Dr. John R. Rice's Conflicting Theological Statements

John 3:14-16, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 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 inspired King James Bible presents God's simple plan of salvation very plainly, so that if you take the Bible at face value there is no controversy. The problem arises when well-meaning, but men of corrupt minds, start tampering with the Word of God to satisfy their own whims and agendas. The raging debate over repentance is nothing new.

I get frustrated when I read articles by India missionary David W. Cloud, who likes to quote Dr. John R. Rice (1895-1980) to support his perverted view that you cannot get to Heaven unless you are first willing to change your behavior. Mr. Cloud vehemently accuses professed Christians of not being saved unless their lifestyle clearly reflects it. This is a form of Lordship Salvation.

To Forsake Sinful Behavior Or Not To Be Saved

Here is one of the quotes that David Cloud likes to reference from Dr. Rice's religious tract: “What Must I Do To Be Saved?” (which was written in 1949) ...

To repent literally means to have a change of mind or spirit toward God and toward sin. It means to turn from your sins, earnestly, with all your heart, and trust in Jesus Christ to save you. You can see, then, how the man who believes in Christ repents and the man who repents believes in Christ. The jailer repented when he turned from sin to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.  —Dr. John R. Rice, 'What Must I Do To Be Saved?'

Uh, no, that is NOT what Bible repentance means. Respectfully said, Dr. Rice is very wrong! He clearly gives the wrong impression that to get to Heaven you must make a strong effort to forsake your sinful behavior, which is 100% works.

Ans yet, read what Dr. Rice wrote elsewhere in 1963 regarding repentance, totally contradicting his 1949 tract...

"There are those hyper-dispensationalists who think that John the Baptist preached a different Gospel from Christ when he commanded repentance (Matt. 3:2). But it is the same repentance Jesus commanded in Matthew 4:17, in Luke 13:3 and 5, and the same repentance that Paul preached in Athens that God “now commandeth all men every where to repent” (Acts 17:30 31). Repentance is not a different plan of salvation from having faith: it is part of the same plan of salvation. Or rather repentance is simply another way of describing or looking at the plan of salvation. One who turns from sin to God has done so by trusting in Jesus Christ. A change of mind toward sin is necessarily involved in saving faith. ...Everyone who genuinely repented under the preaching of John the Baptist put his trust in the Saviour John the Baptist preached, and was regenerated. There is no such thing as being “a disciple of John the Baptist” in any honest sense without being a disciple of Jesus, that is, without trusting Christ for salvation." —Evangelist John R. Rice, “Acts: Filled With The Spirit,” pp. 251-252; Sword Of The Lord, Murfreesboro, Tennessee; ©1963

Well, which is it Dr. Rice? Does a person have to turn away from sinning earnestly with all their heart to get to Heaven? Or can they simply trust the Lord Jesus Christ? It cannot be both ways! Dr. Rice's contradictory statements are confusing at best.

So, which is it, do we have to “turn from your sins, earnestly, with all your heart” to be saved; or do we simply trust Jesus Christ, and in so doing we have automatically turned from our sins? Dr. Rice's 1949 tract has stirred MUCH controversy in the religious world, providing ammunition for the Lordship Salvation cult who quote his bad theology.

Evangelist David C. Cloud (a missionary to Nepal in India for over 30 years) is a good man as far as good men go. But he is a bitter enemy against Pastor Jack Hyles, for which I do not respect him. David Cloud has horribly dubbed Dr. Hyles: "The King Of Shallow Soulwinning!" On the Day of Pentecost, the Bible says the Apostle Peter preached the Gospel and 3,000 people got saved. No one was interrogated. No one had to be watched to see if their life changed. No one was required to forsake their sinful lifestyle. They simply "gladly received his Word" (Acts 2:41). That is, they heard the Gospel and they BELIEVED it! (Galatians 3:2). Now, David Cloud can call that type of soulwinning "shallow," but it is the Bible way and the only way to be saved! I have read Mr. Cloud's plan of damnation, and it is not the free grace Gospel.

When David Cloud met with Pastor John Wilkerson (senior pastor of the First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana) on April 12, 2022 (per Mr. Cloud's request), Mr. Cloud wasn't man enough to come by himself, he brought another pastor along to gang up on Pastor Wilkerson, who did come by himself. I don't know why Dr. Wilkerson bothered to meet with that scumbag, because as anticipated David Cloud used the meeting to criticize, further smear and tear down the First Baptist Church of Hammond and their pastors for preaching Easy Believism. SHAME on David Cloud and his Satanic plan of damnation (i.e., partial faith in Christ plus works).

It was David Cloud who started spreading the untrue garbage that Pastor Curtis Hutson and Dr. John R. Rice didn't agree on salvation. They both believed the same Gospel!!! They just presented it differently. The only difference is that Dr. Hutson refused to use the stupid phrase "turn from sin," but Dr. Rice unfortunately did and it confuses people still today.

From the quote I just shared with you from the book, “Acts: Filled With The Spirit,” Brother Rice made it very clear that he believed: "One who turns from sin to God has done so by trusting in Jesus Christ." That is the opposite of what we are hearing preached in 90% of Bible colleges and churches today! Look at this Satanic tommyrot preached at Bob Jones University (BJU) nowadays by Dr. Steve Pettit. BJU are ungodly Calvinists. RUN from that accursed cult!

Sadly, Dr. John R. Rice has hindered many people from getting saved by his sinful use of the unbiblical phrase “turn from your sin,” which is nowhere found in the inspired King James Bible. It is a wicked thing to read into the inspired Word of God what it doesn't say.

Likewise, I believe that cartoon artist Jack Chick was saved, but he also sinfully embellished the simple Gospel, requiring people to “be willing to turn away from sin (repent)” in billions of his Chick Tracts (on the back page, step number 2, in his perverse plan of damnation). Romans 5:6b plainly says, “CHRIST DIED FOR THE UNGODLY”!!!

There is no requirement to be willing to reform your life of sin before God will accept your faith in His only begotten Son. Although preachers will continue to debate and argue over this matter, the FACT remains that not one verse in the inspired King James Bible teaches that God won't save you unless you are first willing to reform your life of sin. Those wicked pastors are trying to do the work of the Holy Spirit, trying to force sinners to forsake their sinful ways to receive God's free gift.

I do believe that Dr. John R. Rice was saved, because he plainly stated that “One who turns from sin to God has done so by trusting in Jesus Christ.” Unfortunately, his foolish teaching in his 1949 tract requiring the reader “to turn from your sins, earnestly, with all your heart” to get to Heaven, which impossible requirement would scare any sinner away. If someone had told me that in 1979, I never would have received Christ as my Savior, because I would have felt that such a requirement was too difficult for me to achieve.

Even when I was saved, I used to pass on the Lord's Supper in church, refusing to partake of it because of some ongoing sins (or I should say things that at the time I thought were sinful) I had in my life as a young teenager. I learned years later that the only qualification to partake of the Lord's Supper is to be saved. Had I know that truth, I would have partaken of the Lord's Supper and not pass on it, as I did for a few years. I took things serious as a teenager. So, if someone had foolishly told me that I have to be willing to turn from my sinning to be saved, I would have declined their offer, as does this woman on an airplane when Evangelist Ray Comfort pressures her to stop sinning to be saved. That is not the Gospel!

