The answer to the above question will vary, depending on whom one asks. As the following will reveal, the more religious the respondent, the more likely the “true truth” will come through the church. I have found that church truth trumps God’s Truth 99% of the time when “Bible Truth” is the subject. The fact that the Lord contradicts the church with rare exception has no effect on the situation. For example, about ten years ago I published an article in the local newspaper which covers a large portion of the county in which it is published. In the article I listed eight of the most cherished beliefs and practices of the Institutional Church. I used the Holy Bible to prove that “the church” was in conflict with God’s Word in every case. For proof I quoted both the church and the Bible and supplied the Scriptural passages word for word. The readers saw that what the church teaches and what God teaches could not be more different.

And yet, only five people contacted me and sought my ministerial services. Two others told me in passing that they liked what I had written. A local pastor told a parishioner that: “Everything he (I) wrote in that article is true. But …” Denominational doctrine dictated that He and his group “… go in another direction.” A local group numbering about two dozen told me that God had sent me to them as the result of their prayers (which was true). However, they could not go along with Him on a specific Truth which He addressed at length in the Bible. When I stood with the Lord on the issue, I, and God’s Word, were found not to be reliable. Not one person in the group ever contacted me again. In the end, only the “faithful five” remained with me. Due to death and a change of locations, only one of the original five is still with me. However, I have of late gained a number of disciples who today RESIDE IN A FEDERAL PRISON. These precious souls BELIEVE WHAT I WRITE BECAUSE THEY CHECK OUT WHAT I TELL THEM AS THEY ARE COMMANDED TO DO IN FIRST THESSALONIANS 5:21/ SECOND TIMOTHY 2:15 AND MATTHEW 4:4. Judging from the responses I receive from readers around the world, I believe that many are believing God’s Word. I will remind all readers that a list of series titles is available at no cost. For a list you need only to email me at lpj4142@gmail.com I will not contact you after mailing the list unless asked to do so. I ask only that you check out everything I tell you, which is why I include book, chapter and verse for what I say or write. Do not take my word for anything.

Why do church people refuse to believe God’s Word, but embrace their group’s founder who tells them his/her version of what God should have said. Their edited versions of God’s Truth are known as church doctrine which is designed to correct God’s “errors,” of which there are many. The homepage of this website lists the “corrections” of some of God’s “errors.” This is not a new phenomenon. It began in heaven when Lucifer convinced one-third of God’s angels that he (Lucifer), not their Creator God, knew the true truth about how the universe should be run. Having been cast down to earth, Lucifer (the devil), in the form of a serpent, tried to do through Adam and Eve what he had failed to do through his angelic disciples (now called devils/demons). His desire had been to rule the whole of God’s creations. Having failed, he would lower his goal and use man through whom to rule the earth. By offering Adam and Eve a more user-friendly, self-directed way to eternal life, he easily gained their trust. The rest is the world’s sordid history. It was only with the birth and shortened life of “righteous Abel” (Mat. 23:35) that the first human to believe and obey God while resisting Satan’s temptations was found on earth. Cain’s attitude toward Abel set the tone for all future true-Truth-versus-false-truth wars . Those wars continue to this day. Today, God’s “little flock,” His “holy, peculiar remnant” is outnumbered millions to one. God symbolizes the size difference by comparing His church to a tiny mustard seed while characterizing Satan’s Catholic/Protestant Religious System to the bird-filled, manure-covered tree that has evolved from the seed. It is on behalf of that religious “tree” that this ministry was created.

In this series we will turn to the Holy Scriptures for proof of what is written above. We will examine a number of examples that prove that the highest esteemed within the church system are the most resistant when it comes to believing and obeying God’s Word. We will learn that the less religious are more likely to accept the Bible as God’s Truth. They are also the most likely to obey it. With extremely rare exception, church leaders summarily reject God’s Spirit-inspired writings (2 Pet. 1:21). However, other parishioners are more likely to examine the Scriptures when they are shown what God actually included in His Holy Tome. Surprise, even shock, is often the response from those who are willing to check out what God actually said. This is not a new phenomenon, as the following will prove.

We will begin our examination of the Holy Scriptures at the beginning, meaning the first church God established upon His creation of man. I call this congregation of three the Church of Eden. Though consisting of only two congregants and one Pastor (Shepherd), it exhibited everything a church needs in order to exist: a Leader armed with the Truth and a congregation of disciples. Sadly, the fall of the original church has been duplicated throughout the history of mankind until today. As we come to the end of the Laodicean era of church history (Rev. 3:14-18) the church is still rebelling against her Maker. Read God’s Place of Safety, key word–Safety to learn how to avoid the hell that will soon overtake the earth. Because nations follow the leading of their religious establishments, those living on earth today will experience the Great Tribulation, the Day of the Lord and the return of Jesus Christ. I will be 83 this month. Long ago I asked God to allow me to witness the return of His Son to this earth. I believe He will answer my prayer.

What I have said and written about those who refuse to believe God’s Word and those who embrace it will be proved out by this series. We will begin our “proofing session” by briefly returning to the Garden of Eden. Here we find that the Old Testament God (the Word Who became Jesus of Nazareth–read The God of the Old Testament. Key word–Old), has told Adam and Eve what they could and could not do (His Law), as well as the outcome for obeying His Law or disobeying it. One could not be more religious than Adam and Eve. But notice how easily they, along with their first son, Cain, were deceived. It was the “least of these”–the younger son–who believed and obeyed God. Only one out of four (25%) did so. The percentage today is more like .025. And I am being generous with my calculations. For example, some two billion people claim to be Christians today. Think about the billions who have made the same claim over the past 2000 years. Then think about the few who actually believe and obey the Lord (Mat. 7:13,14). We are told that at the time of Christ’s return some 10,000 will rise to meet Him in the air, thena then accompany Him to the Mount of Olives (Jude 1:14). Later, others will be given the opportunity to embrace the Lord and live eternally on earth. Only those in the first resurrection will live with God and Christ in Kingdom Headquarters. Read The Three Resurrections, The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord and The Kingdom of God. Key words–Three, Tribulation and Kingdom respectively.

Fast forward to the time of the Prophet Elijah (1 Ki. ch.16-18) where we find the prophet has proclaimed a drought and a famine over the land of Israel for the sins of King Ahab and his wife Jezebel who had led the people of Israel to worship Baal. Anciently, kings were both political and spiritual leaders. The people had followed them into paganism. Later, Elijah told Ahab to gather all of the people of Israel at Mt. Carmel (ch. 18). This included the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of the groves. In order to show the king, queen, their pagan prophets and all the paganized people of Israel whose God was the real God, an alter was built upon which they would sacrifice a bull. After soaking the sacrifice with water, the prophets of Baal tried for hours to convince their god to consume it with fire. Then Elijah said a simple prayer and God sent fire down for heaven which consumed not only the sacrifice, but also the water that filled the trench they had dug around it. God sent down fire in a spectacular display that consumed everything. Undeterred, King Ahab, Jezebel and their prophets refused to repent and believe God. However, THE PEOPLE DID REPENT AND BELIEVE. As this series will show, those at the top do not normally repent and turn to God when shown the Truth about His Word. It is those at the bottom of the religious ladder who are most likely to humble themselves and turn to the Lord. L.J.