AN ABSENCE OF MEN OF GOD
AN ABSENCE OF MEN OF GOD
Moses, after leading the children of Israel out of Egypt, comes to Mount Sinai. There he leaves the camp and heads up to the top of the mountain to receive the 10 commandments straight from the hand of God. . While “All scripture is given by inspiration of God…” what Moses held in his hands was actually inscribed by God. Don’t forget too, Moses had been away for a full forty days. Notice what happens while he’s gone.
(1) “And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.”
If you know anything about your Bible you know that Moses is a type of the Law. He was God’s mouthpiece and in his absence, the people grew restless and reverted back to their old ways.
Notice: the difference between Moses and Aaron. Moses was the one who told the people what to do. But the people wanted somebody they could manipulate so they came to Aaron.
(2) “And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.”
Notice: Who was wearing the earrings: “Wives…sons…daughters.” But it doesn’t say the men were wearing them. And I still don’t believe men ought to wear earrings. Only fags and sailors wear earrings – so if you’re not wearing an eye patch or sporting a peg leg I’ll just have to wonder about you!
Notice: The first thing their new Associate Pastor wanted was their Gold. You’d better watch a man that talks about money all the time. I watch preachers on TV and its almost like watching a Christian soap opera. They’ve got this crisis approach to raising money. But as it usually happens, false prophets have no trouble raising money and so it was in verse 3…
(3) “And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.”
Moses had only been gone a little over a month but they’d already begun a new building project. And here comes Aaron with a golden calf in verse 4. That was the false god they worshipped down in Egypt. And that brings us to our subject: an absence of men of God. In the absence of David and his men – enemies came, burnt down Ziklag, and their wives got carried away. In the absence of Jesus, Peter said, “Phooey on this whole thing, I’m going fishing!” In the absence of Moses, Israel went back into idolatry. To say the least it left a bad taste in their mouth when Moses ground that calf up into powder and made them drink it!
In John 4:23 Jesus was talking to the Samaritan woman. She kept trying to change the subject away from her sinful lifestyle and she brought up the issue of where one ought to worship. Jesus told her in verse 22, ‘Lady, you don’t even know what you’re worshipping.’ “…We know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.” “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth…” If you’ll notice the word “spirit” there you’ll see it is lowercase – indicating not the Holy Spirit, but our spirit. There are many charismatic outfits out there that have the “spirit” of worship down pat, but they lack Truth!
Why? Because they lack true Men of God! Hey, man’s going to worship something – it’s just in his nature. But it’s important what you worship. The Muslims worship but they worship a dead god. The Buddhists worship but God only knows what.
And in the absence of men like Moses, the people went back to worshipping the same old bull.
Did you know the Rick Gage Organization made this statement: “There will be many different churches and denominations involved, but there should never be a time in the Crusade process that theological differences will be an issue.” Does that mean Gage thinks that Baptists, Mormons, and Catholics all believe the same thing about salvation? You’ve got to be retarded to believe something like that!
You say, “How can you preach against a crusade that touched so many hearts?” Lady, they were all a little bit touched before they got there! But if you want to talk about the heart, I’ll tell you what the Bible says about the heart “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer 17:9)
Now I’ve been accused of portraying God as a Mean and Vindictive Deity. But that’s just because people don’t like to be told they’re wrong. Everybody agrees that we need policemen. But Policemen stop people for speeding all the time and hear this, “Why don’t you stop some of these people out here who’re really breaking the law?” And people don’t mind you preaching against sin, but they don’t like it when you preach on sins they actually commit!
I’ve caught some flack over criticizing the Rick Gage concert. (An ecumenical gathering in Gaffney) They tell us: “Sinners Will Be Turned Away by Christians’ Disagreeing.” The problem is they do not know the Bible or history. D. L. Moody went to a temperance meeting but he would not sit on the same platform with a Unitarian preacher. Do you think that kept Moody from winning souls? Billy Sunday fought the liquor traffic and worldliness. But that didn’t keep from winning souls. At the First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, John R. Rice said Gypsy Smith’s eyes were afire with a holy indignation as he watched the preachers on the platform. He’d had enough and yelled out, “You (don’t) believe in the virgin birth of Christ? Hypocrite! Get out of the pulpit!” But did that keep him from winning souls? No it didn’t.
My Grandpa taught me there was virtue in being plain. He told me the story of two men driving down the road. They came to a stop sign and the driver couldn’t see around the corner so he asked the passenger, “Is anything coming?” The passenger looked and said, “Just a big ol dog.” They pulled out and got hit by a Greyhound! What was the problem? He wasn’t specific enough! And there are a lot of preachers out there who’ll preach on sin, but they won’t tell you what it is! But it always pays to be plain.
My brother and his wife came to hear me preach one time while they were still in a Southern Baptist Church. And I slandered the convention. I raked that thing over the coals! I invited him back a few weeks later but he said he wouldn’t come just to be embarrassed again. Yes it made him mad. But it was right and look at him now. Sitting in an Independent Baptist Church. He’s got a King James Bible. He’s a God called, Independent, fundamental, shingle-pulling, fire-breathing, Baptist preacher. Don’t tell me preaching against sin doesn’t work.
