second coming of Jesus

“Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD, and highly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts.” (Psa 145:2-4)

    Journal, I realize that not everyone is that interested in my renderings on the Martin family but there really is a point in all this. For those who have an interest, please bear with me as I continue with somewhat of my family and the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ As I have shared before, the first Martin of our line to come to Louisiana with his wife, Elizabeth in 1803 thereabouts. He was a Revolutionary soldier.  Billy Martin and Elizabeth, are buried at Mitchell Cemetery in Anacoco, Louisiana. There is early documentation on the Mitchell Cemetery, entitled, “Pioneer Minister Tells of First Cemetery”, by Rev. Thomas Franklin. Here are quotes in part:

“I have been acquainted with people of this country ever since the year 1835 … In my early days there were no churches, no schoolhouses, preachers, nor anyone who could offer prayer in public … At this time the Martin, West, Miers, and Franklin families made the principal part of the citizens …

“I well remember the old preacher preaching the funeral of Thomas Martin. He was the first man I ever saw kneel and offer prayer to God in this graveyard …

“Now as we have been following the history of servants of the Lord since 1835, we now turn more directly to the history of the graveyard for here lies the body of the old and the young resting.

“Here is the body of William Martin, an old Revolutionary soldier, with his wife, also many children and grandchildren. …”

In the cemetery there is a large double headstone with genealogical information on the reverse side. It reads:

Martin, Elizabeth – ca 1790/ca 1849

Martin, William (Billy) – 1766/ca 1840, American Revolutionary Soldier

Came to LA in 1803 from VA-KY area, [married] 1805 – Their children

1. John (Jack) [married] 1831 Rachel Miers; 2. Thomas [married] 1833 Elizabeth; 3. David [married] 1833 Catherine; 4. Wm. (Billy) Jr. [married] 1834 Mary Ann Miers; 5. Charles [married] 1842 Sarah Ann Miers; 6. Isaac [married] 1854 Mary Bass; 7. Benjamin [married] 1845 Evelina Miers 8. Elizabeth 9. Levi (1830) [married] 1850 Jane Wingate

 

I descend from both William (Billy) Jr., and Charles Seth. My grandfather and grandmother were from the two lines and were cousins.

To take it a step further I have to bring you Campbell Creek

Buried at Campbell Creek Cemetery in Sharp, Louisiana are some of my forbearers all the way back to Charles Seth Martin, the son of the Revolutionary soldier.

In a line from the front left, are the graves of my father, Lawrence Bert, our son, David Lynn, my grandparents, John Allen and Frances Ella, my great-uncle, Jessie, my great grand-parents, James Erwin and Mary, and my great, great-grandfather, Charles Seth Martin, the son of the Revolutionary soldier.

Also in this cemetery is a message from my grandfather.

When my great-grandfather, James Erwin Martin, died in 1905, my grandfather prepared a homemade headstone for him. On the front of the head stone he encased behind glass a paper which reads,

“Remember friend, as you pass by, As you are now, so once was I. As I am now, you soon shall be. Prepare my friend to follow me.”

Due to a broken edge of the glass and the weathering over the years, the paper is now barely readable. I’m one of the few people who knows what it says. Very often when I do a funeral, I’ll call attention to those words. And more often than not, someone will want me to show them my great grandfather’s grave. Of course I’m always happy to do that. It gives me a chance to share the gospel from his headstone. And so the story continues. In the Bible record of the righteous, we often simply read, “And he died.”

“So all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years, and he died.”

“So all the days of Enosh were nine hundred and five years, and he died.”

“So all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years, and he died.”

Yes, one generation continues to replace another. It has always been that way. We can only live in the generation of our birth. But there is an issue that we need to pay special heed to.  

Is the true Gospel Message being distorted today?

There is an insidious danger many are not aware of with this generation. The danger is the snare of false gospels. The preaching of prosperity has replaced the message of repentance. The message of ‘we are gods’ has replaced humility and the fear of the Lord.

The merging of false religions with the Christian faith is becoming the accepted norm. Out of all this is coming,  ‘a form of religion that denies the power of the cross.’

The true gospel message is the preaching of the cross, of repentance, of the Lord’s second coming, of turning from the world and turning to the Lord with a true heart of faith. Does any of this preclude God’s blessings upon the righteous? Not at all. An adherence to the true gospel will bring heaven’s blessings into the believer’s life. But should we be surprised? Listen to Paul —

“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron.” (1Ti 4:1-2)

Now the apostle Peter:

“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.

“Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.” (2Pe 2:1-3)

 A hallmark of the righteous

One of the major hallmarks of a person who has truly been born of heaven, is in their looking and longing for the second coming of Jesus Christ? Peter wrote,

“Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!

“But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.” (2Pe 3:11-13)

And we have this from the apostle Paul,

“ … in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (2Ti 4:8)

This brings me to …  

What it means, ‘To die in faith’

When the Bible speaks of God’s Old Testament righteous people, it says,

“All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.” (Heb11:13)

God’s people have always known that greater things await them in the future. It is this hope that undergirds our faith walk. The apostolic writer went on to include this statement;

“Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.” (Vs16)

What is this about a heavenly and a holy city? One of the promises God gave the righteous in ages gone by, was the promise of a heavenly and holy city. Part of Abraham’s travels included looking for that city.

What else had God promised the righteous in generations gone by? He promised them a Redeemer. He promised them that one day the righteous would inherit a transformed earth. It is these promises that have rested in the hearts of God’s holy people from ancient time.

We new covenant believers share in those ancient promises. We anxiously await the wonders that are reserved in heaven for us. This is why God’s people look at death through a different set of glasses. When the Spirit of Jesus enters the heart of a believing one, the atmosphere of heaven makes its home in the deepest part of our spiritual make-up. Jesus said that was how it would be. Paul said that we long to be clothed with our dwelling on high. For the truly born again people, there is the …  

Removing of all fear

When a person is born again, the Spirit of Jesus immediately begins the process of removing all our fears. Not just some fear, but all fear. How much does God love us? We are unable to measure or fathom such a love. But He loved us enough to give His own Son as a sacrifice for our sins. As the writer said,

“One sacrifice for all sins for all time.” (Heb10:12)

The apostolic writer also said,

“And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to died once and after this comes judgment….”

Isn’t it interesting how often folk quote that verse and leave out the rest of the sentence. The rest of the sentence says,

“…so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.” (Heb9:27,28)

Notice it says “without reference to sin.” The sin problem has been settled for eternity for all who receive Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. It is those who refuse to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior who will be judged so.

Once God’s perfect love has completed its work in our hearts, the only fear that remains is that wondrous thing called ‘the fear of the Lord.’ This fear is filled with love, respect, and reverence for our heavenly Father. And so, back to the title of this entry…  

Tell your children and your children’s children

Jesus said,

“For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (Mat 24:27)

God doesn’t want his children to be afraid. I think this is what my grandfather wanted to say when he wrote the inscription for my great grandfather’s head stone. I don’t remember that much about my grandfather Martin. I do remember him playing his guitar and singing in the old country church that we attended.

Wish I had more memories of him but I’ll just have to cherish the very few. But he shared his faith with his children. That is how it is to be. Yes, it is time to tell your children, and your children’s children. Moses wrote,

“You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.” (Deu 6:7 NASB)

In the meantime we walk in our testimony to the Lord. We are His living proof of the reality of Jesus Christ. There is a song that has rested on my heart. Thought I would share it with you. It is a song of years gone by. Yes, I know it is country but perhaps the Lord has something to speak to your heart. Please take time to listen to the words of the song. Here it is by Porter Wagoner … Think about it,

Much love in Jesus,

Buddy

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