No Corners Cut, No Pacifying, No Round-About Way

By Lou Coleman

According to Jesus, there are some who claim to be Christian, yet who are still lost and headed to Hell! What a startling communication. A statement by Jesus that engages and holds my attention appears near the end of the Sermon on the Mount [Matthew 7:21]. He says, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but ONLY HE WHO DOES the will of my Father who is in heaven. God makes it clear that not all who profess Him possess Him!  I tell you, “Everybody talkin’ ’bout Heaven ain’t goin’ there – O my Lord.” This should awaken us to examine the quality of our obedience to God— above all else. It is clear that Jesus is telling us that there will be some who will think they are saved and in reality they are deceived. Tragic!

Why would I believe this? Because the Bible has much to say about this matter:  “For many are called, but few are chosen.” [Matthew 22:14]. The parable of the Wheat and the Tares [Matthew 13:24-30; 13:36-43]. Paul also knew that there would be some in the church who would be fooled by their profession [2 Corinthians 13:5]. Simon Peter also mentioned this phenomenon, “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall” [2 Peter 1:10].

Listen, Heaven is prepared for those who are prepared [Hebrew 11:13-16]. Your life affects your eternity, [Galatians 6:7-10; Romans 2:5-11] and Jesus warned to live right! [Luke 13:3, 5; 1 Peter 4:1-6]. The shock is that many who call Jesus Lord will be sent by God to eternal hell. We do not want to be ignorant, deceived or wrong about our future beyond the grave. Do not take this lightly. Remember, the gospel is always a command. So, how can we be certain that we enter the kingdom, that we struggle, strive, agonize in the right way, you may ask? Read [Luke 13:22 – 13:35] which is primarily about heaven and how to gain entrance into it. Do not be deceived. Hell is full of people who admired Jesus, the Bible, even the Sermon on the Mount. Hell is full of people who admire Christians. Hell is full of people with empty words and empty hearts, who will claim right up to the end to be worshippers of God and Christ. Don’t deceive yourself, be sure.

The Bible says that if we will confess our sins, God will be faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness. Write [Revelation 20:11-15] in your membrane. That passage tells us that God has a record of every sinful thing everyone has ever done and that each individual will have to stand before Him one day and give a personal account for their sins. Can you imagine the desperation a person will feel when they hear Christ say, “Depart from Me for I never knew you?” Tragic!  Hopelessly lost for eternity! Don’t wait until it’s too late! Seize the opportunity to enter the kingdom.

It is my prayer that you will allow the Spirit of God to speak to your hearts today. It may be that there are some who have never been truly saved. Perhaps this is the day when you will meet Jesus as your Savior. Maybe there are those who think they are saved, but in truth, you’re not. I am praying that God will speak to your heart today! Perhaps there are those who know you have never been converted. There is no better time than right now to get that taken care of. My friend, you had better be sure where your faith is today! Why? Your eternity depends on what you trust in! Remember, not everyone gets to go to Heaven!

By Lou Coleman

Recently I spoke with a young lady. She is a Christian, but she refuses to go to church anymore. You know what her excuse for not going is, “Everybody there’s a hypocrite,” she says. They are so phony. They live one way all week and another on Sunday’s.” Please tell me you’re not the one she’s talking about?  You see one of the biggest excuses the world uses to rationalize why they don’t come to church or are not Christians is the hypocrite excuse. “I don’t go to church because it’s full of hypocrites.” “Who needs church if the people in it are no more genuine than the people outside it?”

