Hebrews 10:23-27, “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.”
We live in a world of self-righteous hypocrites. Sometimes religious people make me sick! Our text passage of Scripture from the New Testament book of Hebrews (particularly verse 25 about not forsaking the assembly of ourselves together) is perhaps the most abused and misused Bible verse today. I have had mean people cruelly throw this Bible verse in my face, trying to make me feel guilty for missing a church service due to my poor health, or for not going to church at all because I couldn't find an acceptable one to attend. That is a very ungodly thing to do to someone, guilt-tripping them.
According to PositivePsychology.com in the Netherlands...
Guilt tripping is a manipulative tactic where one person tries to make another feel guilty to influence their behavior or decisions. It often involves emotional pressure that targets the recipient's sense of responsibility or care for the person applying the guilt. SOURCEA lot of religious people try to guilt-trip others to be unkind and a jerk. They should all SHUT UP in Jesus' name!
When I attended the Harvest Baptist Church on Guam in 2014, I stayed home the previous Sunday because my neck pain was overwhelming and I didn't sleep well at night. When a young Christian fella in the Navy asked where I was last Sunday, I told him the truth that I was in much neck pain. The jerk said, “Forsake not the assembling of ourselves together Brother!” What he said deeply hurt my feelings. What a selfish jerk! I am old enough to be his father. I am sick and tired of hypocrites! If you ever do that to someone, guilt-tripping them, you are the scum of the earth as a human being!
Several years ago I had another little tramp do the same thing to me. I was visiting the Lighthouse Baptist Church on Guam in 2018 for about a year. The young Christian woman asked where I was the previous Sunday and I told her the truth that I was at home in much pain and suffering. She looked down her long Pharisaical nose to condemn me, saying: “Well, we have a man in church that has high blood pressure, and he takes the same prescription medications as you do, and he is always here at church.” I wanted to call her a “stupid cold-hearted brat,” but I said nothing as a gentleman, knowing that she is immature as an adult. She had no idea what she was even talking about. In fact, we DON'T take the “same” prescription drugs, and how would she even know what medications we take? Listen dear reader, it is none of anybody's business who goes to church, or why someone stayed home, et cetera. People need to learn to mind their own business!
I have no doubt that some zealous churchgoer is going to criticize me for this article, but so be it, that doesn't mean that I am wrong. God understands each person's individual and unique situation. In his helpful book (that I cherish reading again and again), “I Never Knew You,” by Christian author Michael P. Bowen, he writes on page 115 that he cannot attend any of the churches in his town because they all preach a counterfeit plan of salvation...
According to many verses in the bible, especially those warnings God gave to us through Paul in the book of Galatians, you should never listen to anyone’s message that runs counter to the message given to us by Christ, and you should never attend a church where the pastor tells the flock that they must add works of discipleship to faith in Christ’s “finished work” as the way to enter heaven. That’s exactly the reason why I no longer attend any of the local churches in my current hometown. [emphasis added] —Michael P. Bowen, “I Never Knew You,” p, 115
For that very reason I have been expelled (kicked out) of the last five churches that I've attended, for merely TELLING THE TRUTH. Today's incompetent pastors are dingleberries!
Guilt-tripping is a form of emotional manipulation that can harm relationships and is not a healthy way to communicate. Ephesians 4:32, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.” We should be forgiving, kind to one another, encouraging the saints to treat each other with compassion rather than using guilt to control or influence actions. I understand that there are many different scenarios, so I am not addressing every instance in this blog.
In 2014 I heard Pastor Marty Herron at the Harvest Baptist Church on Guam tell hundreds of church members one of the most shameful things that I have ever heard. He said, “Once people are offended and feelings are hurt, it's over!” That's holding a grudge! What Pastor Herron should have said is that even though we are all sinful humans, the Bible commands us to forgive, to be kind, and to love one another instead of holding grudges. Marty Herron was henpecked by the rich people in Harvest Baptist Church, under their wicked control.
I am writing this particular article to encourage anyone who like me, has had much difficulty finding a doctrinally sound local church to attend; and who like me, has health afflictions which cause them to need to be at home most of the time. After all, that is why I receive medical disability. Yet, there are many complete jerks in churches today who will selfishly berate, scold, tear down, guilt-trip and criticize you for your situation, having zero empathy for you. I have heard preachers say that if you have to crawl, don't miss church. I humbly disagree. In these modern times we have plenty of solid Bible preaching available on social media.
When you put someone down for missing church, putting the guilt-trip on them for their situation, the Bible likens you to a monster who takes away someone's warm coat in the winter, leaving them to freeze to death in the cold. Proverbs 25:20, “As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.” That jerk at Harvest Baptist Church on Guam who guilt-tripped me for missing church was a perfectly healthy young man at the time, showing total disregard for my health afflictions. What a self-righteous hypocrite! Be nice to people.
And that young Christian woman at the Lighthouse Baptist Church on Guam who guilt-tripped me for missing church, she and her husband eventually quit going to church and stayed at home for years! What a little self-righteous hypocrite! To the best of my recollection, as a witness before God my Savior, I have never one time in my entire life guilt-tripped anybody for anything. If I have I am so sorry, but I don't think I have. I am pretty good at minding my own business. Proverbs 26:17, “He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.”
