Pastor Jack Hyles Blew It At The End Of This Sermon

Matthew 13:24-30, “Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.”

I am listening to a needful sermon by Pastor Jack Hyles titled, “The Parable Of The Tares And Wheat.” Our churches today are full of tares (unsaved people). With all the Devil's lies about repenting of your sins, inviting Jesus into your heart, inviting Him to become Lord of your life; and other junk to get to Heaven, it is no wonder why there are so many tares. Jesus made it very clear that the wheat and the tares look identical and you cannot tell them apart. There are lost religious people in churches everywhere today, who have never been born again.

Satan always imitates the real. Have you been born again dear friend? I sincerely hope that you will listen to Brother Hyles' sermon, it is so beautiful. Pastor Hyles mentions pianists, song leaders, deacons, Sunday School teachers, preachers and church members who came forward to be born again, after years of being involved in church.

Dear reader, have you been born again? I didn't ask if you are a member of a church. I didn't ask if you love Jesus. I didn't ask if you have prayed a prayer. I don't want to know if you are a good person. I don't want to know if you are familiar with Christianity. I am asking if you have been born from above by the Holy Spirit of God? You may fool everybody around you here on earth, but you cannot fool the angels and God. I was born again at age 13.

You were born spiritually dead, and so was I (Romans 5:12, Ephesians 2-12). The second death (Revelation 21:8) is not the same thing as being spiritually dead. The second death is to spend eternity burning in Hell (Revelation 20:11-15). Although we were all born spiritually dead (alienated from God), you don't have to die the second death. If you're born once, you die twice; if you're born twice, you die once. Is your name written in the Book of Life?

Since we were born spiritually dead, that is why we all need to be born again for the second time. You get “born again” by coming to God as a guilty sinner and by faith (taking God at His written Word) accepting Christ's sacrificial death on the cross as full payment for your sins, believing that Jesus was buried, but then bodily resurrected from the dead three days later. This is the Gospel according to 1st Corinthians 15:1-6. Your faith in the Gospel equals eternal life. Nothing more is required.

It doesn't matter if you are Baptist, Lutheran, Church of Christ, Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Seventh-Day Adventist or any other religion, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Please trust Jesus Christ now for what He did to pay your debt of sin on Calvary's cross and be saved.

Pastor Hyles Perverted The Gospel In This Sermon

Unfortunately, I need to mention something about what Dr. Hyles said at the end of his sermon that is blatant damnable heresy. Here is the suggested sinner's prayer given in his invitation:

Oh God, be merciful to me a sinner. Save me now. This moment. This moment I receive the living Christ into my life, by faith. Would you do it? —Pastor Jack Hyles, 'The Parable Of The Tares And Wheat'

That is not the Gospel. That is not how a lost sinner gets to Heaven. Judas Iscariot received Jesus into his life, becoming one of His very apostles. Yet, Judas went to burn in Hell forever in his sins and unbelief. No one has ever been saved by inviting Christ into your life. Where is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus? Where is the preaching of the cross? Hell is full of misled people who heard some preacher give them a shoddy presentation of the Gospel. 

Ironically, Dr. Hyles' very purpose for preaching this beautiful sermon is because churches today are full of unsaved religious people who are living the Christian life without ever having been born again; and yet he is guilty of mishandling the Gospel himself here, which is the major reason for tares in the churches to begin with.

Furthermore, Dr. Hyles doesn't make it plain that you don't need to pray a sinner's prayer to get to Heaven, you can just believe. In sharp contrast, Pastor Hyles does defend a free grace Gospel in his excellent sermon titled, “Fundamentalist Heresy.”

Now, I love Brother Hyles, truly, and if someone had warned him about mishandling the Gospel as he just did, I am confident that he wouldn't have made the same mistake twice. You cannot show me one place in the inspired Holy Bible where someone was saved by inviting Christ into their life. In sharp contrast—in Acts 2:41 on the Day of Pentecost when 3,000 souls were saved, and in Acts 10:43-44 when Cornelius and his companions were saved, and in Acts 16:30-31 when the Roman jailer was saved—in each case they were born again by simply BELIEVING the Good News (Gospel) of Jesus' crucified for their sins, buried and risen the third day. Nothing more was required or permitted to be saved. Nobody repented of their sins.

I will go to seed in preaching against the utter nonsense and tommyrot in today's pulpits that to be saved you must invite Christ into your life, turn from your sinning, accept Jesus as the Lord of your life, repent of your sins, pray a sinner's prayer, turn over a new leaf, surrender all to Christ, live a lifestyle of repentance, run the race faithfully, and other mumbo-jumbo garbage. You get saved simply by believing that Jesus did it all for you.

Can You Explain The Judgment Seat Of Christ?

2nd Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

Notice that the Bible does not say that we will be judged for our "sins"; but rather, for the "good or bad." Jesus took the penalty for our sins upon Himself on Calvary's cross, so that “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus...” (Romans 8:1a).

I like to illustrate the two coming judgments by comparing them to our earthly court system:

• The Great White Throne of Judgment will be a Criminal Court, where the dead (unsaved) of all time throughout human civilization will be judged and sentenced to the Lake of Fire forever, without hope or rest (Revelation 14:11, 20:11-15, 21:8).
• In contrast, the Judgment Seat of Christ will be a judgment only for Christian believers; a Civil Court where we stand to lose rewards, but there is no risk of imprisonment or corporal punishment (1st Corinthians 3:11-15; 2nd Corinthians 5:10-11). 1st Thessalonians 4:6, “That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.” Many saints will suffer shame, weep bitter tears, and have deep regrets in Heaven for their poor behavior while on earth.

So, although there is no condemnation for any saint regarding sins, we still must be held accountable for the GOOD and BAD done in the body. In Romans 12:19-21, God tells us not to avenge ourselves, because that is His job alone. The idea that a Christian can cheat, hurt and defraud others and won't be held accountable at the Judgment Seat of Christ is foreign to God's Word. In fact, God has promised to avenge all evil. I don't claim to understand it all. For now we see through a glass darkly (1st Corinthians 13:12), but when we see Christ we will understand it all by and by.

