God's Final Word?

A couple of days before Christmas I read an article over at the Team Pyro/ Pyromaniacs blog. This particular article was written by Dan Phillips, which I know only by that blog. The more notable contributor is Phil Johnson, who is pretty tight with John Macarthur, whom I have never seen a controversial post from (yet). I have been hesitant to post this blog, not out of fear of the mighty pyro, but out of respect. I do respect the guys over there and I do agree with 99% of what they have to say. That being said, I can not get this post off of my mind and the only way will is to post it. Not that it will get the thousands of hits and traffic that the teamPyro blog does, but just to know it is out there in cyberville so the Lord can use it as He see's fit.

Phillips blog is titled “God’s Final Word” It did catch my eye, because admittedly, I very rarely read his posts. This one did elicit a response though. I invite anyone here over to read the blog post for yourself, along with all of the comments given, of which I have posted a couple. A dear brother in Christ has also asked some questions with few answers from Phillips and actually instead has been pretty much ridiculed for his questions. I have been silent since J.T. has been questioning over there, not so much out of fear of the same for me, but out of awe as the poster and those commenting seem to really have a disdain towards anyone that has a different view than they.

So what’s this little “difference”? Actually it is not really that little after all. As Dan Phillips blog title states “God’s Final Word” it is a post that says that God no longer interacts with His followers, other than through the reading of the Bible. I tend to disagree which finds me in hot water with Phillips and others at teampyro. Phillips asserts that at the closing of the cannon that God then became silent, except for through His scriptures. I questioned that by stating that how could someone be saved if God did not personally speak to that person, not with a thunderous voice, a whisper in the ear or a burning bush, but by a personal revelation if you will. The Spirit made contact with the man’s spirit and the man could do nothing but submit. So began a “discussion” that now includes J.T. and me in one corner and the rest of the posters throughout the rest of the ring.

I have been sitting on a comment that I typed up to post over there, but it has grown so long that I am sure it would go either unread or deleted by Phillips. Out of respect I chose not to post it over there because of its length, oh and J.T. almost said word for word what I was going to say on a few things. I will be posting a link there to my posting here on my meek blog over on the pyro comment section. But then again that is opening a can of worms for Phillips to tear apart any past posts I have written. I am definitely not the caliber writer that Phillips is, have not had anywhere near the formal training and have never pastored a church. But I do stand qualified in my relationship with Christ as a spokesperson for what He has done to me, through me and for me. Some of which has been by Him speaking directly to me.

Let me make a few things clear before I go any further: I am not what some would call a charismatic. I do not speak in tongues, never have been slain in the spirit, never seen an angel (that I know of), never had Christ standing in my room and never had a vision. I have however been led by God to do certain things not possible in and of myself, most notably repenting and trusting in Him as my Savior. Other than that I have had Him give me comfort in times of despair, have felt His leadership in decisions in my life, have been led by Him through prayer and other things that I can’t go into now. I have most recently seen His healing hands at work in my wife through a major surgery that had some head scratching healings unexplainable by the medical staffs. So, yes I know God is active in my life and no I am not ashamed to say He is. I would actually say that if you cannot see God active in your life then you have the issue, not me. Jesus said that His sheep hear His voice and follow Him. Maybe those that are not hearing Christ are either not listening, are too intellectual and self-reliant or not of His flock. I see no other options. Actually the first two of the options would suggest that you were ignoring Gods Word, which would be a tough task for a child of God.

Those commenting at the pyro blog have said that when God “illuminates” His Word that people get saved. Could the word “illuminate” also be God speaking to someone? How about calling it revealing Himself to someone? Or another term could be giving ears to hear, which Phillips himself asks for at the end of his post, but denies in his meta of the blog. J.T. asked Phillips if John Macarthur was blasphemous when he stated at the beginning of one of his sermons that “God impressed on me to change my message to….” This was shot down with a “Leave Macarthur out of this” type of comment. Macarthur has been a voice of caution to Christians against the “charismatic” sects, I never saw myself in one of these until Phillips lumped me in with the outlandish I mentioned earlier. I have also read and found great edification from Macarthur’s books “Charismatic Chaos” and “The Charismatics”.

Jesus said that His sheep hear His voice and follow Him. He did not say they read what is recorded. The paths of a good man are ordered by the Lord, lead us not into temptation, he that is of God hears His Words, everyone that has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me, the Spirit bears witness with our spirit, the Holy Ghost is a witness TO us, the Spirit teaches us, we have the mind of Christ, the Comforter dwells with me and in me, the Holy Spirit shows me things.(Psalm 37:23, Matt 6:13, John 8:47, John 6:45, Rom 8:16, Heb 10:15, 1 Cor. 2:13, 1 Cor. 2:16, John 14:16-17, John 16:13-15).

Many people know many things about God, but knowledge is not knowing, that is why Christ will tell many on judgment day to depart from Him, He never knew them. Head knowledge is great as long as it is preceded by spiritual knowledge. I could read every biography ever written on someone, know the finest details of their life, but never actually know that person. The same is with God. I could memorize the scriptures beginning to end and still not know God; until He illuminates/ opens my eyes/ calls my name and initiates a personal relationship. So many are deceived because they know a lot about God and the Bible, but are as lost as anyone could be. They think because they know a lot they must be a Christian.

I am sure I will make a part 2 to this blog; it is getting somewhat lengthy now. But will conclude now by saying that on one hand I agree with Phillips, Gods Word is closed. There will never be anything added to the bible. I will object though that God does not use things outlined in scripture to talk to His people and commune with our spirit by His Spirit. Call it illuminating, speaking to our hearts, revealing something, guidance or feeling His presence, it is all the same and semantics are getting in the way. I refuse to put limits on God and have yet to find anywhere in scripture that says God is silent, became silent or will be silent to His people. Steering the cart away from the ditch of overboard theatrics to the opposite ditch of God’s silence is just as bad and just as damaging.

Rats, I must make another paragraph. A question for the God is silent camp, if God is silent then why do you pray? Why do you ask for Him to guide you, to use you, to reveal to you? If all one has to do is read the bible to know God, why isn’t everyone that reads scripture converted? Wouldn’t saying that scripture will guide you totally without additional interaction from God in effect saying that a persons understanding as he reads the determining factor in their salvation? Why would we need preachers? Why do we need blogs like pyromaniacs or ministries like Grace To You, Desiring God or Real Truth Matters? If we are the body and Christ is the Head, then if He is not leading us aren’t we just stumbling around without leadership from Him? The last time I checked a body without a head was dead. Oh, it might flail around a bit and make a bunch of noise as it runs aimlessly into walls, but it will die eventually. I see the answers now “Christ is the head still, through the Bible”. But I will counter now as well by saying that I follow Christ through His Word, not the bible in and of itself, but Christ as revealed in scripture. If it doesn’t mesh with what the bible has already said, then it can’t be from God. It is true that scripture is the guide, all guidance can be found through scripture as revealed by God. Simply reading its words is reliance on me to comprehend, not reliance on God to guide me as I read.

Disclaimer:
Since writing this post, I was at odds with myself on rather I would post it or not. I have since seen several posts on Facebook and GTY from John Macarthur about this same topic and decided I would go ahead and post. My meager blog has nowhere near the readership that teampyro or Grace To You has, but I am confident that the Lord will lead those here that He wishes to read this. If you have read it, it is no mistake even if you disagree with me. I wish no ill will towards anyone that has a different opinion than mine. I will not say that you are an enemy and will not try to berate or belittle you in any way.

Hume-or Me For The Last Time

So, my third post on the Brit Hume “conversations” going around. I watched Wretched with Todd Friel and they showed a clip I had not seen yet. This clip was from The O’Reilley Factor and Hume does go into more detail and further explains his motives. I’ll be the first to admit that the comments to O’Reilly are a lot more straightforward than the other 2 clips I saw (last 2 posts). Here is the video:


In the first part of the video, he rehashes some of his earlier comments. But adds at around the 1:32 mark “Jesus Christ offers something that Tiger Woods badly needs”. YES! This is what the first 2 videos were lacking. Then goes on to really speak some truth, “If Tiger Woods were to make a true conversion – we would know it. It would show through in his being. And he would know it above all and he would feel the extraordinary blessing that that would be…” Once again, YES! Truth comes out from Hume. Just wish it would have came earlier and during all the interviews.