Listen, we cannot be phony Christians who nullify our witness by our deeds. William Barclay once said, “A man’s message will always be viewed in context with his character.” In other words, your message don’t mean squat if your actions don’t follow suit. [Titus 1:16] says, “They claim to know God, but by their actions deny Him.” You’re not the one this verse is referring too are you? I want to know; because there is probably no greater a curse on the church than that of hypocritical [phony Christians]. You see the world is not so much turned off by what we preach. They are turned off by the fact we don’t practice what we preach. We don’t walk the talk we talk. That’s why [1Peter 2:1] instructs us to, “rid ourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.” We cannot be phony Christians who turn the world off because we fake our relationship with God. Just going through the motions! They aren’t fooled. We must be aware that our deeds affect the lost. [1 Peter 1:21] says, “Live such good lives among the pagans that though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”

You know a few years back the Coca Cola Bottling Company decided to start a new campaign to sell Coca Cola. They called it the “Real Thing.” Because they found that people are searching for authenticity. And so it is in our world; people are looking to see if we are the “Real Thing.” Authentic followers of Christ! I tell you we must live our life of authenticity and character so that there will be no doubt in their minds about who we are and Whose we are.

Let me tell you a story. “Once upon a time a grouchy old Deacon was teaching a boy’s Sunday school class. He wanted to help them understand what a Christian was, so he asked them a question. He asked, “Why do people call me a Christian?” There was a moment of silence and then one of the boys said, “Maybe it’s because they don’t know you.” Just like that little boy, Jesus always told it just like it was. He told the Pharisees and the scribes exactly what they were. He told His disciples exactly what resided within the hearts of men. Pretending to be something they were not! I don’t know about you but I would rather be called anything than a hypocrite! Therefore as [Titus 2:7-8] instructs us, “In everything [let us] set the world an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about you.”

I tell you, our day-to-day living must become genuinely more and more Christ-like, and not just fake it. We should never be false or defeated Christians. Even if everyone around you seems hypocritical—or even if no one else around you is a Christian—you need to be a real Christian. That is your calling. You need to stand out from the

By Lou Coleman

Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing… Pretending to be something they are not…. Invoking the name of Jesus; calling Him, “Lord”, dressing to kill, brandishing angelic smiles, speaking with confidence and eloquence, carrying large bibles, peppering sermons with cries of “Hallelujah!” “Praise the Lord!” and “Amen!” Woe unto you Jesus declares, “Destroying and scattering the sheep of [His] pasture!” Therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel concerning the shepherds who are tending My people: “You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them; behold, I am about to attend to you for the evil of your deeds,” declares the LORD.… [Jeremiah 23:1].  You must know that those who do not faithfully preach and teach only Christ will be cut off, discarded, and cast into the fire. This is God’s verdict. The word from the LORD that the prophet Jeremiah wrote down is extremely clear, straightforward and plain.” Sound the alarm!

This message is not for God’s sheep in the pews but for the false prophets, apostles, pastors, teachers, preachers, bishops and priests themselves.  It is a woe pronounced on you by the God you say you serve! “By your words you are justified and by your words you will be condemned.” Your words will fall like a sword of judgment upon your own necks. You have prophesied lies to the people.  You have taught them after the imaginations of your own hearts and you have not heard from God.  You have taught false doctrines.  You tell the people that no evil will come upon them; they will be ruptured out before the end time; before bad things start to happen–the fall of the one world system.  But that is a lie! Why do you insist on taking Scripture out of context to make it appear as if your lies are God’s truth, instead of obeying [2 Tim 2:15] and expositing Scripture in context, [Nehemiah 8:8]? Woe unto you!

Listen, God is not fooled by a false prophet and He does not want His people to be fooled by them either. The section of the Sermon on the Mount found in [Matthew 7:15–20] deals with this very critical need for all believers. What God unfolds for us is the right way to judge hidden things! A false prophet does not wear a sign that declares his status. Instead, he masquerades as one of God’s faithful while sounding forth a message that he claims comes from God. What is a believer to do? How can a believer preserve himself from the snares set by any false prophet? How can you judge the hidden things?

