And They Cursed God :: By Grant Phillips

 

Looking at the faces of those protesting outside the Supreme Court justices’ homes, one can’t help noticing the raging hate displayed upon the faces of those in attendance. The murder of children, whether in the womb or not, is an atrocity of evil insanity.

There is a group of people in our society that have no regard for a holy God and will do most anything, legal or not, to have their way. You know how it goes, “the squeaky wheel gets the grease,” and our leaders have been smearing on a lot of grease lately.

Whether it’s the murder of babies or twisted sexual perversions, it matters not, as long as they get their way. It reminds me of children having temper tantrums. Unfortunately, many parents just give in and allow the child to have what they want instead of what they really need. My parents knew what we needed and were quick to see we got it. I can assure you, there were no temper tantrums in our household.

Another thing that stands out, and is holding hands with these rebellious actions, is the liberty that is being taken with the truth. Lying has become so commonplace, one doesn’t know who or what to believe anymore. Our own President is one of the biggest whopper tellers of all.

Lying was another thing with my generation that parents frowned upon, to say the least. We quickly learned that it’s better to “fess up” right from the start than to compound the problem with a lie.

God’s Word tells us in the following passage what the world will be like in the last days. We are in the last days before the Lord returns for His bride and then brings judgment on the world in what we know as the Tribulation. Rembrandt could not have painted a better picture than what we now read in the following Scripture passage.

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” (2 Timothy 3:1-5) [all NKJV except where otherwise noted]

I’ve mentioned this before but would like to repeat that I used to wonder why those enduring the judgments of the Tribulation would actually curse God instead of crying out for mercy. It makes no sense. Why would you curse the only one who can help you?

“And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory” (Revelation 16:9).

Notice this verse carefully. Plagues are causing great misery upon the people. In this case, the plague is great heat that scorches mankind. Now notice who has power over the plagues. God has power over the plagues. Doesn’t it make sense to beg the one who has the power over what is making you miserable to give you mercy? Of course, it does, but instead, they curse the name of the only one who can bring relief … God.

Perhaps you will agree that we live in a world where no one wants to accept responsibility for their own actions. Most people today immediately blame someone else for all their problems.

Let’s go back to the parent-child scenario again. Let’s say that the child purposely throws eggs all over the neighbor’s car. The child’s parent finds out and gives the child a whipping and makes him clean the neighbor’s car. If the child knew what he did was wrong, he would be repentant. However, if the child felt like he was the victim, he would be angry at or even hate his parent and the neighbor. The neighbor did nothing wrong. The parent did nothing wrong. Yet, will the child truly recognize he is in the wrong? This is where true repentance (a changed attitude) comes in.

Until we repent and admit that we are sinners before a holy God, there can only be judgment ahead. Our heart must be changed. Contrary to popular opinion, man is not good, but evil continually.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

The person who refuses to repent (change his mind about his need for a Savior) will never call upon the only One who can save his condemned soul. Instead, he will blame God and everyone else for his woes. Even as his circumstances grow worse and worse, his heart just gets harder and colder. However, the repentant man will receive mercy.

“He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).

Why would a man curse the very name of God when God is his only salvation? King David tells us what the Lord told him.

“I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before their eyes. In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin. The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful; they fail to act wisely or do good. Even on their beds they plot evil; they commit themselves to a sinful course and do not reject what is wrong” (Psalm 36:1-4, NIV).

The Lord says through the apostle Paul that some will be past forgiveness during the Tribulation.

“And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12).

These condemned people will curse the very name of God, as we are told in Revelation 16:9.

That can be avoided if they will repent (change their minds) now and call upon Jesus to save them.

“that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).

Grant Phillips

Email: Phillip5769@twc.com

Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com

Rapture Ready: https://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html

Which Side of The Cross Are You On? :: By Grant Phillips

 

ISAIAH’S PROPHECY

“For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For the things concerning Me have an end.” (Luke 22:37 from Isaiah 53:12).

“Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,
And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,
Because He poured out His soul unto death,
And He was numbered with the transgressors,
And He bore the sin of many,
And made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12).

Doctor Luke reminds us all of Isaiah’s prophecy that the Lord Jesus went to the cross for you and me. He paid the price for our redemption that we could never pay. The entire fifty-third chapter of Isaiah prophesies the life and death of Jesus and what He accomplished on our behalf. Further, chapter twenty-two of Psalms records Jesus’ time upon the cross.

Please read these two chapters of God’s Word first before continuing.

When Jesus hung upon that cross for us, there were two thieves crucified with Him, one on each side. This is recorded in all four of the Gospels.

TWO CRUCIFIED WITH JESUS THAT DAY

“Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left” (Matthew 27:38).

“With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left” (Mark 15:27).

“There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death” (Luke 23:32).

“where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center” (John 19:18).

As we visualize these two on each side of Jesus, we know that Jesus is pure and undefiled by sin. There is no guilt in Him. He is totally innocent of any wrong. However, on each side of Him are two rascals with hearts as black as coal.

The Bible tells us that those who passed by hurled insults at Jesus, then the chief priests, teachers of the law, and the elders joined in. Finally, the two thieves who were hanging on crosses beside Him did the same.

BOTH ACCOSTED HIM

“Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing” (Matthew 27:44).

“Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe.’ Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him” (Mark 15:32).

Notice that both, not just one of them, but both of the thieves reviled against Jesus for the predicament they had gotten themselves into. They were guilty, but He was not. They hated Him for their misery.

Something happened in the heart of one of these men, though. Let’s listen to what they now have to say.

ONE SAVED – ONE NOT SAVED

“Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”

But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise'” (Luke 23:39-43).

One thief kept cursing Jesus, wanting Jesus to save him – physically, but the other repented and simply asked Jesus to save his soul. Jesus promised him that that very day he would be with Him in Paradise. One man followed Jesus to Abraham’s bosom in paradise, while the other was in torment in Hades. One is now with Jesus in Heaven, while the other awaits judgment at the great White Throne judgment and will then spend an eternity in the lake of fire.

Most today are more interested in their physical well-being than they are about their eternal soul. Each and every one of us is going to spend eternity in one of two places … no exceptions. We will either be with Jesus in Heaven for all eternity, or we will be in hell for all eternity.

We are all guilty, and these two thieves represent mankind. One will spend eternity with Jesus. The other will spend eternity with Satan in hell. Which thief are we going to follow? I don’t know if it was the thief on the right or left of Jesus that repented and asked Jesus to save him. It doesn’t matter. Either way, which side of the cross are we on? Are we on the side of Jesus that repents and asks that He save our soul, or are we on the side that will continue to curse the only one who can save us?

Please read again Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22, and really think about the price Jesus paid for us all. Every one of us deserves to be hanging on a cross like those two thieves, but it would do no good anyway. The only lamb that God will accept for our sacrifice is the Lamb of God, and we can only go to God the Father through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Jesus died, was buried, and rose again the third day just as He said He would, and when He returns, it will be as King of kings and Lord of lords, not as the Lamb.

Be on the right side (correct side) of the cross by repenting (changing your mind) and putting all your trust in Him to save you and make you a member of His family for eternity.

Grant Phillips

Email: Phillip5769@twc.com
Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
Rapture Ready: https://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html