As much as I love and respect Dr. Rice, he really messed up by using unbiblical terminology, which has misled multitudes of people concerning what you must do to be saved. What irony! The very name of his booklet is: “What Must I Do To Be Saved?,” and yet he fails to accurately present God's simple plan of salvation to the reader.

Perhaps you ask, “What about John 3:20?” John 3:20, “For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” Yes, that is a powerful Scripture passage. Most people will not come to Jesus because of sin. John 3:19, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” John 5:40, “And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” Jesus said, “ye will not come”; He didn't say, “ye cannot come.” Most people won't come to Christ to be saved because of their love for sin.

No doubt this is why so many preachers require that you first be willing to forsake your sinful ways as a prerequisite to saving faith. However, please don't leave off John 3:21, “But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” 2nd Timothy 2:25, “In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.” Bible repentance is a change of mind. That is, it is acknowledging THE TRUTH.

Here is one of the best quotes that I've found on repentance by Pastor Harry A. Ironside (1876-1951):

“Which comes first, repentance or faith? In Scripture we read, 'Repent ye, and believe the gospel.' Yet we find true believers exhorted to 'repent, and do the first works.' So intimately are the two related that you cannot have one without the other. The man who believes God repents; the repentant soul puts his trust in the Lord when the Gospel is revealed to him. Theologians may wrangle over this, but the fact is, no man repents until the Holy Spirit produces repentance in his soul through the truth. No man believes the Gospel and rests in it for his own salvation until he has judged himself as a needy sinner before God. And this is repentance.” ('Except Ye Repent,' p. 16)

We learn from Matthew 7:21-23 and Luke 13:23-34 that many religious people (who do “MANY WONDERFUL WORKS”) are not saved and consequently, they are going straight to Hell when they die! There are far more religious people who do GOOD works than BAD works, who are unsaved and going to Hell. The point being, neither good works or bad works are conclusive evidence that a person is either saved or unsaved. The only true evidence of the new birth is the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit (and that is something that only God can see).

If it weren't for 2nd Peter 2:6-7, we'd never know that Lot was saved, whose own family laughed in his face when he tried to warn them of the coming destruction of Sodom (Genesis 19:14). Proverbs 25:19, “Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.”

The truth is that getting saved does not change a person's personal character one iota. Not one bit! The only difference is that the Holy Spirit has come to live inside the body of every believer (1st Corinthians 3:16-17; 1st John 3:34; Romans 8:9). You don't have to “decide to change” nor have a “change of direction” to be saved. Respectfully, I hear errant preachers attempting to use the Epistle of 1st John to teach that a person is not saved if they're still living a deathstyle of sin. 1st John 3:8, “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” This means that a person committing wickedness is of the Devil, but the Bible doesn't say they are not saved. Even the apostle Peter was called “Satan” by the Lord for thinking contrary to the Scripture (Matthew 16:23).

And also, here is what Pastor Bob Gray Sr. rightly said about Bible repentance ...

“Repentance means to change your mind—change your mind—change your mind about how you want to get to Heaven to what God says you've got to do to get to Heaven. If you've got to repent of all your sins, you're still headed for Hell tonight.” —Pastor Bob Gray Sr., 'Why You Should Be A Part Of A Growing Church'

There is no controversy if you believe the Holy Bible dear friend. The only reason why so many preachers insist that you must be willing to turn from your sinful ways to be saved, is because they are attempting to force YOU to do the job of God's Holy Spirit. That is, they are requiring YOU to commit to live a changed life to be saved, or to prove that you are saved. Yet, repeatedly we are told in the inspired Holy Scripture that it is God's Holy Spirit who produces the “fruit” of righteousness in God's redeemed children, and not we ourselves.

To tell someone that they must be willing to give up their sinful bad habits to get to Heaven is effectively to require them to keep the law to be saved (Romans 3:19-20). It is very unfortunate that Dr. John R. Rice foolishly chose his words when he wrote his religious tract in 1949, because multitudes of people still today recognize and follow Dr. Rice as a leader in fundamentalism. But we must remember that Brother Rice was merely a man, fully capable of doctrinal error, and he is very wrong in his tract.

We must NEVER tell someone “to turn from your sins, earnestly, with all your heart” to get to Heaven, because no such teaching can be supported with the inspired King James Bible. The very suggestion is intimidating to any sinner. The antithesis of John 3:20 is not turning from your sin, it is turning from your unbelief to trust the 'GOOD NEWS' of Jesus Christ crucified, buried and risen the third day. The only change of mind regarding sin that you need to have, to be saved, is to admit that you re one. The only thing that you and I contribute to our own salvation is the sin that made it necessary.

Pastor Brad Strand Gets Repentance 100% Correct

Wrong Repentance is Deadly!

Don't Play Russian Roulette With People's Lives

Proverbs 20:1, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.”

For me, I heard a doctor say something helpful many years ago that I adopted: "You cannot take two drinks of alcohol if you don't take the first." I think that is great wisdom.

I heard Brother Lester Roloff (1914-1982) in a sermon tell the true story about a man who had never taken any alcohol in his life. The man signed up for a cooking class which included drinking a glass of wine with various meals. So, the man drank wine for the first time, and over time it escalated until he became a full blown drunkard.

It's not my place to condemn anybody who drinks alcohol, but for me personally I have chosen all my life to steer clear of alcoholic beverages. Pastor Jerry Falwell (1933-2007) used to call Nyquil "Baptist wine." I really like that. He was so right. I admit that to help me sleep I drink a cup of Nyquil here and there. But like Pastor Falwell wisely said, since we Baptists don't drink alcohol, we use medications like Nyquil instead to get the same effect. So, we need to be careful and use discretion and wisdom.

Proverbs 20:1, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” The inspired Holy Bible warns that there is a deceptive nature to alcohol. It is no mere coincidence that the writer of Proverbs 20:1 warns about the deceptive nature of booze. Many people have lived to rue the day that they bought into the Devil's lie that they could handle booze. Many a great men have fallen because they were deceived to think they could handle alcohol, that they wouldn't ever become the next statistic.

Granted, most people handle their booze well, but it only takes just one time. To me, drinking booze is a form of playing the deadly game of Russian Roulette.

Please don't become the next victim of booze; or worse, make someone else your next victim.

A 26 Year Old Drunken Woman Murdered a Police Officer on Guam

The Counterfeit Gospel Of Evangelist Dylan Novak

John 3:3, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Dylan Novak was born on March 15, 2002, in Indianapolis, Indiana. His ministry website is at: https://celebrityevangelist.org. I found the following video today about Dylan giving a New Living Translation (NLT) of the Bible in 2023 to Ozzy Osbourne (real name: John Michael Osbourne, 1948-2025). Jack Osbourne (Ozzy's son) said that the gift meant the world to his Dad.

What Ozzy Osborne said about being Christian & the Bible Before Death

In all his videos and Statement of Beliefs on his website, Dylan plainly requires that you not only accept Jesus as your personal Savior, but ALSO as your personal “Lord.” To an unlearned Christian, that addition may seem to be harmless since Jesus is the Lord. However, you need to know that when Dylan Novak refers to accepting Jesus as “Lord,” he means recognizing Christ as the supreme authority in your life, which involves a commitment to follow His teachings and guidance. This acceptance signifies a personal relationship with Jesus, where individuals trust in Him for salvation and strive to live according to His will. This is another gospel.

