:3). I am the Lord, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King (Isaiah 43:15). Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he? (Habakkuk 1:13).

More verses about God’s Holiness: There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God (1 Samuel 2:2). But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy (1 Peter 1:15-16). For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. (Isaiah 57:15).

Folks, there are many, many more verses in the Bible about God’s Holiness. Do not be deceived. God is Holy and without holiness, no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). God is Holy, righteous and just. Because He is these things, He cannot tolerate sin. The only way to be in the presence of God is perfection. None of us meet this test. For we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.

We Need A Savior

That’s why we need a Savior and Jesus Christ is that only Savior. Jesus walked this earth 2,000 years ago and He did what you and I can’t do – He lived a perfect, sinless life. He is the only perfect, sacrifice for guilty sinners. Even though the Lord never sinned, He took the punishment, took the place of guilty sinners. That is for guilt sinners who repent and trust Him.

Jesus died on that cruel cross, was buried and rose again three days later. Oh, salvation is for all who repent and surrender their lives to Jesus. Will you do this tonight? Will you recognize that your sins have offend our Holy God. There is nothing that you can do to wipe out your sins. You can’t earn favor with God. You and I are guilty sinners and our only hope is to fall broken over our sins at the feet of Jesus.

Cry out for God to save you. Repent and believe the Gospel. Do this before you die in your sins and you find out about the Holiness and wrath of God when it’s too late. Those who die in their sins will spend eternity in Hell. Don’t do it. Come to Jesus and be saved. Turn to Christ and live. Then you receive God’s mercy and His grace. That’s grace and mercy that you do not deserve, yet you receive nonetheless, if you repent and trust Jesus to save you.

(This message was proclaimed in downtown Springfield, MO on August 5, 2022)