Psalms 73:1, “Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.”
Psalms 145:9, “The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.”
Luke 6:35, “But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.”
I was watching an interesting YouTube documentary today about 20 Horrible Historical Facts School Doesn't Teach. The second thing mentioned was our first U.S. President, George Washington's false teeth. A common misconception is that he had wooden teeth, but in actuality George Washington's dentures were comprised from gold, lead, ivory, human and even animal teeth. By the time George was inaugurated as our country's first U.S. President in 1789, he only had one natural tooth remaining in his mouth. Ouch! Poor Mr. Washington!
By God's grace, at age 56 I still have all 28 natural teeth in my mouth. My four Wisdom Teeth have all been removed (which many people do for various necessary reasons). I realized today how blessed I am to still have my natural teeth. I brush my teeth after every meal, and so should you, to prevent bacteria from accumulating that will rot your teeth over time. I also rinse my mouth a couple times a day with Listerine, to kill germs. Albeit, it is not good to use Listerine dozens of times a day, because your mouth needs some good bacteria.
I have suffered in much bodily pain for the past couple week. I went to the hospital Emergency Room last Tuesday. They did blood and urine tests, and a CT scan, but couldn't explain the reason for my left shoulder blade pain, and also sharp pain on my right flank (in the kidney area in back). I went to a chiropractor on Wednesday, who took x-rays, but also couldn't explain the reason for my two areas of pain. On Friday I had a MRI, and met with a doctor on Tuesday who looked over my MRI notes.
Unfortunately, he couldn't find any reason to explain my pain. So now today I have an appointment with a Physical Therapist, who will do a Deep Tissue Massage on my left shoulder blade. The doctor I saw this past Tuesday thinks I might have a deep knot in my shoulder blade. If after a few sessions with a Physical Therapist I still have horrible pain, he is going to schedule a CT scan on my neck at C5-C6-C7 (where I had surgery in 2009 and 2010, and I have surgical hardware). The doctor on Tuesday told me that my surgical hardware produced a glare on the MRI imaging, which makes it difficult to see what's going on, so there might be still a problem in my neck (in a blind spot that an MRI cannot detect, but a CT scan will).
One day at a time. I slept terrible last night, continually waking up due to the intense pain. The shoulder pain during the day is a 6-7 out of 10 (10 being the worse pain), but at night is an 8-9 out of 10, stabbing to 10 at times. The right flank pain is likewise 6-7 during the day time, but at night is about an 8. The pain is bad enough to prevent me from sleeping well. I took 100 mg of Diphenhydramine last night to help me sleep. I had my appendix removed in 1999 and my gall bladder removed in 2015, so it cannot be those organs. The CT scan showed that my kidney is okay on the right side. X-rays showed that there are no kidney stones. Pain can be difficult to diagnose from what I have being reading. I'd appreciate your prayers. Thank you.
In the YouTube video that I mentioned earlier, the narrator mentions that the first commercially available microwave oven was sold in 1947, which measured nearly 6 feet tall and weighed 750 pounds. Wow! We sure have come a long way since 1947. Today's convenient home microwaves weigh under 10 pounds and cost less than $100. We are so blessed by God!!!
I admit that last Tuesday night at Baptist Hospital, after the CT scan, I had already prepared myself for possible bad news that my kidney had failed and I needed it removed. The stabbing right flank pain was that bad. The pain has subsided somewhat since (thankfully), but it still hurts a lot, so something is still wrong. I even told the Lord at the hospital that if it was His will for me to go home to be with Him in Heaven, I am ready. You never know when pain starts in the body what it might be, anything from harmlessly sleeping awkward to terminal cancer. At my age, 56, my mind tends to think the worst. My pastor's father is now 59 years old. Just two years ago he had quadruple heart bypass surgery. So you never know. Thankfully, at least at the present time, there doesn't seem to be anything major wrong with me to explain why I am still having horrible sharp pain in two different areas. One day at a time. Hopefully the procedure today will prove to have been helpful. We'll see. God is so good!!!
No matter what happens, I choose to always remain grateful to God.
Philippians 3:20-21, “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”
My Recent Cervical MRI From July 21, 2023
Please keep me in your prayers. About 10 days ago I started having horrible stabbing pain in my left shoulder blade (at the bottom toward the center of my back), and also in the right flank area (by the kidney). On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the worst, both areas are about a 6-7 during the day, but a 9-10 at night. For the past several days I haven't been able to stay in bed to sleep, because the stabbing pain is constant and is torture. Last night I got up at 2 am to go sleep in my office chair, but it didn't help so I just started trying to search the internet for answers.
On Tuesday I tried all day to make an appointment with a primary doctor, since I don't have one. The earliest appointment I could find is at Baptist Medical Group on September 19th (two month from now). So I had no choice than to go to the emergency room at Baptist Hospital Tuesday night in horrible pain. They used red dye and did a CT scan, but couldn't find anything wrong. The doctor said she thinks the two pain areas are not connected. She thinks my shoulder blade pain is muscular in nature. They did blood and urine tests and said everything looks good except for my high sugar, which is in the 200-300 range from Type II diabetes. So they gave me 4 mg of morphine, 1 mg of diluadid, and then discharged me to go home at 4 am, not having any definitive answers why I'm in pain.
So on Wednesday, still suffering in agonizing stabbing pain, I found a chiropractor who could see me yesterday. They took x-rays of my pelvic and upper body areas. No major issues were found. My kidney is okay and I don't have kidney stones. The chiropractor wouldn't adjust my neck without permission from the pain clinic that handles my old neck injury. The chiropractor put a TENS unit on both pain areas, and did 3 adjustments.
Although the TENS unit felt good during use, an hour after leaving the clinic I was still in excruciating pain. I actually went last night with the First Baptist Church of Pensacola to watch the Wahoo's baseball team play against the Pandas at Maritime Community Park. The Pensacola Wahoos won! Yea! I had a nice time at the game, with food, drinks and fireworks after, despite my horrible pain (and yes, I did go to church Sunday with the same horrible pain). Last night I was hurting so bad that I ordered a TENS unit for $143 from Amazon, which is supposed to arrive on July 25th.
I went to my regular pain clinic on Tuesday. They moved up my normal monthly appointment to fit me in. They gave me a prescription for 500 mg Nubametone 2x daily and Lidocaine patches (which had to be special ordered and should come in tonight at CVS). But they gave me some sample patches at the clinic and so far nothing is helping to alleviate the stabbing shoulder blade pain. So far neither the hospital, pain clinic or chiropractor have been able to diagnose why I am in horrible pain in both my right flank area and my left shoulder blade area. The pain started about 10 days ago and hasn't become better or worse, it's the same. At night it is torture, especially in the shoulder blade area, which feels like a knitting needle stabbed in my back.
