What Does It Mean To Repent And Believe?

Mark 1:15, “And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” Acts 20:21, “Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The interpretation of ‘repent and believe’ that has been most common, is the belief that to repent is one thing, and to believe is another. Traditionally, to repent is to turn your back on sin, and turn to face God and walk in His ways. To believe is to put your faith in Jesus Christ. It is true, of course, that traditional teaching has not isolated these two things from one another. Repentance and faith are taught as going ‘hand in hand’, but it is still clear that they are describing separate events.

Robert Farrar Capon suggests that repent and believe should be interpreted as one and the same thing. He writes, “I wouldn’t read ‘repent and believe’ … as if it meant ‘repent first, and then when you have got that job done right, believe’. I would read it as a double imperative doing duty for a conditional statement of a single truth: sort of like ‘spare the rod and spoil the child’, which really means ‘if you spare the rod, you will inexorably spare the child’.”

When read in this way, ‘repent and believe’ refers to a single act; the act of going from unbelief to faith. Repentance is a part of the believing process, it is not some separate act that earns Heavenly brownie points with a Divine book-keeper. To repent is turn your mind around. But what is it that we turn our minds around from? If Capon is correct, then it is unbelief that we turn from. So ‘repent and believe’ is not ‘turn from sin and believe in Christ’ as it has been presented, but ‘turn to belief from unbelief’.

Nowhere in the Bible do we find the meaning of repentance that the church has enjoyed peddling; the meaning that suggests ‘get your act cleaned up and then start believing in Jesus’. David DePra questions repentance and belief and concludes, “If I have repented, I have changed. But what changes about me if I repent? Well, fundamentally, what changes is I no longer live in unbelief....I stop believing my sin comes between myself and God."

It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that IF we repent, God THEN gives us His grace and forgiveness. But this is not the way it works. Let's think about this for a moment. Once I say, "IF I repent, THEN God gives His grace," I am making grace conditional. I am basing God's grace on something that I do. Repentance is nothing more than our return to God; a return that Christ has already accomplished on our behalf in the Incarnation. The infinitely Gracious God has already forgiven us, and this is what makes our repentance possible. (Michael Jinkins)

The point is this: God's forgiveness and grace are finished for me. They are finished for everyone -- no matter whether they have repented or not. That is because His finished work depends solely upon Him. There are no "IF's." Grace is NOT based on anything I do, or even based on whether I repent. They are based solely on what Christ has done. If it is based upon me, it must by definition, cease to be Grace. SOURCE

Pastors Just Don't Care About Truth Or People

John 9:35, “Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?” Philippians 2:4-8, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

Jesus had healed a man who was born blind from birth (John 9:1-13). The man's neighbours were astounded and  brought him to the Pharisees. The self-righteousness Pharisees immediately took offensive of Jesus and sought to accuse Him. They derided the man and his parents, implying that the man had never been blind at all. But the people knew that this man had indeed been blind his entire life since birth. Ultimately, the wicked Pharisees cast this man out of the synagogue for praising the name of Jesus, the man who had healed him of his blindness. I love that little phrase in John 9:35, “Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?” The dear Savior went looking for this man, because He cared about people.

There is nothing in one's Christian life that emulates our precious Savior more than caring. Caring is the hallmark virtue of being a Christian who is walking with God. Having said that, I am saddened that I have met so mnay uncaring and selfish pastors along life's way.

When I lived on Guam, I attended the Harvest Baptist Church for a year in 2014. I saw that the church had been corrupted by the Devil—using the Devil's false bibles, and preaching another gospel of the Devil; namely, “Lordship” Salvation. I saw that the church was promoting Martin Luther (1483-1546) as a born-again believer, when in reality Luther taught the heresy of Baptismal Regeneration (that you must be water baptized to go to Heaven) all his life.

So, because I cared, I went out with my own hard-earned money and purchased a few hundred dollars worth of hard copies of fundamentalist books to give these incompetent pastors. Tragically, this led to a firestorm and Harvest's pastors putting me out of their church in 2015, just as the wicked Pharisees put the healed blind man out of the synagogue. Ironically, the wicked Pharisees who ousted the blind man were still utterly blinded themselves. They were spiritually blind to the truth which they rejected.

