Inefficient People Always Make Excuses

Proverbs 22:13, “The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.”

Proverbs 6:10-11, “Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.”

I not too long ago filed a complaint against the Better Business Bureau in Pensacola with The Office Of The Attorney General for Florida. Their office is located in Tallahassee. The woman on the phone at the BBB gave me a hard time. She was belligerent and a snob. I am a person with disabilities, and am now considered a senior citizen. The woman had sent me three emails earlier that morning, which confused me. I couldn't just read them. I had to login at their BBB website to read each communication.

In one of her messages she said they were closing my case against a local financial institution. She had stated the reason why, with which I disagreed. When I called she was unkind to me, harsh and insisted that she didn't say what I had read. I knew that she was wrong, but because she was pressuring me I couldn't login and think clearly enough to find the message in question, She pressured me to get off the phone. She clearly couldn't have cared less.

After she rushed me off the phone, and I could take my time, I found the message and confirmed that in fact she had said exactly what I thought she had said. I tried to file a complaint against her with the BBB, but they dissed me and never bothered to return my phone message. So, I search online where to file a complaint against the BBB for giving me a hard time, and for wasting my time in the first place. I was directed to The Office Of The Attorney General Of Florida. I believe it was a frivolous matter, compared to some of the serious cases they no doubt receive, but I believe the way we treat others is important.

In fairness to myself, I don't know what kind of cases that The Office Of The Attorney General handles. My complaint was more than just hurt feelings. The woman at the BBB gave me a hard time as a person with disabilities. I had plainly told her that I am taking several different prescription medications and my mind doesn't think as fast. She was cold and didn't care, pressuring me to get off the phone. She should have been kind and told me to take my time to find the message she had sent me. She could have said she was going to grab a cup of coffee while I looked. At a minimum, she could have invited me to call her back as soon as I found the message. But instead she was calloused and belligerent toward me, making things more difficult. I have a right to complain when someone mistreats me.

When I sent an official email complaint to The Office Of The Attorney General, no one ever responded. So, weeks later I mailed a letter to The Office Of The Attorney General that took me over one hour to compose, carefully articulated. A couple weeks later I received a voicemail from the manager of The Office Of The Attorney General, saying she apologized for their lack of response. She made the lame excuse that their office receives 400 complaints every day, but she only has 7 employees working on staff. That is totally unacceptable for a government agency! Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001) said it best: “The most important job is the one that doesn't get done.”

The manager of The Office Of The Attorney General promised me twice that someone would respond to my complaint the very next day, but no one ever bothered to do so. I never heard back from anyone. If they had any decency and were ethical, and truly cared upon the citizens of Florida, somebody would have responded of nothing else just to let me know that they cannot help me. It's called being courteous. I cannot read minds! I do not know what type of cases they handle. Where do they draw the line between serious and frivolous complaints? How am I supposed to know?

I thought my situation with the BBB was important enough to spent hours composing my message to them, and paying for postage, and taking my time to drive down to the mailbox to send them my complaint letter. The least The Office Of The Attorney General could (and should) have done is to dignify me as a human being by replying. In hindsight, I can only conclude that they thought my complaint wasn't worth their time, but it was (and is) important to me. I was horribly mistreated by the BBB. They were impatient with me. They dismissed my case without even bothering to talk to me first. That is rude and no way to do things.

When the woman in charge at The Office Of The Attorney General made the excuse that she only had 7 employees, and receives 400 complaints each day, I thought of a passage of Scripture from Proverbs 22:13, “The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.” In other words, people make excuses instead of getting things done. Shame on The Office Of The Attorney General for making excuses. I had also included a gospel tract by military chaplain David Rutkin.

I am not calling the woman who contacted me lazy. I'm sure that she works very hard. She didn't leave her name in the voicemail. She just said that she is in charge of 7 employees, and her office handles incoming complaints at The Office Of The Attorney General. But I do sincerely feel that she is inefficient and never should have told me she doesn't have enough employees to get the work done. That is really bad. I wrote this blog to emphasize the importance of little things. Nothing is unimportant! Never make excuses.

There's Nothing More Contemptible Than Lazy Police

When I lived in Chicago and was in my mid twenties around 35 years ago, a punk in a moment of road-rage punched his fist through my driver's window in anger. I was obeying the speed limit, but he wanted me to go faster. My blood was everywhere because the capillaries in the face carry lots of blood. I went to the local hospital and called 911. When the two lazy, worthless, incompetent police officers showed up, they made excuses and refused to go arrest the punk. They did nothing. God will hold them accountable in eternity.

One of the wicked police officers told me that he understood that when someone's rips a page out of your book, you want that individual to burn on Hell. Then the other trashy officer said that they just had an incident of a man in a tavern shoving an icepick into another man's eye, and that they had more important matters to deal with thine mine. What evil lazy men! Sadly, this is the world in which we live. The works of the flesh have always plagued humanity since the beginning when Cain murdered his innocent brother Abel.

Chicago's history is tarnished with corrupt politics, abusive police, dishonest detectives and crooked judges. Chicago is awash with police brutality, beaten confessions, spousal abuse by cops, tampering with evidence, wrongful convictions, bribes, et cetera. Ecclesiastes 5:8, “If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.” Nothing escape God's eyes. Hebrews 4:13, “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”

All my life I have heard inefficient people grasp for every excuse they could find in an attempt to justify their inefficiency. It's no way to do things!

