december 20 unsuccessful suicide

 Unsuccessful suicide.  Revelation 9:6  And in those days shall men seek  death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall  flee from them. What would be worse than trying to end your life and  being unsuccessful?  There has to be a reason for a person to take his  own life.  Physical pain.  Emotional distress.  Spurned love.  Drugs  that cause thoughts of suicide. Loss of employment.  Sheltered at home  because of a pandemic. The list could go on and on.  In this verse in  Revelation people during the great tribulation coming in the future who  reject the gift of salvation from Jesus will seek to end their lives.   Satan's son the Antichrist will be the ruler of the world.  God's wrath  will be poured out on the unbelievers.  Countless Christians will be  beheaded.  Times will be unimaginable.  Hail stones weighing close to  100 pounds will fall from Heaven.  Water turned to blood.  Water turned  to poison.  Green grass burned up. Monsters resembling locusts with  heads like men and tails like scorpions stinging people. Revelation 9:7  And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto  battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their  faces were as the faces of men. Hell on earth.  People punished for  worshiping Satan and his son instead of our resurrected Lord.  Men shall  seek death and death shall flee from them.  What would be worse than  trying to end your life and being unsuccessful?  Attempting suicide and  not being able to die.  Physical pain from the gunshot wound.  Physical  pain from slashed wrists.  Bitter taste of poison.  Hanging oneself and  dangling there in more agony and being unable to die.  These people  attempting suicide will have sorrow upon sorrow as they try to escape  their misery and the situation only becomes worse.  What a horrible  reality.  If they would only repent and ask Jesus to save them.  From  agony to more agony because of a lack of faith.  Jesus has the answer to  every problem we face.  Trust Him.  So I repeat the question..."What  would be worse than trying to end your life and being unsuccessful? "   The second answer to that question would be to be successful.  You see  many people in the frying pan of life leap into the flames of hell when  they kill themselves. There is no hope if you die having rejected  eternal life through trusting Jesus as your Savior and Lord.  For the  lost person to be successful in suicide is to enter into eternal  damnation.  Flames.  Torment.  A literal hell.  Please trust the Lord  while you can. What is worse than unsuccessful suicide?  Successful  suicide. 

 We know this man is a sinner.  John 9:24  Then again called they the man  that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that  this man is a sinner.  The Pharisees (Jewish leaders) in Jerusalem were  upset with Jesus for giving sight on the Sabbath day to a man born  blind. The leaders even questioned his parents who affirmed that he was  born blind.  These respected leaders knew Jesus was a sinner.  But was  He?  If Jesus was a sinner He would be unworthy to pay the penalty for  my sins.  Jehovah required the blood of an innocent sacrifice without  blemish.  Jesus was the final sacrifice for sin.  Even one little sin  would have disqualified Him to take our place.   Hebrews 4:15  For we  have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our  infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without  sin.   1 Peter 1:19  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb  without blemish and without spot: These religious men “knew” Jesus was a  sinner.  But He was not.  I wonder how much we “know” that is not true?   For instance it is a mass of tissue rather than a living soul. What if  it is a living soul and you are wrong?  For instance there is no hell.   My God is a God of love.  He would never send anyone to hell.  In  reality God puts road blocks in our lives to warn us to turn to Him in  repentance.  If we say “no” to God we are making our own decision and  sealing our own fate.  We send ourselves to eternal hell.  For instance,   “I am as good as those people in that church.”  Well I won’t argue  that you are probably better than I am.  I am wretched.  The more mature  I become in Jesus the more I realize what a sinner I am.  I am not  better than anyone.  However I have believed and repented of my sins and  asked Jesus to save me.  He did.  He washed my sins away and made me a  new person. I am still far from being like Jesus.  So yes many if not  most of you if not all of you are better than me.  But in Jesus I am  redeemed and His goodness flows into and out of my life.  Be sure that  that which you KNOW is accurate. 

