The Lord wants His children to know that all the things that really matter are ahead of us, not behind us. We have to focus on the harvest of souls and on the Lord’s soon return; but no one will be able to do that if they keep looking back to past hurts, past failures, past enemies, past shortcomings or anything else that is not in keeping with a child of God. Those things are hindrances; and they will keep you from fasting, praying and yielding to God for lost souls.

You have to unload all emotional and mental weights by looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2). The Cross was the most shameful of any death in that day, but Jesus still willingly went through with it.

Looking back to the past is like trying to run a race with weights attached to your legs. The Apostle Paul wrote, Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1). You have to lay aside all past burdens that are slowing you down and move forward.

Paul did horrible things before he was saved; but when he found the Lord, he put the past behind him. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13,14). That prize is souls, souls, souls; and you have to love those souls with your whole heart.

Put God First

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me (Matthew 16:24). Jesus walks ahead of us, not behind us. Follow His footsteps of divine blood, power and grace; and you will be a soul winner, or as Jesus called it, fishers of men. When He was calling the disciples, He said, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men (Matthew 4:19).

Jesus came to Earth to save men’s souls, and that should be our mission, too. You cannot keep looking back to things that do not profit you, and that includes unsaved family members. You may be allowing them to weigh you down because you won’t let go of them; but Jesus said, He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me is not worthy of me (Matthew 10:37,38). You can never be ashamed of Jesus and the Old Rugged Cross.

Those who don’t want to serve God and do His will have no problem forsaking you to do what they want to do, so don’t let them hold you back. Lay them aside and look to Jesus knowing that everything good is ahead of you.

Many people say that family should come first; but if you put your family ahead of God, you will be left behind. If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:26,27). That does not mean you should hate those who are not serving God. You hate what they are doing, but you must love their souls.

Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father’s house; So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him (Psalm 45:10,11). You don’t worship your family; you worship God.

A man said to Jesus, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9:61,62). You can never put your loved ones before God and His Word.

Things Will Be Reversed

If you fail to keep your eyes on Jesus and go His way, you will be in serious trouble because very soon, God is going to begin turning things around just as He did for Lazarus and the rich man. There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day (Luke 16:19). Everything was going the rich man’s way, and he thought he had it made. Many people are like that today, too.

And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his [the rich man’s] gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores (Luke 16:20,21). Lazarus was hungry and covered with sores. Things were definitely not going the way he wanted them to.

And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom [Heaven]: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom (Luke 16:22,23).

At one time, Hades was divided by a wide gulf, and those in hell could look across and see those who were in Heaven. So the rich man cried, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame (Luke 16:24). Some people say there is no flame in hell and that it is just a place where people are shut away from God, but that is not what the Bible says.

Abraham heard the rich man; but he answered, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence (Luke 16:25,26). Things were suddenly reversed for Lazarus and the rich man, and God is about to reverse things for His children, too.

Don’t Look at Others

You can compare the account of Lazarus and the rich man to that of the child of God and the world today. Those in the world do not treat true children of God with any favor. They look on us as needy beggars because we lean and depend on Jesus and His promises to see us through. They think we are weak-minded and using God as a crutch without realizing that they are the ones who are crippled and deformed through sin.

Everything is ahead for God’s true children, so never look at those who seem to be prospering more than you are. Some may have beautiful homes and plenty of worldly wealth, but you can’t let the prosperity of others bother you. Children of God are the ones who are rich, so just look to the Lord and trust Him to give you whatever you need.

Some of you are weighed down by looking too much at people. You always want to know what others are doing, but Jesus rebuked Peter for doing that. Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me (John 21:20-22). Peter was jealous of John, and that was awful.

Take a lesson from Peter and realize that what others are doing is none of your business. It should not matter to you how others look, dress or style their hair. You will only be a winner and get to Heaven by taking care of your own business.

People in the world refuse to see God and His Son as the ones who give abundant, eternal life. Jesus said, I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly (John 10:10). That abundant life includes true peace that money can’t buy and oceans of unending love that come straight from the heart of God.

God Is in Charge

Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets (Luke 6:22,23). Down through the years, people have treated God’s prophets horribly; and now, they are in hell. The same thing will happen to those who oppose God and His people today, so don’t worry about your persecutors because God will take care of them.

But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep (Luke 6:24,25). The only rewards those who are full of the world will receive are here on Earth.

He [God] hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away (Luke 1:51-53). Sinners have nothing that is worth anything in the end; and when they die, they will leave everything behind. The only thing they can take with them is a soul that is damned because of sin.

You will have suffering and tribulation in this life; but if you are a child of God who stays prayed up and lives close to God, those things won’t bother you. 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).

We have nothing to worry about because God lives in those who love and serve Him. As God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people (II Corinthians 6:16). Paul knew that; and he said, I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me (Galatians 2:20).

