Through It All – Take Me Back :: By Dennis Huebshman

While reviewing a post from several years ago, I came across an Andrea Crouch song titled “Through It All.” It was written by Crouch in 1971 during an especially trying time in his life. (ESV – All Emphasis is Mine.)

In a two-year period of time, Crouch lost his parents and older brother. His parents were ministers who founded Christ Memorial Church of God in Christ in Pacoima, California. This left Crouch and his twin sister, Sandra, to take over the ministry.

Crouch had some serious health issues with cancer and congestive heart failure, and went through a phase where he told God he could not praise Him with all he was going through. However, in a short time, he called out to Jesus, thanking Him and praising Him, and he stated he felt a strength come into him, and he just kept praising the Lord. (source: Diana Leagh Mathews; 9/15/2019)

Crouch wrote another song during this time called “Take Me Back.” It contains a message we could all use for inspiration.

(ref) Take me back, take me back, Dear Lord, to the place where I first received You. Take me back, take me back, Dear Lord, where I first believed.

1.) I feel that I’m so far from You, Lord, but I still hear You calling me. Those simple things that I once knew, their memories keep drawing me.

2.) I must confess, Lord, I’ve been blessed. But yet my soul’s not satisfied; renew my faith, restore my joy, and dry my weeping eyes. (ref)

3.) I tried so hard to make it all alone; I need Your help just to make it home. (Ref)

Before his death from a heart attack on January 8, 2015, Crouch was a dedicated pastor ministering to his community and leading worship. He lived the chorus of “Through It All” to the very end, according to his sister.

“Through it all, through it all, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus, I‘ve learned to trust in God. Through it all, through it all, I’ve learned to depend upon His Word.”

With all the negative changes taking place in the world today, testimonies such as this are refreshing. The turning away from anything to do with Jesus is becoming more evident every day. Jesus Himself told us there would be more that would go on the path leading to destruction rather than the straight and narrow one leading to eternal life with Him (Matthew 7:13-14).

We see reports of “mass conversions” taking place at some special events, but it would be interesting if a study were done as to how long these conversions last after the event is over. Our prayer is that they become permanent.

We are witnessing some previously Bible-based church pastors proclaiming there are many ways to Heaven, even without Jesus. That’s strange that they haven’t read John 3:18: “Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” Also 1 John 5:12: “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”

Peter declared in Acts 4:12, “And there is Salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Paul states in Romans 8:1: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Paul and Peter are excellent examples of the love and true forgiveness of sins by our Heavenly Father. Peter denied the Lord three times at the trial of condemnation of our Savior. Paul was a persecutor of anyone who proclaimed to be a follower of Christ until he had his personal encounter with Him on the road to Damascus.

Both Paul and Peter went to their martyrs’ deaths proclaiming Jesus as the true Lord and Savior.

During the last supper with His disciples, Jesus tried to get them to understand why He had come and what was going to happen. He told them that He would be leaving to prepare a place for them in His Father’s House. Thomas told Him that they did not know where He was going, and asked how they could know the way.

At this point in John 14:6, “Jesus said to him, I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” There are no “alsos” or “except fors” or any other “many ways” that are being proclaimed by false prophets today. Jesus is absolutely and completely the “Only Way.”

Jesus further promised He would send us a “Helper” to be within us forever, and that is the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17). This is truly a significant gift for all who have received and accepted Jesus as their Savior.

When the Holy Spirit, who is the Restrainer of the antichrist in 2 Thessalonians 2, is taken out of the way so the evil one can come out, all who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit will have to be removed also. This is to keep the Father’s promise of our not going through the Tribulation/Wrath, as given in 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10, and Revelation 3:10.

That would be the Rapture of 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17. No one knows the day or hour this event will take place, but all signs today are pointing to it being very close.

One thing is absolutely for certain: today would not be too early for all to receive and accept Jesus as their Savior. Imagine waking up tomorrow morning and there has been a bunch of people that have disappeared. The best scenario would be if you were one of them. The next seven years after the Rapture will be the worst this earth has experienced yet.

It’s totally your eternity and your choice. Have Jesus as your Eternal Savior, and you have a forever home in Heaven with Him.

On the other hand, take your last breath here without Jesus, and your eternity will be in the lake of fire, as given in Revelation 20:11-15.

There are no other options. “I meant to” will not be a valid excuse. Romans 10:9-13 gives the ABCs of Salvation. Admit and confess to the Lord that you are a sinner and know that you cannot save yourself. Believe and have faith that Jesus came to this earth as a human to provide the only pure, sinless blood sacrifice that the Father could accept. He died on that cross for all our sins, yours and mine, and was raised from the dead three days later and taken back up into Heaven by the Father. Finally, Call on Jesus to be your forever Savior and to forgive you of your sins.

There are no other ‘rituals” or deeds you can do, and no monetary fee you can pay to give you a home in Heaven. Ephesians 2:8-9 is specific about this. Only through Jesus will you receive the “gift of God.”

It’s your choice, and God will not force you either way. The best case would be to call out for your forgiveness and Salvation today.

Come, Lord Jesus!

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