Matthew 5:1-3, “And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
I was reading Dr. John R. Rice's (1895-1980) helpful Bible commentary today for the Gospel of Matthew. I read about Matthew chapter 5, concerning being poor in spirit:
Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Compare this with Luke 6:20. Notice that Luke says “poor” while Matthew says “poor in spirit.” The meaning is the same, with Matthew going into more detail. Luke says “kingdom of God,” while Matthew says “kingdom of heaven.” It is blessed to be poor, particularly if the poverty is felt in the spirit. Compare this with “Woe unto you that are rich!” (Luke 6:24). The Saviour did not mean it is good to be poor without any spiritual riches or spiritual virtues. Rather, He meant that in dealing with God it is a blessed thing to have the humility of the poor, the broken heart of the poor. If a man feels his need, his poverty, so that he can pray as a poor and needy creature begging for help, then blessed is that man, for he will be heard. The poor in spirit are those who see their helplessness and see how valueless are temporal things — wealth, houses, land, fame. A rich man can be “poor in spirit.” A poor man can be proud and haughty and so have none of the virtues of the poor, and miss the blessing God means for the poor. See Revelation 3:17, 18 where God describes those who do not feel poor but really are wretchedly poor in His sight. These miss God's blessing. Compare with this James 2:1-6. James 2:5 speaks of the poor as “heirs of the kingdom” as does Matthew 5:3.
God particularly loves the poor. He will not hear the prayers of those who do not help the poor (Prov. 21:13; Isa. 58:7, 10; Prov. 14:31; Ps. 41:1; Prov. 19:17). God forbids moneylenders to keep as security the garment of the poor (Exod. 22:25-27). Jesus preached the Gospel especially to the poor (Matt. 11:5). And in winning souls, we are especially enjoined to “bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind” (Luke 12:21). The poor have many blessings that the rich do not have: usually better health, happier marriages, more children, less worries, fewer suicides, and are easier to reach with the Gospel (Luke 18:23-25; Mark 12:37. Lazarus, the poor beggar, was saved, while the rich man was lost (Luke 16:22, 23). Jesus is “the poor man's Friend.” Oh, Christian, do not strive to be rich; rather, “be content with such things as ye have” (Heb. 13:5; I Tim. 6:6-11). Seek first the kingdom of God (Matt. 6:33) and trust the Saviour who loves the poor.
Jesus Himself, “though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (II Cor. 8:9). What infinite grace! He was born in a stable and laid in a borrowed manger when there was no room for Him in the inn. Though the foxes had holes and the birds of the air had nests, yet the Son of man had not where to lay His head (Matt. 8:20). And when He died, He left only a seamless garment and was buried in a borrowed grave (John 19:23, 24; Matt. 27:60). Every poor man ought to love Jesus Christ!
SOURCE: Dr. John R. Rice, “Matthew: The King Of The Jews,” pp. 77-79
Amen and amen! God has a special place in His heart for the poor of this world. Proverbs 19:17, “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.” I receive many emails from frustrated saints who say they never receive any answers to prayer. I humbly cannot say for certain why this is so. I admit that I also feel like God doesn't answer my prayers. My heart of hearts tells me that we don't deserve God's blessings or answers to prayer in America, because of our culture's ungodly tolerance for wickedness.
Tragically, over 60,000,000 human lives were murdered by abortion from 1973 to 2022, during the Roe vs. Wade era. Sadly, abortions are still happening by the millions across the United States. Now the FDA has approved an abortion pill. How convenient to murder another human life!!! I tell you truly, it is nothing less than first-degree premeditated murder. Then there is the greed, shady business contracts, dishonest insurance companies, cutthroat lawyers, fraudulent Federal Reserve banking system, et cetera. All across America public nudity is now the norm. Booze and substance abuse are epidemic nationwide, with 70,000 opiate drug deaths each year in the United States. Smash and Grab shoplifting sprees and blatant rampant theft are epidemic in California. California's liberal progressive legislators are to blame, for lessening the punishment for theft.
These are not poor people partaking of the Smash and Grab riots in California, nor the one's involved in the Black Lives Matter riots of 2020; but rather, these are spoiled rotten young American brats, who have an ungodly entitlement attitude that society somehow owes them. So in their own warped thinking, they think they have a right to steal, harm and injure others with impunity. This is the criminal work of the insane “Woke” movement. They should all be tried and hung publicly, like was done two centuries ago in London to thieves. Ecclesiastes 8:11, “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.”
1st John 2:15-17, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
I grew up in the 1970's and 1980's. I loved music as a teenager and I still do today. I watched television and Hollywood movies with my parents. As is true of every American, I was influenced by those celebrities of my generation. Now, 40 years later, many of those famous people that influenced my generation are old and dying. It is a sobering sight to behold.
Here's just a few names that come to mind. Singer Olivia Newton John died of cancer at age 73 in 2022. The drummer for the rock band Boston, Sib Hashian, keeled over dead of a heart attack in 2017 while playing the drums on a cruise ship at age 67. Peter Jennings, a famous television journalist, died in 2005 of cancer at age 67. I am 56, so I don't have much time left. My Dad died in 2010 at age 75. My Mom died in 2001 of poor health at age 65. She suffered a crippling stroke in 1989. She refused to give up her bad habit of smoking, which ultimately killed her. She loved "Kool" cigarettes, but there was nothing "cool" about them. The rhythm guitarist of AC/DC, Malcolm Young, died in 2017 of dementia at age 64. Our days are all numbered. Psalms 90:12, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”
I thank God! I thank God! I thank God that I am a born-again child of God. So many people are lost in darkness, knowing not at what they stumble the Bible says. Billionaire Steve Jobs, inventor of Apple computer (the first one sold for $666.66), died in 2012 of pancreatic cancer at only age 56. George Harrison of The Beatles died in 2001 of lung cancer (he smoked like a chimney throughout his youth). George was only 58. So sad and tragic.
I read online that Olivia Newton John was a Christian, but that claim means little these days, since there are hundreds of religious cults that falsely claim to be Christian (e.g., Roman Catholics, Mormons, Jehovah's Witness, Seventh-Day Adventist, Church of Church, Lutherans, et cetera). I truly hope that Olivia was a born-again believer. Without the new birth, Jesus warned in John 3:1-7 that no one can enter into God's Kingdom. John 3:7b, 'Ye must be born again.' Sadly, it appears by all indications that Malcolm Younce, co-founder of the Satanic band AC/DC is now at the end of the 'HIGH WAY TO HELL,' where he will spend eternity suffering in torments and fire (Revelation 14:11, 20:11-15, 21:8).