I will still stand by my first two posts though, seeing how they were the first two instances that Hume had to speak the truth. If I would not have been watching Wretched (which thankfully now airs on DirecTV) I would not have known about the O’Reilly interview. This being the case is why the truth of the Gospel needs to be proclaimed in its entirety instead of jumping to the chase. I am not sure that Tiger sees himself as a sinner against a righteous God at this time. I am sure that he knows he has done wrong to his wife, children and now the many people that looked up to this man. But does he know that he has broken several of Gods commandments and will stand trial for these, without support from any lawyer or character witnesses? Does Tiger know that there is only One Advocate that we have to the Father?

Prayerfully God will use this situation to reach Tiger Woods. Someone can’t be saved if they don’t first know they are in danger. My prayer is that the Lord will put someone in Woods’ path that will be able to explain clearly God’s Holy Gospel. Not just a “turn or burn” message, but that God loves even adulterers and liars and those are exactly whom His Son, Jesus Christ died for.

This Is No Longer Hume-orous

So, I have watched the video of Brit Hume a few more times (see below), hopefully anticipating that I did miss something that would shed light to me. No such luck. I still think he was pushing a personal agenda for Tiger Woods, telling him that if he chose Christianity he could get back some respect and be forgiven too. WOW! Sounds like a good thing, except it’s not biblical. It is actually what I call situational decisionism, where based on a persons current situation a "decision" is made "for Christ" and they believe themselves to be a Christian. These people more often than not end up back in the same sins the were before their "decision". This happens a lot with people that are in jail, have a major crisis come up and make a lot of vows (God, if you do this, then I will do this for you), during health issues or many other situations where they make a momentary decision to change. It is just not a heartfelt change, it lasts only as long as the situation does, then it's done and they get back to their life.

Now there is a new clip from Hume in which he says “I don’t regret my statement at all” and then goes on to tell of his “conversion”…… kind of. He speaks of his son’s suicide 11 years ago and how devastating that was, understandably so. I will not make light of that situation in the least and just say that God uses many different means to reach the lost and also in true Christians lives. Make no mistake, there is nothing that happens that does not ultimately bring Glory to God. He said, “Throughout that whole, horrible time I had this sense that God was there for me, that He would rescue me, that He would save me. And He did. In ways that I couldn’t have imagined or expected; His imagination is always greater than ours.”

Hume then goes on to tell of the many cards, emails and words of encouragement he and his family received and the impact that made on him. He also states that in those correspondences he saw the Face of God. He then says something that I have been pondering since I heard it, sounds like something I had said countless times in my life before being truly and radically changed by God: “It was time for me now to face up to the Christian faith which I purported to belong to and try to face up to the implications of what I purported to believe and I have been trying ever since.” Those are some very “Brit-Centric” words there, a lot of self-effort, instead of reliance on Christ.

He then goes on to speak about Tiger and his losses. Not the endorsements or golf tour, but his reputation, wife and family. He says that Tiger is paying a “frightful price” for what he did. Then he makes a very tell, tell comment: “If you think about what Christianity is about, it’s about sinners. And, uh, Christianity is a religion for sinners and that Tiger Woods has an opportunity here and my prayer here would be that he take it.” That single statement turns Christianity away from being God focused and instead man focused. Christianity is not “about” sinners; it is “about” God’s love for us, His redemption, His sacrifice, His forgiveness, His mercy, His grace.

Hume actually does say something I do agree with. “If you’re trying to find the two most explosive words in the English language, they would be Jesus Christ.” He then speaks of a Baptist minister that said he had a “utilitarian” message and that it was wrong. To which he replied, “I don’t understand what he’s talking about”, which may be the first building block of my disagreement with Hume. Jesus Christ is divisive, because He alone is Truth, everything else is false and non-Christians pick up on that. That is why you can say God all day long (because everyone has their own view of who or what God is to them), but the moment you say Jesus, things change. Jesus said that no one comes to the Father except through Him. That leaves out every other religion in the world.

The Baptist minister that Hume mentioned was Welton Gaddy, Pastor for preaching and worship at Northminster Church in Monroe, LA (and also has “Leader of the Interfaith Alliance” next to his photo on the Washington Post website Hume reference). Reading over Gaddy’s comment I do agree partially with what he says, that Hume was using a utilitarian manner. By this, I assume, that he was saying that Hume was enticing Woods with the hope of forgiveness by the Christian religion, instead of Buddhism. Gaddy is correct in his statement “it (Christianity) is a holistic faith to be embraced and lived. Seeking the easiest form of forgiveness--though such a description of forgiveness in Christianity is woefully inadequate and misleading--is not a reason to become a Christian. The life of a Christian involves far more than a response to wrongdoing.”

Hume is really misrepresenting Christianity. He seems to be emphasizing the religion, rather than the Reason for the religion. I see this played out all the time, be it what Hume has been saying or others that worship the Bible instead of the God that wrote the Bible. I am sure that if you would ask Hume or any of these other people if God were their focus, they would say undoubtedly YES, God is our focus. But actions speak louder than words. Why not say it and live it to begin with? Hume has stated that Christianity can do all of these things for Tiger Woods, but no mention of what Jesus’ redemptive work has done. Lots of “come to Christianity for forgiveness and redemption”, but nothing of Christ’s forgiveness and redemptive work on the cross for us.

As I stated in my first post on this subject, I am sure Hume means well. This does show the state of Christianity in these days. It’s not about Christ anymore, it’s not about the Object of our faith, it is faith in a system, a method, a formula or a certain belief structure. If a persons motive for anything is something other than God, it is sin. Hume is as misguided as most people that sit in pews on Sunday mornings, the teachings of scripture is not there any longer. God’s judgment is taking place and He is removing His Spirit from the world, giving way to these false beliefs, that have a form of godliness, but are vastly different. They have just enough truth to deceive. What better way for Satan to deceive than by using professing Christians?

I make a plea to the few that God leads this way to my meager blog – stop the deception. Cry out to God to empower you to take a stand for Him and the return to what true Biblical Christianity is. Stop turning your head to false teachings that corrupt the Word of God, do not allow people to blaspheme our Father’s Holy Name by saying they are Christians in one breath and in the next spew lies, curses or dirty jokes. Pray that God will rise up His people like never before to stand in the footsteps of saints past like Luther, Calvin, Stephen, Spurgeon, Paul, Whitfield, Edwards and Lloyd-Jones. God doesn’t use extraordinary people He uses people extraordinarily.

Brit Hume Tells Tiger "Turn Or Burn"

I know Brit Hume meant well, but c’mon already. Jesus is not a cure all for your problems. Do not tell someone to come to Jesus to save your marriage, get you out of trouble, for recovery, to break your addictions or anything less than seeing yourself as a miserable sinner that can not save themselves.

Hume made a few remarks during a Fox News broadcast, Not nearly the “Turn or Burn” message sinners need and actually Hume missed the mark by a mile saying, "He is said to be a Buddhist. I don't think that faith offers the kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian faith. My message to Tiger would, 'Tiger, turn to the Christian faith and you can make a total recovery and be a great example to the world." I cringe my teeth hearing stuff like that. While on the surface it appears like a good motive, but it is nothing more than showing how the American gospel/ easy believism is so prevalent.

Actually quotes like this are expected from the likes of Joel Osteen or Rick Warren. From a news guy though? All the research I have done on Hume states nothing of his Christian faith and contrary to popular belief – being on Fox News does not mean that you are a Christian (Glenn Beck=Mormon, Bill O’Reilly=Roman Catholic, Sean Hannity=Roman Catholic, Greta Van Susteren=Scientologist).

I’m sure I’ll get some flack for talking about Hume, but this comment may have actually damaged Christianity more than helping. I am all for talking about Jesus be it on the Radio, a ball game, NASCAR race, school and even a news program on national TV, but PLEASE do not misrepresent God, do not offer people a better life if they “choose Christ” or make it seem like God is an addition to ones life to make them prosper in health, wealth or to heal your problems. Christians are never promised any of that and that kind of draw was only added when preachers stopped proclaiming the Word of God in Truth and Righteousness. They had to come up with devises to get decisions and fill the church rolls, if not they would be out of a job. So what to do? “Yeah, let’s target the peoples emotions and offer them things that will make them feel better about themselves and tell them God will cure everything and fix everything.” Heresy! God is not an accessory that you put on and take off as needs arise.

