In this life there are no “accidents.”  God’s Law of Cause and Effect is in effect at all times and remains true in every situation.  For every result there has to have been a causative factor.  One does not fall from a tree one has not climbed.  This unbreakable rule has played a very large part in my spiritual life when the Lord has placed me in the exact right place at the exact right time to hear, see or experience something that I can use in the ministry.  Many a time I have found myself in a situation that I did not choose or even suspect was about to materialize.  The ritual  works like this: I will suddenly find myself in a location at a time that I neither planned nor anticipated.  While there I will hear, see or experience something that is totally unexpected.  Such was the case recently as I was waiting for the Mike Huckabee program to come on our religious t.v. channel, which, by the way, I only watch when Huckabee is on.  As I clicked on the channel a world famous preacher was ending his message.  He said in closing, “Jesus loves you just the way you are.”  The Almighty had struck again.  I was in the right place at the right time to hear this Satanic proclamation which took about 3 seconds.  Of course, his audience agreed with him.  I could almost see his god (Satan) grinning when those words flowed from his lips.  His “headline” proclamation was true.  However, he did not then, nor would he ever tell the people about God’s “fine print” that explains the difference between God’s love for all mankind and His love for those who obey Him.  THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE TWO TYPES OF LOVE IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH.

The problem with this false prophet’s headline is that the whole of professing Christendom believes it.  They “know” that the issue is settled.  And when such words are followed by, “You just have to love the Lord,” the fix is in; the die is cast; one’s heavenly mansion awaits one’s arrival.  All that needs to be done has been done.  I was once told by a super churchite, “I know all I need to know.”  This was a strange statement coming from someone who knew little more than John 3:16.  Recall that the Apostle Paul commanded Timothy the evangelist to “study to show yourself approved by  God” (2 Tim. 2:15).  The Lord’s tested, tried and proven messenger had to study the Scriptures that had been INSPIRED BY GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT (3:14-14-16) in order to remain in good standing with the Lord.  Obviously, Paul did not believe that Timothy knew “all he needed to know.”  Nor did Paul know that salvation awaited Timothy (or Paul himself) simply because he preached the gospel, healed the sick, cast out devils and “loved Jesus.”  For God’s hand-picked messengers, as well as their followers, there was (is) much more to the attaining of salvation than that.  This is what I call God’s “fine print.”

A few years ago a group of church people invaded down-town Athens.  They came with smiles engraved on their faces and four words mechanically flowing from their lips: “Do you know Jesus?”  They asked the question to everyone they saw who was not able to hide.  Those who answered in the affirmative were automatically deemed “saved” in that to know Him is to love Him.  All others had to endure the standard talking points.  I suspect that some were “saved” on the spot by agreeing to embrace their perverted gospel.  I can imagine the prophets and apostles “turning over in their graves” at such unscriptural nonsense.  Satan’s modern prophets, aka pastors, evangelists, etc. are even worse than those who preached their perverted gospel to the early church (Gal. 1:6-9).  In those days Satan’s messengers called themselves “ministers of righteousness” (2 Cor. 11:13-15).  Their modern counterparts reject the idea of personal righteousness on the part of Christians.  To be saved, born again and rapture-ready one need only show up, ‘fess up and pay up–and love Jesus.  Recall that one such minister told the world that sickness awaits anyone who so much as attempted to obey God.  Recently the preacher who proclaimed that bit of Satanic drivel ran an ad on t.v. stating that one need not be “good” to be part of his church.  Being good (obeying God) was impossible.  Just love Jesus and all will end well.

