“…become as little children…”  (Matthew 18)

C.S. Lewis said, The desire to be an adult and to grow up is natural for children and young people, but once one reaches adulthood and still concerns one’s self with being a grown up or an adult, or being concerned with acting like an adult and being seen as an adult is childish. This I understand.

Christ calls us to become as little children, in terms of faith. Paul said, we must do all things in, with, and by faith. Therefore, should we not remain as little children?  Of course, I am not suggesting we throw off our “adult responsibilities.” In Scripture, one will not find a more responsible person than David, Christ excepting, of course.  In the early part of David’s life in first (1st) Samuel, the Spirit points out how David always saw to his current responsibility before performing his next. David was a youth in those days. One need not be an “adult” to be responsible.

Augustine said that adult business is the same as children playing on a playground. The same playground rules apply to business. In fact, I have observed many a business owner acting childish in terms of pouting, temper tantrums, acting as a spoiled child.  The fact is we are never done growing up. Is not the parent continually growing up  and learning as a parent?

In the Christ-ian faith, it is the Christ-ian’s predestinated end to become like Christ. Paul said we should always be reaching for that which is before us, this sentence and the previous speaks to a continual growing and developing. Jacob, in the Book of Genesis, had to deceive, disquise himself, and pretend to be his OLDER brother, Esau. Is this something mant adults think they must do?

In my experience one has to suppress their inner child in order to be an adult. Of course, one must behave one’s self appropriately in different situations and must perform in certain ways according to certain social norms and dynamics, but should we infer from these concepts that we must be boring and “grown up” all the time to the point of exhaustion and becoming “old?”  Methinks not.

While many think they must be a grown up, I will settling for being a “growing up.”  Adulthood and the grown up life is boring with out a young heart.  One must keep a sense of wonderment about themselves.  When was the last time you looked at the clouds…I mean really looked at the clouds and thought my Father made those.  When was the last time you looked at the night sky and beheld the Glory that is our God?

When was the last time you looked at a squirrel and realized it was the perfect specimen of balance or looked at it’s tail and realized that it is that tail that allows it to climb on wires and steady itself on a thin branches?

When was the last time you looked at a common everyday bird and wondered at it’s form and make up and it’s color?  I stand in awe of the cardinal, it’s color, it’s beauty and it’s peculiarity.

When was the last time you watched traffic and thought how amazing it is that will all the lane changing there is not constant crashes?  One should see the mercy of God in something that is that taken for granted.  When was the last time you drove in pouring rain that was so very loud and then drove under an overpass and enjoyed the silence for that single second?  To remain young, one must remain in awe of God and His Creation.

Reader, When I see an “adult” looking at others adults, who are enjoying life and remaining young at heart, I am saddened by the formers, “adult-ness.” You may grow up and be a boring adult and take everything for granted and lose the wonderment of God’s Creation, but as for me and my house, we will remain as little children before our Heavenly Father.

“Let their habitation be desolate, and let none dwell in their tents.”  (Psalm 69)

“Let them be blotted out of the book of the living…”  (Psalm 69)

“Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good.”  (Jeremiah 14)

Reader, I have seen God do somethings that would surprise many, especially those who are all about, “God is love.”  C.S. Lewis commenting on this type of believer said, “Love is not God.”  There must be a balanced view of God. Certainly God is love to those He loves, but Scripture is clear God also hates who and what He hates, Lucifer/(s)atan, Sin, demons, Esau and his descendents called Edomites, all workers of iniquity, The seven (7) things God hates in Proverbs, and the Nicolatians.

There must be an understanding of God’s attributes that balance Him and make Him God. God Is Holy and Righteous and therefore, He is also Just, and Angry. God is Merciful and God has wrath and fury and is a Consuming Fire.

Returning to what I have seen God do.  Years ago, we were part of a church that met in a store front.  This church saved money and had an opportunity to move into a very nice building. Everything seemed to be going well until one (1) man on the City Council blocked us. The church went back and forth with this city council for a little while until this one (1) man dropped dead.

I know a Christ-ian who was verbally assaulted by a drunk in a convenience store.  The Christ-ian identified himself as a Christ-ian after the drunk said, “You better pray to Jesus because I’m about to —- you up.  This drunk started flexing his muscles and even said to this Christ-ian’s children, their father was a —-h.  The Christ-ian had enough and was about to knock this guy out until the guy up and left.  The Christ-ian man went back to the convenience store the day after and apologized for the altercation.  The clerk then told the Christ-ian that the drunk drove down the street to a gas station and before he could get out of his car, he dropped dead.

We have seen other persons, who were very militant against the faith, put in their place by health issues and other life changing events.  Reader, Christ was not joking when He said, God would avenge His elect quickly.

Why am I writing about this topic in this article? A few reasons, one (1) being a young woman died recently. This young woman died after being in the hospital for six (6) days. She was hospitalized because she had acid thrown all over her. She had acid thrown all over her because she refused to marry a (m)uslim and convert to the cult of death. It is Biblical to ask God to reward this dirty muslim animal according to his wickedness. The second (2nd) reason we are writing upon this subject is because in California, there is a bill floating around that would ban the Bible in that state.

This bill would lead to the suppression of the Christ-ian witness.  The bill is being pushed by the demon-c-rat-ic governor, Jerry Brown. He said the Bible is anti- gay and therefore is a form of hate speech. If one follows this bill to it’s logical end churches would be closed, those counseling persons out of the gay lifestyle would be criminally chargeable, as would be anything that is anti-gay agenda, even two (2) persons at lunch discussing the gay agenda in a negative way.  Reader, I am not paranoid, nor am I having a knee jerk reaction.

All of this has been foretold by the Prophets, by Christ, and by His Apostles. To think this is not going to happen is to doubt the veracity and validity of the Scriptures.

Reader, I am doubtful or I am hopeful that this bill will fail. However, the very fact that this bill has come this far should be sobering to all Christ-ians.

Having written all of the above, I would now write about imprecatory prayer. What is imprecatory prayer? It is the praying against someone or something, it is petitioning God to curse or stop someone or something. David, in the Psalms, prayed many imprecatory prayers.

I will not be dogmatic on this next point, but I do believe it to be Scripturally sound. The imprecatory prayers of David in Psalm sixty-nine (69) were prophetical of what our Lord Jesus would be praying as He was nailed to the Cross. When He asked His Father to forgive them because they knew not what they were doing, He was praying for the soldiers that nailed Him to your Cross and mine only. However, for the enemies of God, He was invoking Psalm sixty-nine (69). Read this Psalm for your self.

