Romans 15:4, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”
At some point in every Christian's life we all need to painfully learn that we cannot live the Christian life, because we are hopeless sinners in need of God's grace and help. The key to living the Christian life is NOT to do it, let Jesus Christ live through you. ...
Galatians 2:20-21, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”
The Bible teaches in our text passage from Romans 15:4 that the Old Testament was written FOR OUR LEARNING, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. My ministry friend Dave Hyles wrote these edifying words:
One of the remarkable aspects of the Bible is its unflinching honesty about the people within its pages. It presents them with all their flaws, failures, and frailties. Scripture reveals the full scope of its characters' humanity — their strengths, weaknesses, triumphs, and failures. The Bible doesn't shy away from revealing the shortcomings of its most revered figures. We see David, a man after God's own heart, committing adultery and orchestrating a murder. We witness Moses, the great leader of Israel, struggling with anger and doubt. Even the apostle Peter is depicted denying Christ in a moment of fear. These accounts are not designed to diminish these individuals but to highlight something far more significant—the relentless grace of God.
Against the backdrop of human sinfulness and failure, God's grace shines brightly. In these moments of weakness, God's power is made perfect. The Bible's honesty about human imperfection reminds us that God's work is not dependent on our strength, wisdom, or righteousness. Instead, it is the delight of the Spirit of God to work upon the platform of human impossibilities.
When we recognize our limitations and failures, we open ourselves to God's grace's transformative work. The stories of the Bible encourage us to embrace our weaknesses, not with despair but with hope. For it is in our inadequacies that the power of God is most clearly displayed. The heroes of the Bible are not glorified because of their perfection; they are celebrated because, despite their flaws, they allowed God to work through them.
In this way, the Bible teaches us that true greatness is not found in human achievement but in the grace of God that triumphs over human failure. As we reflect on the lives of those who have gone before us, let us be encouraged that the same grace that worked in them is available to us today, ready to turn our impossibilities into platforms for God's glory.
Amen and amen! No Christian has arrived. At best we are all struggling woeful sinners. You may have been able to live above reproach all your life, but NO ONE has ever lived above sinning. YOU ARE A SINNER, AND SO AM I! Don't judge others because they sin differently than you do. 1st Timothy 5:24, “Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.” You may have been able to hide your sins thus far, but in eternity all sins will be revealed. The point is clear: WE HAVE SINNED! So, please don't point fingers to condemn others who have sinned, because SO HAVE YOU.
God authored the inspired Holy Bible to share with us the lives of saints before, during and after their time on earth. The Lord gave us this gift to teach us, to give us comfort and patience with our earthly burdens, frustrations, struggles and sorrows. So, we can all echo the promise of God in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
2nd Peter 3:3-4, “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.”
The world is getting stranger every day! I just received two email notices from YouTube. The first one notified me that they have removed my video titled, "THE RAPTURE." And the second notice says they are worried in the YouTube community that I might kill myself because of THE RAPTURE. You couldn't make this insanity up!
The video was an excerpt from the 2012 Youth Rally at Shining Light Baptist Church in Morganton, North Carolina, by Pastor Danny Castle, in which the excerpt shows the Rapture suddenly happening while the pastor is preaching about it. I found the video. It is at 29:30 in this sermon, "WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN JESUS COMES?"
The ungodly world mocks, blasphemes and attacks the things of God; but they allow all manner of voyeurism, homosexuality, adultery, debauchery and filth. I suggest that YouTube stops persecuting Bible-believing Christians, and start doing something to stop the pedophile groups who use YouTube to exploit children. ๐๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ต ๐ญ๐ฏ:๐ญ๐ญ, “๐๐ป๐ฑ ๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ฝ๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐น๐ฑ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐น, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐พ๐๐ถ๐๐; ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ด๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐น๐ฎ๐ ๐น๐ผ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ด๐ต๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ.”
James 2:17-26, “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”
A man emailed me yesterday and asked me to explain James 2. Here is what I told him...
James chapter 2 is one of the most debated passages of Scripture, but it need not be. Notice that Abraham was justified by "works" in verse 21 when he offered up Isaac, "Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?" What saith the Scripture? Genesis 15:6, "And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness." The Apostle Paul cites and refers to this passage in Romans 4:1-7. So, Abraham was saved in Genesis chapter 15, by faith alone in Christ. But if you read Genesis, Abraham didn't offer up his son Isaac until chapter 22 (seven chapters later).
The answer is simple, Abraham was justified in the sight of God by faith in chapter 15. His faith was validated outwardly in the eyes of the world in chapter 22, when he offered up Isaac in obedience to the Lord. In Romans, Paul addresses the root of the believer's salvation, which is justification by FAITH alone.
But in the Epistle of James, the apostle addresses the justification of the believer's faith in the eyes of men, which is by works. 1st Samuel 16:7, But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." Since God can see our heart, we are justified by faith in His sight. Since men cannot see our heart, they need to see our works to justify our faith. Of course, many unsaved false prophets do good works, so this can be misleading.
Also, notice in James 2:18 that he says "shew me" and I will "shew thee" my faith by works. James didn't say I will shew God, he said, I will shew you my faith by works. James 2:18, "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works." James said faith without works is dead, but even a dead faith is still faith. There are many believers today whose faith is dead. They have fallen by the wayside (Luke 8:13). Other are choked by the cares, riches and pleasures of the world (Luke 8:14). Their faith is dead while they live. The lost hellbound world have no faith in Christ at all.
I hope that helps my friend.
He replied by asking, “isn't justification before men useless? Like I don't care what people think about me, I would rather be (and I am by simply believing the Gospel) justified before God than being justified before men.” Here is my second reply...
Kindly, you may not care what men think about you, but God absolutely does. Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” If we don't live holy lives, God does not get glorified.
And also, our poisonous testimony may cause lost sinners to spend eternity burning in Hell. Hebrews 12:15, "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;" Millions of unsaved people won't step foot into a church today because of hateful, bigoted, hypocrites, like the religious phonies at Pensacola Christian College and Bob Jones University. The world is always watching us as Christians. God cares what they think.
So, you see dear reader, just as the Apostle James said in James 2:24, a man is justified by both faith and works—BY FAITH in the sight of God, and BY WORKS in the sight of men.
Here are some helpful YouTube videos by Pastor Ralph Yankee Arnold explaining James 2...
How to explain James 2 “Faith without works” (Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold)
Faith Without Works is Dead - James 2 Updated (Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold)
Matthew 7:12, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”
I hate doing business in today's shady world. The United States leads the world in fraud, greed and lack of ethics when it comes to how the government, churches and businesses treat people. The Golden Rule is on the endangered species list today!