First, accept The Challenge found in [verse 15 of Matthew chapter 7]. Beware! Christ’s command is to be discerning. The challenge for the “sheep” is to detect every hidden wolfish intention and nature disguised as God-fearing morality and demure harmlessness. Second, take a lesson from Common Sense found in [verse 16]. Third and fourth, observe what Every Man Can Only Do found in [verse 17] and what Every Man Cannot Do in [verse 18]. Man can only produce fruit that is generated by their inner nature and they cannot produce fruit that is not descended from their nature. A false prophet is one who claims to speak for God but, in his word or deed, diminishes the incomparable majesty of God or downplays the superlative sacrifice of Christ, thus showing his true nature.

Recall Jesus warning that false teachers would be on the rise through history, culminating in the vast and powerful deception of the last days [Matthew 24:24-25]. Beware! “See,” Jesus said, “I have told you beforehand.” He was warning us to be prepared. Do not be quick to embrace every teaching that comes from the pulpit. Learn to sift the teachings that have been given to you through the filter of the Scriptures. The Word of God will expose that which is error and that which is truth. You must pay attention to what God’s Word is saying. If what you are hearing is not lining up with the Word of God, you would save yourself from deception and heartache if you would just learn how to spit out the bones [Hebrews 13:9.] I tell you, there are few things more important to hear than the warning Jesus gives us in [Matthew 7:15-20]. He begins with the word “Beware . . .” and we should always take it very seriously whenever Jesus tells us to “beware” of something.

I want you to know that God’s true prophets had a practical office to discharge. It was part of their commission to show the people of God their transgressions and the house of God their sins. This means that they functioned as both pastors and ministerial monitors of the people of God. It was their duty to admonish and caution, to denounce prevailing sins, to warn the people of the terrors of divine judgment, and to call them to repentance. They also brought the message of consolation and forgiveness. They were the watchmen set upon the walls of Zion to blow the trumpet to timely warn of approaching danger. Beware: Not everyone who claims to teach the truth really does.

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

God says, [Revelation 3:15-16], “[He] knows thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: [He] wish thou were cold or hot. But because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, [He’s] going to spew you out of [His] mouth.” “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other [Matthew 6:24 and Luke 16:13]. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Walking with God, and holding hands with the Devil. Shame on you! How long will you be caught between two opinions, two lifestyles, two beliefs, two directions, two mindsets, two masters, two desires. “If it seems evil unto you to serve the LORD, then choose you this day Whom ye will serve…” [Joshua 24:15]. It’s all or nothing! You can’t be 50% Christian and 50% worldly. It doesn’t work that way. Jesus stated: “He that is not with Me is against Me” (Matthew 12:30). Not only is indecision a dangerous thing. It is repugnant to God mouth. [James 4:4] says, “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.” Trying to live for God and mammon at the same time! The Bible says it cannot be done. You must take sides. You are either following Jesus or you are following Satan.  There is no middle ground.  Trying to keep one foot in the world, and one foot in the church.  Ain’t gonna work!

The problem is you don’t want to give up your sin. You don’t want to give up your status in the world.  Naw, you’re having too much fun…. You want your cake and ice cream too. Well you can’t have it! Ain’t no mixing of allegiance to God with other gods! You got to choose! Either God is your daddy or Satan! Who’s your daddy? Time to decide! You cannot remain neutral. You cannot straddle the fence and you can’t just give Jesus lip service. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” [Matthew 15:7-8]. Choose this day Whom you will serve.

Listen, you cannot, and must not, compromise to any of Satan’s conditions. Ultimately, everything you have and ever hope to be, must be laid on the altar. Make the transition from declaration to discipleship. That is, declaration to dedication. Don’t let Satan deceive you and rob you of the greatest blessing man has ever known: salvation from sin through Jesus Christ our Savior and redeemer. Stop straddling the fence. Liberty is not a license to compromise. You are either with Jesus fully, or you oppose him. Which is it? The record of choice: life or death, blessings or cursing.  God wants wholehearted dedication or nothing! That is the clear message of this passage. It’s time to make up your mind! And, it is! Are you ready to serve the Lord? The application could not be clearer: “Choose for yourselves this day Whom you will serve.” There is no room for neutrality. Make your choice. Cast your vote. Choose your God. I pray you will make the right choice. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

Those two words may not mean anything to you, but if you happen to be in a hospital and hear those words, the whole atmosphere changes. Nurses and Doctors go on high alert, and their pace quickens, because somebody has an emergency, somebody’s life or lives are hanging in the balance and what those doctors and nurses do in the next few minutes will make the difference between life and death.  Code Blue: Because of sin, your life is hanging in the balance. Something has to be done quickly! Choose this day Whom you will serve [Joshua 24:14-15]. The wages of sin is death [Romans 6:33].