Just stop already with this type of message to the world. Proclaim God’s Truths and allow the Spirit to work. Don’t fish for emotional decisions and promises of health and wealth. Speak to a person’s soul using the Word of God, show them that they deserve nothing but the fires of hell but that God did make a Way. He sent His Son to take their sins upon Himself. The spotless Lamb, sinless and blameless that bore our sins on that tree to save us from that fiery pit. It is really simple after someone knows they are lost, they then must do only two things – repent and trust in Christ. In those two things one dies to themselves and gives God rein of their life, submits to Christ as Lord and then rests in Him. Give the complete Gospel and don’t butcher to not offend, I promise you when their life is over they will be screaming and cursing you for not offending them.

What You Talkin' 'Bout Heathen?

“Whew! Taylor Swift is HOT! Man, she’s only 15 though.”
This was said by a man in his 50’s during break at my work today. Pervert? Uh, yeah. Depraved? Definitely. Saved? Not. But what is odd is that this man is an ordained “minister”, albeit from a mail-order/ internet church that divvies these “pastorates” out for 30 bucks. He actually got this bogus ordination a few years ago so he could perform a wedding ceremony at a local bar here in Paducah. He claims to be a Christian, even though he spews curse words more than anyone I have ever heard, and that is a lot…. believe me. I cringe when I hear him talk about the things of God, because he obviously knows nothing of the Holy God of the bible.

I have had a few conversations with him about true biblical Christianity. Needless to say, my words fall on deaf ears. His mind and heart are presently closed to the things of God and he is mired in a sinful life. Today I broke from my normally mild mannered speech, to a point blank “calling the kettle black” mode. Normally I do not do this at work because I am in a position that could get a lot of backlash from speaking out too loudly about Godly things. I am so glad I did, it is actually an answer to my recent prayers. I have asked the Lord to embolden me at work….. and He has answered in the last several months.

This is the latest encounter in my work place. Of recent I have had several God focused conversation with my plant manager, of all people. He claims to be a Christian as well, but his lifestyle also does not match up. Matter of fact, several people at my job profess Christ, but are as lost as anyone ever was. I have to continually be reminded that these people are doing what is natural to them, sin. They lie about being a Christian, they party with the best of them, cuss up a storm, cheat, steal from our employer by not giving a fair days work for their wages, live with their girlfriends/ boyfriends and so on. They are a prime example of the product of American Christianity.

Back to the “ordained minister”. I was emboldened to speak out against what he said about Taylor Swift. Not that a 50 year old man lusting after a 15 year old girl is any different than a 50 year old man lusting after a 50 year old woman. It is all sin. I told him that it wasn’t right to look at a girl that young to which he replied, “Yeah, but she’s showing it off, I’m looking”. There may have been some other words in there, but I’ll refrain from typing those out.

I then said “You know Jesus said that if you look at a woman with lust, you have already committed adultery in your heart”. That elicited a few stammers and he replied, “Well, every man on the planet has cheated then”. (Once again, words omitted to protect your eyes and mind). My reply to him was “That may be so, but when you stand before God on judgment day, you will not have those other men there to justify your sins, you’ll be standing there alone and you will not be able to say that everyone else did it, so it made it alright for you. You’ll have to stand there and fell the wrath of God on you”.

After I said that, using God’s Word, he clammed up and was really quiet. Romans 3:19 comes to my mind. God’s Word can and does quieten skeptics and sinners. I was shown again that I can’t rely on Jeff to change someone, but to lean on God’s Word and proclaim the Truth in and out of season. I praise God for opening my mouth in this instance and pray that He continues to use me. I am ready to go deeper and need to relinquish myself to Him. I have a hard time doing so because my self confidence is weak, but the more I pray, the more I study the Bible and the more He shows me, the more I see that it’s not up to me to do anything. I must relinquish it all to the Lord and He will have His way. I’ll just be there as a willing vessel, whatever that entails.



For those of you that would also like your “ordination”, here is a link

Merry Christmas - Proclaim His Goodness

Luke 2:10-14 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.


As Christmas morning approaches each year and I see more and more of the secularizing of this great Holiday I am drawn more to what Christmas is all about. We are all aware that December 25th is not the actual birthday of Jesus. Science actually tells us it was probably mid-summer, but does the date really matter? Are we to be celebrating the "day" or are we to be celebrating the Love of God that would send us His Son, that would 33 years later take His wrath upon Him for our sins? Your sins, my sins. The significance of December 25th should be it is a common day that we, as Christians, set aside to do just that, Celebrate our Lord and Saviour.

But don't forget the reason for Christ's birth in your celebrations. What better day to share the message of Christ, His Gospel, to an unsaved family member or friend? As Christians we are ambassadors for Christ in every situation and especially at Christmas time, when most of the world uses it as an excuse to throw a party and tip back a few (probably more than a few) drinks and eat a whole bunch, we have the duty to proclaim the real Reason for the season. The reason is not to party, not to eat, not to give or receive Christmas gifts, but to celebrate The Gift, Christ.

You already have an opening to the evangelical conversation. "Merry Christmas!" is the ultimate "ice breaker" as Way of the Master puts it. It is an entry, a reason to spark a conversation about things Spiritual. Share your testimony of what Christs birth, His death and His resurrection means to you. Explain Christs propitiation for us. Explain repentance and the TRUTH of the Gospel Message. Do not let this Christmas pass without sharing the greatest Gift with someone you love.

Also keep in mind that not all that profess Christ are really His. Don't let Uncle Bubby tell you that he "took care of it a long time ago" or that he's "got his ticket" or "he said that prayer" or "walked the aisle" when he was a kid. If his fruits aren't in alignment with the Word of God, he is as lost as your Christmas turkey. Share with him the TRUTH of the Word, not what man has distorted to accommodate their sins. The Word is clear that if you are fiends of the World you are and enemy of God James 4:4. Treat the professing Christian the same as any other lost person, because they are lost too, much more deceived, but just as lost. Pray that the Spirit will give you the words to say and He will. Let His will be done this day. Share Him with those you love and if by the off chance everyone in your family is a truly born again Christian, stop by a gas station and share Christ with those poor people that have to spend their Christmas Day working.

May the Lord Bless you all this day and every day!
Merry Christmas!

Oral Roberts Pioneer of The Prosperity Gospel - Dead At 91

Recent news reports state that Oral Roberts has passed away from complications of pneumonia. Roberts was known as the inventor of the prosperity, name it and claim it, “Seed of faith” message so prominent today. He was 91.

Was this man a born again believer? Who knows, except for the Lord and now Mr. Roberts? I will not labor to prove either way, yea or nay, if he was truly converted. His “gospel message” was not one of the bible, so what he personally believed was not biblical, but pandered to flesh.

I’ve never really delved into Oral Roberts and his legacy, but I do know that the American prosperity “gospel” would not be the same without his declarations many decades ago. He paved the way for the likes of Kenneth Hagin, Benny Hinn and even Joel Osteen to fill their deep pockets.

So, what does this mean to me? It means that Roberts just became part of the ultimate statistic, 10 in 10 will die. Was he ready? I’m not sure, but I can only speculate that if he did not turn from the message he proclaimed that he was not truly converted. His message lacked the actual Good News that Jesus Himself as well as the Apostles proclaimed.

It will be interesting to see who offers up posthumous accolades to Roberts. I am sure that those mentioned above will have some very positive words about him. I really don’t expect anyone to come out and say he was a heretic, at least not in the near future. I will leave it like it is, Roberts did not proclaim a biblical gospel but instead one that had flesh as the centerpiece instead of Christ.

I pray that Oral Roberts did recently repent of his sins and trust in God as his Savior instead of his accountant. Did he? I have no idea and will not know until I pass into eternity myself, also becoming part of the ultimate statistic.