I have been a loyal customer at Amazon.com for over 15 years, but they have ZERO loyalty for me as a customer. I recently wrote a movie review for the 1990 film, Lord Of The Flies. I regret buying the film. I should have read more carefully what the movie was about. I took a brief glance and it seemed interesting, so I bought it. I was horrified when I watched the movie, about a group of small boys stranded on an island, committing barbarian evil acts of sexual depravity to one another.
So, in my review on Amazon I mentioned that there is a sodomite scene in the ungodly film and warned people not to buy the sicko movie. A few days later I received an email notice from Amazon threatening to terminate my account, falsely accusing me of "Hate Speech." I hadn't said anything of a hateful nature. Amazon has some ungodly liberal weirdos working for them, who are biased against Bible-believing Christians.
I emailed back and told them to kiss my rear, and that whoever thinks my review is "Hate Speech" needs to go see a psychiatrist. They responded by suspending my ability to write any more product reviews. So I went online today to find a contact for Amazon's corporate headquarters. Sadly, Amazon makes it IMPOSSIBLE to contact a living person to speak to when there's a problem at their company. I hate dealing with Amazon, where they crap on their customers! So I found a number to "corporate headquarters" and called. A woman answered the phone and said she would forward my call to someone who could help me, but the next thing I knew I was speaking to a foreign woman in India who could barely speak English.
So I went back online in frustration, to find another way of contacting Amazon's corporate headquarters, and I was sickened to find that the "corporate headquarters" I had contacted earlier is a scam company! Here is what the website states at the bottom...
Disclaimer
CorporateOfficeHeadquarters.com is not associated with Amazon. This website is for information, Amazon corporate headquarters reviews, feedback, ratings, and complaint purposes only. Information was verified by a live person. Please report any errors to the webmaster.
What lying bastards! They tricked me to think that I had contacted "corporate headquarters" for Amazon, but they lied. I'm telling you, our American culture has gone to hell. I wouldn't be surprised if Amazon themselves set up that fraudulent company as a "red-herring." Do you know what a red-herring is? In the old days if you wanted to throw the scent off so that hunting dogs couldn't track you, you'd drag some Herring fish behind you on a stringer, to throw off the dogs. I think Amazon intentionally deceives customers to prevent people from actually contacting corporate headquarters, so they use a red herring company to misdirect everyone.
I couldn't help but see the spiritual application in this sad matter. All cross the world today, in millions of churches, lying pastors and Catholic priests tell a counterfeit plan of salvation to mislead people. Satan uses them as a red-herring to prevent lost sinners from truly getting saved. 2nd Corinthians 4:3-4, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
That is why Satan has entered into the Bible publishing business, publishing literally HUNDREDS of different English Bible revisions (which are all corrupt). The average church pastor today is a total idiot, using and promoting the Devil's corruptible seed. The new Bible versions all horribly change and corrupt what it means to “repent.” Instead of meaning a simple “change of mind” (Greek: metanoia), the new Bible PERversions all define repentance as “turning away from your sinful behavior” to get to Heaven. Case in point, take a look at Hebrews 6:1 in the King James Bible versus the Easy-To-Read Version (ESV)...
KING JAMES BIBLE (KJB) - Hebrews 6:1, “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,”
EASY-TO-READ VERSION (ERV) - Hebrews 6:1, “So we should be finished with the beginning lessons about Christ. We should not have to keep going back to where we started. We began our new life by turning away from the evil we did in the past and by believing in God.”
Repentance from DEAD WORKS is very different than turning away from the evil you did in the past. The phrase “DEAD WORKS” refers to the dead things you were trusting in before to save you (e.g., good works, turning from bad works, sacraments, religion, idols, et cetera). You get saved by ceasing from your DEAD WORKS, and resting in Jesus Christ alone by faith (Hebrews 4:10-11). The toxic ERV has it all backwards, actually requiring you to do DEAD WORKS (turning from your bad works, which is doing a good work) to be saved, which cannot produce the new birth. I hope you see dear reader how dangerous these modern Bible PERversions truly have become. They are more toxic than nuclear waste!
We live today in the “perilous times” foretold in 2nd Timothy 3:1-7, when ungodly companies are lying and deceiving the public, and ungodly preachers are lying and deceiving the churches. That is why my favorite Bible verse for many years now has been Proverbs 4:23, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” We need to question everything and test it with the inspired Word of God (1st John 4:1). We need to double and triple check everything, because liars and deceivers are everywhere in the world today. 2nd Timothy 3:13, “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Isaiah 13:11, “And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.”
I have been one of their best customers at Amazon.com for over 15 years. I have reviewed several hundred products in that time. In fact, last year Amazon by invitation only asked me to join their special program, where they would send me FREE merchandise if I would simply review the products. I was excited about it at first, until I learned that I would be legally required to pay taxes on all the merchandise, and I would have no idea what they'd be sending me. So, I kindly declined.
On Amazon, I recently purchased a movie (Lord Of The Flies, 1990) that looked interesting, but I should have read what the movie was about better before buying it. As it turns out, the movie is about a group of young boys stranded on an island, who turn into savages, even committing abominable sexual acts. I was shocked and threw the movie into the garbage (but I should have returned it for a full refund). I was so upset at the time that all I could think of was trashing the film. I gave it an honest negative review, using the word sodomite to describe on of the gross scenes, for which I DO NOT recommend the movie.
A few days later I received a threatening email notice from Amazon, falsely accusing me of using “Hate Speech.” I replied by telling them that they can kiss me where the sun don't shine. Then they suspended my ability to post any further product reviews. So, I contacted corporate headquarters in Washington state to complain, which I did today. I was transferred to a woman (I think in India) who seemed to care and documented my complaint. She directed me to contact the very same idiots who are the problem, which disappointed me. So, here is what I wrote to them today, which I stand behind with 100% boldness...
To whom it may concern,
I am only contacting you because Shivangi (the friendly woman whom I spoke to on the phone today about the abuse from Amazon against me) asked me to. In her country they despise homosexuality, which is why she said she agrees with me. The United States is going to Hell. In fact, the Amazon corporation is DISCRIMINATING against me as a Bible-believing Christian. Shame on Amazon!
I have filed the first of numerous complaints against you, and I will be following up with corporate management about this issue (as well as giving negative reviews of Amazon on social media; Google, Yelp, my blogs and elsewhere). Your progressive liberal views are in violation of my biblical beliefs as a Christian. And you will be held accountable by God one day (Isaiah 13:11). You are welcome to terminate my account if you feel compelled to do so. You have abused me by falsely accusing me of "hate speech," and by discriminating against my Christian values.