In another instance involving the Lord’s right-place-right-time dealings with me, I heard another preacher tell about a homosexual man who was a revered, saved and born again member of his church.  This purveyor of “truth” told the world that there was no need for the man to change, that this sinning convert was just fine the way he was, and that he had the same reward awaiting him as did the rest of the congregation.  Which was true, only the reward they will share will not be what they are being promised.  THIS IS THE DIRECTION THE CHURCH IS GOING.  Which is no surprise to those who believe the Lord’s gospel.  Does God agree with this new-age understanding of His will?  He answers the question for those who hunger and thirst for “truth in the inward parts” (Ps. 51:6).  Jeremiah equated God’s “Truth” to His Law in chapter 31 verse 33.  God writes His Law on the heart (mind) of Truth seekers.  These are they who “hunger and thirst for righteousness” whom He will “fill” with righteousness (Mat. 5:6).  If it is God’s will that we spiritually hunger and thirst for righteousness, as Jesus said, why then did He fix man so that he could not satisfy those most basic needs?  We are told that we need not hunger and thirst for righteousness as Jesus requires.  The effort will supposedly make us ill.  Who are we to believe?  Who has “… the Words of eternal life?” as the Apostle Peter affirmed about Jesus (Jn. 6:68).  According to modern religionists, Peter was wrong.  Christ does not have life-giving Words.  However, religious man does.  And his words are the exact opposite of Christ’s Words which, He tells us, will be our judge (Jn. 12:44-50).  Again, who are we to believe?

Those who are quick to refute the Lord’s command for holiness are equally quick to quote 2 Chronicles 7:14 when a crisis arises.  As is churchman’s custom, he recites the passage, but only in part.  The ritualistic prayer goes something like this when churchites recite the Lord’s promise: “If My people … will pray “… I will … heal their land” when disaster strikes.  This “headline” is true–in part.  Unfortunately, those needing help refuse to consider the “fine print” related to the “headline.”  Let us do that.  In verse 13 God tells us Who sends crisis after crisis on those who are called by His name–GOD HIMSELF.  Note that He not only sends drought and famine on the land, He sends “pestilence among My people.”  The word “pestilence” in the Hebrew is “deber,” meaning plague, disease, a pandemic of sickness and death.  Note that IT IS GOD HIMSELF WHO SENDS THOSE CRISES ON THOSE WHO CLAIM TO BE HIS PEOPLE. 

Verse 14 answers the “why” question relative to God’s cursing of His people.  The problem is that His all-important fine print is totally ignored by those asking for His help.  What one hears is that if they PRAY, God will “HEAR FROM HEAVEN” and will “HEAL THEIR LAND” (AND CURE THEM OF THEIR PESTILENCES).  When one reads what religionists leave out it will become clear why God ignores their prayers and treats them as He does all other non-believers.  Here is what those who pray leave out: “… will HUMBLE THEMSELVES AND SEEK MY FACE AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS,” THEN (AND ONLY THEN) WILL HE “HEAR FROM HEAVEN, FORGIVE THEIR SINS AND HEAL THEIR LAND (INCLUDING THEIR PESTILENCES).  How can one “turn FROM (not in) his wicked ways” if, as we are told repeatedly, it is impossible to do so?  Wickedness is sin.  Sin is the breaking the Lord’s Law (1 Jn. 3:4), which God writes on the hearts (minds) of those who truly embrace Him (Jer. 31:33/ Heb. 12:10).  The opposite of sin (Law-breaking) is holiness (Law-keeping).  To turn from breaking the Law means to obey it, which results in holiness, which, as Romans 5:21 and 6:22 tell us, is necessary in order to receive salvation from God at the end of the age.  That being so, wouldn’t holiness also be necessary in order to receive help from God during this life?  “Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord (Isa. 1:18).  “Can two walk (reason) together unless they agree” (that He is right)–Amos 3:3  To reason with God is to walk together with Him and to conclude that He is right.  This fine print is rejected en toto by the religious masses.  Which is exactly what Adam and Eve did as they walked toward the forbidden tree.  If only they had “turned from their wicked ways” (evil thoughts and walk toward the tree), sought God’s face, repented, and ordered the Serpent out of the garden.  Impossible?  “Behold, I give you power over all the power of the enemy” (Lk. 10:19).  Unless, as we are told from pulpit and podium, in person, on t.v. and radio, the internet, in movies and in print, “Human experience proves that overcoming Satan, walking in holiness, etc. simply isn’t possible.”  God, the church would have us believe, simply can’t face reality and therefore needs to sit down, shut up and stop sending out His heretics with their Bible-based messages.  And the curse goes on.  L.J.