I found this article while searching for answers online, which says that the C5-C6 area of the neck can cause stabbing pain in the shoulder blade. I had surgery at C5-C6-C7 in 2009 and 2010. I have sharp radiating pain down both arms and legs, but the pain has always been intermittent. This pain is constant. Sometimes I can feel the shoulder blade pain extend down the back of my left arm, but stops at the elbow. The radiating pain from my neck always shoots down into my two middle fingers on the left arm, and thumb with forefinger on my right arm. Usually the radiating pain happens 80% on my right side from the stenosis and radiculitis. So the pain clinic has me scheduled next month for a new MRI. So I guess I have to just wait and suffer in pain for now. I don't know where else to turn.
The very first thing I did, and have been doing since, is to pray for the Lord's help. I am often reminded of the Old Testament story of King Asa, who had problems with his feet, but he didn't pray. The Bible says that Asa sought relief from the local doctors instead of God, and the next verse says that Asa slept with his fathers (i.e., he died). So I always go to God first.
It is now 3 am Sunday morning and my shoulder pain is so excruciating that I cannot sleep. It feels like a knitting needle shoved in my back, stabbing constant pain. The pain was bad last night radiating down the back of my left arm to the elbow, but now is mostly hurting under my left shoulder blade.
I have already used the Patient Portal to contact my pain clinic, requesting if I can bring in my MRI test scan images on Monday for them to diagnose, to see what might be wrong. So far everything seems to be pointing to a problem in my neck. I took a look a quick at the MRI images on my computer, and it seems something may be going on at C5-C6, but I am not an expert on reading MRI images, so I am not sure what to look for. I saved a picture of my MRI for you to see for yourself, even before my doctor has seen it. What do you think? It sure looks like something is pressing against my spinal cord at C5-C6. Ouch! The human spinal cord is as frail as tissue paper, so it doesn't take much to cause pain and problems. The area that you see in the MRI is C5-C6, exactly where I've already had two major surgeries in 2009 and 2010.
Also, if you look to the left of the suspect area at C5-C6-C7, you can see my two bone grafts and missing disks. Please keep me in your prayers. I dread getting another surgery, but I do need to get rid of this intolerable shoulder blade pain. Thank you. Jesus is precious!!!
Anyway, I am hurting in much intolerable pain. Kindly said, please don't message to ask me a bunch of questions about my health. I simply cannot reply to dozens of people all asking who, what, where, when, how and why. Literally, I have some Facebook friends who message me every 3 or 4 days to ask me how I am doing, which is not necessary. But THANK YOU for caring!!! You are all so sweet to care about how I am doing. Everybody likes to be cared about, me too, but I simply cannot reply to everybody. I have several facebook friends, as well as ministry web visitors, who like to send me things to watch and read, asking for my opinion. I just cannot watch hour long sermons to analyze them for people. Sometimes I can.
All I am saying is please be patient and understanding if I fall behind in replying to messages, because I don't ignore anyone on purpose. I am in pain all the time in my neck from stenosis and radiculitis at C5-C6-C7. The pain radiates. Lord willing, hopefully the doctors will learn something from my MRI. I dread getting MRI's, because I am claustrophobic big time. Even with the open bore, I have panic attacks.
Years ago in 2006 I hit the panic button and was crying when they pulled me out of the MRI machine. I told the MRI technician that my legal bills from my wife filing for divorce were already over $10,000 and she was boasting of going to fiesta parties during the divorce, while I was suffering in excruciating pain in my neck and ready to go for surgery. Great wife, huh? ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฏ ๐ญ๐ฎ:๐ฐ, "๐ ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ป ๐๐ผ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ต๐๐๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ: ๐ฏ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐๐ต ๐ฎ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐." I have forgiven her long ago, because she must answer to God for abandoning me when I needed her the most. I have suffered alone now for 17 years, laboring in my ministry with no earthly companion. The famous preacher, Charles Weigle (1871-1966), often told the sad story about his disloyal wife who abandoned him too. Charles went into a deep depression, as I have also been depressed oftentimes since 2006, being alone and in pain with no one to share my life with. Life is not fair, but our great God is faithful and good. It is not God's fault what we sinners do.
Tomorrow on Tuesday morning I have an appointment to meet with a doctor at the pain clinic, who will hopefully read my MRI test image results. I hope they can determine why I have stabbing pain under my left shoulder blade. The sharp pain in my right flank is still there, but has subsided much compared to earlier this week. A CT scan and x-rays showed that my kidney is okay and there are not kidney stones. Someone suggested that I might have gallstones, but that is impossible, because I had my infected gallbladder removed in 2015. I had my infected appendix removed in 1999. I'm leaving this world piece by piece...lol. I had the neck (cervical) disks between C5-C6-C7 bones removed in 2009.
Anyway, God is so good, always! I'd appreciate if you'd just remember me when you talk to God. I'm trying by God's grace to make the best of my troubled life. God is so good and everything that God does is right. I have no complaints. Every day above ground is a good day. Jesus is precious!!!
Exodus 20:1-6, “And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 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; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.”
Kindly, Catholics do indeed worship Mary and idols...
Clearly, Catholics do worship Mary!
Billions of lost people today are blinded by false religion. Catholics are in denial, denying that they worship idols while on their very knees sinfully bowing to them.
A person would have to choose to remain wilfully ignorant to continue in the Catholic religion, in view of the disturbing truths I have just shown you. The Devil is a beautiful liar and has deceived over one billion Catholics.
Nowhere does the inspired Word of God teach for Christians to recognize Mary, nor any other human being, except the God-man Jesus (1st Timothy 2:5). Mary was born with a sinful nature, just like you and me. Mary sinned, just like you and me. Mary died because the wages of sin is death, just like you and I will die. Mary was not assumed into Heaven, which the Catholic church made official dogma in 1950 (aka, the Assumption of Mary heresy).
Catholics have deified Mary, claiming she never sinned and was taken into Heaven by God. That is all demonic lies. Mary was no different than any other sinful human being, except that the Holy Spirit of God worked the miracle of a virgin birth in her body, to bring the only begotten Son of God into the world.
Proverbs 20:1 and 17, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. ...Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.”
A physician named Helen M. Calvin from South Bend, Indiana, speaks out against booze. She questions the popular view that Alcoholism is a Disease.
To the Editor of The Star:
Alcoholism, a disease? If so:
It is the only disease contracted by an act of will.
It is the only disease that is habit forming.
It is the only disease that comes in a bottle.
It is the only disease causing hundreds of thousands of family disruptions.
It is the only disease promoting crime and brutality.
It is the only disease contributing to hundreds of thousands of automobile accidents.
It is the only disease playing a major part in over 50% of the more than 50,000 annual highway deaths.
It is the only disease which is sold by license.
It is the only disease that is bought in grocery stores, drug stores and well-marked retail outlets.
It is the only disease that is taxed by the government.
It is the only disease that is necessary for medical doctors to fellowship one with another.
It is the only disease in which medical support for the disease outweighs any effort to prevent it.