Dear friend, please make sure you have been born-again. Being a member of any church won't get you into Heaven, not even close. Living a good and morally respectable life won't get you into Heaven. You are a dirty sinner, and so am I. Jesus is the Christ who died on a cross to pay your debt of sin and mine. Jesus was buried but physically resurrected from the dead three days later. Anyone who comes to God as a needy sinner, receiving Christ's sacrifice on the cross as payment for your sins, believing that Jesus was buried but then raised up bodily from the dead, is immediately, irrevocably and forever saved. That is God's simple plan of salvation, THE GOSPEL.
Matthew 6:16-18, “M't:6:16: Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.”
My favorite preacher is Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001). I once read where Dr. John R. Rice (1895-1980) said that he doesn't believe fasting is for today. Dr. Hyles did believe and teach that fasting is still for today. I agree with Dr. Hyles. Fasting is not missing a meal or dieting. Fasting is letting go of the PHYSICAL in order to grasp more of the SPIRITUAL. If you are not praying while fasting, you are not fasting. Biblical fasting is always associated with prayer, asking God to do something.
In the Old Testament book of Esther, wicked Haman conspired to kill all the Jews. Haman didn't know that Queen Esther was a Jew. Haman hated God's people. Haman hated Mordecai, Esther's cousin. After Esther's parents were killed, Mordecai adopted her as his own daughter. When Esther learned of Haman's evil plot to murder all the Jews, Esther dared to go before the presence of the king (a risky move that could have cost her life), she asked the Jews to fast and pray for her. Esther 4:16, “Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.” The fasting was for a specific purpose, asking God to intercede so that the king would help God's people, and not kill Esther.
In his helpful book titled: 'EXPLORING PRAYER WITH JACK HYLES,' Dr. Hyles Pastor Jack Hyles explains the biblical philosophy behind prayer and fasting...
Chapter 8 — The Philosophy Behind Prayer and Fasting
Matthew 17:19-21, "Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting."
Jesus had returned from the mount of transfiguration. He performed a miracle that the disciples tried to perform in His absence and could not. They asked Him, "Why could we not?" His answer was, "Because of your unbelief." Their question and His answer leads us to several conclusions.
1. Faith is the ONE condition on which all divine power rests. The Lord Jesus said, "According to your faith be it unto you." (Matthew 9:29a) Again He said, "All things are possible to him that believeth." (Mark 9:23b)
2. There are degrees of faith. The Lord Jesus said, "According to your faith be it unto you," which means little faith, little answered prayer—more faith, more answered prayer—much faith, much answered prayer.
3. If answered prayer comes because of faith, and if there are degrees of faith, then there are degrees of answered prayer. The same Saviour Who said, "According to your faith," said, "be it unto you." He said, "This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting," which means that there are degrees of answered prayer. Small faith gets small answers—more faith gets larger answers—much faith gets the largest answers.
4. This means if we are to get our prayers to grow, we must get our faith to grow. If faith is the one condition on which all divine power rests, and if there are degrees of faith, there are also degrees of answered prayer. Hence, we must find some way to get our faith to grow.
5. When the Lord Jesus says, "This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting," He is teaching us that prayer and fasting generate faith (Mark 9:29). This means that faith needs both prayer and fasting. Prayer is the grasping of the invisible. Fasting is the letting go of the visible. One's degree of faith depends on the degree between the visible and the invisible. As we fast, that is, withdraw ourselves from physical appetites and the satisfying of the senses, we are letting go of the visible. As we pray, we are grasping the invisible.
6. There must be times that we let go of the visible completely and hold completely to the invisible if we are to reach the ultimate in prayer. Now to be sure, we are left here on earth in physical bodies. We must be fed, we must have our physical appetites satisfied, and there is certainly nothing wrong with that if it is not done to excess. There should, however, be seasons when we let go of the visible completely and grasp the invisible with all of our hearts. These are the seasons when we need miracles to take place.
This also means that our release of the visible should depend upon the greatness of our needs in answer to prayer. Just as fasting and praying is grasping completely the invisible and letting go completely of the visible, there are degrees of fasting and praying which would be determined by the size of our needs and the bigness of our prayers.
There are dangers. One danger is holding on to the invisible and not letting go of the visible. Another would be letting go of the visible but not holding on to the invisible. For example, there are times when I feel that I should fast one day a week. I may some need that is greater than usual and I might give one day a week to fasting and to as much praying as possible. Suppose the offerings were down at church and I had a burden about them. Suppose I had the need for several hundred dollars in my own life. Needs of this magnitude might drive me to letting go of the visible for one day a week and for as much time as possible during that day holding on to the invisible, which is prayer and fasting.
At other times, however, while the children were growing up, I might have been really concerned about them. I remember one time one of the children was just not doing well at all, and I was really heartbroken. I prayed and fasted for that child for three or four days. This was because the need was of a greater magnitude than that of a weekly financial need at church or the need or the need of a few hundred dollars in my personal life.
Then there were the days when I was praying for God to give us Hyles-Anderson College campus. This beautiful 78-acre campus with unbelievably built buildings was seemingly unavailable, but I knew that God wanted us to have it, so I would fast maybe for a week at a time and pray that God would give us the campus. Then one night a month I would pray all night long. You see, when the burden was bigger, the need was of a greater magnitude. For even greater needs, I have fasted as long as two weeks. Now it does little good to fast unless one prays. It does little good to let go of the visible if one does not grasp the invisible.
If one thinks that all is lawful unless it is expressly forbidden in the Bible, then he will never know great power in prayer. We are not only to lay aside every sin, but as a runner in the race for God, we are to lat aside every weight. Hebrews 12:1, "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." The soldier in warfare takes only what is needed for battle. There are many things that he cannot take that would not be sinful to take, but those things are too cumbersome, and the battle would be lost. A runner in a race not only lays aside his drinking and smoking, but he also lays aside his overcoat, his heavy boots and things that are not sinful to wear but would cause him not to win the race. Eating is not wrong if it is not done in excess. Physical love within the plan of God is not wrong. The enjoyment of nature is not wrong, but there are times when we have to lay aside that which is not wrong in order that we may let go for a season of the visible and grasp the invisible so that we may know the miracle-working power of God in answer to our prayers.
