It Doesn’t Have To Be Gross
It Doesn’t Have To Be Gross
By Dennis Huebshman
A rhetorical question; how many so-called “comedy” or other programs today can you watch with the whole family, and not have to worry about the content? If the programs don’t display alternate lifestyles, or use language suited for the gutter, the networks probably won’t broadcast them.
Some commercials are even showing the LGBT-and all the other letters, on just about everything advertised. It’s being portrayed as the “new norm”. So-called celebrities try to convince us this is the right lifestyle, and a lot of people are buying into it.
Video games for kids have gotten so realistic, they are becoming desensitized to violence, blood, guts and gore. The left in congress wants to take away all the guns, saying the violence will stop. Just a point here; Hitler took away the guns from the population of Germany. Did that stop the violence? Most of our “gun-free” cities have higher incidences of shootings than places where the citizens are allowed to carry. How about Chicago for example? Remember the old saying, “When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns”?
Over the past decade or so, the morality in America and around the globe has sunk to new lows. The message being given in a lot of churches of every denomination is, “As long as it feels okay, then it must be okay”. Problem is, I can’t seem to find that passage in my Bible. I also can’t find; there’s many ways to heaven; there is no hell; Jesus was just a prophet, and not necessary for your salvation; we all worship the same god; and so on and so on.
I can still remember humorists such as Red Skelton, Lucille Ball, Jack Benny, Jerry Lewis and others who relied on good clean humor for their presentations. The whole family could watch them, and the material was great and wholesome for everyone. I can still see in my mind, Red Skelton signing off every program with, “Good night, and God Bless!” He was not a preacher, but people weren’t afraid to mention, and give praise to the Father. There was even a “pride” for our country in just about every performer.
Jerry Clower was a southern comedian who had people from every walk of life in stitches through his humor. Born in Liberty, Mississippi on 9/28/1926, he gave us images of rural southern country folks that everyone could enjoy. He passed away 8/24/1998, but left a legacy of good clean humor. What a lot of people didn’t know, Jerry was very much involved with the Southern Baptist Convention, and was a Deacon and lay minister in his church. Also, there wasn’t near as much controversy in the SBC as there is today. He was married to the same woman from 1947 until his death in 1998. He was not shy about his relationship with the Lord. (note, any emphasis throughout is mine)
The influence on this world today is not unexpected. We are rapidly heading toward the time that Jesus said to “Look up, for your redemption draws nigh.” (Luke 21:7-28) Mostly, Jesus was talking about the wrath that would take place at the end of the age, but in other places, He told that believers would be spared from that wrath. For example, His reference to the Church at Philadelphia in Revelation 3:10, “Because you have kept My word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.” Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 1:10, “…and to wait for His Son from Heaven, whom He raised from the dead, Jesus, who delivers us from the Wrath to come.” These are not the only verses about being kept from the Wrath. A year ago, I gave a message about Wrath, and numerous Old Testament and New Testament verses were in it.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-53, Paul tells about how we believers will be spared, To paraphrase; “In the twinkling/blinking of an eye”, which has been calculated by some experts as being about 1/60th. of a second, the dead “in Christ” will rise first. This is all believers who have died from Calvary to the moment Jesus calls for His church to rise up in the air to meet Him. As the dead are transported to Him, their souls who are with Him will meet their bodies, no matter what is left. They will be transformed into a new, immortal, imperishable body fit to last for all eternity. It’s right that the dead should go first as they’ve waited longer in the majority of cases.
Those who are alive will be next to go. We will be given our new bodies as we approach our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. The secular world that gets “left behind” will most likely only know people have disappeared, and graves will be opened with bodies missing. Can God do all of this in less than one second? As the Angel Gabriel told Mary in Luke 1:37, “For nothing will be impossible with God.”
After this occurs, there will be a period of 7-years that the world will experience the Wrath of God against all evil here. It may not start immediately after the Rapture, for there is no set time for it to begin. There will be a signing of a treaty, as told to Daniel by the Angel Gabriel (yes, same one), that will be “for one week”, or 7-years (Daniel 9:27). At the 3 ½ year mark, the antichrist will put an end to sacrifice and offerings that were in the treaty, and the Great Wrath will begin. He will demand that all worship be directed to him, and cause everyone to receive a “mark” to prove their loyalty. Those who refuse will be hunted down, and killed wherever they are found. People will still be able to be saved, but at a horrible cost.
The tribulation will be worse than all that has ever happened, as God will allow satan to run this planet. Satan believes he is in total charge, but God has already set the program that will be followed. At the proper time, Jesus will return and shut it all down with just a word.
What we’re seeing around the globe today, is a “pre-tribulation setup” People are being told that Christians and believers in general, are “haters” That’s because we don’t buy into all the alternate lifestyles, and we believe there is only one way to the Father. (John 14:6) Satan is being allowed more leeway now, so his demons can convince the unbelieving majority that the way of this world is the only way. As Isaiah 5:20 points out, good will be seen as evil, and evil as good. Paul said that God will send a “strong delusion” to cause them to believe this. (2 Thessalonians 2:11) If you look closely, you can see this in place already.
Never before has satan worship been so bold and in the open. World leaders are being drawn into the idea of a one-world government and one-world religion. Even the Pope of today is saying all religions worship the same god. Those of us who dispute this are ridiculed and even persecuted. The stage is set to “welcome” the final antichrist and false prophet. To the world, he will be their “messiah”.
When I mentioned being kept from the Wrath, today’s believers will not know who the antichrist is, as we are to be removed before he can be presented. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-10) By the way, a good warning is given in 2 Thessalonians 3:10b, “…If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.” This should apply to all the people who are living off the American workers’ tax dollars and contributing nothing.
The time spoken of in 1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15, is rapidly approaching. All who have accepted Jesus as their Savior need not worry, but actually be looking forward to this with great anticipation. If you have not done so, right now would be a great time to call out to Him to be your Savior. He will turn no one away who truly accepts Him.
To quote a saying by Charles Spurgeon, “You may believe you can live without Jesus, but you truly don’t want to die without Him.”
There is no set schedule as to when Jesus will come for His Church. It will be determined by the Father when the fullness of the Gentiles takes place (Romans 11:25). It could be this very day. Believers, true believers, are ready no matter when it happens. This peace of mind awaits all who call on the name of the Lord. (Acts 2:21 and Romans 10:13) There is no other name under Heaven by which we can be saved. (Acts 4:12) Don’t be “left behind”.
Shalom Aleclem! (Peace be with You!)