Christ-ian reader, I believe it is Biblical to pray against Governor Jerry Brown. I’m not saying pray for his death.  All I am suggesting is we, as the people of God pray not for this man but against this man and his active assault upon God’s Word and God Himself.

A word to those of you that find this type of prayer uncomfortable.  In Romans eight (8), we are told the Spirit of God cleans up our prayers and only takes those prayers that would be according to God’s will to the Father. Therefore, if it is not God’s will that you and I pray against this man and his active assault upon God and God’s Word, the Spirit will not take it to Him anyway.

Paul asked God to reward his enemies according to their evil works. Paul also prayed that God would “cut off” the men that were trying to hurt his ministry and those that came to faith through his ministry. Paul also said, let those that love not God be damned. Peter wrote about many of the persons we are seeing today, he said they have no respect for government, they speak about issues they understand not, and then he says they are like brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed.

Reader, one’s heart is not right if one pleasures in the imprecatory prayer and at the same time one’s heart is not right if one does not have a sense of righteous indignation and then acts upon this indignation in the form of talking with God. One can pray against a movement or an agenda and still love the persons caught up in it. One can pray against Jerry Brown and ask God to stop him and still be willing to give him a glass of water in the Name of Christ.

“…on the inside you are full of dead men’s bones…”  (Matthew 23)

Reader,
In my past I have looked at some persons and saw much sin in their life and I therefore marked them and doubted their salvation and this was noticed by some of these persons and they thought me to be cold. To be sure, there are some sins that should put a professing Christ-ian out of the church, there is no doubt. However, professing Christ-ians should not be put in doubt because there is sin present in his or her life.

Christ teaches us that it is by Christ-ian love that others would recognize us and know us to be His.  He did not say the world would recognize you as belonging to me by your lack of sin.  Granted, he told some to, “go and sin no more.”  John writes extensively in his first (1st) epistle about the decreasing of sin in the life of the believer, and some sins being overcome altogether.  However, don’t miss his point and his point is this: the overcoming of sin is based in love for Christ and others. Is it not written that love covereth a multitude of sin(s)?

Reader, if we be honest with each other, we think things that should not be thought or entertained.  We say things when we are alone or do things when we are alone or act out in negative ways when we are alone.  We even think things, say things and do things in the presence of non-Christ-ians that we wish we didn’t.  We even think things, say things and do things in front of other believers that often go ignored.

The fact is our old man, our old nature, our carnal nature, our flesh still exists and it will exist until we die or Christ comes. However, this nature and sin, and sins do not disqualify us from our faith. This bad fruit alone does not necessarily prove a person to be a false believer.  It is not the presence of the bad stuff that shouts unbeliever, it is the absence of the good stuff that shouts false believer.

What denounces a person as a false believer or a wolf in sheep’s clothing is the lack of love for God, the missing love for the brethren, the neighbor, and the enemy. What sends up the red flag is the absence of Christ-likeness amidst sin and sins in the believer’s life. What marks the unbelieving “believer” is the absence of the Spirit’s fruit and the divine nature, that all believers partake of. A sure sign of a tare amongst the wheat is the dis-interest in the Word of God, in the Person of Christ, in the people of God, in the ways and works of God, in the lack of concern for others.

Reader,
I am in no way, shape, or form condoning a life of licensious sin in the life of a professing Christ-ian, not at all.  I am saying Christ-likeness, the fruit of the Spirit, the divine nature should overshadow the sin and sins in the lives of others.  I am saying if someone only looked at the sin and sins in my life they would conclude that I am lost.  If one ignored my love for God and others, my passion for God, my love for the Word of God, and a mind that is possessed by the Spirit and filled with a God-consciousness, one would consider me lost.

In summary: Sin should be withstood and if sin is to be withstood, it will be withstood, mortified, and crucified by one’s love for God and an understanding of God’s greater love for them.

Godspeed.

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto [M]e…”  (Acts 1)

We wrote in the previous article that logic and reason will not help the Christ-ian witness bring anyone to Christ.  We put forth the argument that the Holy Spirit’s Witnessing to and giving power to the Christ-ian’s witness is essential and absolutely necessary. We put forth the argument that stated, without the Spirit’s Witness and power, no man will be or can be saved.

What was not written in the last article was how one can have confidence in the Witness and power of the Holy Ghost in one’s witness to Christ.  This will be the point of this article, God willing.

In the Old Testament, we see the prophet acted in the Name of God only after “The [W]ord of God came upon [him].” In the New Testament’s, Book of Acts, we find this dynamic continuing. We read the Disciples and the Apostles were filled with the Spirit (and this filling occured more than once upon the same servant), and then they spoke. This filling with the Spirit is an experience that some receive after salvation. However not every Christ-ian receives this filling that enables them to witness with power and that is fine and no one should feel inferior if they have not experienced this. Also if a denomination demands this experience if a person’s salvation is to be validated is unsound and very unScriptural.

If the above is not meant for all witnesses or if not all Christ-ian witnesses never experience this additional and repeated filling, does this mean their witness is dead and useless?  NOT AT ALL!!! There are two (2) ways to obtain the Spirit’s Witness and power in one’s Christ-ian and human witness.  One has already been mentioned above. The other Scriptural and therefore sound means of obtaining the Spirit’s Witness and power in one’s life and in one’s Christ-ian witness is to, walk with God as Enoch did, as Noah did, as Abraham did.  If one wants the Spirit’s Witness in one’s life and in one’s Christ-ian witness, “walk in the Spirit,”  “live in the Spirit,”  and “[pray] in the Spirit.”

If one wants to have “power with God and man” one must tap into the power of God that is latent in all Christ-ians.  Reader, I am not going off the tracks or off the reservation.  I am not spouting pentacostalism’s false teachings.  It is written in Ephesians, “[God has] blessed us with all spiritual blessings…”  In Galatians, Paul speaks of the “fruit of the Spirit.”  Peter tells us, we are partakers of the “divine nature.”  We are taught in Scripture that God is Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and Omniscient or is Sovereign, is everywhere, and knows all things, right?  Think about this, God, in all His God-ness, lives in your mind, instincts and will.

The Christ-ian has all spiritual blessings waiting to be used and appropriated One must only ask God to release these blessings and use them to His glory and to benefit His people.  The Christ-ian is a garden or tree that has the Spirit’s fruit growing and ripening in it and upon it. The Christ-ian is a partaker of God’s very Nature in the Presence of the Holy Spirit. The All-Powerful, the All Present, the All knowing God abides in all of His children.

