The Fork In The Road

 

 

THE FORK IN THE ROAD

There is a point in every person's life when they will have to make a decision on whether or not they will choose to believe God and accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. The decision to follow Christ or not follow Christ can only be made on an individual basis. We can pray for our families and friends to be saved, but ultimately it will be their decision just as it was ours. 

While some will believe that Jesus Christ is Lord, there are still so many people who believe otherwise, and they flaunt their sin not only in our face, but in God's face and they will answer for their sins against God. 

However, while we still have breath, we pray for their salvation and that The Holy Spirit would fill them, giving them power to walk out their newfound faith in these last days before Christ's return. We pray for them with the love of God, Who lives in us and is constantly changing us, filling us with so much love for others that it overflows and blesses not only us, but those on whom we share this love of God with. 

When you have come to the fork in your road, you will see two destinations: one on the left and one on the right: there is no middle road. Imagine one sign reading "The Way of Holiness" and the other sign reads "Self-Interest". The Way of Holiness is strewn with gravel, potholes, obstacles, hidden pits and other things we cannot yet see. The Way of Holiness is straight and narrow: just enough room for two people to walk side by side. There is danger on every side, and yet, we can see that there are other people on this road, not many, but enough perhaps to peak our curiosity. Some are dressed in rags, some are crippled in body, some are singing, some are calling us to walk in The Way of Holiness with them.

Self-Interest is filled with every goodie you could possibly imagine. It is a colorful, winding road with vendors hawking their wares for you to purchase along your journey. The sun is shining on this road and there is not a cloud in the sky. There are no apparent obstacles on this road. It is crowded and the people ahead are laughing and talking amongst themselves. They gesture to us and call out our names to join them on their merry journey. 

A decision must be made, for there is no going back the way we came. We must move forward but which road will we take? Only you can make that decision. Only you can choose your destination. 

Whatever God calls "sin" is nothing to be proud of.

Isaiah 3:9

The expression on their faces testifies against them, and like Sodom they flaunt their sin; they do not conceal it. Woe to them, for they have brought disaster upon themselves.

    Romans 6:23 tells us the destination of the unrepentant sinner and the destination of the repentant:

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

    But not a death where you just lie in the ground after your life ends. Nor does your body become one with nature. You are not reincarnated into something else: neither your spirit nor your soul will take on a new shape/identity.

    The death of the unrepentant sinner is a sorrowful event for those whom The Lord knows, but that person refused to know or even acknowledge.

The unrepentant soul will go to hell and there are no parties in hell. Friends and family might be there, but the lost soul will not be aware of others around him or her. In death as in life, their only thoughts will be selfish, while their bodies writhe in anguish.

    Luke 16:19-31 tells us the Parable of "The Rich Man & Lazarus". In life the rich man had everything but faith, while Lazarus had nothing in life except faith. The rich man lacked for nothing, but Lazarus lacked everything. Both died. The rich man went to hell and Lazarus went to Paradise.

    In hell a person will have their memories, their senses and their desire that their family would know Christ.

Luke 16:23 the rich man was in torment

Luke 16:24 the rich man knew thirst and was in agony

Luke 16:26 crossing from Paradise to hell after death is impossible

Luke 16:27 the rich man wanted his family warned about hell

But in Paradise there is comfort and rest.

     Repent And Believe The Gospel now, today, while today is still here. For The Bible says that tomorrow is not promised. We must take full advantage of today to believe that Jesus Christ Is Lord and begin to walk by faith this process of holiness which God would have us to live in. 

JESUS GOT AHOLD OF MY LIFE - Dallas Holm 

COME TO THE TABLE - Sidewalk Prophets 

THERE IS ONE GOSPEL - CityAlight

A Crucified Life - - Preaches The Gospel of Peace

 

    Romans 10:15

And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Gospel of Peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!"

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 2097 & 1515

Preach the Gospel: to announce good news

From the Greek word 'euaggelizó' (pronounced yoo-ang-ghel-id'-zo): sharing the Full Gospel of Christ. 

This is the word from which we get 'evangelize', which literally means all of the above in addition to how to live a saved life in Christ. 