Celebrity O.J. Simpson (1947-2024) was acquitted in Criminal Court (he later admitted in a 2007 book titled, “If I Did It,” to murdering his wife and her lover), but he was found guilty in Civil Court and required to pay $33.5 million in damages (which he never did). In an intriguing twist of fate, Simpson's estate has awarded the Goldman family $58 million from Simpson's estate.

So, likewise, a Christian who has been justified (just if I'd never sinned at all) in Criminal Court, still must give account at the Judgment Seat of Christ for our choices here on earth, and we will be rewarded accordingly. It is noteworthy to point out that in both cases, for the saved (Revelation 14:13) and the unsaved (Revelation 20:13) alike, we will be judged ACCORDING TO OUR WORKS. The big difference is that the saved will be judged for our works as the redeemed children of God; whereas the unsaved (the damned) will be judged for their works as the children of the Devil.

Christ took our punishment upon Himself on the cross, so we will not be punished as believers for our foolish decisions, but we will still be held accountable which will affect our eternal rewards. The same precious blood of Jesus that saved us, keeps us saved. When we sin we have an Advocate (defense attorney) with the Father, Jesus the righteous (1st John 2:1). As believers we fall IN GRACE (Romans 5:20, 6:1), but never FROM GRACE. Those who trust in Lordship Salvation and turning from their sins (works) to get to Heaven, have fallen from grace (Galatians 5:4).

So, kindly said, Pastor Jack Hyles is simply saying that we must all give account to God at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Romans 14:12, “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” The Bible doesn't mention "sin," it just says we will be held accountable for the "good or bad" (2nd Corinthians 5:10). Those people today who claim that since all of our sins were forgiven at the time of salvation, so that we will never have to give account to God, are very wrong and misled.

In my humble opinion, the illustration of Civil Court versus Criminal Court is helpful to understand the two future judgments. In Civil Court you're not at risk of going to prison (Hell), but you are at risk of monetary losses (rewards). And some harsh words may be spoken by the judge in a Civil Court (Psalms 6:1). Some people do cry, feel ashamed and have regrets in Civil Court. I hope that is helpful my friend.

It Is Wickedness To Believe Slander About Someone

Proverbs 11:9, “An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.”

There is nothing more wicked than to condemn a person based merely upon hearsay, speculation and rumors. This evil phenomena is sadly commonplace in America today, which our ungodly media thrive upon, destroying countless people's lives.

There was a time in the United States when a man was deemed innocent until PROVEN guilty in a legitimate court of law. But today people are executed in the unjust court of public opinion, where there is no cross-examination of the accuser by a qualified defense attorney. These days the public have become the judge, jury and executioner. It is evil. Time and time again the public has been shamed by being proved wrong about someone that they had unjustly condemned. It is wicked, unethical and wrong!

As an example of unjust criticism, there is no proof that Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001) ever commit adultery with any woman. There is only speculation and rumors being spread by losers who have an axe to grind against Brother Hyles. Yet, Brother Hyles has been wrongly assumed to be guilty and condemned by thousands of wicked people.

It is a joke what some people are saying about him. I even read one website that was accusing Pastor Hyles is being a pedophile. That is so evil! Woe unto the sinner that MAKETH A LIE! Revelation 22:15, “For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” Liars go to Hell!

Dr. Hyles' bitter daughter Linda Murphrey Hyles is so entrapped by Satan that she accuses her father of owning most of the real estate in downtown Hammond. Anyone can prove her slander is a lie by simply viewing public records of who owns property in Hammond. In fact, Dr. Hyles DIDN'T own most of Hammond.

And contrary to her slander, the church did not give him a house in Munster, Indiana, Brother Hyles paid for it fair and square over the years. And the house was (if memory serves correct) worth a modest $115,000. Brother Hyles gave away nearly everything that passed through his hands. Pastor Hyles is the most generous man that I have ever known. God bless that dear saint of God! Proverbs 11:9, “An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.” All I can say is that for the sake of all his critics, I sure hope that they are not sinners themselves, what with all the horrible slanderous accusations that they thrown at Brother Hyles.

There is so much good about Dr. Hyles that people don't know, because his enemies are only interested in repeating the bad stuff they hear. Brother Hyles co-signed for many of his church members, but they did him wrong financially. Dr. Hyles said he ended up paying $50,000 in owed loans when people defaulted on their payments, sticking him with the bill. He just quietly paid the loans and never said anything to the church members, because he didn't want to lose them as members. That is a loving pastor who truly cares about his people.

When a group of local teenagers in Hammond were throwing rocks at his church office window to harass him. Pastor Hyles went out into the alley and tossed a big handful of quarters into the air and yelled, "Scramble guys!" They didn't throw rocks anymore. That was so wise what Brother Hyles did, rather than call the cops on them. Pastor Hyles truly loved people.

When Dr. Hyles met with a Christian lady for lunch, she kept covering her mouth. Dr. Hyles noticed that a few of her teeth were rotted. So he paid to have her teeth fixed. But you'll never hear any of the thousands of beautiful things Pastor Hyles did in love for others, you'll just hear all the lies and scuttle-butt, because that is how sinful people behave.

God only knows how many widow's rent that Brother Hyles paid for. There was one particular elderly widow in the church. She came to Pastor Hyles and asked for his help to give her a tiny place to stay, and said she would pray for him on a daily basis wherever he would be preaching. So, Dr. Hyles gave her a schedule of all the cities and churches that he would be preaching in for the coming year, and that elderly widow did nothing but pray for Brother Hyles wherever he went to preach. Amen! I love that!!!