Therefore, if the Christ-ian does not have the Spirit’s Witness or power in his or her witness or if the Christ-ian does not have this power with God and man, it can only be because the Christ-ian is not walking with God, or tapping into or appropriating God’s “all spiritual blessing,” or the Spirit’s fruit is being hindered by something of human origin, or the Christ-ian does not know that the nature of God lives within, or does not understand the Greatness, the Bigness, and the Awe of God.

In summary:  The Christ-ian can obtain the Witness of the Spirit and the Spirit’s power in his or her Christ-ian witness in two (2) ways.
*The repeated baptism of, or the repeated filling with the Holy Spirit.
*Walking with God on a continuous and continual, persistent and persevering basis.
*Without either of the two (2) principles above, one’s Christ-ian witness has no power and without the two (2) principles above, one will not have power with God and man.

To some all of the above may sound deep and profound. To some it may sound heretical or charismatic. To some it may sound to lofty.  However, what I have writtten is        Christ-ianity 101.  What we have written is supported by Scripture, and Christ-ian history and should be supported by Christ-ian common sense.  Nothing I have written is deep or profound except, in the sense that, it is Scriptural, pure and true.

Reader, one must worship God before serving Him.  One must walk with God before walking with men.  One must talk with God before talking to men. One must witness God’s power and greatness before one can ever witness to others. Christ must be preeminent and everything else counted loss if one is the have power with God and man.

If this is new to you, I wonder what has been going on and being taught in your church.

Godspeed.

“The wind bloweth where it listeth…”  (John 3)

There are so many logical arguments one can give in the defending of the Christ-ian faith as well as in seeking the conversion of the unbelieving.”  Many say, C.S. lewis’ “Mere Christianity” was instrumental in their conversion.  Many an atheist make the same statement.  I remember when I was a young and unlearned preacher and of little understanding preached a “sermon” called, “Whosoever.”  I made the logical argument that the Scriptures promise salvation to whosoever will and since everyone is a whosoever…  I expected many to hear this argument from clear logic and would certainly be converted.  Obviously, no one came to Christ then and there.

Many a new convert thinks their family and friends will certainly come to faith as soon as the new convert explains the facts of the Gospel to them. Many, in the fundementalist circle, still believe this, even those who have been saved for years and decades. Reader, the new believer and many of the old believers still believe this, as I did for years, years ago.

The missing element in this belief and in the practice is the Holy Spirit and His Absolute and Essential Witness to the Truth that is being presented to the unbeliever.  Let me make a very clear statement, A person not only will not, but cannot believe the Gospel without the Holy Spirit’s Witness, no matter how sound and logical a human witness may be. Let me use other words, it is impossible for an unbeliever to believe the Gospel unless the Holy Spirit allows it and makes it possible.

Let us use a Scriptural principle. One plants the Gospel seed, another waters the seed, but it is God that allows the seed to grow, to even take root in the first (1st) place, therefore he that plants and he that waters is nothing; God is Everything.  This does not mean the planter and waterer is not used by God, but in comparison to the importance of God’s blessings upon the seed and water alone, are nothing.

How does one know if God has blessed one’s efforts and if the Spirit gave Witness to the human’s witness?
*A changed life instantly.
*Changes in life continuing.
*A hunger and thirst for God’s Word and righteousness.
*A dedication to the God that saved him or her.
*A continued growth in holiness.
*A turning from the world.
*A desire for Christ’s return.

I can remember a good Christ-ian, who misunderstood the necessity of the Spirit’s Witness, telling me of an experience he had.  This goes back years and hopefully this man has grown in his understanding of the Gospel and the sound Christ-ian witness.  These are the events he shared with me:  He had witnessed to a man and this man’s family.  This man “received Christ” by saying the sinner’s prayer. The next day, this “new believer” killed his wife.  My friend said to me, “I’m so glad I got to him and he was saved the day before he killed his wife.”  My reader, I kid you not.

I remember, years ago preaching at a nursing home.  There were some believers present that left the room where we were preaching and went around visiting the residents of the nursing home. After we were finished and caught up with this couple, they were rejoicing that some “received Christ.”  I was familiar with their method of “witnessing” so I requested to be introduced to this new “convert.”  They brought me into the room.  I asked the woman to tell me what has happened to her.  She couldn’t answer that simple question.  Upon further digging, we found out this woman was a Jehovah’s witness. The couple then quickly excused themselves. I then asked the non-convert why she prayed the”sinner’s prayer?”  she said she wanted the couple to leave her alone.

I remember seeing two (2) men of this school of thought speaking to a man on a corner.  I said to those with me, “These two (2) will come to evening service, and brag about “their new convert.”  They came to service that eveing and bragged about their success.  Their convert, and it was “their” convert, and not God’s convert, never showed up to church as he said he would. I know a “Christ-ian” or a “brother so called” that has caused so much pain to so many persons in the name of “his Christ-ianity.”  I will not go into detail as not to drudge up pain for some that may read this.

There is a group in Christendom, called fundementalists that hurt so many people and give so many people a false hope in Christ, thereby disallowing many from truly coming to Christ, humanly speaking. Many power hungry leaders in this camp have destroyed families and hurt young people for so many years because of their denial of the Holy Spirit and His essental and Absolute Presence and Witness in all that this “church” says does.

This fundemental group is no differnce in many ways from the catholic church they hate so much. This fundemental movement treats it’s leaders as a pope and these leaders accept it gladly. These fundemental churches are suffering a fool gladly and these fundementalist, in many cases are making “their converts” two (2) times the children of Hell as they are.  Matthew 23, in almost every line, describes and defines these pharisaical fundementalists.

Reader, I acknowledge that I have been writing much on the fundementalists lately.  It is my intention, after this coming Sunday, to cease on this topic for a while.

Logic, without the Word of God and the Spirit of God will not ever bring someone to faith in Christ, no matter how logical the human witness is.  However, the Spirit uses the Word of God and logical argument to bring the unbeliever to Christ and faith in Christ. The Word of God Alone, minus the Spirit’s Witness, will not bring anyone to Christ.  Logic alone will not bring anyone to Christ.  The Spirit of God will not act without the Word of God and His inspired logic.