Hating Sinners And Giving Up On Them Is Unbiblical

1st Corinthians 5:9-10, “I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.”

Jude 1:22, “And of some have compassion, making a difference.”

Preachers and religious church layman alike have a long history of wresting Scripture out of context to fit their agendas. People often only see what they want to see in the Word of God. I hear pastors from the New Independent Fundamental Baptist (New IFB, or NIFB) movement preaching hostility toward the LGBTQ+ community. They preach hatred of sinners!

In our text passage of inspired Scripture from 1st Corinthians 5:9-10, the Apostle Paul plainly counters his teaching not to keep company with unrepentant sinners, specifically fornicators, by clarifying that he wasn't talking about unsaved people. Paul goes on to elaborate, explaining that we ought not keep close fellowship with professed believers who still live like the Devil, that they might be ashamed and repent...

1st Corinthians 5:11-13, “But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

”2nd Thessalonians 3:14, “And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.”

The Bible is not teaching to reject sinners here. The context plainly teaches that if someone professes to be a Christian, but is living in open sin, separated saints are not to keep company with them. Those are some strong words from God's Word. The Bible clearly teaches biblical separation from worldly sinners, whether they be lost or saved.

I Grew Up Around Skid Row In Chicago

I saw a different side of life that very few people ever get to experience. My father and I would often see men lying in the gutter of the street, not knowing if the man was dead or alive. Back then in the 1970's when you called 911, they'd just send a police Paddy wagon to take away the individual. I was humbled as a child seeing that on a regular basis all my youth.

I just cannot relate to Steven Anderson's attitude of throwing sinners out the door of the church, hating on them. I didn't grow up that way, thank God! I grew up viewing people as being broken instead of bad. And I sincerely believe that is how God views all of us.

There's Room At The Cross For Everyone

In the late 1800's at the North Orange Baptist Church in Orange, New Jersey, an interesting thing happened one Sunday. It was the church where the great American businessman Samuel Colgate (1822-1897) was a member. Samuel Colgate, son of William Colgate, was an American manufacturer and philanthropist, born in New York City. During a church service a prostitute came forward to be saved. She trusted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior and expressed a desire to join the church. "I'll gladly sit in some back corner," she said.

The self-righteous pastor hesitated to call for a motion to accept her into membership, and for a few moments the silence was deafening. Finally, another self-righteous church member stood up and suggested that action on her request be postponed. At that point, Mr. Colgate arose in her defense from the back of the church and said:

"I guess we blundered when we prayed that the Lord would save sinners. We forgot to specify WHAT KIND. We'd better ask Him to forgive us for this oversight. The Holy Spirit has touched this woman and made her truly repentant, but apparently the Lord doesn't understand she isn't the type we want Him to rescue."

Purportedly, many in the congregation blushed with shame. Another motion was made and the woman was unanimously received into the fellowship. I love that true story!

The New IFB Are Wrong To Hate And Give Up On Sinners

Saul in the New Testament was guilty of hating and murdering Christians, a crime I would think is much worse than committing homosexuality. Yet, Jesus came to Saul in love and reached out to him with the Gospel, and Saul was saved (Acts 9:1-5).

Oftentimes The Only Thing You Can Do Is Just Let It Go

Romans 12:19-21, Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”

I am age 59. I sometimes wonder how I managed to make it this far in life alive. Many people don't. I have lived in the city of Pensacola since 2021. A couple years ago, I read in the local news about a 52-year-old local man who was sadly killed when a dump truck struck his vehicle. When I think back over my life—the numerous close calls with death, crazy people and life's unpredictability—I am surprised that I've made it this far. I am thankful to God.

That being said, I cannot tell you how many times there have been throughout my life, when I felt totally helpless in a situation. I have often wished to God that I had some supernatural power to hurt people—to force them to face the consequences of their bad attitudes, their reckless ways, their woeful lack of love and concern—to force them to care! Unfortunately, neither I nor you have that power, short of breaking the law and going to prison for committing a crime.

More times that I can remember, cruel people have hurt me, stolen from me, humiliated me, defrauded me, been mean to me, and made me wish that I had the power to execute vengeance upon them. What saith the Scripture? Our text passage from Romans 12:19 teaches that vengeance belongs to God alone. This passage is a quote from the Old Testament from Deuteronomy 32:35, “To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.” I love that phrase, “their foot shall slide in due time.” In other words, the old adage is very true that: “What goes around comes around.”

God PROMISES, His integrity is at stake, to avenge all wrong doing. I used to sometimes get angry at God, thinking that someone hurting my feelings was too trivial a matter for Him to avenge; but dear reader, that is simply not true. If someone hurts your feelings, and you feel like deleting them or hurting them badly, you can rest assure that God will avenge you friend.

While driving, I have had mean people blast their car horn at me just because they could, just to be a jerk, when I hadn't done nothing wrong. One woman blasted her horn at me in McDonald's drive-thru last year. I hadn't delayed to keep up with moving traffic. I did nothing wrong. That unkind gesture from her ruined my day. What she did lingered in my mind and I was sad the whole day.

I wish that I could merely let things go when incidents happen, when mean people hurt my feelings, and not let anything affect me; but it does affect me, and I have never been able to just move on like nothing happened. It takes a day or two, or three, for me to calm down and things to go back to normal. The reason why is because I have a large heart. I am a caring person. The flipside of caring is that I am also a very emotionally sensitive man. I get my feelings hurt very easily. I learned a very long time ago that tender-hearted people do not mix well with cold-hearted people. I want nothing to do with cold-hearted people.