In closing I will say that if anything does not have God as its focus, then it is sin. Plain and simple. So examine what your preacher is saying on Sunday mornings, search the scriptures John 5:39 and make sure you are not just having your ears tickled 2 Tim 4:3 with a false message of prosperity and health. A Christian is never promised either in scripture, we are offered to be the scourge of the Earth, to be persecuted for our faith 2 Tim 3:12 . Chances are if the World applauds you, then you are probably not living a biblical lifestyle which is on the wide path of destruction James 4:4, John 17:16, . Examine yourself 2 Cor. 13:5 and make sure your faith is in Christ and His Word instead of a mans.

Here is a brief history of Oral Roberts

Tiger Woods, Media Darling And A Victim Himself? What?

Okay, I’ll admit it. I was contemplating doing a blog post on Tiger Woods a day or so after the car crash story broke, but decided against it. I was going to elude to the fact that the story seemed really fishy and how everyone in the news media also seemed to be falling for the whole thing. I even did a little photo editing of a Tiger picture, giving him a black eye and swollen lip, then again I balked and did nothing.

Flash forward a few more day, now I can’t stand it. It is not really Tiger that upsets me (any more than any other person that cheats on their spouse does anyway). It is the media once again. Kind of half listening to the news this morning at work I kept hearing Tigers name. When I then inclined my ear a little more I all that seemed to be the topic was Tiger and his “sex addiction”, how Tiger is now a victim because he has a chemical imbalance in his brain that causes him to be a sex addict. Actually it wasn’t something new to me to hear, it is called having a Y chromosome or better known as being a man.

So allow me to explain Tiger’s real problem. He is a man. That’s pretty much it, but I don’t think I can stop there and must elaborate a tad. See, men are really sexual creatures, it is a very common characteristic of men to have wandering eyes and minds. It is our nature, it can’t be denied and it is very difficult to keep in check. This is a heart issue as Jesus said in Matthew 5:28, but it is not an excuse. I too am bombarded with females that seem to be wearing Barbie clothing at the mall, at the grocery and yes, even at some churches. These women flaunt themselves and a man has to consciously divert their eyes to a different area. So this is the issue that Tiger has, he just carried it out in the physical area as well as his mind. To put it bluntly, he is a sinner. What I am not sure of is his professing spiritual beliefs.

Evidently he does not hold fast to Christian principles, which is really the main concern here. Tiger needs Christ. Just like I was in need of a Savior, my wife was in need of a Savior, my pastor was in need and every other person that has been converted was in need of a Savior. Tiger needs to be saved and he also needs to kept being saved. “What? How can you keep being saved Jeff?”. I’m glad you asked.

Salvation is not only being saved from a fiery eternity in hell. You are also being saved from a sinful life…. Daily! When God actually converts you, you will then be justified through Christ, but that begins the sanctification process in which you start becoming more like Christ and less like you. So many professing Christians seem to really be lacking in this part of the Christian life. Actually if they are not in a sanctification process, never started it, then I would say that they were never converted in the first place. A continual lifestyle of sin can only mean one thing. A disbelief in the God of the Bible, so you can’t be saved if you don’t believe in the God of scripture. When someone is born again as Jesus spoke of in John 3. So being born of the flesh we are creatures of sin and being born of the Spirit we have a new nature to seek to please God instead of ourselves. A really simple concept that is often overlooked.

How many times have you heard that someone backslid, lived in sin their whole life BUT are still saved and going to heaven. Blasphemy! That is a gross misuse of the name of Christ in calling that person a Christian. I know firsthand, because that was me from 8 years old until I was 38 years old. I lived a life of sin all the time claiming Christ as my Savior. I even prayed every night, regardless of what bed I was in or what chemical or liquid was guiding my thoughts, I could always seem to squeeze out a “God please forgive me for sinning today. I’m sorry. Please give me_____________.” I was very deceived and very wicked and very blasphemous. No, I never took God’s Name in vain as most people think it, but I did when I said that I was a Christian. Praise the Lord He took the scales off of my eyes. Not quite the Damascus Road revelation Paul had, but quite the transformation non-the-less.

So back to Tiger. Tiger does what comes natural to him, other than hitting a golf ball very well, he sins very well too. He can’t help it, it’s his nature. He was born a sinner and remains a sinner, until He repents of his sins and trusts in the God of the Bible through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross to atone for his sins. Simple, yet not readily stated these days. So all the talk about a sex addiction is only partially correct, he is addicted to sin in general and sex with women other than his wife is just how he manifests his sinfulness. Other sinners have different manifestation of their sinful hearts - lying, stealing, blaspheming God’s Holy Name, pornography, drinking, drugs, and so on. It is a heart condition and my prayers go out to them, not just Tiger Woods, but all sinners that are in need of a Savior.

Just one plea to the media (not that they will ever read this, but hey> It’s worth a shot). Stop making excuses for people that live sinful lives. A sex addict is a sinner. A thief is a sinner. A cheating husband is a sinner. A bank robber is a sinner. An alcoholic is a sinner. A drug addict is a sinner. A (insert sinful lifestyle sin here) is s till a sinner. They all sin against A Holy God that will one day require payment for their sins. There are only two possibilities on that Day. 1.) You will either stand before God and try to explain away your sins and plea how many “good” things you did to try and outweigh the “bad”. or 2.) You will fall on your knees and cry for your Advocate 1 John 2:1, Christ to make your case for you. #2 is the only Way, because #1 is a eternal death sentence. Oh, and one more thing about #2, the Father has already forgiven your sins if you are truly converted, He will not hold you accountable for the sins that you fell into, because they were written on Cross and blotted out by the Blood of Christ Acts 3:19. WOW! And AMEN!

Issues? Nah, I've Got Subscriptions!

The title of this blog is not mine, but it was said about me by a good friend. We have some good banter and some of the topics that come up I have some issues with (secular music, T.V., movies, some "Christian" artists, etc.)So many, in fact, that my friend said "You don't have issues, you have subscriptions". What a great comment, I think he meant it in a light hearted, half kidding - half serious way. The more I've been thinking about that, the more I agree.

I do thank God that He has given me these "subscriptions". See, in my past I followed the world, while proclaiming to be a Christian. It was only until God took the scales off my eyes did I start to see clearly, it was His touch that not only saved me from a fiery grave, saved me from this sinful world BUT also healed me from the justifications that I made of my former false conversion.

God opened my eyes in a big way. I am a sceptic by nature, I want to know WHY something is. I have been given the gift of discernment and it does extend to people, I can usually tell if a person is lost and deceived. What I can really never tell for sure (unless I spend a lot of time with them) is if they are genuinely converted). There are only a small percentage of people that I would be willing to say were Christians, because I have seen deception run for years only to see their true self emerge (and no they didn't backslide, they were deceiving).

Sorry, this was not meant to be a blog about people, but about me. I was going to air MY dirty laundry, not others. My list of "subscriptions" is ever growing. Some are deep personal convictions and it is admittedly hard for me to not expect others to also have these same convictions. This is just, yet another, area that I need to seek God in, that I will be more dependent on Him and seek more time with Him. You will see a pattern in my list below. Most of the "subscriptions" I have are with professing believers, those that are quick to say "yeah, I'm a Christian", but in their actions prove otherwise. Personally I do not take someone at their word, but instead examine their fruit as commanded in scripture. I do not do this as a sceptic, to disprove their relationship with God, but I also cannot encourage a deceived person into an even deeper state of deception by acting as if they are a Christian. I have too much contact and lived too long as one that was deceived to be an advocate for their pathway to hell.