I read where around 60 different churches are involved with this “Go Tell” crusade. They said they had 4,000 people Sunday. That sounds like a lot of people. But when you divide 4,000 by 60 churches that’s only 66 people from each church. But a fellow in the paper named Dr. French O’Shields said the Go Tell crusade, might be “most important event to ever occur in Cherokee County.” And what a sad commentary if it is! I see signs on Methodist Churches, Lutheran Churches, and so-called Baptist Churches. They’ve put great amounts of time and energy into this project. And they’ve got a real burden for souls. But to my knowledge, not one person from any of these churches has ever knocked on my door at any time and tried to win me to Jesus. That’s astounding since I’ve lived here for twenty-five years.
Other than advertising and maybe throwing a dollar or two into an offering plate now and then, what are these Churches doing to “Go Tell” anybody, anything? They may talk about breaking down racial and denominational barriers but what about economic? Will they bus any children in from Happy Valley? If they care so much about souls, how many Crusade flyers and Gospel tracts have they passed out in Connecticut Village?
Don’t get me wrong; I hope the whole county gets saved. God knows they need to. But it seems like most churches only get active when something new comes along. Whatever happened to old-fashioned door-to-door witnessing? John the Baptist didn’t offer a free camel ride to whoever brought the most people to hear him preach. Jesus never said, “Use the latest fads to attract people to your churches.” He said, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15). We have an individual responsibility not only to win souls to Christ, but to disciple them as well. (Mt 28:20). We are to confront people with their sins and not comfort them in their sins. We’re to make the Gospel available. But God help the low down sorry preacher who tries to make the Gospel acceptable to this ungodly world.
Real Baptists detest Calvinism. We’re not Calvinistic in our Theology. But why don’t we admit it, we are Calvinistic in our evangelism. We say God can save anybody and we leave it entirely up to Him to do it. What I mean is, we never go out in to the highways and hedges, we don’t compel sinners to come in like we once did! Where’s our burden for lost souls? Where’s our broken heart for that soul nearest Hell? Baptists are so slack, most people think we’re Jehovah’s Witnesses when we knock on their door!
Much more I could say but in Ex 32:9 God saw what was going on.
(9-10) “And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.”
Moses pleads with God on behalf of the people and God’s anger seems to cool off. And in verse 17 Moses and Joshua were making their way down the mountain…
(17) “And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.”
But Moses said, “That’s not a war cry.” Look at the last few words in verse 18. He said, that’s “the noise of them that sing” You ought to underline that in your Bible. Because that wasn’t a song of Redemption they were singing. When Israel went through the midst of the Red Sea and came out on the other side – its recorded “Then sang Moses and the children of Israel…” They sang and Praised God for bringing them out. Joshua was familiar with the Song of Deliverance. But when Joshua was coming down the mountain, he didn’t hear Amazing Grace playing. It didn’t sound like the Old Rugged Cross. But Moses recognized as the music they’d learned down in Egypt. That’s that stinking Contemporary Egyptian Music.
WHILE MOSES WAS AWAY THEY’D GONE BACK TO PLAYING THE SAME MUSIC.
You know something I never could get into is this contemporary Christian Music. The musicians just strike me as people who couldn’t make it in the real music world. I never did like 7-11 music. (7 words repeated 11 times.) I hate to hear a woman whisper in the microphone like she’s some kind of Christian Phone Sex operator. But this Sensual Dead-as-Hell, God-is-my-girlfriend music is taking over!
Somebody asked me why I didn’t take the youth to the Rick Gage concert. Well, one reason is they had the Praise Band from Restoration there. They say, “We’re using today’s music to draw people in” And that proves they’re not singing to God, they’re more interested in making some kind of worldly siren song. But Ps 96:1 says, “O sing unto the LORD a new song.”
They say, “We’re trying to reach people thru song.” And that proves they don’t know a thing about the Bible. It didn’t please God by the foolishness of singing to save people. It pleased God “by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” And a lot of what’s called “Christian” music today, reminds me of what Joshua said of Backslid Israel. It just sounds like a bunch of noise to me.
Not only did Israel go back to playing the same music and worshipping the same bull, they also went back to WEARING THE SAME THINGS.
Vs. 25 says they were naked! (And that’s a bad thing because they were just about to get blistered by Moses.) But all thru the Bible, especially the NT, when people met Jesus they put some clothes on. After Jesus cast that legion of demons out of the demoniac in Mark 5, they found him sitting, clothed and in his right mind. Peter was fishing one day when they noticed Jesus on the shore. When Peter realized it was the Lord, do you know what the first thing he did was? He put his coat on b/c he was naked! Before I got saved, I went to nightclubs that had more dress standards than some churches.
Drive by some of these “Growing Churches” sometime. You can’t tell if they’re going to Church or Six Flags. Hey, I don’t know a thing about what Sanders preaches and God knows I’m not for staying in Church till 2 O’clock Sunday afternoon, but if you want to see how Christians should dress, just drive by Bethel Baptist Church on Sunday morning. Some of them are a little more extravagant than others, But I’m not telling you to dress like some 1970’s pimp – I’m just saying wear your best to the House of God!
