Musick-al Notes

Musick-al note # 213 

            No person really knows just what will happen on the earth when Jesus appears but several verses give some idea of some of the events.  The first that I think of is that every eye shall see him (Revelation 1:7), including those who crucified him.  Just how, I cannot comprehend but his coming will be like a flash of lightening that starts in the east and shines to the west but it’s brightness will continue as it did when Jesus met Paul on the way to Damascus (Acts 9:3-8, John 17:24).  He will be seen by everyone when he comes so the dead shall rise and see him (John 5:29).

            We also know that time will end (Revelation 10:6).  We think in the realm of ‘time’ – minutes, hours, days, past and future but the moment that God decrees, “time is no more” all these things are in now – the present tense.  As we are at that moment we will continue to be. There will be no time to repent, no time to change, no time to do good deeds.  Jesus has said, “Be ready” (Matthew 24:22) for he will come quickly.

            Many and varied will be the responses of men when he appears.  There will be great rejoicing by the faithful in Christ (Philippians 2:16-18).  He will be glorified and admired by those obedient to him (2 Thessalonians 1:10-12) so all of these will be happy to see and be welcomed by him.  They anticipate his coming, rejoice in his words and doing good deeds in his name and remain ready for his appearance (Luke 12:37-40).

            Great fear will come upon the multitude of the unbelieving and disobedient. They will amazed at his coming and great fear will come upon them. The sun will lose its light, the stars will fall and the sky will roll up (Revelation 6:12-14) and men will want to hide and be covered (Revelation 6:16).  They will see the wrath of God coming (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9) for with Jesus there will be his mighty angels in flaming fire to take vengeance on the disobedient and unbelieving people.  The end will come for God has revealed it. When? Only the Lord knows.

            A question for oneself, “Will I be ready?”  Yes, if I read, study, believe and obey His Word.  No, if I hide behind false teaching, good works, blindly follow blind teachers and refuse the very words of Jesus, God’s Son.

            Gordon Musick

Musick-al note # 212                      

            Jesus promised to come back for he own people (John 14:1-3) for he has gone to prepare a place for them.  When will he return?  A specific date is not revealed but only signs and happenings occurring before his coming (Matthew 24:1-34).  The day and the hour is known only to the Father (Matthew 24:36) and no man can foretell that date for it will come quickly (Matthew 24:37-39).

            The world has responded to this information in various ways, some reject and scorn the warning (2 Peter 3:2-7). Many go their own way and fill their wants and desires as best that they can without thought of others.  Many fill their innate desire for eternal life by following the teachings of men whose doctrines contradict the Word of God.  Some have rejected the Christ and honor men of renown by presenting then as true prophets of God, building religious groups that follow them.  Others declare that they follow Christ, but fail to keep his words, saying they are no longer needed or explaining them away in foolish explanations.

            What are believers to do ‘until Jesus comes’?  Often they are encouraged to work, teach, help the weak, support the lame, lift up the fallen, care for others in every way, encouraging each other to follow the Word of God.  Believers must be faithful to the Lord by following the words given by the apostles and the Lord Jesus (2 Peter 3:1-2) for Jesus said in Luke 6:46, “why call me Lord, Lord and do not the things I say?” and in John 14:23-24, “if you love me, you will keep my words, but if you do not love Jesus, you will not keep my sayings”. Being faithful to the Word of God is being faithful to Him.  Discount the Word of God and you belittle and disregard God. Many who profess to be following Christ have failed to study His Word to know what He has revealed and thus follow only what man has taught which may or may not be according to God’s Truth! Jesus said, “If you continue in my word you will know the truth and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). Let us all be followers of Christ Jesus and seek first his kingdom to do his will while in this world and when he comes, he will bless us in the world to come.

            Gordon Musick

Musick-al note # 211                      

            From the beginning of time, the greatness, power and righteousness of the invisible God has been shown to mankind through His creation of the world.  Man looked at the world, acknowledged that a supreme God created all things.  However they did not give honor and glory to His invisible majesty.  Men turned to vain theories that worshipped man and animals. Man refused to follow God’s divine will of doing right, foolishly thinking they were wise they changed His truth into a lie and worshiped the creation. God gave them over to their evil ways to do all they desired.  However from the Garden of Eden some believed and were lights that God used to inform mankind the blessings of doing His will and the wrath that follows when man forsakes His ways.  Both the blessings and wrath of God through the centuries should have taught man to be obedient to Him but to no avail.