So here's the list (as much as I can think of at this time) - in no particular order:
"Christians" (especially musicians) that wear secular bands shirts
"Christians" That seem to only want to be in a service on Sunday mornings
Casting Crowns - not really their music, but everyone using their music as theology instead of using the Bible. (okay God does separate our sins from us as far as the East is from the West, but that's not a ticket to sin)
Lifeway Stores (and any other "Christian" outlet) that sells books like "The Shack", "Blue Like Jazz", "Velvet Elvis", "A New Kind of Christian", etc.
The American Gospel
"Christian" music magazines and websites that write about secular artists
Movies that use Christianity as a draw, but are blatantly NOT God focused - i.e. Evan Almighty, Oh, God
The "Christians" that support movies like those mentioned above
Pastors/ Evangelists that manipulate the emotions with extended altar calls, music, low grade hypnotism
The Sinners Prayer in general
Third Day supporting/ promoting U2 (Third Day is a great band, a fave, but they are very deceived about U2)
"Christians" that profess to fear God, but yet read very sinful books, watch very sinful movies, listen to anti-Christian music, look at sinful magazines, etc.
"Christians" that promote drinking alcohol, in any way - shape - or form. Especially those that say "Jesus turned water into wine" - uh, wine was very different in those times than now, if Jesus turned water into something comparable today it would be Welches Grape Juice.
Preachers/ Evangelists that drive Lexus', Bentleys, have chauffeurs (Sure, have a nice car but not one that is the budget of an African country)
Name it and claim it preachers/ the health and wealth "gospel"
The saying "Love the sinner, hate the sin" - um, that's not in the bible. Without a sinner, there would be no sin. Kinda like love the apple, hate the tree - it ain't possible
People that call others Pharisees. Do a little research on what Pharisees actually are/ were. Do not resort to calling someone this because they make a biblical statement, in context and show you that you are incorrect in something.
The rap group GRITS. More specifically the lead "rapper" Coffee. He has a very racist quality about him, seen it firsthand while attending the 2009 GMA Awards.
Professing "Christians" that say God tells them living a sinful lifestyle is o.k. or that cheapen God's grace and Christs suffering.
Those that say they have their "ticket" to heaven. Salvation is not fire insurance.
"Christian" musicians that list secular musicians as influences.
Secular artists that produce Christian themed songs (Carrie Underwood, Johnny Cash, Dolly and yes, even Elvis.

This is by no means an exhaustive list. Just read some of my earlier posts, but in them too you'll see a pattern about those professing to be Christians and not actually portraying it other than by their words. Oh, how could I have forgotten the heretics that kick people in the stomach to heal them (Todd Bentley), or the one's that say "Send me $25 for this miracle anointing oil straight from Israel"? These heretical charlatans really get my goat. They use God as a money magnet and prey on the elderly and sick with promises of healings and increased income. These have to be the lowest of lows that will be sharing the deepest, darkest corners of hell with Satan himself.

I'm sure more subscriptions will come up over time. Rest assured that you will not have to worry about me voicing my thoughts on them either. True Christians need to stand up for Christ, need to stop believing every word that comes out of people's mouths in fear of hurting someones feelings. I cannot stand for someone to blaspheme my Father's Name, I will call them on it. Not necessarily the blatant sinner, that professes nothing to do with God, but those that say they know God, but live contrarily. If you have not already - take a stand. Choose this day who you will serve!

Glenn Beck's Version Of Christmas

So, I never jumped on the Glenn Beck bandwagon like a lot of professing Christians have done. Sure, he may have some good moral qualities about him and have a national voice, but more than that he serves a FALSE god!

So many professing Christians are ready to throw in the towel and concede that they are following a false god as well. Oh sure, they may not readily come out and say it, but their actions and endorsements of folks like Beck speak a lot louder than any words they may utter. They have been clamoring to Beck’s aid and defending this guy for a while now. I’m sorry (actually I’m not), but a person’s moral characteristics are not worth bending God’s Word over. 1 Cor 5:11 comes to mind right now as I type.

So where is this latest Beck love coming from these days? Apparently he has a “showing” of his tale of “The Christmas Sweater” playing across the nation. One such place will be here in my city. I am sure that many professing Christians will be lining up to hear Beck’s version of Christmas. So why is this offensive to me? Is this not any different than any other person that is not truly a Christian talking about Christmas? Actually this mans Christ is a lie. So yes, there is a huge difference. The American culture has now been desensitized to Mormonism/ LDS and Glenn Beck has been a major factor in this. So many people want to stick up for him because he may say some things that resemble what they have heard on Sunday mornings sitting in a pew. Do I know what Beck says in his books, on the air, in concerts? No, and I won’t be any time soon unless it’s for research to show his heretical views of God.

I can’t tell you how upsetting it is to see people fawn over something that is straight from the pits of hell. Actually I see it every day here in the bible belt as many blaspheme God’s Name by saying they are Christians. These same people that are laying hold of Mormonism are the same one’s that were “saved” in their youth but have lived like the world ever since, the one’s that walked an aisle and were deemed saved by a popeish declaration from a preacher or evangelist, the same one’s that are partying on Saturday and falling asleep in the pews Sunday morning. 2 Thess 2:3 says there must be great falling away before the end is near. Could this be part of that? I think it is, so on second thought maybe I am getting a little too upset about this seeing how my Saviors return is eminent.

But for some reason it nags at me, things like this. I am so compelled to speak out against heretical doctrines that are rampant. Are you? Does it bother you when a co-worker tells you in one breath that they are a Christian, but in the next breath are talking about their live-in girlfriend that God brought to him to live together? Or the “evangelists” on TV that preach a prosperity gospel, that is no gospel at all, but a pathway for their pockets to become fat. Or how about those that tell you that you can have your best life now or that Christianity needs to be reinvented for this culture? The Rob Bells, Rick Warrens, Joel Osteens and Brian McLarens of this age are straight from the very pit Satan will call home for eternity.

So that’s the problem, in a round about way. Glenn beck is a puppet for the enemy and he is lulling professing believers away from any hope they may have ever had at a true relationship with the Father. What about the answer? Well, there are 2. You can preach the Word of God in season OR you can preach it out of season. Just preach it, the True Gospel of Christ. Get into the Word, get a study partner or group, go out evangelizing, pass out tracts at the line for “The Christmas Sweater”, pass out tracts and talk to people during your towns Christmas parade, talk to your loved ones about Christ, just don’t sit there and be okay with this. If you are okay with this, then my heart bleeds for your soul as well. If you do nothing then you are actually doing a lot… for the enemy. It is time for true followers of Christ to take a stand, to not is a denial of Him Mat 10:32-33, 2 Tim 2:12, Rom 16:17-20, Mar 8:38.

I’ll end with a quote from C.H. Spurgeon for those that are on the fence about any of this:

"Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you are not saved yourself. Be sure of that. The saving of souls, if a man has once gained love to perishing sinners and his blessed Master, will be an all-absorbing passion to him. It will so carry him away, that he will almost forget himself in the saving of others. He will be like the brave fireman, who cares not for the scorch or the heat, so that he may rescue the poor creature on whom true humanity has set its heart. If sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies. And if they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stay. If hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for."

Depravity Of Man On Display

Take a look at the headline from the Comcast news headlines above. See anything wrong with it? When I first read it I though "Wow, this lady let something she posted on Facebook get her knocked out of sick leave benefits." Although it sounded fishy, and I do not agree with her manipulation of the "system" to gain compensation and still be living it up.

Of course Comcast does not change their headlines every hour, so for half of the day when I signed in to check my email I saw that headline. Then it hit me, Comcasst's headline makes it seem that Facebook was the culprit in this. "Facebook Costs Woman Benefits". Did Facebook really do anything wrong in this? Seems like this lady claimed she was suffering from depression, even though she liked to visit male strip clubs, bars and beaches. She claims that she did these things to help her with her depression, as a therapy by her doctors recommendation. If the doctor told her to or not is not my call, but frolicking around on a beach, tossing a few back in a bar and lusting over men stripping are far from therapeutic in my book. The news headline should have read "Womans Posts On Facebook Cost Her Benefits".

This is taking place in Canada, where they have universal healtcare. So it seems that there are still corrupt claims with government ran healthcare too. I would really like to give my 2 cents worth on Obamacare right now, but I will refrain as I have no biblical basis to bash it, except I do not want to be dependent on government solely for anything, especially my health.

The real issue here is depravity. Sinfulness. This lady has joined the ranks of those that try to manipulate the system in order to get free money. This is plain and simply theft, promulgated by lies. This ladies greed has caused her to seek ways to gain by doing nothing. This is rampant in our country and has only gotten worse over the past year or two. Unemployment at 11%+? Could this be caused by the fact the government makes it so attractive? These people are drawing $500+ a week for sitting home playing video games. Now the state I live in (Kentucky, not confusion) has extended the length someone can draw to 99 weeks. Does it honestly take 2 years to find a job? I know a young man that works 3 jobs, he also has found 2 of these while working at other jobs and left 2 other jobs. So this young man has had employment at 5 different places in the past year. Why? Because he pulls his own weight and doesn't expect to get a free pass.