What was Israel’s problem? They lacked a Godly spiritual influence. Have you reverted back to some of your old ways? You know, it’s not always the Man of God’s fault. In fact, every one of us will give an account of himself to God. You know what you ought to do? You ought to surround yourself by people who spiritually intimidate you. Men who aren’t afraid to draw a line in the sand.
(26) “Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD’S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.”
In Matthew 15 a Canaanite woman came to Jesus wanting help. But Jesus said, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Then He called her a dog! Can’t you just hear the people gathered round that day? “I don’t believe Jesus loves people!” I imagine some of the Israelites thought Moses was a little too critical. But Moses didn’t care. He wasn’t there to win friends and influence people. He was there to lay the law down. No doubt years later, Joshua had this incident in mind when he said, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve;”
You know, in between the gospels and the OT, there’s a space of about 400 years of prophetic silence. There was no open vision. No real move of God. But all of a sudden a burning and a shining light bursts on the scene and his name is John the Baptist! Jesus said he was the greatest Prophet who ever lived. Maybe the reason he shone so brightly was because the times were so dark. And I believe God’s still able to raise up a mighty prophet in these last dark days we’re living in! God give us some men like Moses and Joshua and David!
I still like that story how D. L. Moody saw a plaque on the wall one day that changed his life. It said, “It’s yet to be seen what could be done with one man who is completely yielded to God.” And thought God used him in a mighty way, I believe he testified later that he was not that man. So it still remains to be seen what could be done with one young man or one young woman who’ll surrender all. God’s not looking for MEN He’s looking for A MAN.
I read somewhere that a star can burn out today up in the sky, but it may take 50 years before we stop seeing its light. And many Christians who were on fire not long ago are simply coasting now. But aren’t you tired of running on past blessings?
You know studying this thing about The Absence of Men of God has pricked my own heart. Before I ever preached it to you, The Holy Ghost preached it to me. God knows I’ve failed to be the preacher and the Christian I ought to be. Aren’t you tired of low living? Are you ready to cross that line? If so, then with a broken heart and on bended knee – call on God to stir your heartstrings again.
Fags
Fags
“THOU SHALT NOT lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion. Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.” Leviticus 18:22-25
I believe the up and coming generation needs to know, that men of God hold these individuals in derision. They need to know what a terrible abomination this is in the eyes of God. I detest being around Sodomites; they make me uncomfortable. I don’t like Chihuahuas. I just don’t like anything sissy!
There are many slang terms used to indicate a sodomite: fag, queer, fairy, etc. Webster’s 1828 Dictionary does not even contain the word ‘Homosexual’. But it does define Sodomite as: (1) An inhabitant of Sodom or (2) One guilty of sodomy. Since the term “sodomite” is used, even after Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, definition one need not be considered.
Furthermore, sodomy is defined as ‘a crime against nature!’ Sodomy not only makes God sick, but Scripture implies that the land vomits at its very presence! “And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.” (Lev 18:25) Is it any wonder that California often convulses as would a man with upset stomach? Why does the land vomit? Because sodomy is a crime against nature!
When one attempts to defy the law of gravity by jumping off a cliff, they suffer the consequences. When two men get together and try to do what only man and wife were designed to do, they too will suffer the consequences.
Whether or not AIDS is God’s judgment on the sin of homosexuality I do not know. However, I am sure God is aware of the CDC’s recent statistics. On table 22 of their website the following information is available. Of white men with AIDS in the United States, it is estimated that 76% were men who have sex with men. Furthermore, add that to the 10% of men who have sex with men and inject drugs.
In the Bible, we have God’s disclosure of His will. Within the pages of Scripture we may peer into the mind of an Omnipotent God. In the Bible we are warned, “Be not deceived!” Could it be that some well-meaning ‘Christians’ are deceived? A person is deceived when they see nothing wrong with two men getting married, or two women having sex. Even with this sinful lifestyle becoming more and more tolerated, God still calls it an ‘abomination’ (Le 20:13). Nevertheless, “God is not mocked!”
Is AIDS God’s judgment on the perverts of America? Probably! The reality that God has not already rained down fire and brimstone on our darling nation proves that He is a loving God, and not that he condones a tainted standard of living.
Alongside I-85, a billboard advocating tolerance of sodomy says, “Gay or straight…All…equal.” This is of course a reference to the Declaration of Independence. However, it is interesting to note, they left out ‘created’ equal on their little sign! While I would partially agree with our founding fathers that all men are created equal, I would argue that all men do not remain that way!
All men are born into sin. You need not teach a baby to lie, it will learn on its own. That is natural. Children must be brought up in the nurture and admonition of the lord, because sin comes naturally to all. When an attractive yet scantily clothed woman walks by, a man’s ‘natural’ instinct is to look and lust after her. That’s natural, but that doesn’t make it right! Even if sodomites are ‘born that way,’ and even if they don’t have the slightest affection for the opposite sex; that still does not excuse what God calls an abomination!