It is the only disease advocated by almost all the advertising media.
It is the only disease given as a Christmas gift.
It is the only disease that has been “legalized” for Sunday by our legislators.
It is the only disease our medico-governor has promised to ignore and let the people be plagued seven days a week instead of six.
It is the only disease that is checked by government inspectors to make sure the poison is pure.
The Automobile Club of Michigan has reported that since 18-year-olds can buy the disease in their state, drinking drivers in the 18-20 age group increased their involvement in traffic accidents by 119%. They also had a 54% increase in fatal accidents, a 104% increase in injury accidents and a 135% increase in property damage accidents during 1972. If the highest executive in our state either doesn’t smell the problem or doesn’t have the backbone to try to protect Hoosiers from the Number 1 Problem disease on everybody’s polls, and he is a medical graduate, what help and hope is there for our state? —Helen M. Calvin, M. D., South Bend
Matthew 25:1-13, “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”
I humbly agree with Dr. John R. Rice (1895-1980), who writes on pages 401-402 of his commentary titled, "Matthew: The King Of The Jews" for Matthew 25:1-13...
"'Ten virgins.' Do not make the word 'virgin' figurative. Bridesmaids are virgins. The word 'virgin' here has no symbolic significance. Some think all represent the saved because the term 'virgin' was used, but that is not true. The Bible nowhere makes 'virgin' mean a saved person. Be careful about adding figurative and spiritual meanings to the Word of God where the context does not clearly authorize it. God reserved the word 'virgin' for a literal use, concerning the mother of His Son when He said, 'Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel' (Isa. 7:14). The five wise virgins represent saved people. The foolish virgins represent unsaved people. The difference was that the wise "took oil in their vessels with their lamps," while the foolish "took no oil with the."
So we just learned that the word "virgin" has no significance in this parable; but rather, whether they were wise or foolish. Dr. Rice says that olive oil was used as fuel to light their "lamps" (which means "torches" in the Greek). Olive oil was commonly used during Bible times, which symbolized the indwelling or power of the Holy Spirit of God.
When the bridegroom came, he found all the virgins sleeping. They were all guilty of being unfaithful. Yet, the virgins with the oil (i.e., the saved) were taken with him, and the other virgins without oil (lost sinners) were left behind. So we see that salvation is not a matter of our performance as saints; but rather, it is a matter of who is indwelt with the Holy Spirit (1st John 3:24). That is to say, those who have been born-again. We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in the Gospel of Jesus Christ alone.
On pages 405-407 Dr. Rice further states:
"'All those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps' (vs. 7). The foolish expected to go. One of the saddest truths taught in the Bible is that multitudes expect to go to Heaven who will be disappointed. The depend on their wick of human profession and human righteousness instead of upon the oil of the Holy Spirit, the supernatural birth from above. Relatively, there are few who enter in at the strait gate and many enter in to the broad way (Matt. 7:13, 14). Many will recount to the Lord their good works, pleading to enter in (Matt. 7:22, 23), but Jesus will answer back, 'I never knew you.' The new birth, a supernatural change of heart, is indispensable to a place at the wedding supper. It is pictured here by the oil in the vessels. It is pictured in Matthew 22:11,12 as the wedding garments. Some try to come in without the wedding garment, but will be cast into outer darkness with weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 22:13). Some will wish to attend the wedding without the oil of salvation but will be left outside.
Proxy religion will not help us at that day. Mother's prayers, the absolution offered by priests, the ritual of christening or baptism all will be unavailing then. The wise virgins had not enough oil for others; the foolish virgins could not borrow.
'They that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut' (vs.10). Christ's coming into the air to receive His saints will be sudden. There will not be time to repent, no time to be saved then and go away with loved ones. This does not mean that those left behind at the rapture can never be saved. According to verse 10, the foolish virgins 'went to buy.' Afterwards they came again, calling for admittance and presumably they had bought the oil, but the door was shut—not the door of 'salvation,' but the door of 'marriage.' The door to the marriage will be shut instantly when Christ receives His saints.
Therefore, those who are saved must stay on the earth in the Great Tribulation time. Those who have rejected Christ and are yet alive when Jesus comes will be left behind. Those yet alive who have not committed the unpardonable sin may be saved if they will. Some such will be saved and some will not, but certainly those yet alive who trust Christ for salvation will be saved. Then those who get the oil of salvation after the Bridegroom comes will be left out of the wedding and remain here on the earth in a terrible time of persecution and darkness until they die naturally, or are killed for their faith in Christ, or until Jesus returns with saints and angels at the end of the Great Tribulation."
Those were the prolific words of Dr. John R. Rice. I hope this answers your question. There is some awesome loud rolling thunder crackling outside as I type. I love stormy weather!
Isaiah 40:22, “It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:”
1st Timothy 6:20-21, “O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.”
I am surprised how heated and angry flat-earth advocates become when you say that the earth is a sphere. They all say the same thing, that we should talk about salvation instead, and that the shape of the earth ought not be debated. That's like saying if we hear someone say 2 + 2 = 5, we should just ignore that falsehood and focus on salvation. What saith the Scripture? ๐ฃ๐๐ฎ๐น๐บ๐ ๐ญ๐ญ๐ต:๐ญ๐ฌ๐ฐ, "๐ง๐ต๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต ๐๐ต๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐ ๐ ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด: ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐." A saint who abides in the inspired Holy Scriptures hates every false way, whether it be a counterfeit gospel like Lordship Salvation, or the absurd claim that the earth is flat. TRUTH MATTERS!!! We need many more saints today who are willing to divide over truth, rather than to be united in error.
The Bible gives us good advice in ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฏ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฒ:๐ฐ-๐ฑ, "๐๐ป๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ผ๐น ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ ๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐น๐น๐, ๐น๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ผ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐น๐ถ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐๐ป๐๐ผ ๐ต๐ถ๐บ. ๐๐ป๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ผ๐น ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ ๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐น๐น๐, ๐น๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ป ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ถ๐." This is an intended paradox in the Word of God. Solomon is saying that we should never go along with a lie or something that is blatantly wrong, evil or untrue, lest we be no better than the person speaking foolishness; but on the other hand, Solomon teaches us neither to remain silent when someone is telling lies or false information, for their own sake.
So we are taught not to agree with fools, but rather, we should kindly tell them that they are wrong. So in the case of the absurdity of a flat earth, not only are we biblically taught not to agree with flat-earthers, but also, we should kindly tell them that they are in error.
Jesus did exactly this when the lost Sadducees tried to convince Him why there is no resurrection. ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ ๐ญ๐ฎ:๐ฎ๐ณ, "๐๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ, ๐ฏ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐น๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด: ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐น๐ ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฟ." Jesus didn't hesitate to tell people that they were wrong. The blessed risen Lord also corrected the apostle Peter, when he misspoke of fighting to keep Jesus from dying on a cross. The Lord firmly rebuked Peter, saying: "Get thee behind me, Satan!" Yes, even saved people can think like Satan and hinder the work of Christ.