You didn't send me a full copy of my review, so I cannot remember what I said. However, if memory serves correct, I used the word "sodomite" which comes directly from the inspired King James Bible, which I have read since age 13 when I became a born-again Christian. I am now 57. I didn't call anybody a "sodomite," I simply said that there is a "sodomite" scene in the 1990 movie, "Lord Of The Flies," for which I do not recommend the movie. Whoever at Amazon has a problem with my use of that word needs to go see a psychiatrist, really. You ungodly people are the ones with the problem, not me. THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY REVIEW!!!
This country has gone to hell, evidenced by the LGBTQ perversion which is being forced on society today. If you support that crap, which I don't, then feel free to terminate my account if you have a problem with that. And again, you can kiss my rear if you don't like it, I won't be bullied by the liberals at Amazon. You way overreacted to my movie review. I don't like being threatened.
I called corporate management today to complain about you bullies. I kindly told the lady what you did to mistreat me. She documented my complaint against Amazon. I don't have a problem refraining from using the word "sodomite" if that is your issue. You never did tell me exactly what I wrote to offend you so badly (the full review was blocked out), so how the hell am I supposed to know what I said that offend YOU. My guess is that I used the word "sodomite." If that is not the issue, then please elaborate, because I cannot read your minds. You could have simply kindly asked me not to use the word, but by threatening me you have made an enemy.
You will please kindly reinstate my ability to write further reviews, or I'll be shopping at Walmart a lot more in the future. I don't like bullies, which you are! I never used HATE SPEECH on Amazon; you did by threatening me. You need to learn to better communicate with customers, instead of threatening and falsely accusing people of "hate speech." Those are fighting words, inflammatory. You are not too wise to use such language. You don't intimidate me one bit.
If you think the word "sodomite" is hate speech, then you are in conflict with our Creator God who authored the King James Bible, so I'll let Him deal with you in eternity. Shame on you for bullying people. Your "terms of community standards" are extremely vague. In a wicked homosexual tolerant community, the word "sodomite" is highly offensive; but in a Bible-believing church community the word "sodomite" is perfectly appropriate. So, who are you to play God to decide what is "appropriate"? You people make me sick!
Mistreated customer,
To God be the glory! The dictionary defines “bigot” as: “a prejudiced person who is intolerant of any opinions differing from his own.” There is no group more bigoted today than the LGBTQ community and their liberal supporters. Anyone (like me as a mistreated former customer at Amazon) who doesn't go along with their ungodly liberal acceptance of THE SIN OF HOMOSEXUALITY is labeled as a bigot who uses hate speech, but in reality they are the ones guilty of being bigots and using hate speech. Amazon.com abuses their customers. Today I called Amazon corporate headquarters to speak to a manager, but instead they brushed me off to someone in India. This is how rotten Amazon mistreats people. I pray for God to punish Amazon for their wickedness.
The sad truth is that sodomites can bash Christians all they want with impunity (case in point is the ungodly 2012 television series: Good Christian Bitches), but just let a Christian mention the word “sodomite” and the wicked all pounce on him with rage. Isaiah 13:11, “And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.”
I desperately want the Lord Jesus Christ to return and rule the world during the Millennium with a ROD OF IRON. Revelation 2:27a, “And he shall rule them with a rod of iron...” Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Hebrews 4:10-11, “For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.”
This is THE SAME damnable heresy that is being shamefully taught at Pensacola Christian College (PCC). PCC invited and honored false prophet Ken Ham, who also teaches this damnable heresy that you must turn from your wicked ways to get to Heaven, which is really being required to KEEP THE LAW to be saved. These false prophets, and corrupt Bible colleges like PCC, MUST be exposed because RIGHT DOCTRINE MATTERS!
I typed out this helpful commentary just now from The Strand Study Bible (page 2132) for 1st John 5:13a, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God;”
5:13a There are two reasons why people need to “rethink” the Deity of CHRIST (that believe on the name of the Son of God):
1. It is a necessary part to salvation (Jn 8:24)
God tells us that there are two areas in which we must repent if we are to be saved: (1) we must change our minds as to who we are (Lk 5:31-32 & 13:1-5 and Mt 27:3). We are “sinfully” sick and in need of the Savior and cannot save ourselves (Rom 3:10, 23); and (2) We must change of minds as to who CHRIST is (Mt 4:13-17 & 11:20-24, Mk 1:15, Acts 3:12-19 and Acts 2:38). He's God (Jn 8:24, 58-59) and our only Savior (Acts 4:10-12).
Bible repentance is NEVER to turn away from your sinful bad habits, which would be human REFORMATION, not REPENTANCE. Pastor Strand is correct, we must repent (change our mind) about TWO things to be saved: (1) Who WE ARE; and (2) Who JESUS IS. We are Hell-deserving guilty SINNERS (Revelation 21:8), but Jesus is the crucified and risen SAVIOR (1st Thessalonians 4:14). That is the simplicity of the Gospel—you just have to stop trying to save yourself by WORKS (Hebrews 4:1); and rest in the finished sacrifice of Jesus which He made through Calvary's cross (Hebrews 4:10-11), so that Jesus could apply His precious shed blood to the Mercy Seat in Heaven in the presence of God the Father (Hebrews 9:12, 22-24; 10:1, 12:24).
Ray Comfort False Gospel Given To Millions
What Ray Comfort, Ken Ham, Jack Chick, Pacific Garden Mission's UNSACHKED, Bob Jones University (BJU), and Pensacola Christian College are preaching is something entirely different, where you are required to be willing to KEEP THE LAW in addition to childlike faith in the name of Jesus.
PCC is a cult today! Here is page 62 of the “John & Romans” booklet, which Campus Church delivered right into my mailbox last year. It tells the reader that to be saved you must make a mental check to forsake your sinning:
“I repent of my sins. I realize that sin is something that God hates and I no longer want to hold onto sinful bad habits in my life.”
SOURCE: “John & Romans,” Campus Church at Pensacola Christian College, p. 62
Do you still think I bumped my head? PCC has MUCH blood on their incompetent hands for preaching a counterfeit plan of salvation. PCC's Campus Church mailed this damnable corrupt booklet to 50,000 homes in Pensacola! PCC must be held accountable for perverting the Gospel of free grace, for leading souls into Hell. I am not just barking up an empty tree here folks! If we could stop sinning on our own, we wouldn't need Jesus (Galatians 2:20).
The false gospel that Ray Comfort, Ken Ham, BJU and PCC preach gives you nothing but a burden. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Jesus gives rest; Ray Comfort gives you a heavy burden to bear (by trying to stop sinning to get to Heaven). How is the latter a free gift? The reason why PCC has been corrupted is because they refuse to contend for the faith.
2nd Thessalonians 3:1-3, “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith. But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.”