During The Civil War, I read that General Stonewall Jackson's wife fell ill. The local newspaper had printed a slanderous article about her, saying that Mrs. Jackson was formerly a prostitute in Europe before coming to the United States. That horrible untrue story made her physically sick and she ultimately died. Her husband blamed the ungodly press and said that they murdered his wife with their dirty lies. Such is the evil nature of humans! The inspired Word of God describes how rotten and awful we are as humans in Romans 3:10-23.

Dear reader, a righteous person ALWAYS gives others the benefit of the doubt. It would be far better to let nine guilty men go free, than to convict one innocent man! You'll find that truth on many attorney's walls in their office. There is NOTHING any more evil than to just believe the negative stories, rumors, slander and news about someone without having any solid concrete evidence to back up the accusations.

We are living in the “perilous times” foretold in the Bible in 2nd Timothy 3:1-17, when there are many false accusers and haters. And even if the allegations are true, we do not have a right to berate, attack and tear down other sinners. That is why we have a legal system to punish evildoers. It's not your place, nor mine, to condemn other sinners! Do not judge others because they sin differently than you do! We are all wicked sinners in God's sight. Psalm 106:6, “We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.”

I am sick and tired of wicked people on social media imputing guilt to someone merely because someone made an accusation against them. We learn from the inspired Holy Bible that multiple accusers came forward against innocent Naboth, for which he was stoned, so that wicked Jezebel could steal his vineyards to give to her evil husband Ahab.

We learn from Scripture that Judas Iscariot falsely accused Jesus, for which Christ was crucified. Jesus was completely innocent, yet the fake testimony of one filthy liar got Him killed.

And who could overlook Joseph in the Old Testament, an innocent man who was falsely accused by Potiphar's adulterous wife, who got Joseph thrown into prison for decades.

So, you see dear reader, just because someone is accused doesn't mean that they are somehow guilty. Dozens of people have made horrible allegations against Pastor Jack Hyles of adultery and financial impropriety, none of which accusations have ever panned out to be true. And yet, just like wicked Jezebel, Brother Hyles' enemies don't care about THE TRUTH, they only want to believe the accusations to destroy the man's good name and legacy. Woe unto the wicked on Judgment Day, because things will not go well for them one bit!

I Hate Wikipedia's Slander and Lies!

Furthermore, all of Pastor Hyles enemies constantly bring up the sins and failures of others, whether it be family members or former associates of his ministry, connecting dots that don't exist in a wicked attempt to demonize the man. Dr. Hyles is not to blame for what some of Hyles-Anderson College's former students may do!

Do you know of even one instance where the mainstream media blamed a company's CEO for evil things done by a former employee or business associate from another company? I do not. Yet, if you go read Wikipedia's (I hate Wikipedia!) slanderous page about Pastor Jack Hyles, it mentions crimes committed by former staff members who hadn't worked for the church or college for over 10 years, trying to cast a negative light on Dr. Hyles.

Wikipedia is guilty of enabling character assassination. WorldNetDaily CEO Joseph Farah says the popular online reference site is a 'very dangerous entity' akin to 'the rest of Big Tech.' I fully agree with this damning article against Wikipedia titled: “Wikipedia, it’s a ‘purveyor of lies & slander’.” Here is an excerpt from the article...

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 16, 2021 (LifeSiteNews) — The founder of a conservative online newspaper has learned the hard way why not to trust Wikipedia: He looked up his own name.

“(Wikipedia) is not only a provider of inaccuracy and bias,” Joseph Farah, the CEO and editor-in-chief of WorldNetDaily (WND), wrote last Thursday. 

“It is a wholesale purveyor of lies and slander unlike any other the world has ever known.”

Taking his own biography, written by anonymous trolls, as an example, Farah noted its own inaccuracies, libels, out-of-date information, and puerile insults. 

“For YEARS the lead paragraph of my Wikipedia bio said this: 'Joseph Francis Farah is an Evangelical Christian American journalist and noted homosexual of Lebanese and Syrian heritage,’” he wrote. 

Farah is married to WND’s co-founder, Elizabeth.

“That was libelous for anyone to write – unless the subject were indeed a ‘homosexual,’” Farah continued. READ MORE

The owners of Wikipedia have much blood on their hands! And those jerks incessantly beg for money? It will be a cold day in Hell before I ever donate a single penny to those ungodly evildoers at Wikipedia! It is evil to try to establish guilt-by-association. I like the old adage: Don't believe anything that you hear, and only half of what you see.

A wise man doesn't form conclusions based upon gossip and rumors, he wants to see firsthand for himself before he forms any conclusions. Proverbs 18:13, “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.”

 

Why Does God Allow Evil People To Keep Doing Evil?

Ecclesiastes 8:12-13, “Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.”

Proverbs 16:4-5, “The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.” The “day of evil” here means judgment.

The Bible teaches that God has made everything for His purpose, including the wicked for the day of judgment. This biblical truth emphasizes that even those who do wrong are part of God's overarching plan, which includes judgment and justice.

Pastor Harry A. Ironside (1876-1951) comments on Proverbs 16:4-5:

All things will result at last in the glory of God. Earth’s long tale of sin and sorrow will eventually result in magnifying His love and His holiness. Those saved by His grace will praise Him forever; but the wicked will also acknowledge His justice in the day of their condemnation. He detests pride; all who walk pridefully will be broken before Him, try as they may to resist His power. They will be declared guilty when He sits on the throne of judgment. How much better to bow in repentance now, while He is on a throne of grace! See His word regarding the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah (Jude 7; 2 Peter 2:6). SOURCE

I was thinking today why God allows a rebellious wife to make her husband's life miserable, year after year, and there is little or nothing that he can do, except love and pray for his defiant wife.

I thought about wicked King Herod in the Bible, who was a madman. Herod had John the Baptist murdered, as part of a promise gone wrong to Herodias, his niece who danced sensually before him. Why did God allow John (the greatest born among women according to Matthew 11:11) to be so recklessly murdered, a beautiful man killed for no valid reason? By the way, John wasn't martyred for preaching the gospel, but for preaching against the sin of adultery, Herod's adultery with his brother's wife. Preaching the truth can get you killed!