Despite arguments to the contrary, the sin of sodomy is far from natural! As mentioned before, Webster defines sodomy as a ‘crime against nature!’ Romans 1:26 refers to it as “That which is against nature.” Vs. 27 says it’s an “…Error…” and “…Unseemly…” Vs. 28, Paul said these people “…do those things which are not convenient.” And, finally in Vs. 31 they’re “…without natural affection.”
In 2nd Kings 23:7, the Bible says Josiah “…Brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the house of the LORD…” - In Josiah’s time, the Sodomites had come out of the closet and settled down right beside the Church. And today we see the same thing happening! Perverts, no longer want merely to be left alone, they want to be accepted. They’re not concerned with simply being tolerated anymore; they want us to embrace their perverted lifestyle. I don’t care if they move in beside the parsonage and paint the house pink. I’ll point next door and tell my children, ‘Those people are wicked as Hell!’
You can’t show me a single instance where Jesus ever witnessed to a sodomite or a lesbian. In all 66 books, God never sent the homosexuals a prophet. But before you accuse me of being unloving: I have witnessed to several of them before. I’m just saying that I’m not planning on going into “fag evangelism.” Can you imagine setting up a rainbow-colored tent at all of the rest areas? I can’t fathom it but I do witness to them. Have you ever witnessed to one? By that I mean, have you ever showed them from the Scriptures that they’re at enmity with God and must needs repent or perish? Have you ever done that for anybody?
Abortion: I’m Against It
ABORTION
&
Why I’m Against It
Burned by the saline solution used to abort her, this precious 4-½ month (2nd trimester) old baby girl lies dead. Slaughtered and chemically cooked alive at the hands of a money hungry, Godless, doctor.
Abortion is wicked and “God is angry with the wicked every day.” “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood…” More than 42 million unborn babies have lost their lives since the US Supreme Court decided on January 22, 1973, that women have a constitutionally protected right to have an abortion On average, 3,836 pre-born babies have been routinely eliminated every day for thirty years. That means since 1973, unwanted babies have had their lives ended at an average rate of 2.5 per minute, 160 per hour, and 1,400,000 a year.
To those that claim the name of Christ, don’t even pretend to care about this issue unless you are registered to vote. If you’re not doing everything you can to get these bunch of fag-loving baby-killers out of office, you should be ashamed to call yourself a Christian.
WOULD YOU CONSIDER HAVING AN ABORTION IN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING SITUATIONS?
- There’s a preacher and wife who are very, very poor. They already have 14 children, and now she finds out she’s pregnant with the 15TH. They’re living in tremendous poverty. Considering their poverty and the excessive world population, would you consider recommending an abortion?
- The father is sick with a bad cold; the mother has tuberculosis (TB). They have 4 children. The 1st is blind, the 2nd is dead, the 3rd is deaf, and the 4th has TB. She finds out that she’s pregnant again. Given this extreme situation, would you consider recommending an abortion?
- A white man has raped a 13-year-old black girl, and she became pregnant. If you were her parents, would you consider an abortion?
- A teenage girl is pregnant. She’s engaged but her fiancé is not the father and now he’s thinking about calling off the marriage.
Would you consider an abortion under any of these circumstances? If you said yes to the first case, you just killed John Wesley, one of the greatest evangelists of the nineteenth century. If you said yes to the second case, you killed Ludwig van Beethoven. If you said yes to the third case, you killed Ethel Waters, the great black gospel singer. And, if you said yes to the fourth case, you killed Jesus Christ.
Closing Remarks
In conclusion, if you are a woman who’s had an abortion, as horrible as it is, God still wants to forgive you. If you’re not saved, there’s a God in Heaven Who’s not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Two thousand years ago, God sent His only-begotten Son down to this sin-cursed world we live in. He didn’t come to be worshipped necessarily; He came to be a sacrifice for all mankind. After all, someone has to pay for your sins. That’s why Christ died. He died in our place, suffered our shame, and bore our sins. If you reject Christ’s offer to put your sins under His blood and hide them from Holy eyes of our God, you will spend eternity in Hell. How do you come to Christ? You come with a simple, child-like faith. “Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Find out what God’s Word says, then call on God the best way you know how – Repent of your sins – and put your faith in what Jesus did on the cross! (2Cor 5:21) After you get saved, join a local, Independent, fundamental, Bible believing, King-James-only, soul winning, Baptist Church. I highly recommend my home Church:
Malik “Kill-Em Ladin” Hasan
Malik “Kill-Em Ladin” Hasan
Malik Nidal Hasan was the name of the shooter at Ft. Hood today. Has anyone else noticed the first two names are Kilam (“kill-em“) Ladin backwards? Was this some sort of veiled message?
Fox just confirmed yesterday that Hasan was a convert to Islam- which means he may have changed and/or perhaps picked his Islamic name. Yet, Fox interviewed Malik’s brother who had the same last name. (If he did convert and change his name) I find it hard to believe that Hasan, being a psychiatrist, would not put much thought into its meaning.
Let us also remember that November 5 is also the date of another historical/attempted assassination.