I have been hurt by more people than I can remember. I once heard Pastor Marty Herron say from the church pulpit, “Life is about people hurting people.” Ironically, that ungodly pastor deeply hurt me, when he forced me out of the Harvest Baptist Church on Guam in 2014, and then banned me from returning. He was offended because I befriended him with THE TRUTH that Lordship Salvation is a perversion of the Gospel. He was also offended because I showed him that the modern Bible revisions are corrupted by Satan. Harvest is a cesspool of iniquity. Harvest employs a bunch of incompetent Bob Jones University graduates who all use the modern perversions of the Bible, and trust in the Devil's damnable lie of Lordship Salvation (which is nothing less than repackaged Calvinism).
Lately I've been cheated, lied to, mistreated, ignored and hurt by several people.
I Was Defrauded By 'Ben Clarks General Store'
In July I had read about an upcoming Banjo Camp in Montana. I rarely ever travel. I don't do it because it is just way too expensive. In 2024 hotels and rental cars cost $150 per day. I cannot afford $2,000 a week for a car and hotel. But I really wanted to attend the Banjo Camp and I had been saving some money. So I contacted Banjo Ben Clarks Banjo Ben General Store in Exeter, Missouri. I asked if there was any spots left for the Banjo Camp. A woman named Amy that works for the store sent me a link to a webpage to sign up. She didn't write any words, Amy just sent me the sign-up link. So I happily signed up. Moments later, I received e-mail confirmation and a receipt for $899 from Ben Clark's General Store. I was elated.
The next day, I went to Priceline and made travel reservations on July 6th for $2,077.25 (that included two-way airfare from Pensacola, Florida to Kalispell, Montana; 4 days in a hotel; a rent car for 5 days). The event was to take place in Bigfork, Montana. To my horror, two days later on July 8th, 2024, Amy emails me to say that all the banjo spots are full. I was stunned and immediately contacted her, letting her know that I have a confirmation and $899 receipt for the 'Banjo Camp.' I had even told her on July 5th that I planned to bring my Deering Goodtime Special banjo to the Banjo Camp event. She said on July 8th that I had signed up for Guitar Camp. I was hurt and upset that she was so stupid to send me a sign-up link for the guitar, when I had clearly told her that I wanted to attend the "Banjo Camp" and bring my "banjo."
She actually blamed me, as losers always do, accusing me of not noticing the drop-down menu on their website (which is hidden out of sight). But I trusted her when I wrote to ask if there were any spots left for the "Banjo Camp." Amy deceived me by sending a link for Guitar Camp. I don't think she did it on purpose, but she did mislead me and she is responsible my my $619.20 loss. When I went to cancel my travel reservations, Alamo car rental refused to refund a single penny of my $619.20 that they bilked me for. The car rental date was still 5-weeks into the future. So I wasn't cancelling at the last minute. In fact, it had only been 36 hours since I had made the reservations.
I also blame Priceline for putting me into that hurtful situation. Priceline are greedy thieves, no better than the evildoers at Alamo. God will harshly deal with those greedy thieves (Isaiah 13:11). I pray for it!!! These ungodly greedy companies are run by evil millionaire executives, who pay peanuts to poor folks in the Philippians (and illegals immigrants from Mexico) to handle angry customers who've been defrauded. Those scum executives cannot hide from God's wrath and judgment (Hebrews 4:13). Anyway, I am out $619.20 because of Amy at Ben Clark's General Store. The store's ungodly manager, Jake Stogdill, didn't even have the manhood to reply to my complaint emails, he has totally ignored me. What a coward! And worst of all, Ben Clark himself is aware of the issue and has also totally ignored me. Ben is a Baptist pastor who lives in Tennessee. As far as I am concerned, Ben Clark is a fake, a respecter of persons, and a wicked person. 2nd Thessalonians 3:2, “And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.”
Ben Clark owes me $619.20. I kindly asked Jake Stogdill in late July of 2024 if they'd help me recoup my $619.20 (which their store caused), by simply allowing me to attend one of their future Banjo Camps for a discounted price. They refused to even talk with me. What wicked jerks! I pray for God to avenge me of Ben Clark and his ungodly employees.
Very few Americans today even know what the word "ethics" means. Ethics is doing the right thing. If Ben Clark's store manager was an ethical person, and that includes Ben himself, they would have allowed me to attend on of their banjo camps for a reduced price, to help me recoup the $619.20 loss which they inflicted upon me. I had to pay that money on my credit card, but it wouldn't cost them anything to let one extra body attend a future Banjo Camp. But they are so wicked that they couldn't care less, because it doesn't afflict them in any way. Screw the other guy, right!
When You Ignore Someone, It Is Stinking Pride
I have been wanting to buy a nice banjo for a long time. I've been saving money. I wrote a man whom I thought would be kind enough to email back. I spent half an hour composing my email to him, articulating all my questions, to make sure my words were well written and easy to understand. I asked him kindly for his advice. He just totally ignored me. This is what ungodly people do. I'd expect some heathen lawyer to ignore me (which I've had happen numerous times in my lifetime while they were financially bilking me).
Dear reader, when someone takes the time to compose an email (especially if it is a lengthy one), you should have the human decency to reply, even if just to let that person know you cannot help them. It is ethical to be courteous to others. One of my pet peeves is when arrogant people look down on others, so much so that they don't even deem the lesser person (in their proudful eyes) to be worthy of a response. Proverbs 8:13, “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.”
If someone takes the time to contact you, you should be dignified enough as a fellow human being to acknowledge their time that they took to write to you. Very few Americans today even know what the word "ethics" means. Ethics is doing the right thing. I don't think I've ever blown anybody off, who took the time to write me. God knows that I am doing my best to make people feel loved and acknowledged who email me. It's the least that I can do. We're all wicked sinners who deserve to burn in the fires of Hell forever. Thank God for His amazing grace, that had made a way of escape through faith in His only begotten Son, Jesus.
Arthur Hatfield Defrauded Me
l bought a Hatfield Buck Creek banjo in April of 2024. When I received it in June, the case was filthy, covered in brownish/orange shop dust. When I opened the banjo case and lifted up the banjo, a part fell off. It was a bolt from the tailpiece. So, I reattached it. The tailpiece hadn't been adjusted at all, it was sticking all the way up over the banjo head. So, I had to adjust that too. Then when I tuned the strings and went to strum the instrument, the intonation was so bad that it was unplayable. Arthur had used a pencil to mark the bridge position on the head, but he was way off. I spent hours trying to fix the problem, but couldn't, because something was wrong with the banjo.