I could mention the contemptible name of thousands of wicked people in the world today, who hurt other people. Russian President Vladimir Putin comes to mind. That man is a liar! His word means absolutely nothing. The same can be said of that lunatic madman Kim Jong Un in North Korea, who murdered his own brother to protect his tyrannical reign of power. Why does God allow such evil men to continue murdering millions of victims?

I am comforted to know that God sees everything, and has promised to hold all men accountable for every deed, whether it be good or evil. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

Ecclesiastes 5:8, “If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.” Nothing escapes the eyes of God.

Ecclesiastes 8:12-13, “Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.” Dear reader, no one is going to escape God's wrath and justice!!!

Hebrews 4:13, “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.” There will be justice!!!

Life is truly a test for every human being. We are all being tested by God. A faith must be tested. When all is said and done, and life's journey is over, we will understand it finally.

“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” —Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855)

1st Corinthians 13:12, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”

I admit that it does little to solace my grieving heart concerning all the horrible evil happening in the world today, to learn from the Holy Bible that it is all a part of God's big plan. That is very frustrating. I mean, when a monster attacks a little child, and God lets it happen, the Bible says that He made the wicked for the day of judgment. That doesn't make sense to me. That being said, who am I to judge and question God? He is the Potter, I am the clay. Isaiah 64:8,“But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.” I exclaim with broken Job in Job 13:15, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.”

Every human being at some point in life will have to decide to either place God on trial, or blindly trust Him. The inspired Scripture tells us not to lean upon our own frail human understanding, and I think that is the key to living the Christian life. Proverbs 3:5-7, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” The heathen world make the dire mistake of leaning upon their own flawed sinful human understanding.

We can no more understand God, than we can understand how Jesus spoke the universe into existence by the mere power of His Word (2nd Peter 3:5; John 1:1-3, 14). Scientists tell us now that the James Web Space Telescope (JWST) has so far discovered at least 2 TRILLION galaxies (not stars, galaxies). When the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (NGRST) launches in September of 2026, for an exciting 5-year mission to take an inventory of the universe, I am confident that it will discover 20 TRILLION galaxies or more!!!

Dear reader, have faith in God (Mark 11:22). Don't foolishly try to understand something that wasn't meant for you or anyone else to understand, not in this lifetime at least. Just settle it in your soul once and for all that God is good (Psalm 145:9), faithful (1st Corinthians 1:9), honest (Titus 1:2), and He cares (1st Peter 5:7).

I don't know precisely why God allows evil people to get away with their crimes. I really don't. But I vaguely do know it has something to do with the Lord's grand plan for humanity. To me it's kind of like a painter. To paint a picture, you need to start with a blank canvas, and then use different colors to create contrast to form an image. If all you had was yellow paint, you couldn't create an image, because it would all be yellow.

This is why the Apostle Paul beautifully said in 1st Corinthians 11:19, “For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.” We need false prophets! We need them to provide contrast, so that faithful preachers who are learned in the Scripture can tell THE TRUTH, using those heretics as a canvas upon which to paint THE TRUTH. Amen! I like that biblical illustration.

So, without evil people, how would we contrast the righteous? If we lived in a world without evil, how would we recognize righteousness? This is a profound concept, but a biblical one, and I humbly think it helps explain why God allows evil people to continue doing evil. Thankfully, their days are numbered, and their day of reckoning is soon coming. We are already on the winning side through faith in Jesus Christ. ...

1st John 4:4-5, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?”

For Now We See Through A Glass, Darkly

1st Corinthians 13:12, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”

This is one of the most important passage of Scripture in God's inspired Word. Granted, there are no unimportant Scriptures passages. The inspired Word of God teaches and acknowledges that as believers we have a limited understanding.

No preacher, Christian or theologian has the Bible all figured out. I humbly believe that certain portions of the Bible are less likely to be discerned unless somebody is going through certain hardships or situations. Different people will get different truths from God's Word, depending on their circumstances. I love how God made the Bible. Granted, no portion of Scripture is of any private interpretation. That is, no one can claim that God gave them something unique that no one else can learn from studying God's Word. 2nd Peter 1:20, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.”

Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) prophetess Ellen G. White (1827-1915) bizarrely claimed to have received over 2,000 visions and dreams from God. She wickedly appointed herself as a last days prophetess to confirm Bible prophecies. Miss White was a blatant FALSE PROPHET! God does not speak to anyone today through dreams or visions. What saith the Scripture? Hebrews 1:1-2, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.” God speaks to humanity today through the written Word of God. Dr. John R. Rice (1895-1980) said that Jesus and the Bible are twins. I like that. Jesus is the Living Word; the Holy Bible is the Written Word (John 1:1-3, 14; Revelation 19:13).

The older I get, the more I realize how much I don't know and understand. I am now 59 years of age. I absolutely cannot believe how old I am. In my soul I still feel like I am a teenager. I don't feel old, but my body does. My eyes cannot see as well as they used to. My ears do not hear as good as they used to. My hair is all gone on top of my head. I have typical Male Pattern Baldness, which began at age 25. I got rear-ended by a church bus in 1992, which caused Cervical Degenerative Disk Disease. At work I tumbled 15 feet down a conveyor slide in 2005 which worsened my injury. I have undergone two major neck surgeries in 2009 and 2010, the second of which surgery rendered me 100% worse. My body is broken and tired.

At best all we can do is study the Bible using available study resources; such as, Bible dictionaries, Bible land maps, Bible commentaries, lexicons, et cetera. Jesus promised that the indwelling Holy Spirit will guide and teach us (John 16:13). 1st John 2:27b says, “ye need not that any man teach you.” God authored His Word in such a way that it is like a puzzle, not easy to understand. Even the Apostle Peter acknowledged in 2nd Peter 3:16-17 that the writings of Paul were hard for him to understand. Ironically, I find Peter's writings more difficult to understand than Paul's writings. Go figure!