Face to face with death [2Kings 20:1-7]. How would you handle this situation if you received a word from God to “Set your house in order, for you shall die?” Set your house in order – beginning with your own soul, your family, business affairs.  How would you handle this? I tell you, facing death has a way of putting things into perspective. Not everyone gets a warning – for many, it comes by surprise.  Can you hear the voice of Christ showing you the way of deliverance, “I Am the Way…?” [John 14:6] “I have set before you life and death, blessing and curses… Choose life…” [Deuteronomy 30:19]  “… “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him for the dead, you shall be saved” [Romans 10:9]. The indicator here is about repentance.

Every day the Lord calls us to admit and renounce our sins and to turn to him. Don’t wait until it’s too late! The alarm is sounding, “Code Blue” signified by the sounding of a trumpet. Do not ignore the warning! Take heart, confess, and repent. For God is gracious, and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. If you choose to do nothing, it will be like playing Russian roulette? Do you know what Russian roulette is? Russian roulette is a potentially lethal game of chance in which participants place a single bullet in a revolver, spin the cylinder, place the muzzle against their head and pull the trigger.  If you are lucky, the cylinder will come to rest on an empty chamber and nothing happens when the trigger is pulled.  If you are unlucky, you will be dead!

Sinner man, observe — the day of execution is really set. God will not pass over it. When it arrives it will be too late. Now, Jesus stands at the door and knock [Revelation 3:20] He came to set you free.  If your spiritual ears are opened, you would hear the chariot wheels rolling — the great judge coming in His car of thunder; you would see the sword of death gleaming in the air and ready to smite down the hardened sinner.  Lift up your cries while yet mercy lingers and pardon can be found; for the wages of sin is death — Think a moment; “What is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” [James 4:14]. You are being offered mercy. What will you say?  What will you do? And what shall I say to God when it comes to report the matter; must I bear my testimony that you would not hear? You have a decision to make…. What will it be? NOW is the day of salvation!

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

Nobody… gets away with Sin! [Romans 6:23; Ezekiel 18:4]. It is a warning… And it is a warning to the sinner! “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” [Galatians 6:7]. You reap sin; you will reap the results of sin. Every sin has its price and payday is coming! Woe unto you… “For if [you] go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, for there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment…”[Hebrews 10:26-31]. I tell you, it is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. God’s warning is clear. Repent of sin at once! Don’t wait until sin has battered, bruised, arrested, imprisoned, condemned, drove you to despair, and almost killed you before you get it. Sin is no joke! You play with fire, you will get burnt… Make no mistake about it! Living Sin means playing a game that you cannot win!

Listen, God did not save you to leave you defeated, beaten, and enslaved by the flesh. He saved you to set you free, to enable you to walk in the victory that He gives to all those who walk according to His Word and His Will. You don’t crucify the flesh by gratifying it. You cannot feed every lust that enters your mind and claim to be living a life that is pleasing to the Lord [Romans 13:14]. The flesh must be reckoned dead every day we live. For we are no longer slaves to sin, the flesh, nor the devil [Romans 6:14]! We have been made “new creatures” in Jesus Christ [2 Cor. 5:17]. We have been given the “divine nature” [2 Peter 2:4]. We are indwelled by the Holy Spirit, who teaches us about the dangers of sin and about the blessings of holiness [John 16:13]. Study to show yourself approved!

