Evangelism at the United vs Polokwane Match, 2016/17

6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. ~ John 14:6

This praise report is solely for GOD’s glory alone and that no attention be directed our-way! “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). On Tuesday 27th September 2016, Jono and Gary attended at the PSL football match between Maritzburg United and Polokwane City that took place at the Harry Gwala Stadium. We arrived just on 17H30.

This match did not attract such a large crowd as last week’s match. We prayed, waited and had discussions in the parked vehicle until just after 18H00 before setting up. When we did set up we had some discussions with a Christian Maritzburg United Supervisor who mentioned that he had seen us here before from last season.

What appeared to be a slow start, really warmed up when our Lord had a young man named Mlamuli draw up next to Gary who started a conversation with him. Mlamuli in response said that he is “born-again”, but one must never always take it that this is the case when a person says so! Upon closer investigation, Mlamuli then became unsure. After being asked the question whether he  was “Good enough to go to heaven” and Mlamuli had answered in the affirmative saying “Yes”, Gary examined Mlamuli by taking him through some of the Ten Commandments which revealed that he missed the mark considerably. It was established that Mlamuli was attending the Anglican Cathedral in the Pietermaritzburg CBD. Gary told him that the Anglican “church” is very similar to the Roman Catholic “church” which makes her the harlot’s daughter! Mlamuli was very open to GOD’s Law and the Gospel of Grace as he asked many interesting questions about him selling cigarettes to spectators, drinking alcohol and especially wine, and ancestral worship to mention a few! It was again the usual situation with African traditions and culture that Mlamuli, an Anglican, was also involved in the ancestral abominations before GOD. In this regard, Gary opened the Scriptures showing that GOD forbids necromancy – the consulting with the dead and familiar spirits (see Deuteronomy 18:11). For Scripture also says that there is only one mediator Jesus Christ and none else – and certainly not the ancestors – as we read,

5  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; ~ 1 Timothy 2:5

Mlamuli was challenged to repent and believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ alone and to be truly born-again. Please pray for Mlamuli!

At 19H40 when this photo to the <<< left was taken, the match had already kicked off when the crowds were really starting to make their way into the stadium. Upon arriving at the stadium, Gary had mistakenly seen someone that resembled our dear brother in Christ Shadrack Bhengu. Well, it could only be by  GOD’s providential leading that whilst Gary was atop the box preaching, Shadrack Bhengu drew near and started asking questions as to how he could be sure what Gary was saying was true. He was playing the part of an “unsaved person” and it was a truly blessed time of dialoguing for the late arrivals making their way to the stadium, even though the match was well underway. Once Gary and Shadrack had completed the question session of preaching in English, Gary asked Shadrack to  get up and preach  Christ in isiZulu. All glory to GOD, with his trumpeting voice he preached to the stragglers in mostly their mother tongue.

Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is glorified by GOD’s leading us, and we have found no two evangelism sessions at the stadium are the same, for which we rejoice in Christ. We pray that the many souls that have received Gospel literature and the preached Word of GOD would bow their knees to worship YEHOVAH this side of eternity before it is too late, for it is written,

9  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 
10  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 
11  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ~ Philippians 2:9-11

  

We finished up at 20H00 whilst a light rain fell . . .

Kindly keep us in prayer for our next PSL football outreach, Lord willing, at the Harry Gwala Stadium’s South Gate, being in four weeks time on Friday evening 28th October, 2016 from 17:30 – 20:00

                                                                    

Maritzburg United vs. Lamontville Golden Arrows

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Footnotes:

* For the record Maritzburg United lost 0-1 to Polokwane City. United’s record to date reads: W(a) D(h) L(a) L(h) L(h).

> Maritzburg United 2016/17 Home Fixtures @ Harry Gwala – posted August 24, 2016

> My friends are dying . . . – posted September 16, 2016

Is there a pre-tribulation rapture?

What does GOD’s Holy Word really say in the Christian Doctrine of Eschatology – the “study of end-times” – pertaining to the “rapture”? And does the Latin word for “caught up” being rapturo mean a literal “pre-tribulation rapture”?  

The Dispensationalist Futuristic Eschatology believers advocate the “rapture of the Church” prior to the great tribulation described in the Book of Revelation when GOD pours out His wrath upon men left on the earth as well as on His ‘chosen people’ from the House of Israel, the Jews, who will be experiencing Jacob’s Trouble in fulfilment of Daniel’s prophecy concerning the seven-year tribulation. As the pre-trib advocates’  interpretation goes, the Church has been “raptured out of the earth” and are in heaven and will therefore not be present when GOD pours out His vial judgments upon the earth. This can then leave born-again Christians with an understanding that we need not worry about the mark of the beast or ever being deceived by the anti-christ, the beast or the false prophet, or taking “. . . the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name” (Rev 13:17) as “the Church” will not be present on the earth during the tribulation!

The English evangelist Leonard Ravenhill (June 18, 1907 – November 27, 1994) put it aptly, quote: “Today’s church wants to be raptured from responsibility.” Is this a true reflection of modern churchianity? In Scripture we learn that “there is no respect of persons with God” and that Jew and Gentile will be treated justly in salvation by His judgment and His reward, as we read,

16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. ~ Romans 1:16

9  Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 
10  But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 
11  For there is no respect of persons with God. ~ Romans 2:9-11

So what does Scripture then really say concerning the “rapture” and its timing? Let us first look at the verses that “pre-tribulation rapture dispensationalists” use to advocate the rapture taking place before the great tribulation where our Lord Jesus Christ “returns” for His Church in the air, but does not “come to the earth”. We read in 1 Thessalonians 4 the following,

14  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
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. ~ 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17

The apostle Paul is addressing the ekklesia at Thessalonica and explaining the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and its relationship with the dead, “which sleep in Jesus”, and the believers who are “alive and remain” when the Lord Jesus comes. The context can be gleaned from certain words and verses that confirm this. In 1 Thessalonians 3:13 Paul writes “To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.” (Emphasis added by writer in bold and hereafter throughout). This “To the end” is of time that Paul speaks of when the believers will appear before GOD and Paul confirms it by saying “at the coming” of our Lord Jesus Christ. He does not say at the fetching of His Church, but “at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” Who will not come to fetch His Church alone, but “with all his saints.” The question to the pre-trib rapture advocates, is: Why does our Lord Jesus Christ come fetch His Church in the air bringing with Him “all his saints” only to return back to heaven with His saints again?