Hence, since faith is the one condition on which all divine power rests, and since there are degrees of faith, there must also be degrees of answered prayer. Therefore, if we are to get our answers to grow, we must get our faith to grow. Our faith grows by prayer, which is the grasping of the invisible, and by fasting, which is the letting go of the visible. As we do these two things, our faith grows, and as our faith grows, our answered prayer grows. This is the philosophy behind prayer and fasting.
I daresay that 1% of truly born-again Christians today ever fast. Most of us eat fast...lol. I am guilty too. I believe that biblical fasting can be done in many different forms. You don't have to give up a meal. You might give up a ballgame that you had planned to watch, and record it instead, so you can spend that time walking with God in prayer. Anything that you give up, so you can substitute that time by spending it walking with God, can be considered a fast. That is my humble opinion.
We are taught by the dear Lord Himself in Matthew 6:7-8, that we don't need to spend long amounts of time in prayer to receive an answer from our heavenly Father. Matthew chapter 6 is an amazing chapter in the Word of God, and one of my favorite Scripture passages. ...
Matthew 6:5-8 “And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.”
It is a matter of respecting our Creator. God knows our every need and He cares about everyone (1st Peter 5:7). I receive countless emails from discouraged saints, who tell me that they feel abandoned by God. They tell me how they have prayed again and again to no avail, and it just seems like there is no God. They are frustrated. I always write back to share the truth that I sometimes feel the exact same way they do.
It is quite normal to pray and feel like God is ignoring you. Jesus addressed this very issue in Luke 18:1-8, in the parable of the Widow And The Unjust Judge. The judge refused to avenge her at first, because he just didn't care. But the woman kept coming back and bothering him, day after day, pleading for justice. Finally, the wicked judge avenged her nd the party that had wronged her, just to get rid of her once and for all. ...
Luke 18:1-8, “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”
I am only 56 years old. The human race is about 6,000 years old. God has been here forever. I am just a clump of clay, made from the dirt of the earth. What do I know? How am I to speak as if I have all the answers? I am in the same boat as you and everyone else. We all have the same inspired King James Bible. Different people interpret the Holy Bible differently (some way differently...lol). All I can do is share with others the things that I have seen and heard in my lifetime on earth, while we all continue our journey until life is over.
Galatians 1:6-9, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”
BEWARE of Pensacola Christian College's (PCC) counterfeit plan of salvation. I was stunned on July 21, 2021 as I sat in Campus Church and heard Pastor Timothy Zacharias preach damnable heresy to thousands of people (victims). PCC errantly teaches that to be saved you must repent of your sins. PCC's misunderstands Bible repentance to mean that you must feel such an intense degree of remorse, guilt and conviction that it CHANGES YOUR BEHAVIOR. This is self reformation, not Bible repentance (a change of mind) toward God.
Your BEHAVIOR has absolutely NOTHING to do with receiving God's free gift of eternal life. PCC has been infected by the Lordship Salvation CULT at Bob Jones University. Satan is a beautiful liar. The Devil is extremely deceptive, always trying to advance an inch, so he can take a foot (and then he becomes a ruler).
Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold makes this tremendous statement:
“Lordship Salvation is the unsupportable and unbiblical belief that the performance of good works, the promise of good works, or the evidence of good works, must accompany faith in Christ to establish or provide evidence that such faith has resulted in eternal life.” —Pastor Ralph Yankee Arnold, "Jesus Versus John MacArthur"
That is a great quote!!!
The truth is that: "Repentance is a change mind," period. Since the Bible doesn't tell us what to change our mind about, we need some supplementary information.
We read in Acts 20:21 that repentance is a change of mind “toward God.”
We read in 2nd Timothy 2:25 that repentance is to change our mind to acknowledge “the truth.”
We read in Hebrews 6:1 that repentance is a change of mind from“dead works.”
Christian author Michael Patrick Bowen rightly states in his excellent book titled, “I NEVER KNEW YOU,” on page 114...
“Repent, as Christ meant it to be in terms of salvation, means to change your mind from trusting in what you can do for God to trusting only in what He can do for you.”
SOURCE: Michael Patrick Bowen, a quote from the awesome book, “I NEVER KNEW YOU” (Page 114)
Pastor Bob Gray Sr. of the Longview Baptist
Temple church in Longview, Texas correctly preaches . . .
“Repentance means to change your mind—change your mind—change your mind about how you want to get to Heaven to what God says you've got to do to get to Heaven. If you've got to repent of all your sins, you're still headed for Hell tonight.”
So we can safely conclude that repentance results in BELIEVING the Gospel to be saved.
Pensacola Christian College are LIARS and FALSE PROPHETS!!! It is a big deal. It really is. RIGHT DOCTRINE MATTERS!!! They have no right at PCC to associate behavior modification with repentance to be saved.
“If you have to look at your life to prove that you are saved, it proves that you're not!” —Pastor Ralph Yankee Arnold, 'Why Lordship Salvation is WRONG!'
Pastor Tom Cucuzza makes this great statement:
“The Devil is doing his greatest work behind pulpits. [I] hate to say it, but that's the truth; because people have the presupposition that when you come to church and somebody gets up to speak, that person is speaking truth. That's the way we've been raised.” —Pastor Thomas M. Cucuzza, “Important Truths Satan Does Not Want You to Know”
The following image is an actual screenshot from a Wednesday evening Bible study at PCC's Campus Church. I added the red cancellation mark to warn people that this is damnable heresy!
Damnable Heresy Being Preached At Pensacola Christian College
Matthew 15:7-9, “Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”
Romans 14:10, “But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.”
1st Corinthians 13:1-3, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.”
I have studied the cults for the past 21 years, since I started my online website ministry in 2002. One of the common things that I have seen in cults is that the reject, shun and ostracize people they don't want, like or accept. This particularly includes anyone who dares to question the cult's leaders.
Sadly, Pensacola Christian College (PCC) is a cult. As of August 2, 2022 I have been forbidden in writing from attending PCC's Campus Church. What was my great offense? I dared to criticize their leaders (the gods). It didn't matter that I humbly apologized multiple times in June and July of 2022 to the pastor of Campus Church, and PCC leaders also. They refused to allow me to just attend Campus Church. Only a rotten cult does that to people!