Issues like this just prove that man IS fallen. Given opportunity they will take handouts to their full extent and ask for more. Most of the time they will complain about the freebie they receive too. Is this theft? In a way it is, since they could make their own way and pay for their own goods. To me it shows a person's heart and where they stand in the eye's of God. They want to take and take and not do anything on their part. It does show the American view of God a swell. People just want to sit back and be blessed and do whatever they please. This is an extremely distorted view of God and His gifts. Just one more way that people want something for nothing. No repentance = no salvation. Also sadly, these are the people targeted by the chrletans on TV, the one's that spew the "name it and claim it" message. The "health and wealth" gospel, that is no gospel at all. They prey on these people with cries of "send in your seed money", or "put your downpayment on your blessing" promising these people financial gain for sending in money. Also these are the people that seek instant riches by playing the lottery, using their limited income to try to make it rich quick.

The world is getting very dark. Me complaining about people cheating the government does not solve anything. Me telling people directly that they are wrong to do these things does nothing. Only prayer and God's mercy can change these people. I ask you to cry out for those on unemployment benefits that are manipulating the system, those that draw a disability check that are fit to work, those that are on welfare to be drawn to the Father. To be saved and follow God, to see God as their sustainer not the government. Government dependence for life is so dangerous. Only God can supply what these people need. Pray for them, pray for eyes to be opened and souls saved. When people start being converted, they will gain new perspectives and will desire to work. They will desire to help others instead of looking for handouts. Pray!

(Disclaimer: I do not think everyone on government assistance is deceptive and/ or looking for a handout. There are people that really need this assistance and help. It is sad that so many make a bad name for those that actually need these benefits.)

Carrie Prejean A Christian? Part 2.

Carrie Prejean - Spokesperson for "American Christianity"

Wow! Ms. Prejean has “some ‘splainin’ to do”. Seems like she is yet again embroiled in a media frenzy. Check out my last post on her, from back when there was the first hoopla over her, her values, her comments on gay marriage, etc.

This time it appears that Carrie has starred in a sex tape, one that she says was made when she was a teenager. Her ex-boyfriend that is planning on releasing this video is adamant that she was indeed older (which allows him to not be charged with child porn charges). Prejean, however, has been very defensive and very “in your face”. With an interview on NBC’s Today Show she was very defensive in stance. On Larry King Live she also threatened to end the interview abruptly when asked about her settlement with the Miss America Pageant. She claimed King was being “inappropriate”.

Now, from a Christian perspective I can say this in two different ways, either for whatever her standing with God is. The first is that Carrie is a Christian and that the tape was made before she was converted, that it along with all other blatant sins have been washed, that she changed direction in life toward the True risen Savior and it is a non-issue. The next is that Carrie is trying to cover this up by lying about her age, trying to get her ex to lie about her age (which would land him in jail for kiddy porn charges), trying to justify her very sinful actions. This is on top of the fact that she parades around through beauty competitions half naked.

Personally I have not seen anything that is consistent with a Christian. She is like many others that claim Christ as their Savior and Lord, but instead are just a part of the world as any other lost person. I do however take offense because of her blasphemy. She is on a public platform and evokes the precious name of God, all the time lying and being very un-Christ like in her stance and actions. If she were actually a Christian she would be handling things very differently and definitely not be lying and trying to have others lie for her to cover up her sinful lifestyle. I am actually sickened by this, as I am with all those I work with and come into contact with that openly announce “I am a Christian!” (Matt 7:22) then turn around and live very differently. With Prejean it happens to be on a public forum and millions of people are saying, “Well, if she’s a Christian, then so am I. We all sin and are under grace, so we’ll just keep on sinning and keep on receiving forgiveness”. Not! (Romans 6:1-14) I have searched for her testimony online and I cannot find it. Wouldn’t a Christian want to proclaim their testimony to the world? There are, however, many racy photos that seem to pop up every time I search for her doing research for my posts about her here. If anyone has seen or heard of her conversion testimony PLEASE point me toward it. From what I have gathered, she thinks she became a Christian during childhood.

The most damnable lie of American Christianity is in public view here. “Just say a prayer and you’ll go to heaven. God accepts you as you are and doesn’t expect you to change.” Where do these heretics get this? Although God does accept you as you are, He will not leave you in that same state. If He starts a work in you He will finish it. The lies that spew from preachers and evangelists today are sending countless millions to a fiery grave. “Come on, come on. You know you want to walk the aisle. You know that you want to be delivered from your addictions, your marriage problems, and your money issues. Just come on down the aisle and sign this card. Make your decision.” All non-biblical pulls on a person’s situation, not a call to sinners to Repent! I call it “situational decisionism”. Someone else may have coined the term, but I never heard it before. I have seen it many times, even within my family. It is very dangerous, especially combined with a public figure such as Carrie Prejean that is banking in on her “Christianity” and misleading thousands, if not millions, of people that once made a mental decision because of their situation at any given moment.

What it boils down to is a need for true repentance, a true yearning for Christ and a willingness to forsake all and follow Him. If someone has not done this, then they are not saved. They are still living on a path of destruction, but are worse off because they are pointing to a decision for their salvation instead of looking to Christ. Their hope lies in a prayer, a walk down an aisle, a word from an evangelist or preacher, tears shed at a “revival” or any other countless things or circumstances… but not in Christ. If Christ is not the focus of your salvation then you are not saved. You are deceived. Of course you don’t want to go to hell, who would? Of course you want to go to heaven, who wouldn’t knowing what the alternative is? Of course you are a good person in the eyes of the world, but how good are you compared to Christ?

God promised that if you seek Him, you will find Him (Matt. 7:7). If you are seeking Him it is because He is pursuing you, you are being drawn to Him (John 6:44). Do not resist, do not heed the call of salvation. Today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).

Light To A Dark World

I have been thinking a lot about light and darkness. This started to be really interesting to me a few days ago. 1 John 1:5 says “God is light and in Him is no darkness: . Wow! Have you ever been in a room that was totally devoid of light? I have and it is really unsettling. You lose orientation, you wouldn’t be able to find anything without fumbling around first, you would have to walk around by feeling for things, you would in affect be lost… in a dark room… waiting for alight to be turned on.

What does it take to lose this darkness? Light of course, even the faintest glow negates the darkness. If you were in the darkest region of the planet, at night, cloud covered, no moon or stars, no artificial light, nothing, zilch, nada. Total blackness, you couldn’t see your hand if you stuck it in front of your face. Then someone 20 miles away turned on a flashlight and pointed it toward you, what would that in essence do? It removes the darkness. Not much, and not in your general vicinity, but you can no longer say that it is dark.

Same situation but you are the one with the flashlight (or lantern, torch, match,etc.) When you engage the light what happens? You are flooded with light because of your proximity to the light, it could be the same light that you saw from 20 miles away, but you are now immersed in the light, it lights up all that’s around you, you can see again, you can do things again, you have been given sight. What’s more, the person that is 20 miles away without light can see your light shining at a distance.

These thoughts have been running around in my head, like I said, for a few days. It reminds me that God is Light and when we are in close proximity to Him we are engulfed in His Light. It is nothing that we produce ourselves, but only reflect His Light. It also brings to memory Proverbs 4:18-19 But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble. How descriptive is that?

Also, when God first shined His light on you can you remember how bright it was? It illuminated everything around you, but sadly as time continued, the light seemed to dim. Everything started to get dimmer, you may have even started to squint a little to try to make things out. Did the Light really get dim though? Or were your eyes just shutting the light out, or did you put on dark sunglasses that hid the light? Oh, it was always there and it was always just as bright, it was our proximity that was the issue, not the brightness of the Light.

So how does the Light regain its brightness again? You have to get close to the source again. You can’t be 20 miles from a light source and be effected much by it, you have to get as close as possible. So close you can feel the warmth radiating from it, so that it envelops you. The Light is always there; it is you that moves around.