Harvest's pastors couldn't have cared less about the truth that I had placed directly into their hands. Some of the books that I gave them (which they vehemently rejected) were:

1. Martin Luther: Master of Deceit (by Pastor Max D. Younce)
2. I Never Knew You (by Michael P. Bowen)
3. Somebody Has Got To Milk The Cows (by Pastor Jack Hyles)
4. NIV: The Antichrist's Bible (by Pastor Al Lacy)

It was these wonderful Christ-honoring books, written by godly men, that greatly offended the wicked pastors of Harvest Baptist Church on Guam (HBCG). For the next 7 years I was banned, ostracized and mistreated by HBCG. At one point I was so lonely in my personal life that I even pleaded with Harvest's pastors if I could come back, in 2017. I missed my church family and friends I had made in 2013 to 2015, but their ungodly pastors threw me under the bus and left me for dead, resentful of THE TRUTH I had placed directly into their hands. What saith the Scripture? Romans 3:4, “God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.” God is on my side because I am on the right side of truth! Psalms 118:6, “The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?”

Pastors just don't care anymore. They don't care about God. They don't care about the accuracy of the Gospel. They don't care about the purity of the Holy Bible. They don't care about people like me who befriend them with THE TRUTH. This is the wicked Bob Jones University crowd today, who idolize Dr. John MacArthur and preach his damnable counterfeit gospel of Lordship salvation.

But it gets much worse folks! In 2018 I started attending the Lighthouse Baptist Church on Guam. Their senior pastor is Sean Quinlan, a shameful associate of Pensacola Christian College (PCC). Quinlan berated me for sharing my knowledge with other church members, about what is wrong with the Devil's corrupt modern Bibles. He called such knowledge a “controversy” and feared it would split his church. So he said publicly that he didn't want any controversies in his church. What a shameful pastor! Pastor Quinlan literally berated me for my love for the Holy Bible, saying verbatim: “You are obsessed over the Bible!” Folks, this is the pastor of a so-called, “Independent Fundamental Baptist Church”! God help us!!!

When I kindly apologized for offending Pastor Quinlan, he was angry and called Harvest Baptist Church on Guam: “Our sister church!” I then got angry at him, for sinfully bidding Godspeed to evildoers in the Calvinist Bob Jones camp. I sharply rebuked him in front of his deceived church members (thankfully many of them have since quit that corrupt church). I shouted at Quinlan: “SHAME ON YOU!,” and I told him he'd never see me at his church again, and I meant what I said. Sean Quinlan is a fool dear friends! Instead of commending me for my love for THE TRUTH and GOD'S WORD, he rebukes me in anger for caring enough to tell the truth, contend for the faith, and make a difference for God. Dear reader, God doesn't approve of a church that grows in size at the expense of THE TRUTH! If you think you're a success in the sight of God, for increasing your church attendance, while shunning THE TRUTH about the Devil's Bibles, then you are a fool of fools, under God's wrath!

I made this excellent excerpt today from Pastor Steven Anderson's needful sermon titled: "Only One Viewpoint Is Allowed." The Devil and his children (all unsaved people) hate the truth. Dear reader, THE TRUTH is only hate to them who hate THE TRUTH!!! God's Word is truth. That is why Satan keeps publishing new perverse bibles, changing THE TRUTH of God into a lie (Romans 1:25). Sadly, Sean Quinlan couldn't have cared less about the truth, the purity of the Bible, the accuracy of the Gospel, nor about me as a hurting human being. Humbly said, Sean Quinlan ought never be allowed behind any church pulpit anywhere! He is perverted and only cares about making money and achieving worldly success.

I moved to Pensacola, Florida from Guam in July of 2021. Of all the literally hundreds of New Testament churches around the city of Pensacola, I wanted to go see what the famous Pensacola Christian College (PCC) was all about. So I started attending their Campus Church. I was happy at first, quickly making new friends. But then I met the Devil's servant, Jeff Redlin, senior pastor at Campus Church. Pastor Redlin behaved himself shamefully, cowardly dodging my emails and avoiding me for a couple weeks, as I tried to figure out what had gone wrong with this man. As it turns out, someone slandered me and my ministry to Pastor Redlin, and he sinfully ran with it like a fool, berating me and taking the liberty to talk down to me. I told him that I was disappointed in him as a pastor (and I sure am). What a sad little man. How in the world did PCC hire such a calloused, arrogant, cold-hearted, person who is woefully lacking in love, compassion and people skills?