 We were in a cave.  Deep beneath the earth’s surface. Our tour guide had  us sit on benches.  She told us she was going to turn off the lights.  As our eyes adjusted to the darkness we saw a slight red light across  the way.  It was the red led of a camera.  The owner was asked to turn  it off and there was complete darkness. It was quiet.  It was cold. When  she turned the lights on again there was a sigh of relief. I have never  forgotten that red led.  It was so small yet in total darkness it was  the center of attention.  The Bible speaks of spiritual darkness. Isaiah  59:9-10 we walk in darkness. 10 We grope for the wall like the blind,  and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the  night; we are in desolate places as dead men. Because of our sin we live  in spiritual darkness.  We have all gone out of our way to sin. Romans 3:12  They are all gone out of the way, they are together become  unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. As a result of  our sin we have allowed Satan to blind us to the truth. 2 Corinthians  4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which  believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the  image of God, should shine unto them. Many religious leaders today are  as blind men leading the blind. Matthew 15:14  Let them alone: they be  blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall  fall into the ditch. Jesus expects you to seek His light.  He will guide  you to it if you search with all your heart.  Don’t take the preachers’  word for it.  Seek God yourself and ask Him to reveal Himself in His  Bible. Once you have found the light in Jesus let others see Jesus in  you. Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see  your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Mud smeared  on the glass of a light house dims the guiding light. Sin dims your  witness. Confess and forsake sin. Be filled with the Holy Spirit.  Then  when you walk that lonesome valley of death you won’t have to walk it by  yourself.  Psalm 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the  shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.   I am not a  bright sparkler for Jesus.  Perhaps just a small red led or just one  small candle.  But I purpose to let others see Jesus in me.  Do others  see Jesus in you? 

 What a dream.  Daniel 2:3 And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a  dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream. A dream may trouble  us.  I give my dreams to the Lord.  I ask Him to give me the meaning of  the dream...if there is a meaning.  Otherwise I try to dismiss it.   Here Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon had a dream from Jehovah.  He  was troubled at what it could mean.  He called in his top advisers and  demanded the interpretation.  They asked for the dream.  The king  couldn't remember it.   If his advisors could not tell him the dream and  the interpretation they were to be cut to pieces and their homes turned  into public outhouses. His advisors panicked. Their answer:  Daniel 2:11  And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other  that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is  not with flesh. They were all sentenced to death.  How unfair.  News  flash...frequently life is not fair.  Now let's think about Daniel.  A  castrated slave from Israel.  His family slain by this barbaric king's  army.  Now added to his misery he finds himself on death row.  He has  tried to live for the Lord. Ever played pinball? Sometimes it seems like  we are that metal ball being bounced from point to point and then the  flipper knocks us back into the battle field to contin-ue our misery.   Life will hit you with unbelievable challenges. Daniel begged the king  for time to pray which he and his prayer partners did. Jesus gave him  the answer.  Daniel said: Daniel 2:28 there is a God in heaven that  revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what  shall be in the latter days.  Now understand: 1. God gave the dream to  the king.  2. God took the dream away from the king. 3. Many men were  going to be unjustly executed.  Even God fearing faithful servants of  the Lord. 4. God had the answer.  5. God promises to work all things  together for good to those who love Him. Romans 8:28 And we know that  all things work together for good to them that love God.  6. The kings  dream of a statue with a head of gold revealed prophesy of coming  kingdoms on the earth ending with the Messiah...Jesus crumbling the  worlds powers and becoming King of Kings.  Consequently, Daniel was  elevated to the highest place in government under the king.  All the  pagan advisors got to keep their heads and their homes.  Jealously  caused them to eventually betray Daniel.  Conclusion: Proverbs 3:5   Trust in the Lord. He has the answer. 