Though I can’t imagine how, I would not be surprised to learn that the date as well as the shooter’s name is significant.
Draw your own conclusions and leave your comments
Here’s O’Reilly
Jails to Jesus
MY TESTIMONY
By: Jason W. Elder
My name is Jason Elder and on October 29th 1980 I was born right here in Gaffney South Carolina. I know many people who blame their shortcomings on their parents but I can’t do that. I have some of the best parents in the world. My dad was a Highway Patrolman for 14 years and then the Chief of Police in Blacksburg for several more. My mom worked at Hamrick’s for a number of years and currently runs her own business.
My mom brought me to church a lot when I was younger. I went forward after service once and talked to the pastor about getting “baptized.” We prayed a prayer and I was baptized not long afterwards. I’m sure he did everything he could to point me in the right direction but looking back, I just didn’t get it.
Yes, in the beginning I had an interest in church like never before, but it just didn’t last. The whole experience reminds me of the parable Jesus told about the seed that fell on stony ground. It was so quick to spring up but when the Sun was risen it withered away just as quickly because it had no root.[1]
I’ve always been an introvert and shy by nature but that was okay with me. I didn’t really care what other people thought about me anyhow. In fact, I didn’t even start combing my hair until seventh grade. But as a teenager I became more and more concerned with what people thought of me.
Truth be known, that’s probably the biggest appeal drugs and alcohol had for me: they took away my inhibitions.
The first time I ever smoked marijuana was in the 10th grade. And while I liked getting high, I didn’t like the smell of it. If any of you ever been around someone smoking pot (and some of you look like you have) it has a very strong odor and knowing I had to come home to a house full of cops that always made me a little bit paranoid. Just by walking through the door I was subjecting myself to a sobriety test. I guess that’s why started messing around with pills: Xanax, Lortab, methadone etc. I even started selling a few here and there. It started out being just for fun but pretty soon I was addicted not just to the pills but to the lifestyle of a drug dealer.
I kinda liked it when people would notice that my beeper was blowing up. I was hanging out with some of the most popular kids in school. I knew they really didn’t care a thing about me, but hey, everybody likes to feel needed.
Around my senior year in high school a young man brought me a sample of something his dad had cooked up at home called meth.
I didn’t know it at the time, but he’d just introduced me to something 10 times worse than all the pills I’d ever taken. By the end of that summer I was using every day: smoking, snorting, and even shooting it up. After I got in good with the cook I started selling it but unlike the pills I sold just for the heck of it, I was selling meth to support my own habit. I can’t tell you how many hundreds of dollars worth of powder I went through but I gave Johnson & Johnson a run for their money. That’s just what I used, God only knows how much I sold.
But all that “fun” took me to the same place most junkies find themselves…jail! I was facing Federal and local charges and my life was in a mess. Sometime during this process I picked up a Bible and read through it in less than 8 weeks. I couldn’t believe it was actually interesting! When I was released, I was placed on house arrest. The Federal Government thought so much of me they gave me a cute little ankle bracelet to wear! For six months I was allowed to go to church only once on Sunday morning. I could go to all the Narcotics Anonymous meetings I wanted to, but Church only once a week.
The church my family was going to at the time was a cold, dead, liberal, Southern Baptist Church.
The pastor was a Calvinist and it showed in his preaching. I thought if this is all Church has to offer I’ll be better off not going. But then, one of my friends overdosed on painkillers. Michael Williams laid in a coma for about week and died just after Christmas. Still on the ankle monitor I went to the funeral home where they were receiving friends. Among the mourners I spotted a familiar older gentleman in the crowd, it was Pastor Lewis Batchelor from Open Door Baptist Church.
Several years prior, I had dated a girl that attended his church. As two lost young teenagers, one day, we were sitting on the second pew from the front. We were holding hands and passing little notes to each other. We didn’t have a care in the world. But all that would soon end! Before I could get my thoughts together, in front of God and everybody, that old gray-haired man came out from behind the pulpit, jumped off the platform, straddled the pew in front of us, looked me dead in the eyes, and said, “Are you saved son?” Before I could get the lump out of my throat, he looked down and saw we were holding hands. He physically separated our hands that day and after scolding us both for being too close for his liking, he briefly lectured the young lady why she should never date anyone that’s lost. I didn’t have enough hide left to close my eyes! But even as a lost teenager I appreciated someone that had enough guts to tell me what was right!
Anyway, at the funeral, I talked to Pastor Batchelor briefly then spoke with Michael’s dad and step-mom. I was doing a good job at keeping back the tears, but I couldn’t do it much longer. I left off talking with his parents and headed for the door. But somebody stopped me before I left!
It was Preacher Batchelor! 
When I broke down weeping he hugged me and tried to comfort me. I don’t remember what he said to me, I just remember he was there when I needed him. When Sunday rolled around, I started thinking about that little old church on the other side of town. I remembered the friendly people and the plain preaching. I literally begged my mom and dad to take me to Open Door Baptist Church. I don’t remember whether mom or dad went with me. All I remember is how happy everyone was that I came.