I went home and cried, when Redlin told me that him and the other pastors saw my website ministry as an attack on the “weaknesses of preachers.” I emailed him back and rebuked him sharply, for sinfully bedding Godspeed to the wicked Bob Jones University camp, and the apostate Harvest Baptist Church on Guam. PCC is in bed with the Devil folks!!! SHAME on Pastor Redlin and Timothy Zacharias (his associate pastor). SHAME on Sean Quinlan, who now attends Campus Church. SHAME on the Bob Jones University camp with their Devil's bibles, and their Devil's false gospel of “turn away from your sin” heresy to be saved. Folks, apostasy has crept into BJU and PCC, and these institutions can no longer be trusted theologically. RUN for your spiritual lives!!!

Sadly, all of these pastors that I have mentioned just don't care anymore. Joe Hansen, Jared Baldwin, Marty Herron and Gary Walton (all pastors at Harvest Baptist Church on Guam) have MUCH BLOOD on their wicked hands!!! They have entertained doctrines of devils, vehemently rejecting THE TRUTH that I kindly gave to all of them. These ungodly infidels of the faith will be held accountable and judged by God (Galatians 6:7). Sadly, Marty Herron and company are not going to Heaven (Galatians 1:6-9; 3:1-3; 5:4). Fools like Sean Quinlan and Jeff Redlin will weep bitter tears of sorrow, if they make it to Heaven themselves, for sinfully bidding Godspeed to evildoers. 2nd John 1:11, “For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”

All of the aforementioned ungodly men criticize and put me and my ministry down, because I cared enough about them (and the victims whom they deceive with their damnable lies) to TELL THEM THE TRUTH! What saith the Scripture? Proverbs 12:17, “He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit.” I have shown forth righteousness, because I told THE TRUTH. The incompetent pastors at Harvest Baptist Church on Guam, and the Lighthouse Baptist Church on Guam, horribly censored me because THE TRUTH is powerful. These wicked man sweep the problem under the table.

It is much easier and more convenient for the Pensacola Christian College (PCC) camp to discredit my ministry and preaching, then it is to face the reality that Bob Jones University (BJU) is of the Devil today, preaching another gospel. It is much easier for PCC to just ignore the problem, pretending that it doesn't exist, than it is to deal with it!

Literally, Pastor Sean Quinlan shamefully said to me in 2018: “It is none of our business what they do at Harvest Baptist Church on Guam.” What a shameful and wicked thing to say! So in Sean Quinlan's mind, since Harvest is preaching another gospel, it is not his concern. Yet, Quinlan openly supports Harvest and bids them Godspeed. So you see how uncaring, grossly negligent and wicked today's incompetent pastors are folks. I know you do see.

These ungodly infiltrators must be exposed and avoided by all means. Romans 16:17-18, “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.” This is all so unfortunate.

And may I say, you cannot lay with sleeping dogs and not be infested with flees and ticks! Because the PCC camp are fornicating spiritually with the BJU camp, their doctrine has been corrupted at Campus Church. It was on July 14th, 2021 at a Wednesday night Bible study, that Pastor Timothy Zacharias at Campus Church displayed this heretical screenshot to thousands of people...

A lie of the Devil taught at 'Campus Church' at PCC!

The Greek meaning of the Bible word repent, concerning salvation, is the noun metanoia (which simply means, a change of mind). But unsaved men feel compelled to ADD to God's free grace, so at Campus Church their foolish pastors embellish the true meaning of repent, changing it to: “Repentance is a change of mind WHICH RESULTS IN A CHANGE OF BEHAVIOR.” So now if your behavior doesn't change after you get saved, PCC says you didn't really get saved. This is the demonic garbage being taught and preached in pulpits and classrooms all across America, and it angers God. Bible repentance is simply a change of mind from unbelief to belief, nothing more or less. We get saved by BELIEVING, not by repenting; but you have to change your mind to believe. Repentance is an automatic thing, which is why the Gospel of John mentions the word "believe" 88 times, but the word "repent" is not mentioned even once. That is because the man who BELIEVES has repented!