Listen; as the Spirit continues to give utterance; there are some of you reading this who have been imprisoned by your sins. You have allowed certain actions and ways of living dominate you so long that you have lost your will and ability to fight against them. You are a prisoner in your own life and you hide in fear from actions YOU THINK you cannot control. If you want to be free, you must deal with your sin. You must confess it [Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9]. You must repent of it [Luke 13:5]. You must forsake it [Job 11:14]. If you don’t take control now, the devil will take over totally. He will continue to wreak havoc in your life, and everywhere he is allowed to. I want you to know that Jesus has delegated authority to use His Name to those who believe in Him. If you believe, then exercise that authority. Its authority, which if used, will insure that nothing shall by any means hurt you. It is a choice, and it is your choice!

With that being said, when you get tired of being tied; when you get tired of being battered and bruised; when you get tired of going in circles; doing it your way and getting nowhere; when you get tired of doing the wrong thing; I want you to know that Jesus is standing by. What a disaster it would be to come before Christ on Judgment Day and discover you are sentenced to Hell. It is a dangerous thing to be hardheaded. To know God and to choose to think, act, or behave outside of the Word, Will, and Way of God is very dangerous. Don’t do it! Look at the prodigal son – because of hardheadedness, he paid the fare – loss everything even his dignity. The children of Israel left Egypt and because of rebellion they wander 40 years- a whole generation died because they were hardheaded. Adam got kicked out of the Garden because he was hardheaded – he knew what God said, but he choose to listen to his wife. Don’t do it…. Detour off of the Road to Hell! Today I have set before you life and death… Choose life!

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

Running around thinking you are running things, and ain’t running nothing! [Satan] has fed you so many rotten apples with worms that you think they taste good. Sorry boo-boo… hate to burst your bubble, but you have been bamboozled, conned, led astray , run amok, dupe, tricked, fooled, swindle, hoodwink; you have been deceived… You see, Satan has been pimping from the third chapter of the Bible onward. He has opened up God’s Word to us, seeking to interpret it, to apply it, and offer an invitation; and you bought into his lies; you ate the apples; you took him up on his invitation; knowing that he is the master destroyer of the souls of men; knowing that he is the one who tempts, lies, deceives, murders, sins, and who is the author of every wicked act that has ever been committed. The pimp of all pimps and you want to hang out with him! Slap yourself awake! My bag…. He just did it for you!

Satan, prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour [1Peter 5:8]. His M.O. [Method of operation or Modus operandi]. It is all very simple. He cannot have his office in heaven back, and he cannot stop Jesus from doing his work [Matthew 16:18]. So, all Satan has left to do is to destroy people by tying them up so well in sin that they cannot reason and understand the Gospel. But the apostle Paul, in [2Corinthians, chapter 2 and verse 11], says that we are not to be ignorant of the schemes, or the plans, or the stratagems, or the tricks of Satan. We need to know how he works. We need to know something of his character, something of his person, something of his approach. And since we have the Word of God, which unmasks Satan’s disguises, and which reveals his schemes, there’s really no reason to be ignorant.

I want you to know that Satan is deadly, defeated, damned, and without hope. In this state he craves company in a morbid bid for revenge. And you and I are the top priority in Satan’s eyes for attack and conquest. But he has no power in the life of a believer, unless we give it to him. That’s right! Jesus freed us from Satan’s power, and as long as we abide in Him, the devil has absolutely no power over us. Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free, and do not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (Gal. 5:1) Refuse to make deals with Satan, no matter how attractive the trinkets. Refuse to be a commodity that is for sale to the highest bidder. Refuse Satan’s insistence to relax in the passenger seat of your life. Don’t be like Esau; so driven to satisfy his craving that rather than endure the few unpleasant minutes that restraining himself would entail, he made the biggest mistake of his life. He thought every minute he denied himself would seem an eternity, but the real eternity was his never-ending regret over having sold his future for a mouthful of pleasure. He could never undo his devastating loss (Hebrews 12:16-17). Don’t eat the apples!