For six months I went to Church every Sunday morning but one. I was saved, born again, on a Wednesday night in March 2001. Not long after that, my dad got saved! We were both baptized on Easter Sunday! I was so overwhelmed by the grace of God that brought me salvation that I took all my ambitions, my plans, and my life and with joy placed them at the Master’s disposal.
Much has transpired since that day. The Lord has been so good that I cannot possibly list all the blessings He has sent my way. I only wish to encourage you not to give up hope on a loved one or friend who may be struggling with the same things I did. There’s a God in heaven Who specializes in lost causes. If He can save me He can save anybody.
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2Cor 5:17)
Jason W. Elder
Assistant Pastor
Gaffney SC
[1] “And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.” (Mark 4:5-6)
Interracial Marriage
Interracial Marriage
Is It Ok?
Seeing that our new president is the product of an interracial relationship questions about the subject have once again come to the forefront. Whether you speak from a Christian or secular viewpoint, I want your input; so feel free to leave a comment.
“Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” Jude 1:7
Most, if not all commentators suggest that “strange flesh” really means “same sex.” In these last days, there sure is a lot of that going on. But is that what the writer meant? If we had no more to go on that the names Sodom and Gomorrha, That’s certainly a conclusion you would come to. However, we have a simple Bible study tool called a “Dictionary!” According to Webster’s 1828 Dictionary “Strange” means (1.) Foreign; belonging to another country.
I’m no Greek scholar, but I did look up the term on my computer. Strong says “strange” comes from the Greek term heteros (as in heterosexual). A form of that word, meaning “other” or “different,” appears nearly 100 times. Now, I said it came from heteros but the exact form of the word in Jude 1:7 (“strange flesh”) is heteras which occurs only twice. The only other place is found in Heb 7:13 – “For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.”
I would also like to point out all the warnings the Book of Proverbs gives concerning “strange women.” (Pr 2:16; 5:3,20; 6:24; 7:5; 20:16; 23:27; 27:13) I’m aware of the spiritual application there, but I certainly wouldn’t fault a person for applying it literally and not “spiritualizing” it.
I know this topic is highly controversial and that is why I posted it. Men and women from both sides of this issue are seeking help and spiritual guidance on this issue. For that reason I speak plainly.
I do not know whether God is always opposed to Gentiles marrying outside of their respective races. I know it would be sin for me. If I came home with a Nubian Goddess, mom and dad would have a heart attack and needless to say, that would go against Matthew 19:19 “Honour thy father and thy mother…”
But Interracial or not, a couple who won’t honor God and their parents during the courtship, has no reason to expect the blessings of God during their marriage.
For those on the fence, I would have to advise you to marry within your own race because, frankly, we live in a cruel world. Even among churchgoing folk, racial bigotry and stereotypes run rampant.
But if you’re already married interracially, don’t let the devil beat you up about it. No, you won’t be accepted everywhere and that’s just a fact you will have to live with. But I promise you one thing; God’s people will love you.
I’m looking forward to any comments on the subject and especially on Jude 1:7.
“We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren…” (1John 3:14)
The Sin of Drinking
The Sin of Drinking
Delivered on Wednesday Night October 28, 2009 as part of a Bible Study at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Gaffney South Carolina.
Introduction: I went to my 10 year high school reunion Saturday night. I knew they were going to have a bar there but I figured it wouldn’t be any worse than going to Applebee’s or some other bar and grill. Boy was I wrong! About 95% of them were drinking if not outright drunk.
To be fair, most of them were not acting up. I guess you could say they were respectable drunks, if there is such a thing. But just to give you an example of the atmosphere I found myself in: one of my old buddies kept putting his beer on the table in front of me, trying to take a picture of “the preacher” drinking.
Don’t get me wrong, I thought it was funny the first few times he did so but he went on to ask for my testimony and then told everybody in hearing distance that they were going to Hell if they didn’t believe the King James Bible because Jason Elder (that would be me) said so.
Now, I have never believed that, much less ever stated it. I do believe the King James Bible is the Word of God and those who read from other versions are working at a great disadvantage but I do not believe reading an NIV will send you to Hell. That’s ridiculous.
Anyway, after having several drinks spilled and almost spilled on me I became disgusted and decided it was time to go to the house.
But when I sat down at the house I got under such conviction that I had to put my clothes back on and go back up there. On the way there I stopped by my church to pick up a stack of tracks which I passed out at the party, before leaving again.
That was it; I wasn’t going to say a word. But that night a young lady posted a message on Facebook expressing her displeasure in the event as well. People jumped all over her because they thought she was talking about them.[1]
They said they had a good time and couldn’t understand why people were complaining. Another implied that those who were complaining were “haters.” Others said they were offended by “…the ones that can’t let loose and have a good time.”
It got to the point where the young lady was contemplating deleting her account because of all the criticism.
What stuck out in my mind was the fact that people could not seem to understand why a Christian person wouldn’t enjoy being around a bunch of drinking, dancing, and drug using. One of the girls who organized the event, supposedly a good Christian girl, said she had a ball and was definitely thinking about a 15 year reunion.
