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Jack Van Impe Ministries
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each day on our A MESSAGE OF HOPE FROM DR. JACK VAN IMPE The Holy Bible gives God's Son manifold titles. However, the one that means so much to all of us as poor, helpless sinners is "Savior" -- which immediately instills hope within one's heart concerning salvation. The very name Jesus means "salvation." Matthew 1:21 states, Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Multitudes today are trusting in man-made rituals to get them inside God's heaven. Yet, there isn't a ceremonial rite in all of Christendom's churches that can save a man. Jesus Christ alone is the only way to eternal life. Christ's saving power In that tremendous portion of Scripture often described as the "Magnificat," Mary, the mother of Jesus, cried out, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior (Luke 1:46,47). In Luke 2, the angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds, saying, Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord (verses 10, 11). Also in Luke 2, Simeon had been waiting for the consolation or hope of Israel. He jubilantly exclaimed, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation (verses 29, 30). He was looking upon the Christ child as he spoke those words. Again in John 4, a wicked woman -- who had five husbands and who was living under common law with number six -- turned to Jesus Christ for forgiveness. Then she excitedly ran back to the city and told the people about her newfound joy in this Savior who had blotted out her sordid past. The men of that city listened to the Lord's discourses for two days and exuberantly stated, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world (verse 42). In Acts 5, Peter and some of the apostles were threatened with punishment, even unto death (verse 33). However, the great Apostle Peter so loved Jesus. He believed so strongly in the fact that Jesus was the only way of salvation and eternal life that he was willing to die in order that the message might be proclaimed. I can almost hear this impulsive preacher saying, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior (verses 29-31). Acts 13:23 calls Him a Savior, Jesus. Ephesians 5:23 says, Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body. Compare this verse with 1 Corinthians 12:13, For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body. The body of Christ, into which one is implanted at the time of regeneration, is the Church, and Ephesians 5:23 states that Christ is the Savior of this body. Baptism, reformation, confirmation, works, creeds, and human efforts cannot place one into the true Church because only the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior of this body. Amen! The Apostle Paul stated that one of the reasons he was willing to endure suffering, torture, and even death was because of his trust in the Savior. Death could only mean that the One who saved him would welcome him home to heaven. Hear him in 1 Timothy 4:10. For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, specially of those that believe. In 2 Timothy 1:9 and 10, Paul went on to say that it was not a system of self-attainment through works that would place him eternally in the glory land, but rather a precious Savior whose name was Jesus Christ. Listen to the simplicity of these instructive verses. [God] hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel [or through the good news]. Again, He hath abolished death. What wonderful words! And [He] hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. Immortality speaks of eternal life -- and it comes through the gospel or the "good news." Do you get the impact? Eternal life is through the gospel and gospel means "good news." This good news is explained in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 where we find that Christ died, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. Put it all together and it simply says that everlasting life does not come through one's denominational record or good works. It comes as a result of one's acceptance of the Savior's death by the shedding of blood and of His resurrection. Titus 2:13 speaks of Christ's return by stating, Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. Notice that it is not Buddha, Mohammed, or Zoroaster who is the Savior, but only the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no other Savior -- Jesus is the only way. Second Peter 1:1 again calls Him our Savior Jesus Christ Christ's earthly ministry "Savior" is not some honorary title which was bestowed upon the Lord Jesus Christ in recognition of His wonderful teachings. Rather, it depicts His ministry upon earth and speaks of His saving power. Presently, we are living in a time of rebellion. Corrupted mankind is trying to destroy all of our foundational structures. This trend can also be witnessed in the religious world as apostate; liberal clergymen mock the doctrines of the virgin birth, the deity of Christ, His blood atonement upon the cross, and His bodily resurrection. Many laugh at the statement "Jesus Saves" as if the word "saves" were an invitation of some simpleton. Our God predicted this would happen, and it is one of the signs of the end. Second Peter 2:1, 2: But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be [one of the signs] false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. There are two things one can do for those poor misguided souls: (1) pray for them, and (2) thank God for their presence