    Peace: one, quietness, rest

From the Greek word 'eiréné' (pronounced i-ray'-nay): God's gift of wholeness; to join or tie together.

GOSPEL OF PEACE 

    This gospel of peace through and in Jesus Christ is what separates the born again Christian from all other religions. Only in Christ are we able to turn from the wickedness of our selfishness and turn to God for His forgiveness, which He grants when we believe that Jesus Christ is Lord. 

    Only in Christ can we begin to live a holy life, as becoming holy is a process which begins when we confess that Jesus Christ is not only Lord of All, but our LORD! He's MY Lord. He's MY God. He's MY Savior. He's MY Redeemer. 

    Though the salvation of all is given through God's only begotten Son Jesus Christ, it must be received and believed on an individual basis. You and you and yes, even you must make a decision regarding Christ. And, hopefully, prayerfully, your decision is Yes.  

PEACE of GOD

    Christ died to bring us to God, for there was no other way for our sins to be atoned, paid for, permanently until the Holy Lamb of God laid down His own life for our lives. What a gift! Such grace which God covers us with! He loves us that much.

    John 3:16 

    For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

    John 6:40

"For it is My Father's will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

    Romans 5:8

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

    2 Corinthians 5:18,19

All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s trespasses against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

    1 John 4:10

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be The Propitiation for our sins. [propitiation: atoning sacrifice, atoning blood].

    Did you catch that in Romans 5:8? "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us"?  God sees our wretchedness, our loneliness; He hears the cries of our hearts to be rescued and loved. So He sent His Son to pay the ultimate price to deliver us from the darkness of this world and bring us into the light of His love. 

    God loves us and wants us to be with Him, but without holiness that is impossible. Jesus died to save us and bring us near to God, beginning the process of holiness. We need to be a holy people and for that we need God's Holy Lamb to save us and God's Holy Spirit to mold us into Holy people. We need transforming grace which only comes from a right relationship in Christ. 

    This peace of God is our assurance that He will never leave us, that He won't change His mind about having us near Him. This peace of God is steadfast within us, anchoring us to Him. 

PRAISING THE GOD OF PEACE

    Surrendering our lives to Christ is the least and the most we can give back to Him. We do so with Joy, abandoning what we thought would bring us peace to embrace the Peace of God which passes all understanding. 

    It is beyond our ken to have full knowledge of all that God is and does. It is enough that we have faith to believe that all that God is and all that God does is for the embetterment of all who believe in Him and His Son. 

    So we raise our hands and voices in worship to our God. We praise His Name in song. We glorify Him with our lives. We are enriched because God has shared His riches with us: Jesus Christ.

    

Anointed to Preach Peace 

Spirit of The Sovereign Lord - Lindell Cooley

His Name Is Jesus - Jeremy Riddle 

How He Loves Us - Crowder

Lord I Need You - Chris Tomlin

He Knows My Name - Maranatha Singers

There Is None Like You - Lindell Cooley (written by Lenny LeBlanc)

Take My Life/Holiness - Scott Underwood

Living Hope - Phil Wickham

Majesty - Michael W. Smith

He Is - Crowder

I Am Your Beloved - Bethel Music

Blessed Assurance - Elevation Worship

Signs & Wonders of Christ's Arrival - - Come And See

 

Luke 2:10, 11

10. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! For behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people:

11. Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord! "

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 2097

Good News: announce, herald; good tidings; refers to sharing the full Gospel of Christ; preach the gospel.

From the Greek word 'euaggelizó' (pronounced yoo-ang-ghel-id'-zo), which means evangelize: proclaim the Lord's good tidings. 

What is this Good News being proclaimed? Verse 11 tells us plainly that the Savior had been born, that He is Christ the Lord. Where? In the city of David: Bethlehem.

Micah 5:2

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel—One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity.

Come to Bethlehem. Come to the Christ. Come and see. 

COME AND SEE

When the disciples first began to follow Jesus, Philip went and got his friend Nathanael.

John 1:45, 46

45. Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law, the One the prophets foretold—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

46. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip.

When Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman at the well, she went into her town and called the townspeople to:

John 4:29, 30

29. “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?”

