Throughout my years of ministry I have at times had the Lord place me in certain locations at certain times so as to hear, or in some cases read, information that He intended for me to use in my messages.  A few times other people have told me about incidences they have witnessed which God intended for me to use.  After 81 years of church life I am not easily shocked by the “truths” that are proclaimed by the “angel of light’s” “ministers of righteousness” (2 Cor. 11:13-15) that is supposedly “thus saith the Lord.”  However, a few hours ago I heard and watched someone say things I never thought I would hear anyone proclaim publicly.  But before we get to him and his message I will remind the reader of some of those incidences in which God took me where I would not ordinarily be in order to teach me something He wanted me to share with those who truly seek Him.  The following are a few examples which I have mentioned before.  I often repeat myself for the sake of the new readers who might not have read my earlier postings.  So please bear with me when I digress.

Several years ago a television youth pastor was holding a revival which had drawn in a large number of teenagers, several of whom had brought a friend with them in the hope that he would get “saved.”  I will pick up the story following the preacher’s message when they had brought their friend up on the stage.  The pastor asked him where he would go if he died at that moment.  To hell, he replied.  The pastor then led him in the “sinner’s prayer.”  Following the prayer he asked the young man where he would go if he died at THAT moment.  He replied that he would go to heaven.  The auditorium exploded with praise that another soul had been snatched from Satan’s grasp.  I cringe when I think about the billions of people who have done the same thing and, like the newly “saved soul,” left the church “knowing” that, no matter what they did or how they lived, they were guaranteed eternal life in their own heavenly mansion.  This is the central theme of all Catholic and Protestant messages.  It comes down to “come-as-you-are-stay-as-you-are-for-Jesus-loves-you-just-as-you-are.  They all ignored Christ’s warning to: “Take heed that no man deceive you” (Mat. 24:4).  They lived and live today under Satan’s false assurance.

In another situation I heard a famous t.v. pastor tell his followers that it was foolish to try to obey God, that they would just make themselves sick.  After all, he told his audience, “… you are nothing but a society of sinners.”  Their reactions revealed that they agreed with him totally.  Another, even more famous pastor, told his congregation: “You’re saved, that’s been settled.”  Their followers could do as they pleased and still live in paradise forever.  What’s not to like about that religion?

With such Satanic swill coming from the pulpits and podiums of this world, we need not guess why church prayers are rarely, if ever answered.  GOD IS NOT HEARING CHURCH PRAYERS.  In 2 Chronicles 7:13,14 He said that He answered only the prayers He heard, and that He heard only the prayers of those who obeyed Him.

Several years ago I read about a street preacher who claimed that Jesus and Satan were in partnership in the salvation enterprise.  Satan’s part of the business was to lure people into sin.  Jesus would then convict them and lure them to Himself as their Savior.  The two partners relied on each other to get the job done.  According to this “man of God,” Satan is not the enemy the Scriptures make him out to be.  He simply does his work below man’s spiritual radar.  He is in fact Christ’s helpmate.  The two working together complete the task of saving souls.  And this man had followers.

In a recent posting I watched and listened to a former U.S. Attorney General-turned-Bible scholar say that God paid no attention to sin, that He was not interested in what one thought, said and did.  Rather, He was concerned about the person’s faith–did he take Jesus as his personal Savior.  If so, nothing else mattered.  His salvation was sealed and secure.  Accordingly, the fix is in for the murderer of 20 people, the serial rapist, the prostitute and and the perpetual thief if, that is, he/she is “saved.”  Then it’s simply a matter of repentance.

Upon hearing and reading man obvious lies disguised as church “truths” I foolishly thought that nothing could shock me.  How wrong I was.  Last evening (5-29-’22) I received an e-mail from a spiritual brother who gave me a link to a sermon delivered by a “minister” of “the church.”  Knowing that this man believes God’s Truth and would not have me download just another Catholic or Protestant business-as-usual-I’m-okay-you’re-okay sermon, I logged on and, admittedly, was shocked to my core at what I heard this man say to an adoring, clapping crowd.  The “angel of light’s” basic message can be summed up in a few statements:  God expects us to sin because sin is what makes life fun and interesting.  We must not deny ourselves sinful pleasures because that would deny God the pleasure of giving us what He wants us to have–pleasure.  Life without sin is not a God-pleasing life, but rather mere existence.  God does not expect His people to obey Him because that would be dull, boring and totally without pleasure.  He ended his sermon by saying to his cheering congregation who were on their feet: “If you did not enjoy your sin, you did it wrong.”  In other words, if you are going to sin, sin big.

The ministries and messages described above must not be viewed as anomalies or outliers.  Spiritually, their singular mission statement, though shocking to the honest Bible student, is no different from what is made evident every Sunday morning in thousands of churches scattered throughout the earth.  The vast majority of church people do not proclaim publicly what they believe and practice.  And what they believe, think, say and do is not new.  As we will see, rebellion against God is as old as religion itself.  Human sin began in a religious setting and continues to live and thrive in the two-headed monster known as “the church” to this day.  The irony is that the sin-repent, sin-repent message is put forth in the name of Jesus Christ and is believed and practiced by people who “know” that what they are being told is God’s Word.  L.J.

Addendum: I do not release the names of ministers I quote and write about.  Nor do I identify the institutions they represent.  I do this for a reason.  My emphasis is on the message, not the messenger or his/her institutional backer.  The messenger, and in some cases the institution will pass away, but the message remains.  For this reason I stick to the message, for it is the message which is believed or rejected, thereby determining one’s relationship with his/her Maker.