            God is not willing for any to perish (2 Peter 3:9) and throughout the years His prophets taught men how they ought to live. These prophets were ignored, mistreated, abused and some were killed.  God continued His efforts to save man whom He loved by sending His Son, Jesus into the world (John 3:16). His sinless life was given to redeem man from sin by paying the ransom for the sins of all men (2 Timothy 2:6).  His death on the Cross of Calvary paid sin’s penalty (Ezekiel 18:4, Romans 6:23).  Since all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), we owe to Him an indebtedness that we can never repay! We have become a “bondservant” because Jesus has paid a “debt” which can never be erased by the individual himself. 

            Jesus has “bought” us (1 Corinthians 6:20) with the price of his own blood.  He paid the “debt” of sin which none can pay for the wages of sin is death (Ezekiel 18:4, Romans 6:23). The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord for He is now at the right hand of God and is the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him (Hebrews 5:9).  He is able to save all who will come to Him in faith and in obedience to Him, He erases our sin in His blood when we are baptized into Him (Acts 22:16).  If we refuse, God will not force us but by love, He seeks to draw every man to do His divine will that man might live with Him eternally in heaven.

            Gordon Musick

 Musick-al Note # 210 

          In a mad rush through life, most men have forgotten that this is God’s world, and try to run it as if it belonged to them.  This is a restless age, and full of the spirit of revolt.  Men and women do not know what they want.  About all that they know is, that they are not satisfied with things as they are. These restless people need a program of life that will require them to stop at regular intervals, and rest in a quiet place where they can be with God for reflection and prayer.  Many are living under clouds of despair, and do not know where to look for hope.  They do not know that their souls refuse to rest in peace until they put their trust in God.  Their souls suffer just as surely when it is deprived of God, as the body does when it is deprived of food. If a man gets everything else he wants, without satisfying his spiritual nature, he will still be like a fish out of water.  Some of the unhappiest people we know are those who have achieved every earthly ambition and stopped with their soul famished.

         A person is satisfied when harmony prevails between himself and his circumstances, when the outward conditions of life blend with the instincts and desires of the heart.  While there is a continual collision between what a man has and what he wants, there will be dissatisfaction.  Therefore one must either change his circumstances so they will suit him, or change himself to suit the circumstances, and the problem is best solved by doing a little of both. When one has succeeded in equalizing the internal demand with the external supply, he will be satisfied.  Recognizing the longing of the soul to be at rest with God, one can change the desires of the mind and heart to meet and fulfill their spiritual need and so be at peace with himself.  We often get the telescope of life turned the wrong way.  We look in at the big end and out at the little end, and fail to see life in its true perspective.  Life is not measured by the abundance of things possessed but by the use made of possessions.  Things can never in and of themselves make a man nor the absence of them destroy true life Luke 12:15).  How foolish then to waste all of life in the pursuit of things when they are not the measure of life.  How much more secure are they who spend time in the pursuit of spiritual life to lay up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:20).

            Gordon Musick

Musick-al note # 209                         

           When God’s purpose for the earth is ended, the Scriptures state that God will destroy the earth.  2 Peter 3:10-13, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of persons ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be kindled and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire! But according to his promise we wait for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”  Notice the words “pass away”, “dissolved”, “burned up”, and “melt with fire”.  These words certainly describe the destruction of the earth.  This is not a revamping, reworking, remodeling of the old but the destruction of the old earth with an entirely new world coming into being.  Hebrews 1:10-12 And, “Thou, Lord, didst found the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of thy hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all grow old like a garment, like a mantle thou will roll them up, and they will be changed. But you art the same, and your years will never end.”  Notice these words, “perish”, “grow old”, “like a mantle – be rolled up” and “be changed”.  These words also indicate that this world and its heavens will not endure forever.  The phrase “like a mantle, be rolled up, be changed” do not indicate a remaking but the taking away of the old and putting on of a new, as one takes an old garment from his back and puts on a new garment.  Therefore it makes no sense to argue about whether a thing will happen or not if God has spoken.  He will bring His will to pass and no man can stay his hand or stop it from happening.  What we need to be concerned about is whether we are doing the will of God that He has revealed for us to do.  We must obey the Gospel of Christ or be lost (2 Thess. 1:7-10). We must worship God without adding the doctrines of man or our worship is vain (Matt. 15:9).  We must live daily lives that are pleasing to Him or be destroyed (Matt. 7:21-27).   In order to do this we must study and follow the Word of God that is revealed by His Son, Jesus Christ.  (Heb. 1:1-2).