So how can one keep from being deceived? Listen to Paul’s advice to Timothy in [2Timothy 2:10-26]. Deception comes when we are not grounded in the Word of God. Some simple ways to get grounded in the Word of God; Read the bible, or listen on Audio CD’s, watch and listen on DVD’s. Find a bible believing church, worship and get connected. Join a small group who are Christ followers and process life together. Allow a person of faith, good character and integrity, to mentor you, to become your accountability partner. Get involved in a weekly or daily devotional. Learn the importance of prayer, and practice it.

“For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.” [Ephesians 3:14-19]

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

“You fool!” Those are words I would never want to hear God say to me. Don’t you know that grace is God’s love which we do not deserve but yet are given? Grace is what keeps us alive [Ephesians 2:1-2]. What’s wrong with you? Prostituting God’s grace. Taking His goodness for granted.  Without grace, you will burst Hell wide open [Romans 6:23]. God wants you to know that He will not allow you to become complacent or neglectful concerning Him. He will not allow you to take Him for granted. He does not take it lightly!  Beware of taking God’s grace for granted!

Listen, when God learned of what Israel had done to His servants; when He learned of how Israel had over and over again, betrayed His love and taken His grace for granted, God became furious. His patience had been tested by His very own people – Israel. And so God’s wrath came upon Israel. God used the Roman armies to destroy Israel and its Temple. “What shall you say then? Shall you continue in sin, that grace may abound? If you understand what Paul has written in [Romans 6: 2, 15] …then you will cry out with him:  “Certainly not! – It is not to be thought of! – Not at all! – May it never be! – Never!  

I want you to know that Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 are the “Blessings and Curses” chapters of the Bible. And in [verses 14-29 of Leviticus] God says, “But if you do not obey Me [take Me for granted and treat Me neglectfully], and do not observe all these commandments, and if you despise My statutes, or if your soul abhors My judgments, so that you do not perform all My commandments, but break My covenant, I also will do this to you: I will even appoint terror over you, wasting disease and fever which shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. I will set My face against you, and you shall be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you shall reign over you, and you shall flee when no one pursues you. ‘And after all this, if you do not obey Me [if you still take Me for granted and if you still neglect Me], then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. I will break the pride of your power; I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze. And your strength shall be spent in vain; for your land shall not yield its produce, nor shall the trees of the land yield their fruit. ‘Then, if you [still take Me for granted] and walk contrary to Me, and are not willing to obey Me, I will bring on you seven times more plagues, according to your sins. I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, destroy your livestock, and make you few in number; and your highways shall be desolate. ‘And if by these things you [still take Me for granted] are not reformed by Me, but walk contrary to Me, then I also will walk contrary to you, and I will punish you yet seven times for your sins. And I will bring a sword against you that will execute the vengeance of the covenant; when you are gathered together within your cities I will send pestilence among you; and you shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy. When I have cut off your supply of bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall bring back your bread by weight, and you shall eat and not be satisfied. ‘And after all this, if you do not obey Me [if you still are complacent and you continue to neglect Me and take Me for granted], but walk contrary to Me, then I also will walk contrary to you in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins. You shall eat the flesh of your sons, and you shall eat the flesh of your daughters. But, “If you turn your heart around; if you accept your guilt and change (repent), I will remember My covenant.

Let us not take God’s grace for granted! The Holy Spirit cries out for you who are Christians to take your Christian faith seriously, not to neglect it, not to take it for granted, and certainly not to despise it. You have been called out of darkness into the marvelous light of Christ. You have been baptized into Christ and called out of Satan’s kingdom and into the kingdom of Christ. Do not be deceived! Do not take God’s grace for granted!