Folks, you never expose the devil you're sleeping with! That is the whole problem. PCC and BJU are making millions of dollars by sinfully working together—hiring each other's graduates, sending new students to each other, competing in intercollegiate sports together, a father and son team running their radio stations (Pensacola and Guam), et cetera. There's no way that they're going to go against one another, and this is the woeful danger of being yoked together with unbelievers!!!

This is how the evil Devil successfully creeps his way into families, churches and Bible colleges. This is why we practice Biblical separation as believers! Tragically, PCC is no longer separated from unbelievers at BJU. Consequently, heresy has crept into Campus Church and the PCC camp. When I kindly confronted Jeff Redlin about the heresy Tim Zacharias was preaching at Campus Church, he 100% defended Pastor Zacharias, making Redlin guilty and complicit. Please avoid these perverse men of corrupt minds.

I could go on and on with more real life examples of how today's shameful pastors just don't care about truth or people anymore. May God have pity on our pathetic Bible colleges and churches today!!!

Old Testament Saints Not Saved By Keeping The Law

Romans 4:13-15, “For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.”

I am astounded at the woeful theological ignorance of multitudes of preachers today, who foolishly teach that Jews living during the time of Moses were required by God to keep the law to get to Heaven. That is tommyrot, balderdash, flapdoodle and poppycock! Yes indeed dear friend, it sure is! The false teaching that people were ever saved by the works of the law is a doctrine of devils. 1st Timothy 4:1, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;” A doctrine of devils is a false teaching which originated with the father of all liars, the Devil himself (John 8:44). I really like this sermon quote from D.L. Moody:

"If no man ever has anything to say against you, your Christianity isn't worth much. Men said of the Master, 'He has a devil,' and Jesus said that if they had called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more them of his household." —Pastor Dwight L. Moody (1837-1899)

Amen and amen! What saith the Scripture? 2nd Timothy 3:12, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” Today's pastors aren't standing, so they aren't hated. God pity the preacher that the world don't hate!!! One of my favorite preachers, Pastor Danny Castle, said that and he is so right.

I was reading the Holy Bible today and this passage of Scripture caught my attention:

Romans 4:13-15, “For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.”

The Bible says if they who KEEP THE OLD TESTAMENT LAW are made heirs of the promises of God, then faith is made void. What would be the purpose of faith, or even of Christ dying on the cross, if anyone could be justified by works? Galatians 2:21, “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” Many preachers today are FRUSTRATING THE GRACE OF GOD!!! The Apostle Paul was frustrated by what he saw going on in the churches of Galatia. Paul saw that some among them were troubling them by perverting the Gospel. Galatians 1:7, “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.” Heretics are nothing new!

I love Pastor J. Vernon McGee (1904-1988) who proclaimed this great truth:

Christianity is NOT a ceremony;

Christianity is NOT even the Church;

Christianity is NOT a system;

Christianity is a person, 

and that Person is the Lord Jesus Christ, 

and it's Who He is, and what He has done.

THAT'S CHRISTIANITY, and nothing else is Christianity. 

Oh, how we need to get back to HIM—the Lord Jesus Christ!!!

Another one of my favorite preachers is Pastor A. Ray Stanford (1916-2012), who wrote this:

“Salvation becomes ours when we trust Christ to SAVE us. Effective service is ours through OBEDIENCE. Salvation primarily involves the spirit and our eternal destiny; it is a gift (John 5:24). Service involves the body and our present earthly life; it is labor for which rewards are given (Romans 12:1, 2; I Corinthians 3:8-15; Luke 10:2).

It is obvious to see for the Bible student who is led by the Holy Spirit, that NO ONE has ever been saved by trying to keep the Old Testament law. The very idea is preposterous! Romans 4:3-4, “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.” If the Jews living under the Mosaic law were saved by trying to keep the law, then God owed them salvation. But as we just read, God doesn't owe anybody anything. Salvation has always been by grace alone, through faith alone, in the promised Messiah. Acts 10:43, “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.”

The Bible Teaches Not To Compare Our Self With Others

2nd Corinthians 10:7-12, “Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's. For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed: That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters. For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present. For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.”

