November 27 , 2020
The Wicked Will Be Turned Into Hell
J . C . Ryle
Let others hold their peace about Hell if they will . I dare not do so . I see it plainly in Scripture and I must speak of it . I fear that thousands are on that broad road that leads to it and I would fain arouse them to a sense of the peril before them .
What would you say of the man who saw his neighbor ’ s house in danger of being burned down and never raised the cry of “ fire !” Call it bad taste , if you like , to speak of Hell . Call it charity to make things pleasant and speak smoothly and soothe men with a constant lullaby of peace .
From such notions of taste and charity may I ever be delivered ! My notion of charity is to warn men plainly of their danger . My notion of taste is to declare all the counsel of God . If I never spoke of Hell , I should think I had kept back something that was profitable and should look on myself as an accomplice of the Devil .
Beware of new and strange doc trines about Hell and the eternity of punishment . Beware of manufacturing a god of your own : a god who is all love , but not holy ; a god who has a Heaven for everybody , but a Hell for none ; a god who can allow good and bad to be side by side in time but will make no distinction between good and bad in eternity .
Such a god is an idol of your own , as really as Jupiter or the monstrous image of Juggernaut , as true an idol as was ever molded out of brass or clay . The hands of your own fancy and sentimen - tality have made him .
He is not the God of the Bible
Editor ’ s Notes
■ Continued from p 2■
was here Sunday through Wednes - day and I was here Monday and Tuesday nights .
Although the COVID issue has affected their ministry , they have made the necessary adjustments and kept moving along . Pastor Kerley told me that they baptized three on Sunday and that the COVID circumstances have actually brought people to them .
Because I was still battling fatigue , I asked to preach first both nights . The Lord gave both Brother Ham - b lin and me good liberty . The folks were very responsive to what we gave them in each service . I also heard from a number of people who were watching on Facebook Live .
Cornerstone Baptist Church is really a miracle on the mountain . What the Lord has done to bless Brother Kerley and his people is indeed miraculous .
If you live in Crossville , Putnam County or anywhere near there , you really should go visit them sometime soon .
With Much Thanks
Yes , Betty and I again want to thank all of you who prayed for us while we were down with COVID . Al though some fatigue is still a daily issue , all the COVID symptoms are long since gone . The fatigue lingers , but each day is just a little better . We are grateful for all your prayers and well wishes .
We are also grateful to all of and besides the God of the Bible there is no God at all . Your heaven would be no Heaven at all . A heaven containing all sorts of characters mixed together indiscriminately would be miserable discord indeed .
Alas for the eternity of such a heaven ! There would be little dif - ference between it and Hell . Ah , reader , there is a Hell ! Take heed lest you find it out too late .
Beware of being wise above that which is written . Beware of forming fanciful theories of your own and then trying to make the Bible square with them . Beware of making selections from your Bible to suit your taste — refusing like a spoiled child whatever you think is bitter and seizing like a spoiled child whatever you think is sweet .
What is all this but taking Jehoiakim ’ s penknife and cutting God ’ s Word to pieces ? What does it amount to but telling God that you — a poor , short-lived worm — know what is good for you better than He ? It will not do ; it will not do .
You must take the Bible as it is . You must read it all and believe it all . You must come to the reading of it in the spirit of a little child . Dare not to say , “ I believe this verse , for I like it . I receive this , for I can understand it . I refuse that , for I cannot reconcile it with my views .”
“ Nay but , O man , who art thou that repliest against God ?” ( Rom . 9:20 ). By what right do you talk in this way ? Surely it were better to say over every chapter in the Word , “ Speak , LORD ; for thy servant hear - eth ” ( I Sam . 3:9 ).
Ah , reader , if men were to do this , they would never try to throw overboard the doctrine of the eternal punishment of the wicked . “ And these shall go away into everlasting punishment : but the righteous into life eternal ” ( Matt . 25:46 ). ❚
you who have stood by the Sword of the Lord , given generously and kept us going during all the COVID stresses of 2020 . We believe the Lord ’ s work , the ministry entrusted to us , is a big deal .
Consequently , we have kept our focus and continued to make the ministry fruitful each and every day . For those of you who partner with us , I want you to know that you are a big factor in the success and fruitfulness of our labors . Sincerely , I thank you .
With December upon us , I am excited about Christmas . I ’ m serious when I tell you I look forward every year to the Christmas season . I love the music of Christmas and I love preaching the themes related to the birth of Christ from the Scrip ture . I also look forward to Christmas fellowship with our family and with our Sword workers .
If I may quote Dr . John R . Rice , yes , indeed , “ I love Christmas .”
Then I look forward to New Year ’ s Day ! A new year gives us a bit of motivation for a fresh start . And after all that has gone on in 2020 , a fresh start seems to me to be a worthy aspiration for January .
Dear friends , God bless you and do stay in touch .
As always ,
SWORD OF THE LORD 3
The Return of Christ
The first message of Christ which He sent back by the two men on the Mount of the Ascension was “ this same Jesus , which is taken up from you into heaven , shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven ” ( Acts 1:11 ).
Throughout the epistles , with almost no exception , the hope set before the believer is His return the second time . The final book of the Bible deals almost exclusively with the fact and the events preceding , accompanying and following this glorious event , the second coming of Christ .