Do people really not know that it’s a sin to drink alcohol? The answer is apparent (just read the comments) and that’s why I brought this lesson.
In chapter one John the apostle gave a brief account of the nature rather of Jesus Christ. In chapter 2 we read about the miracle working power of our Lord.
John 2
1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:
2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.
That’s good to know; Jesus isn’t opposed to people getting married. The Bible never records Him attending a divorce proceeding but he did go to weddings
3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.
4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
You should mark this verse down for your Catholic friends. This is the only command Mary ever gave. She said, “Listen to Jesus!”
6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.
7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.
8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.
9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,
10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.
The common practice in that day was to serve the best wine first and then gradually water it down. And you know, that’s still the strategy of the world. They’ll show you all the good first get you hooked, and wean you off the good stuff. The world hasn’t changed, but I thank God, the Lord Jesus hasn’t changed either! He’s still saving the best for last!
Introduction: This passage presents a certain dilemma. Every drunk in Cherokee County knows that Jesus turned water into wine and they bring that up to justify their condition. They really don’t care what the Bible says. So usually when they make that statement I make them a deal. I offer to drive them to the local YMCA which houses a huge swimming pool. I tell them if they can turn that water into wine, just like Jesus did, I will drink every drop of it. But you know what? I might have one heck of a stomach ache but I’d still be sober as a judge because the wine Jesus made was non-alcoholic. Maybe “sober as a judge” isn’t the best terminology given recent events in Cherokee County but you get my point.
Class of 1999 – Very Cosmopolitan!
How Do I Know The Wine In John 2 Was Non-Alcoholic?
(1) Because Habakkuk 2:15 says, “Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also…” If Jesus had provided alcoholic averages to these people in John chapter 2, he would’ve gone against the word of God.
How Do I Know Jesus Didn’t Drink Alcohol Himself?
(1) Leviticus forbids priests from drinking: “Do not drink wine nor strong drink….” (Lev 10:9-11) and Jesus is our “…high priest…” (Heb 2:17)
(2) The Book of Proverbs says, “…It is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:” (Prov 31:4) and Jesus is, “...KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Rev 19:16)
How Do I Know It’s Sin For Christians To Drink Alcohol?
(1) As shown above its sin for kings and priests to drink and Jesus has made us “…kings and priests unto God and his Father…” (Rev 1:6)
If Jesus really did make water into wine, why does it grieve my spirit to hear a so-called preacher point to John 2 and call Jesus “The First Bartender?” And, why do we use grape juice for the Lord’s Supper instead of Mad Dog or Boone’s Farm?
I’ll tell you why; it’s semantics. “Wine” meant something a little bit different to people 2000 years ago than it does to us today. When we hear “wine” we naturally assume it’s got alcohol in it. Otherwise we would call it grape juice.
But you won’t find the term grape juice in the Bible because whether it’s fresh grape juice or fermented grape juice they called it all wine.
To prove that Isaiah 65:8 says “Thus saith the LORD, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it…” Wine in the cluster is not talking about a six-pack. It’s talking about the juice in grapes that haven’t been picked yet. In other words, the Bible says you can find wine inside a fresh grape.
So it just stands to reason if they called the juice inside a cluster of fresh grapes “wine,” they must use d “wine” as a generic term referring to just about any liquid related to grapes. So when Jesus turned water into wine, it wasn’t the kind that got you drunk.
Drinking The Same As Overeating?
Someone has said that over eating is just as big a sin as drinking is. But when you’re traveling down the highway, which would you rather meet, an overweight driver or a drunk driver?
Who has Emotional, Social, and Physical problems?
“Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? (Emotional problems) who hath contentions? who hath babbling? (Social problems) who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? (Physical problems)” The answer is: “They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.” (Prov 23:29-30)
Proverbs 23:33 lists some of the effects alcohol has on people “Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.” You’ve probably heard that song; “…Don’t all the girls get prettier round closing time?” Those lyrics are so funny because they are so true. Alcohol makes bad things look a little bit better. But you know a whole lot of homes have been broke up because of that very thing. Like Billy Sunday said “Drinking has drained more blood, hung more crepe, killed more children, blinded more eyes, twisted more limbs, broke more hearts, and dug more graves than any plague that ever swept across this world.”
List of Hell-Bound People
In first Corinthians Paul lists several types of people who will not make it to heaven.
“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor DRUNKARDS, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Cor 6:9-10)
And if he stopped right there we’d all be in trouble. but thank God he goes on to say, “And such WERE some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Cor 6:11)
And if your struggling with alcohol or drug addiction I have good news, there is a God in heaven who specializes in hard cases. My friend if Jesus can’t help you, I don’t know who can.
[1] That is called conviction. When you throw a rock into a pack of wild dogs, the one you hit is the one you’re going to hear from.
STAY TUNED
MORE PICTURES AND NAME CALLING TO COME!
Jokes About Children
Kids
Homework
“Dad,” said Little Johnny, “I’m late for football practice. Would you please do my homework for me?”
The father said irately, “Son, it just wouldn’t be right.” “That’s okay,” replied Little Johnny, “but you could at least give it a try, couldn’t you?”