Jesus Said In This World, 'Ye Shall Have Tribulation'

Jesus said in John 16:33 that in this world we shall have tribulation. There is no escape!

I admit that one of the hardest things for me to do is to just “let a matter go.” I could spend an entire day sharing with you the horrible painful things that people have done to me over the years. Considering the shocking things that some evil people to do hurt others, I feel fortunate. Yet, my pain of soul is real, lasting and difficult to survive with.

After 19 years of marriage, my wife divorced me in 2006 against my will. I cannot express in words the inexplicably painful emotional pain of soul and feelings of betrayal that I endured. I just wanted to die. Many people were cruel toward me during the divorce process and afterwards. I was alone. Pastors and churches were unkind and abusive toward me, leaving me for dead during the darkest years of my life. But God's grace saw me through.

I realized one day that as long as I am alive, it matters not if I live to be 90 years old (I don't want to live that long), people are people are people, and they WILL hurt me. People equal pain. I haven't lost faith in the goodness of the majority of humanity (as far as sinners go), but since I don't know who to trust I am leery of humans in general. So, I live by the old adage: “Be nice to everybody, but trust no one.” I am at the place in my life where I don't want to step outside my front door anymore. It seems that half of the time when I leave my home I get my feelings hurt by mean, selfish, angry, hurting and belligerent people. It's a jungle out there!

I have been suffering since 2004 with chronic debilitating burning neck pain, burning nerves throughout my upper body, and the entire right side of my body feeling half asleep. I can only obtain half of the prescription pain medications that I need. These medical problems only exasperate my suffering. I have little patience. I am easily frustrated and irritated. People do not understand, nor do they cut me any slack. That makes things much more difficult for me.

I cannot take the time to explain to every stranger I meet what I am suffering through; and yet, I have to publicly interact with strangers on a regular basis. It is difficult. Most people are kind and agreeable, but there are always the few rotten people who are contemptible to say the least. It discourages me. I increasingly find myself telling the faithful LORD that I just want to go home to Heaven. I am a kind, loving, friendly, generous and nice man; but mean people keep hurting me everywhere I go, bringing out the worst in me in my pain. I rarely tell people off. It only happens when I get caught off guard, with no time to think and process what just happened. I truly do understand why people take their own lives, to escape this miserable life. I don't think I would ever do that, but I look forward to the end of my life's journey on earth.

It Is Rarely Easy To Let Things Go

I have learned painfully, again and again—that oftentimes when people are mean to me, and push my buttons, and I want their head on a platter—that there is absolutely nothing I can do to be avenged, and I reluctantly have to just let the matter go into God's hands for judgment.

I assure you dear reader that your Creator is not so busy, high-minded and pious that He is beyond caring about even your hurt feelings. It might have been a misunderstanding, but if you still got your feelings hurt by something that someone else said or did, the LORD must address the matter. What did Jesus say in Matthew 12:36, “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” Our earthly law enforcement thinks it a trifle matter when people's feelings are hurt, but such feelings have at times led to murder. I assure you that God does not take your words or feelings lightly. We must give account to God for our every word.

I try to live above reproach, but I horribly fail at times. For the 17 years that I lived on the island of Guam, I never gave anyone the middle finger. I don't think a Christian should do that. But since I've moved to Pensacola, I have flipped the bird at least twice that I remember at crazy drivers. I am a careful driver, which even my Florida driver's license reads. I stop and look for oncoming cars before I pull out into an intersection.

I didn't see any cars coming, but then when I pulled out, another car was on top of me before I knew it, BECAUSE THEY WERE SPEEDING! The local speed limit is 30 mph, but they are going 55 mph or more! When drivers speed, it changes the dynamics of everything, causing accidents (which aren't really accidents if someone is breaking the law by speeding). Pensacola police rarely ticket speeders. It's never easy to let a matter go, but oftentimes there's nothing else that we can do.

When I was younger, over 30 years ago, a punk driving  in Chicago got angry and in a moment of road rage punched his fist through my car window. My blood was all over the place because the capillaries in the human face have lots of blood going to them. The shards of broken glass cut my face up. I went to the Emergency Room and called 911. The Chicago police came, but the two bums that arrived were TOO LAZY to do their jobs. They did nothing. I found out later that the punk lived up in Evanston, Illinois. He just drove away after assaulting me and shedding my blood. I thought about going to Evanston to vandalize his car, but I didn't, fearing that I would likely get caught and go to jail instead. And also, that is not who I am. I have never avenged myself. I decided to leave vengeance in the Lord's hands as He promised.

I went to court, but the punk didn't bother to show up. The crooked judge put out a bench warrant for his arrest, but nothing was ever done. I had to go to a junk yard to buy an old window and replace it myself. The punk gave some lame sob story to the violent crimes detective that he had lost his job and his dog died; which somehow gave him the right to shed my blood? The ungodly police department let the punk go, and he was never held accountable. I am trusting God to punish that creep for what he did to me, and to punish the ungodly corrupt Chicago police and dysfunctional court system that failed me.

In this case, and hundreds more, there is absolutely nothing I can do to obtain justice. I have to let the matter go, which I did decades ago, trusting God to keep His solemn promise to avenge all evil. I have aggressively been run off the road multiple times by crazy drivers.