If you are seeing things dimly now, I say that it is simple to be lit again. Just return to the Source. I’ll remind you of Luke 11:33 – No one that has received Light will hide it; they will hold it high and shine it so everyone around them can see. Are you shining your light? Are you reflecting God’s Light? Have you ever been in the Light in the first place? I pray that He will illuminate Himself and His Word in your life.

The New Jesus Movie

Just wanted to take a short moment to let everyone know about this great ministry opportunity. We all have the chance to be part of the new Jesus movie, as producers. Well, not actually make the movie, but be able to give $10 towards the making of this movie.

Please check out the video below and the New Jesus Movie website for information. The producer of this movie is to be a Word for Word adaption of the Book of John, the vision of Bruce Marchiano. If Marchiano's name sounds familiar it is because he played Jesus in movie version of The Gospel of Matthew, which was also a Word for Word movie version of the Book of Matthew.

This is a great opportunity to make a high quality movie that will gain much attention and could be a tool used of God to save countless souls. The producers are not out to have a large box office, but rather have this movie on millions of iPods, computers and streaming across the internet. Monetary gains are not the goal, but the precious souls of the lost and the edification of Gods people.

Please prayerfully consider being a part of this wonderful ministry.


Frequently Asked Questions

Why another Jesus film?
Many great Jesus films have been produced over the years, and God has used them all for His glory. There are several focuses that make Jesus… No Greater Love unique and vital. To list only a few, our vision is to bring the Gospel story to film afresh using the latest cutting edge, big screen technology - to truly create a Jesus movie for a new generation of highly sophisticated film-goers.

Also, where Jesus films generally focus on the gospel events, Jesus… No Greater Love focuses on a revelation of "The Man" - his heart and person, impassioned, joyous, relevant, brimming with kingdom authority, driven "on a mission of redemptive love" - the Jesus of Scripture.

Who will be the Producer and Director?

Bruce Marchiano is our current writer/producer. Once funding is underway we will begin interviewing prospective directors as well as co-producer(s) to solidify the team.

What happens if you meet your film budget of $45 million and donations continue to come in?
We sure hope this happens. All money received beyond the $45 million will be used to release the film in different languages and to distribute these new versions around the world. We want to present the Gospel to as many people as possible. To meet this goal, we will sustain our fund raising efforts year after year so that we can continue translating the film into new languages.

What Bible translation will be used for your word-for-word film?
We are currently in negotiations with two different translation rights holders and will make this determination before end 2009.

Will Bruce Marchiano be playing the role of Jesus like he did in Matthew?
We are hoping Bruce will reprise the role of Jesus, but as in all kingdom endeavors, ours is not to presume anything. Thus we are intensely seeking God along with Bruce, keeping our hearts open for any fresh direction He might want us to pursue. We are counting on the Lord's clear leadership here, as we are with all critical decisions.

Why the book of John when there already is a film on the book of John?
There are depths, multi-layers and prophetic dynamics of John's gospel that have yet to be explored on film. As does John's written gospel, Jesus… No Greater Love literally begins "In the beginning," unpacking the revelation of Jesus in the Law and the Prophets of the Torah, presenting Jesus as more than a man who teaches and heals, but the living reality of the living God, I AM in human flesh, as prophesied for centuries and now fulfilled. This film uniquely presents Jesus in the fullness of "yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).

Why film a word-for-word version rather than a dramatic script?

We believe that the power of God’s Word, portrayed by the right cast and masterfully filmed, will be immeasurably more powerful and impactful than any dramatization to date. The gospel is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). There is really no need to improve on what God Himself has written by adding story elements and/or fictionalizing. Demonstrating this distinction between man’s voice and the authoritative voice of God is vitally important to sharing the Gospel with a postmodern generation wondering if absolute truth exists and who, if anyone, has the authority to share it. We will not alter the words God has given, and we will trust His promises about the power of those words.

What if you do not raise enough money by your deadline?
To effectively produce the film, we must receive substantial donations within specified time frames. If we do not, by targeted dates, receive benchmark levels of donations, we will be forced to make difficult decisions regarding whether to continue the project. Our first critical target date for raising funds is March 1, 2010. If targets are missed and the decision is made, that we will not be able to complete the project, we will distribute the excess donations to a few selected ministries that are spreading the Gospel in creative ways. With this arrangement in mind, you can be sure that your contribution will be used to promote the Gospel, regardless of whether the film is successfully produced.

Is my donation tax-deductible?

In the United States, a resounding "Yes!" Marchiano Ministries is a 501c3 Non-Profit Organization. All donations to the New Jesus Movie are tax deductible to the limits allowed by law.

Have a question not answered above?
Send it to us at info@newjesusmovie.com.

Church Split Over Alcohol? Not A Trick Question

A church in my general area has been embroiled in a debate lately. Seems that a vote to sell alcohol in the county this church is located was really being pressed for by some residents. To do this a certain amount of names on a petition were needed. Not much of a story here and you might be asking “Jeff, why is this a church issue?” The issue became a church issue, when some of its members voice their beliefs that alcohol should be sold in their county and that they were going to sign this petition.

This church has within their Church Covenant the following wording as far as what they will and will not do as a body “to abstain from the sale of, and use of, intoxicating drinks as a beverage”. In my opinion, these members that chose to promote this petition have gone against this part of their churches covenant. Apparently these people had been voicing their opinion FOR alcohol sales which garnered the attention of the church elders. These folks were visited, reminded of the church covenant they agreed to upon being made members of the church, given another copy of the covenant and informed that if they were to promote the sale of alcohol they would be removed as members from the church. These 20 or so people decided that their “personal freedoms” were greater than their covenant with this body of believers. They were not “kicked out” as some news agencies reported, as they were welcome to come back any time and would be allowed to be reinstated as members if they apologized.

The debate is happening on the West Kentucky Star website (since posting this blog the WKStar website has removed all comments to this story). I have chimed in some throughout and offer you the same freedom to do so. There are a lot of people commenting that claim to be Christians, but seem to have forgotten that “personal liberties” are non existent when a person is converted. The new creation seems to be a foreign term to them. Of course there are atheists commenting as well and people saying this church has no right to discipline these people. After all, they can choose to drink of they want to, they can do on their own time, what they choose to do and no body better say anything about. If you don’t like it, lump it, hmph! Of course, any true Christian would know that they lost their “personal freedom” upon conversion, they were bought with a price, they are now a doulos, a slave to the Lord, they have forsaken everything and follow Christ, they seek holiness and shun this world and the evil of it….. including alcohol.

I have wanted to comment a lot of things so badly on the West KY Star site, but was restrained in doing so. I did comment some, and what I did comment was bible. I do extend my personal invitation to go there yourself. The story is also on the local NBC affiliate here – seems like more of the same comments there the “judge not” phrase is being thrown around a lot as well as name calling and much more. What would your church do? Would the members of your church even be in this predicament? Does your church practice church discipline?

All in all everyone involved with situation is in need of prayer. I would suggest praying for wisdom, love, repentance and a deeper understanding of what a covenant is and what forgiveness entails. Many bridges have been burned at that church, many hearts broken and many families torn, but God can mend any of those with just a Word. Pray that there is restoration.

Also on a personal note, I would like to thank you for being patient through my sabbatical. I have been pampering my wife through her healing process. God has been really gracious to us over the past 6 weeks or so. Our church family has been very, very wonderful as well, with many of them preparing dinner for us over the past 2 ½ weeks. They have all been such a blessing and we love each of them greatly. We thank God for them and for allowing us to become part of a real church family.

Blogging again shortly

Hi all! I am sorry I have not update/ posted anything new in a little while. My wife just had some pretty major surgery and is still in the hospital... which means that I have been in the hospital too.

Her surgery was quite a surprise and was more extensive than they though after they got inside. I plan on writing a post on this soon, so please bare with me just a little longer. God has definitely been glorified through this trial. I have learned what Philippians 4:6-7 says. Even after reading that passage hundreds of times, God finally made it alive to me and I truly thanked Him for everything through this.

God has been very gracious to us through this and even before in our marriage. We have grown so much as a couple in the past several months and then this comes and draws us closer to God and in turn closer to one another. That is what marriage is all about, it is the earthly example of our relationship with Christ. We are His bride, just as Chandra is my bride. I still need Him to help me love her the way I should, but He isn't finished with me yet and I praise Him for that too! I have learned trust and faith first hand and give Him the glory for the miracles He has done physically to my wife and spiritually for both of us.

