The last two lines of the Statue of Liberty poem by Emma Lazarus in 1883: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free; the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me; I lift my lamp beside the golden door.” (any emphasis mine)
This has been an invitation to anyone who wished to legally immigrate to America, to come and “join” our population. It was not intended to be for those who want to enter illegally and take what they can get without offering any positive input here. It is not for those who do not wish to become a productive citizen of this once most powerful nation on earth. My father came past that statue in 1929 at the age of 9 from Germany, and he was proud to the day he died that he was a citizen of this great country. He served in the U.S. Army in World War 2, and until his passing, he worked hard to provide for his family. He believed in his Lord and Savior, Jesus.
Sadly, there has been a lot of erosion in our morality that has allowed us to slip backward, and to a place where our founding fathers never thought we would go. There’s a new cry for “socialism,” which is nothing more than relying on the government to give everyone everything, and not having to work for it. How is this working out in Argentina, for example? Free stuff only goes so far before the “bill” comes due, and the people in government cater to their own whims without consideration for the population.
When you take a look at the parts about “wretched refuse,” the “tempest-tossed,” “huddled masses yearning to be free,” does our Lord and Savior Jesus come to your mind? After all, the reason He came to this earth as a human was to provide us a gateway to an eternal life with Him. Any other pathway leads to absolute failure.
Before Calvary, people had to rely on the promise of a coming Messiah to reach back and save them. Meanwhile, they had to be in the will of God, which was to worship Him, and not man-made idols; and to offer sacrifices on a regular basis that were never intended to be permanent. The blood of sheep and goats would never be good enough to take away our sins (Hebrews 10:4).
At Calvary, our pardon for our sins was sealed with the precious blood of the Son of God, and on a cruel cross that He did not deserve. He took our punishment – my punishment – willingly (John 10:18). He was the only and final sacrifice needed for the Father to be able to forgive us, and for us to become a part of the Savior’s flock (John 10:16). His was the only offering that made any and all other sacrifices totally unacceptable from that day on, and our price was paid in full.
For anyone to try to “earn” or “buy” this Heavenly gift is to insult the Son of God, one third of the Holy Trinity, and who just happens to also be our Creator. If you were able to gather all the treasures this earth contains, it would not be enough to buy one drop of the blood that Jesus shed that day.
Yet, there are people today who try to do just that. They haven’t read Romans 10:9, “because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” That is our “price to pay”; receive Jesus’ sacrifice that was given for us, and accept Him as our one and only way to eternal life in Heaven. A gift is only valuable if one opens it.
I’ve given these verses before, but for the benefit of anyone who may have not seen them – John 14:6, “Jesus said I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by Me.” Also, Acts 4:12, “And there is Salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under Heaven given among men, by which we must be saved.”
A promise made in Romans 8:1 plainly states, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Numbers 23:19, Titus 1:2 and Hebrews 6:18 are just three verses that tell us that God cannot lie. Where many people go wrong is by listening to, and heeding, false prophets that say there are many ways to heaven, and Jesus is not necessary for our Salvation. They try to tell you that Jesus did exist, but was just a good prophet. Also, some try to say all religions worship the same god.
For anyone to accept the word of God as pure truth, they must first realize and confess that we are all sinners (Romans 3:23). None of us likes to be told we are in the wrong, and many are turning to “services” that avoid the issue of sin. After all, there’s too much negativity in this world today that we have to deal with – Right?
There are “evangelical” churches that are holding entertainment services that tell people they are basically good, and they don’t tell about the consequences of not having Jesus in their lives. Very few actual Bible verses are given, and there’s a “Let Me Entertain You” atmosphere. Their goal is to fill seats and collections plates; and sadly, they’re thriving. Problem is that the membership is lost.
As a person who knows I am not perfect, and am a sinner, I read from God’s word daily to give me strength and guidance. This does not mean I will never sin, but I know I can go to the Father in prayer and receive forgiveness. I do not do works to earn my place in Heaven; but if I can do anything to honor my Savior, I give Him all the praise and glory for it.
My biggest hurdle over 34 years ago was to come to my Jesus “Just As I Am.” I realized that without Him I was absolutely lost, and I thank God every day that He did not require my soul before being able to ask Jesus into my heart. Once I received my pardon from Him, my eternal address changed that very instant.
You have the same option right now. Ask yourself, if you were to pass away today, where would you spend eternity? Would it be with Jesus, or a reservation in that long line at the Great White Throne Judgment spoken of in Revelation 20:11-15? You have the choice of where you will end up, and no one can decide for you. That choice has to be made before you take your last breath on this earth. To not choose Jesus is to automatically choose the Lake of Fire. No other options are available.
Consider please, this favorite church hymn standard from Charlotte Elliot, written in 1835:
“Just as I am, without one plea; but that Thy blood was shed for me. And that Thou bidst me come to Thee; O Lamb Of God, I come.
Just as I am, and waiting not, to rid my soul of one dark blot. To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot, O Lamb Of God, I come.
Just as I am, though tossed about, with many a conflict, many a doubt. Fightings and fears, within, without; O Lamb Of God, I come.
Just as I am, poor wretched, blind; Sight, riches, healing of the mind. Yea, all I need in thee to find; O Lamb Of God, I come.
Just as I am, Thou wilt receive; wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve. Because Thy promise, I believe; O Lamb Of God, I come.
Just as I am, Thy love unknown, has broken every barrier down. Now to be Thine, yea, Thine alone; O Lamb Of God, I come.
Just as I am, of that free love. The breadth, length, depth, height to prove. Here for a “season,” then above; O Lamb Of God, I come; I Come!
This song is a “gospel” (good news) about having a pardon, and peace in Heaven no matter what your past was. There are no special ceremonies, rites of passage or anything of this earth to bring you to the Savior. Acts 2:21 and Romans 10:13 both tell us, “All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Today would not be too early to call out to Him; tomorrow could just be too late.
With all the signs present in this world today, and knowing the word of the Father is true and complete, we are on the brink of a major event known as the Rapture. Jesus will be coming soon to call up all believers to meet Him in the air to avoid the coming Tribulation (1 Corinthians 15:51-53 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Those who are left behind will face a time of tremendous wrath that this earth has never seen.
He’s waiting for your call, but won’t do so much longer. Just as in the days of Noah, God finally shut the door to the ark, and the rain came down. Our safety is our eternal “Ark,” Jesus the Christ. He is there for us.
Shalom B’Shem Yeshua! (Peace in the name of Jesus)