Nearly 40 years ago, one day when I pulled out of the exit of Hyles-Anderson College in Crownpoint, Indiana, to go to work, I heard a horn honking from the car next to me. I looked and a young punk was waving his erect penis at me, harassing a student of a Bible college. Woe unto that punk on Judgment Day! He was mocking Jesus according to Matthew 25:40. Dear reader, this world is full of sick, evil and insane fools.

Ungodly People Are Insensitive And Mean

I always feel bad and guilty, when in anger I tell people off. A cantankerous woman one day scolded me when I strayed a few feet off the public sidewalk while walking my dog, sniffing around as a dog likes to do. I saw the woman's coward for a husband go into the house, and he sent her out instead to do the dirty work, to rebuke me for being on their alleged stupid property. They should have a fence if they're that paranoid. I told her she had a problem. She made some nasty remark and I yelled, “F you!” (but I said the word). I felt so bad all that afternoon, apologizing to the LORD. I later gave a $5 bill in a gospel tract to a worker at Whataburger, trying to forget what had happened. People can be so rotten, selfish and mean!

I hate this horrible world! I cannot even walk my dog without bad things happening. One day while walking my dog, a deranged woman drove an SUV as big as a garage off the road into the cables securing the telephone poles on my street. The poles all shook violently and leaned sideways after she snapped the cable apart. After a few moments she crawled back into her vehicle and drove away. WTF. People today are wound-up, stressed, angry, on drugs, paranoid and quick to snap and run their ugly mouths. I am increasingly just letting the dog stay in her own yard, where no one can complain. My father used to say, “You can't get into trouble playing in your own back yard.” Most people place all of their emphasis on this temporary world. When they die, Hell will be the eternal home. They made their own choices.

I could go on and on about the horrible things and ugliness I have seen in people throughout my life, and no doubt so could you. I wrote this article to encourage those of my readers who have been hurt, betrayed, cheated, assaulted, or maybe just had your feelings hurt by a insensitive ungodly individual, uncaring pastor, et cetera. Many ungodly Americans today have become viscous. They're quick to tell you to get the hell off their property. They have no love, no compassion, no concern; only hatred for their neighbours. The inspired Holy Bible warned us that these "perilous times" would come in 2nd Timothy 3:1-7...

2nd Timothy 3:1-5, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

When I read this inspired passage of Scripture, it describes all of the rotten people I just told you about, and countless more demon-inspired wicked people I've met in my lifetime. To be quite honest, I love Isaiah 13:11, “And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.” I long for this wicked world to be judged!

Although I share in God's desire for all men to repent of their unbelief to come to Christ (2nd Peter 3:9); yet I know that only a tiny few will ever do so (Luke 13:23-24), because of their love for sin (John 3:20). Although you don't have to be willing to give up your sinning to get to Heaven, you do need to humble yourself to acknowledge that YOU ARE A SINNER! No one has ever been saved who didn't admit that they are a guilty sinner in God's sight. Faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ is invalid unless you come to God for forgiveness on the basis that you are a guilty sinner (Romans 3:19-20).

If you have been deeply hurt by someone, sometimes there is nothing you can do except let the matter go into God's hands for judgment. This requires faith in God, that He cares and will be faithful to keep His promises to avenge and hold everyone accountable (Ecclesiastes 12:14; Romans 14:10-12). My nerves are burning horribly as I type this. My heart is sad at times because of umpteen ungodly people who have hurt me in recent years. There is nothing that I can do except lay my hurt feelings, wounds and heavy burdens at the Lord's feet, and claim His abundant “mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16b).

I know that this article has been quite a bit long, but I speak from a broken heart. I read something many years ago where Dr. John R. Rice (1895-1980) said when he gets his feelings hurt, he writes. I was so delighted to hear that, because that is exactly what I do. I write to bury my pain of soul into my ministry work, laying up treasures in Heaven (Matthew 6:19-21). When my feelings get hurt, and there is nothing I can do about it, I go through a self-counseling process. I think about biblical teachings and look for comfort in God's Word. ...

Colossians 3:1-3, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”

It is so easy to get boggled down and drawn into the things of this temporary world—whether it be good hobbies that distract us from serving the Lord, a secular career that draws you away from the will of God for your life, or the terrible things that mean people do to hurt our feelings and wound our pride that discourage us and quench our zeal for God—life is a minefield.

People can and will rob us of our joy. For decades, I suffered a lot of persecution as a Christian in the secular workplace. One day I read a passage of Scripture that has forever impacted my life. John 16:22, “And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.” I cherish that solemn promise from God. The dear Savior promises that when we see Him in the future (whether by death or by Rapture), no man will ever take away our joy again. What a glorious day that will be! Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Thank you for reading my ministry blog. To God alone be the glory.

Why I Don't Like Or Recommend The Roman's Road

John 20:31, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”

Our text passage of Scripture gives the plain reason why I do not like or recommend the Roman's Road method of leading a lost sinner to Christ. God specifically authored the Gospel of John to convince the reader that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God, the Christ, so that by believing we will be saved. God didn't write the Epistle of Romans to show us how to get to Heaven, that is why He gave us the Gospel of John. Why use the wrong tool for the job?

John 1:29, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” In John chapters 19 and 20 we read about Jesus' death on the cross, burial and physical resurrection three days later. That's everything anyone needs to know to be saved. You are a SINNER and Jesus is the SAVIOR!