Hypocrites Will Be Destroyed

A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward [contrary] mouth. He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers (Proverbs 6:12,13). This verse is speaking of a hypocrite, and everything about a hypocrite is fake.

Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord. Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy (Proverbs 6:14,15). When a hypocrite comes to the end of his life on Earth, there will be no hope for him for all eternity.

Many people claim to serve God, but they are so careless toward Him. Instead of spending time with Him, they feast sumptuously every day on whatever they please to fulfill the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life; but God sees what they are doing. There are the workers of iniquity fallen: they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise (Psalm 36:12).

Hell is a real place; and once a person is there, it is forever. There is no escaping the flame and the torments of hell. That is why Jesus said, Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat (Matthew 7:13).

Endure Persecution God’s Way

People in the world give no regard to true children of God. They don’t see them as the salt of the Earth; but Jesus said, Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted (Matthew 5:13)? That means there is nothing good on this Earth if it doesn't include the Gospel you carry.

People don’t see the saints of God as the hope of salvation or living epistles for Christ; but the Bible says, Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart (II Corinthians 3:2,3).

The world tells all kinds of lies about God’s children. Being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day (I Corinthians 4:13). Some are even persecuted by their own family members. It is no wonder the Lord said, Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you (II Corinthians 6:17). You have to separate from everything and everyone unlike God.

Hebrews 11 tells of the horrible ways the world has treated God’s precious and faithful people in the past, and God said the world was not worthy of them. Others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) (Hebrews 11:36-38).

The world is not worthy of those who belong to God today either, and those who persecute us will soon get their reward. Those saints of old have been in Heaven for thousands of years while their tormentors are being tormented night and day in hell, and our enemies will have the same fate.

We will have tribulations in this life, but Jesus is coming to take us up to Heaven very soon; and the Lord wants us to take comfort in that. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort [encourage] one another with these words (I Thessalonians 4:16-18).

We Are at War

Remember the word that I [Jesus] said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you (John 15:20). If people lied about Jesus and treated Him badly, they will do the same to you. That is why you have to turn all liars over to God who said, All liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death (Revelation 21:8).

If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he [Jesus] is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified (I Peter 4:14). The spirit of God is yours, so put your enemies under the blood and focus on finishing the Lord’s work and redeeming the time just as Jesus did when He was here. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:16).

This is not a time to take it easy. You must put on the whole armor of God and be on frontline duty for the Lord. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:13-17).

We are in all-out war, and it is time to fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses (I Timothy 6:12).

You must be a good soldier for the Lord knowing that everything is ahead of you. Then when your work is done, you must be able to say as Paul did, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course [my work], I have kept the faith (II Timothy 4:7).

Be a Light to the World

Satan and his followers delight in persecuting those who are genuine in their devotion to God; so if you are being persecuted, mocked or taunted by any of the devil’s crowd, fear not for the kingdom of Heaven is yours. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you (Matthew 5:10-12). When people mock you, they are just advertising the God you carry in your heart; so pay them no mind and shout, “Glory! I have it made.”

Children of God are rich beyond compare, so keep letting the light from Heaven shine through you. Jesus said, Ye are the light of the world. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Matthew 5:14,16). Your life is to be a light in this dark world.

Suffer for Christ

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy (I Peter 4:12,13). You will suffer trials and tribulations on this Earth, but you must rejoice knowing that Jesus is soon coming for you.

Your rejoicing will stir up the devil and make him mad; but through the blood, you can send him on his way. Never listen to a thing he has to say because he is the father of lies. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it (John 8:44).

When you are suffering and in a deep valley, you must make sure it is for Christ’s sake and not because of your own doing. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian [because you are like Jesus], let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf (I Peter 4:15,16). You have to stay right where God wants you no matter what happens knowing without a doubt that everything is ahead of you.

Never Look Back

When people will not close the door on the past, there is always a danger that they will become dissatisfied, yearn for worldly pleasure and selfish ease and ultimately backslide. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning (II Peter 2:20).

When people backslide, it is harder for them to get back to the Lord; and many say that they never feel like they did before. When you experience real salvation and then throw it away, you will have to struggle to get the grace of God to move for you again. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them (II Peter 2:21).

Jesus cautioned us to remember Lot’s wife. Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it (Luke 17:32,33). Lot’s wife was warned not to look back when angels led her, Lot and their two daughters out of Sodom before God destroyed it; but she loved the sins of that city, and she looked back. And it came to pass, when they [the angels] had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. But his [Lot’s] wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:17,26). She didn’t listen, and she will pay for that decision for eternity.

Move Forward with Faith

Everything good is ahead of you, not behind you; so keep moving forward and keep growing in grace. The Bible says, Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God (Hebrews 6:1).