Sometimes people email me and ask, “Are you talking about me?” I never tell them because THEY KNOW if it's them. I tell them instead what I tell everyone: “If the shoe fits wear it!” If my preaching rings your bell, then I probably am talking about you. If it doesn't then don't worry about it and learn from other's mistakes and sins.
Don't Compare Yourself To Other Christians
I am not trying to upset or offend anybody, and if you are offended then you are missing the entire point of my sermon article. I am simply saying that we should mind our own business. What saith the Scripture?
2nd Corinthians 10:12, “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.”
It is foolish to compare your life and circumstances to that of others. I used to feel bad when I compared myself to some of my peers that I graduated from Hyles-Anderson College with. Some of them are pastoring churches. Others are laboring on the mission field in foreign countries for Christ. Most of them have loyal wives by their side. But I have a website ministry that is not recognized as a legitimate ministry by most Christians. My wife divorced me in 2006 and left me all alone in my physical suffering and chronic pain.
That really depressed me, being alone and not having a recognizable ministry. If you look at church websites that link to other ministries, I can only think of ONE church website that lists my Jesus-is-Savior.com ministry, and that is the website of my long time ministry friend Pastor Max D. Younce (1935-2023). But God impressed upon my heart years ago that it doesn't matter what other people think, He is my only Judge (James 4:12). My website ministry work for Christ is exponentially reaching far more people than I ever could have as a church pastor or missionary to a foreign country. I am an evangelist to cyberspace, a missionary to the internet, and my ministry is 100% valid and recognized by Heaven's hosts.
I have been dealt different cards in life than others have. I grew up around Skid Row in Chicago, tagging along with my father who ministered to the bereaved, broken and destitute of life for over 30 years as a Skid Row Gospel preacher. That humbled me, allowing me to see where booze and sin can take a person, to the gutter! Thankfully, by God's grace, I have never drank a drop of booze, never smoked a cigarette, and have never taken any illegal drugs. I count myself very blessed, because many people have.
In 1992, I was severely rear-ended by a church bus that permanently misaligned my neck, leading to a diagnosis of Cervical Degenerative Disk Disease and Stenosis in 2004. Sadly, and painfully, I tumbled 15 feet down a conveyor slide at work in 2005, which worsened my injury, adding Radiculopathy to my list of afflictions. So, for a guy like me, God has given me the perfect ministry, that I can work on at home at my leisure. I often need to go lay down and rest.
By God's grace over the past 24 years, I figure I must have at least 50,000 hours invested into my website ministry. There have been at least three times that I remember, when I worked through for 37 hours straight, and thousands of days when I worked for 12 hours or more. It's hard to believe that there are 55,572 files just on my Jesus-is-Savior.com website; I've not been idle for 24 years. I give God alone all the praise, credit and glory (John 15:5).
So, I no longer compare myself to others, because it's simply not fair to myself. Everybody's situation, variables and plight in life is different. God is faithful (1st Corinthians 1:9).
Mind Your Own Business Friend
What do you care who comes to church and how often? What's it to you? You should mind your own business. My old boss used to wisely say: “If you've got enough time to watch what others aren't doing, then you must not have enough work to do yourself.” Amen to that! People should drive in their own lane and mind their own vehicle. Some of the most miserable, hateful and resentful people are the ones who always notice what everybody else is doing or not doing. Really, live your own life in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ, and pray for others who are lagging behind in your opinion. It's not your jurisdiction to condemn others.
Ah, and then there's the religious hypocrite for a wife, who wickedly badgers her husband to go to church. I fully agree with Pastor Curtis Hutson, who teaches that if a Christian husband tells his wife to stay home with him from church, she should stay home. If you disagree with that, it is only because you have been adversely influenced by the evils of toxic feminism. Going to church makes you religious, it doesn't make you a good Christian.
I’ve been thinking about how feminism is destroying women and marriages. It’s everywhere now. I know a good man whose wife just left him. The guy would have done anything for her, bent over backwards, but she said she just wasn’t “happy.” So many women today have been sold the Devil's lies and they’re chasing something that doesn’t even exist. Many disgruntled wives are wearing rose-colored glasses, chasing unicorns and rainbows to nowhere. Proverbs 14:1, “Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.”
With the blessing of the internet in these modern times it has never been easier to obey Hebrews 10:25b, “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is...” It's not the same as physically attending a local church, I get that. But it is nevertheless possible to hear solid, fundamental, Christ-honoring, Bible preaching today via an internet connection. And you can tithe to a church online. And you can encourage and fellowship with the saints online. Praise God! So, you don't have to physically go into a concrete building somewhere to obey this Scripture.
That being said, please don't misunderstand me, I am a firm believer that everybody should attend a local Bible-believing, free grace Gospel only, inspired King James Bible only, sin-fighting, soulwinning, people-loving, separated, fundamentalist, New Testament church. Nothing can substitute for physically going to the House of God. I understand that only the believer's body is the temple of the indwelling Holy Spirit, but the local church is where we meet, the House of God.