Ozzy Osbourne’s Departure Sparks Spiritual Questions 

John Michael Osbourne—better known as Ozzy Osbourne—succumbed to his battle with Parkinson’s disease this past week at the age of 76. Much has already been written about the former frontman of Black Sabbath and how his legacy shaped not only the emergence of heavy metal but of the broader entertainment culture as well.

What’s perhaps most interesting—and maybe unexpected—is the number of conversations his death has sparked about spiritual things. Chief among them, his own spiritual beliefs. READ MORE

Sadly, all of Ozzy's rhetoric about believing in God wasn't enough to save him from Hell. I sure hope that he went to Heaven, but we won't know under the afterlife.

Dylan's Deadly Misunderstanding Of The Gospel

Nowhere in the inspired King James Bible do we read that to get to Heaven you must accept Jesus as your “Lord.” Pilgrim's Progress author John Bunyan (1628-1688) said it best:

“If you do not put a difference between justification wrought by the man Christ without and sanctification wrought by the Spirit of Christ within, you are not able to divide the Word aright; but contrariwise, you corrupt the Word of God, and cast stumbling blocks before the people.” —John Bunyan

In the preceding video Adrienne Bankert asks Dylan Novak the question:

“With Ozzy, do you know if he ever prayed the prayer of salvation?”

Dear reader, you don't get saved by praying a prayer of salvation, you get saved by faith (taking God at His written Word) to accept Christ's sacrificial death on the cross as full payment for your sins, believing that He was buried, but then resurrected physically from the dead three days later. This is “the Gospel” (Good News) by which all who believe it are instantly, irrevocably and permanently saved (1st Corinthians 15:1-6; Romans 1:16).

In the neo-evangelical video, Dylan mentions the thief on the cross who did nothing but, ”he acknowledged with his lips that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

“Well maybe Ozzy gave his life to Christ at the end.”

Again, this is not how you get saved dear reader. Judas Iscariot gave his life to Christ, becoming one of Jesus' very apostles. Yet, Judas died in his sin of unbelief and went to Hell forever. The false prophets in Matthew 7:21-23 devoutly followed Jesus, calling Him: “Lord, Lord.” They boasted of having done “many wonderful works” in Jesus' name, but Jesus still denied knowing them as His redeemed sheep. They had failed to do the will of the Father in Heaven, which we learn in John 6:40, “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” I don't see anything in that passage about accepting Jesus as one's “Lord” to get to Heaven. Wicked preachers have perverted God's simple plan of salvation, adding and embellishing the gospel.

At about 12:45 minutes into the video, Dylan says:

“We don't know because if you look at the thief on the cross, that thief on the cross didn't do anything to further the gospel. All he said was, "Remember me, Lord." He acknowledged with his lips that Jesus Christ was Lord. And Jesus said, "Today you will be with me in paradise." He didn't have to be baptized. He didn't have to go to seminary. He didn't have to go profess Christianity or following Christ to anybody. He believed and he was saved. So again, we see through scriptures. It doesn't matter when as long as you give your life to Christ. And it's with a sincere transformation, change, and acknowledgement in your heart.” SOURCE

Oh my, that's the Satanic deception of Lordship Salvation (which is rooted in Calvinism). Dylan is clearly associating a positive change in one's behavior with being saved. If salvation is truly by grace, then you don't need to start or stop anything to be saved. Eternal life is a free gift from God (Romans 6:23). Salvation is not a reward for the righteous, it is a gift for the guilty.

The Deadly New Living Translation (NLT)

The NLT that Dylan gave Ozzy Osbourne as a gift is of the Devil. Unfortunately for Ozzy, the so-called “Bible” that Dylan gave him which is “easier to read” contains ALL of the same corruptions as all of Satan's modern English Bible revisions. Case in point...

KING JAMES BIBLE (KJB) - Mark 1:15, “And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION (NLT) - Mark 1:15, “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”

Do you see how the NLT perverts the truth of God Word? The Greek verb for “repent” in Mark 1:15 means “to think differently.” It DOES NOT mean to repent of your sins!!! Wicked but well-meaning men changed God's Word. Proverbs 30:5-6, “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” Anyone who tells you that God won't save you unless you are first willing to repent of your sins, to be willing to clean up your life of sinful bad habits, has been inspired by demons.

Biblically, you don't need to feel some deep profound regret, sorrow or a desire to reform to be saved; but you do need to acknowledge that you are a guilty hell-deserving sinner. You need to know why you need to be saved (because you are a sinner), and from what you're being saved from (burning in Hell forever). We are SINNERS and Jesus is the SAVIOR.

Dear friend, Christ died on Calvary's cross 2,000 years ago to pay for your sins and mine. Why would He demand that you be willing to forsake your sinful ways to be saved, which very idea is IMPOSSIBLE? No one has ever turned away from their sinning. You may clean up your life enough of sin to live above reproach, but you can never rise above sinning; no one can. If salvation is truly by grace, then you don't need to start or stop anything to be saved. Eternal life is a free gift from God (Romans 6:23).

After watching the video, it does sound like singer Jerry Lee Lewis did go to Heaven, because he simply trusted Jesus as his personal Savior. But what Dylan is preaching about accepting Christ as one's “Lord,” giving your life to Christ, and experiencing sincere transformation and change, is NOT God's simple plan of salvation. RIGHT DOCTRINE MATTERS!!! Dear reader, since what someone believes will determine where they spend eternity, it is imperative that we present the gospel correctly. I love what Pastor Ralph Yankee Arnold said:

“There is power in this Gospel message. Most people just don't know how to present it... The clarity of the Gospel is what makes it easy for them to believe.”—Pastor Yankee Arnold, “WHY GRACE CAN SAVE THE WORST MAN!”

I have no doubt whatsoever that Dylan is 100% sincere, but he has been lied to and deceived by today's ungodly neo-evangelical preachers. I couldn't help but notice the name of Billy Graham emanating from a book on Dylan's bookshelf in the background.

Beware Of False Prophet Billy Graham (1918-2018)

On their BGEA website the following demonic heresy is what they teach you must do to be “born again”...

So how can we be born again?

First, we must admit our sin—that we can’t live up to God’s perfect standard on our own. 

Then we must ask forgiveness for that sin and repent, which means to make every effort in turning away from that sin.

Finally, we ask Jesus to be part of our lives.

That’s when God’s Spirit penetrates our hearts to guide us and help us be more like Him. That’s when we’re born again. [emphasis added]

SOURCE: What Does It Mean To Be Born Again?

Where does the inspired King James Bible tell us to “make every effort in turning away from sin” to be born again? It doesn't! Billy Graham is a lying false teacher, as is his protégé Dylan Novak!

Also, where does the inspired King James Bible tell us to ask Jesus to be part of our life to be saved? It doesn't! Billy Graham and his foolish followers are hellbound infidels—imposters who masquerade as children of God. What you've just read is a false plan of salvation, which cannot produce the necessary new birth to enter into God's Kingdom. Billy Graham is guilty of mixing and confusing living the Christian life with God's free gift of eternal life, which is received by faith alone in the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ. These wicked men are preaching the Devil's fraud of LORDSHIP SALVATION!