This is such an important truth to learn dear friend. It is in our human nature to make comparisons. But the Bible says it is not a wise thing to do. The reasons why are endless! We all have different backgrounds, education, skills, resources, situations, health issues, talents, emotional baggage, problems, family struggles, et cetera. It is simply not fair to our self to compare our self to others. God has a unique plan laid out for each individual's life.

If I compare myself to other people, wondering why they have a life better than mine, then I might easily become upset and bitter. But if I focus only on Jesus Christ and His love for me, then it doesn't matter if other people seem to be prospering more than I am. Remember, somebody always has it better than we do, and someone always has it worse! We should be grateful for what we have (and don't have), and thank God at all times. Gratitude is a precursor to happiness. What saith the Scripture? ...

Hebrews 12:1-3, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”

The only one to whom we should ever compare our self is the blessed Savior. Christ is our divine example. We should all strive to be more like our perfect Savior each and every day, by the grace of God. This is sanctification, being conformed day-by-day into the very image of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29). We are sanctified by the inspired Word of God (John 17:17).

It doesn't seem fair that some sinners live to be 90 years old, while other sinners only live to 14 years of age. Life is not fair!!! Why does one man have a submissive and pretty wife, while another man has a rebellious ugly wife, or no wife at all? Ecclesiastes 9:11 teaches that TIME AND CHANCE happeneth to all. It sure does! That is why one person loses their legs in a small car accident, while another person walks away unscathed after being hit head-on by an 18-wheeler truck! Go figure!

I saw a man after an accident who was impaled with a steel pipe through his skull, but made a full recovery. Yet, another man dropped dead from merely inhaling a whiff of shrimp that he was allergic to. Why is life and death so finicky and selective? The only answer is that time and chance happens to all of us, just as the Bible says. We simply don't know what a day may bring forth (Proverbs 27:1). I cannot explain why so many strange things happen in life. I just know that God is more than amazing. God is kind to the righteous, as well as to the evil and unthankful (Luke 6:35). Greatly to be praised is our merciful God!!! Micah 7:18, “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage?  he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.”

I used to feel bad that I didn't end up laboring as a pastor, which is what I went to Bible college to prepare for. But then I realized that my passion is preaching the truth, not administrating a church. God called me to be a preacher, not a pastor. Being a pastor is a position, not a calling. God called me to PREACH THE WORD, in season and out of season. God has blessed me with excellent Bible teachers; namely, Pastor Harry Ironside (1876-1951), Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001), Dr. Max D. Younce, Evangelist John R. Rice (1895-1980), Brother Lester Roloff (1914-1982), and other faithful servants of God.

I learned a long time ago that I shouldn't compare myself to these dear men, because they had different parental upbringings, life's circumstances, family situations, ministry opportunities and wives. All of those factors can have a big impact on one's life. So it is unwise for us to compare our life with that of someone else. God created each and every one of us as INDIVIDUALS. God doesn't expect me to be like anybody else, just me. It is important that we all embrace our own individuality, to become the individual that God intended for us to be. 

God didn't expect the Apostle Peter to be like John. God didn't expect James to be like Matthew, nor Mary to try to be like Luke. We are all uniquely made in the image of God alone. I know that I am very special, because God don't make junk! I was validated as a human being the day that I was born. I am somebody!!!

But wait, what saith the Scripture? Galatians 6:3, “For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.” I like something that Dr. Jack Hyles said in a sermon: “I know I am inferior, but I don't have an inferiority complex.” I think that is a good statement, to balance the equation. I know that God loves me, and I am special in the sight of my beloved Creator; yet at the same time I know that God is not a respecter of persons, and I am just a sinner saved by God's grace. There are no Big Shots in Christianity, only Little Shots! Dr. Hyles used to say that, and he was right. So I know that I am nothing on my own, but I am something special to my blessed Savior who laid down His life for my sins.

Doubt Is The Precursor To Fear

2nd Timothy 1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

“Doubt is the precursor to fear, and I knew that I couldn't experience my perfect moment if I was afraid.” —Alex Honnold

One of the most amazing people alive today is a young man named Alex Honnold. Alex free solo climbed the 3,000 foot high Yosemite mountain wall in California on July 3rd, 2017. ...