John 6:28-29, “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”

The Problem Of Using The Book Of Romans

There's much debate today over obscure passages of Scripture in Romans 10:9-10 and 13.

Some Bible students claim that Romans chapter 10 is about the future physical restoration of the nation of Israel, and that the passage has nothing to do with the eternal salvation of a sinner. I reject that theory!

Others claim that you cannot be saved unless you confess Christ publicly (Romans 10:9-10), and pray a sinner's prayer (Romans 10:13). But John 12:42-43 refutes that heresy concerning Romans 10:9-10. And Romans 10:14 refutes that heresy concerning Romans 10:13 that you must pray to be saved. You don't have to "confess" the name of Jesus publicly to be saved, just as the saved Chief Priests did not confess Christ in John 12:42-43. And according to Romans 10:14 we are saved at the moment we BELIEVE, regardless of whether we pray or choose not to pray. You don't have to ask God to save you, you just need to believe.

The Epistle of Romans has caused much confusing regarding how to be saved. And although we do read helpful Scripture passages in many books of the Bible concerning salvation, it would be foolish to ignore the Gospel of John, or supersede it with other books of the Bible, when God specifically authored the book of John to show us the way of salvation. John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”

I mean, you could use a screwdriver and hammer to make a hole, but why not use the drill that God intended for you to use? Why use a spoon to cut a block of cheese instead of a sharp knife? Would you use a pair of scissors to cut your lawn's grass, while a power mower sits in the garage? God used the Apostle John to pen the Gospel of John for the specific purpose “that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:31b). So, why use any other book of the Bible?

Don't Complicate The Gospel

2nd Corinthians 11:3 speaks of “the simplicity that is in Christ.” I am so sick and tired of men complicating God's simple plan of salvation. The Gospel of John is very clear that we are saved simply by believing on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, simply by accepting His sacrificial death on Calvary's cross as full payment for our sins, believing that He was buried, but then resurrected physically from the dead three days later. This is "the gospel" according to 1st Corinthians 15:1-6. Believe it, oh sinner, and the work is done!

The beauty of God's simple plan of salvation is that in the Scripture we're never given a level of faith that has to be reached in order to go to Heaven. Isn't that wonderful? If your only hope for Heaven is Jesus Christ for what He did through Calvary's cross 2,000 years ago to pay your debt of sin, you are saved.

Hatred Of People Hurts The “New IFB” Movement

Galatians 5:14-16, “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”

Before I say anything, let me say that I love Pastor Steven Anderson and am not writing this article to be mean or lash out against him and his New IFB. There's a big difference between lashing out against someone, versus taking a stand upon one's convictions. I am an independent fundamentalist Baptist Bible preacher (not New IFB); and moreover, a born again Christian since age 13. I have disliked the heretical New IFB teaching that Christians should hate LGBTQ+ sinners. It is wrong and unbiblical!

Respectfully said, I have heard Pastor Steven Anderson for decades spew hatred of sinners from his pulpit at Faithful Word Baptist Church. His favorite go-to passage is our Scripture text from Psalms 139:21-22, particularly where King David says: “I hate them with a perfect hatred.” Pastor Anderson wrongly assumes that this is the proper Christian attitude for all believers to have, that we should all vehemently hate homosexuals and wicked people. But those were David's feelings, not God's. Kindly said, he is wrong! His father taught him hatred for homosexuals, what he calls the "Reprobate Doctrine" (in this article I compare what Pastor Jack Hyles taught versus Pastor Anderson). To hate anyone goes against everything the Holy Bible teaches for a Christian (Matthew 5:43-44, 22:37-39; John 3:16-17; Jude 1:22). John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

The Southern Poverty Law Center has addressed the issue of Pastor Anderson's intense hatred for LGBTQ+ people. There is debate among Bible preachers how the government should handle homosexuals. Some more liberal preachers say that homosexuals should be allowed to be who they are, and left alone. I think this is an irresponsible view. Homosexuality is a threat to any society, because it's not merely confined to their private homes. There has been an obvious attempt by the homosexual community since the 1980's to aggressively push their wicked agenda. Furthermore, they are being allowed to legally adopt children in the United States. That is shocking and very disturbing!

Other preachers think that homosexuals found guilty in a legitimate court of law, should be executed according to Leviticus 20:13, which is still a moral law that never changes. Ceremonial laws were only for the Jews, but moral laws never expire. What bothers me is when pastors hypocritically say that murderers should receive the death penalty, but not adulterers, rapists, pedophiles or homosexuals. What gives any pastor the right to selectively decide which moral crimes are worthy of capital punishment? The inspired King James Bible plainly teaches that homosexuality is a sin and a crime (Romans 1:24-32; Leviticus 20:13).

Years ago when I first learned about Pastor Steven Anderson around 2009, I couldn't stand the guy because of his hatred for unrepentant sinners. But like many people I started listening to his sermons and he grew on me. Most of what Pastor Anderson says is good practical biblical advice and life changing. I hate sin and love any preacher who exposes sin, but hating people is just plain wrong!

As a side note: Many of today's Baptist pastors are pathetic. When I met with Pastor Brad Moffett of the shameful neo-evangelical Family Baptist Church in Pensacola in April of 2025, Brad actually claimed that God's prohibition for women to wear men's clothing in Deuteronomy 22:5 was only ceremonial law and doesn't apply today. Not surprisingly, his wicked wife wears her sexy pants in public. Dear reader, Deuteronomy 22:5 is MORAL LAW, which never expires. If it was wrong 3,500 years ago for women to wear pants, it is still wrong in 2026!