30. So they left the town and made their way toward Jesus.

The call to Come and See Jesus still rings out across the globe today. People from every nation and tribe, every culture, every language are not only being called to Come and See Jesus, but are themselves proclaiming the Good, Good News:

"Come and See the Savior of the world! Come and Hear the Faithful and True Word of God!"

THE GOOD GOOD NEWS

Luke 24:47, 48

47. And He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,

48. and in His name repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.

Acts 2:38

Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 10:43

"All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name."

Acts 17:30

Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.

GOD CALLS SINNERS 

Matthew 9:13

"But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Luke 5:32

I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."

1 Timothy 1:15

This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst. 

I answered the call to Come and See several decades ago. But only within the last couple of decades have I truly known the urge to extend this call to anyone within earshot of wherever I am speaking (or writing). 

The call to Come and See Jesus is an urgent call, a begging, beseeching, heart-wrenching call to Come and See Jesus. 

Come To The Well by Casting Crowns

Come To The Altar by Elevation Worship

Come And Dine Gary Chapman

Come and See Jesus. Come and Hear The Faithful And True Word of God. Come and receive Him. Before it's too late. 

Thanks Be To God -- Tell of All His Wonders

 

1 Chronicles 16:8

Give thanks to the LORD: call upon His name; make known His deeds among the nations.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 3034

Thanks: to throw, to cast;   

In this verse, the word thanks is rendered from the Hebrew word 'yadah', which is pronounced yaw-daw' and means to confess, to glorify, to give praise while throwing one's hands or arms up. 

This word yadah is used 114 times in the Old Testament. 

GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD

Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart by Don Moen

Psalm 105:1

O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.

Psalm 136:1

O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good: for His mercy endures for ever.

Gratitude by Brandon Lake 

CALL UPON HIS NAME

I Speak Jesus by Charity Gayle

Call Upon His Name by Darlene Zschech

Joel 2:32

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD has said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

Acts 2:21

'And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'

Romans 10:13

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

He Is by Eric Ludy

MAKE KNOWN HIS DEEDS AMONG THE PEOPLE 

Isaiah 12:4

And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon His name, declare His doings among the people, make mention that His name is exalted.

Psalm 89:1

Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 96:3

Declare His glory among the heathen, His wonders among all people.

Mark 16:15

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."

Romans 10:15

And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

Psalm 145

I will exalt You, my God and King;

I will bless Your name forever and ever.

Every day I will bless You,

and I will praise Your name forever and ever.

Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; His greatness is unsearchable.

One generation will commend Your works to the next,

and will proclaim Your mighty acts—

the glorious splendor of Your majesty.

And I will meditate on Your wondrous works.

They will proclaim the power of Your awesome deeds,

and I will declare Your greatness.

They will extol the fame of Your abundant goodness

and sing joyfully of Your righteousness.

The LORD is gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger and abounding in loving devotion.

The LORD is good to all;

His compassion rests on all He has made.

All You have made will give You thanks, O LORD,

and Your saints will bless You.

They will tell of the glory of Your kingdom

and speak of Your might,

to make known to men Your mighty acts

and the glorious splendor of Your kingdom.

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

and Your dominion endures through all generations.

The LORD is faithful in all His words

and kind in all His actions.

The LORD upholds all who fall

and lifts up all who are bowed down.

The eyes of all look to You,

and You give them their food in season.

You open Your hand

and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

The LORD is righteous in all His ways

and kind in all His deeds.

The LORD is near to all who call on Him,

to all who call out to Him in truth.

He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him;

He hears their cry and saves them.

The LORD preserves all who love Him,

but all the wicked He will destroy.

My mouth will declare the praise of the LORD;

let every creature bless His holy name

forever and ever.

ETERNITY IS FOREVER REGARDLESS OF DESTINATION

Mark 16:16

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

John 3:18

Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

Revelation 20:11-15

(11) Then I saw a great white throne and the One seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found for them.

(12) And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And there were open books, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books.

(13) The sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead, and each one was judged according to his deeds.

(14) Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire.

(15) And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

To preach the gospel is to preach the whole gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. Not just the good stuff, but the consequences of not receiving and believing the good stuff.