Ephesians 5:10-11, “Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” The Greek word for “reprove” here is elencho, which means “to expose.” Saints have a biblical command from our heavenly Father to expose all works of darkness. Certainly lies, fraud, falsehoods, corruption and foolishness are included as works of darkness.
The lie that the earth is flat is damaging to Christianity, because it drives educated people away from the Gospel. Someone from Harvest is not going to take any preacher seriously who thinks that the earth is flat like a pancake. Legitimate science 100% proves that the earth is a sphere. Contrary to popular opinion in churches and on social media, the belief in a flat earth is not harmless.
Please consider the following passage of Scripture:
Acts 16:16-18, “And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.”
I love this true story. A woman who had been demon possessed followed the Apostle Paul for a few days. She cried out to everyone along the way that Paul was preaching the way of salvation. What irony! Here is an unsaved hellbound woman testifying that the Gospel is the truth, yet most churchgoers today are blindly following a false gospel known as “Lordship Salvation.”
Also, I think the demonic forces at work in this afflicted woman, who had a familiar spirit in her, was trying to discredit Paul and his fellow soulwinners. By yelling to onlookers that Paul and his companions were preaching the way of salvation, I think she caused people to steer clear of the Christians, thinking she was associated with them. Of course, this is only speculation. The Bible doesn't tell us why Paul became frustrated by her, but my guess is that she was creating confusion, since she making a spectacle of herself in public.
Those believers today who insist that the earth is flat are making a spectacle of themselves, having a spirit of woeful willful ignorance. Having said that, it is okay to agree to disagree. It is never worth getting into heated debates with people. Sometimes you just need to walk away, and that includes on social media. We should love everybody unconditionally with Christ's love, regardless of who they are. If you think the earth is flat I will still be your friend. I love people with God's love. If someone wants to argue, I will humbly bow out and not argue with a fool. We don't live on a giant platter like a bunch of Hors d'oeuvres...lol. Thanks for reading.
John 13:37, “Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.”
Matthew. Suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia, killed by a sword wound.
Mark. Died in Alexandria, Egypt , after being dragged by horses through the streets until he was dead.
Luke. Was hanged in Greece as a result of his tremendous preaching to the lost.
John. Faced martyrdom when he was boiled in huge Basin of boiling oil during a wave of persecution in Rome. However, John was miraculously delivered from death. John was then sentenced to the mines on the prison Island of Patmos. He wrote the prophetic Book of Revelation on the isle of Patmos. The Apostle John was later freed and returned to serve as Bishop of Edessa in modern Turkey. He died as an old man, the only apostle to die peacefully.
Peter. He was crucified upside down on an x-shaped cross. According to church tradition it was because Peter told his tormentors that he felt unworthy to die in the same way that Jesus Christ had died.
James. The leader of the church in Jerusalem was thrown over a hundred feet down from the southeast pinnacle of the Temple, when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When they discovered that he survived the fall, his enemies beat James to death with a fuller's club. This was purportedly the same pinnacle where Satan had taken Jesus to tempt Him.
James the Son of Zebedee. He was a fisherman by trade when Jesus Called him to a lifetime of ministry. As a strong leader of the church, James was beheaded at Jerusalem. The Roman officer who guarded James watched amazed as James defended his faith at his trial. Later, the officer walked beside James to the place of execution. Overcome by conviction, he declared his new faith to the judge and knelt beside James to accept beheading as a Christian.
Bartholomew. Also known as Nathaniel. He Was a missionary to Asia. He witnessed for our Lord in present day Turkey. Bartholomew was martyred for his preaching in Armenia where he was flayed to death by a whip.
Andrew. He was crucified on an x-shaped cross in Patras, Greece. After being whipped severely by seven soldiers they tied his body to the cross with cords to prolong his agony. His followers reported that when he was led toward the cross, Andrew saluted it in these words: "I have long desired and expected this happy hour. The cross has been consecrated by the body of Christ hanging on it." He continued to preach to his tormentors for two days until he expired.
Thomas. He Was stabbed with a spear in India during one of his missionary trips to establish the church in the subcontinent.
Jude. He was killed with arrows when he refused to deny his faith in Christ.
Matthias. The apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot. He was stoned and then beheaded.
Paul. He was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero at Rome in A.D. 67. Paul endured a lengthy imprisonment, which allowed him to write his many epistles to the churches he had formed throughout the Roman Empire. These letters, which taught many of the foundational Doctrines of Christianity, form a large portion of the New Testament. Perhaps this is a reminder to us that our sufferings here are indeed minor to compare to the intense persecution and cold cruelty faced by the apostles and disciples during their times for the sake of the Faith.
We are so blessed to live in a free county today. Although the United States is slowly but surely losing our liberties and freedom because of sin, this is still a great place to live compared to most other countries. THANK GOD for our blessings and freedom!!!
Revelation 3:2 and 15, “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.” ...“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”
Dr. Curtis Hutson (1934-1995)
One of my favorite preachers is Curtis Hutson. Most of all I love that Pastor Hutson gets the free grace Gospel 100% right, which is rare nowadays. Any honest person will see THE TRUTH of a free grace Gospel. Here are a handful of life changing quotes by Brother Hutson, to God be the glory. I encourage you to help me share these quotes on social media to edify other people's lives...