Hatred Limits A Preacher's Effectiveness For Christ

But unfortunately for the New IFB, the inspired Word of God warns us in 1st Corinthians 13:1-3 that without love for people, even the greatest preaching and sacrifice is for nought. The old adage is very true: People don't care what you know, until they know that you care.

1st Corinthians 13:1-3, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”

Respectfully, Pastor Brad Strand and Dr. John R. Rice (1895-1980) in their Bible commentaries interpret this passage to apply only to Christian brethren loving one another, but I humbly disagree with that idea. This Scripture passage plainly teaches that if you can preach great sermons, you're just making a bunch of noise if you lack love for people. The Bible doesn't specify or limit this truth only to the saints. A pastor will be ineffective to the same degree that he fails to love people.

Now, Pastor Steven Anderson has been very successful from a secular point of view. His Faithful Word Baptist Church is now running around 300 to 400 people in attendance in Phoenix, Arizona. But most of those people are like him, intensely hating the homosexual community, publicly saying that they wish LGBTQ+ sinners were dead. So, is that really success just because you have drawn a crowd of like-minded haters?

Also, Brother Anderson has been banned in at least 33 countries, so that he cannot reach those millions of people for Jesus Christ. By spewing hatred, Pastor Anderson has greatly limited and hurt his ministry. He is like sounding brass making a bunch of noise, ineffective from Heaven's point of view. Yes, they do get many lost sinners saved, for which I praise God, but the New IFB could reach 100 times more lost sinners for Christ if they would stop hating unrepentant sinners.

God Does Not Rejoice In The Death Of The Wicked

Ezekiel 33:11 plainly teaches that God Himself has no pleasure in the death of the wicked. 

Kindly said, Pastor Anderson has a long history of saying vile hateful things, shaming the cause of Jesus Christ. On June 12, 2016, 49 people were murdered and 58 were injured in a mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, which was a popular LGBTQ+ venue. The shooter, Omar Mateen, targeted the club during a "Latin Night" event, and the attack was deemed an act of terrorism. Steven Anderson praised the shooter and celebrated the murders, calling for all homosexuals to be murdered. Dear reader, that is not a true man of God, that is a hatemonger! People will not tolerate hatred!

In sharp contrast to Pastor Anderson's rejoicing in those 49 murders, read what the inspired Word of God teaches in Ezekiel 33:11, “Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” God Himself, our faithful Creator, does not rejoice when wicked people die!!! 2nd Peter 3:9, “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.” The LORD wants all men, even the vilest of criminals, homosexuals, pedophiles and all walks of humanity, to repent of their unbelief to trust Christ to be saved. That is love!

Mr. Anderson is a clone of hate-preacher Fred Phelps (1924-2014), whose church members used to hold big signs thanking God for dead fire fighters, dead miners, dead children, murdered 911 victims, and anything else offensive to infuriate the sensitive public with his hateful shenanigans. I admit having mixed feelings for many years concerning Pastor Steven Anderson and his ministry. He recently threw me under the bus, for disagreeing with Pastor Matthew Stuckey's heresy that the Epistle of 1st John wasn't written to help believers with the assurance of salvation, to KNOW that we have eternal life. 1st John 5:13 plainly calls Matthew Stuckey a theological liar.

New IFB Pastors Have No Respect Or Love For Others 

When I rebuked Pastor Stuckey on Facebook on May 30th, 2026, Pastor Steven Anderson broke off all contact with me, unfriended me on Facebook and blocked me out. I am done being disrespected, mistreated and bullied to stay silent by aggressive New IFB members, while their pastors grossly butcher the inspired Word of God. I have a right to speak up! Unlike 95% of their incompetent pastors in the New IFB, I actually have an earned degree in Pastoral Theology that took me eight years to earn from Hyles-Anderson College (1985-1993), signed by my hero of the faith Pastor Jack Hyles.

Pastor Matthew Stuckey was born on June 2, 2000, making him 26 years old today. He has no formal theological training. I am literally old enough to be Matthew's grandfather, yet like the rest of their ungodly heartless New IFB pastors, Matthew has zero respect for me as a fundamentalist Bible preacher or human being. Do you know what that horrible guy did to me? When Pastor Anderson threw me under the bus and broke off our ministry friendship last month, Matthew posted laughing Emojis on Facebook to mock me. He thinks it's funny that Pastor Anderson broke off our ministry friendship. That's typical shameful behavior in the New IFB.

So, I seriously question the so-called "success" of the New IFB movement, when they spew hatred for sinners. Sickeningly, 80% of the churches in Germany rallied behind Adolf Hitler during World War II. Is that success? The Bible has much to say about striving for Christ lawfully. There's a right way and a wrong way to serve God. The New IFB definitely preach Christ of contention, but like the Apostle Paul, I thank God for their soulwinning efforts, which is the ONLY reason I support Pastor Anderson's ministry. To God alone be the glory.

In sharp contrast to Pastor Matthew Stuckey laughing at what happened on May 30th, I wept in tears because someone whom I thought was my friend, Brother Anderson, wasn't my friend ministry at all. I don't think he understands the concept of true friendship. In my humble opinion he manipulates and uses people, and the day that you offend him (as I did) you're axed.