Jeff Redlin is the shameful senior pastor of Campus Church, and he hates my guts. Real great Christian, huh? Redlin refuses to let me come back to Campus Church. PCC pays Redlin well over $100,000 a year. I am so sick of incompetent pastors who get paid outrageous 6-digit salaries (4 to 5 times more than the average American worker earns in a year). I am so sick and tired of these ungodly fake pastors, who are so hateful that they won't even allow a broken apologetic man like me to attend church again. There is no love, no mercy, no second chances and no forgiveness in the PCC cult. Please watch this 21:52 hour long video that I made in 2022, exposing the dangerous religious cult at Pensacola Christian College in Pensacola, Florida. ....
Pensacola Christian College Cult Exposed!
Another thing that I have learned during my decades of online ministry is that anything can be justified. PCC's leaders have their own unbiblical book that they live by, shunning and rejected people whom they don't like or want. That is called being a sinful “respecter of persons,” which the Bible forbids. James 2:1, “My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.” PCC are ungodly respecter of persons, which is why they won't allow me to come back to church. That is so wicked!!!
PCC and Campus Church are a hateful cult. Those who are accepted in the cult are protected by the cult, just so long as they give their absolute loyalty to cult leadership. The moment that you stop serving, idolizing and selling your soul to cult leadership, they excommunicate you. Ask Samantha Field. Ask Allen Armentrout. Please read all these negative comments from former victims of the PCC cult.
PCC's list of victims of abuse continues to grow! I am a victim of PCC's abuse. I was deeply hurt when I first decided to attend Campus Church in July of 2021. I first attended PCC on the 4th of July at their annual church picnic. I first met Pastor Jeff Redlin that day. I kindly told him that I had just arrived from the island of Guam 36 hours earlier, and was homeless sleeping in Walmart's parking lot, due to being defrauded by the Woodspring Suites Hotel in Pensacola. When United Airlines plane on Guam was delayed due to an idiot light staying lit on the flight console, I missed my connecting flight in Honolulu and was delayed by 17 hours.
I responsibly contacted the Woodspring Suites Hotel ahead of time (since Guam is 15 hours ahead of Pensacola's time zone), to let them know that I was still coming. I told them that they could bill me upfront on my credit card for my entire 30-day confirmed reservation for $55 per night. But those wicked greedy evildoers cancelled my entire stay, to they could charge people a few hundred dollars per night over the 4th of July weekend instead. God will hold them accountable for defrauding me, and forcing me to sleep in a parking lot!
Sadly, when I kindly informed Pastor Redlin, he couldn't have cared less and just cold-heartedly walked away. I saw the startled look on his face when I told him my difficult situation. That was my first impression of Jeff Redlin—a shameful little uncaring coward who walks away from people in need. Despite Redlin's golden opportunity to befriend a brother in dire need, I let the matter go. I was so happy to be at the great Pensacola Christian College (PCC), which I had heard about all my life.
Sadly, in the months to follow I would learn that my initial negative impressions of Pastor Jeff Redlin were not only all true, but woefully lacking in just how horrible this man really is. I had taken a few hours to compose my first email to Pastor Redlin in July of 2021, carefully articulating every word to be careful to show the utmost respect, propriety and to convey what I intended to communicate to him. In that correspondence, I kindly confided in Pastor Redlin that I have suffered from an old neck injury since 2004. I also mentioned that my former wife abandoned and divorced me in 2006. I shared my battle with depression and loneliness, and my adverse sufferings due to constant neck pain. I couldn't have been more loving and kind.
To my horror, Redlin replied with a rude and harsh demeanor, patronizing me as a divorced person. He foolishly took the liberty to actually scold me (a 54 year old grandfather) for briefly mentioning that I hoped to find a wife at Campus Church, since they had such a large church family. Redlin wrongly accused me of only coming to Campus Church to find a wife. I was in dismay. I couldn't believe that the senior pastor of PCC was such a mean person, insensitive and trampling upon my feelings as a hurting human being. I mean, I had seen this type of verbal abuse in independent fundamental Baptist institutions before, but now I was experiencing it first hand at PCC.
My mistake was that I came to PCC holding their leaders in the highest regards, thinking that they would be spiritually mature. In sharp contrast, I sadly learned that PCC's leaders and pastors are overpaid spoiled brats, immature, selfish, carnally-minded and woefully lacking of any genuine love or compassion for individual people. Dr. Jack Hyles (1926-2001) was so right—PCC are academic types, not church builders, so they woefully lack compassion.
Something is very wrong today with the pervasive bad attitudes among independent Baptists (which PCC is considered to be a part of) in America. There is an unchristlike bad sprit of pride, arrogance and stiff-necked comradery, placing themselves as leaders in God's place, to sinfully play God with people's lives. The Bible teaches in Philippians 2:4, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” You are not right with God unless you esteem others as being BETTER than yourself!!!
That is verbatim what we just read in the inspired King James Bible. If PCC leaders obeyed this Bible verse, then they would humbly contact me with an offer to reconcile and make peace. God knows that I would humbly thank them for contacting me, and I would do my best to reconcile and lay down my keyboard to stop preaching against them. There is something wrong with a group of religious people, professed born-again Christians, who have no desire to seek peace with their enemies (especially a fellow saint).
Why doesn't PCC care? Why won't they meet me half way? I'll tell you why—it is because PCC has so much money and so many supporters, that they have nothing to gain by making peace with their enemies. That is a sad and tragic commentary on the woeful lack of walk with God that PCC's pastors and leaders don't have. They don't walk with God. I doubt if pastors' Jeff Redlin and Timothy Zacharias ever get down on their knees to pray. I doubt if either of them ever pray for me. It is clear that all they care about is their undeserved paychecks!!!
Tragically, PCC has deteriorated into a mere student assembly line. Next! PCC takes in tens of millions of dollars, having more money than they know what to do with. In 2018 I attended the Lighthouse Baptist Church on Guam. A PCC intern named Sean Quinlan was the temporary wannabe pastor at the time. I attended the church for about a year. Sadly, Sean Quinlan is not a competent pastor! I asked him if he believed that Jesus' blood was applied to the Mercy Seat in Heaven. He didn't know!!! Quinlan actually admitted to me in a personal conversation, as I was explaining to him what is wrong with the Devil's modern Bible revisions, that he couldn't even show me one problem with the new Bibles. I had heard him warn his church congregation (about 50 people) in a sermon months earlier, that there are problems with the modern Bibles, so be careful to avoid them. Yet, he admitted to me personally that if his life depended on it, he couldn't show anyone what any of those problems are. That is sad!