60 Minutes Records Alex Honnold Free Solo Climbing

Literally, Alex uses no ropes or safety equipment while climbing frighteningly high natural mountains and manmade buildings. It blows my mind that anyone could have such calm nerves being thousands of feet off the ground, with no safety equipment. I would be utterly terrified even with the safety equipment, doubting if the equipment could keep me from falling. What if? For that reason I won't even ride on amusement park rides.

Pastor Jack Hyles said that there are three ways to become great:

1. Know something that no one else knows.
2. Be something that no one else is.
3. Do something that no on else has done.

Albert Einstein is a good example of a great man, who knew something that no one else had ever thought about. Einstein Theory Of Relatively gave way to atomic energy and weaponry.

An example of a great man who became something that no one else was is Julius Caesar. Caesar was an amazing human being, who is responsible for the development of our calendar as we know it today. 

And Alex Honnold is a perfect example of a great man who did something that no one else ever did, he climbed Yosemite's wall by himself with no ropes or safety equipment. Alex did it in 3:56 hours. I shudder just thinking about it, cringing as I watch him maneuvering that 3,000 foot high wall which such grace and confidence. What an amazing man!

Tragically, Alex Honnold is an atheist, rejecting all religions. Certainly, one does not have to ascribe to religion to believe in God, but Alex has publicly stated that he has no belief concerning the spiritual realm. I have prayed for God to send a soulwinner to witness to Alex, before it is too late. The Holy Bible warns that the unsaved (wicked) go to Hell (Psalms 9:17). John 3:36, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” Jesus our blessed Savior warned in 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.”

Alex made an amazing statement that caught my attention. When asked about how he overcomes his fear of climbing, he said: “Doubt is the precursor to fear.” That is very Biblical, even though Alex wasn't referring to the Bible. I got to thinking about how doubt in our daily Christian life so often gives way to unnecessary fear. God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.

How Much Is The Truth Worth To You?

Psalms 19:7-11, “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.” Psalms 119:103, “How sweet are thy words unto my taste!  yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Psalms 138:2, “I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.”

I LOVE the inspired King James Bible. I love preachers! I love preaching! A dear friend of mine from Indiana just mailed me a thumb-drive, packed full with all of Pastor Steven Anderson's sermons since he founded the noble Faithful Word Baptist Church in Tempe, Arizona in 2006. I gladly offered to pay him for his time and the cost of the USB drive, but he kindly sent it to me freely, for which I am grateful. Like me, my friend loves THE TRUTH!!! Truth-seekers and truth-tellers share a common bond of a LOVE FOR THE TRUTH!!! Amen and amen.

The flash-drive also contains all of the sermons by Pastor Roger Jimenez since 2010, when he founded the Verity Baptist Church in Pastor Anderson's hometown in Sacramento, California. I love these guys!!! If I could afford to live there, I'd jump at the chance to live in Sacramento. The beautiful mountains and pine trees are nothing less than breathtaking. What a beautiful place for enjoying God's gorgeous natural scenery!

The thumb-drive that my friend sent me also contains 755 (128 kbps CD quality) sermons by my hero of the Christian faith, Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001). The drive also contains the simple Gospel preached in 39 different languages! It is Christmas time this week for me, amen. All toll, the flash drive contains 6,581 precious files. I love these sermons more than gold, God knows my heart. How much do you love preaching dear reader? What is the truth worth to you?

The Bible says in Proverbs 23:23, “Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.” About 15 years ago I was looking for sermons online, and I came across some sermon videos by Pastor Jack Hyles on eBay. I jumped for joy and purchased them, with the intention of freely sharing them on YouTube, which I did. I am willing to but the truth, but I will NEVER sell it! When the videos CD's came, the seller sent me some extra sermon disks by a new pastor I had never heard of, named Danny Castle. I was immediately stricken by Pastor Castle's awesome preaching, which brought me closer to God. Ever since that day I have been an avid supporter of Pastor Danny Castle and his ministry at the Shining Light Baptist Church in Morganton, North Carolina. I love that man of God!!!

We learn the Word of God through Bible preaching:

Titus 1:1-4, “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; To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.”