Paul then starts chapter 4 with the words, “FURTHERMORE then we beseech you . . .”; the apostle Paul continues with the emphasis of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, but now exhorts and gives instructions to the ekklesia about holy living which is leading up to him reiterating the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know,

14  Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: ~ Hebrews 12:14

In 1 Thessalonians 4:14, the apostle Paul speaks of our belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus and states that the believers “which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” This is pertaining to the first resurrection of “the dead in Christ” (1 Thess 4:16), as we also read, for it is written,

4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 
6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. ~ Revelation 20:4-6

Those believers “which sleep in Jesus” who died during their lifetime before the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, God will bring with Him. It should also be noted from the preceding portion of Scripture in Revelation 20:4 that the souls that take part in the first resurrection “. . . were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; . . .” and therefore it is common sense from a literal reading of GOD’s Word that they must have been present at the time of the worshipping of the beast and of his image and the receiving, i.e. the giving, of the mark of the beast. The apostle Paul writes that the “dead in Christ” will be raised to life and those “which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord” (1 Thess 4:15) “. . . shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thess 4:17). Twice the phrase “alive and remain” is used in 1 Thessalonians 4:15 and 17 in reference to those living at the time. Interestingly Paul uses the “we” which is the first person plural, for since the time of Pentecost all believers were living with an expectation of the soon returning Lord Jesus Christ, and the end-days started almost two thousand years ago. We too live with an imminent return of our Lord Jesus Christ perspective, and it was no different back then in first century A.D., in the year of our Lord. We read in Scripture that we are to “watch” for we know not when the time is for the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, for it is written for our instruction,

35  Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
36  Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
37  And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. ~ Mark 13:35-37

36  Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. ~ Luke 21:36

6  Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:6

7  But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. ~ 1 Peter 4:7

3  Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. ~ Revelation 3:3

The word “remain” in the phrase “alive and remain” (1 Thess 4:15,17) is the Greek word,

G4035 περιλείπω , perileipō, per-ee-li’-po; from G4012 and G3007; to leave all around, that is, (passive) survive: – remain.

It speaks of “survive”. To survive is to overcome something, be put through something! It is used in these verses speaking of the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and this can only be that the believers have survived the wickedness upon the earth and the “seven-year great tribulation”!

The reason why these Scriptures can only be describing the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is the wording that is used. In 1 Thessalonians 4:16 Paul writes, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven . . .”. To descend is to physically come down. To descend will also be a physical sighting of our Lord and if this portion of Scripture was for the “pre-tribulation rapture” of the Church then our Lord’s descending would constitute the second coming and the actual second coming would then constitute a third coming! This is false teaching and heresy! The descending is also not a “secretive rapture” as many argue, but there are announcements at the coming of the Lord with “shouts, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump [trumpet] of God”. All will know and see the Lord is coming and there will be further evidence as the graves will open and would have the dead in Christ rising first in the first resurrection.

If the “Church of Christ” is “raptured up to heaven” before the tribulation and we are to appear before the bema seat of Christ to be judged and receive our rewards as per 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 during the seven-year tribulation period on the earth as the pre-trib advocates believe, then when do the tribulation saints appear before the throne of our Lord Jesus Christ to have their works tested by fire – gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble?

Further questions which need to be answered, are: Should “new” tribulation saints die in Christ during the tribulation period, when do they get resurrected? Will it be at the second coming after the tribulation? If the dead in Christ are raised at the then second coming of Christ after the great tribulation, will this not then constitute a second resurrection of the dead in Christ which goes contrary to what Scripture tells us in Revelation 20:4-6 above? The second resurrection is for the dead unto eternal damnation!! Further, if the “pre-tribulation raptured Church” have appeared in heaven at the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:9), why have the new tribulation saints been excluded from the Lord’s marriage supper? Would these tribulation saints be deemed second-class believers in Christ and therefore not be partaking in His marriage supper? You can see that the pre-tribulation rapture theory is contrary to the Word of GOD!

It is not preposterous for the genuinely born-again believers who are alive at the great tribulation for them to pass through the tribulation. Many believers even today are losing their bodily lives through persecution and even tribulation. There are disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ who have lost their physical lives in tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, cyclones, landslides, great forest fires, electrical storms, violent accidents and other disasters, including wars and diseases, and yet spiritually they are saved from the wrath of GOD of eternal damnation. Scripture reveals that GOD can save those He will as according to His Divine purpose for His Glory, for “. . . The Lord knoweth them that are his . . .” (see 2 Timothy 2:19). YEHOVAH (YHVH) is able to save His elect saints – Jew and Gentile – and even in the midst of the great tribulation of Revelation which is to come. In Exodus GOD gives us assurance that He is able to protect His chosen people when He placed them in the land of Goshen in Egypt when He brought the plagues upon the Egyptian Pharaoh and his nation. None of the plagues touched GOD’s chosen people as we read some select Scriptures with emphasis by the blog’s writer concerning,

The plague of flies –

21  Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.
22  And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.
23  And I will put a division between my people and thy people: to morrow shall this sign be. ~ Exodus 8:21-23

The murrain of beasts –

3  Behold, the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain. 
4  And the LORD shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children’s of Israel. 
5  And the LORD appointed a set time, saying, To morrow the LORD shall do this thing in the land. 
6  And the LORD did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one. 
7  And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go. ~ Exodus 9:3-7

The plague of hail –

23  And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt.
24  So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.
25  And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field.
26  Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail. ~ Exodus 9:23-26

The darkness –

21  And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.
22  And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:
23  They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. ~ Exodus 10:21-23

The firstborn –

4  And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: 
5  And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. 
6  And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more. 
7  But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. ~ Exodus 11:4-7

Therefore, from reading the preceding Scriptures from the Book of Exodus all things are possible with GOD and even in the midst of the great tribulation of Revelation, GOD can keep His people safe and untouched.