There has been much confusion and debate over the timing of the Rapture. I admit that the way the Bible is put together, it is not easy to paint a clear picture of Bible prophecy. I am firmly convinced of a Pretribulation Rapture, but it is mainly because no other doctrinal position fits the puzzle of Bible prophecy. Jesus warned in Mark 13:32-37 that NO MAN (not even the angels or Himself) know the time of His return. Only a Pretribulation Rapture supports the truth taught in this remarkable passage of Scripture.

If you have difficulty understanding the Holy Bible, join the club, you're not alone. We all struggle to understand it. Did Jephthah sacrifice his daughter by killing her, or did she remain a virgin for the rest of her life? Since she bewailed her virginity, I think she remained a virgin.

Did it take Noah a full 120 years to finish the ark? Ken Ham says it was only seventy something years to complete the ark. I humbly think it took 120 years since “God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing” (1st Peter 3:20).

Did the Church begin on the Day of Pentecost, in the earthly life and ministry of Jesus, in the middle of the book of Acts, or back with the first family in Genesis? Acts 7:38 speaks of “the church in the wilderness.” It seems to me that the church started way back with the first family. As families moved away from each other and cities were built, the need arose for a surrogate family; hence, local New Testament churches.

Is the earth young, or is it billions of years old? Psalm 102:25, “Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.” The psalmist specifically says that the foundation of the earth itself is “old.” If you study the Hebrew words in the first two chapters of Genesis, I don't see how any Bible student could deny an old earth view. Those who think dinosaurs lived 4,500 years ago are just as ignorant as flat-earthers.

Granted, the Bible says we see through a glass darkly. That is, we don't have confirmation of many truths. That is why there is so much debate, arguments and contending for the faith.

That being said, we are commanded by God in numerous Scripture passages to contend for the faith. Jude 1:3, “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” Thankfully, the Bible is abundantly plain concerning God's simple plan of salvation and the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith. There is no controversy if you believe the Bible. I mean, there is no controversy that Jesus is God almighty. His deity is not a debatable matter. There is no debate concerning the Godhead (aka, Trinity). God exists in the three individual distinct persons of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Yet, Deuteronomy 6:4 declares that there is only one God.

I heard a Baptist pastor recently say that we ought not debate over minor issues. He included “eternal security” as one of the minor issues. Dear reader, the matter of eternal security is NOT a minor issue, and we absolutely should make a fuss to debate over this matter. So, we must use wisdom. Knowledge is knowing something. Wisdom is knowing what to do with it.

Although there are many Scripture passages where by rightly dividing the Word of Truth we can find the correct interpretation, yet there will always be other obscure passages that are more difficult to determine with any certainty what God meant. The Scripture acknowledges this reality in 1st Corinthians 13:12, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”

When asked a difficult or unlearned question it is perfectly okay to say, “I don't know the answer.” 2nd Timothy 2:23, “But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.” The Scripture discourages us from getting into heated debates over foolish things and impossible questions that have no obvious answer. We need to choose our battles wisely. We will never know the answer to every question, nor does God intend for us to understand everything.

That is why we are taught in Philippians 4:6-7, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” The Bible is telling us this because there will always be things that we cannot even begin to understand.

Mankind cannot even determine how big the universe is. Our telescopes can peer 46.5 billion lightyears into the Observable Universe, but we will never be able to see further since light beyond that point will never reach us, due to expansion of the cosmos. There will always be more things we do not understand, than we do understand. God made it that way. I humbly believe the reason why is so that we would have to blindly trust Him. Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

Homosexuals Are Made In God's Image

Genesis 1:26-27, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

The inspired Holy Bible is our Creator's Owner's Manuel for humanity. The old adage is true: When all else fails, read the instructions.

The Bible teaches in Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” As I've mentioned in numerous recent blog articles, I am a big amateur fan of astronomy. It is my humble opinion that God made the universe and all the remarkable endless wonders therein to impress us as his creatures, who are all made in His image. James 3:9, “Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.”

Kindly said, that is why I take a strong biblical stand against Pastor Steven Anderson and his New Independent Fundamental Baptist (New IFB) cult of followers who preach hatred for LGBTQIA+ people, who were all made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). It didn't come as a surprise recently that Pastor Anderson's four oldest children have come out publicly against him and his wife with accusations of parental abuse. I say that kindly, but truthfully. Hatred just begets more hatred. One thing that I have learned during my lifetime is that people will not tolerate hatred. Dear reader, life is too short to live with a burden of hatred.

God created the universe and all therein to “wow” us, because He yearns for praise from His creatures. Just as God loves to be praised, so do we as human beings love to be praised. Proverbs 27:21, “As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.” That is part of what it means to be made in the image of God.

And just as we get our feelings hurt and are grieved, so also is God hurt and grieved. Ephesians 4:30, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” When Jesus healed ten lepers of the horrible disease of leprosy (incurable at the time), only one man bothered to return to thank the dear Savior. That really hurt Jesus' feelings. Luke 17:17, “And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?” I can hear some religious Pharisee at church saying, “Oh Jesus, you're so negative!” I love this inspired Scripture passage, because it teaches that it is perfectly okay and not wrong to express our hurt feelings and grief.

It is a natural part of life that people will sometimes hurt our feelings, and as human beings made in God's image we have a natural need to express those hurt feelings, as part of the healing process. Don't ever let anyone scold you, or try to make you feel bad or guilty, for expressing hurt feelings. If Jesus shared His hurt feelings, and He clearly did, then so can we. It is perfectly acceptable to assertively, in a passive voice, tell someone that your feelings have been hurt. Jesus' feelings were hurt that only one man who had been healed thanked him.