So much of the weakness, lack of logic, and missing Christ-likeness in Christ-ianity is due to what has been written above.  If one asked the majority of Christ-ians whether one enters the kingdom of God before or after one believes, they will say, “after,” and this includes many Christ-ian preachers, teachers, etc.

However, Christ is so very clear when He says, in John three (3), except a man is born again (first/1st) he cannot [even] see [or believe in] the kingdom of God.  Christ says, one must repent and [then] believe, Does this not sound counter to what much of the church believes and teaches?  Most would think, one must believe before one will repent?

The above is because many do not understand repentance and the scriptural defining of belief. Belief includes love and obedience, as well as trust.  Repentance is the turning from sin due to a divinely changed mind as repentance, according to Scripture, is granted, and does not have an origin in the human mind. Therefore, one must be made willing to turn from sin before one can begin the love, obey and trust Christ as Lord and Saviour.

Without the Spirit’s Witness to scriptural Truth and the granting of the gift of repentance, it is impossible for anyone to find Christ.  Reader, likewise is faith a necessary gift given by God.  No one has faith existing in one’s self or laying latent.  The Scriptures teach “For by grace are ye saved, through faith and [that faith] is the gift of God. New life, faith, and repentance can only come from God Alone and without this, “it is impossible for man to be saved, but with God all things are possible.”  It is the above that makes salvation possible and it is only possible with God and is impossible with the human witness alone.

To summarize:  No man has ever or will ever come to faith without the Spirit of God giving witness and power to the human that witnesses to Christ and the salvation that belongs to God.  The same is true in preaching and teaching.  Except and unless the Spirit of God gives power and His Witness to the human preached Word of God, there will be no real preaching or teaching accomplished.

The last paragraph tells us why one can sit and listen to a man of God, agree with everything he says and find his preaching or teaching very Scriptural, yet you were not “fed” or you sensed not power in the lesson/message and you found yourself watching the time. On the other hand, a man of God, with the Witness and Power of the Holy Spirit, can preach the same or similar message and you find yourself hoping time stops and the preacher continues. I know you know what I’m talking about.

This writer firmly believes this. This writer remembers sitting on his bed and refusing to begin preaching until the Witness and the Power of the Spirit arrived. Matryn Lloyd Jones would pray in front of his congregation until the Spirit arrived and gave him Power. It was not strange for him to pray over thirty (30) minutes.  Many of the “greats” attest to this truth.

However, one must not depend solely on feelings. I have been in the pulpit and “felt” God leave me altogether.  I would continue for a while and then cease. I would say, later, to my wife or others close to me that God left me alone in the pulpit.  Their reponse was doubt in God’s Absence and told me they received much from the message. The preacher must be balanced.

I have been in the pulpit, had a message prepared in my heart and mind and God changes everything in an instant, if I preached the prepared message, God would not grant power.  However, if I preached this “just in” message He would be Present and bless.  Often times I found that the prepared message was meant for our hearers at the nursing home, who we would be visiting the same day. We have also found that what we thought we were to preach was meant to be written.  The preacher must be sensitive to the will of the Spirit.

Sorry for so many “i’s” in this article.

“Wherefore, comfort one another with these words.”  (1 Thessalonians 4)

Something that is commonly written in books that try to teach us how to comfort the broken hearted tell us not to use passages of Scripture and expect them to fix everything.  While there is a small amount of truth in this warning, if left at this, it is false.  It is like a catholic crucifix.  The catholic crucifix has partial truth in it, it speaks to Christ’s death, but it leaves Him on the cross and neglects the resurrection!!!  It is like preaching a form of the Gospel but ignoring sin and repentance as part of the Gospel.  This portion of the Gospel, while having some truth in it forgets to answer why Christ died in the first place, and the need to sorrow and repent of one’s sin in answer to His death. To neglect the need of a new life is to deny the purpose and meaning of Christ’s resurrection.

To say that the Word of God is not helpful or comforting and leave it at that is like being a hearer of the Word of God and not a doer.  To comfort someone with the Word of God and not weep or hurt with the one hurting is not comforting.  To weep with someone and not use God’s Word to further comfort is to deny the hurting one comfort.  What is the difference between a lost person crying with the hurting one and leaving it at that and a Christ-ian weeping and also leaving it at that.

Reader, I have not lost a wife or a child, much less both and I pray often seeking God’s mercy and keeping me from such loss as so many Christ-ians have suffered these losses. I know a man that lost his wife in a fire, many of us have heard about the Christ-ian pastor who lost his wife and, I think, five (5) children. Reader, my eyes water as I write this. I know a woman, a most godly woman who has lost a husband very recently, and her words of grief are similar to Lewis’ “A Grief Observed.”

Like I said above we are often warned not to use God’s Word to comfort the hurting, yet when the hurting gives testimony later, they all say, it was the Word of God that saw them through it and the prayers of God’s people!!!
The man that lost his wife to a fire, after some time past, stood in a pulpit in front of his Christ-ian family, with tears in his eyes, and theirs, and said, “If it wasn’t for my understanding of the sovereignty of God, I could not have managed.”  The pastor that lost his entire family in a fiery car accident and was the sole survivor, said much the same.  This godly woman, who lost her husband recently, will no doubt say the same at some point, as did Lewis after his time of early and initial pain past.  He had a lashing out period, but it was God’s Word and God’s Presence that brought him out of it.  Remember, Reader, Anger at God, and a momentary doubt of His love  IS AN ACT OF FAITH.

If the Word of God is not the Christ-ian’s primary form of healing, the Psalms are to be doubted and ignored during times of loss and pain.  Paul’s words, used above as our text reference, is to be stricken, as should the comforting Words and Promises of Christ in the Gospels and as they are expounded in the epistles.  The Words of God should be whispered in the ears of the afflicted as they are being pulled and held tightly in the loving arms of a Christ-ian.  The Word of God, and prayers of God’s people will help as the “thoughts” of the lost will not and only patronize the hurting.

A Word to the hurting, and to those who will hurt, if you want not my prayers and speaking to you and reminding you of the power of God’s Word do not seek my comfort because that’s all I have and that’s all anyone has, except the pharmacist. For when I suppress or hold back God’s Words of Comfort and you doubt the power of those Words and the prayers of God’s people, you doubt God, Himself. What are funerals for if not the comfort of God’s Word?