We further know that the Scriptures in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and 17, could only be referring to our Lord Jesus Christ’s second coming at the last trumpet and not a “pre-tribulation rapture”, for we read,

50  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
51  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. ~ 1 Corinthians 15:50-53

And when does the last trumpet take place? Certainly not before the great tribulation of the Book of Revelation! For we read concerning the “elect” (and this portion of Scripture is not just for the Jews as some erroneously believe) when we read in Matthew 24, “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)” (Matt 24:15) which event takes place before the days of the elect spoken of in Matthew 24:21-24 concerning “21 . . . great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. 23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”  These events all precede, as it is written,

29  Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 
30  And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 
31  And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. ~ Matthew 24:29-31

There is therefore sufficient proof from GOD’s Word that there is no pre-tribulation rapture. The rapture, a catching up of the dead in Christ and those that are alive and remain will take place at the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ immediately after the tribulation, i.e. post-tribulation. In closing, is ‘Chart No. 5 – The Seven Thousand Years of Human History’ then a true representation of what the Holy Bible teaches? Clarence Larkin (1850-1924), a dispensationalist, studied the Scriptures and “with the help of some books that fell into his hands, led him to adopt many of the tenets of the premillennialist theology that was gaining favor in conservative Protestant circles in the Gilded Age.”* It is widely accepted that the teachings of the pre-tribulation rapture theory was invented in the 19th century by a man named John Nelson Darby (1800-1882) who is considered to be the father of modern Dispensationalism and Futurism (“the Rapture” in the English vernacular)**.

In Larkin’s aforementioned chart (click to enlarge) the pre-tribulation rapture is depicted and taught to have taken place before the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in A.D. 2000! We are now in the year 2016 A.D. and therefore what has been recorded in Clarence Larkin’s chart as “gospel truth” is false for neither had the “rapture” taken place neither had Christ returned in the year 2000 A.D.!

The plumbline of GOD’s Word is not what men teach, but what GOD’s Word tells us! Let GOD be true, but every man a liar.

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Footnotes:

* Clarence Larkin http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarence_Larkin

** Christianity Today: Christian History, John Nelson Darby, http://christianitytoday.com/history/people/pastorsandpreachers/john-nelson-darby.html and http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Nelson_Darby

Evangelism at the United vs SuperSport Match, 2016/17

3  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. ~ Luke 13:3

This praise report is solely for GOD’s glory alone and that no attention be directed our-way! “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). On Wednesday 21st September 2016, Jono and Gary attended at the PSL football match between Maritzburg United and SuperSport United that took place at the Harry Gwala Stadium. We arrived just about 17H30.

Whilst we set up for the evening’s evangelism outreach, we were approached by the ground’s director who was in-charge of the security personnel at the entrance gates. He greeted and addressed writer as “Reverent” to which Gary responded that he is not a “Reverent”. Too many men take on titles as “Reverent”, “Right-Reverent”, Chief-Reverent”, “Holy-Reverent”, etc., etc. Whilst scripture does say that “reverence” as in respect can be shown, Gary takes no pleasure in being seen that he should be given a title or reverenced drawing attention to himself, when clearly “[Jesus] must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). Jono went about the business of handing out Gospel literature from the outset. We also spoke to a male security guard that asked whether we have an isiZulu Bible. Gary had a King James Bible which he showed the guard who said he would rather opt for a Zulu Bible. We will be obtaining some in order to hand him one when he next sees us at the stadium.

Whilst Jono handed out tracts Gary approached a gentleman named Tei (rhyming with day) and his young son who were waiting to enter the stadium. We got into a discussion about life and death and the meaning of life. Tei professed to be a ‘born-again Christian’ who attends at the St John’s United Church in Loop Street (Jabu  Ndlovu). Gary referred to the Gospel Tract ‘Your Life: God’s Solution To Your Religion’ and stated that men have a lot of religion in their life, but have no relationship with Jesus Christ. This is what they need: relationship.  Mention was made by Tei to “evolution” that appears on the cover, where Gary opened up the Scriptures and showed Tei the following,

18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 
20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. ~ Romans 1:19-25

This was made in reference to what is being taught in the government schools and university institutions. It was then that Tei revealed that he is a grade 12 (std 10) Biology teacher. He related that he has to teach evolution to the pupils. Gary challenged Tei and said that there are some schools that still teach a Christian-ethos, but Tei was adamant that the educators had to teach the evolution theory as the pupils could hold the teachers responsible if they weren’t taught evolution and they failed their course. Gary asked Tei then how can he be professing to be a ‘born-again Christian’ and reconcile teaching millions and billions of years with the Biblical account of six-literal days? The two cannot be reconciled. One (Creation) is Truth, the other (evolution) is a lie! Gary’s challenge was that he had to be obedient to GOD and he could not compromise. In fact, even if Tei had to lose his teaching job, he had to be faithful in preaching Biblical Truth. GOD would honour his obedience! It appeared that Tei was becoming decidedly uncomfortable as he excused himself to enter the stadium well in advance of the crowds arriving.

Whilst the conversation with Tei was ongoing, Gary had also overheard Jono speaking to the ground’s director from earlier as he was addressing the man’s false belief in the Shembe cult. Jono had referred the director to Jesus saying “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6) in response to the director’s Shembe’s motto of: Shembe is the way. Who is telling the truth? The Son of GOD is Truth, He said so! Case dismissed, but Gary would agree that Shembe is the broad way to destruction (Hell)!

