Pastor Buddy’s Blog

Journal,

Ok, so it wasn’t a twenty-five pound bass. So, how’s about a picture of a four pound bass that I caught on Cleco Lake, Saturday morning. Tried to take a picture of an alligator swimming near by, but the sun was too bright for a good picture. 

Anyway, it was me and my youngest son, Andre’, out to catch us an early mess of fish. You should have seen the ones that got away. I had four bass right up to the boat, but I think they were mocking me. One of the bass broke my line.

Out of the water they’d come, shake the lure lose, grin at me, and back into the deep they’d go. I jest hate being mocked by a smart alecky fish. And especially that one that had the nerve to break my line.

Course I never was much of a natural fisherman. I’m jest now learning how to fish for bass. I’ve always fished with live bait. And its only since I’ve semi-retired that I take much of a turn at fishing. Almost always with Andre’.

But I do have to admit that I’ve done some my best fishing over the years by catching men and women for the Lord. In fact back in the CB days, my CB handle was simply ‘the Fisherman.’

Now I figure out there in the world there’s still plenty of fish to be caught for Jesus. In fact if I remember correctly, someone once told me that he heard that if we’d catch em, Jesus would clean em. I really like that idea. I never much like cleaning fish anyways. But oh how I love to catch em for the Lord.

Sure makes you wonder if we are close to that final fish-catching season of the kingdom of God’s beloved Son…

Could well be. Don’t no one know for sure.

However, the Lord gave several parables to explain kingdom of God phases during the church age. The last parable He gave in Matthew 13, was about the final fishing phase of the age. Jesus said…

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away. So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”(Matthew 13:47-50 nasb)

So how will we know when the final fishing phase is over. We will know when the Lord says, ‘Its over, boys. Time to go home. No more fishing.’

According to the Scriptures we will know fishing time is over when we hear the sound of a special trumpet. Some call this the midnight cry.’  (Based on Matthew 25:6 kjv)

Let’s hear it from Michael English…

I haven’t shared a study in awhile. For you who enjoy an occasional Bible study, here is one that calls for a review as to where we are in the time frame of God’s redemption program. Of course when studying end-time happenings, there has to be a give and take.

Let’s simply call it…

The Gospel of the Kingdom to the Whole World…

Jesus said, “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Matt 24:14)

With regard to the gospel going forth over the last decades, we have seen amazing things taking place on our planet. Dividing walls have crumbled, including the iron curtain. But there remains huge blocks of people who have been shut off from the true gospel. One of these great blocks involve those of the Muslim world.

The world of Islam is confusing in more ways than one. While Islam teaches that Jesus is the Messiah, and that He is coming again, yet their description of Jesus as Messiah is non Biblical.

For example, they teach that Jesus is not God, that He did not actually die on the cross, that His blood has nothing to do with atonement of sin, that no one can have communication with Him, or with the Father, and that when Jesus returns, He returns to convert the whole world to the faith of Islam. The list is endless.

See the issue at stake? The apostle said, “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!” (Gal 1:8)

Seems to me that any religion that claims an angelic appearance as validating their religion, that religion is in real trouble.

Anyway,

It has to end in Jerusalem…

But there is a counter measure in all this. God has never stopped loving all the peoples of the world, including the Muslim people. And there is no question that the Lord’s purpose is that all peoples of the earth hear the true message of the kingdom.

And here is where we come to Jerusalem. Zechariah 12 describes the happenings that involved the turning of Jerusalem to Jesus. Here is a brief survey:

(Verse 2) “Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling to all the peoples around; and when the seige is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah.”

(Verse 3) “It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations of the earth (United Nations) will be gathered against it.”

(Verse 8,9) “In that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the one who is feeble among them in that day will be like David … In that day I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.”

(Verse 10) “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace (the same Spirit that brought you to Jesus) and of supplication, so that they will look on Me (Yahweh) whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him (Jesus Christ), as one mourns for an only son (God’s only Son), and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn (He is the firstborn of many brethren).”

The last verse speaks for itself. When the Jewish peoples recognize that it was Jesus Himself who was crucified, that they have been deceived into believing a ‘lie’ given them by the rabbis, they will experience the deepest of a broken heart.

So here we have the answer — There is only one answer that I can see. Jesus said the ‘gospel of the kingdom’ must be preached on all the world as a testimony to all the nations. And the ending of this prophecy heads up in Jerusalem.

Jerusalem was where Jesus was crucified. Jerusalem is when Jesus is returning.

Much to think about.

Blessings,

Buddy