No Way Out

NO WAY OUT

By

Dr. Gale A. Ragan-Reid (March 4, 2018)

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.” (St. Luke 4:18, King James Version [Christ healeth the sick]).

Greetings in the Holy Name of Jesus,

My sisters and brothers, sometimes the life we live provides us with no escape from the trials, tribulations---the troubled episodes that bind us in evil---waiting on the Lord Jesus, our Savior to see us through and comfort us in our time of suffering. The Spirit of Christ Jesus enters in to ease our troubled minds and broken-heartedness. Accordingly, A Psalm of David when he changed his behavior Abimelech who drove him away and he departed, said, “The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.” [Psalm 34: 17, King James Version, Privileges of the righteous]. Further to that point, A Psalm of David, said, “Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred.” [25:19]. In this scripture---the Word of the LORD, we find---the same thoughts in Hebrews---hatred of violence---“See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:…” [Hebrews 12:26, KJV [The new covenant commended].

Most importantly, in reflection in the time of Esau, “Lest there be any fornication, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.” [Hebrews 12:16, KJV]. More importantly, in reflection in the time of Abel, “And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” [13:24] For, it was “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.” [11:4, Faith in the fathers of old] This is a testament, “And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.” [9:15]. Let us consider Christ Jesus, “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus. [Hebrews 3:1; Matthew 20:16; 22:14; “So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen”; “For many are called, but few are chosen”].

Hence, in Hebrews we are queried, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation: which at first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by

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them that heard him;” [2:3, Obedience to Christ]. With that said, ---to confirm what was said, Luke, the physician and disciple of Christ Jesus, said before the Common Account called Anno Domini the sixth Year, “Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;” [The Gospel According To St. Luke 1:2, KJV] Peter, the rock—Jesus’ disciple, said, “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: (The First Epistle General of Peter 5:1, KJV [Faith and good works]). Apostle Peter continued and said, “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” [The Second Epistle General of Peter 1:16, KJV] Apostle Peter confirmed false teachers would prey upon the children of God, “For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.” [II Peter 2:18]

How many of you, in Christ Jesus say, “Don’t judge me?” According to the witness of Luke, Jesus said, “…Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.” (St. Luke 21:8, KJV [Ruin of Jerusalem foretold]. “…Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” [St. Matthew 3:2, KJV] “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” [4:17] “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.” [24:4]

In summary Christ Jesus said, “For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.” [Matthew 23:4, Scribes, Pharisees denounced] “And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you:” (St. Mark 13:5, KJV]) Apostle Paul wrote in a letter to Ephesus,