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

“Baby you know, [with Valentine’s Day just a few days away], I was just sitting here thinking how happy we are right now, and the way we are with each other, and the way we’ve been with each other. You know every now and then, two people get to share, to know love as we know it, and as we share it… And I really wish, and probably it doesn’t mean nothing to no one else, but I really, really wish, that all [men] all over the world, could be loved, as much as I love you. They could be needed and wanted as much as you are. You see baby, to me, it’s like sometimes I think to myself and I say, humph! [Sister], you’re really lucky; you’ve got a [man] that loves you, that needs you… that pleases you… A [man] that does everything on earth that a [woman] could dream of. You got a [man] that makes you feel real. A [man] that keeps you strong, right on! A [man], that means so many things in so many ways. You’ve got it all! So, you see baby, I, I really can’t help myself when I tell you that I love you baby, and I thank God for you…. and I want you to know that I do. You know, sometimes I get so, so emotional over you, I just wanna run out in the street and scream and shout, and just tell the world I’m in love…. I found that one, I found that someone… Never knew love could be so true… Baby, I could go on forever and ever, but I just want you to know that… I love you baby, Ooh, I love you…” [Barry White – Hard to Believe That I Found You Lyrics]

“Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If one offered for love all the wealth of one’s house, it would be utterly scorned.” –Song of Solomon 8:6-7

The Song of Solomon… It’s the only book of the Bible that features a female narrator, and she is far more open and honest about her most intimate desires than any proper Hebrew woman would ever be. The Song of Solomon simply features two lovers singing to one another as their relationship blossoms from courtship to consummation. Nobody who has experienced the ecstasy and agony of love would dare to deny that “love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave.” And anybody whose heart beats or aches for another knows that “many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it.” Truly if you offered for love all the wealth of your house, it would be utterly scorned.

The female narrator begins the book by begging her beloved to kiss her “with the kisses of his mouth. For your love is better than wine, your anointing oils are fragrant, your name is perfume poured out; therefore the maidens love you” (1:2-3). Or, in chapter 2, when she says, “As an apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among young men. With great delight I sat in his shadow, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. Sustain me with raisins; refresh me with apples; for I am faint with love” (2:3, 5). Or in chapter 5, when she describes her lover as “all radiant and ruddy. His head is the finest gold; his locks are wavy, black as a raven. His eyes are like doves beside springs of water, bathed in milk, fitly set. His cheeks are like beds of spices, yielding fragrance. His lips are lilies, distilling liquid myrrh. His arms are rounded gold, set with jewels. His body is ivory work, encrusted with sapphires. His legs are alabaster columns, set upon bases of gold. His speech is most sweet, and he is altogether desirable. This is my beloved, and this is my friend” (5:10-16). Or, finally in chapter 7, when she beckons, “Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the fields and lodge in the valleys . . . there I will give you my love” (7:11-12).

Of course, the unnamed narrator doesn’t get all the good lines. Her beloved is equally passionate and sensual in his speech. In chapter 2, he cries, “Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; for now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land” (2:10-12). And in chapter 4, he describes her as so very, very beautiful: “Your eyes are doves behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats, moving down the slopes of Gilead. Your teeth are like a flock of shorn ewes that have come up from the washing. Your lips are like a crimson thread, and your mouth is lovely. Your cheeks are like halves of a pomegranate behind your veil. Your neck is like the tower of David. Your breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle that feed among the lilies. You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you” (4:1-5, 7). And finally, he announces in chapter 7, “How fair and pleasant are you, O loved one, and delectable maiden! Your kisses are like the best wine that goes down smoothly, gliding over lips and teeth” (7:6, 9).

I want you to know that there is a long tradition of interpreting this book allegorically, viewing the passion of these two people as an expression of agape, the endless and unconditional love of God. According to this reading of the text, God is one of the lovers, and the church, you [the believer], is the other and your love for one another grows in strength and splendor until the final joyful discovery that even death and the grave can no longer overcome it. It is an invitation into the very heart of God, and a promise that the love you find there will be as strong as death and as fierce as the grave. May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you [1 Thessalonians 3:12]. From all of us at Westside Story Newspaper to all of you, Happy Valentine’s Day! And to the lover of my Soul, Jesus, I Love You!