C.S. Lewis makes the argument, in “The Problem of Pain,” That pain is God’s megaphone to a sleeping world.”  Pain is the way we that believe and preach the Gospel might understand in some small way that, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.”  It is through sickness, pain, and loss that we might understand, in some minute way how it was for Christ to suffer in our stead.  This is why some of the godliest Christ-ians and those who walk closely to and with God suffer the most pain and loss in this world.  Many unbelievers have come to faith through pain and loss as they found no comfort and healing anywhere else.  I know of a miltant atheist and evolutionist that came to faith when he suffered a great loss and found he knew not how to pray.

I remember an evangelist telling me the story of a pastor friend of his, calling him in tears and with so much heartbreak.  This hurting pastor told him that his entire congregation just walked out on him after he requested a vote of confidence from them.  After he asked this of them, he and his family turned around and gave them time to consider this. they began to hear chairs shuffling and Bibles clothing.  When this pastor and his family turned around, they were alone. What did this evangelist tell this crushed pastor?  In tears of joy and encouragement this evangelist told this pastor that there were only two (2) men in Scripture to be forsaken by all…Jesus Christ and Paul.
Oh, hurting brother or sister, “count it all joy when you fall into [testing].”

It was when Paul was in prison and alone that Christ came to sit with him all night long.  It was when Peter was in prison that God sent an angel to give him comfort and liberty and to strengthen his faith and reserve.  It was after Christ’s time of testing and temptation that the angels came to Him.

All of the epistles contain words of comfort, confirmation, consellation in times of persecution or coming persecution.  The Word of God is a book of Christ-ian persecution in some form or degree of another starting in Gensis in the Garden, continuing through the writings of Moses, through the historical books, the prophets, the books of wisdom, and onward into the Gospels, Acts, and the epistles and Revelation. Christ-ian history is covered in the blood of the faithful and martyred as are the publications that denote current events.

What was it and what is it that gave strength and fortification to those of the past and those of our present day?  The Word of God and the Christ-ian bond and witness.

My beloved reader, for your sake, do not, for one second, believe that the Word of God gives no comfort in times of pain, loss and persecution!!! This is the old, old, so very old lie of the evil one. This lie is “(s)atanic oppression 101”  As well as, “Spiritual Warfare 101.”  Reader, we are warned by John not to belive every spirit we hear but to, “Try the spirits.”  Paul warns us to, “Prove all things.”  Christ and the apostles and penmen of the Word repeatedly shout, “Be not deceived,” and “Take heed, lest…”

I’m sorry to say, but much of the lies that are taught concerning and regarding the faith is found in pulpits, “Christ-ian” books and publications, “Chris-ian” cliches, and kind-hearted “Christ-ian well wishes.  These x-ian books on comforting deny the power of God’s Word, the devotions that pretend to be Words from Christ, “Jesus Calling” etc. are very dangerous. So many “Christ-ian” books and “CHrist-ian churches and ministies are a good percentage, somewhat sound but what is unsound over-rides what is sound.

If I gave you a cup that was made up of ninety-five percent (95%) soda or lemon-ade and five percent (5%) poison, would you not grow ill and die?  The same is true of works and ministries having a large percent of truth and a small percent poison dogma. The catholic church is perfectly sound on many fronts, their teaching on the Trinity is great.  Even some of their teaching regarding salvation by faith is accurate, but then they poison it with the idolatry of Mary and saints. Actually, moany of their sainst were godly, saved servants, but by the catholic church claiming them, these saints are tainted in the eyes of God’s people.

Much of the world respects the mormon faith because of their views on family and community, what the world does not understand that these families and mormon communities are deceived by a demonic taught and birthed doctrine and are headed for Hell. The Apostolic church and some of the pentacostal churches are sound in some teaching, but then poison them by saying baptism and talking in tongues is a reguirement for salvation. This is true of the so-called, “Christian Church” also known as “Disciples of Christ.”

“Blessed are you when men shall persecute you…”  (Matthew 5)

I would suggest to you to spend time on anti-Christ-ian chat rooms and comment sections under anti-Christian news articles or even pro-Christ-ian articles.  In these on-line eye-openers you will learn so much about the world and you will see how accurate Christ and the Scriptures are on future events that have become current events.

Some of the commonalities one will find is ignorance, shallow thinking, unsupportable one syllable one liners and hatred unbound.  Once in a while you may come across some one that is intelligent and can make some “logic sounding” arguments that ultimately fail.  Sometimes you will find someone that is obviously angry with God for “not existing.”  Sometimes you will find someone desperate to believe but doesn’t know it.

“I wish Billy Graham would die and go to Hell.”  I want all Christ-ians to die and burn in Hell.”  Christ-ianity is so stupid.”  “—- all Christ-ians.”  “I want to kill Christ-ians.”  —- you -.-. ”  “Grow up.”    “Your stoopid.” And that is their spelling.”  “The bible is fairy-tales.”  “Jesus never existed.”  There is no proof for the bible,”  “There is no historical evidence for Jesus.”  “Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.  %$^^, *(&^, Blah, blah, blah, blah…….”
The above, in this paragraph, are only a few of what one can find in most anti-Chris-ian comment rooms.

I read one article recently that spoke about Christ-ian persecution.  In the comment room, like most, the anti-Christ-ian vile and hate-filled spewings, those commenting were betrayed by this ignorance.  When I say ignorance, I mean ignorance by it’s proper definition as not knowing.  Most of those commenting on Christ-ian persecution do not know that persecition comes in many forms and have varying degrees.  They do not know that persecution can be the suppression of speech and expression,  the hatred of others that take on a life of it’s own.  A Christ-ian not being cosidered for a job or losing a job due to one’s faith.  When Christ-ians are over heard and receive negative reactions that are meant to hinder their continued dialogue, and extends all the way up to arrest, torure and murder.

In California there is a bill, that I think will fail, floating around that would illegalize the Bible as well as anything including books and Christ-ian counselors and I suppose churches that speak out against the “alternate life-style,” such as homosexuality, transgenderism, lezbianism and the rest of the alphabet.  Even though this may not become law, the very fact that it has gotten this far and has become a subject of public discourse foretells what will  come.  It is no doubt that some form of this bill will pass at some point.

Do you not remember hearing, years ago, that there will be pro-homosexual depictions on television, even homosexual leading roles?  Do you remember how you didn’t believe it?  You didn’t believe it most likely.  Do you remember hearing about the first time a kiss between two members of the same gender would be shown on television and you thought, “what?!”  The events in this present paragraph were not long ago and the events in the previous are not far away. The events in the previous paragraph would not have occured lest the events in this present article did not come to pass.