To show what a hypocrite the PCC camp are, and Pastor Redlin, let me tell you a story. One Wednesday night after Bible study, I was sitting outside the front of Lighthouse Baptist Church. The front entrance of the church exited to the parking lot. There were some benches to sit on outside the church entrance. So I was sitting there, sharing something with a fellow Christian brother than I had learned from Luke 16:19-31 about the rich man and Lazarus. Pastor Quinlan got angry, wrongly accusing me of trying to usurp authority in his church. The guy freaked out! The PCC cult are weird people. PCC has adopted a heresy that pastors have authority over people, but they don't. Even hellbound heretic Dr. John MacArthur gets it 100% correct that pastors have NO AUTHORITY. The inspired Holy Bible is the only authority in any church.
Anyway, long story short, Pastor Quinlan wrongly accused me of being “Obsessed over the Bible issue.” I took that as a badge of honor and a compliment! Yes Sir, you had better believe that I am "obsessed over the Bible issue"!!! I am obsessed over God's inspired Word. Do you know who else was obsessed over the Bible? David. Psalms 119:139-140, “My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy words. Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.” King David was consumed (obsessed) about the Word of God. David was upset that his enemies had rejected the Bible. David, if he were alive today in 2023, would have hated and been consumed with anger against evildoers who change, corrupt, tamper, pervert and altar the inspired Word of God. Dear reader, if you don't have a King James Bible, you don't have a Holy Bible.
I did the right thing to take a stand at Lighthouse Baptist Church on Guam. Since Pastor Quinlan rebuked me in front of his church members, I rebuked him back in front of them, telling him that he ought to be ashamed of himself, for scolding me for being zealous to expose corrupt Bible revisions. What set him off in anger was when I said to my Christian friend (to whom I was speaking and not Quinlan), quote: “Bob Jones University (BJU) sells corruptible seed.” That one truthful statement pissed off Pastor Quinlan. The reason why may not be obvious to you dear friend, but it is obvious as the sun at noon on a clear day to me. That reason is simply because PCC is in bed with BJU!
God knows that I have nothing personal against Sean Quinlan, but he has no business being a church pastor! No man should be a pastor, entrusted to feed God's flock, who doesn't even know one thing wrong with today's hundreds of corrupt Bible revisions. I could spend hours showing you what is wrong with today's Bibles. I am tired of being made to be the BAD GUY for telling the truth, for exposing the Devil's Bible versions, for preaching against BAD PREACHERS!
When I attended Campus Church in July of 2021, Pastor Redlin wickedly made a false allegation against me and my ministry, accusing me of “finding weaknesses in preachers.” Redlin is a liar!!! In fact, as a faithful Bible preacher I expose wickedness in preachers! God knows that I don't try to find weaknesses in preachers. What saith the Scripture? ...
Titus 1:13-14, “For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.”
The inspired Holy Bible commands preachers to REBUKE THEM SHARPLY that corrupt God's plan of salvation. Whether it be the slow-bellied lazy Cretians, or the pot-bellied Bob Jones University (BJU) cult, false prophets must be exposed. By God's grace, that is exactly what I faithfully did, beginning in 2014 when I attended the Harvest Baptist Church on Guam, and saw how messed up they were doctrinally. I heard the Devil's Lordship Salvation being preached from Harvest's church pulpit.
I saw dozens of different corrupt Bible revisions being used in the church. Dr. John MacArthur, a child of the Devil, was being promoted at Harvest. Martin Luther (1883-1546) was being promoted as a born-again Christian, when in reality he taught Sacramental Salvation his entire life. The Devil's wrong meaning of repentance was being taught at Harvest, which insists that a lost sinner stop living a lifestyle of sinning to get to Heaven. Sadly, Harvest Baptist Church on Guam is just as messed up today in 2023, as they have been for the past 25 years. Their new pastor, Gary Walton, is another ungodly neo-evangelical, just like pastor Marty Herron before him. God's judgment is upon these infidels, who preach another gospel.
RIGHT DOCTRINE MATTERS!!! Some wicked people wrongly accuse me of causing trouble everywhere I go, saying that I cannot get along with anybody, but they are very wrong! THE TRUTH is that heretics get mad at me for exposing them. They got mad at me at Pensacola Christian College's Campus Church, because they are in bed with the ungodly Bob Jones University cult. Since I expose BJU (Harvest Baptist Church is full of BJU graduates), PCC had a grudge against me before my plane even landed in Pensacola in July of 2021. PCC are wickedly pulling on the same rope as the Devil, by supporting the BJU camp.
BJU is so corrupt that in December of 2022 they invited and honored Calvinist evangelist, Paul Chapel. It is tragic that 99% of professed Christians today couldn't care less about Lordship Salvation, perverse Bible versions, and wrong repentance being promoted in Bible colleges and churches. I CARE!!! When I preach, very few professed Christians ever agree with my truthful preaching. Pensacola Christian College is a cult! They kick people out (like they horribly did me) and then refuse to forgive or allow me to return. That is a cult!
It didn't matter to PCC's leaders and pastors that I sincerely apologized and offered to do whatever they require to reconcile, they still cold-heartedly refused to make the peace. That just proves how arrogant, proudful and carnally-minded they are at PCC. Some people are sick of listening to me preach on this topic, but I will NEVER shut up! As long as I live in Pensacola, and I am not permitted to attend Campus Church, I will continue to SPEAK UP every opportunity that I get, to expose the hateful, uncaring and money-hungry religious cult at PCC. People just want to be loved. PCC drew first blood, like Sylvester Stallone said in the 1982 blockbuster movie Rambo. I just wanted to eat a spiritual meal at Campus Church, but their King Sh!t Cop pastor Jeff Redlin bullied me instead. I won't go easy! Like Rambo, it's a matter of principle. Redlin told me to go elsewhere to be fed spiritually. Hell no, I won't go!
It is abuse. I am not going to remain silent about abuse in today's fundamentalist Bible colleges and churches. Everybody should be welcomed in a Bible-believing New Testament local church. I feel sorry for the thousands of PCC students, who are being influenced to emulate such a pathetic unloving weakling for a pastor, who selectively cares about people, and woefully lacks God's love and compassion for individual hurting people (like me). All I wanted was to come back to church. It blows my mind how hateful PCC leadership is, not even willing to forgive and allow me to attend their Campus Church. What a horrible authoritarian abusive religious cult!