Unfortunately, an increasing number of believers simply cannot find a doctrinally sound church in their local area to attend, and that's a big problem. It's becoming next to impossible anymore to find a Baptist church that doesn't preach the damnable heresies of Lordship Salvation (Calvinism) and Misunderstood Repentance (aka, the “repent of your sins” to be saved garbage). These are corrupt cults that you SHOULD NOT attend, nor even listen to, not for even one hour. Galatians 2:4-5, “And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.” Paul refused to hear the other side of the argument. False prophets are subverted of themselves, like the insane flat earth camp.
It is better to just stay home from church than to attend a cult where a counterfeit plan of salvation is preached, and the Devil's corruptible seed is used (i.e., the Devil's bibles).
So, please don't condemn me for my health afflictions if I stay home from church more than half of the time. You are wicked and a horrible person if you berate and guilt-trip anyone for missing church. What you ought to be doing is encouraging that person, praying for them and telling the individual (or family) that you love them in the Lord. Five minutes of praise will do more to help a person than a lifetime of criticism. Proverbs 27:21, “As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.”
And please don't condemn someone for not going to church if all of the churches in their area are preaching damnable heresy! I tell you, you'd be ten thousand times better off staying home from church altogether, than to go to a cult that preaches Satan's fraud of Lordship Salvation, and the “repent of your sins” garbage to be saved that Ken Ham preaches; or they use the Devil's toxic modern polluted Bible perversions. RUN away quickly!
Furthermore, not everyone can drive for an hour to find a good church. I personally cannot drive for more than about 20 minutes due to my adverse health and prescription drug side effects, because I fall asleep behind the wheel. When I visited Tennessee in 2013, I fell asleep while driving from Knoxville to Nashville and I almost died, crashing my rent car into the roadway safety traffic barrier. Thankfully, those concrete safety walls are designed to lean back when you hit them, and toss your car's wheel back onto the roadway, which saved my life. I was lucky and blessed. My guardian angels were on the job watching over me that day! I couldn't believe that there was no damage to the car! That being said, I try not to drive more than short distances. So, I need to find a local church that is a short distance from me. I sure wish a New IFB church would come to Pensacola! The fields are ripe for harvest here!
Dear reader, my whole point in all that I have shared with you in this article is simply that you don't know what other people have to deal with. You don't know their whole story. You don't know what prescription medications they are taking, how many drugs, or how those various medications interact and impact that person's health, mind and life. You don't know their marital situation or family issues. Who am I, or who are you, to condemn others for staying home from church? Honestly, in view of today's pathetic church scene, I see a lot of people leaving the churches to find God. I am not kidding!
At present I am taking seven different prescription medications from two different doctors to control my Type II diabetes, triglycerides, neck pain, burning nerves and radiating sharp pain in my limbs. Thankfully, my A1C that was 10.8% in 2023 is now down at 5.5% (normal) thanks to my doctor. I cannot express in words how miserable I am, physically. The agonizing pain in my neck in a burning pain that radiates into my shoulders and upper back. It is debilitating. The entire right side of my body feels half asleep all the time, which feels like dead weight when I stand up to walk. I live in a lonely world of pain and discomfort. It is the “new norm.” God is good and I have no complaints. Pastor Jack Hyles is right that life is a veil of tears.
The sharp pain radiating down my right arm into my thumb is so awful at times. I love playing stringed musical instruments, but rarely feel the ambition to do so. I just need to often lay down and rest. Sadly, my own wife does not understand what I am suffering through, and she is unfairly demanding of me at times, lacking compassion and understanding to “put up with me.” Understandably, I get irritated and frustrated easily. That is why I strive to keep my life simple.
All I can do is take life one day at a time by God's amazing grace. I learned that we do not grow in strength as Christians, we grow in grace (2nd Peter 3:18). Not being able to obtain an adequate amount of prescription pain medication in Florida has made everything much more difficult for me. I am only provided 40 mg of OxyContin daily by my doctor, which is a joke compared to the 140 mg I received daily 15 years ago on Guam. I need at least 80 mg just to cope. Having only 40 mg a day is not near enough, but no one cares.
The federal and state governments certainly don't care about pain sufferers. The pain doctors are afraid of getting into trouble with the government, so they refuse to treat pain. Tyranny is rarely seen except by those who are oppressed by it. We are not anywhere near as "free" as we have been led to believe by the corrupt American media and White House. It is a shame that U.S. citizens suffering in pain are treated like criminals.
In conclusion, if you know a Christian who is not faithful to attend church, don't guilt-trip, berate, condemn or put them down. Instead, encourage them in the LORD by showing unconditional love toward them. How about giving them a big hug in the Lord? Cordially invite them to church, but don't pressure them. And if someone tells you that they have health problems, let them know you understand and and leave it alone. Pray for that individual. 1st Peter 4:8, “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” Please don't miss what the Bible just said... AND ABOVE ALL THINGS... love one another.