I contacted Arthur, but to me shock he didn't care. he was cold and abrasive, insisting that I return the banjo for a refund. But I didn't want a refund, I wanted a banjo. By returning the banjo, I was going to lose $230, which I didn't want to do. I had paid him $3,000 for the banjo, but it had an issue. The truss rod also needed to be adjusted, because the strings were buzzing (they were too close to the fretboard). So, I had to loosen the truss rod, and I did, and it worked. But in the process of adjusting the action, I cut my hand open on one of the jagged sharp 1/2" strings that he left sticking out at the tuning pegs on the headstock. When I sent him a photo of my bleeding hand, he didn't even have the manhood to apologize.
This was in June of 2024. Arthur couldn't have cared less and hurt me deeply. He had shipped a lemon to me. He didn't even take the time to properly set-up the banjo before sending it. The delivery man just left the banjo sitting on my front porch, which a thief could have stolen. I had a package from Amazon stolen in May that the U.S. Postal woman left laying on my porch, and didn't bother to knock on my door. Americans have become so lazy, rotten, irresponsible and cold these days.
Injustices Abound In American Society Today
Our government is just pissing on the American people. YouTube has been posting advertisements in 100% Spanish, so that English speaking Americans cannot understand a word of what is being said. YouTube is catering to the illegal immigrants. There should be a U.S. federal law that requires every company to only post commercials in English. This is gross wickedness being allowed by our treasonous and incompetent rotten government. That includes state as well as federal government. This is America, we speak English!!!
I went to McDonald's last month to buy Pastor Jack Hyles' favorite meal, a Quarter-Pounder with Cheese. Look at what they gave me (raw hamburger)...
Gross! Raw Hamburger At McDonalds
I contacted McDonald's at their official complaint webpage. No one ever bothered to reply. So, I filed a complaint at Consumer Affairs, but no one has responded to that complaint either. This is America today, no one gives a damn anymore. Matthew 24:12, “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” With ungodly legalized abortions, ungodly legalized same-sex perversion, ungodly public nudity at every beach in the United States, wickedness everywhere we turn in American culture today, and ungodly gender-bending propaganda being forced upon our impressionable precious children, what can we expect? In lieu of all these evils, it is no wonder that THE LOVE OF MANY HAVE WAXED COLD.
Everything that I have shared with you in this blog has happened to me in only three months!!! Good night in the morning. I've been cheated, defrauded, mistreated, ignored and horribly done wrong by dozens of individuals and companies. This is just the tip of the iceberg how rotten our society has become!!! People have died from E.coli food poisoning. Raw hamburger is no light matter, but McDonald's couldn't care less! When they kill their customers, the blood will be on McDonald's hands, not mine.
Now, having said all that. I am often reminded of a beautiful truth that my pastor taught us a few months ago. He said that we ought not be flabbergasted when heathens commit sin! They are just doing their job. That's right. Think about it. Unsaved heathens don't know Jesus. They only know darkness, sin and Satan. Every unsaved person (whether they realize it or not) is a child of the Devil, and they are susceptible to Satan's spirit (Ephesians 2:1-2). So, as hard as it is for me to accept, Alamo's hellbound executives are behaving like heathens should.
Arthur Hatfield is a Christless man, who is behaving as a Christless heathen. The ungodly thieves at Priceline are behaving the ay heathens should, just doing their wicked jobs. The world has always been a wicked place according to 1st John 5:19. God will someday punish the world for their evil and iniquities. Isaiah 13:11, “And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.”
We Need To Stay Focused On Jesus
I have been very frustrated lately with all the rotten people—crooked companies, lying politicians, arrogant jerks, warmongering leaders, greedy thieves, wicked heathens, uncaring police, perversion and insanity in our corrupt American society today! Albeit, I choose to stay focused on the Lamb of God—the Author and Finisher of our faith—Jesus Christ the righteous. Hebrews 12:2, “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.”
I can look in the mirror at the end of each day, knowing that other ungodly people hurt, cheated, defrauded and and did me wrong in various ways; but I treated them the way I want to be treated, with respect, honesty, ethics and love. Atheist singer Billy Joel was so right...
Honesty is such a lonely word,
Everyone is so untrue;
Honesty is hardly ever heard,
And mostly what I need from you.
Bravo Billy Joel, you nailed it!
Honesty (Billy Joel)
Pensacola Sheriff's Office Ignores Thieves
When I called the Pensacola Sheriff's office police to report my stolen package in May of 2024, I showed them both (a male and a female cop covered in thug gangster tattoos) a video on my laptop when they came, in which you can clearly recognize the thief's identity as he takes my package and walks off with it. ...
A Dirty Thief Caught In The Act (May 10th, 2024)
I was shocked by what the male cop said. I had kindly told them that Amazon replaced the $30 stolen clothing rack. The cop then said that I wasn't the victim, Amazon is. He said even if they caught the perpetrator they couldn't do anything to him, because Amazon (a multi-billion dollar corporation that doesn't care) would have to have the thief prosecuted. You couldn't make this stuff up!!! So what the cop is essentially telling me is that neighborhood thieves can now steal with impunity and immunity. The cops are basically worthless nowadays, unless someone is being murdered and they arrive in time to stop it (which is less than 1% of the time). I am really ashamed to be called an American. Our nation has become the laughing stock of the world.
I hate this sin sick world. I am now 57. Thank God my journey is closer to being finished than beginning. I want to go home to be with the Lord. but I echo the somber words of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 1:21, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” I wrote this blog to encourage others. No doubt you've also been defrauded, cheated, mistreated, abused, ignored and treated like garbage by certain people. 1st Peter 5:9, “Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.” We all suffer the same afflictions, plus tax...lol.
But the most important truth that I want you to take away is that, unlike the wicked world, as God's children we can go to the Lord with our burdens and leave them there!
Hebrews 4:13-16, “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
I read that beautiful encouraging passage in my first year at Hyles-Anderson College, in my dorm after chapel one day, which has been a source of comfort ever since. As a born-again child of God, we have a right to come before God's throne of grace BOLDLY, to obtain mercy to find grace to help in TIME OF NEED. Let the world defraud me, let them hurt and ignore me, let those greedy dogs steal everything I own, but I rejoice that my name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life (Luke 10:20). People will hurt us, but the Lord never will (1st Peter 5:7).
In these unsettling times of uncertainty, rampant crime, confusion and woeful wickedness, the saints need to run to the inspired Word of God like a starving man! God bless you dear reader, and thank you for reading my ministry blog. I just want to be a blessing for Christ in the lives of others. By God's grace, I hope He has done that through my humble labors since 2002 when I began my Jesus-is-Savior.com website. Have a good day.
Founder of the Church Of Satan, the famous satanist, Anton Szandor LaVey’s last death bed words were: “Oh my, oh my, what have I done! There’s something very wrong, there’s something very wrong, there’s something very wrong!”