If you haven’t closed the door on the past, you need to do that today. Some of you have left it cracked open a little just in case you might want to go back, but that is dangerous. When I got saved, I closed every door and burned every bridge. The devil would say, “You had better not do that; you might want to go back.” But I didn’t listen to him. I had left the world behind, and I had no desire for any of it.

A bright future will unfold ahead of you when you live by faith. For yet a little while, and he [Jesus] that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by [divine] faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him (Hebrews 10:37,38).

You cannot please God in any way without divine faith. But without [divine] faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him (Hebrews 11:6). If you will put all of your faith and trust in the Lord, you will be a winner; and you can walk the waters of life with Him. You can follow in His steps and wear His shoes.

The End Is Near

This world is going to rot and ruin, and the signs of Jesus’ return are all around us; so we know we are nearing the end. Everything is ahead of us, and it won’t be long now; so stay true to the journey and stay on course. Live with the Lord and never let people or the devil and his demons detour you.

The future is bright for children of God; but for those in the world, the future will bring torment with no remedy—no hope, no love, no flowers, no rain and no promises of God. The Lord will no longer have great love towards sinners, and He won’t be longsuffering like He is now. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up (II Peter 3:9,10).

God will become a laughing, mocking God. I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind [It will be fast and dump you right into hell.]; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD (Proverbs 1:24-29).

Win the Lost

In this last, great outreach for souls, you may feel like Paul did when he arrived in Macedonia. For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears (II Corinthians 7:5). Nevertheless, determine in your heart that you will go through and pay the price no matter what others do.

We must win every soul we can. We must finish Christ’s work, and then we can go home. The long hours spent working in the harvest fields and the battles fought to rescue the lost will be over, and the persecutions we have endured at the hands of sinners will cease. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory (II Corinthians 4:17).

The tears we cried while others laughed will be wiped away forever. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away (Revelation 21:4).

You may not have everything your heart desires in this life, but that doesn’t matter because everything you could ever want is just ahead. Keep the vision of Heaven; and no matter what price you have to pay down here, Heaven will be worth it all. But until you reach that heavenly city, remember that God will be with you to see you through. He said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee (Hebrews 13:5).

God will give you everything you need to accomplish all He has ordained you to do, but you have to be willing to spend time with Him and make any sacrifice you are called on to make because souls are at stake. The Lord has told me that the heathen know help is coming; they just don’t know how. He said that the Holy Ghost is placing hope in their hearts, and they are holding on to that hope. We have to get the Gospel to them and bring them into the Kingdom.

God’s people cannot afford to lose even one battle in this last hour because souls will be lost. We have to know that we are on the Jesus winning side and go forth to do battle with the enemy for every soul that can be won. We have to use the name of Jesus knowing that all of Heaven’s power is in that name and that God has given us the authority and permission to use it.

Let Christ Make Your Future Bright

If you are not moving forward with God, you are headed for destruction. It is time to stop running or only death and torment are ahead for you. You may think you can never live free from sin, and it is true that you can’t in your old ugly self; but you can if you will give your heart to the Lord and become a brand-new creation. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (II Corinthians 5:17). You will have a new life, and you can live it by divine faith.

Jesus came and made all things new for us. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh (Hebrews 10:19,20). Jesus brought the new and living way so that when people are born again, their old life is gone; and a new life is ahead of them.

If you want that new life, lift up your hands and ask the Lord to forgive you of your sins right now. Say this prayer: Oh, God, save my soul! I’m so sorry that I sinned against you; but I have come home, and I’m going to serve you, Lord, for the rest of my life. I believe the blood of Jesus washes away all of my sins. Come into my heart, Jesus! Come on in!

If you meant that prayer, now you can say, Hallelujah, He has come! Hallelujah, Jesus is mine!

Miracles Are for Today

If you are sick and afflicted, you can be healed of AIDS, cancer, diabetes, heart trouble, lung trouble, leprosy, paralysis or any other kind of deadly disease. There is nothing the Lord cannot or will not heal. Jesus said, Only believe (Mark 5:36). When you do that, it makes your case possible; and every disease has to go. The battle is yours to win when you trust God.

Lord, here they are. You told me years ago that you would heal the people, and you have healed and delivered millions through this Jesus world outreach ministry. Lord, I come with the divine blood of Jesus, and I am injecting that healing blood into the bodies of the people and the bodies of the children who are sick or dying. Heal all of them right now in the name of Jesus.

The Lord is healing whole families of AIDS. We have documented cases to prove through medical science that the Lord heals AIDS today. There is life! Jesus came with a new and living way and with healing in His wings. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings (Malachi 4:2). You can receive healing, but you have to live for God. Jesus healed sinners, but He told them to sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee (John 5:14).

Watch as you and your loved ones get well. Then write or email to tell me about it. And always remember that the Lord must have all the honor, the praise and the glory. I pray that God’s richest blessings will rest upon you.