“Our lifestyle, language, attitudes, and manner of dress reflect on His name. He leads us in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Unless you are honestly convinced that the thing in question will bring glory to God, then don't do it.” —Pastor Curtis Hutson
“The only alternative to soul winning is disobedience to Christ.” —Pastor Curtis Hutson (2000); “Bread for Believers,” p. 83; Sword of the Lord Publishers
“Faith and repentance are the same; they are not two separate decisions. One cannot trust Christ as Savior without repenting or changing his mind. The very fact that he trusts Christ for salvation shows that he has changed his mind regarding sin, salvation, and God.” —Pastor Curtis Hutson (2000); “Salvation Crystal Clear,” p. 331; Sword of the Lord Publishers
“No one will ever go to Hell who has put his trust in Jesus Christ, but many will end up in torment who have trusted their own righteousness and reformation.” —Pastor Curtis Hutson
“When the believer is faced with a decision regarding a questionable matter, he should never proceed unless he has complete peace about it. If there is nothing wrong with it, then God is able to give complete peace.” —Pastor Curtis Hutson
“When praying for the Lord's will about something questionable, don't give up if you don't receive clear leading after one prayer; just keep on praying until God makes it clear.” —Pastor Curtis Hutson
“When the honest, sincere Christian is faced with the decision regarding whether a thing is right or wrong, he should ask, does it agree with all that the Scripture has to say on the subject?” —Pastor Curtis Hutson (2000); “Bread for Believers,” p.278, Sword of the Lord Publishers
“In any matter where we have questions, we have a right to ask the Holy Spirit to lead us and to expect His gentle guiding.” —Pastor Curtis Hutson (2000); “Bread for Believers”, p. 282, Sword of the Lord Publishers
“I maintain that anything short of truth is a lie. But I also maintain that anything beyond truth is a lie. If you tell a man he can be saved, without believing on Christ, you've come short of the truth; but if you go beyond the truth and tell a man he's saved by believing plus being baptized, plus keeping the Ten Commandments, plus enduring to the end, you've gone beyond truth. I say we ought to stick with what the Bible says, even if it doesn't coincide with what we've always thought it meant.” —Dr. Curtis Hutson, “The Determining Factor In Salvation”
“The fella who knows what repentance is knows it's included in believing.” —Pastor Curtis Hutson
“You'll even change your mind about repentance if you get saved. You are going to have to repent about your idea of repentance to be saved. Because if you have felt repentance is reformation, or turning from sin, and you're going to turn from sin to get saved, then you're not going to get saved until you change your mind about that idea, and decide that you're saved by the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ on the cross. Then you've repented over your repentance!” —Pastor Curtis Hutson
“The moment a man trusts Jesus Christ as Saviour, he is given everlasting life. And it is understood without explanation that everlasting life lasts forever.” —Dr. Curtis Hutson
“Faith and repentance are the same; they are not two separate decisions. One cannot trust Christ as Savior without repenting or changing his mind. The very fact that he trusts Christ for salvation shows that he has changed his mind regarding sin, salvation and God.” —Pastor Curtis Hutson (2000); “Salvation Crystal Clear,” p. 331; Sword Of The Lord Publishers
“But we've so muddied the Gospel, that when men want to make a decision to trust Christ, we've made it so complicated that they can't make a simple decision to 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.' We'll say, 'If you don't do this' or 'You don't do that' or 'You haven't done that,' you're not saved'; but the truth of the matter is that when asked in the Bible, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?,' one clear simple answer was given to him — 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.'” —Pastor Curtis Hutson
“Whatever your circumstances, stay happy in the Lord and in His work.” —Dr. Curtis Hutson
“Faith and repentance are the same; they are not two separate decisions. One cannot trust Christ as Savior without repenting or changing his mind. The very fact that he trusts Christ for salvation shows that he has changed his mind regarding sin, salvation, and God.” —Pastor Curtis Hutson
“When the honest, sincere Christian is faced with the decision regarding whether a thing is right or wrong, he should ask, does it agree with all that the Scripture has to say on the subject?” —Pastor Curtis Hutson
“I don't like this other gospel. I like the gospel of the clear waters, the grace of God, and I don't want nobody throwing mud in it. Take your dirty hands off of it, buddy. Saved by grace, through faith. Boy, when we get to heaven, we're going to sing it. When you get to heaven, you're going to sing, 'Thou are worthy. For thou hast redeemed us. By thy blood. Out of every kindred, every tongue, and every nation.' You're not going to say, 'We are worthy. Because we have been committed, and surrendered, and yielded.' No, you'll say, 'Thou art worthy.' These Lordship Salvation folk, if they make it to heaven, won't have anything to talk about in heaven. Because it's going to be grace up there. ...We'll sing Amazing Grace up there. Not Amazing Surrender and Lordship and Commitment.” —Pastor Curtis Hutson
“You see, we not only believe the fundamentals of the faith, we believe in Ecclesiastical Separation. You don't yoke up with somebody that is not saved and call him a Christian brother!” —Pastor Curtis Hutson
“To add anything to salvation other than the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross is to say that His death was not sufficient payment for our sins.” —Dr. Curtis Hutson
“A man does not have to abide in Christ to be saved. He must trust Christ, believe that He died to pay his sin debt and by faith receive Him as Saviour. Salvation is a free gift of God.” —Dr. Curtis Hutson
“In spinning a robe of your own righteousness, before the sun goes down you will find it all unraveled.” —Pastor Curtis Hutson (2000); “Salvation Crystal Clear,” p.39; Sword of the Lord Publishers
“If turning from your sins means to stop sinning, then people can only be saved if they stop sinning. And it is unlikely that anyone has ever been saved, since we don't know anyone who has ever stopped sinning.” —Pastor Curtis Hutson
“Dear sinner, do not make this a difficult matter. There is one simple step between you and Jesus. When you trust Him, everything else is settled, and you have repented, you have come to Christ, you have received Him, you have done everything necessary to be saved.” —Evangelist John R. Rice, “What Must I Do To Be Saved?”
“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.” —Evangelist John Bunyan (1628-1688)
John 3:16-17, “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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” ... Luke 9:56, “For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.”
I love Baptist Pastor Steven Anderson's zeal for the Lord. He's one of my favorite preachers. I am on the side of anyone who is a friend of the truth. I'd rather do right wrongly, than to do wrong rightly. I'd rather see a preacher with wild fire, than no fire! Yet, for the sake of my web visitors and those under the voice of my preaching, I want you to know the truth. My loyalty is to the Lord Jesus Christ, and not to any man, whether dead or alive.
I want to be fair in my article. I have given much thought to this matter, because there is a lot of controversy. To begin, I'd like to quote something important that Pastor Anderson said:
“Anybody, who's been thrown out of the church, can come back whenever they want, to get right with God, renounce heresy, and embrace the Biblical doctrine of the Trinity.” —Pastor Steven Anderson, a helpful quote from the excellent sermon titled, “Unbiblical Reasons: Why We Accept People Who Are Thrown Out.”
Although speaking in regards to the Godhead (aka, “Trinity”), I have also heard Brother Anderson say elsewhere that repentant former homosexuals are welcome in his church. It is very important that you understand dear reader that there is a big difference between someone who used to be a homosexual, verses someone who is still living a homosexual lifestyle (open sin). What saith the Scripture? 1st Timothy 5:19-20, “Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.”
The context of this Scripture passage concerns everyone, particularly elders in the church who sin. It is clear from this passage that God is not speaking about open sin in the church, otherwise you wouldn't need two or three witnesses to verify the sin. No where in the Word of God do we find a picture of a local church where open sin was tolerated in their midst.
The Bible teaches Christians not to fellowship closely with professed Christians who live in open sin:
1st Corinthians 5:11-13, “But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. or what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.”
Most people today form their opinions based upon what they are spoon-fed by the ungodly media. That is very wrong to do. Our opinions ought to be formed from searching the Scriptures, and not from public opinion polls, government statistics or what Megyn Kelly, Sean Hannity or God forbid, sodomite Anderson Copper thinks. So I do agree with Pastor Steven Anderson's Biblical position of kicking unrepentant sinners out of the church. If you don't like that, then you don't agree with God, because I just told you what God says. 1st Corinthians 5:13b, “Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.”