Pastor Roger Jimenez is living proof of what I say. He and Pastor Anderson were close buddies for over 20 years, who are both from Sacramento, California. I heard Pastor Jimenez say that he wouldn't want to be a pastor if it weren't for Pastor Anderson. He loved Brother Anderson and greatly looked up to his friend! But when Pastor Jimenez (the long time pastor of Verity Baptist Church in Sacramento) refused to make a malicious YouTube video in 2024 to attack Pastor Anderson's older brother Clint Anderson, for allegedly "kidnapping his daughter" Miriam, their friendship was over. Pastor Anderson proceeded to regularly attack his "friend" for the next 2 years to destroy him, and he did. That was very wrong and unchristian.

Kindly said, I am not lashing out against Pastor Anderson like I did last week, for which I have already apologized to everyone, including him. I never should have thrown his children in his face. Whatever did or didn't happen under his roof is none of our business! But I will say that Pastor Anderson has made many enemies among peers by his contentious nature. I'm talking about Tommy McMurtry, Matt Furse, Adam Fannin, Joe Majors, Roger Jimenez and countless other wounded and disgruntled pastors. I am sick and tired of all the fighting within the New IFB. They bite and devour each other like savage wolves! There's a reason why Pastor Anderson has been banned from entering into at least 33 countries, because of his hateful unbiblical attitude toward unrepentant sinners that is toxic and contagious. I won't call the New IFB a "cult" anymore, but they are "cultish" in some ways, pandering to their leader.

Truly said, many members of the New IFB are mean, cruel and heartless toward others, showing zero respect. Pastor Steven Anderson called Attorney David Gibbs Jr. a "fat slob." Kindly said, that is not how a man of God should talk. We all have areas in our life that could use some improvement. I am not lashing out against anyone. Dear reader, the way we treat others matters. Right doctrine matters! I just want to be a blessing. I am not trying to attack the New IFB for personal reasons, God knows my heart. Contrariwise, I am rebuking their unbiblical hatred for LGBTQ+ sinners. God is love. God doesn't have love, GOD IS LOVE!!!

Things You Should Have Learned Back In Kintergarden

Matthew 7:12, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”

It ceases to irritate me when I see adults failing to use good manners. We all should have learned back in kindergarten decades ago to say: “please,” “excuse me,” “I'm sorry” and “thank you.” Yet, sadly many adults have terrible manners. When I hear children being demanding of adults, rude, not saying “please,” I kindly correct them, as adults should do.

The Bible emphasizes the importance of good manners, highlighting that respectful conduct is a hallmark of upright living and that we should treat others with dignity and kindness. Key principles include esteeming others above oneself and using polite, kind speech to build others up (Philippians 2:3, Ephesians 4:29).

Philippians 2:3, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”

Dear reader, be considerate of OTHERS. If other people are rude, inconsiderate and mean, don't you join them! It matters not if you are at the grocery store, the bank, church or rotting behind bars in prison, we all need to learn to say: “please,” “excuse me,” “I'm sorry” and “thank you.”

In prison it is a matter of survival. I heard that from Michael Franzese's father, John "Sonny" Franzese (1917-2020), who was an infamous underboss in the Colombo crime family in New York. John told his Son Michael that to survive in prison you must learn to say: “please,” “excuse me,” “I'm sorry” and “thank you.” Michael grew up in a mob environment, but his father initially did not want him to be involved in organized crime, but unfortunately he was drawn into the dirty criminal business.

When John was arrested the Prosecutor's office offered him a sweet deal, a drastically reduced prison sentence if he would snitch on the mob, but he refused. John "Sonny" Franzese spent a total of over 50 years in prison for racketeering and other serious crimes that ended with his release in 2017 at the age of 100. It was in prison when Michael became a born again Christian and he travels the world today as a Gospel evangelist. His true testimony from being a hardened murdering gangster to a born again Christian is quite remarkable.

I am often reminded of what John "Sonny" Franzese taught his son about surviving in prison, because those same good manners will help us survive throughout life, without which proper etiquette you will only hurt, offend and aggravate people.

I never go to any local business without bringing a loose cart in the parking lot into the store with me. I'm going that way anyway, so why not grab a cart or two? Lazy people just carelessly leave their shopping carts sitting in the parking lot, without consideration for OTHERS.

You can tell a lot about a particular community by driving around and looking at stuff like that, to see if people give a damn or not. If you go into Walmart or Target and see merchandise laying on the floor and no one cares to pick it up, and garbage lying on the ground throughout the neighborhood, that speaks volumes about people's irresponsible and selfish attitudes toward the things of OTHERS. I care; therefore, I NEVER toss my garbage onto the ground. I would NEVER leave my cart randomly sitting in a store's parking lot. I would either return the cart to the cart corral or bring it back into the store where I got it.

People are so bad that they refuse to even flesh the toilet. When I see paper towels lying on the floor in a public restroom, I pick them up to throw away and then wash my hands. My goal is to always leave whatever public place I enter cleaner when I leave than when I arrived. The old adage is very true: Attitudes are contagious, is yours worth catching? How are your manners dear reader?

When the traffic light turns green, I have heard drivers lay on their car's horn in anger because the vehicle in front of them didn't move right away. That happens to me from time to time, when the car in front of me just sits there when the light turns green. I NEVER touch my horn!!! I have actually sat through an entire green light that turned red again, while the car in front of me didn't move, and I just calmly waited and didn't honk my horn. I just don't want to be an impatient kind of person.