In 1st Corinthians 15:1-6, the inspired Word of God plainly defines “the gospel” as three things:

1. Jesus DIED on a cross to pay our debt of sin.
2. Jesus was BURIED.
3. Jesus physically RESURRECTED from the dead three days later.

The only prerequisite necessary to believe the Gospel is to admit you are a guilty sinner, because you need to know what your being saved from. You are a sinner and so am I dear reader (Romans 3:10-23). There is a penalty (wages) for our sins, which is death (Romans 6:23). This includes a second death in the Lake of Fire forever (Revelation 20:11-15, 21:8).

The Bad News is that we are all guilty sinners deserving of being punished in the fires and torments of Hell forever. The Good News is that God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, into the world to die on a cross for our sins, to make a way of escape through His shed blood (Romans 5:9).

Biblically, you don't have to turn away from your sins to go to Heaven; but rather, Christ died on the cross to pay your debt of sin (and mine). Whatever changes God wants to see happen in your life after you get saved is His department, and you can be assured that He will attend to it. God is not an absent parent (Hebrews 12:6-8).

Jesus fully bore the weight and curse of our sins so that we don't have to. The Devil's fallacy of Lordship Salvation (which Billy Graham and his followers like Dylan Novak errantly preach) place the weight and burden of sin upon the sinner instead, which is an impossible burden to bear. Who can turn away from their sinning? That's right, no one. Psalms 130:3, “If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?”

Please be awake to righteousness! These devilish false prophets need to be exposed (Titus 1:9-14; Ephesians 5:11; Matthew 7:15; Galatians 2:5; Jude 1:3). I have been saddened when I attended local churches throughout Pensacola, Florida, and I've heard foolish pastors quoting and bragging on Billy Graham.

By partaking of Operation Christmas Child (OCC), tens of thousands of compromised churches across the country are supporting and wickedly bidding Godspeed (2nd John 1:11) to Franklin Graham (whose corrupt plan of salvation is the same as his father's plan of damnation). Franklin Graham's OCC has taken in billions of dollars, which Charity Watch Dog Groups have exposed for the organization's lack of transparency to reveal where the money is going. I won't give OCC a penny and neither should you!

The world is going to Hell while corrupt churches are dropping the ball about how to get to Heaven. Merely “becoming a Christ follower” is the popular teaching today in neo-evangelical dead churches, but that won't produce the required new birth to get to Heaven. Salvation only comes to those who cease from all their own works, and rest in Christ alone, relying upon His death on the cross, burial and bodily resurrection from the dead three days later.

We get saved by receiving Christ's sacrifice on the cross as full-payment for our sins, believing that He was buried, but then raised up from the dead the third day. 1st Thessalonians 4:14, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” That is one of my favorite Bible passages. Philippians 1:17b, “...knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.”

If Billy Graham went to Heaven, then there are at least TWO gospels. The inspired Holy Bible warns in Galatians 1:6-9 that there is only one gospel, which the Apostle Paul defines for everyone in 1st Corinthians 15:1-6. There is nothing in Paul's Gospel (which he received directly from Jesus according to Galatians 1:12) which requires turning or repenting of your sins to be saved. There is nothing in Paul's Gospel that requires giving your life to Jesus, becoming a Christ follower, or of experiencing some radical change or transformation of one's heart to be saved. In fact, if you are a child of God, your salvation did not change you a bit. I encourage you to listen to a classic MP3 sermon of the same title by my favorite preacher of the Christian faith, Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001). ...

Your Salvation Did Not Change You A Bit

Sadly, I Doubt If Ozzy Went To Heaven

I have combed the internet for information about Ozzy's beliefs, especially before he died. All I keep reading is that Ozzy believed in God. What saith the Scripture? James 2:19, “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” I fully agree with Ozzy that you don't have to go to church to believe in God, but believing in God is not enough to enter into God's Kingdom. You must accept Christ's sacrifice on the cross 2,000 years ago as full payment for your sins, believing that He is risen from the dead! If that was Ozzy's only hope for eternal life and forgiveness of sins, then he went to Heaven. 

Sadly, throughout his 50 year career as: “The Prince of Darkness,” I've never found any place on social media or elsewhere that Ozzy expressed faith alone in Christ as his hope for Heaven. Merely saying that one is a “Christian” doesn't make it so. Hellbound Mormons, Roman Catholics, Church of Christ, Jehovah's Witnesses, Greek Orthodox, Lutherans and countless other pseudo-Christian cults claim to be “Christian,” but they all trust in partial faith in Christ plus something more (works).

Salvation is not a reward for the righteous, it is a gift for the guilty.

Salvation is not doing your best, it is having Christ's best put to your account through receiving Him by faith.

Turning away from sinful ways would be a work. Faith puts all of the merit where it belongs, on the object of our faith, Jesus and His work.

If to “repent” means to forsake our sinful ways TO BE SAVED, but Jesus already paid for our sins by dying on the cross, then what are we repenting from?

The true Gospel always points you to CHRIST; a false gospel always points to YOU.

If salvation is truly by grace, then you don't need to start or stop anything to be saved. Eternal life is a free gift from God (Romans 6:23). 

One is saved by God's grace through faith in the finished Work of His Son on the Cross as payment in full as our pardon for sin.

It is my earnest hope and prayer that Ozzy's family will come to the light of the truth of the saving gospel before it is too late. Only God, Ozzy and those already in the afterlife know where Ozzy went when he died. I sure hope he trusted Jesus as his personal Savior before he died. Believing in God isn't enough. Receiving and reading a new modern Bible version isn't enough. Getting excited about having a Bible that you can read is not enough. John 3:3, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

I Encourage You To Listen To Attorney David Gibbs Jr.'s Life Changing Preaching

Titus 1:1-3, “Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour.”

Attorney David Gibbs Jr. founded the Christian Law Association (CLA) in 1969. Since then, the CLA has been providing free legal assistance to Bible-believing churches and Christians who are experiencing difficulty in practicing their religious faith because of governmental regulation, intrusion, harassment in the workplace, or prohibition in one form or another.

I also encourage you to sign up for their free monthly newsletter, which provides legal advice for churches and Christians, as well as informing readers about harassment, persecution and legal matters across the United States regarding the Christian faith.

The following video is one of the most precious sermons I have ever heard. What a blessing!!! I hope you will take the time to listen to it dear friend. ...

Second Mile Christianity

A simple online search in any search engine will provide hundreds of sermons by Brother Gibbs which I encourage you to seek out and hear. Your life will be changed dear reader.

Here is another one of my favorite life-changing sermons by Evangelist David Gibbs Jr. ...

“HE HATH DONE ALL THINGS WELL”

(David Gibbs - Wednesday AM - Bus Convention 2018)

How Good Of A Fake Are You?

7 Things A Seeing Christian Must Do

As we learn in our text passage from Titus 1:1-3, God reveals His inspired Word through preaching. Bible preaching helps us think and live right!