Perhaps some of my blog readers are wondering why I won't let this matter go. The answer is simple—it is because I care about individual people. What Pensacola Christian College (PCC) is doing to me could just as easily happen to you, or some other poor unfortunate soul. The inspired Holy Bible teaches that ALL LIVES MATTER!!! Everybody is important in God's economy. Sadly, at PCC and their Campus Church only SOME PEOPLE MATTER!!! It burns me up that PCC would turn anyone away from attending their Campus Church. It is wickedness!!! I will not tolerate it as a preacher. I will expose every false way. Not loving everybody is a gross sin. Most people won't listen or care, but some people WILL care and listen, particularly other abuse victims of PCC's authoritarian bullying. People are sick and tired of abuse in fundamentalist Baptist institutions and churches. PCC is at the top of the list of these organizations.
And so the saga continues. I am the hero, the Dark Knight who must become the villain to save Gotham city from ripping itself apart because of ungodly bad pastors, false prophets, greedy religious colleges, uncaring clergy and infidels in the pulpit today.
2nd Peter 2:1, "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction."
Damnable heresies exist everywhere today. The Bible foretold that in the last days "many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many" (Matthew 24:11b).
I visited a local Baptist church last Sunday. They are members of the apostate Southern Baptist Convention. I was frustrated by what I saw. Here is a photo that I took, showing the nightclub atmosphere created by shining ultraviolet black lights in the auditorium...
Today's Nightclub Churches With Blacklights
It reminds me of an episode from The Twilight Zone. The people are all glowing...lol. It is tragic that people won't attend church anymore unless it has a nightclub feel to it. The horrible Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) that they sing is spiritually lifeless, boring and woefully lacking of any heart-warming melody or Holy Spirit conviction. No doubt they would disagree.
I have a right to my own humble opinion. I am not accusing them of being insincere, they are very sincere. I do believe that some of the members are born again believers. However, whenever Lordship Salvation is being preached, the number of tares (false converts) increases significantly. Lordship Salvation is a perversion of the Gospel.
Worst of all, I heard the senior pastor announce that a young boy had received the Savior as his "Lord." That is totally backwards! We don't receive the Savior as our "Lord" to be saved, we receive the Lord as our Savior. Romans 10:9, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." All of the Devil's modern Bible perversions corrupt this passage, changing it to read: “If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” There's a big difference between declaring 'Jesus is Lord' versus confessing the Lord Jesus.
I learned a long time ago from Dr. Curtis Hutson (1934-1995), who was John R. Rice's successor at the Sword Of The Lord, that as a general rule we should never interpret an obscure passage of Scripture while ignoring a clear one. The entire Gospel of John, which is God's Gospel tract according to John 20:31, mentions the word "believe" 85 times, without any mention or requirement to "confess with one's mouth" to be saved.
In Acts 16:30-31 the Philippian jailer in Rome asked Paul and Silas: "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" Their simple but profound answer was: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." There is no mention or requirement to repent of one's sins, surrender "all" to Christ as Lord, give the steering wheel of one's life to God, have a relationship with Jesus, become a Christ follower, nor anything else that we hear foolishly being taught in churches everywhere today. 2nd Corinthians 11:3-4 refers to the Gospel as "the simplicity that is in Christ." God had to make His plan of salvation simple, because there are a lot of unlearned, ignorant, base and educible slow people on the planet.
Paul and Silas simply told the Philippian jailer to "BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST." Yet, it is very wrong and unbiblical for wicked infidel preachers to embellish this truth, by reading more into the Scripture than God intended, requiring lost sinners to surrender control of their will over to Christ as "Lord" to serve Him, and mandating that they repent "of your sins" to be saved (no such teaching exists in the inspired King James Bible).
I have heard countless lying preachers (e.g., Pastor Charles Lawson in Knoxville, Tennessee) falsely preach that a person who is still living an ungodly lifestyle of sin never really repented, so they are not saved and their existing faith in Jesus Christ is invalid. That is so wrong and unbiblical for Pastor Lawson to preach to his congregation (and tens of thousands of people on YouTube).
Bible repentance for salvation doesn't mean to forsake a lifestyle of sinning, it just means "a change of mind" from unbelief to belief. Repentance is simply admitting to God that I am as guilty a sinner as He declares me to be in His Holy Word. We must know what we are being saved from. We are all guilty sinners (Romans 3:19-23). As such we all deserve to die (Romans 6:23). This includes a second death in Hell, fire and brimstone (Revelation 21:8). But praise be to God, Jesus paid our debt of sin on Calvary's cross, applying that shed blood to the Mercy Seat in Heaven on our behalf before the Father's presence (Hebrews 9:12, 22-24; 12:24).
The Gospel is so delicate that it is easily corrupted from saving grace to damnable heresy. In Matthew 7:21-23 we read about an unfortunate group of people, false prophets, who had served Christ their entire lives, but now they are learning that they were never saved at all. They called Jesus "Lord, Lord" (there's Lordship Salvation), but Jesus denied knowing them as His sheep. They had made the dire and fatal foolish error of living the Christian life without ever being born again (which is by faith alone in Jesus Christ). Millions of churchgoers are guilty of this sin today. They faithfully attend some church, but have never been born from above by the Holy Spirit of God (Romans 8:9; 1st John 3:24). RIGHT DOCTRINE MATTERS!
Anyway, we will be seeing a lot more false teachers as we draw nearer toward the end of the world as we have known it for thousands of years. Each and every passing day brings us one day closer to Christ's glorious return.
I was disgusted at a local Baptist church, seeing a young boy being misled about God's simple plan of salvation. The senior pastor said that the boy had "become a Christ follower." This is the new fake gospel, to "become a Christ follower." But Judas Iscariot was a Christ follower, one of His very chosen apostles, and yet Judas died in his sins and went to Hell forever.
The infidels in Matthew 7:21-23 were also Christ followers. They called Him "Lord, Lord." Yet, Jesus denied knowing them as His sheep, and they were cast into outer darkness in Hell. Thousands of people followed Christ in the Bible to receive a handout of food, but they were not saved (John 6:26). They did not believe who he claimed to be, the very Christ (the promised Messiah). Hundreds of millions of unsaved people today are following Christ as their "Lord," but they have never ceased from their works to trust Him as their personal Savior. They are blinded by religion.