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

Ladies…. Have you ever met someone who just left you in awe? I mean, they were so great and so wonderful that you were left shaking your head and saying, “There’s nobody else like Him!” Well the Bible records for us the account of one such meeting. In [1 Kings 10] the Queen of Sheba was left in amazement when she met King Solomon. She went away saying, “There’s nobody like Him!” But I want you to know that as great as King Solomon was in his day, a greater than Solomon is here! He is all that Solomon was reputed to be, but 20,000 times more! I tell you, “I have never been so much in love before, what a difference a true love makes in my life. So nice, so right, loving Him gives me something new that I’ve never felt, never dreamed of. Something’s changed, no it’s not the feeling I had before; oh, and it’s much, much, more. Love I never knew that a touch could mean so much, what a difference. And when we walk hand in hand, I feel so real. Lovers come and then lovers go that’s what folks say… but what we have is much more than they can see…” [L.T.D – Love Ballad Lyrics]

I’m talking about the Man who meets the Standard. He can meet every need, whether it is physical, material or spiritual! He has all power and He can move your mountains, quench your thirst and save your soul! He holds all the answers to all your questions. In fact, He is the Answer to all the riddles, problems and questions of life! They all rest and reside in Him. He can bring you into the presence of the God of eternity! He alone can give you the vital connection you need to God. He alone bridges the gap between God and man! I tell you, there’s nobody like Him! He owns it all and He takes care of His own! There are no shortages with Him [Psa. 24:1; Psa. 50:12; Job 41:11]. Not only does He have it all, but He is willing to share it all with those who feed from His table, [Phil. 4:19; Psa. 37:25]. His people love Him and want to be around Him to hear His Word and to do His bidding. Those who know Him and love Him want to serve Him [Titus 2:14; Eph. 2:10]. When lost men hear about Him, it piques their curiosity. It whets their appetites. It makes them want to come to know Him!  I tell you, there’s nobody like Him! There’s nobody like Him in His Piety, [Heb. 7:26; Heb. 4:15; 1 Pet. 2:22]. Yes, Solomon was a man of faith, but He is the focus of faith! He is infinitely holy and righteous. Solomon was a man who offered sacrifices to God, but He offered Himself as a sacrifice to God for humanity! He gave His life on the cross to redeem all those who will place their faith in Him, [1 Pet. 1:18-19]. He will always give you back far more than you give up! And He will always prove to be far more glorious than anyone could ever articulate! He will leave you flabbergasted, astounded and amazed! You will have to say “There’s nobody like Him!” I tell you, “You’ll never find, as long as you live someone who loves you tender like He do. You’ll never find, no matter where you search someone who cares about you the way He do…” [Lou Rawls – You’ll Never Find]

His love… It is the most overwhelming thing I have ever encountered in my life. It Is Unspeakable – [Rom. 8:38-39] It Is Unending – [Jer. 31:3]… It Is Unselfish – [Rom. 2:4; 1 John 4:19] – It Is Unmerited – – [Matt. 23:37.] It Is Unconditional – It Is Supernatural. It is Sacrificing and it is Satisfying! And He has captured my heart. His name… Jesus! I invite you to be captured by the glory of the One and only who can set you free to truly live… Jehovah/Yahweh– Jehovah–Adonai– Jehovah-El– Jehovah–Elohim– Jehovah–Jireh– Jehovah–Makeh– Jehovah–Mekaddishkem– Jehovah–Nissi– Jehovah–Rapha– Jehovah–Roi– Jehovah–Saboath– Jehovah–Shalom– Jehovah–Shammah– Jehovah–Tsidkenu– EL–Elyon–  El–Gmulot– El–Olam– El–Roi– El–Shaddai… Qanna… He is my everything! In Him I live and have my being. There’s nobody like Him! I’ve made my vow, everything that I am and hope to be, for the rest of my life, I’m fully committed. My hands, my heart, my mind, every part of me until the day I die, I’ll say, yes! [Walter Hawkins -Fully Committed Lyrics] Because there’s nobody like Him!