The time of Christ ’ s return for His church is not known to anyone . All attempts to fix dates or hours are unscriptural delusions and snares . All predictions concerning the exact moment of Christ ’ s return are false and born either of ig - norance or an attempt to deceive for the purpose of attracting atten - tion or publicity .
The Christian should shun all those who attempt to set dates for the return of the Lord . While the Bible does warn against setting the day and the hour , it also definitely tells us that we may know approxi - mately the time and the season of His return .
The apostle Paul , in writing concerning the return of the Lord Jesus , tells us plainly what to expect .
“ But of the times and the seasons , brethren , ye have no need that I write unto you .
“ For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night .
“ For when they shall say , Peace and safety ; then sudden destruction cometh upon them , as travail upon a woman with child ; and they shall not escape .
“ But ye , brethren , are not in dark - ness , that that day should overtake you as a thief .
“ Ye are all the children of light , and the children of the day : we are not of the night , nor of darkness .
“ Therefore let us not sleep , as do others ; but let us watch and be sober .”— I Thess . 5:1 – 6 .
This passage tells us that while the coming of Christ will surprise the world , as a thief , it will in no way be a surprise to the children of God who know the Bible and the signs of the times . Paul states clearly that while we may not fix the day nor the hour , we can know
December 13 ( Sunday a . m . and p . m .)
Blessed Hope Baptist Church 9251 North State Road 59 Jasonville , Indiana
Jerry Ross , pastor 812-665-3282
December 20 ( Sunday a . m . and p . m .)
Maranatha Baptist Church 1111 West Broadway Madisonville , Kentucky
Chris Whim
Prescriptions for Pandemics
“ A time to weep , and a time to laugh .”— Eccles . 3:4 .
We need both as one helps offset the other . Why ?
“ A merry heart doeth good like a medicine : but a broken spirit drieth the bones .”— Prov . 17:22 .
“ A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance : but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken .”— 15:13 .
I have compiled humorous articles from my book My Laugh Lines as prescriptions for a pan - demic to give you an escape and replace gloom with gladness and weariness with wit . So during a pandemic , take my prescription of one large dose of humor until you smile or maybe even laugh .
Children ’ s Church
Teacher : What are you drawing ? Girl : I ’ m drawing God .
Teacher : No one knows what God looks like .
Girl : They will in a minute .
• • •
Teacher : Why should you be quiet in church ?
Girl : Because people are sleeping .
• • • Teacher : We have studied the
the times and the seasons .
To illustrate this , Paul uses the very striking figure of an expectant mother . We may know approxi - mately the time of a child ’ s birth , but the exact day and hour cannot be predicted by even the most learned obstetrician .
We can know about the season , or the time ; but as to the exact hour or the day , this remains a secret . Now that is the figure which Paul uses very interestingly in discussing the time of Christ ’ s return . He says we do not know the date or the day but we may know the times and the seasons and have been sufficiently informed as to the signs which will indicate the time of Christ ’ s coming again .
As each day passes without His return and the signs increase in intensity , we can say each day with greater emphasis and greater certainty that we are living nearer to the end time . We have a right to expect the return of our Lord Jesus Christ at any moment .
— M . R . DeHaan
LORD , how are they increased that trouble me ! many are they that rise up against me . Many there be which say of my soul , There is no help for him in God . Selah . But thou , O LORD , art a shield for me ; my glory , and the lifter up or mine head I cried unto the LORD with my voice , and he heard me out of his , and he heard me out of his , holy hill . Selah
Psalm 3:1 – 4
kings and queens in the Bible , but who is higher ?
Boy : That ’ s easy — aces .
• • •
Edith : Mom , my name is in the Bible ! “ This man receiveth sinners , and eateth with them .”
• • •
Teacher : Can you name Jere - miah ’ s horse ?
Child : Isme . Jeremiah always said , “ Woe is me .”
• • •
Teacher : Can you name the angels ?
Boy : Gabriel , Michael and Harold . Teacher : Harold ?
Boy : “ Hark the Herald ” angels sing .
• • •
Teacher : If I join the church , can I go to Heaven ?
Answer : No !
Teacher : If I am baptized , can I go to Heaven ?
Answer : No ! Teacher : How can I go to Heaven ? Small boy : You ’ ve gotta die .
Children and Hymns
“ And He walks with me and He talks with me ”— Andy , they ’ re sing - ing about you !
“ He broke the bonds of prison for me ”— He bought a box of presents for me .
“ He taught me how to watch and pray ”— He taught me how to wash and spray .
Miscellaneous
As the boy was being taken outside by his father for acting up , he yelled to the church , “ Please pray for me .”
• • •
Mother : Don ’ t cry , Sweetie . Your cat is now in Heaven .
Girl : What does God want with a dead cat ?
• • •
Little boy to bully after drawing a line in the dirt : Step over that line . Good , now we are on the same side .
Dickens said , “ It was the best of times ; it was the worst of times .” We know exactly what he meant . But even during a pandemic we need a time to laugh or maybe smile . Sing this chorus :
You can smile when you can ’ t say a word .
You can smile when you cannot be heard .
You can smile when it ’ s cloudy or fair .
You can smile anytime , anywhere .
— A . H . Ackley
Now try smiling while you sing it again . Did you smile ? If you did , this article was not in vain . If you see someone without a smile , give him yours . Share with others . This is one of my prescriptions for pandemics .
❚