Homosexuals were all created in the image of God, their Maker. Kindly said, I do not believe that homosexuals were “born that way.” Just like all sins, homosexuality is a choice. Some people may have a disposition to steal, lie, lust or experience homosexual tendencies, but sin is always still a choice. That being said, we have all been made in the image of our Creator. No one is beyond the hope of the gospel, including homosexuals.

Just because as a Christian I do not go along with the homosexual agenda doesn't mean that I hate LGBTQIA+ people. Quite the contrary, I love them all unconditionally with God's endless love. Or better said, I am allowing God to love homosexual people through me. I do not love others; but rather, God who is love, loves them THROUGH ME. We are all selfish by birth and by nature. The Christian life is lived on purpose. That is, we must choose to walk in the Holy Spirit by faith (Galatians 5:22-25), or else by default we will walk in the flesh, in sin (Romans 7:14-25).

In Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus said to love EVERYONE as our self. “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Jesus didn't exempt any classes of society. He didn't disqualify unrepentant sinners. No, Jesus commanded us to love all of our neighbours, regardless of who they may be. That doesn't mean we must approve of their sinful lifestyles or choices. It doesn't even mean that we have to like them. But we do have to love everyone unconditionally with God's love, which means to treat everyone the exact what we would like to be treated. This is THE GOLDEN RULE according to Matthew 7:12.

Jesus Christ died for all mankind (John 3:16; 1st John 2:2). Not only are homosexuals made in God's image, but God's only begotten Son Jesus died for them on Calvary's cross 2,000 years ago (Romans 5:6-9). We have a solemn obligation as God's children to be ambassadors to the heathen world (2nd Corinthians 5:20-21). It is not our right or place to decide who is reachable or unreachable with the saving power of the truth of the gospel. God gives the increase (1st Corinthians 3:7-9). Our job is to “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15b). Every creature includes everybody!

Talk Is Cheap; It's Best Not To Make Promises

Proverbs 6:1-2, “My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.”

Proverbs 19:22, “The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.”

Ecclesiastes 5:4-5, “When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.”

Dear reader, I NEVER make any promises to anyone. I encourage you to do the same. If you do make a promise, you had better make darn sure that you know what you are committing yourself to, because talk is cheap and promises are easily broken. The Bible says that a poor man is better than a liar.

We are all guilty of being careless with our words sometimes. That is because we are all sinners by nature. I sure am guilty. The inspired Holy Bible warns in James 3:5-7, “Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” The reason why the tongue is so evil is obvious, because the human heart is very evil. Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” And our mouth speaks out of what is in our heart. Matthew 12:34, “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”

When I voluntarily served on the 76-3, Division 4, Bus Ministry in Chicago while attending Hyles-Anderson College (1985-1993), one Saturday afternoon my soulwinning partner told one of our bus kids that we'd come back in a couple hours to take him to George's restaurant for a cheeseburger. The boy was excited. But I said, “No promises!” I didn't want to get the boy's hopes up in case something happened, as it SO OFTEN DOES!

A few seconds later the boy's father graciously thanked me. He said: “Brother Dave, thank you for saying, 'No promises!'” He added: “There have been other workers from the church who came by and made promises to my child, but then they never came back. I respect you for saying that to my child. Thank you!” I have never forgotten what that concerned father said to me in Chicago, and from that day until today I have prefaced everything I have ever agree to do for someone with the phrase, “No promises!” Keeping our word is important!

Too many unforeseen situations can arise without warning, and they very often do arise. I don't want to be called a “liar.” But moreover, I don't want to be a liar! I have to give account to God in Heaven someday for every word that comes out of my mouth, and so do you dear friend (Matthew 12:36). A man is only as good as his word. That is why we read in Psalms 138:2, “I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.” God is only as reliable and trustworthy as His Word. So, the LORD has therefore elevated the inspired Holy Bible  even above the precious name of Jesus, the name which is above every other name (Philippians 2:9-10). This is an important truth to understand dear reader.

Having said that, it should become quite obvious why it is of such crucial importance that the inspired Holy Bible not be recklessly tampered with, changed, corrupted and watered down to satisfy the whims and agenda of our generation.

Evangelist Billy Sunday (1862-1935)

The Incredible Human Body Disproves Evolution

Psalms 139:14, “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”

I was thinking today about how amazing the human body is, and that it proves the existence of a divine Creator:

1. I thought about how God put hair in our nose to block bugs and debris from going up our nostrils. Evolution wouldn't do that!
2. I thought about how God designed the human ears to collect sound. Evolution wouldn't do that!
3. I thought about how God put that little cleft above the buttocks that prevents running sweat. Evolution wouldn't do that!
4. I thought about our fingerprints for enhanced grip and dexterity, particularly for climbing and manipulating objects. Evolution wouldn't do that!
5. I thought about our eye's built in windshield wiper blades called eyelids. Evolution wouldn't do that!
6. I thought about the cleverly designed male external urethral orifice where urine comes out. If this feature didn't exist urine would spray all over the place instead of stream. Evolution wouldn't do that
7. I thought about the human brain, which is a supercomputer. Evolution wouldn't do that!
8. I thought about the enjoyment of cracking one's knuckles, which is caused by gas bubbles in the synovial fluid collapsing or bursting when the joint is stretched. Evolution wouldn't do that!
9. I thought about hiccups, which is the body's natural defense to slow us down from eating too fast and choking. It's the body's way of saying, "Whoa! Slow down fella!" Evolution wouldn't do that!
10. I thought about the body's ability to cry tears, which feature nature would have no purpose for creating. Evolution wouldn't do that!

I am confident that if we put our minds together that we could come up with several dozen more amazing features of the human body.

The  human body has a marvellous design to it that a natural evolutionary process simply could not (and would not) have accomplished. The universe around us has a grand intelligent design to it, which shouts and testifies to the existence of a brilliant, omniscient and omnipotent divine Creator. God is good.