 What do you see?  Philippians 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things  are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just,  whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever  things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any  praise, think on these things.  Let's think for a minute about thinking.   We see pictures in our mind of what we think about. Consider I  instruct our congregation to close their eyes and think about the words I  say.  If I say "horse" we see a picture of a horse in our mind.  If I  say "boat" we see a boat.  If I say "pen" you may see a ball point pen, a  fountain pen or a pin like pin the tail on the donkey.  Someone says  what is a fountain pen?  Remember them?  If I did this exercise at  church I would say "motorcycle" and then be silent with my eyes closed  for about 10 seconds.  I would have instructed my wife from the back of  the church to say after 10 seconds..."Tom".   After a few more silent  seconds I would instruct her to say "TOM!"    Then I would open my eyes  and take up where I left off. Sometimes we let our mind ponder on what  we see.  This can be good...or bad.   You see we see with pictures in  our mind.  We must be careful to guard what we view.  Martin Luther said  " You cannot keep birds from flying over your head, but you can keep  them from building a nest in your hair."  We have thoughts. Some  good...some bad.  We must control the pictures that come into our mind.  The Bible says in Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is  he. An essay worth reading is As A Man Thinketh by James Allen. As we  think...so we respond.  If I think "I am sick" my body will eventually  respond by feeling sick.  If I think pleasant thoughts I will have a  pleasant reaction.  Negative thinking produces negative results.  Godly  thinking produces Godly results.  Guard what you see in your mind.   Think on things true, honest, just, pure, lovely, good report, virtue  and praise is our command. Practice it and your Christian adventure will  be more productive and enjoyable. 

 Merry Christmas.  Once a year we celebrate the birth of Jesus.  There is  one chance in 365 that He was born on December 25.  It was tax time so  it must have been April 15th.  Just kidding.  Well maybe.  April would  be more likely the time shepherds would be in the open field with their  flocks. The actual date is not that important. Even the fact December  25th is a mass started by the Catholic church (Christ mas) is not  important.  What is important is that the Creator became flesh and dwelt  amoung us.  John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.  On a walk Billy Graham’s grandson accidentally stepped on an ant bed.  Watching the ants scurry to rebuild their home his grandson said, “I  didn’t mean to hurt their home.  I wish I could become an ant and help  them rebuild.”  It dawned on Billy Graham that that is what the birth of  Jesus was all about.  Man had sinned against God and needed God to come  to earth and show us how to come to Him.  Jesus became the final  sacrificial lamb to pay for our sins.  John the Baptist proclaimed Jesus  was the Lamb of God.  John 1:29  The next day John seeth Jesus coming  unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin  of the world. The whole purpose in Jesus becoming flesh was to be slain  for our sins, the just for us the unjust.  He never sinned.  Even one  little sin would have disqualified Him.  When He was born He was wrapped  in swaddling clothes. Luke 2:12  Ye shall find the babe wrapped in  swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. A swaddling cloth was a long  triangular cloth wrapped tightly around a baby believed to protect his  internal organs and to restrict his movement.  King David was from  Bethlehem.  He designated the field outside Bethlehem to be where the  special lambs were raised to be used in the temple sacrifices.  The High  Priest would travel to Bethlehem to select the one lamb to be  sacrificed at the annual Passover.  This blemish free lamb would be  wrapped in swaddling clothes and be carried by the high priest back to  Jerusalem.  If the lamb wiggled loose or was dropped and injured in any  way he could not be the sacrifice so he was wrapped in swaddling  clothes.  I thank God for His gift of sending Jesus His only begotten  Son to take my place on the cross.  Then to rise again from the grave.  Have you received His gift of eternal life?  There is no greater gift.  I  have been known to sign our Christmas cards with Mary Christmas and  Joseph New Year.  Mary spelt Mary not Merry.  And Joseph New year to  remind people to not leave Mary and Joseph and especially Jesus out of  their Christmas.  Mary Christmas.  Joseph New Year. 