Surprisingly, Siphiwe Dlamini who heard the preaching last week in the rain came to the stadium’s South Gate to tell Gary, who was atop the box at the time, that he was travelling to Johannesburg by train that evening and he would see him next week. Gary had encouraged Siphiwe to read his Bible. This meeting was so unexpected and out of the ordinary, but encouraging. We hope to see how GOD orchestrates this meeting.

When the open-air preaching commenced it was fire ‘n brimstone preaching! The masses were confronted with the reality that unless they repent they all will perish in hell. Many were confronted with their idolatry, with their ancestral worship and some responded mockingly, but none who heard the preaching went away into the stadium not knowing that GOD hates their abominations and salvation can only be obtained through “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21). The Name of our Lord Jesus Christ reverberated around the precinct of the South Gate and the crowds were up close and personal. There was no chance they could not go away with out knowing their need of repentance and faith in uJesu Kristus!

 

Whilst, what appeared to be, some Maritzburg United supporters filed in through the turnstiles they asked for us to pray for a victory in their favour*. Gary advised them that they want prayers that are amiss, for on judgment day this match’s result will be insignificant as the result will not help them get into the Kingdom of GOD! Consider this – when spectators covet a victory when GOD forbids covetousness (see Mar 7:22; Luk 12:15; Rom 1:29; 2 Cor 9:5; Eph 5:3; Col 3:5; 1 Thess 2:5; Heb 13:5; 2 Pet 2:3 to mention a few) which covetous person should GOD listen to? remembering that many of the covetous prayers are made to the false gods of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Shembe, Roman Catholicism, and even consulting with the witchdoctors and ancestral spirits, to mention only a few abominations! We might not know why GOD allows some teams to win and others to lose, but HE is in control of all events for HIS own sovereign will and purpose! For we also read,

36  For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
37  Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
38  Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. ~ Mark 8:36-38

 

The majority attending the football matches are sadly “. . . lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;” (2 Timothy 3:4).

Kindly keep us in prayer for our next PSL football outreach, Lord willing, at the Harry Gwala Stadium’s South Gate, being this coming Tuesday evening 27th September, 2016 from 17:30 – 19:30

                              

Maritzburg United vs. Polokwane City

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Footnotes:

* For the record Maritzburg United lost 0-1 to SuperSport United.

> Maritzburg United 2016/17 Home Fixtures @ Harry Gwala – posted August 24, 2016

> My friends are dying . . . – posted September 16, 2016

‘HOLY WAR’ Against South Africa by Shaun Willcock

To any South African wanting to know the true history of South Africa from 6th April 1652, and even before then, when the Portuguese explorers Diaz and Da Gama sailed around the southern African coasts, until the 1994 ‘democracy’, this is a highly recommended book. The historical book ‘HOLY WAR’ Against South Africa authored by Shaun Willcock is a well documented and researched resource, and certainly a must read for any person wanting to know the truth of South African history and not the re-written version we have today. Karl Marx said: “The first battlefield is the re-writing of history.” This book above should be an academic history text book – for school, university and theological students, as well as for the average man on the street. This book is grounded in evangelical biblical truth which shows the hand of GOD in all that has transpired in South Africa.

Here is the INTRODUCTION quoted from pages 5-7 of the book:

In April 1994, after decades in which South Africa was literally torn apart by a Red revolution of horrifying proportions, the Communist-controlled African National Congress came to power in this great land. The Marxist murderers and other assorted criminals who jubilantly hailed the dawn of a “New South Africa” had bombed and burned, shot and stabbed their way to power, leaving in their wake tens of thousands of people dead, brutally exterminated in the name of “liberation”. In order to achieve their goals, they had to clamber over a veritable mountain of corpses, a mountain of their making.

The issue of South Africa became one around which the entire world united, as it had never united before. The world acted in concert to destroy it. This book sets forth a major reason for this unprecedented global focus: the ambitions of the Vatican, operating through powerful political channels that, on the surface, would appear to have no connects with the Vatican or the Roman Catholic religion at all. The world, however, can be a strange place, and full of surprises; for one thing, Roman Catholicism is a political as well as a religious system, with a centuries-old lust for total world domination, and no scruples whatsoever about how to achieve it; for another thing, political rulers will enter into the most unlikely alliances in order to achieve their own ambitions. And they are well aware of the power of religion to move men, even entire populations. One religion in particular, immensely influential on a truly global scale: Roman Catholicism, now holding sway over almost one out of every five people on earth.

This book documents the immense role played by the Roman Catholic system, that religio-political institution pretending to be a Christian church, in the South African revolution. But it was not alone in this. The Papal system, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations (Rev.17:5), was the mastermind, certainly; but its religious daughters, those supposedly “Protestant” institutions affiliated with the South African Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches, were also deeply involved in supporting the revolution, and their diabolical involvement is amply documented here. This book emphasises the undeniable fact that the revolution would never have succeeded were it not for the enthusiastic, active and sustained support of these religious institutions, which, in the name of Christ, blasphemously threw their weight behind the Communist revolutionaries; so that it can be said, without fear of contradiction, that in a very real sense this was a religious revolution. A revolution waged as much with terribly distorted interpretations of the Bible as with bullets. A revolution directed as much by those paying allegiance to the Vatican, and to Geneva, as to Moscow.