            Gordon Musick

Musick-al note # 208                   

            The number of 144,000 from Israel mentioned in Revelation 7, I consider these figures to be figurative since they all come from the twelve tribes of Israel with each tribe being 12,000. Since God judges the hearts, each person from Israel who seeks God with a pure heart will be saved.  This language can be saying that when all who do right before God are saved, the completeness will be finished.  Continue to read in Revelation 7:9-14, “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”  And all the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever.  Amen.  Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.” Notice the “multitude which no man can number” are those who are made pure in the blood of the Lamb.  There is room for all who will come to Jesus for salvation.  His promise stands firm and steadfast, “Whosoever will may come and he that comes to me I will in no wise cast him out” (John 6:37).

            Again, let me point out that the book of Revelation is written in prophetic language and though saying one thing may also be speaking of something altogether differently.  I am no expert on Biblical languages nor in the interpretation of the book of Revelation. It seems to follow that those who are adulterers, fornicators, effeminate, homosexuals, lesbians, lascivious and practice all unclean sexual acts are to be counted among those who are defiled (1 Corinthians 6:9, Galatians 5:19) and will not be in heaven. It is most important to keep ourselves pure from evil, sinful practices. 

           Gordon Musick

                                                                                                                                                         

 Musick-al note # 207      

            God loves all mankind and has done everything that is possible to have man follow His will that He can bless man with eternal life with Him in heaven.  Through the centuries, He has sought to teach man that disobedience will bring death and separation from Him.  In love, God sent His son, Jesus, into the world to save all men (John 3:16) through faith in Him.  Jesus came and paid the ransom for the sin of everyone (1 Timothy 2:6) but was rejected by his own, but as many who received him, he gave them the power to become sons of God (John 1:11-13).  BUT not everyone believes, thus not everyone uses the power to become sons of God!  Paul’s discourse on salvation reveals that the Gospel of Christ is the power of God to save everyone (Romans 1:16).  In his words on baptism, Paul stated that when a person obeyed a form of this doctrine, they became free from sin and servants of righteousness (Romans 6:17-18). The Gospel of Christ is the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) and baptism is a form of that same teaching. To obey from the heart, one must believe that Jesus is the Christ, turn from all sins in repentance in dying to sin, burying that old man in water, being raised from the water to a new life free from the bondage of sin, able to serve in righteousness before God BUT not everyone accepts the Word of Truth but instead devises plans of their own.  God has made it known that those who accept His Word and follow His Son, Jesus will be saved (John 14:6, Acts 4:12, Hebrews 5:9).

            We must give earnest heed to the message from God (Hebrews 2:1-3) for the Bible reveals that every message given through angels was binding and disobedience brought retribution on the disobedient.  How can we even think that we can change God’s Words and be guiltless?  We must be diligent students to read with discernment so we can avoid the snares of a lying Satan whose teachings would separate us from the living God.

            Gordon Musick

Musick-al Note # 206            

           I am one who dropped out.  I drive past the building once in a while, and recall that I used to worship there and study God’s word in the Bible classes.  I meet some friends from time to time, and find that they also have ceased to attend.  Occasionally I meet people who continue to go, but never seem able to get from them any reason why I should return.  You who continue to attend with others to worship God do not know or seem to care what caused me to drop out.  Perhaps I needed a friend, and found none.  Or maybe I needed help to live my life, and you did not seem to offer much.  At any rate, I dropped out.  I no longer go to church or to Bible class, AND YOU DID NOT EVEN TRY TO FIND OUT WHY!