 Someone said, “When the going gets tough the tough get going.”  I want  us to think about church attendance.  Satan has successfully caused a  falling away.  This is a sign we are in the last days. 2 Thessalonians  2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come,  except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed,  the son of perdition; It is discouraging to see the empty pews in our  churches.  Over the last forty years there has been a gradual falling  away, however in the last two years there has been a substantial falling  away.  I believe that soon a greater falling away will happen and the  man of sin shall be revealed. The son of Satan.  The Antichrist. I  believe the “catching up” of the church will take the Christians to  Heaven before the terrible seven year tribulation begins. 1  Thessalonians 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up  together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so  shall we ever be with the Lord.   This will be the great falling away.  Revelation 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also  will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all  the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. We have faced trying  times but worse times are coming.  Most churches I have been pastor of  had three services a week. Two churches had only two services a week. On  the uncommitted evening services sometimes we would stay home.  Usually  I attended another church.  The temptation to stay home is great, but I  can say that every time I made the effort to attend church I was  blessed.  If you will make the effort to attend a Bible teaching church I  can almost promise you a blessing.  On Sunday morning we have a rule.   If you are sick stay home.  However, if it were a work day or school day  would you stay home?  If you are too sick to go to work or school then  you are too sick to go to church.  Frequently our “sickness” is  laziness. So the going has gotten tough.  The tough are still going.   You need to pray about attending church.  If Jesus instructs you to not  go, don’t go.  But He has commanded us to go to church. Hebrews 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of  some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the  day approaching. For some reason He may lead you to stay home.  That is  between you and Jesus.  But someday you will be judged before His throne  and your actions and inactions will be revealed. You need your church  and your church needs you.  Your church hopes to see you this Sunday.  Will you be there? 

 Where does the Bible say that?  Here is a joke my wife Marless and I  enjoy pulling on others.  When someone offers me coffee I politely say,  “No thank you I am a Christian.”  That leads to the person saying they  didn’t know drinking coffee is a sin.  To which I say... “Hezekiah 6:18 says...”Thou shalt not partake of the coffee bean.”  Then Marless answers, “No Tom.  It’s Hezekiah 3:12.”    Back and forth we go until I finally say...”At any rate thank you for  your kindness however we don’t drink coffee.”    Most people  respond...”I didn’t know that was in the Bible.”  I tell them that if  they want to drink coffee that is their business and not to mind me.    You may be surprised how many preachers start looking for the book of  Hezekiah in the Bible.  Of course there is no such book.  Hezekiah was a  king in the Old Testament and it may sound like a book of the  Bible...but it’s not.  At any rate just because someone says “It’s in  the Bible”  doesn’t mean it is in the Bible. Marless and I don’t like  coffee so we don’t drink it.  However there are plenty of other things  we consume which may harm us.   2 Timothy 2:15  Study to shew thyself  approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly  dividing the word of truth. This is a New Testament command.  The  subject of this verse is YOU.  You study the Bible yourself.  Don’t be  ashamed because you don’t know your Bible.  You will never master it but  you can chip away at it little by little each day if you want to.  It  is full of spiritual diamonds, gold nuggets and pearls of great  spiritual value if you will dig for them.  Jesus is waiting to teach  you.  Read His Word.  Attend church where the Word is explained in a way  you can relate it to your daily living.  But make sure what you are  told is in the Bible.  A man I was visiting told me...”You Baptists say  it is a sin to be drunk but Jesus got drunk.”  “Oh really” I said.   “Where in the Bible is that?”  He couldn’t tell me where it was. But he  insisted that the Bible teaches that Jesus pawned His carpenter tools  and bought some wine and got drunk.  Now friend that is not in the  Bible.  He insisted it was.  I handed him my New Testament and told  him...”If you will find that passage in the Bible I will resign my  church and never preach another sermon again.”  That took him back.  He  couldn’t find the passage but assured me it was in the Bible.  I  explained that the Bible teaches that Jesus never sinned.  Getting drunk  is a sin.  If Jesus ever sinned He would not have been worthy to die  for my sins on the cross.  1 Peter 3:18  For Christ also hath once  suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to  God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: If  Jesus had even told a little white lie, (whatever that is) He would have  been a sinner and not worthy to pay the penalty for my sins.  He was  sinless.  If it’s in the Bible believe it and follow it.  If  not...forget it. 