Wicked men, falsely claiming to be Christians, through the centuries have done many terrible deeds. But our own twentieth century is replete with examples of religious barbarity. In the first four years of the last decade of the twentieth century, over 50 000 people were killed, in South Africa, by savage revolutionaries urged on, every step of the way, by Roman Catholic and Protestant religious leaders. To many, this may seem unbelievable. yet it is all too horrifyingly true, as the accumulated evidence of many years makes plain. The book pulls no punches, and the author makes no apology for this. Religious institutions brought untold suffering to the peoples of South Africa, and the truth must be told, in order to rip away the mask of piety and holiness which they wear with such hypocrisy and effrontery. Multitudes are deceived by them. The author urges every reader to look to Jesus Christ, the holy, harmless, undefiled, spotless Son of the living God, and where those who claim to be his followers do not bear his image, they should be shunned for the deceivers that they are.

Part One is a brief history of South Africa, from its beginnings until 1910. This section gives important background information, and examines the subject from a biblical perspective, tracing the hand of God in the affairs of this country, and analysing the various events in the light of the Lord’s sovereign purposes for nations and individuals. Part One, then, gives the historical backdrop to Part Two.

Part Two is concerned with South Africa from 1910 (the year of the Union) onwards; its primary focus being the part played by the Vatican, and various Protestant institutions, in the Communist revolution which for so many years engulfed this country, and which was finally victorious.

What is written in these pages reveals that the Papal Harlot, the centuries-old enemy of the truth, remains what she ever has been, and ever will be; and that, in our day, Protestant institutions, daughters of the Harlot, have imbibed her fanatical belief that the end justifies the means – even if those means include terrorism, revolution, untold suffering and bloodshed.

The author has also been at pains to show that the true and living God, the God of the Bible, is in absolute and sovereign control of all events, great and small, that occur on this earth. His purposes are being accomplished. Nothing is by chance, nothing is by accident. And the knowledge of this glorious truth ought to be of immense comfort and encouragement to the true Christian, whether he lives in South Africa or in some other part of the world. For of this the author is certain: we live in momentous times. Behind the scenes, great plans are being set in motion by wicked men. Only in Christ is there peace. Only the true Christian can lift his eyes, as it were, to heaven, and see the Almighty God, the Lord of heaven and earth, upon his throne, in absolute control of all events. And only to the true children of God did the Lord Jesus Christ speak those lovely words: “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (Jn. 16:33).

Shaun Willcock 1994

This book, together with one of Shaun Willcock’s other books, which writer recommends too, titled The Madness of Multiculturalism*, speaks volumes as to why South Africa is presently a wicked, evil and depraved Marxist-communist nation under the wrath of Almighty GOD. This stems from the Vatican/ANC/SACP alliance who peddled a false gospel through their “liberation theology” and thereby deceived the majority of South Africans to be a part of the Harlot’s communistic revolution, which we continuously see being played out even today. History is repeating itself,

8  Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same. 
9  By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed. ~ Job 4:8,9

29  For our God is a consuming fire. ~ Hebrews 12:29

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Footnotes:

More articles by Shaun Willcock can be read at Bible Based Ministries.

* Description of The Madness of Multiculturalism book:

Cultural relativism is the false doctrine that all cultures are equally valid and good. And multiculturalism is the false doctrine that everyone must respect everyone else’s culture, and tolerate and even celebrate all cultural practices, so that all humans will live together in harmony as one big, happy, tolerant, multicultural family. But this is neither possible nor sensible. The fact is, multiculturalism is madness.

When we evaluate and judge cultures and cultural practices by the light of the Bible, we find that all cultures are definitely not equal; that those cultures which were once greatly influenced by Protestantism were superior to all others; and that no true Christian should respect cultural practices that are degraded and sinful. Cultural relativism and multiculturalism are being used to break down the influence and the superiority of western, once-Protestant-influenced culture, and they are simply two more weapons in Satan’s modern arsenal in his ceaseless war against the Lord Jesus Christ.

Evangelism at the United vs Sundowns Match, 2016/17

16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. ~ Romans 1:16 

This praise report is solely for GOD’s glory alone and that no attention be directed our-way! “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). On Wednesday 14th September 2016, Jono and Gary attended at the PSL football match between Maritzburg United and Mamelodi Sundowns that took place at the Harry Gwala Stadium. We arrived just after 17H30.

We started our evangelism outreach by speaking to the two stadium security members (<— at left) and shared with them the reason for our attendance outside the South Gate, as we did during the last football season. Whilst informing them that we were there to preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ calling all to “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21), we opened the Scriptures and related to an incident that took place at the corresponding fixture between the same two teams during season 2015/16, when racist comments were directed our way by a Sundowns supporter.[*] Clarity was given from Acts 17 where the apostle Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill and preached to the men of Athens concerning the UNKNOWN GOD. We made it known to them that we would be standing likewise to declare the Gospel of GOD by GOD’s decree. The Scripture specifically referred to, was,

26  And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; ~ Acts 17:26

We made reference to the accusation we were accused of for stealing the Africans’ land by the ‘Downs supporter and used the following analogy, that just as you have ‘whites’ in Europe, in Asia, in North and South America, in Australasia and here in Africa, so you also have ‘blacks’ in Europe, in Asia, in North and South America, in Australasia and here in Africa, because GOD “hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth.” Certain races cannot lay claim to being the sole custodians of certain land on earth to the exclusion of other races as GOD “hath determined the times before appointed” in which time era we find ourselves living where HE has appointed us to live, “and the bounds of their habitation” which is where GOD has decreed the inhabitants to live. GOD determines all and therefore we are proud to be Africans for our roots are in Africa, We were not born in Europe so we are therefore not European. Our forefathers might have been European, but by default it does not make us automatically European according to our place of birth.

However, we take comfort that we are “strangers and pilgrims on the earth” and “desire a better country, that is, an heavenly:” as we are reminded in Scripture concerning our heroes of the faith,

13  These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
14  For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
15  And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
16  But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. ~ Hebrews 11:13-16

The security were truly blessed and we learned as our conversation proceeded that they do profess the Lord Jesus Christ.