          This thought has a fearful import for every Christian\.  Will someone be lost because we did not care about them?  Are we so self-satisfied that no one else matters?  Let it not be said of us!  This is why we urge the attendance of every member at EVERY SERVICE.  Is that too much to expect?  Is the church really the kingdom of God, founded and led by the Lord Jesus – or just another human organization?  Does worshipping God, and Christian fellowship mean no more than an hour of rest or entertainment?  Do Christians have to be begged and petted into attending that which should have first place in their lives?  Do we attend only to have our ears tickled that all is well and peaceful as we go about our usual lives?  Is there no more to our service than listening for half an hour to the preacher’s homily and then leave to forget everything that was said?            Can we not find a better reason to attend than these which show no indication of loving the Lord Jesus?

            Christ died for our sins enabling men to live through eternal ages with Him?  Let’s wake up to our opportunities to show love for Christ and one another.  We should strive to use every meeting to exalt Christ Jesus in teaching, singing and praying so that everyone will be encouraged and desire to follow Him.  It is good to greet friends and acquaintances but we must always be aware of others who come and include them.  We must not fail to be aware of any who are no longer attending or only attend occasionally and encourage them to live for Christ Jesus.  Help them understand that our eternal destiny depends upon our living for Christ Jesus while on earth.  Our joy in His salvation is to share it with others so let us be careful that we leave none out.  

             Gordon Musick

Musick-al note # 205

            When Jesus went to the land of the Gergesenes he met two persons possessed with a legion of demons (Matthew 8:28).  It was the demons who spoke with knowledge of Jesus and not the two who were possessed.  Satan and all his demons apparently knew Jesus as Deity for every confrontation with them shows that they had knowledge of Him.  Knowing that Jesus is the Son of God, and knowing their destiny as disobedient subjects of God, these demons asked Him, “Have you come to torment us before the time?” (Matthew 8:29).  The eternal doom of Satan and all demons is the pit of fire called “hell” (Matthew 25:41).  They did not want to begin their eternal punishment before the time!  After time is over and Judgment is past, the righteous will go to life everlasting and the Unrighteous will go with Satan and his angels to be cast into the pit of fire.  That is the time they mentioned and they did not wish to go until they had to!

            They requested for Jesus to allow them to go into the herd of swine?   Jesus allowed them to do so.  Jesus could have just “cast them out” but they had to go somewhere and they chose the swine over being cast into the pit!

            What did it profit the owners of the swine when they drowned in the lake?  They were more concerned with physical loss than in the wholeness of the man.  Are we sometimes so concerned about physical possessions that we fail to see what great things that Jesus is able to do for us spiritually. The owners of the swine came to where Jesus was and begged Him to leave their country.  All they could think of was that they could lose more possessions! They had no concern for the healing of the demon-possessed men.  They took no thought for the great spiritual blessings that Jesus was able to give to them.  They had lost some pigs but gained a whole man and could have gained salvation for their own souls.  Yet they chose possessions over the priceless treasures He gave!  Are we only concerned about the many physical things we have or are we concerned about the salvation of men?

            Gordon Musick

Musick-al Note # 204
One of the greatest assets in our age of technology is man’s ability to produce products which are very dependable. Time pieces – both watches and clocks – are purchased with confidence in their keeping correct time. Automobiles, tractors, trucks and all manner of machines are purchased because man can depend on their doing such work when one wants it done. Should any fail – once – we usually have repairmen to correct the fault. Should said machine fail twice or more, we either discard it and buy another or trade it for a more dependable model.
This asset is needed in the Church of our Lord. We lose much of our effectiveness because a number of brethren just cannot be counted on to be regular and zealous members. Many special works are hampered because immature, unreliable members schedule out-of-town trips because of selfish interests. Gospel meetings are ill attended, as are singing schools, area fellowships, youth meetings, personal work sessions, teacher training series and almost any special effort that is designed to help Christians live and work for Christ.
One of the songs in our books, “Can He Depend on You?” has a great message. The cause of Christ suffers because so few must do so much of the work. Are you a shirker or a worker? Will Jesus say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant?”
Gordon Musick