Voltaire (1694–1778), an atheist, said: “I am abandoned by God and man! I shall go to hell! O Jesus Christ!”
David Hume (1711–1776), an atheist, said while dying in utter despair: “I am in the flames!”
Thomas Payne (1718–1799), an atheist, said: “I would give worlds, if I had them, if the Age of Reason had never been published. O Lord help me! Christ help me! Stay with me! It is hell to be left alone!”
Thomas Scott (1808–1878), an atheist, said: “Until this moment I thought there was neither a God nor a hell. Now I know and feel that there is both, and I am doomed to perdition by the just judgement of the Almighty.”
Aleister Crowley (1875–1974), England's most wicked man said: “I am perplexed. Satan get out.”
1st John 2:2, “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”
Just like John MacArthur, Pastor Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892) preached the Calvinist heresy of Limited Atonement, the Devil's lie that Jesus didn't die on the cross for all men, He only died for the saints. That directly contradicts the plain teaching of Hebrews 2:9, “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” Although Spurgeon made many prolific statements in his sermons which are often quoted, I don't trust his theology, and I humbly don't think anybody else should either.
1st John 4:1-6, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.”
We live in a world of deception. The Apostle John emphasizes the fact that “many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1st John 4:1b). Concerning the future Tribulation period Jesus said inMatthew 24:11, “And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.” I learned a new adage this week: Religion is the “Try Harder” Salvation; With The Gospel Of Grace, You Get To Be You. In other words, God saves you JUST AS YOU ARE, so you don't have to forsake one sin to be saved. We're not saved by giving up anything; we're saved by putting our childlike faith (trust, reliance) in Jesus.
We know that a known liar can tell the truth, and a trusted pastor can tell lies.
Kindly said, I visited a local Baptist church today in Pensacola. I've visited this church off and on since the last week of January in 2024. I've been to the church a couple dozen times over the past 7 months. As I was leaving the church today, the senior pastor was standing by the front door greeting people, and I took the initiative to shake his hand. I could have just walked out the door, but I felt it would not be proper to at least greet the pastor, so I did. I was deeply hurt when he looked to the hard left as I looked him in the face, as we shook hands. That is DISRESPECT! That was VERY rude what he did. He never made eye contact with me. That is VERY bad.
Perhaps he was nervous or felt uncomfortable shaking my hand, which is immaturity in him. Or worse, perhaps he doesn't respect me, which makes him a coward for hiding his true feelings. It could also be that he was distracted, which means that he lacks focus. Regardless, it is totally unacceptable for a pastor to shake somebody's hand, while looking off to the side and never making eye contact with that person. It tells the person who cared enough to kindly come over to shake your hand, that it wasn't important enough for you to acknowledge them as an individual. You either are immature as an adult or don't respect them, which either way is very unchristian.
I love that particular pastor. I enjoy hearing him preach. He's okay as a preacher, because he takes a stand against sin, but he needs to show respect for other people. I can only speak for myself. I guarantee that he would have looked me in the eyes if I were the mayor of Pensacola, which makes him a respecter of persons. Dear reader, if you don't respect someone enough to look at them, then you shouldn't shake their hand at all; and you should be honest about how you feel. I will never take the initiative to shake his hand again. I came to church happy and left sad, because the pastor dissed me.
I have refused to shake some pastors' hands in the past (e.g., at the Harvest Baptist Church on Guam cult), because they preach the lie of Lordship Salvation and use Satan's corrupt Bible revisions, and I wasn't going to bid Godspeed to false teachers (2nd John 1:11). I respect the pastor of the church I have been visiting since January of 2024, but he disrespected me today horribly, and that is really bad when you shake someone's hand. I am not being oversensitive, unless you think that people's feelings don't really matter.
I am not mentioning the pastor or church's name at this time. I have given the church a negative review on Google, and I did mention my name. If the pastor gets upset with me, then we'll become enemies and I will mention his name, and the name of their church. I won't be mistreated by any pastor. Pastors are supposed to walk head and shoulders above everyone else. That's why they're the pastor, and everyone else are the laymen. It matters how we treat people.
All my life I've had a pet peeve about grown men looking off at the wall, or down at the floor, while you're shaking their hand. It is rude, immature and childish. Please don't be like that. If someone comes over to shake your hand, you give them your undivided attention. If you cannot do that, then don't shake their hand in the first place! I hate when people play their stupid games, and I have little patience with games. Say what you mean, and mean what you say!
And if you do go to shake someone's hand, and for whatever reason you become distracted and look away, make sure that you sincerely apologize! It's sad that I have to write a blog about common sense courtesy and ethics, but Americans today are so rude, uncouth, ill mannered and uncaring.
I read an interesting true story about a 100-year-old New York mobster who was released from prison after serving 40 years behind bars. His name is Sonny Franzese. Mr. Franzese was asked what it takes to survive in prison. I was amazed by his simple answer. He said all you need is to remember are these three phrases: “Excuse me,” “I'm sorry” and “Please.” That is profound if you think about it! His wisdom reminds me of the popular book titled, “All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten.” The way that we treat other people matters, it really does. People just want to be loved.
Tragically 99% of pastors today have either forgotten or never learned that vital truth. If you visit the average church today, you'll leave feeling like they couldn't care less if you ever come back. I have been attending two local Baptist churches in Pensacola (one for almost 3 years now, and the other for 7 months here and there). Neither church has ever asked how to contact me. If I just decided to never go back, they wouldn't care less. That is horrible and carnal of them! I feel like I am unwanted in both of those Baptist churches, and they cannot blame me when they haven't even tried to befriended me.
The only way that I keep going in my faith day by day is that I LOOK TO JESUS, who is the Author and Finisher of my faith (Hebrews 12:2). The churches discourage me. Sadly, people are having to leave the churches to walk with God, because all you get at church nowadays is a superficial and shallow form of Christianity. Most churches today are just playing a game of religion, but there is no genuine love or compassion for people; there is little or no truth.
Whether you care or not, people will pick up on it very quickly. A pastor who refuses to look someone in the eyes while shaking their hand, sends a hurtful message of rejection to that individual. And the more that you look up to the person in admiration with whom you are shaking hands, the more hurt you will be if they diss you. I hope someone is listening, because this is a really important issue. ALWAYS look someone in the eyes if you shake their hand, to show that you respect them as a human being. If you cannot do that, then don't be a coward, just refuse to shake their hand and tell them exactly why. That is what mature adults do.
Acts 17:10-12, “And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.”
Do you know what the great Baptist preacher Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892) said concerning those who require giving up sinful living to be saved? Here's what Spurgeon said.