 White Robes.   Revelation 6:9-11 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I  saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of  God, and for the testimony which they held: 10  And they cried with a  loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge  and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11  And white  robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that  they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants  also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be  fulfilled. Revelation unveils future events. In verse 9 Jesus opens the  fifth of 7 seals on a scroll.  I saw under the altar the souls of them  that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they  held: These Christians had been slain for the word of God, their faith  in Jesus and for the testimony they held.  Their soul went to Heaven  when they were beheaded. The world will be going through 7 years of  tribulation.  People will be forced to choose between serving Jesus or  serving the Antichrist. the son of Satan.  These souls under the altar  choose Jesus and gave their testimony that they were saved and told  others that they needed to repent and receive Jesus as their saviour.   Their faith cost them their life.  And they cried with a loud voice,  saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge  our blood on them that dwell on the earth?   These dead Christians will  be conscious and aware of what is happening around them and what is  happening down on earth.  The Lord has not avenged their blood yet.  The  Lord will be allowing people to decide if they will follow Satan or  Him.  Judgment is coming for the unjust.  It just hasn’t happened yet.   And white robes were given unto every one of them; A study of these  white robes teach us that our Heavenly bodies will have a white  countenance that radiates from within.  The blood of Jesus makes us as  white as snow.  that they should rest yet for a little season  Their  work on earth is over.  Now they can rest from their labor.  Friend you  and I have not arrived.  Our work is not finished.  May we work till  Jesus comes and gathers us home with Him.   until their fellowservants  also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be  fulfilled. Jesus knows Christians will continue to be killed for  rejecting the Antichrist.  Eventually the last Christian will be  slaughtered and God’s judgment will fall. Even today the Lord is getting  our attention.  Are you listening? 

 You are the most wretched person I know.  No one is more of a hypocrite  than you. When you hear the song, “You’re so vain I bet you think this  song is about you” you think that song is about you don’t you?  There is  no one breathing on earth that is more wicked than you.  You are the  worse of the worse.         All I could say is yes, yes, yes, yes and  yes as I close my eyes in anguish because of my unrighteousness. Then I  say, “Thank you Jesus for saving me”  as I walk away from the mirror. A  hymn I enjoy is titled “At the cross”.  “ Alas! and did my Savior bleed  and did my Sovereign die? Would He devote that sacred head for such a  worm as I? ” Sometime in the last 50 years or 60 years publishers  changed the words to “For such a sinner as I?”  To me the changing of  those words lessen the meaning.  I heard a preacher say, “For such a  worm as I?  I am no worm!”    Well my friend I am happy for you but I  realize just what a worm I am.  Psalm 22:6  But I am a worm, and no man;  a reproach of men, and despised of the people. David wrote this Psalm  as the Holy Spirit inspired him.  Is it true David was a worm of a  sinner?  Worm: Hebrew, “tola.”  tol aah   a maggot , the crimson-grub. A  maggot?  David considered himself a maggot?  How low can you go?  But  to dig a little deeper this verse about David is also a Messianic verse  meaning it also refers to Jesus.  Jesus considered Himself a  crimson-grub?  But Jesus was perfect.  How could He be a sinner like  David?  Like me?   2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for  us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in  him. God allowed our sins to kill Jesus.  He who knew no sin became sin  so that us sinners are made righteous in Him.  He died for our sins. He  arose victoriously. We are saved we realize He arose from the grave to  save those who hear, believe, repent and call on His name.  Now He has  made us worms into something beautiful. Similar to a butterfly which is  no longer a caterpillar.  C.H. Spurgeon said, “If any man thinks ill of  you, do not be angry with him, for you are worse than he thinks of you.”   Are you wretched and saved?  Or are you still just wretched?  I am  saved..... but I am sad to admit I am still wretched.  Thank you Jesus  for your grace.