“If you do not put a difference between justification wrought by the man Christ without and sanctification wrought by the Spirit of Christ within, you are not able to divide the Word aright; but contrariwise, you corrupt the Word of God, and cast stumbling blocks before the people.” —John Bunyan (1628-1688)
Bravo to John Bunyan! It is imperative that we always keep service separate from salvation. We must keep discipleship separate from sonship. 'Lordship Salvation' is the deadly consequence of combining service with salvation, confusing the two things. If we are to rightly divide the Word of Truth, then we must maintain separation between SERVICE versus SALVATION. Pastor M.R. DeHaan (1891-1965) made this helpful statement:
"There is a vast difference between coming to Jesus for salvation and coming after Jesus for service. Coming to Christ makes one a believer, while coming after Christ makes one a disciple. All believers are not disciples. To become a believer one accepts the invitation of the Gospel, to be a disciple one obeys the challenge to a life of dedicated service and separation. Salvation comes through the sacrifice of Christ; discipleship comes only by sacrifice of self and surrender to His call for devoted service. Salvation is free, but discipleship involves paying the price of a separated walk. Salvation can't be lost because it depends upon God's faithfulness, but discipleship can be lost because it depends upon our faithfulness." —Pastor M.R. DeHaan, “Hebrews”; Zondervan Publishing House; 1959 (p. 117)
You don't need to receive Christ as the supreme "Lord" of your life to get to Heaven, you simply need to receive Jesus as your personal Savior, by BELIEVING on His name (John 1:12-13).
Genesis 1:27, “So God created man in his own 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.” ... Romans 1:23, “And changed the glory of the incorruptible glory of God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.”
In Genesis chapter one it says that God created man in his image. In Romans chapter one it says man created God in his image.
God Wants Man To Be Like Him God made man in his own image but man sinned and fell from the image of God. Then God made it possible for man to be redeemed so that someday man would be like God.
I John 3:2, “…we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”
The great heart of God longed for man to be like him so he made man in his own image.
Mankind fell and when mankind sinned God made it possible for them to be in his image someday. Between the time man is saved and the time he awakes in the likeness of Christ he is to gradually grow into image of God.
Man Wants To Be Like God There is no doubt about the desires of mankind to be like God Man has an innate desire to be like God. He sets up godlike values to live by whether he is religious or not. He judges others who do not live by those values whether biblical or not. All over the world we find cultures with their own view of godliness or godlikeness. Individual societies function all over the planet based on their idea of God and becoming godlike.
Satan Wants Man To Be Like God He came to Eve in the Garden of Eden and said if you will eat of that fruit you will be as gods knowing or determining your self what is good and what is evil.
There is an agreement here in that man wants to be like God and God wants man to be like God while Satan also wants man to be like God.
It Seems That All Three Agree We have three the heavenly Father, man, and Satan all in agreement on something. That agreement is that all three want God and man to be alike! However, there is a controversy that exists here. God wants man in his image while man wants God in his image.
This Boils Down to Two Choices for Man Thus, we have basically the two religions of the world. One religion is that God wants man in his image while the second is man wanting God in his image. God desires for man to become like him and man desires for God to be like man. In Genesis 1:26-27 God created man in his image and in Romans 1:21-23 man in turn is creating God in his image.
God wants man to conform to him and man wants God to conform to him. Please bear in mind this is the same goal. God desires for man to be like him and we by nature like to be like God but the controversy is that God wants us to conform to his image while we want God to conform to our image? It is such a subtle thing! It looks at a glance as if it’s the same thing or the same goal.
This is the difference between true Christianity and charismatic Emerging church Christianity.
This is the difference between Jack Hyles’ Christianity and Bill Hybles Christianity, Tom Malone Christianity and Paul Crouch Christianity, Lee Roberson Christianity and Robert Schuler Christianity, Curtis Hutson Christianity and Benny Hinn Christianity, or John R. Rice Christianity and Jimmy Swaggart Christianity.
Almost in every state you may go to you will find a large charismatic church and the minute you walk in and talk to the janitor you will quickly discover religion number two. There is no difference between their music and the world’s music. There is no difference between their immodest dresses on the females than you will find on the streets of their cities. There is no difference between the haircuts of the males than you will find in the population of their city. They have taken God and brought him down to their image and they project that image to their city.
A Christianity where man is making God in his image is what is being displayed. May I ask a question are you changing your image? In religion number two they have made God conform to them instead of them conforming to God. They are changing their image!
Turn on the average Charismatic or Emerging church TV program and you will find in this modern movement man has said to God we will dress like we desire to dress, sing like we desire to sing, wear our hair like we desire to wear our hair, and God we will invite you to come visit with us. We will allow you to be with us as we are! You will meet us on our level!
Who is Conforming to Whom? My question is who is conforming to whom? Are you changing your image? “We want you God to conform to our image!” However, God says I want you to conform to my image.
All you had to do was visit a great fundamental Baptist church and then attend some Emerging church and you will see the difference in the crowds. I have preached for 45 years that God’s people are to conform to God and not God to God’s people.
Modesty is still modesty! Long hair on males is still unscriptural no matter what society dictates as “hip.” Bad music is still bad music even when Jesus’ name is used!
Walk among both congregations and see how the respective members dress and you will find that this modern Emerging church Christianity is nothing more than man attempting to conform God to man’s image. The question is are we who call ourselves fundamental doing the same thing?
May I also suggest that the reason the worldly type of religion is so popular is because of the conforming God to man. It is less convicting, confining, and constraining with a fleshly appeal that is far more appealing to the populous! It is an amusement park atmosphere, rock concert atmosphere, Broadway atmosphere, and Burger King atmosphere every Sunday.
Some Baptist Churches are Becoming Emerging Churches By the way this “Emerging Church” philosophy enjoyed by some young independent Baptist pastors is nothing more than bringing God down to man in order to reach man.
All over America you will find springing up a Calvary Chapel, Community Church, Cathedral Church, Gospel Center, Vineyard Church, Church on the Rock, etc., with a basic philosophy of bringing God down to man. Their females are immodest with their shorts, halters, and blue jeans while the males sing their Gospel hip hop while wearing long hair and earrings.