I decided a long time ago that when I go into any business, and there is a long waiting line, I will just stay calm and wait as long as it takes. If I get too frustrated I will just quietly leave and come back another day, but getting upset, emotional and angry is a loser's game.

Every month before I step foot into CVS to go to their Pharmacy, I have to prepare my mind for whatever may happen, so I don't get caught off guard and become angry. Case in point, last week I called the CVS Pharmacy ahead of time to ask the pharmacist if my pain medications were ready, and she confirmed that they were ready. But when I got to CVS an hour later, she said she was busy and hadn't got to it yet, and told me to come back later. I kindly thanked her and said I'd be back later. I didn't complain. I drove 15 minutes away and she called me to say that the drugs were ready. Arrggh! But I thanked her, didn't complain or get upset, and I just had a good afternoon anyway.

It is so much better to live life that way, then to always be a nervous wreck, angry at everyone, and have a poor Christian testimony. Believe me, people do see how we behave, respond and treat OTHERS. I truly don't consider myself a good Christian, I don't. But I do want to care and be nice to everybody, because everyone is having a rough time. 1st Corinthians 6:20, “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” God knows that there have been plenty of times in my life when I didn't glorify God, but I don't want to be that guy ever again. The dear Savior deserves our very best!

Victor Nischik Denies A Free Grace Gospel

Galatians 1:6-8, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”

Victor Peter Nischik (1934-2015) was a long time deacon at the First Baptist Church of Hammond for nearly 27 years. Dr. Hyles became their new pastor in 1959. Pastor Hyles performed the wedding for Jennie and Victor in 1961. Mrs. Nischik sadly filed for divorce in 1986. At the time Mr. Nischik was employed at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. Mr. Nischik left the church frustrated in 1988, but Jennie continued working as Dr. Hyles' lifelong secretary. That has always bothered me a lot! As far as I am concerned, Mrs. Nischik belonged AT HOME with her family, not working as Dr. Hyles' secretary!

On June 19, 1993, Dr. Donald A. Waite (1933-2014) interviewed Victor Nischik (1934-2015). I won't link to the interview on YouTube, simply because it contains graphic talk. Mr. Nischik is a wicked man who blatantly lies about Pastor Jack Hyles, accusing him of subscribing to Sexology magazine and exchanging Playboy magazine with acquaintances. Anybody who knew Brother Hyles could laugh at such ungodly ridiculous accusations. Dr. Hyles didn't even watch Hollywood movies! Pastor Hyles' dear ole mother sat in front of him in church, until 1984 when she went home to be with Jesus in Heaven. Don't you tell me that Brother Hyles lived a sordid double lifestyle in the face of his mother who raised him in godly faith.

I am fully convinced that Victor Nischik is an evil liar! Nischik is subtle, so full of crap. It is obvious he is a blatant liar. You can feel his hatred in his 1993 interview with Dr. Waite. According to Mr. Nischik Brother Hyles beat his wife into total submission. If that were true someone world have seen it, because they centered their lives around attending church. I don't believe a word of any of it.

Nischik claims that Dr. Hyles offered to have female church members have sex with him if he wanted. I don't think so! The only one saying that crap was Vic Nischik! All he does is twist Pastor Hyles' sermons out of context, connecting dots that don't exist to deliberately create doubt in the mind of listeners. Woe unto Mr. Nischik at the Great White Throne of Judgment!

Dr. Donald A Waite (1933-2014) is a wicked slanderer! These are evil men. Vic Nischik falsely accuses Dr. Hyles of trading Playboy magazines with people, and of watching smut videos in his office, and sharing  details of what he did in bed with his wife. That is not Pastor Hyles! No real man would do any of the contemptible things that Victor Nischik claims. Nischik claimed that after 1970 his wife Jennie wasn't allowed to have sex with him anymore, per Pastor Hyles. Do you really believe that Vic Nischik didn't have sex with his wife for 16 years before she divorced him in 1986? If you do, I feel sorry for you friend.

All that being said, here is an excerpt I made from the 1993 interview in which Mr. Nischik accuses Brother Hyles of preaching a counterfeit Gospel that leaves off repentance. Nischik alleges that thousands of people will go to Hell because of Pastor Hyles' false plan of salvation. Well, that speaks volumes against Victor Nischik and helps clear up the matter. By saying that Dr. Hyles preached a false Gospel that leaves off repentance, it plainly reveals that VICTOR NISCHIK WAS NOT SAVED. He died in 2015 and I sadly think he went straight to Hell.

In the disturbing excerpt that I made, you can hear Mr. Nischik (who was my age in his late fifties at the time of the 1993 interview), unjustly criticize the First Baptist Church of Hammond for using The Roman's Road, for leading lost sinners to pray a sinner's prayer to be saved. According to Nischik more is required. He believes that you must repent of your sins to turn away from them, and live a changed life to evidence that you are really saved. THAT IS THE HERESY OF LORDSHIP SALVATION!!! I am fully convinced that Vic Nischik is in Hell forever!

Why should we believe anything that a man says who is wrong on God's simple plan of salvation? Mr. Nischik couldn't be more wrong! The only righteousness that I posses is God's imputed righteousness through faith alone in Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:9). Clearly, Mr. Nischik was involved heavily at the First Baptist Church of Hammond in Indiana for 27 years, and he superficially lived the Christian life, but he had never been born again!