God is good and He deserves more praise than we could ever muster up.

Issue on the homefront

Just sitting here in the hospital with my wife. She has been having some health issues lately, being admitted to the hospital from last Thursday until Monday evening. This morning back to the hospital for a arteriogram of an artery in her abdomen. She must now lie flat for 6 hours, which we are now a little over half way through.

She is now facing a major surgery to repair a “kink” in a major artery in her midsection. So I ask for your prayers that the Lord will see her through these next few weeks, with the surgery coming up on Sept. 15th. Please pray specifically that her nerves will be calmed as she (we) put our faith in God to see her safely through this surgery and the recovery phase. She is a strong person, but facing this type of surgery is enough to rattle anyone.

But, as I sit here in the chair watching her cat-nap I am reminded what the Lord has brought us through over the past few years. I have seen some very great times and some very bad times, but through it all God has proven Himself to be the Rock He promised to be. I have had to lean on Him through a very trying time with my son, a rocky part of my marriage that could have been very bad, the death of my dad and a lot of smaller things. If you read back through my older postings you will see some of the places I have been, that my family have encountered and how the Lord has been there to carry us through. Oh, how I praise Him.

God has also blessed us with a wonderful church family that has been through most of the things I mentioned right with us, carrying the burdens and lifting them to the Lord in prayer. He was so gracious to lead us to Oak Grove Baptist Church through a series of eye opening encounters with His Word. I stand in awe as I look back and see the path He chose for us. Granted when traveling down those paths I often stood by and said “what is this all about?” questioning the Father. How bad is that? I questioned the Creator of the universe about why I would be going through issues. I have been learning to just wait on Him and stop trying to fix things on my own. 2 years ago I would have been freaking out looking at my wife in a hospital bed with a major surgery on the horizon, but I can say that I know that He is in control. I am being still and waiting on Him. What other choice do I have?

I must learn to apply this to all areas of my life, not just the major issues. He is in control and I need to acknowledge that daily, even the “good days”. I pray that He will get the glory for what is happening right now in my life, my wife’s situation and beyond.

Broad Is The Way.....

"Show me the fruits of your ministry and if they so far exceed mine as to give me evidence that you have found a more excellent way, I will adopt your views." Charles Finney – Memoirs.
Okay, so I’ve been at words with a somewhat famous evangelist on Facebook. He has seen fit to announce to the world that people are saved and after seeing this for several weeks I decided to comment on a posting of his.

His name is Randy Hogue and I remembered him as a child at the church that I attended then, and then again later in my adult life. I asked to be his friend on there and told him a little of who I was, where I lived, about Southland Baptist Temple, etc. He actually gave me his phone number and asked me to call him. I would later, during the conversation that ensued, find out his real motive for asking me to call. He seemed to have a free weekend and asked me to speak to my pastor about having him come that weekend. I did mention him to my pastor and he knew who he was. I admit that I was a little put off by his sales pitch to come to my church, but the days that have followed have been even more of a put off.
His postings include – (all of these are copy/ pasted so don’t harp on me for spelling issues) “ R u ready 4 this? 65 people prayed 2 receive Jesus Christ tonite at Beth Haven BC in Kilpatrick AL. to God bd Glory!”

Followed by -
”17(12 adults,5teens) accepted Christ this AM at Eternal Life BC in ooresville,IN. To God b d Glory”
Then I don’t know what set my fuse to the end, but I finally had it and commented on this one – “ 7 saved tonite in Mooresville IN

With that posting I commented - : By saved I pray that these people repented of their sins, turned from their God hating lifestyle and mindset, turned to the One True God of scripture, trusted in Christs atoning work for their sins, had a supernatural re-birth that they couldn't change if they wanted to, are showing fruit of their conversion (otherwise you couldn't know they were ... saved by them just repeating a prayer). If they were truly saved, then time will be evidence, the work that God began - He will finish. People must understand that jumping through a few hoops is not salvation - Do you want to go to hell? No. Do you want to go to heaven? Yes. Are you a sinner? Yes. (even satan knows he is a sinner) Repeat after me.. This has NO scriptural basis. Confess with your mouth does not mean to pray a prayer. The modern gospel is very different than what the Apostles preached - 2 words - man centered. If a person wants to go to heaven just because the alternative stinks, then it is not God centered.

Nothing unbiblical in my posting, maybe a little to the point (but facebook only gives you so many letters to post something). Others commented also on his/ my posting, the most disturbing by a young lady that said someone could go on to commit some very serious sins and still be a child of God. The ones she named would be very difficult for a follower of Christ to commit, she even said that they could even live like an unbeliever and still be saved. Another person commented and called me a Pharisee, the typical jab that those that think they are converted use to justify their sinful life, even though it doesn’t match scripture as a true convert.

Mr. Hogue did send me an apology that read:
“ Thank u Jeff for sharing. God bless u my friend. I'm sorry if my reports offend u. I'm just trying to reach some people for Christ.

I then sent him another message telling him of my testimony, my false conversion, that I placed my faith in a man’s declaration and my sincerity as an 8 year old for my salvation. That for 30 years I based my salvation on saying a prayer as an 8 year old, even though I didn’t know what sin was at that time. I was really honest with him and tried to convey how dangerous it is for a preacher or evangelist to declare someone saved. How that person will take his words and trust in them instead of trusting in Christ. Nothing unbiblical again, nothing done out of malice, but in a spirit of love, to try and convey the dangers of his declarations.

The next I heard was his posting tonight. This was a direct slam to me, and was not done in a spirit of love. It actually is quite blasphemous as he invoked Gods name in a tirade based on my comments to his post, a spiteful “ 14 more got saved tonite & repented of sin, turned from their God hating lifestyle& mindset trusting Christ alone 4 atonement of sin. Ok?

I was actually going to let it rest after his apology, but that shows me that his apology was as about as heartfelt as him declaring people saved. His website boasts that over 35,000 people have been saved at his meetings. I would like to openly ask how many of those are still in the faith? How many are continuing the steps of Christ likeness? How many even attend church now/ still? And finally, how many never had a change, continued on their path of sinfulness, never stepped foot in a church again, can’t stand the things of God, do not read the Word and care nothing more than having their “ticket” to heaven?

I am not saying that some of these souls were not saved, but I would say that they were saved in spite of his message and not because of it. I have heard it, and it is powerful. It does invoke strong emotions as he tells of his childhood and how he and his mom were abused, how he was delivered from drugs and how he now deems people saved. It is a form of hypnotism as he works people into a heightened emotional state, then goes for the jugular with a “if you want to be delivered as I was, just come forward and say this magic prayer”. By the time he has his altar call, he has the audience eating from his hand, they would do anything he asked.

A litmus test for me is, can you take a sermon/ message to a remote village in Africa and get the same effect? Can Randy Hogue go to Africa and tell how he was abused as a child and get 65 tribesmen saved? Or would they think “Big deal, we live a life of abuse, fight for our food, make our clothes from animal pelts and you want us to feel emotional about your former situation?” The Gospel MUST be proclaimed as the apostles and Christ Himself did. Anything else and the person is accursed.
Galatians 1:6-9 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

This mans gospel is a wide gate and many are going through it. It is evidenced by those that posted against me. I said nothing unscriptural, and the lambasted me. I actually expected it, but did not expect his apology, followed by his spiteful comments this evening. I am praying for this man, as a nerve has been touched. He is upset, because his conscience is working. That is good, but he has a lot of years riding on his messages. The 35,000+ people he popishly declared saved may think twice if he says that he’s been wrong all these years. That would be a good thing on many levels, first it would show that he realizes his methods are that of a salesman, second people will think twice about their decisionism without changes and most importantly God will be glorified that His name will not be blasphemed as one more person stops trying to help Him save people.

It’s simple – proclaim the Word of God. Proclaim His Gospel. Do not lead people through hoops, do not get emotional or situational decisions out of people by telling them a story that would make even a devout atheist feel something tingle in his innards. Just proclaim the gospel and let God do the rest. Numbers mean nothing, except inflating an ego and making your resume’ look better (to some). Preach the Word, and nothing else.