No One Can Escape God's Judgment Or Fool Him

Proverbs 24:11-12, “If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?”

Pastor Harry Ironside (1876-1961) has this to comment about Proverbs 24:11-12...

These verses seem to refer to a mode of execution once prevalent in Syria and Palestine. Muenscher says, “When a criminal was anciently led to execution, a crier went before, who proclaimed the crime of which he had been convicted, and called upon any one who could say anything in behalf of the condemned culprit, to come forward; in which case, he was led back to the tribunal and the cause was re-heard.” To selfishly withhold information that could save the condemned man's life, would be to stand with Cain and ask, “Am I my brother's keeper?” (Genesis 4:9) But the great Judge of all who ponders the heart would be witness against the one who acted so perfidiously and would assuredly render judgment. SOURCE

“Perfidiously” means to act in a treacherous or disloyal manner, often involving deceit or betrayal. It is derived from the word “perfidious,” which implies a lack of faithfulness or reliability. To fail to speak up when you posses information that could exonerate an accused person is a grave sin in God's sight. That is what the Bible means in Proverbs 24:11-12.

Hebrews 4:13, “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.” We all have an appointment with death, and then the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Nothing can be hid from God's eyes. Luke 8:17, “For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.” Whether it be the sordid sins that someone commits in privacy, or laboring diligently on social media for Jesus' and the Gospel's sake at 3 am in the morning, God sees it all. Nothing can be hidden from God!

Did you know that there are at least 28 serial killers who've never been caught? Did you know there have been over 352,390 unsolved homicides in the United States from 1965 to 2024, according to FBI data? Additionally, only about half of the murders that occur each year are solved. Thankfully, God knows exactly who committed each murder, where the bodies are buried, and He will execute justice and vengeance (Luke 8:17; Romans 12:19-21; Ecclesiastes 12:14; Hebrews 4:13, 10:31).

Seeing Him Who Is Invisible

Hebrews 11:24-29, “By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.”

The inspired Holy Bible remarkably has much to say about God being invisible, which encourages me. It encourages me because I have oftentimes felt alone, like God was nowhere to be found. I have received thousands of emails from fellow believers over the years, who told me that God doesn't answer their prayers. They say God ignores them. I have learned that this is a very normal feeling. God is invisible!

Romans 1:20, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.”

1st Peter 1:7-8, “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.”

Dear reader, God has not abandoned us. Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” The good Lord intentionally stepped into the background to test out faith.

We read the parable of The Unjust Judge in Luke 18:1-8. The judge was cold-hearted and didn't want to avenge the widow. But she persistently kept coming to the judge until he couldn't take it anymore, so he gave her justice just to get rid of her. The key verse is Luke 18:1, “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” Jesus tells us why He is telling this parable, so that we won't quit praying. Just as the judge ignored the widow, even so will it seem like God is ignoring us when we pray. The Lord Himself encourages us to be persistent in importunity to keep praying to our heavenly Father.

All of these Scripture passages plainly teach us that God is invisible, so it is normal to feel like God is ignoring us, not listening, and perhaps even at times that He doesn't exist. But we can never trust our human feelings. Romans 1:20 plainly says, Romans 1:20a, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made...” Everyone knows that God exists. Atheists spend their lives hating a God that they deny exists. Biblically, according to the Romans 1:20-21, there is no such thing as a true atheist.

In the Old Testament book of Esther we see the omnipotent hand of God at work, but you won't find any mention of “God” or “Lord” in the entire book. This teaches us the truth that when you cannot see the hand of God, trust the great heart of God.

God is invisible to mankind, and He fully intended for it to be that way. So the next time you feel discouraged when God doesn't seem to care, or that He isn't listening, just remember these helpful passages of Scripture which remind us that God deliberately chose to step into the background. God does care (1st Peter 5:7). God is listening (Psalm 139:1-4). God is faithful (1st Corinthians 1:9). Moses fled Egypt in faith, seeing God who is invisible.

The Holy Spirit Is The Believer's “Paraclete” (Greek)

John 14:25-26, “These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

1st John 2:1-2, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

Interestingly, both words: “Comforter” and “Advocate,” are translated from the SAME Greek word Paraclete. Baptist Pastor F.B. Meyer (1847-1929) in England wrote these helpful words to explain the Greek word Paraclete. This is good stuff! ...

There is no adequate translation for the word Paraclete. It may be rendered “interpreter,”“comforter,”“advocate,”but no one word suffices. The Greek means “one whom you call to your side in the battle or law-court.” His advent depends upon the praying Christ (I will pray the Father), and upon the praying Church (ye shall ask). The Holy Spirit must be a person, or He could not be compared as “another” to Christ. It is characteristic of this dispensation that He shall be in us, and His indwelling brings with it that of the Father and the Son.

“We will… make our abode.” That word abode is the same Greek word as is rendered mansions in the former part of this chapter. God prepares a mansion for those who believe in Christ, and asks in return that we shall prepare our hearts as guest chambers for Him to dwell in. As He enters the loving, cleansed, and believing heart, we hear Him say: “This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it,” Psalms 132:14. And what a word is that, my Father will love him. That He should love the world is wonderful, but that He should love us would be incredible, were He not infinite, and did He not see us in Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Bible Will Keep You From Becoming A Lunatic

Proverbs 4:23, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

Dear reader, if you stray away from the truth of God's inspired Word, you are fully capable of becoming a lunatic. No one is exempt. Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001) said in a sermon that under the right circumstances anyone is capable of committing any sin. I fully agree.

We are living in a crazy world. Most people I think are good people, as far as sinners go. Every human being is a sinner (Romans 3:10-23). That is, we are all born with a sinful nature that makes us selfish (Romans 5:12). We have all violated God's laws. We are all guilty of doing things that we ought not do (sins of commission), and of not doing the good things that we should do (sins of omission). 1st John 1:10, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

My favorite Bible verse is Proverbs 4:23, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” The reason why it is my favorite Scripture passage is self-explanatory. My father used to wisely say that without Jesus Christ people can become monsters. My Dad was exactly right. Even with Jesus Christ, if you allow yourself to stray away from the inspired King James Bible, and get your priorities out of whack, you can become vulnerable to making some very bad decisions. Behind every tragedy in human character is a slow process of wicked thinking. Dr. Bob Jones Sr. (1883-1968) said that and he was absolutely right.