Let me also say that I sincerely believe if the right kind of preaching is coming from a pulpit, homosexuals won't want to remain in a Bible-preaching church. John 3:20, “For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” If a pastor is doing his duty, renouncing homosexuality as a wicked sin, and a file and perverse offense against a holy God, you're not going to have a problem with LGBTQ flocking into your congregation. Sodomites would love an apostate counterfeit church like 'Elevation Church' with Pastor Steven Furtick in North Carolina, where he tickles their ears and scratches their backs with religious mumbo-jumbo.
“Listening sometimes is a way to express that you care.” —Pastor Jeff Owens, “Who Cares Anyhow?”
How I Believe Pastor Anderson Greatly Hurts His Ministry
Now having said all that in support of Pastor Anderson, I also believe Brother Anderson's lack of love for sinners greatly hinders his work for the Lord. Brother Anderson preaches that God hates homosexuals, and that they are beyond any hope of repentance. I totally disagree with that assertion. There Is Not Such Thing As A Reprobate Who Cannot be Saved. 2nd Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
In his public radio interview while he was preaching in Botswana, Africa, pastor Anderson horribly said:
“There was an old man who told me that he was a homosexual. And I told him that he must leave. After asking him to leave two times, politely, I took him and I dragged him out. And bouncers do it in bars every day, because it's our private property. We had the right not to allow homosexuals into the church. The Bible says... You cannot help the homosexual. ... In Romans chapter one it says that God gave them up. There's nothing we can do for them, it's too late for them!”
You know, if I were that preacher and a man came into the church saying, “I am a homosexual!,” I would have immediately told him, “Sir, God loves you and so do I. We're glad you're here, have a seat my friend.” Now, that is how I would have handled the matter. I don't understand a man of God dragging a professed sinner out of a church! What would it have hurt to let the man hear the preaching of the Gospel?
The church is a hospital for sinners, is it not? Some people don't agree that a church is a hospital for sinners, but I think it certainly is, because we are all sinners! Hey, would a sick person be allowed to go around a hospital deliberately infecting other patients? No way! Security would kick you out! It is the same with a church. Sinners come to church to get help, and if someone decides to cause trouble, and make other church members sick, then the Bible says to remove them! 1st Corinthians 5:13b, “Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.”
Is it too late for homosexuals? No, it is never too late to repent and believe the Gospel. Does the Bible say that God gives up on sodomites coming to repentance? No where in the Bible are we taught that any sinners are beyond the reach and hope of God's saving grace. Isaiah 1:18, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” No one is beyond hope! Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.“ The precious word “WHOSEVER” means you my friend!
There was a problem in the church of Corinth, where a man and woman were living together in open fornication, but the church elders weren't dealing with it (1st Corinthians 5:1-5). Open sin ought never be tolerated in a church, but everyone ought to be welcomed. The apostle Paul didn't say to kick them out right away. Paul said to confront them about the sin, and give them a chance to repent. That is the Bible way. It could be that a new couple in the church is truly not aware of the awfulness of their sin, and they simply need to be kindly confronted. If they refused to repent of the sin, then they need to be asked to leave until they are willing to obey God.
I think the proper thing for Brother Anderson to do is to teach that God loves everyone unconditionally, which is why God sent His only begotten Son to the cross to die for the sins of all men. To say that God hates a certain class of sinners, to me, is a form of Calvinism (i.e., limited atonement). If God doesn't love all men, then why did Christ die for all men? Does not the Scripture teach in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” So I disagree with Pastor Anderson, respectfully, that God hates anybody. I think it hurts his ministry when he preaches a message of hating people, instead of hating what God hates, which is evil. Psalms 97:10, “Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.”
I love this quote from Pastor Anderson, speaking out against today's new-evangelical groups:
“The TRUTH is a thousand times more powerful than what these liberal churches are selling. The truth is so concentrated that just one drop of the real unadulterated truth of THE GOSPEL—hard preaching—one clear 10-minute presentation of the Gospel, is more powerful than one hundred hours of NOTHINGNESS in their 'BLAH!' church or school!” —Pastor Steven L. Anderson; awesome YouTube sermon: “The Dechristianization Of Our Nation” | MP3
Pastors Have a Duty to Preach the Whole Counsel of God
In an ideal situation, a pastor will preach hard against all sin, without compromise. Since homosexuality is being promoted worldwide today by the ungodly, preachers need to counter this ungodly trend with more preaching against homosexuality in all its forms (i.e., transgenderism, unisex, feminism, effeminate males, masculine females). The churches are under brutal Satanic attack today. You are no longer allowed to have your own opinion in America today. Pastor Grayson Fritts found this out the hard way (and I commend him for speaking the truth that homosexuals should be put to death by the law). The ungodly LGBTQ agenda has pastors running scared.
In the first of the preceding videos, Pastor Lawson is condemning Pastor Grayson Fritts (and shame on Pastor Lawson for doing so!). Pastor Lawson makes a disparaging comment about Pastor Steven Anderson, calling him: “THAT NUT OUT IN ARIZONA!” Isn't that terrible? Pastor Lawson ought to be ashamed of himself! I also heard Pastor Lawson wrongfully accuse Pastor Jack Hyles of leaving off repentance. No, it is Charles Lawson who is a corrupt Calvinist, who adds works to grace and perverts the free gift of God, which is eternal life. The ungodly media actually did Grayson Fritts a big favor, who has been given an early retirement buyout in Knoxville, Tennessee, after 30 years as a decorated police officer and detective. Shame on the ungodly newsmedia for their sick perversion!
Instead of standing by the man of God, he abandons and condemns him for preaching THE TRUTH! In the second video, Pastor Lawson himself upholds (even quoting) the Word of God, which says that a convinced homosexual ought to be put to death! If you don't agree with that, then you don't believe the Bible! Some ungodly reprobate accused Pastor Fritts of Not Loving Thy Neighbor, accompanied by a LGBTQ rainbow flag, which is a gross perversion of the truth. If you think that loving your neighbour means not agreeing with God, then you are a stupid fool! I'll say it again, if you think that loving your neighbour means not agreeing with God's Word, then you are A STUPID FOOL! I stand with Pastor Grayson Fritts, who says he will throw professed homosexuals out of the church.
May I say with all surety, God hasn't changed (Malachi 3:6) over 3,500 years since he gave Moses the LAW. Leviticus 20:13, “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.” If the U.S. government honored the holy God of the Bible, they would outlaw homosexuality and make it a capital offense, incurring the death penalty. Unfortunately, ungodly Luciferian-worshipping Freemasons control America (evidenced by their occult erect phallus symbol overshadowing our nation's capital). Consequently, all manner of wickedness is legal in America: Abortion, same-sex marriage, Federal Reserve Banking fraud, 501c3 church licensing fraud, deliberate open borders, the War On Drugs fraud, dumbing down our children scandal, et cetera.