I have been collecting sermons by Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001) for the past 37 years, since I enrolled in Hyles-Anderson College in 1985. I now have a wonderful collection of 3,040 sermons and Bible studies by my mentor and hero of the Christian faith, Dr. Jack Hyles. Preaching saves lives! Preaching helps us think right! Dr. Hyles used to often say that, “Preaching is truth set on fire!” Dear reader, I highly encourage you to start listening to Bible preaching.

Of course, nothing should replace our reading and/or hearing of the undiluted inspired Word of God daily. You can freely listen to Alexander Scourby read the King James Bible in just 75 hours!!! Simply search YouTube for “Alexander Scourby reads the King James Bible.” What a great blessing! Romans 10:17 teaches that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. I enjoy much more listening to God's Word than reading, because I can simply lay back and focus on what is being read, without trying to pronounce words. I always get a lot from time spent listening to God's Word. What a tremendous blessing!!!

I truly wish I could inspire more of my blog and website ministry readers to get into the habit of listening to Bible preaching. Here is a great sermon page from my website to start! I would also DISCOURAGE you form listening to all the garbage preaching on YouTube today! It sickens me to see thousands of people listening to fools like Miss Renee Roland, who blatantly denies eternal punishment in Hell for the wicked. I would avoid Pastor Gene Kim, who errantly preaches that Jesus married a black woman. In sharp contrast, Galatians 3:26-29 teaches that there is neither male nor female, bond nor free, black nor white, Greek nor Jew, in the Body of Christ. We are all one in Jesus Christ by faith alone. All is level at the foot of the cross of Calvary!!!

If you have not been listening to Bible preaching, oh how you are missing out dear friend. I am so excited about listening to hundreds of new sermons by Pastors' Steven Anderson and Roger Jimenez. I heard an awesome sermon today by Pastor Bruce Mejia titled: 'How To Be Diplomatic In Church.' Please avoid the poisonous health, wealth and prosperity religious movement; namely, Jimmy Swaggart, Pat Robertson, Benny Hinn, Joyce Meyer, Mike Murdock, Peter Popoff, Joel Osteen, Rick Warren and other reprobates who pollute the churches with their greedy and heresy, which make God vomit (Revelation 3:15-16).

And then please avoid and RUN away from the Devil's Lordship Salvation (i.e., Calvinist) crowd; namely, John MacArthur, John Piper, R.C. Sproul, Adrian Rodgers, Sam Horn, Billy and Franklin Graham, Marty Herron, Steve Pettit, Bob Jones University, Chuck Phelps, William Lane Craig, Chip Ingram, Moody Bible Institute, Faith Baptist Bible College And Theological Seminary, Ray Comfort, Paul Washer, et cetera. All of these ungodly ministers preach another gospel of partial faith in Christ PLUS something more! You can search my ministry website to find information on each of these infidels.

Evangelist Billy Sunday (1862-1935)

If we would change the future, we must disturb the present.

Psalms 119:165 Is An Often Misunderstood Passage Of Scripture

Psalms 119:165, “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.”

I hear preachers get the meaning of this Bible verse wrong all the time. The Hebrew word for “offend” in Psalms 119:165 is mikshol, which means “a stumblingblock; cause to fall.” This Bible verse means that if you abide in God's Word, you won't stumble. The psalmist David elaborates elsewhere in his writings:

Psalms 1:1-3, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

The Christian who loves God's inspired Word, so that he or she abides, nurtures and continually feasts upon the Holy Bible, will be grounded like a strong tree with deep roots nourished alongside a flowing river. In that believer's season (time) they will bring forth fruit (souls won to Christ). In The Parable Of The Sower And The Seeds, we read concerning the last and obedient fourth group in Luke 8:15, “But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.”

Psalms 119:165 is not teaching that if you love the Bible, you won't be offended no matter what people do to you. I heard a preacher recently teach this misunderstanding of the passage. Folks, people are going to offend us all the time! Jesus said in Matthew 11:6, “And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.” I am not offended to let the world know that I am a Christian. That is what Psalms 119:165 means, no one can cause our faith to falter. I wear my “Jesus” and “John 3:16” hat everywhere I go, advertising to the world that I am a child of God, and I am not ashamed of Jesus!!!