“America's greatest need is to see Christians who know how to love!” —Evangelist David Gibbs Jr., “HIS VOICE”

Hundreds of millions of people spend literally tens of thousands of hours accumulatively in their vehicles travelling to and from work, appointments, church, events, school, et cetera. Sadly, the vast majority of those people only listen to music, perhaps some news here and there, or a random talk show; but I dare say less than 1% of people listen to Bible preaching. Certainly there is nothing wrong with listening to music, and it can help us wind down or calm our mood after a rough day or night at work. But I encourage you to consider incorporating some Bible preaching into your time spent driving, for your edification.

“No one is any better a Christian than they are kind.” —Dr. David Gibbs Jr., “HIS VOICE”

I burned Pastor J. Vernon McGee's (1904-1988) THRU THE BIBLE MP3 collection to a CD. I was able to fit Genesis through Joshua onto one CD disk as MP3s. Whenever I start my car, the Bible commentary automatically begins to play, and I can hear Brother McGee teach the King James Bible. The MP3s are all available to download for free. That was my choice for preaching in my car, but there are many great Bible preachers to choose from.

“Without love your voice is noise.” —Attorney David Gibbs Jr., “HIS VOICE”

Most people wait until an emergency comes before seeking answers. Most people don't prepare in fair weather for the coming stormy weather. By listening to Bible preaching during calm and fair weather, you are saving up for a rainy day, preparing for the worst when it one day arrives. Plus the truths that you learn can be used to help others (family and friends) who are struggling through difficult times in life.

“There's a whole world out there that needs you and the Lord!” —Evangelist David Gibbs Jr. , “Wednesday AM - Bus Convention 2018”

I hope you will seek out sermons online by Evangelist David Gibbs Jr., which God will use to conform you more into Christ's image (Romans 8:29). I have listened to his sermons for many years and I've never been disappointed. God always uses Dr. Gibbs' preaching to speak to my heart. Prepare to be blessed. To God be all the glory (John 15:5).

Why God Hates Roman Catholicism

Isaiah 42:8, “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.”

Truly, a picture is worth 1,000 words! There is not a bigger Satanic cult on the planet than Roman and Russian Orthodox Catholicism. Isaiah 42:8, “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” So, why do Catholics persistently tempt God by bowing down to worship graven images? IDOLATRY!

Exodus 20:3-5, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:  Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.” Again, why do Catholics disregard God's inspired Word to worship idols?

Thus, it is no wonder why Jesus said in Mark 7:9, “And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.” The dear Savior practically gives the address of the Vatican in Rome, and the headquarters of the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow. These are the Devil's religious headquarters!

The sin of idolatry is a horrible sin. Catholics do it intentionally, which is evil. The inspired Word of God strictly forbids making idols and graven images, nor to bow down to them in worship. To venerate the dead is wickedness!!!

Because it is so obvious that bowing down to graven images woefully contradicts the plain commandment of God's Word, the ungodly Vatican has completely REMOVED God's second commandment from the Ten Commandments. You couldn't make this stuff up! It is unreal! 

What blows my mind is why anyone would continue going to the Catholic church, when it couldn't be more obvious that Catholicism is a deadly PRISONHOUSE OF RELIGION!!!

There is no debating whether Catholics venerate (worship) their patron saints, the Virgin Mary, and their Pope. These photos don't lie! Those people are wickedly bowing down to graven images (idols), committing the sin of IDOLATRY.

Exodus 20:3-5, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:  Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.”

The very fact that the Vatican has dishonestly and deceptively REMOVED the second of God's Ten Commandments, and then divided the tenth commandment not to COVET into two commandments (to make up the difference), proves that the Vatican fully knows they are wrong. Why would they tamper, change and corrupt God's Word to facilitate their IDOLATRY unless they knew it was wrong? Clearly, the Catholic church has told on themselves by changing God's Ten Commandments. Even a small child can see that something is not right.

I can tell you with all confidence based upon the authority of the inspired Holy Scripture that God hates the Catholic religion with a passion. God does not hate the individual people, they are victims of a Satanic deception. But God hates every falsehood. Psalms 119:104, “Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.” Dear reader, the closer you draw to a holy and true God, by dwelling and meditating in His inspired Words, the more you will hate every falsehood, deception and evil thing. God is truth!

I implore you dear reader to RUN AWAY from the Catholic church as fast as you can, and never return! When I think about the Catholic church with their exquisite architecture, trillions of dollars, granite marble floors and elaborate grand designs in their impressive church buildings, I am reminded of Jesus' words in Matthew 23:27, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.”

Lot's Life Shows Us The Consequences Of Not Living A Separated Life

Genesis 13:12-13, “Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.”

Genesis 14:12, “And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.”

There is an important truth to be learned here. Take a careful look at our two text passages of inspired Scripture. We learn in Genesis 13:12 that Lot, Abraham's nephew, “pitched his tent toward Sodom.” That means he set the opening of his tent toward Sodom, so he could see the city. Lot's heart was already in Sodom. The very next chapter of Genesis tells us that Lot “dwelt in Sodom.” Lot's heart was already in Sodom before he even moved there. This is why for many years now my favorite Bible verse has been Proverbs 4:23, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

This passage of Scripture should clearly show you dear reader the danger of having unwise and sinful desires. It was very unwise for Lot to desire to move to such a wicked city. It would be like wanting to move to “Sin City” Las Vegas today.

And as we learn from this inspired passage of God's Word, our desires ultimately shape our decisions and outcome. Look at all the horrible dire consequences because of Lot's foolish fatal decision to move to the heathen city of Sodom, and because of his worldliness:

1. Lot was so worldly that his two son-in-laws laughed him to scorn, when he tried to warn them of the imminent fiery judgment upon Sodom. Those men and two of Lot's daughters were destroyed in Sodom.
2. Lot's beloved wife looked back and died, turning into a literal pillar of salt.
3. The broken family brought booze out of Sodom. Lot got drunk and impregnated both of his daughters.
4. Two heathen nations (Moabites and Ammonites) were birthed from Lot's immoral relationship with his two daughters.
5. Lot and his family lost their home. If Lot had chosen to live somewhere less convenient away from Sodom, they would have been okay. Abraham was okay.
6. Lot's Christian testimony was forever ruined. Lot is remembered for more than anything else as the man who impregnated his two daughters. So sad.
7. Abraham had to mobilize 318 trained men to pursue the captors and successfully rescued Lot, his family and others. Lot was so fortunate to have an uncle who cared.

These are just some of the obvious dire consequences of Lot's horrible decision to move with his family into the city of Sodom, but there were hundreds of horrible consequences for generations to follow. The heathen Ammonites and Moabites wouldn't have existed if it weren't for Lot's carnality. Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive. Lot created a gigantic mess by his sinful ways!

The Ammonites are often depicted negatively in the Bible, particularly for their hostility toward the Israelites and Satanic practices such as child sacrifice to their god Milcom. The Ammonites did not show hospitality toward the Israelites. The Moabites are depicted negatively in the Old Testament due to their idolatrous ways and frequent hostility toward the Israelites.

Truly, a picture is worth a thousand words! From just looking at this tragic story of Lot and his family in the Old Testament, we see a living example of why biblical separation is so important. Lot never should have purposed in his heart to move to such a wicked place as Sodom. I cannot help but suspect that when Abraham gave Lot a choice of where to live, and Lot chose the well-watered plains of Jordan, that Lot already had his heart set on Sodom. One thing is abundantly clear, Lot did end up dwelling in Sodom with his family. Lot would have been better off moving his family down into the sewer system of New York.