Praise YEHOVAH for opportunities to engage the youth with the Truth. As the early evening darkened and a light drizzle fell, Gary started to preach ‘atop-the-box’ and was approached by a youth who said he is ‘Jesus’! This blasphemy can only stem from false teachings where the youth think they can become ‘gods’, received from the false charismatic teachings that have come to our shores from wolf heretics like Creflo Dollar, and Kenneth and Gloria Copeland! By taking this young man through some of the Ten Commandments, he soon realised he is not the sinless Son of GOD, the Lord Jesus Christ. He was soon joined by his friend that wanted to argue for his ancestral spirits – those would be devils by the way! References were made to the Bible, but since he wanted to stay with his traditions and culture, Gary mentioned that if you are at school or university and you have to take a test, you cannot just write down whatever you feel like as an answer because you feel or think it is the right answer. If you don’t give the correct answer as per your text book you will be marked wrong and fail. Well, GOD has given us HIS perfect text book the Holy Bible and if you do not adhere to it you are going to fail irrespective of your belief in your traditions and culture! So they need to repent of their wicked ways and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ alone. They too, went away thanking us for sharing with them.

While preaching the holiness of GOD and man’s predicament of his sin come Judgment Day, various men stopped and listened intently to the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Whilst the rain fell sporadically, there was one particular man who remained the entire time and did not budge, whilst others came, listened and moved on . . .

The man in particular can be seen in the centre of the picture frame below with the beige jacket, beanie and black trousers.

After preaching the Law and the Gospel of grace for over an hour, Gary approached this one particular man and these were his first words when greeted: “How does a man get salvation?” Our Father had given us a divine opportunity to share from the Scriptures, to give writer’s testimony of the grace of GOD and challenge Siphiwe Dlamini to cry out to GOD for salvation and that he must seek GOD with all his heart and he will find HIM. Whilst fielding some questions from Siphiwe the heavens opened and we stood in a torrential downpour speaking about spiritual matters whilst ‘the world’, so it seemed, was trying to get into the stadium for the 19:30 kick-off. We spoke for about 20-minutes in the rain and Gary prayed with Siphiwe for GOD to open his understanding and draw him to HIMSELF. Siphiwe was given a Gospel Tract and he said he has an isiZulu Bible at home and wanted to know where to start reading from. Gary suggested the Gospel of John (Johan in isiZulu) and 1 John. He was truly thankful. Please keep Siphiwe Dlamini in prayer for his salvation and for all others who heard the Word and received Gospel literature. We rejoice in Christ that GOD allowed so many to hear about salvation through HIS Son, our Lord Jesus Christ!

Kindly keep us in prayer for our next PSL football outreach, Lord willing, at the Harry Gwala Stadium’s South Gate, being next Wednesday evening 21st September, 2016 from 17:30 – 19:30

                                 

Maritzburg United   vs.   SuperSport United

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Footnote:

* The Gospel . . . Racism and South African History – posted March 8, 2016

> Maritzburg United 2016/17 Home Fixtures @ Harry Gwala – posted August 24, 2016

My friends are dying . . .

. . . and though they be alive, they are dead men walking!

 

Dear friends,

This is a clarion call to all my past, present and future friends – a clarion call trumpeted to all known Football Association (soccer) players, managers, coaches, administrators, officials and referees i have had the privilege of meeting, playing for and playing against, and also having socialised with over the past years.

This cry out is pertinent at this most urgent time we live in. Being a member in two social media groups on Facebook – titled ‘Natal League’ and ‘The Old MDFA Soccer Days (Shamrocks, Pirates, Savages, Park Villa)’ – i take this opportunity to make right any wrongs i have committed against any individual or club team in the football (soccer) fraternity i had been a part of since my junior days at Fynnland FC on The Bluff, Durban in the early 1970s, at Empangela Park FC in Empangeni, Zululand and from 1980 at various clubs under the Pietermaritzburg and District Football Association (MDFA) and Natal Football Association (NFA). Please forgive me for any wrongs committed against you in our past playing days . . .

Since 1980, some would say i have had more ‘clubs’ than South African golfer Gary Player – having played at various stages for Pirates FC (U17 to Seniors MDFA and Natal League), Shamrocks FC (MDFA, Natal Premier Reserve League and The Witness Regional League), Howick FC (MDFA), Hearts FC (MDFA) and Savages FC (MDFA ‘Barflies’ and Over 35s) and as an ‘unofficial player’ for the University of Natal: Pietermaritzburg at the RAU Inter-Varsities Tournament in the 80’s!

Over the past few years or so, many of our generation of players and coaches have died and passed on into eternity. Some have hopefully died with a living hope, whilst others have sadly and tragically died with no hope at all and are damned for all eternity. It is for this very reason i come to you my friends, in love, with this message: My friends are dying and though they be alive, they are dead men walking!

Bill Shankly, a Liverpool manager on Merseyside from 1959–1974 is quoted as saying: “Some people believe football is a matter of life and death, I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.”[*] Well, the socialist William “Bill” Shankly came to realise on Tuesday 29th September 1981 at the age of 68 when he passed into eternity[**] that football is not “much, much more important” than life and death, when he died of a heart attack. The front page headline of the Liverpool Echo newspaper read: SHANKLY IS DEAD. It recorded the official Broadgreen Hospital statement: “Mr Shankly suffered a cardiac arrest at 00.30 am and was certified dead at 01.20. Shanks had been battling for life since he suffered a heart attack early on Saturday morning. He had been making good progress until his condition deteriorated yesterday morning and he was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit. His wife Nessie was by his side when he died.”

Dear friends, how will your epithet read one day when you pass from this life into eternity? Will you be remembered as having lived with a hope and being born-again? Or, will you be remembered as having wasted your life and being damned for all eternity? GOD’s Word tells us in advance, giving a clear warning, whether you believe it or not,

27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: ~ Hebrews 9:27

Friends, whilst we played our football according to the prescribed Football Association (FA) Laws, the matches always had foul play in them. As in life so in football – every law broken has a consequence to the lawbreaking: in football the consequences would be a free-kick, a penalty, a booking or a sending-off which latter offence would most likely have ended up in a suspension for the offending culprit, or the like.

