Did You Realize This Really Happened?

 Matt 23:37-39 - "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.  38 "Behold, your house is being left to you desolate!  39 "For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, 'BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!'"    NASU

• They Killed The Prophets

 What a conundrum we have here. The meaning of the word "Jerusalem" is thought by many to be the "city of peace". What do we have taking place in the "city of peace"?  The prophets, God's servants, are being murdered. They are being killed by one of the most painful deaths possible. They are being stoned to death.
 
Isn't it amazing how these men were sent by God to help the Israelites and they didn't like the prophet's messages so they killed them.
 
WOW!
 
I have been in the Lord's ministry for 40 years now and I haven't known any of God's servants who have been killed, but I have known a few who were fired. 

• The Message Will Not Be Killed

 One thing we all know is you can kill the messenger but you can't kill the message and especially if it is God's message that He wants to be told. They killed the prophets and Jesus Christ, but they were not able to kill the message.
 
We are living almost 2,000 years after Jesus' death and yet the message about Him continues to be spread throughout the world. The Bible is ban in countries like China and N. Korea yet the gospel is still preached there because you can't stop God's message from doing what it is supposed to do. Change people's lives for the better.
 
You may be a Christian and reading this Pump Up today. I would like to encourage you to continue to share the gospel message with those around you. People may hate you, not invite you to their Christmas parties and say all types of evil things about you, but remember they killed the prophets for speaking what God wanted to be spoken.
 
Jesus would die for our sins and be resurrected and because of this we can have our sins forgiven and share the message with those around us. Never forget this: people died for the message we get to share with others. 

• Jesus' Promise

 Jesus promised Jerusalem "the city of peace" that their house would be desolate. They tried in vain to silence the gospel message but they were the ones who were silenced. God allowed the Roman Army to conquer Jerusalem in 70 AD.
 
Religious people today are trying to silence the gospel by firing preachers for preaching God's Word. Yet, this isn't anything knew look what the apostle Paul said in the book of Acts 20:29-30 - "I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them…." 

• What Being A Christian Means

 It means you have to be on the look out for those around you. Not everyone who says they are Christian really are. Paul stated that "savage wolves" would enter the flock and would not spare them. These wolves would spiritually kill them.
 
What it means to be a Christian is it means to stay alert, be on guard and read God's Word so you will know when you are being lied to by the religious leaders. Remember it was the "religious leaders" who killed the prophets.
 
Stay Alert and Stay Alive.
 
Think About These:
 
The person who expects to go to heaven must take the time to study the route that will get them there.
 
The most popular religion today is CON-FUSION-ISM.

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

​Minister of God's Word