What are the desires of your heart dear reader? Proverbs 4:23, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Romans 15:4a, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning...” Let us learn from the tragic mistakes of foolish Lot that the decisions we make have real life consequences!

If Lot hadn't moved to Sodom his wife wouldn't have died. If Lot's wife hadn't died he wouldn't have impregnanted their two daughters, because his wife would have been present to prevent such wickedness. It was their two daughters who instigated the sins. Lot's other two daughters wouldn't have died in Sodom, with their husbands who didn't believe Lot's warnings. Oh, how sin thrills and then it kills! Oh, how sin fascinates and then it assassinates! Do you see dear friend how sinful decisions often lead to dire consequences?

Biblical Separation Matters

It's bad enough that the heathen world mocks and laughs at me for preaching against the sin of women wearing pants in public. But then there are ungodly pastors and worldly pastor's wives today who mock, resist and criticize me for preaching the truth about modesty.

There wouldn't have been a debate 100 years ago about whether or not it is wrong for Christian women to wear pants. You couldn't have found a lady in a pair of trousers a century ago in the United States. Just because our deteriorating moral culture now approves of women wearing sexy pants in public, doesn't mean that our holy Creator has changed. You know as well as I do that NO WOMAN would dare wear a pair of pants to meet the Savior at the Judgment Seat of Christ. She will wear a dress!

I am so sick and tired of ungodly neo-evangelical pastors and their wicked wives condemning my Bible preaching against women wearing pants in public. It is a sin!

1st Timothy 2:9-10, “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.”

There is nothing “modest” about pants on women and you know it! To debate this passage of Scripture in a sinful attempt to justify women wearing pants today, is no better than homosexuals who wrest the Scripture in a wicked attempt to justify same-sex marriage. Anything can be justified if you try hard enough! In the Old Testament, Jezebel wanted Naboth's wine vineyard, so she did whatever it took to falsely accuse and murder Naboth, and she did! Only a fool would dare wrest God's Word to justify women wearing immodest pants!

Professed Christian women wearing pants is a far more serious issue that most people realize, because along with it comes a subtle feminist mindset. No doubt most religious women who wear pants would quickly deny being a feminist, but their behavior speaks for itself, denying their words. There is no argument that women started wearing pants in mainstream American society in the 1960s during the women's liberation movement. Christian women (especially pastor's wives) who wore pants throughout their life will weep bitter tears at the Judgment Seat of Christ, realizing that they were advertisements for sinful immodesty and feminism.

Dear reader, there is a whole system of rebellious thinking that goes along with a woman wearing pants, the very opposite of biblical fundamentalism. I wouldn't give you a dime for a shameful pastor's wife who wears pants in public. SHAME! She is also dropping the ball as a mentor for the other females in a local church, setting the bar of morality very low. Ladies, I cannot stress enough the importance for you to wear dresses, skirts, culottes and skorts in public. Please don't become a billboard for the Devil and the world by wearing pants. If what I have just preached is silly or offensive to you, it is only because you are not right with God.

Jack Hyles Speaks On BIBLICAL SEPARATION

The Importance Of Little Things

The seemingly little decisions and choices that we make on a daily basis matter dear reader, more than you could possibly ever know. ...

“If you want to never do anything that is terribly wicked, then you never do anything that is slightly wicked.” —Pastor Jack Hyles, "Unjust In The Least"

Biblical separation is intended to keep us as far away from sin as possible. That is why I have never drank even a single drop of booze, because you can't take two drinks if you don't take the first. I want to stay as far away from the deadly consequences of sin as I can.

I arranged some of the icons on my two computer desktop screens into the shape of a cross, to continually remind me that I am a child of God and need to be careful where I go on the internet. Literally, you are being watched dear reader. The government, police, hackers, corporations and God knows who else, monitor your movements on the internet with tracking cookies. You might as well imagine that you are looking into a one-way mirror, where thousands of people can see you, but you cannot see them, because that is the truth!

I don't want worldly friends. If you are a born again Christian, then you either need Christian friends or no friends. I'd rather be alone with no friends, than to hang around ungodly heathens who do not fear God. I FEAR GOD!!! I understand that one day in eternity I must stand before God and give account for my deeds (Ecclesiastes 12:14), words (Matthew 12:36) and thoughts (Proverbs 24:12). We must all appear before God to answer for our life (Romans 14:10-12).

There are no unimportant things. Please don't make light of modesty ladies. The way that you dress in public very much does matter. I'd rather have other ungodly woman snicker, mock and put me down with their hateful words; than to become an advertisement for the Devil and the heathen world's standards of clothing and immorality. It all boils down to how much you care!

Nearly all neo-evangelicals will foolishly tell you that sharing the gospel is what really matters, and not what we wear or put into our mouth, but it does matter, it really does. When you see a long-haired fella smoking a joint, covered in badass tattoos and wearing black leather, you don't think that he is a Christian who loves God. No, you think he's a roughneck. I carry visible gospel tracts everywhere I go, attached to my phone with a rubber band, and I wear my phone on a chain around my neck. I do that so people can see that I am a Christian. For many years I wore my “Jesus” and “John 3:16” cap. I like to proudly let people know that I am a Christian.

I can spot Mormons a block away, because there's always two males in white shirts with ties riding a bicycle and wearing a safety helmet. Jehovah's Witnesses travel in groups and always carry satchels. Baptists going soulwinning are all but an extinct species today. My point is that when Christian women wearing pants in public, it sends a clear message that she belongs to the world's system of low standards. She is worldly and far from God.

I could go on and on about Biblical separation. Pastor Jack Hyles has written an entire helpful book on the topic titled: 'Jack Hyles Speaks On Biblical Separation.'

Tragic Lessons From The Life Of Lot

I think the tragic life of Lot in the Old Testament is the best living illustration of where a lack of biblical separation can lead a family. Lot lost his wife, his two daughters and their husbands to death, all because he decided to move to Sodom. That's five premature deaths because of Lot's selfish decision to relocated his family into “Sin City” Sodom. Lot had to live with those deep regrets for the remainder of his life.

There are so many important lessons that we can learn from the tragic story of Lot. No doubt Lot never would have commit incest with his two daughters had he not drank the booze, which wise preachers rightly call 'LIQUID DEVIL!' Lot was foolish. I THANK GOD that I've never touched a drop of booze in my life, and I don't plan to start now. While under the toxic influence of alcohol, people are capable of committing the worst unimaginable evils. I've heard my share of horrific true stories of what alcohol does to bring out the monster in people.

It is unbelievable how much destructive damage, misery and destroyed lives resulted from one small decision by Lot to move into Sodom. The city was where the fresh markets were displayed. In Sodom you could buy succulent roast lamb, chicken or beef over the fire at the local barbeque. Sodom was where the action was at! Oh, but it came with a hefty price tag! Sodom was where prostitution ran wild. Like many liberal progressive cities today like Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Portland, the sin of homosexuality was openly seen all over Sodom. If you were a wicked sinner, Sodom was where you felt right at home.