At their highest levels (unbeknownst to 97% of lower initiates) Freemasonry serves the Devil. I grieve in frustration at every Supreme Court ruling, and at election time, watching the woeful ignorance of millions of Christians in our nation, who actually think their voice or vote can make a difference. It won't, because Lucifer is the god of this world, and Freemasons have controlled our nation from its inception in 1776.
The inspired Word of God teaches that homosexuality is a sin, and they ought to receive the death penalty. 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.”
The ungodly newsmedia spins a preacher's words, as they sinfully did Grayson Fritts' words, instead saying: “Grayson Fritts calls for killing LGBTQ!,” making it sound like people should just go on a hunt to murder homosexuals. That is NOT what Grayson Fritts said from his church pulpit. Pastor Fritts was simply teaching what the Holy Bible teaches in Leviticus 20:13, that homosexuals should be put to death by the courts of the government. Ungodly reprobates will always change the truth into a lie, which is what they also do to the truth of God's Word.
Romans 1:25, “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.” Anyone in the media who says that Pastor Fritts calls for killing of LGBTQ is being dishonest! To say that a pastor believes the government should enact a law that punishes homosexuality with the death penalty is VERY different than accusing a pastor of saying LGBTQ should be killed! It is hate speech, intentionally meant to be inflammatory and anger people! That is what the ungodly newsmedia does—inciting hatred, anger and hostility against God-fearing Christians! Truthfully, when life is all over, the wicked will be burning in Hell and we will be vindicated as God's children.
Pastor Grayson Fritts and Pastor Steven Anderson and Pastor Roger Jimenez are faithfully preaching against sin! My problem is when these men errantly teach that God hates homosexuals, which is not true. And I don't agree when they say LGBTQ are beyond the reach and hope of the Gospel, so why bother? I heard pastor Anderson say yesterday in episode 4 of “Steven Anderson Uncensored” on YouTube, that he has never led one Mormon to the Lord! Yet, he continues to witness to Mormons, right? So why should it be any different with other hardened sinners like homosexuals?
I humbly think that it hurts Pastor Anderson's ministry, and unfortunately he is influencing thousands of people to follow his unbiblical views on hating sinners and giving up on homosexuals. I have heard him say that homosexuals should do the world a favor by putting a bullet in their own head. That is hate speech, not Bible-preaching! Homosexuals should be executed by the government, period. To say anything else is unbiblical. Albeit, I side with Pastor Anderson because he may be doing right wrongly at times, but that is infinitely better than doing wrong rightly as the ungodly media does.
I agree with Pastor Anderson that God is against the sodomites. God is against all unrepentant sinners! Psalms 7:11 teaches that “God is angry with the wicked every day.” John 3:36 says that God's wrath abideth upon all Christ-rejecters! 1st Peter 3:12, “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.” God is no respecter of persons (Romans 2:11). No one can commit sin and get away with it!
Many pious preachers love to quote Romans chapter one to condemn homosexuals, but no one ever considers Romans 2:1-2, “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.” I have news for you, all those who condemn homosexuals: YOU ARE JUST AS MUCH A SINNER!!!
The only difference between the vilest sodomite and me is that I have been washed in the blood of the Lamb! PRAISE GOD! I am just as much of a dirty sinner as any gossiper, idolater, adulterer, murderer, liar, fornicator, drunkard, cheat and embezzler!!! And may I kindly say, SO ARE YOU! We're all wicked! James 2:10, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” I love you all in the Lord, whoever you may be.
Kindly, I heard Brother Anderson say in the preceding radio interview that he hates homosexuals. But what about other types of sinners; such as, drunkards, thieves, fornicators, blasphemers, adulterers, coveters, railers, liars, et cetera. Why only hate a particular group of sinners? I cannot even imagine hating anyone, certainly not a particular group of sinners. If I had to pick a group of sinners to hate though, it would be the neo-evangelical pastors today who (despite being repeatedly warned) continue to preach from satanic Bible revisions, and teach a false Gospel of Lordship Salvation that doesn't produce the new birth in Christ Jesus. I'm not worried about the pervert sodomites, I'm worried about the pervert Baptist preachers! But still, I don't hate those Baptist preachers either.
Brother Lester Roloff (1914-1982) used to say, “There's no pervert like the Gospel pervert!” I am more worried about children being left along with Baptist perverts, who teach from the “Easy-To-Read Version” (ERV), “Good News For Modern Man” (GNB), “The Voice” (VOICE), “New International Version” (NIV), et cetera. These are all grossly perverted Bible revisions of the Devil. Only the precious King James Bible can be trusted!!!
So I might drag a few Baptist preachers out of the church by the seat of their pants, to tar and feather them out back; but I'd never drag out a needy sinner, simply because he said that he's a homosexual. That's ridiculous! You don't manhandle an elderly man and drag him out of a church. That is not God's unconditional love. I would have kindly said to the man: “SINNERS ARE WELCOMED HERE, FRIEND!” I would have preached the Devil out of sin (all sin) during the scheduled pulpit sermon, and included a clear Gospel presentation afterwards.
At the end of the meeting, Brother Anderson refused to hug the homosexual minister with whom he was debating, saying that he was a filthy child-molesting pervert, and had been digging in unhygienic and disgusting places as sodomites do. Jude 1:22, “And of some have compassion, making a difference.” The Lord commands us as believers to always love our enemies, and never to hate them. Please listen to the excellent MP3 sermon by Pastor Jack Hyles titled, “The Test Of Spiritual Maturity.” Jesus called Judas, “friend.” You either love all or you love none!
“If there's anybody in the Bible that God had disdain for, it was those that had disdain for other sinners!” —an awesome quote from the MP3 sermon by Dr. Jack Hyles titled, “If Thou Should Mark Iniquities, Who Could Stand?”
I tremendously admire Pastor Steven Anderson, God knows my heart. He certainly has the attention of tens-of-thousands of people across America. I love a guy who says it like it is, uncompromisingly, without apology. Pastor Anderson has the potential to be a mighty preacher, but he'll never be anything more than a popular preacher until he learns to love everyone as a man of God should, including filthy sinners like me and you, and sodomites, and the vilest of humanity, for whom Jesus Christ was willing to die on the cross! I say that with all due respect for Brother Anderson.
Dear reader, I did not write this article to turn anyone against Pastor Anderson, he is doing that by himself, I simply wanted to express my humble opinion in this matter, which I sincerely believe agrees with God's Word. Steven Anderson has never been a pastor before, so he is still learning, so please keep that in mind. He's a good guy and we need preachers like him dearly in this untoward generation. I am on the side of those who tell THE TRUTH. The church on its worst day is better than the world on its best day.
Shame On the New IFB Movement for Bullying Preachers
Despite his rough edges, I fully support Pastor Anderson's ministry. I pray for him often, hoping that someday he will learn that people just want to be loved, and that people will not tolerate hatred, which is why he has been banned from traveling in over 40 countries. People will NOT tolerate hatred. Hatred just breeds more hatred. I have lost umpteen friends and ministry support over the years, because I support Pastor Anderson's ministry.