because it means that Jesus Christ is coming soon to call Christians home. Let them laugh. The term saved was placed in the Bible scores of times by a holy God. One had better investigate and accept this truth if he is interested in eternal life. I could quote numerous verses proving that salvation is of God and that God put this word in the Bible. However, let's limit our discussion to those which speak exclusively about Christ being the way of salvation: Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost (Matthew 18:11). God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him [Jesus] might be saved (John 3:17). Jesus said I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved (John 10:9). I came not to judge the world, but to save the world (John 12:47). Paul said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved (Acts 16:31). For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ [not rites, ceremonies, rituals, the Sermon on the Mount, the Golden Rule, or the Ten Commandments, but the gospel or the good news of Christ]: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth (Romans 1:16). We shall be saved from wrath through him (Romans 5:9). If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved (Romans 10:9). In 1 Corinthians 15:1,2 we find this statement, Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel [the good news] which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved. How? Verses 3 and 4: Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and...he was buried, and...he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. This alone is the message of the gospel, the good news, the only way of salvation. Christ died, shed His blood, and rose again. Christ's redeeming blood Christ's power to save all the world was wrought through His precious blood shed on Calvary. Leviticus 17:11: It is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. Acts 20:28: The church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. First Peter 1:18,19: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. Revelation 1:5: Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood. Yes, without [the] shedding of blood [there] is no remission [of sins] (Hebrews 9:22). It is not enough simply to state that Christ died -- as so many intellectuals do today in order to do away with the sacrifice of His blood. A bloodless death on the cross would not have saved anyone. Let me repeat that. Had Christ died of a heart attack or of suffocation upon the cross, mankind would have been lost forever, for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. Because of this fact, Christ came to earth to take upon himself a body with blood so that He might shed that blood for our sins (see Hebrews 10:5). When one receives this sacrifice of the shed blood of Jesus Christ, he is saved immediately. Christ's redemptive purpose If the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior and has saving power, we may conclude that He came to earth because sinners need saving. This is exactly what Paul said, This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners (Timothy 1:15). Not only does this statement include everyone we know, but ourselves as well. Christ would have all men to be saved, including you and me (see 1 Timothy 2:4). [Christ] gave himself a ransom for all (1 Timothy 2:6). The only reason some people will never get saved is that they do not realize that they are lost. They think they were born into sainthood just like the Pharisee in the temple. He said, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are (Luke 18:11). However, Jesus said in Matthew 5:20, Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Why? The Pharisees were so caught up in the admiration of their own goodness that they were convinced they needed nothing from God -- nothing at all! Yet, God says in Isaiah 64:6, We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. Galatians 3:22: The scripture hath concluded all under sin. Thus, God not only wants to save mankind from the misery of sin in this life, but also from the eternal penalty into which sin will drag those who reject Christ. He that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth [eternity] on him (John 3:36). Why? Because he won't receive the Son. Oh, my friend, if you are lost, the Savior longs to save you. You need saving because all are sinners and only through His blood can you be washed white. You may be whitewashed because you've had all the rituals of the Church performed upon you, but you really need to be washed white to inherit eternal life! Why not call on Him right now, saying, "Lord Jesus, come into my heart." FROM THE HEART OF DR. REXELLA VAN IMPE The Quest for Peace I heard a story recently about a nagging wife who kept writing complaining letters to her serviceman husband who was on combat duty in another country. Finally, after receiving yet another hateful letter, the husband wrote back, "Will you please stop writing me vicious letters so I can fight this war in peace?" We all want peace, don't we? Personally and nationally we crave it. Yet, so few of us find it. I've read that over half the beds in our hospitals today are filled with people who have mental problems. These individuals have desperately sought for peace but haven't found it. At last, they have reached the place where they can no longer cope with life, and they have become ill. A noted doctor once said that if all the tranquilizers were taken away from the American people, we would have a national nervous breakdown so big there