If you are a redeemed child of God dear reader, I encourage you to separate from the world. I do not mean don't watch television or listen to secular music. Some Christians may want to do that, and that is fine. But I personally like 1970s country music with a pedal steel guitar. I like some of the Beach Boys music, which I think is fine. As a musician I like just about any kind of pretty quality music. But I won't hang around worldly friends who live in open sin, smoke pot, skirt the law, do not fear God, and are only going to drag me into their miseries.

According to 2nd Corinthians 6:14-17, we should never go into business together with an unsaved person. Nor should we ever marry an unsaved person. I am speaking to the saved here. If you are a child of God and you marry an unbeliever, you will have the Devil as a spiritual father-in-law. You don't want that, trust me friend!

The older I grow, both physically and spiritually, the more I am realizing the great importance of maintaining biblical separation from the wicked. And that includes separating from wicked pastors and churches who use Satan's corruptible seed (the perverted modern Bible revisions), and preach Satan's deadly Lordship Salvation counterfeit plan of salvation. These are not genuine New Testament Bible-believing churches; but rather, they are in the same boat as the pseudo-Christian religious cults who are working against the cause of Jesus Christ.

I also encourage you to separate from worldly believers who do not fear God. These are “perilous times” as foretold in 2nd Timothy 3:1-7. I knew an elderly Christian man years ago who divorced his wife. Before the ink had even dried on the divorce agreement, he married another woman. After one year he divorced her too, and remarried his first wife. Folks, that is as wicked as the Devil. The guy is faithful to go to church! A lot of foolish believers think that just because someone goes to church, that somehow makes them a good Christian. It doesn't!

That being said, I would never condemn anyone for any sin. I am the biggest sinner that I know, because we all know ourselves better than anyone else. Peter said in Luke 5:8, “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Peter had been fishing all night long with his peers and caught zilch, notta, nothing. Jesus told him to give it another try. Peter was reluctant to do it, but said in verse 5, “Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.” I love that!

Have You Been Born Again?

Dear reader, even if you are not sure the Holy Bible is God's inspired Word, and quite frankly you aren't really sure of anything, it doesn't matter just so long as you obey the gospel by BELIEVING IT! It is perfectly acceptable for you to have doubts, just so long as you act upon what little faith you may have to obey the GOOD NEWS!

Anyone who comes to God as an admitted guilty sinner—accepting Christ's sacrificial death on the cross 2,000 years ago as full payment for your sins, believing that Jesus was buried, but then physically ressurected from the dead three days later—is saved instantly, irrevocably and permanently.

Don't Let Anyone Entice You To Do Something Wrong

2nd Kings 6:25-30, “And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver. And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king. And he said, If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress? And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow. So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son. And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.”

Proverbs 1:10, “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.”

I was listening to the King James Bible today, from the Old Testament book of 2nd Kings. I love the Old Testament. I agree with Evangelist Lester Roloff (1914-1982) who said that the Old Testament will put iron into your blood. He is speaking spiritually, of course. Romans 15:4 says, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” Please don't miss that truth dear friend, God gave us the Old Testament FOR OUR LEARNING. Amen.

As I was listening to this disturbing passage today from 2nd Kings, which was a time of famine in the land, I became infuriated at the wicked woman who said to a stranger: “Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow.” That evil stranger had no intention of ever killing and eating her own son. She was a pathetic manipulative liar, and as far as I am concerned, demon inspired. Can you image someone being so evil that they would even try to convince you to murder, cook and then help eat your own child? That is exactly what the wicked woman did, but she lied and after eating the other woman's child, fled with her own child. She took advantage of a stranger. It's not hard to understand why so many people in the world hate people. People will do to you whatever you let them do. Always be on guard.

The Ungodly “Friend” From Hell

When I was about 7 or 8 years old, I was walking to the grocery store one day with my friend Bobby. He tempted me to steal a small carton of chocolate milk. Now, God knows my heart, that such a wicked thought had never once entered into my mind. I know for a fact that as a good kid I never would have tried to steal that milk, had my so-called “friend” not taunted, tempted and pressured me to do it. At first I refused to do it. But Bobby started calling me a “chicken.” So I relented and did it under pressure from Bobby to steal.

But I got caught. The store owner stopped me and said: “Son, open that bag,” and I did and he saw the chocolate milk. The elderly man said I was not allowed to come back into his store until he talked with my mother, and he asked me for her phone number, and as an otherwise honest boy I gave it to him. On the way home I kindly asked Bobby to please not tell anybody about the incident. Bobby was so rotten and evil (also about age 7 or 8) that when we arrived home, he literally ran throughout the neighborhood hollering: “David got caught stealing from Johnny Joes! David got caught stealing from Johnny Joes!” I was crying. My grandma was crying. My mother was upset when the store owner, Johnny, called her.

From that day forward, I never once stepped foot into Johnny Joes' store again, because I was too ashamed of what I had done. I walked to other grocery stores in the area, some a few blocks farther away, so I wouldn't have to face the stigma and shame of being a thief, all because my crooked ungodly “friend” Bobby pressured me to steal that chocolate milk one day. Bobby was a low character boy, and I fell for his trap.

The good thing is that I learned some lasting character lessons from that painful incident:

1. There's no such thing as a “friend” who entices you to do something wrong. Proverbs 1:10, “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.” Bobby was never a true friend.
2. I never should have succumbed to Bobby's enticing words. He was an evil influence. If someone today were to ask me to do something wrong, I would tell them to: “Get the hell away from me!”; and you do the same dear reader if someone entices you to do evil.
3. When you do wrong, evil people will rub your face in it. Proverb:22:1, “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.” Always protect your name and innocence. What Bobby did was evil. It was his idea in the first place and he pressured me to steal, and when I did and got caught he went and told everybody in a malicious effort to destroy my reputation. To run through the neighborhood tearing down someone whom you enticed to do evil is ten times more evil.
4. Ultimately, I have no one to blame but myself for what I did that day. In our text passage from 2nd Kings, that foolish mother who killed, boiled and ate her child with a complete stranger who enticed her to do it, has no one to blame but herself. She ran crying to the king begging for justice, but she did that to herself and her own child. And worse, she had to live with that regret for the rest of her life.
5. People will entice you to do wrong, but you alone will suffer the consequences. That woman's baby is dead, but the other woman still has her baby. People will manipulate lie and take advantage of you if you are weak and foolish. That is why I have and always will reject Medicare Advantage Plans. All they are is greedy private insurance companies wanting to screw you out of your due benefits. They're a bunch of dirty thieves! I have to live with getting caught stealing for the rest of my life. Bobby didn't get caught, I did. He convinced me to do something wrong, and I succumbed to his Satanic mouth. I suffered the consequences alone, but nothing bad happened to him.
6. The people who entice you to do wrong will disappear from your life. That foolish mother never saw or heard from that evil stranger again, the wicked woman who pressured her to boil her child; just like the evil serpent who ruined Eve's life in the Paradise of Eden, and then was never seen or heard from again. I have no idea where Bobby is today, and I really couldn't care less. His father was a Chicago police officer who used to physically beat his wife. I'd see her working at Jewel food store, in the deli, with a black eye. Bobby is probably no better. People will ruin your marriage if you let them, and then go their merry way. The people who hurt you will leave you alone in your misery.