In Christ-ian history and in the Word of God persecution would not have come to pass if Christ-ian persecution did not begin quietly and with babysteps.  When I discuss this anti-Christ-ian, pro gay bill in California most, if not all believers say,  “It’ll never happen,” and this is why it will definitely happen, Reader.

This writer cannot begin to understand how believers see our brethren being arrested, tortured, killed, and massacred in large numbers in other parts of the world, if they even know this, and still remain blind to the coming persecution that is in it’s early stages in this country. It begins with the suppression of Christ-ian expression and the vocal expression of pro-Christ-ian hatred being allowed if not incited and speech against homosexuality and islam being thought to be hate-speech, that persecution and it’s progression must, must continue. Reader, this has all been foretold and promised.

With news stories being written, whether true or not, on the decrease of Christ-ianity and the increase of Islam trending, the boldness of homosexuality, Islamists, and anti-Christ-ian sentiment grows more and more bold and receives a greater hearing, and acceptance.

Pastors, and fellow Christ-ians, the day is far past and darkness is growing and spreading. We must awaken out of our sleep and lethargy and “stand” after preparing ourselves in the whole armour of God and putting on the Lord Jesus Christ. Some of you, if paying attention, might think. “Wait… he said we must wake up because the day is far spent and darkness is growing. Does’nt he mean, that we should wake up because it is day time?”  No Reader,  I am suggesting that darkness is coming and now is and we have been sleeping while it WAS day.

How and why has Christ-ian persceution come upon the church?
*By the Christ-ians silence, weakness, and doubt or ignorance of God’s promises.
*By the subtleness of television writers. Writers has made the Christ-ian look stupid, unaware, judgmental, one-sided, and evil, agenda-driven, old-fashioned, gullible, naive, bigoted and racist, etc. etc. etc…  These writers have also made pro-gay, homosexuals, transgenders, lezbians, etc. to be tolerant, wise, and having all the answers. Young Christ-ians have fallen for this writing and indoctrination and this falls back to my first bullet point.
*Politics focusing on the favourability of lillegal aliens, the alternate lifestyles, minorities, and lying about the other party and keeping their mostly policy ignorant voters.
*Christ-ians or some of them giving true Christ-anity a black eye and lost persons being welcomed into the church and giving them a vote and a voice, the name of cheap grace and unsound un-Biblical evangelism practices.
*Some may take offense to the above bullet points, but the proof is in the culture of America today.
*THe above is not meant to be an exhaustive list, but it is a start.

Godspeed and i pray you will not be the blind led by the blind.

“But if not…”  (Daniel 3)

Today I received a report that a young Christ-ian girl, who lived in Pakistan, had died. This young girl spent six (6) days in the hospital and gave up the ghost. The cause of her passing on, in human terms, was due to acid being thrown upon her body. She was being forced into a marriage with a son of belial, a servant of (s)atan, a worshiper of the islamic death cult that follows a depraved and pedophiliac sociopathic false prophet that believed a demon, who came to him in form of an angel. I’m talking about Muhhamad, may his soul burn in Hell forever.

STOP IT!!!  If you are saying or thinking, well that just isn’t Christ-like. If this is you, please read Psalm sixty-nine (69) and know this is what was in Christ’s thoughts as He died in the stead of His elect people and only in the stead of His elect people. “Forgive them, for they know not what they do” was specific to the soldiers that crucified Him and no one else.  Those that had Him crucified knew what they were doing.

In these perilous time, foretold by Scripture, so many of our fellow believers in other parts of the world, are being killed, have been killed, and will continue to be killed in the Name of a death cult and depraved prophet that believed (s)atan’s lies.  Those that kill them do it in (s)atan’s name and those that are martyred, are martyred in the Name of Christ.

We have example after example after example of God’s chosen being led to the slaughter all the day long.  We have examples in our God-inspired Scripture, in history, and in our current times. The people of God stood for the faith of Christ or more specifically for the Focus of their faith.  The three (3) Hebrew men that refused to bow to Nebuchaddnezzar’s ridiculosly narcassistic golden idol said they would not bow to this idol. They said God is able to deliver them if He wills, however they stood in  their direct repute to the king’s face with, “But if not”  they still would not bow to His idol.  We see Daniel, the disciple/apostles laying down their live, We saw our Champion lay down His life on our behalf, on my behalf, and your behalf…they all fought the good fight of faith and their testimony stood and brought glory to God and CONDEMNATION to God’s hate-filled and rebellious enenmies.

We see examples of believers being killed today in school shootings and other parts of the world for their testimony of Christ, we see the enemiies of the Cross of Christ shooting Christ-ians in churches here and other places.

I’m going to make a statement that a few or some will think is rash and maybe even prideful. However this statement is neither and I will prove it and hopefully encourage those that would think me rash and put on a mask of humility and meekness.

I have heard and I have said, one should not boast of one’s willingness to stand for Christ in the face of perilous and trying times. We and others point to the passage that warns us to take heed lest we fall in the name of mis-understanding humility and mis-understanding meekness.  That warning is a good warning; it speaks to carnal and fleshly pride. HOWEVER, to take that position is to ignore the grace God gave to all that died in His Name before us in Scripture, in history, in contemporary times and today!!!  To say, i do not know what I would do if put in a position of recant or die, it is to doubt the promise of Christ and all the examples of the martyrs that have gone before us.

David knew he might be in for a long fight, hence his five (5) smooth stones, Esther knew her death was a possibility if not probable, Daniel knew what was before him, Christ knew what was before Him, Thomas knew what could be before him when he said, let us go and die with Him, Peter knew what awaited him in his old age, Paul knew of his coming dispatchment to Christ’s side. The promised grace and courage was provided to all of them.  It is written of Christ that the Spririt was present to allow Him to meet His destiny.  Paul said, “To die is gain.” The Hebrew men said, “If He does not deliver us, be it known unto you, we will not bow.”

In Christian history Polycarp, when he was offered life if he would “only” recant his faith in Christ.  His answer?  Christ has stood by me for over eighty (80) years, why would I now betray Him.  In other words Polycarp said,  and I paraphrase, Christ has been with me, Christ is with me, and I shall forever be with Christ and you are foolish to even think….for a micro-second that I would bow to your puny, self centered, self-exalting dead inside spirit, that is reprobate to the faith and love of God….puny human.

Martin Luther, when threatened with excommunication and probable death, refused to recant, He used the inspired, the spiritual logic, the fire, the words Christ promised to all that would be taken and put before puny magistrates in His Blessed Name, that is above all Names. Luther’s answer to their threats was, “Here I stand, God help me.”