wouldn't be enough well people to take care of the sick ones. People who take tranquilizers are trying to push the turbulence in their lives out of their minds. They have to resort to a little pill to put them in "peaceful" oblivion. My heart goes out to those who do not know the meaning of peace. Each day is a repetition of the previous one, filled with hostility, despair, and loneliness. They are miserable, frustrated, and unhappy with themselves and everyone around them. A picture of peace Remember the story of the rich man who commissioned an artist to paint him a picture illustrating true peace. The artist painted a beautiful picture of a lake surrounded by trees. In the distance were majestic, snow-covered mountains. When the rich man saw it, he shook his head. "It's very beautiful," he told the artist, "but it's not a picture of true peace. Please try again." This time the artist thought a long time before he began to paint. On the canvas, he painted a huge, thundering waterfall. He showed the water churning over the falls and crashing onto rocks far below. Then, at one side of the waterfall, he painted a birch tree whose slender branches reached out over the roaring water. On one of the branches, he painted a little bird sitting quietly and contentedly on her nest, oblivious to the danger around her. That is true peace -- not an escape from the pressures and trials of life but the quiet repose of a heart at rest with God. Jesus said, These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world (John 16:33). Jesus' life was anything but peaceful. Yet, His last legacy to His disciples and to all those who would follow Him was the promise of peace. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John 14:27). I love the old hymn that goes: Trust and rest when all around thee I don't know the things in your life that cause you unrest and destroy your peace. But I want to remind you that there is a way to handle them. God has given us guidelines that can take us through these troublesome times. Guidelines for troubled times In His sermon on the mount, Jesus said, Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God (Matthew 5:9). What does that mean to you in your everyday life? It means that if you will turn your thoughts to God, He will take control. Then, regardless of the conditions around you, you have His abiding peace, joy, patience -- whatever you need at the moment -- to draw on. The Apostle Paul tells us that He [Jesus] is our [way of] peace (Ephesians 2:14). It's only when we follow after Him that the walls of hostility which surround us come tumbling down. He is our way of living at peace with others. Paul also speaks of those who do not seek after God, and he observes that they do not know the way of peace (see Romans 3:17). A verse that has helped so many who were going through turbulent times is Isaiah 26:3, Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. When you keep your mind on the Lord and trust unwaveringly in Him, you can truly live in peace though the world around you be filled with turmoil and strife. My prayer for you today is that... the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7). CHANGED LIVES-one at a time Dear Dr. Van Impe. I wanted to let you know that you are making a difference in my life. The message regarding sex outside of marriage ministered to me in such a way that I can carry it and witness to other couples that may be living together without being married. You see I lived with my boyfriend (now my husband) prior to marriage and I regretted it ever since. But when I read this message the light came on and the message was clear and I realized that all the reasons why we lived together were all related to sin. My husband and I have now been married for 14 years and God is using us in a marriage ministry to help build and strengthen marriages in our church and surrounding churches. In closing, I would like to thank you for your ministry, and the Lord for using you as a vessel to breakthrough in an area of my life that I didn't realize existed. May God bless you, your family and ministry spiritually, emotionally, and most importantly supernaturally. J. D.
My children (ages 10, 12, and 14) and I love your program on TV, but we are not always able to catch it. Your e-newsletter is one way to always be connected to your ministry. What a blessing!! We have respected you both for such a long time. My children listen very, very carefully to the things that you say. They know and believe that Jesus is coming back, and there will be consequences to pay for all those who do not follow Him. You have a wonderful way of communicating the good, the bad, and the ugly where the things of God are concerned. Thank you so much. B. H. HIGHLIGHTED PRODUCT OFFERS "Our position in the last days will be determined by our choice of allegiance: Will the growing liberal tendencies of our nation pull us to join the EU, UN, and Russia in a globalization move that will, in the end, force a false peace with Israel and begin the Tribulation? Or will we, with our moral clarity, large Jewish populace, and Christian consciousness align ourselves so closely with Israel in the final conflict that we are literally indistinguishable from her in the final chapter of Bible prophecy?
Heaven:
An Out-of-Body Adventure Angels, harps, mansions, gold...? IS HEAVEN REAL? Dr. and Mrs. Jack Van Impe answer the age-old questions and interpret what the Word of God says about... Heaven What you need and want to know about
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