By God's grace, I will never again allow anyone to entice me to do something wrong, unethical, immoral or illegal! We never know when evil will rear its ugly head in our life's journey, but we can plan ahead of time to say, “No.” We can avoid hanging around bad influences. As a general life's rule, I wouldn't want to be around anybody who doesn't like to share Bible truths, talk about the things of God, and who has a heart for sharing the gospel to win souls to Christ.

Bible Characters Who Were Enticed

In the inspired Holy Bible we find numerous examples of wicked people who enticed others to do evil:

1. The serpent enticed Eve in the Garden of Eden. By her ungodly behavior she brought down her whole family. They lost Paradise. Her wickedness led to the death of Abel.
2. Potiphar's Wicked Wife Enticed Joseph to commit adultery, but he refused.
3. Aaron was enticed by the Hebrews in the Wilderness to make them a graven image to worship. In Exodus 32:24 Aaron tells his brother Moses that he just put a bunch of jewelry and gold items into the fire, and lo and behold a calf mysteriously came out...lol.
4. The wicked Philistine princes enticed Delilah, offering her money if she would betray Samson to find the secret to his strength. I calculated that they paid her about $420,000.
5. The wicked Pharisees enticed Judas Iscariot, offering him 30 pieces of silver, which in today's money would amount to about $1,250.
6. The Devil enticed Jesus, offering Him all the power and glory of this world if He would bow down to worship and serve him. Satan enticed Christ three times, trying to get Him to jump off a tall pinnacle of a temple, and at another time he enticed Jesus to turn some stones into bread.
7. Bathsheba enticed David while bathing naked on her roof. I personally believe this for two reasons. First, all women have a sixth sense when it comes to men looking at them. There's no way that she washed naked outside without knowing that the king could see her from his palace. Second, when David tried to commit adultery, she didn't refuse the king. A godly woman would have refused and if necessary scream and resist.
8. Jonadab enticed Amnon to rape his half sister in the Old Testament. If you let them, people will ruin your life with bad advice (Psalms 1:1-3). Always be on guard. That is why my favorite Bible verse for many years has been Proverbs 4:23, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

Though The Stars Fall, Do Right!

Dr. Bob Jones Sr. (1883-1968) taught that truth, and he preached it often. Though the stars fall, do right! There's nothing to weigh, consider or ponder; if it's wrong, I'm not going to do it. Prisons are full of fools who allowed someone else to entice or pressure them to break the law. People will entice you to do something wrong, and when you do they'll blackmail you to do something else wrong, or threaten that they'll go to the police. That is how small crimes lead to big ones.

 “All things truly wicked start from innocence.” —Ernest Hemingway

“If you want to never do anything that is terribly wicked, then you never do anything that is slightly wicked.” —Pastor Jack Hyles, "Unjust In The Least"

I live by these precious quotes and truths today. Throughout your life you will meet evil people who have no problem skirting the law, breaking the rules and doing what is wrong.

I used to work with a shady man at the U.S. Postal Service about 20 years ago, who would go to lunch without clocking out. He'd work out at the gym while on the clock getting paid. He stole boxes of toilet paper from the post office. I stayed away from him! His wife (that he swindled from her husband) was a devout Roman Catholic. I shared the gospel with him and he claimed that I had led him to the Lord. So, he went around the workplace telling everyone that he was a Baptolic (half Baptist, half Catholic). I have no idea if he really got born again or not. Only he knows that. I am not condemning the guy, because we are all wicked sinners. My point is that he was a bad influence, so I maintained my distance from him, lest I go down with him if he ever got caught. To my knowledge he never did. What saith the Scripture? 1st Timothy 5:24, “Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.”

Dear reader, by God's grace I implore you to become vigilant in this matter of not allowing wicked people to entice you to do something wrong. Teenagers especially, be vigilant in this matter of being truthful, chaste and righteous. Temptations abound for youth today. As we grow older not so much. I'm just an old man living a boring life, and I like it that way. Proverbs 1:10, “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.”

These Are Perilous Times

We are living in a greedy culture today of ungodly people who couldn't care less about loving one's neighbor as thyself. My dog Miss Pickles peed blood on the floor at PetSmart yesterday. The vet charged me $105.95 for a urine analysis and another $147.66 for some antibiotics ($259.73 total). A cat had also scratched her eye on Friday and that cost me $182 for a stain test and some antibiotic eye drops earlier in the day yesterday. I checked online for pricing. For just 4 ounces of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim (antibiotics) liquid, the vet charged me $146. I found it online (only veterinarians can buy it; $20.45 for 16 ounces). So, for what costs them $20.45, they charge their customers $590.64! I see this greed everywhere I go today. Matthew 24:12, “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”

All in all, I am thankful that Miss Pickles seems to be doing better. The urine analysis showed white blood cells and bladder cells present, which the doctor said is likely either a UTI (Urinal Tract Infection), or possibly early signs of cancer. The dog is 5 years old as of January. She has gotten hold of a Little Debbie fudge brownie the day before, which I read online can caused digestive bleeding; but the vet said he didn't think that was the problem.

The Stain Test confirmed that the cat scratched her left cornea. There's a spiritually dead Presbyterian church a block away from my house. I've never seen more than 3 or 4 people present. Someone at the church feeds the cat, and there's a bowl of water. So I call it the “Presbyterian cat.” When I was walking Miss Pickles Friday evening, she ran ahead (her leash is about 15 feet long). She ran around the corner of the church building and I heard a loud yelp, and she came running back. When I turned the corner I saw the black cat, who hadn't budged until she saw me. She had clobbered Miss Pickles before I could see what was going on! Thankfully, the doctor said her eye seems to be healing well. No more cats!

Miss Pickles didn't pee blood this morning on her pee pads in the living room by her portable playpen. I'll be giving her liquid antibiotics for the next 14 days, and eye drops in her left eye for 7 days. She wouldn't allow me to put the syringe in her mouth, so I mixed her antibiotics with a tablespoon of yogurt, which the nurse said I could do. The dog likes that. Lord willing, she'll be back to normal. I also had her groomed yesterday, since it is hot and humid outside. I got her the shortest number 10 haircut. And they cleaned her teeth. That cost $122. I also have three Zebra finches, and I bought some Millet and liners for them yesterday at PetSmart. It all came out to about $600. Praise the Lord! It was a hectic day, especially for Miss Pickles.

I took this photo of her last night at the animal hospital...

Miss Pickles

In these perilous times people don't care about their neighbours like they should, charging as much money as they possibly can just because they can. But God is still faithful. 

God's free gift of eternal life is still 100% free, completely paid for by the precious blood of Jesus. Don't you dare believe any lying preacher who says you must be willing to forsake your sinful bad habits to get to Heaven, because that is works (Jonah 3:10). Christ died on a cross 2,000 years ago to pay for our sins, because there is nothing that we can do to remedy the situation. The very idea of having to be willing to turn from your sins to be saved is preposterous, because NO ONE has ever done so. The true Gospel always points you to CHRIST; a false gospel always points to YOU. If salvation is truly by grace, then you don't need to start or stop anything to be saved. Eternal life is a free gift from God (Romans 6:23).

Thank you sincerely for reading my ministry blog. God is good and faithful.