“'Repentance' is a grace. Some people preach it as a condition of salvation. Condition of nonsense! There are no conditions of salvation.” —Charles Spurgeon
SOURCE: http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0044.htm (Charles Spurgeon, from a sermon titled, 'REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE'; preached at the New Park Street Chapel, Southwark, on September 23, 1855)
Spurgeon didn't mean that repentance (metanoia) wasn't necessary for salvation; but rather, that repentance (metamellomai) is not required. What's the difference? Metanoia is “a change of mind”; whereas metamelomai means “regret, to feel remorse afterwards.” In Matthew 27:3 we read that Judas “repented” (metamelomai), but Judas still died in his sin of unbelief and went to Hell. Those false ministers (like Paul Washer, Ray Comfort, Paris Reidhead, John MacArthur, Aiden Tozer, R.C. Sproul and William Lane Craig)—who teach that a person cannot be saved until they literally turn away from the act of sin, have intent to reform and make a full surrender to do Christ's will from that day forward—are preaching “ANOTHER GOSPEL” of damnation (2nd Corinthians 11:4-5).
Clearly, Charles Haddon Spurgeon DIDN'T believe that making full surrender to serve Christ as Lord, or grieving, or feeling sorrow, or being willing to stop committing sins, is necessary to be saved. Spurgeon did in fact teach, as have other great men of God, that a sinner ought to turn from his or her sins as evidence of being saved; but this is after-the-fact, and not a requirement for salvation itself. Spurgeon plainly taught “there are no conditions of salvation,” which is what the Bible teaches. We are SINNERS and Jesus is the SAVIOR, Who died upon the cross for our sins, was buried, and then resurrected from the dead after three days (1st Corinthians 15:1-4). Jesus is precious!
Having said that, I am careful to warn people about Charles Spurgeon, because he was at least a 2-point Calvinist who errantly taught the Calvinist heresies of Limited Atonement (i.e., Jesus didn't die for all sinners); and the Perseverance Of The Saints (i.e., a true believer will perseverance in holy living). The inspired Holy Bible is full of saints who lived lives of sin (Esau, Saul, Lot, Samson, Demas, Solomon, et cetera). I disagree with all 5-points of Calvinism. We simply cannot trust the theology of Mr. Sprugeon.
The irony of the matter is that Charles was only about 20 years old when he preached most of his famous sermons. He was just an ignorant kid!!! So, please keep this in mind before you join the herd who run around on social media quoting Charles Spurgeon, because it is not a wise thing to do. Quote the Bible!
Colossians 4:5, “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.”
In our text passage, the phrase “them that are without” refers to lost sinners. They do not understand the things of God, that is, the truth about spiritual things (1st Corinthians 2:14-16). The greatest way that we can walk in wisdom is to share the Gospel with the lost.
Last night I had the privilege to share the Gospel with one of my neighbours. I use a passive method to share the Gospel, where I don't put the other person under any pressure. I don't make them uncomfortable or put them on the spot to make a decision. All they need to do is listen to me, the way it should be I humbly think.
In fact, if you read Acts chapter 10, you'll see that the Apostle Peter never put Cornelius on the spot to get saved. Peter simply told Cornelius and his friends the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ crucified, buried and risen. Acts 10:43-44, “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.”
Galatians 3:2 helps shed some light upon the meaning of this passage, “This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” When a person trusts Christ as their personal Savior, the Holy Spirit of God forever comes in to indwell (to live inside) that individual (Romans 8:9; 1st Corinthians 3:16-17; 1st John 3:24). Cornelius and his friends were indwelt with the Holy Spirit because they BELIEVED the the Gospel truth which Peter preached unto them, and they were saved. The beautiful phrase “the hearing of faith” simply means that we get saved when we BELIEVE the Gospel that we hear preached unto us (cf. Hebrews 4:1-2).
Regardless of what the conversation is about, I can easily lead into a Gospel presentation by simply mentioning how good our God is, and that opens the door to share the Gospel. When I witness to someone, I'll say something like the following words:
We're living in very interesting times. The news is getting crazier every day. I am so glad that I know I'm going to Heaven when I die. The Bible teaches that it is very easy to go to Heaven. We don't have to go to church. We don't have to get water baptized. We don't have to keep the Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church. All we need to do is BELIEVE that Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins, and that He was buried, and then three days later He physically resurrected from the dead. Those three things comprise the Gospel. Jesus DIED, He was BURIED, and He physically RESURRECTED from the dead three days later. That is the Gospel, which in the Bible means, GOOD NEWS. Anybody who comes to God as a guilty sinner and puts their trust (reliance) in that GOOD NEWS of Jesus crucified, buried and risen is instantly and forever born-again, a child of God.
Without asking them a single question, I have just presented the Gospel, giving them instructions how to obtain eternal life. I don't ask them if they believe what I told them, because that is their own personal decision, which is none of my business. I have provided all the facts that they need to know in order to get to Heaven, all they have to do is BELIEVE IT!
And also to mention, I am fairly good at sizing up people. I already knew my neighbor's temperament from speaking with him previously over the past year. If I just met someone, I might not be as bold to start preaching the Gospel to them. In such a case I will use wisdom and discernment to decide if it is the proper time to witness to them. For example: My doctor is a very intelligent and educated woman. I felt in my heart that because she is busy, and I only met with her for a medical appointment, she very likely wouldn't agree if I asked her for some time to share my faith with her.
So, what I did instead was to kindly ask her if I could share my faith with her, by giving her a book. I assured her that I would never ask if she read the book, nor ask what she thinks about the book. I didn't want her to feel pressured, awkward or uncomfortable. She kindly agreed and I gave her the book. I gave her a new hard copy of Michael P. Bowen's helpful book, “I NEVER KNEW YOU” (here's a free .pdf version) which explains what is and is not the Gospel in detail. I use this method of witnessing to people whom I think won't give me the time to share the Gospel. This way they can read the truth of God's simple plan of salvation in the quietness of their home or office, without feeling any pressure or awkwardness.
After I finished sharing the Gospel with my neighbour, he said to me that he is a Christian. I don't know if I led him to Christ, or if he was already saved, and I didn't ask him. I was just overjoyed to hear him say that he is a Christian, after he quietly listened to me share the Gospel with him for about 10 minutes. This is how I witness to most people.
Now, most Christians who share the Gospel have been wrongly trained to buttonhole people, asking them if they will trust Christ, so that they can brag at church (or Bible college) how many people they led to Christ. I want no part of that boasting. What saith the Scripture?
1st Corinthians 3:5-5, “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.”