Therefore, it is a no-brainer that whilst the games were played hard, they were certainly never fair. Lawbreaking of the Football Association Rule Book were always common place and practice. Be it stealing ground at throw-ins and free-kicks, lying about whether the ball came off your opponent last before going out of bounds with cries of “My Ball!!!”, cheating by pulling shirts, shorts or other body parts to gain an unfair advantage, diving illegally, or feigning injury or an unfair tackle to punish your opponent, or even more callously by deliberately “going over the top” which could result in a broken leg or ankle! These were the grievous deeds we mostly participated in – however a minority did try to play the game hard and fair – and whilst many of you might cry ‘foul’ and say it is the nature of the game, these actions were a direct result of a competitive and covetous spirit that lusted for vain glory – vanity of vanities!

Friends, our socialising after matches were also played hard. From my own experiences as many of you can vouch for back in the day; and yes, many of you too, have engaged in many of these following practices. Filthy and foul language used with open abandonment by and amongst ourselves, not even taking into consideration the ‘ladies’ or ‘elderly’ in our company, and engaging in crude joking. Drunkenness and vile affections were not only practiced but encouraged amongst our mates. Gossip and slander were often directed at some players and coaches and the referees and linesmen – often referred to as “The Three Blind Mice” – never escaped poisonous tongues, and sadly often carried the brunt and anger from the players for a lost game or decisions that never went a particular way. We also indulged in many late nights that carried on into the wee hours of the morning filling ourselves with copious amounts of poisonous alcoholic beverages, or maybe philandering and chasing after some skirt at nightclubs like Da Vincis, Crowded House, The Black Stag, Stables and at our various clubhouses amongst others  PMB Collegians, The Wanderers Club and the Midlands Club to mention but a few watering-holes.

In reality, by our actions it revealed to us that we were – and to a degree, many are still – wretched lawbreakers. The Holy Bible sums up lawbreakers as sinners. In 1 John we read,

4  Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. ~ 1 John 3:4

In this Scripture, the law mentioned is GOD’s commandments and not man’s football laws. Man has a real dilemma – for there is none that is righteous, no not one. Man is conceived and born into this world in sin as a result of Adam and Eve’s sin against GOD in the Garden of Eden, and as a direct result thereof mankind is already condemned unto a physical and a spiritual death until such time that he/she comes to “. . . repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (see Acts 20:21). We read about the soul that sins, and that each person is answerable for their own sin,

20  The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. ~ Ezekiel 18:20

So, how we have in time past, and even now in the present, conducted our lives as can be seen from the above descriptions, man’s actions are referred to most clearly in GOD’s Word. In the Bible, there is correction brought against the hypocritical Pharisees and scribes in a story in their day, which is still applicable for us today, where the Lord Jesus Christ says that a man is not defiled by eating with filthy hands for the things eaten passes through the body, but what comes out of a man is what defiles a man, for it is the issues of the heart, as we read,

20  And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
21  For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
22  Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
23  All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. ~ Mark 7:20-23

We further read of the serious predicament that sinful man has,

19  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 
20  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 
21  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. ~ Galatians 5:19-21

We can also read what the apostle Paul had to say to the church in Corinth,

9  Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 
10  Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 
11  And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. ~ 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Scripture tells us,

23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; ~ Romans 3:23

And therefore, not all are washed, not all are sanctified, and not all are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of GOD. Verse 11 of 1 Corinthians above was written to believers and not wretched sinners, for we read,

4  Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. ~ James 4:4

It is for this very reason that this plea is made to you, to humble yourself and cry out to GOD to save you, if HE is speaking to you by drawing you to HIMSELF, for none of your works righteousness’s (in other words, your bribes, your so-called good deeds, your filthy works, etc.) can get GOD to turn HIS wrath away from your account before HIM come Judgment Day! Even all the memories, the accolades, medals and trophies that you have accumulated through-out your football career is worthless and cannot save you,

36  For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
37  Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? ~ Mark 8:36,37

You are not ‘good enough’ in your own stead to receive GOD’s pardon come Judgment Day, if you are walking after the flesh and not the Spirit of GOD! Here, take a quick test using GOD’s perfect and righteous Law, The Ten Commandments (see Exodus 20:1-17; Deuteronomy 5:6-21) to see your plight when you have to give an account before the great white throne judgment seat – How many lies have you told in your life time? If you have told but just one lie you are a liar. Have you stolen anything – irrespective of the size or value of the object, including piracy of music CDs and film DVDs? If you have, that would render you as a thief. Have you looked at a person with lust of the heart – either in acts of heterosexual and/or homosexual lust? Jesus calls that adultery of the heart (see Matthew 5:27-30)! Or maybe idolatry is your violation of GOD’s Law. Idolatry is not only in a religion of idol worship, but idolatry can be a love of money, material possessions, sex, drugs, music, etc or maybe it is football players and teams which are your idols. For many years Liverpool Football Club, its players and the game of football in general was a deep-rooted idol in my life until i came to repentance and GOD delivered me from this idolatry. GOD sees all,

3  The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. ~ Proverb 15:3

GOD being good, perfect, righteous and holy therefore has a good, perfect, righteous and holy standard! Judging by GOD’s standard, any person breaking HIS commands would leave that person guilty of breaking GOD’s Law and therefore GOD must punish their sin! Scripture reads,

12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. ~ Revelation 20:12-15

Dear friends, if you have violated GOD’s commandments that would leave you guilty before the Judge of the Universe. We all must appear before GOD, as we read,

13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. ~ Ecclesiastes 12:13,14

10  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
11  Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. ~ 2 Corinthians 5:10,11

You have heard that old cliché: “You do the crime, you do the time.” Well, GOD will punish all sin wherever it is found, and so, if you are found to have transgressed GOD’s Law and is found to be a lying thief, an adulterer at heart, and an idolater (just to mention a few violations of GOD’s Law) then you are guilty as a criminal who should do the time! And GOD’s place of punishment is hell as a holding cell until Judgment Day which results in an eternal sentencing into the lake of fire as mentioned in Revelation 20:12-15 here-above.