Reader, the day is far spent and our salvation draweth nigh and is closer than when we first believed. It is time to be loosed from Lazarus’ death clothes, and make the committment to Christ, here and now, trusting His promises, and His graces and say, “For me to live is Christ and death is gain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is time that we cast off the Christ-ian version of political correctness and the self exaltation of ourselves in the name of false humility, false meekness and false moderation.

To say, “I hope I would be strong enough to remain loyal to Christ,” is to take the positition that is certain to fail.  One is not humble or meek to say, “if Christ gives me courage, I will stand.”  One is denying the promise of the Presence and filling of the Holy Spirit when one “hopes” in a faithless way to stand for Christ.

Some would say, “But Peter’s denial of Christ is a warning to us.” WRONG!!! Peter had not yet received the Christ promised Holy Spirit and power to STAND as a witness to Christ’s Glory. but when he did receive the Promised Spirit, he stood and glorified God.

It is high time to cast off the old man and “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy, and beloved, bowels of mercy, kindness [true] humbleness of mind, [true] meekness, longsuffering…”

It is high time to “…Take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

It is high time to “…put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ…”

To trust and stand, by the hope of our promised, anchored, and Christ wrought salvation, in God’s grace is not of the flesh, is not carnal, is not pride, is not self-willed or self-concerned.  To stand in the liberty, hope, and strength of Christ is what we were newly created for.

*We were chosen in Christ [BEFORE] the foundation of the world.
*Daniel and his friends made the decision, knowing the grace of God, to remain loyal and strong BEFORE, they were called upon to remain loyal and strong.
*It is written, Christ was the Lamb killed BEFORE the founding of the world.
*Paul said, “To live is Christ…”

And was it not the very Son of God, that said, “Thy will be done?”

Reader, if we are to experience the persecution that Christ foretold and is happening right now in other parts of the world, we must decide NOW that we will stand in the faith, in the hope, and in the strength that Christ promised us when perilous times come.

For me to live is Christ and death is gain and whether we live in Christ, or die in Christ, we are His. The slaughter of our Christ-ian family in other parts of the world, any persecution we, in America, may come to face is the validation, the vindication, the demonstration of faith, the hope we have in Christ and the condemnation and desolation of all that oppose Christ and Christ’s very elect.

Godspeed.

“And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of anti-christ, whereof ye have heard that it should come, and even now already is it in the world.”  (1 John 4)

Reader,
I spend time in chat rooms and comment sections with unbelievers and militant atheists.  I can testify to the warnings of Christ that regarded the hatred of the world that would be a vexation to those who are filled with the Spirit of Christ. Many of these haters simply spew their hatred and have nothing else to threaten anyone that is protected by the whole armour of God upon their person.

These lightweight and ignorant persons are like a person that would argue with you if you said grass is green.  The thrust of their unsupportable and emotionally controlled reactions, not logical responses, but unreasonable rantings, are filled with personal attacks, cliches, curse words, vitriol, and what is the offspring of ignorance and parrotted one-syllable attacks. I’m not being mean or unnecessarily offensive, I am sharing objective judgments.

However, once in a while, every one hundred (100) years or so (Hyberbole), there comes an intelligent, militant, and devangelical,” if you will, atheist and is capable to remain composed and give tic for tac. They share recollections of emotional and uncomposed believers, who lash out with curse words, violence and even spittle.  There is no defense for that kind of action, as Paul says, [The saved] man’s wrath worketh not the righteousness of God, and as David said, the wrath of [the unsaved and militant] man serves God’s purposes.

Vitriolic arguments and debates that are motivated by a contentious spirit will not win others to Christ. Debate for debates sake is carnal and all flesh, even a well meaning debater who argues in the flesh displeases God because his arguments are not of faith.  Many argue for “their personal faith” because they are consciously or unconsciously seeking affirmation by making others bow to the their logic and beliefs. That is why religious topics get so over-heated. The over-heated believer is not so much concerned about lost souls and eternity as he is with proving his point.

One does not find many examples of emotional and personal attacks in Scripture.  Most disaggrements are between fellow believers, Paul and Barnabus and Paul and Peter are examples. However, it is certain that God’s witnesses would challenge and engage those of other beliefs and false religions. Elijah and the prophets of Baal stands as an example. Another example is in Acts; Paul spoke of Christ to the Greeks. Other examples include John the Baptizer’s engagements with religious leaders. Christ also had His battles with religious and political leaders.

These battles, over doctrine and spiritual truths, stuck to Scriptural logic, reason, history, parables, and analogies and the exposure or defeat of man’s religions.  In the Reformation, the battles did get personal but it began over doctrinal and dogmatic issues.

All of the above stand as examples for us to follow and pattern ourselves after.  Recall the verbal combat between Mose and Pharoah, recall Christ’s composure, and over-whelming Competancy and regal stance during His illegal trials, as if He was in control of the illegal trials and with the proper prespective one can see He was in charge of all that was coming to pass in His Passion.

These are lesson to us. These examples should prepare the Christ-ian witness for proper, for controlled, and for composed engagements or shoulder and collar lock ups over the Truth of Scripture and the exposure and deficiencies of all other “religions.”

When the militant unbeliever uses the argument that there is no evidence, outside of the Bible, that proves the very existence of Christ.  This makes the fool feel smart and wise. However, there is a way to answer their fallacious arguments.

Why or how are we to be fully convinced with Bin Laden’s crimes on 9/11?  You didn’t see Bin Laden and neither did I, he was a face on books and newspapers and we were told that he was “the guy.” I’m not saying he wasn’t the guy, I am only pointing out how we are able know he was the guy.  I never met Abraham Lincoln, I’ve seen pictures and read books about him but I have never had any experiential knowledge that would confirm that Lincoln existed. The evidence of Lincoln is accepted and appropriated by the evidence we have.

When the militant atheist goes to the “Jesus never existed and cannot be proven” corner of the ring, we are should not be dismayed, disappointed, dismissed or defeated. When the atheist says there is no proof, you can know that he is already defeated and he is intellectually dishonest and does not believe grass is green.