It doesn't matter whether you plant a seed, or have the blessed privilege to lead someone to Christ, only God can save a sinner. God rewards us individually according to our OWN LABORS. So, it doesn't matter who plants the seed, or who actually has the opportunity to lead a lost sinner to receive the new birth, our part is solely to preach the Gospel to the unsaved, so that God can save them by faith. Faith is the only righteous thing that I can do.
When I was a young Christian, I was taught to put people on the spot, by asking them if they know for sure they are going to Heaven. I am not against using such a tactic, but now that I am 57 years old, I prefer a more subtle approach that doesn't make others feel awkward and pressured. I think we should be considerate and ethical. I realize that Hell is real and burns forever with fire, and there is great cause to win the lost to Christ. However, we should respect the feelings of others, and not attempt to bully them to get saved. God Himself won't force Himself on lost sinners to get saved, so neither should we.
I also humbly think that the reason why most saints won't share the Gospel, is because they have been wrongly taught by ambitious pastors to put people on the spot, to buttonhole them, and not take no for an answers. No doubt such harsh tactics have worked in a small percentage of cases in the past, but I humbly think in the majority of cases it caused the listener to harden their heart and close their mind to the truth. You cannot bully people to come to Christ.
Furthermore, forcing people to walk down a church aisle to learn how to get to Heaven is a bad practice. It is unbiblical and unnecessary for someone to be saved. The truth dear reader is that a lost sinner can be saved right in their pew, without being required to stand up or walk down an aisle to find out how to get to Heaven. Every preacher should tell the congregation how to be saved right in their pew. The sad reason why preachers don't is because they want folks to come forward, so they can shamefully boast about how many souls they got saved. I have seen this done all my life in Baptist churches... “Looky here, looky here what we did!”
Shame on any pastor who fails to preach the Gospel to the crowd.
Beware Of Pensacola Christian College And Their Corrupt Uncompassionate 'Campus Church'
In 2021, I attended the convocation exercise at Pensacola Christian College (PCC). This is the official first service of each new school semester, when all the students return, and new students arrive. Thousands of student's families are present for this special occasion. I am guessing, because I don't know the size of the giant auditorium at PCC's Campus Church, but I'd say there must have been at least 12,000 people present in attendance. Pastor Kurt Skelly from Virginia preached. In my humble opinion he sounded arrogant and puffed up in pride that night when he preached.
During the invitation, Pastor Skelly invited anyone who didn't know they were saved to WALK DOWN THE AISLE TO THE FRONT (which feels like a city block in distance from the back of the auditorium), to learn how to go to Heaven. I felt sick to my stomach when he said that, because I realized the LOST OPPORTUNITY he wasted to preach the saving Gospel to several thousand people. No doubt there were hundreds (if not thousands) of lost family members present that evening. SHAME on PCC's incompetent pastors, and Pastor Kurt Skelly for horribly dropping the ball.
PCC has since wickedly banned my in writing from attending Campus Church, because their ungodly leadership and pastors couldn't care less about people or truth, they just love more money. PCC rakes in upwards of $200,000,000. PCC is a religious cult, who preach the Devil's lie of Lordship Salvation. They banned me because I exposed their institution's ungodly lackidaical attitude toward heresy and false prophets. Their senior pastor, Jeff Redlin, is a spoiled rich snob, getting paid a disgusting 6-digit annual salary. They are cocky, arrogant and woefully lacking in love and compassion at PCC, which I speak to their utter shame.
One of the sore evils in the United States today is that large corporations and mega religious institutions receive so much money and support from 99% of their customers (supporters), that they can throw the 1% of hurting people under the bus with impunity. I have seen this all my entire life, especially in recent decades. People just don't care anymore about their neighbour. It is a deadly spiritual disease that has infected American society as a whole. It is also happening in Europe, Australia, Canada and other first world places. It is part of our sinful human nature to succumb to success, to let it destroy our good character, spirit and morals. Where adversity has destroyed one man, prosperity has ruined one hundred. PCC's success has gone to their heads, corrupting their institution. “Ichabod” (meaning, “the glory of the Lord is departed”) is written over the doors at PCC and their rotten Campus Church.
Mature Christians Go Soulwinning
Soulwinning is the dearest thing to the great caring heart of God. Many Bible students misunderstand the parable in Mark 4:1-9 and Luke 8:11-15 of The Sower And The Seeds. Evangelist Ray Comfort is one such FALSE PROPHET, who interprets this parable to mean turning away from your sinful behavior to prove that you're saved. I found this excellent meme this week with a truthful quote from Evangelist George Muller (1805-1898)...
The parable of The Sower And The Seeds is about SOULWINNING, not SALVATION. Ray Comfort corrupts the Scripture, making this parable about true and false converts, which is wrong. The purpose of this parable is to challenge God's saints to mature in the Lord to bear fruit as soulwinners. Luke 8:11 identifies the “seed” as God's Word.
There are FOUR groups:
THE UNSAVED MAN (Luke 8:12) - This first group didn't get saved, because the Devil snatched away the seed of God's Word (vs. 11) to prevent the new birth from happening.
THE UNGROUNDED CHRISTIAN (Luke 8:13) - The second group did get saved, because the seed germinated and began to grow, but because of shallow roots they were uprooted and never matured to win souls.
THE CHOKED CHRISTIAN (Luke 8:14) - I humbly think most Christians fit into this group. We know they got saved because the seed germinated and began to grow, but they became choked by the cares, riches and pleasures of this world, never maturing to preach the Gospel to win souls.
THE MATURE CHRISTIAN (Luke 8:15) - This group are saved and serving Christ faithfully as soulwinners. The Bible says they have a good and honest heart (because the indwelling Holy Spirit renewed their mind with the inspired Word of God). They have matured in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. They win souls to Christ with the saving power of the Gospel of free grace.
Ironically, most soulwinning is done by baby converts who haven't been saved for more than a few years. Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001) said that some of the worst Christians do the most for God, and he was sadly right. It is easy to share the Gospel, but the hard part is getting out of the self life. I once heard Dr. Hyles say in a sermon that if he could tell his people one truth next to the plan of salvation, it would be to: “GET OUT OF THE SELF LIFE!” We are all selfish by nature as human beings, we cannot help it. But if we will choose to walk in the Holy Spirit, who lives inside us permanently as God's redeemed children (Romans 8:9; 1st Corinthians 3:16-17; 1st John 3:24), then Jesus will live through us (Galatians 2:20). This is the “fruit” of the blessed Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-25).
I encourage you dear reader, if you are a born-again child of God, to share the Gospel with the people in your life, and those whose paths you come across daily. To some, you and I are “the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8b). You may be the only Jesus that someone will ever know, and their eternal fate is in your hands friend.
Thank you for reading my blog. God bless you and have a good day.