Whilst “God is angry with the wicked every day” (Psalm 7:11b), GOD is also merciful and gracious. GOD is love (1 John 4:8,16) and HE shows HIS love by making a way for wretched sinners to be saved from HIS wrath, and reconciled back to HIMSELF,

16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 
20  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 
21  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. ~ John 3:16-21

As can be seen that the salvation of GOD is obtained through HIS Son Jesus Christ and not through the thousands upon thousands of man-made religious practices, customs and traditions! Man worships his plethora of idolatrous gods through his man-made cultic religions such as Roman Catholicism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, the ZCC, the TACC, Shembe Nazarenes, Seventh-Day Adventism, Jehovah Witnesses, Mormonism, the 38,000+ “ecumenical Protestantism denominations” (the Papacy’s harlot daughters) that have little unity in their doctrines and teachings, and atheism which is a religion of worshipping and serving the creation and not the Creator, as we read,

20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. ~ Romans 1:20-25

Yeshua haMessiach, the Lord Jesus Christ, said He is the ONLY WAY to GOD the Father when,

6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 
7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. ~ John 14:6,7

The prophecies of old that were prophesied by the prophets in the Old Testament concerning the Saviour came to pass as YEHOVAH (YHVH), the One and Only True and Living GOD, ordained it to be. GOD confirmed through the prophet Isaiah: “For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us” (Isaiah 33:22). In the Historical account when Mary was pregnant with the baby Jesus, she said: “My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour” (Luke 1:46,47). Jesus confirmed,

56  Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
57  Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
58  Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. ~ John 8:56-58

The Lord Jesus Christ used the very “I am” that YEHOVAH GOD used when HE spoke to Moses out of the burning bush concerning saving HIS people Israel out of Egypt,

14  And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
15  And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations. ~ Exodus 3:14,15

And Jesus also confirmed that “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30). For Jesus the Word (logos) has always existed from eternity to eternity, for “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation 1:8) for Jesus was in the beginning with GOD, as we read,

1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 
2  The same was in the beginning with God. 
3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. ~ John 1:1-3

14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. ~ John 1:14

Much more can be written concerning the Saviour Jesus Christ[†], but if you reject Jesus’ dying in your stead, a propitiation (a substitutionary atonement) on your behalf then you will be damned for all eternity. GOD can save you through HIS Son Jesus Christ. And ONLY through HIS Son, the Lord Jesus Christ! The Bible tells us that you must be born-again to see the Kingdom of God (John 3). For salvation is a work of GOD,

8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. ~ Ephesians 2:8-10

In closing, often when a bereavement takes place the common condolences’ message shared is “RIP so-and-so”. The “RIP” stands for “Rest In Peace.” Kindly bear in mind that unless the deceased person was born-again and had the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour of his/her life then that soul will experience peace with GOD, but if the soul dies without finding peace with GOD the wrath of GOD will still abide on that person, as we read,

36  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. ~ John 3:36 

Also football players do not go to a football heaven to kick footballs around with each other when they die. You will either be in heaven worshipping GOD or be in hell experiencing the torments of the fire. Today, while it is still today, find peace with GOD for you are not guaranteed another minute, another hour, or another day upon this earth. There are more people headed for hell than heaven, for Jesus warned,

13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. ~ Matthew 7:13,14

Do repent of your sins and believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ, for this is your only hope. You reject the Lord Jesus Christ, you reject GOD at your own peril!

38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. ~ Acts 2:38

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Footnotes:

* From the Bill Shankly website Own Words, we read:

Whether Shankly said the exact words… "Some people believe football is a matter of life and death, I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that," is maybe not exactly accurate, but he DID say when reflecting on the relationship between the Liverpool and Everton fans.
"I’ve seen supporters on Merseyside going to the ground together, one wearing red and white and the other blue and white, which is unusual elsewhere. You get families in Liverpool in which half support Liverpool and the other half Everton. They support rival teams but they have the same temperament and they know each other. They are unique in the sense that their rivalry is so great but there is no real aggro between them. This is quite amazing.
I am not saying they love each other. Oh, no. Football is not a matter of life and death… it’s much more important than that. And it’s more important to them than that. But I’ve never seen a fight at a derby game. Shouting and bawling… yes. But they don’t fight each other. And that says a lot for them."

** I do hope Shanks repented for I have not come across any information confirming that Bill Shankly had repented of his sins and surrendered his life to the Lord Jesus Christ. However, I have seen some of Shankly’s other quotes where he blasphemes the name of Jesus Christ.

† The Saviour of the world Scriptures ~

47And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. ~ Luke 1:47

11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. ~ Luke 2:11

42And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. ~ John 4:42

31Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. ~ Acts 5:31

23Of this man’s seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus: ~ Acts 13:23

23For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. ~ Ephesians 5:23

20For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: ~ Philippians 3:20

1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope; ~ 1Timothy 1:1

3For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; ~ 1Timothy 2:3

10For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. ~ 1Timothy 4:10

10But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: ~ 2Timothy 1:10

3But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour; 4To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour. ~ Titus 1:3, 4

10Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. 11For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. ~ Titus 2:10-14

4But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. ~ Titus 3:4-7

1Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: ~ 2Peter 1:1

11For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. ~ 2Peter 1:11

20For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. ~ 2Peter 2:20

2That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: 3Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. ~ 2Peter 3:2-4

18But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. ~ 2Peter 3:18

14And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. ~ 1John 4:14

25To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. ~ Jude 25