I love what Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001) said:

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

That is character. When you get grounded in the Word of God, you establish checks and balances in your life. 

Beware Of The Love Of Money

For example: The Bible warns against the love of money:

1st Timothy 6:6-10, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

So many people do unthinkable wicked things to obtain money. The child of God should forget about pursuing riches as a goal in life. Ecclesiastes 12:13, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” If you fear God and esteem His Word, then you won't make money a priority in your life. When I hear someone saying that they want to become rich, I know I should avoid that person because they have a heathen mindset, not a biblical one.

To clarify, there's nothing wrong with wanting to go to college, learn a trade, and work hard to build a business to make money; but if you regard God and His Word, then you know that you must do it all honesty with integrity, and not hurt anybody along the journey. There are companies and individuals all across the United States today who are greedy, crooked and dishonest, who hurt people on a regular basis to make more money. They are evil people.

I've just given you one biblical principle about not loving or pursuing getting rich as a goal in life. Proverbs 15:27, “He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.” The Holy Bible has much to warn about the dangers of the love of money. There's just something about money that once you have it, it has you!

Little Sins Often Lead To Big Ones

Over the years I have watched hundreds of episodes of the Cold Case Files and Forensics Files television shows. I intentionally watched each episode looking for the small sins that people usually take for granted, which led to bigger deadly sins. In 99% of cases where someone was brutally murdered, it began much earlier with the sins of greed, lust, going to a strip club, flirting alone in a car with a friend's wife, irresponsible spending, fornication, et cetera.

That being said, I'm not really a fan of those shows because they are too creepy and I can only watch them a little here and there. But over time I have seen a lot of shows, and as a Bible preacher I have learned a lot about human character, proving the Bible true. Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

Famous writer Earnest Hemingway (1899-1961) said it best:

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

That is so true! In one shocking murder case in Tallahassee, Florida, a seemingly innocent conversation in a car between a man and his friend's wife led to adultery and the brutal murder of his friend, so he could steal his wife.

By the way, I don't believe for one second that Bathsheba in the Bible didn't know King David could see her bathing naked on her rooftop. Women all have a sixth sense about that stuff. There's no way that she was naked without knowing that the king could see her. It might have seemed like an innocent thing—a woman bathing naked on her own private rooftop—but it led to adultery and her husband being murdered. And for that matter, there is nothing innocent about a Christian woman wearing pants. One of the worst sins of our generation is pastor's wives who wear pants in public!

Ernest Hemingway was absolutely right, all things truly wicked start from innocence.

In Canada, a careless woman was exercising in her own living room while wearing spandex. A military soldier named Russell Williams was driving by and saw her through her open living room window. He went back to savagely rape and murder her. He victimized 86 women! That soldier had previously transported the Queen of England as a helicopter pilot. Do you know how much prison time he got? Although he was given two life sentences, he is eligible for parole after 25 years!!! What a joke! 86 VICTIMS!!! Guaranteed he will be out in 25 years!

My main point is that if she had simply closed her curtain while looking sexy while exercising, she'd still be alive today. Foolish loud-mouthed feminist women can harp all they want that men shouldn't attack females regardless of how they dress, and they are correct in what they are saying; but that's not how the real world works, and we all know it. There will always be evil people in this world, and if you give them a reason or opportunity to hurt you, they will.

The infamous Golden State Killer, Joseph James DeAngelo, told one of his over 50 victims while raping her in the wee hours of the morning in her own home in her own bed, that he had seen her water skiing and she turned him on. Now, people get upset with me as a fundamentalist Bible preacher all the time for preaching that women ought not wear pants, bikinis and other immoral attire in public, but true stories like this PROVE ME RIGHT!!!

Keep Thy Heart With All Diligence

You keep your heart by being on guard all the time; not paranoid, but in tune with God's inspired Word. God created humanity and gave us an owner's manual, the Holy Bible.

A pastor's wife who keeps her heart WON'T wear pants in public. Jesus said in Matthew 15:19, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.” The human heart is full of every evil imagination. Kindly said, you need to keep your dog on a leash! That is, you need to keep your heart in tune with the Word of God, lest you end up a causality. If you give the wicked human heart an inch, it'll take a foot! I don't trust the man who trusts himself.

I once heard a foolish Christian man say that he thought a man should be able to be alone with another man's wife, without worrying that something intimate might happen. What saith the Scripture? 1st Thessalonians 5:22, “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”

That being said, I humbly do not believe that any married man or woman should ever be alone in a room or a car, or anywhere, together with the opposite sex. It just looks really bad and there is the potential for sin. Most people will say, “Well I don't care what people think!” Yeah, but the Lord does care and so should you, because we're talking about your Christian testimony. Remember, keep thy heart with all diligence. Some people would no doubt call me “old fashioned,” but that doesn't mean that I am wrong in my biblical position.

Dear reader, you have to be a little crazy in this world to stay sane, but by God's grace you don't have to go insane. If you carry a King James Bible the world will call you crazy! The old adage is very true: Either the Bible will keep us from sin, or sin will keep us from the Bible.

Psalms 119:9-12, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.”

If you don't want to lose your mind, or commit some unthinkable insane crime someday, then dear reader get settled and grounded in the Word of God. Use only the inspired King James Bible. Listen to lots of Bible preaching by fundamentalist Bible preachers. Commit Bible passages to memory that you might say with the psalmist, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalms 119:11). Remember, it's okay to be a nut, just so long as you're screwed onto the right bolt. Jesus is precious!!!