The atheist will acknowledge that the Roman philosopher, Cicero existed because there is evidence. There are letters that are still in existence.  WELL…one of those letters was written and sent by a man named Saul/Paul of Tarsus, who was an apostle of Christ. If Paul, the Apostle existed, if Cicero, the philosopher existed, then Christ Jesus existed. It is logical. It goes like this
*Paul was an apostles of Jesus Christ
*Cicero is an accepted and proven historical figure.
*Paul, the apostle of Christ had communications with Cicero,  an accepted and historically proven person.
Therefore, The historically accepted Cicero gives validation that Paul, an Apostle of Christ existed, and the provable existence of Paul, an Apostle of Christ, gives evidence and testimony to the existence of The historical Jesus Christ.

There exists plenty of historical evidence, outside of Christ-ianity and outside of Scripture that validates the very historical Christ. There exists plenty of non-Christ-ian writings that speak to Christ.  As they say, “Google it.”

However, even with all the evidence that shouts of Christ’s existence, will not do anything.  It is the peculiar and God-given gift of repentance and faith from God that allows one to believe. It is the regeneration of the dead spirit that allows us to see the Rock-hard evidence and revelation of our sin, folly, and undone-ness before God and it is this new life that allows us to sense Christ’s Presence and Witness. These are truths that the natural man cannot receive or begin to understand. It is written, we love Him because He first loved us.

The last sentence is inspirational and doctinally sound. On the other hand however, those that reject and love not God, those who love not God’s Son, those who love not their neighbor and enemy, and hate Christ and those called by His Name were never loved by God in the first place. I know that sounds harsh and those that preach from presuppositions and prejudiced leanings would charge me with heresy. All of that is fine, but the Logos or Logic of the Scriptures, the implications of Scripture and the faith-filled-deductions and inferences that we are to take from Scripture stand firm.

Godspeed.

“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisios and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ; but their own belly;  and by good words and fair speech deceive the hearts of the simple.”  (Romans 16)

“…they are the enemies of the [C]ross of Christ…”  (Philippians 3)

Reader,  The Christ-ian is to love one’s brethren, neighbors, and enemies.  The Christ-ian is not to gossip, backbite, cause divisions between others, cause strife, or take pleasure in the fall of others. The Christ-ian is not to be judgmental or entertain a contentious spirit.  The Christ-ian is to judge what is good/bad, true/false, right/wrong, but not in a haughty or judgmental spirit, one is to judge objectively and with the proper motive and intention.

On the other hand and at the same time the Scriptures tell us clearly to mark those who are opposed to sound doctrines and seek to satisfy their inward and wanton desires. Paul calls these the enemy of the Cross of Christ, we should infer from that, that they are also our enemies. Jude speaks of men that creep in unawares. Christ warns us, in very strong words, that the pharisaical spirit is to be identified and kept away from. Paul also names names of destructive persons in the church.  John also wrote in his third (3rd) epistle about the dictatorial leader of a church and that he should be put out and another person installed.

I have witnessed splits in churches and have heard about splits in churches. It is every Christ-ian’s responsibility to watch out for the persons described above. When someone was sent from one church to another church, in the days of the Apostles, letters were carried that would give good references to the person carrying the letter. This is why the practice of letter sending has been kept in the church. No pastor wants to throw a trouble-maker out and send him to another church. On the positive side, when good members leave a church, due to relocating or other reasons, the church that is left will send a letter to the new church that the good person chooses to attend.

Church life and the life and health of the Church is serious business. The Church is called the Body of Christ and the Bride of Christ.  These titles imply great importance and with that established, the Christ-ian is to be jealous (protective) over the church. The Scriptures are replete with warnings to guard the city, the kingdom, the wall, the encampment of the army, etc. The inference from these examples should tell us the church, the ministry must be protected like a kingdom or a city.

In the life of David, we see Absolom, David’s son who was self-centered, self-exalting, and wanted the praise of the people as well as power and authority over the people. We learn that David never disciplined his son, Absolom and there is an obvious lesson we must learn from the events that transpired between David and his (probably sociopathic) son.

Paul, in his letters to the Philippians, to the Romans, to the Corinthians, and to the Galatians, warn these home churches not to be deceived by men that had ill intentions.  Christ warns us of wolves in sheeps clothing, Jude warns us about the creeping men, John warns a church in his third (3rd) epistle to do away with the self-centered dictator type pastor of that church.

The expulsion, the dismissal, the dispatchment, the excomunication of persons who breed strife and division is not a heel-ish act, is not gossip or backbiting.  The vigilance of the saint is necessary.  The saints must be protected from these infiltrators, it is one of the pastor’s top jobs. These persons have been and can be called by many labels: Subtle, haughty, high-minded, foolish, vain-glorious, prideful, ministers of darkness that are transformed into ministers of light, enemies of the Cross of Christ, narcissistic, psycho/sociopathic, pharisaical, (s)atan-like, etc.

It is every Christ-ian’s and it is every pastor’s duty to watch and pray and to mark and take note of troublesome persons.

We have met a former (s)atanist, who is now a servant of Christ, for many years.  This man said, in his testimony, that he would pretend to be a Christ-ian in city Missions and out-reach centers. He would sell drugs and alcohol to persons coming to the mission for help. This man was like the serpent in the Garden, this man was like Judas in the midst of the disciples. By God’s mercy, he was made a new creature in Christ. Yet, he still stands as a warning to all believers and all ministers of God.

Speaking of Judas, the only reason that Judas didn’t do more harm earlier and more often is because Christ knew his heart and Christ restrained him and kept him busy with other things, like keeping an eye on the money. Pastors and ministers of God must be alert, vigilant, and on the look out for these persons who try to creep in unawares. The pastor cannot be naive or sentimental in dealings like this.  The pastor must be like Christ and use his heel to crush the skull of the usurper, the trouble-maker, the…you understand.

Many times mean or what is perceived as mean is good, right, and true. Many times, what is bad, wrong, and false can look like pleasantness.

In summary:
*Cain must be marked.
*The shepherd must be-head the giant.
*Samuel must slaughter Agag.
*The king must expel his betraying son.
*The Christ-like must crush the serpent’s head with his heel.
*Moses must deal with Korah and his sons.
*Joshua must put Achan out of the camp.
*Peter must deal with Ananias and Saphira.
*Ehud must put the knife into Eglon’s gut.
*Jehu must put Jezebel down.
*The Lord shall reward Alexander, the coppersmith for his dirty dealings against Paul.

Reader, we have plenty of warrant to mark the trouble-maker. If we mark not the trouble-maker, we become the trouble-maker and condone the former trouble-maker.

The Church, the kingdom, the assembly of saints is serious business and playing nice with those who are reprobate against the faith is kin to letting a serpent seduce your wife.

Godspeed.