They advertise contemporary services because they intend to bring God down to man. They claim contemporary services with a conservative doctrine. The problem is doctrine is only as good as the conduct. What you believe is always reflected in your behaviour!
When you attend a fundamental Baptist church you will find God’s people attempting to conform to the image of God rather than causing God to conform to man. Let’s face it, there are more people who want to have God to conform to their image than there are people who want to conform to God’s image. However, it is necessary to note that God’s people have always been called a “remnant.” We will always be a remnant until the Rapture and then we will be the majority.
When we bring God down to man then we will need the power of darkness to draw using the world to reach the world. The result is we end up with the world and in darkness. What some are tolerating today will be the down fall of the next generation.
That is the struggle in every church in America, every Teen Department in America, every home in America, every Christian school in America, and every Christian College in America. The difference between the thousands who attend Bill Hybles’ church and those who attended Jack Hyles’ church was not numerical but spiritual! Bill Hybles was changing the image of God into the image of man while Jack Hyles was changing the image of man into the image of God. The fundamental Baptist men of God say here is the King James Bible now you conform to this book. There are others who say we will not change our hairstyle, our music, our miniskirts, our vampire lipstick, our movie watching, our rock n roll beat, our male wearing of earrings, our martini drinking, our dancing to match the Scriptures. Some will simply use something other than the King James to endorse our worldly lifestyle.
The sad part is some who stick by the King James and still bring God down to man will eventually produce a generation of Bible deniers.
They call it a holy dance, a holy kiss, Christian liberty, contemporary ministry, Christian TV, and that way we will invite God to come and worship with us and we will conform God to our image. Every religion and every church is one of the two!
By the way church number two will preach on being like Jesus, on being Christ like but what they mean is to make Jesus like them and not them like Jesus! What they mean is let God conform to us and church number one means let us conform to God!
Giving the People What They Want Via Surveys is Destructive Robert Schuler and Bill Hybles did exactly the same thing. They both had a community survey to find out what the people wanted in a local church. Then they designed and conformed their churches to their surveys. I made up my mind that they would sell popsicles in Hell before I would be a party to such spiritual nonsense! These are not men of God they are men of the people!
God did not take a survey before he gave the Ten Commandments to Moses. The one time Moses took a survey about whether to go into the Land of Canaan it cost Moses his very life. We are not to conform God to man but rather we are to conform man to God. Bill Hybles says he will build a church to suit the people while Jack Hyles said he would build a church to suit God!
There are two religions or two Christianities with one conforming God to man’s image and the second one conforming man to God’s image! Also those institutions of higher learning in Christianity are one or the other in philosophy. That is why the right college will always have a struggle.
The institutions of higher learning are battling and struggling to keep conforming their students to God’s image instead of having a Liberty University type that is attempting to cause God to conform to man so they can attract more students. That is what is wrong with Baylor and some other institutions that were founded by aggressive Bible believers at one time who have long vacated spiritual applications to real life! What these colleges tolerate today will dominate them tomorrow.
When God says a female should not wear that which pertains to a male that a male should not wear that which pertains to a female he was not joking! In fact God called it an abomination in his sight! Man is supposed to conform to the Scriptures not the Scriptures to man’s image. Hang the big church if that is what is required! Hang the big college if that is what it takes to have the numbers! Big is not always better! Hitler had the crowds! The Dallas Cowboys have the crowds! God’s people must conform to God’s image and not demand God conform to man’s image!
God Wants Man To Be Like His Son God says he wants his people to be like his son Jesus, while man says I want Jesus to be like me. That is where the issue of the Virgin Birth enters. God says my Son was born of a virgin while some men say we want God’s Son to be like us so we reject the virgin birth.
God says my Son lived a perfect sinless life and I want my people to conform to my Son’s life. However, man says we will just say your Son did not live a perfect life. He was a good man and a good teacher but not sinless man says! We are not to make Jesus like us we are too make us like Jesus.
The same can be said concerning the Scriptures. God’s words are being changed into man’s words. That is why we have the NIV, ASV, RSV, etc. God wants man’s music to like his music while man wants to bring God down to his Egyptian music. Which church do you attend? Church number one or church number two?
God says to his people I want you to sing music that will honor me and not music that will honor you! All of which includes words, melody, tune, and rhythm. According to Exodus 32:7-8 the music that Moses discovered being played by God’s people when he returned from being with God was Egyptian and was similar to noise.
God says let me decide what kind of music you should have and man says but we cannot draw a crowd with that kind of music! No, but you will draw me! Ok, then don’t draw a crowd if you have to have a trap set and a bass guitar played by longhaired hippy acting like it is the amateur hour or American Idol. Better to have ten people hearing truth than 10,000 going deaf to hellish music.
Choice is between Holy Ghost Power or the Power of Darkness Why not depend on the Holy Ghost of God to draw and convict sinners rather than settle for an earthly sensual draw that will do nothing but produce the same thing when they leave? Hey, I decided to have music like God, a Bible like God’s Bible, live like God’s Son, take the Gospel to the unredeemed world and let God fill the house.
There are two Christianities at play here, one of God conforming man to God’s image and the second is man conforming God to man’s image. Is your image changing? Which way is it changing? Far too many preachers in America are attempting to gain a crowd by making God look like man. The music in America’s churches needs to be overhauled and some of it ought to be scrapped.
Too many classical songs, too many high brow songs, and on the other hand there are too many honky-tonk songs with a heavy left hand on the piano being sung using Jesus’ name in order to justify their existence.
It would be wise to play preludes and postludes that the dear people recognize. Offertories that reach the hearts of the people would add much to the spiritual atmosphere necessary for the Holy Spirit to be active in a church service. There is a big difference between a spiritual service and a sensual service.
Some of our churches in America are simply making God’s word like man’s words, God’s Son like man, and God’s music like man’s music.
God Wants Man To Accept His Plan Of Reconciliation And Man Wants God To Accept His Plan Of Reconciliation It is an age old struggle of religions making man’s words like God’s words, God’s Son like man, man’s music like God’s music, and making man accept God’s plan of reconciliation. The struggle continues to this very day.
It is Jesus plus works in some places while historic Baptists have always believed and held to Jesus plus nothing for salvation. Man is a sinner, Hell is the price for man’s sin, Jesus is the Son of God, and Jesus paid the debt through his death, burial, and resurrection. That is God’s plan of reconciliation! Man must accept or reject God’s plan of his Son’s vicarious death, burial, and resurrection.