The Bible is teaching in Psalms 119:165 that if we abide in the inspired Holy Scriptures, we won't go astray:

1st Timothy 4:10-16, “For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. These things command and teach. Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.”

I love those last verses. The Apostle Paul is telling young Timothy that by taking heed to RIGHT DOCTRINE (not false teaching), he will not only save himself, but those who hear him preach. The Greek word for “save” in Verse 16 is sozo, which means “to deliver, or protect.” This is where consulting the Hebrew, Chaldean or Greek really comes in handy when trying to rightly interpret the Bible. Without looking up the word “offended” in Psalms 119:165 in a Strong's Concordance (or something similar; I like www.BibleHub.com), you'd never be able to rightly discern the correct intended meaning of the passage. This is why we are commanded in 2nd Timothy 2:15 to “Study” the Word of Truth, to shew thyself approved unto God.

You can read the Bible all day, and mediate upon it all night, and still be offended by inconsiderate, mean, rotten and selfish people. When Jesus healed ten lepers of leprosy, only one bothered to return to thank Him. Jesus was offended! Luke 17:17-18, “And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.” The Lord's feelings were hurt. People can be such ingrates, especially toward those who help them the most. 

Dear reader, Psalms 119:165 simply means that if you live, heed and obey the Word of God, you won't go astray! You're in good hands with Jesus!!!

James 1:22-25, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”

When I went to San Diego, California in 2010 for my second neck surgery, I saw a homeless man looking through a garbage can for food. I handed him $20 and a Gospel of John. He humbly thanked me and said something I'll never forget. He quoted the preceding passage and said: “Thank you for being a DOER of the Word, and not just a HEARER!” Wow! That was so cool. I got much more of a blessing that day than he did. God is so good! ...

Proverbs 4:7, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

Proverbs 4:23, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.”

If we will obey the Bible with God's help (Galatians 2:20), and draw close to our beloved Great Shepherd (James 4:8-17), then we will not be led astray from the truth and the joy that comes with having faith in God. Happiness is what happens to us. So we may not be happy most of the time (I'm not), but we can still have joy and peace 100% of the time in our miseries. Jesus told us in Luke 10:20 to rejoice, not because of external circumstances that can change, but only because our name is written in Heaven in the Lamb's Book Of Life. Peace is quiet of mind. Many people have: 'A Noisy Soul' (a tremendous sermon by Pastor Ron Haese).

God bless you dear reader! So, remember, nothing can cause you to stumble and bring offence to your walk with God, if you love God's Word and apply it to your life. Proverbs 3:5-7, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” It is only when we allow doubt to become the precursor to fear, that we start to go astray.

Either the Bible and prayer will keep us from sin, or else sin will keep us from praying and abiding in the Scriptures. Don't just read the Bible friend, think about what it means and what God intends for you to do with it. Meditate therein about the deep and dark sayings of God's Word. I don't know about you, but I enjoy trying to discern what God means in various passages. I great place to always start, if you are not sure where to begin, is either in the books of Genesis, Proverbs or the Gospel of John. Those are my favorites!

The $64,000 question is: Do you love God's Word? Jesus is the Living Word; the Holy Bible is the Written Word. Dr. John R. Rice (1895-1980) used to wisely call Jesus and the Bible “twins.” Jesus' name is called: 'THE WORD OF GOD' (Revelation 19:13; John 1:1, 14). Jesus said in John 14:15 that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments. So to the same degree that we love the Holy Bible, to that same degree we love Jesus, and vise versa. Psalms 119:165, “Great peace have they which love thy law (Jesus): and nothing shall offend them.” No one truly loves Jesus who does not heed the inspired Word of God in obedience!!! Our relationship the the King James Bible is synonymous with our relationship to Christ. No one can reject the Bible and accept Christ, for they are effectively one and the SAME (John 1:1-3, 14). When we study the Bible, we are learning the mind of Christ.

Jesus commanded us in John 5:39 to SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES!!! You won't go astray friend, if you make the inspired Word of God your lighthouse to guide you through life's raging storms! Psalms 119:104-105, “Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” That is what Psalms 119:165 means!!! Psalms 119:165, “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” Nothing will sink your battleship! Nothing will cause you to stumble spiritually and choke you from maturing to win souls (Luke 8:14). Nothing will quench your faith!