Yet, not too long ago I sent Steven Anderson a “Friend Request” on Facebook, but he declined my request. Great guy, huh? I've lost tons of ministry support over him and he won't even receive me as a friend. Go figure! I've heard Pastor Anderson complain numerous times in his preaching, whining that the Old IFB won't embrace him and his Baptist ministry, even though he vehemently denies the traditional Baptist position of a Pretribulation Rapture. Well, what do you expect when you hate everybody who disagrees with you?
The Old independent Baptist movement (Old IFB) despise and loath Steven Anderson for many reasons, primarily because he continually bashes, berates, trashes and condemns the Old IFB. Kindly said, Pastor Anderson is a bully! I stand with him when he preaches hard and takes a firm biblical stand against doctrinal nuts like Johnny Nixon and his “Born That Way” insanity.
However, Anderson's habit of bullying those who disagree with him is childish and unscriptural. There is an army across America of cult followers in the New IFB. I don't think Pastor Anderson wants to be a cult leader, but his followers have appointed him as one. I have heard Brother Anderson downplay the idea of people idolizing him, exhorting them rather to follow only the inspired King James Bible. Unfortunately, no matter what he says, he still his a hateful army of thugs that will bully anybody who disagrees with the New IFB.
The Shameful Bulling of Norm Diamante by 'New IFB' Preachers
Case in point is Onorato (Norm) Diamante. Here is one of many shameful YouTube videos in which the New IFB (in this video, Pastor Jonathan Shelley) gang up on Norm to discredit and belittle him. Here is Steven Anderson calling Norm a fool. In so doing, Pastor Anderson also calls Dr. Jack Hyles a fool, because in his sermon titled, "FUNDAMENTALIST HERESY, Pastor Hyles teaches that faith is enough to be saved, without saying a prayer.
It is important to point out here that at 15:45 in the preceding video by Pastor Anderson, he plainly states that you CAN be saved by just faith, without praying. But Pastor Jonathan Shelley in the preceding video teaches that you MUST pray to be saved. So as we see, there is disagreement among New IFB preachers. I have noticed that the ringleader of the New IFB is Brother Anderson. Arguably he is their movement leader. Whatever Steven Anderson accepts or rejects becomes the agenda for the rest of the New IFB.
New IFB preachers think it strange and unbiblical to teach that you don't have to pray to be saved. There are multiple heresies taught in these two videos that I just shared with you by Pastors' Jonathan Shelley and Steven Anderson. They misrepresent Norm Diamante. For example: Pastor Anderson falsely accuses Norm of attacking soulwinning. No, Norm is not doing that. Norm is simply correctly teaching (as I have been doing for the past 21 years of website ministry) that you don't have to pray a prayer to be saved, faith is enough.
Pastor Shelley in the preceding video shows a clip of Norm Diamante going door-to-door soulwinning, in which he leads a young woman to pray a Sinner's Prayer. Clearly, Norm is not against using a Sinner's prayer while witnessing to people, he is simply making it clear that you don't have to pray to be saved; nor is repeating a "1-2-3, follow me" type of prayer God's method of getting saved. God's method is to simply BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST (Acts 16:30-31). I am not against soulwinners using a Sinner's Prayer to lead others to Christ, although I don't like or use it myself anymore because it can cause confusion.
A good rule to follow when interpreting the Bible is to never use an obscure passage to contradict a clear one. The New IFB are guilty of taking obscure passages of Scripture out of context, while completely ignoring clear passages of Scripture. For example: New IFB preachers like to run to Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Yet, in the Gospel of John we find the word“believe” mentioned 85 times, without any mention of calling, praying, confessing or repenting. John 20:31, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” As we just read, the Gospel of John is God's Gospel tract. Faith is the only righteous thing that I can do. The man who believes has repented, and the man who repents has believed. I have written numerous blogs and webpage articles on this important topic, if you would like to read more my friend.
Here is a very good video in which Norm Diamante exposes the lie that you have to call or pray to be saved.
Fundamentalist Heresy w/ The New IFB
In this video by Steven Anderson teaches that your words save you when you pray, because of your faith. He alleges that prayer and faith are inseparable, just like repentance and faith. I agree that a lost sinner who prays from a heart of faith is saved, but it is NOT the words that save him, it is faith. Galatians 3:26, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” It is improper doctrine to say that we are saved by our words. Although it is perfectly normal and acceptable for a person to call upon the Lord in their heart with silent words, or to pray audibly with words (if they would like to do so), the Bible is very clear that salvation happened at the moment of faith. The words were prompted by a heart of faith in Jesus. Romans 10:14, “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?”
There is a potential danger of leading people in a Sinner's Prayer to be saved. For several years after I got saved at age 13, I feared that I wasn't saved. I knew that prayer didn't save me, but I was was misled by preachers to think that prayer was the mechanism by which faith is exercised. I was lied to, just as the New IFB are misleading people. If you would like to read a detailed explanation of what I suffered through because of lying preachers, please read my heartfelt article: 'WHAT IF AI AM NOT SAVED?'
This is likely why Pastor Anderson refused to accept me as a friend on Facebook, because I expose his false teachings, and so be it. Steven Anderson is my Christian brother, and I love him for his courageous stand against sin, false teachers and false doctrine; but I humbly disagree with him on at least ten things. Norm Diamante is 100% correct on the Gospel of free grace. You don't have to pray, call or confess with your mouth to be saved, you simply need to BELIEVE ON CHRIST. John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”
John 20:31, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” As we just read, the Gospel of John is God's Gospel tract. Please don't forget that fact.
People Just Want To Be Loved
In case you didn't know, Steven Anderson started his Faithful Word Baptist Church in Tempe, Arizona in 2006. That was the beginning of the so-called New IFB (new independent fundamental Baptist movement). The one thing that hinders and hurts Pastor Anderson's ministry and reputation is his hatred for sinners, instead of hating the sin and loving the person. The truth is that we should hate the sin but not the sinner. Steven Anderson errantly teaches his church members to hate people.
In his sermon, “Sodomy,” I heard Dr. Jack Hyles say that homosexuals are the hardest group of sinners to get saved. But Dr. Hyles tried. In that sermon Pastor Hyles says that he knows of at least 20 homosexuals in his church at the First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana. Dr. Hyles loved the sinner and tried to help them, but he hated and preached against the sin.
The Bible teaches in 1st Corinthians chapter 13 that no amount of faith, ministry labors or preaching matters if we fail to love people. The unsaved world are still people. People will not tolerate hatred. God is love. Psalms 97:10 commands all believers to HATE EVIL, but not to hate sinners. Kindly said, Pastor Anderson has the wrong mindset that homosexuals are reprobates who cannot be saved, so why bother. What saith the Scripture? 2nd Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
God Loves Everyone Unconditionally, Even Though He Hates The Sin