Frogs
Frank Pittman told of a conversation he had with his grandson.
Grandson: “Paw Paw, would you make a noise like a frog?”
Grandpa: “Why?
Grandson: “Cause grandma said when you croak we get to go to Disney Land!”
Shriners
Son:”Dad, what’s a Shriner?”
Dad:”It’s a drunk Mason son.”
An Honest Question
Ada LeMaster of Spartanburg says she and her husband, Jim, laughed until their sides were splitting after receiving a bit of humor from their daughter. “Dear Lord,” the preacher began his sermon, “without you, we are but dust…” He would have continued, but at that moment a very obedient little girl leaned over to her mother and asked quite audibly in her shrill little girl voice, “Mommy, what is butt dust?” Church was pretty much over at that point.[1]
Mom Like Lot’s Wife
The Sunday School teacher was describing how Lot’s wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt, when little Jimmy interrupted. “My Mommy looked back once while she was DRIVING,” he announced triumphantly, “and she turned into a telephone pole!”
You Must Be Proud
Two boys were trying to outdo each other. The first said, “My uncle is a doctor. I can be sick for nothing.” The second youngster said, “Big deal! My uncle is a preacher. I can be good for nothing.”
Alabama Vasectomy
An Alabama couple, both bona fide rednecks, had 9 children. They went to the doctor to see about getting the husband ”fixed.’ The doctor gladly started the required procedure and asked them what finally made them make the decision–why after nine children, would they choose to do this. The husband replied that they had read in a recent article that one out of every ten children being born in the United States was Mexican, and they didn’t want to take a chance on having a Mexican baby because neither of them could speak Spanish.
Another Preacher’s Kid
The minister appealed to the congregation for a salary increase to cover the addition to the family. The congregation agreed that it was only fair, and approved it. When the next child arrived, the minister appealed again and the congregation approved again. Several years and five children later, the congregation was a bit upset over the increasing expense. This turned into a rather loud meeting one night with the minister. Finally, the minister stood and shouted out, “Having children is an Act of God!”An older man in the back stood and shouted back, “Rain and snow are Acts of God, too, and we wear rubbers for them!”
[1] The Stroller 3/17/06
Fighting Jokes
Fighting Jokes
Quips
- I didn’t say I knew how to fight. I said I knew how to win.
- He was a colorful fighter—black and blue and blood red.
- “You said you could beat him hands down.” “He doesn’t want to keep his hands down!”
- He fought like a baseball pitcher—at the end of the fight he had a no-hitter.
- He was a crossword-puzzle fighter—he came into the ring vertically and left horizontally.
- He once had a fight with a woman. He would have won if she hadn’t hit him back with her crutch!
- He never bled after the third round. By that time he was all out of blood.
- He bled so much, after his fight the Red Cross used to siphon up the canvas!
- He has more belts than any other fighter— and all on his chin!
That’s Mean
He was so mean, when he called dial a prayer they told him to go to Hell.
Picking Your Battles
A bulldog can whip a skunk any day of the week…but it’s just not worth it.
No Contingency Plan?
A successful Irish boxer was converted and became a preacher. He happened to be in a new town setting up his evangelistic tent when a couple of tough thugs noticed what he was doing. Knowing nothing of his background, they made a few insulting remarks. The Irishman merely turned and looked at them. Pressing his luck, one of the bullies took a swing and struck a glancing blow on one side of the ex-boxer’s face. He shook it off and said nothing as he stuck out his jaw. The fellow took another glancing blow on the other side. At that point the preacher swiftly took off his coat, rolled up his sleeves, and announced, “The Lord gave me no further instructions.” Whop![i]
[i] Swindoll, Charles R. Swindoll’s Ultimate Book of Illustrations and Quotes.
Spiritual Guidance Illustrations
Spiritual Guidance
Knowing Where You’re Going
An evangelist told the story of a time when Albert Einstein was going on a train to an out-of-town engagement. The conductor stopped by to punch his ticket. The great scientist, preoccupied with his work, with great embarrassment rummaged through his coat pockets and briefcase to no avail. He could not find his ticket. The conductor said, “We all know who you are, Dr. Einstein. I’m sure you bought a ticket. Don’t worry about it. Everything is okay.” The conductor walked on down the aisle punching other tickets. Before he moved to the next car, he looked back and saw Dr. Einstein down on his hands and knees looking under his seat trying to find his ticket. He came back and gently said, “Dr. Einstein, please don’t worry about it. I know who you are.” Einstein looked up and said, “I too know who I am. What I don’t know is where I’m going!”[i]
Bound For Where?
Rob Yeomans of Pontesbury, England, bounced up and down trying to get more life into the choir’s rendering of “I Wonder Where I’m Bound.” The iron grid gave way under him and he vanished into the church’s central heating duct. [ii]
[i] Citation: Greg Asimakoupoulos, author and speaker, Naperville, Illinois; source: John A. Huffman Jr., pastor of St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, Newport Beach, California, from sermon “Resurrection Life” (June 23, 2000)
[ii] Paul Lee Tan
Jason
