johnmcglone
Doctrine of Temptations
Temptations – Definitions, Sources and Responses
The Lord had been putting this issue on my heart for months. As I continue to study the issues of original sin, fleshly sin, etc. I find that the ‘church’ has systematized sin in a way that most understand it to be something we can’t help and God will overlook.
1 Cor 10:12-14 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
Heb 4:15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Temptation Greek peirasmos(payrasmos) Strongs 3985
1)an experiment, attempt, trial, proving:
Gal 4:14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, [even] as Christ Jesus.
2) an enticement to sin, temptation, whether arising from one’s desires or from the outward circumstances
a) an internal temptation to sin
Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted
b) of the temptation by which the devil sought to divert Jesus the Messiah from his work
Mark 1:13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.
When I was in Daytona Beach at Kerrigan’s grandfather’s 6th floor condo after the second day of preaching I was tempted to throw myself down, this happened again the third evening after preaching. Both times I was just relaxing and praying out on the balcony. Then on the way home, I had to tell Kerrigan about it and he said he endured the same temptation! Of course both times when I was faced with the adversary this way, I responded with God’s Word spoken/thought, prayer, and fleeing the balcony. When all this came out I knew we were doing the Lord’s work, and the devil was not happy. Praise God!
c) adversity, affliction, trouble: sent by God and serving to test or prove one’s character, faith, holiness. This greek word is naca(nasa) which means to test or refine like in metals for the good of the person.
Gen 22:1-2 Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
3) an impotent temptation of God by men. This is rebellion against God, by which his power and justice are, as it were, put to the proof and challenged to show themselves as sinners.
Num 14:22-23 because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice, 23 they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it.
Three Main Sources of Temptation: the Flesh, the World, and Satan
A. The temptations of the ‘flesh’
It was the natural, physical lusts, cravings, or desires of the flesh which were the source of temptation for Eve in the Garden. (Gen 3:6) She “saw that it was good for food”, “pleasant to the eye”, and “desired to make one wise”. These were all natural, physical appetites for food and wisdom which she sought to gratify through sin or disobedience to God. This was the first case in history when a human being submitted their will to serve their flesh supremely rather than submitting their will to the truth of God revealed to their minds. This was the first case in the history of a human individual doing what felt or seemed good over against what she knew was good. And this is exactly what every sinner does.
Perfection is resisting, hating, and overcoming all known temptations by the power of the Holy Spirit working in cooperation with one’s will. One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is self control.
-How perfect does Christ tell us to be? Matt 5:48 ‘Be ye perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.’
In Finney’s Systematic Theology pg. 191 speaking on influences or temptations states:
“Irritable feelings, or what is commonly called impatience, may be directly caused by ill health, irritable nerves, and by many things over which the will has no direct control. But this is not impatience in the sense of sin. If these feelings are not suffered to influence the will; if the will abides in patience; if such feelings are not cherished, and are not suffered to shake the integrity of the will; they are not sin. That is, the will does not consent to them, but the contrary. They are only temptations. If they are allowed to control the will, to break forth in words and actions, then there is sin; but the sin does not consist in the feelings, but in the consent of the will, to gratify them.”
These thoughts ring very true with my own experiences; if I am tired, sick, etc. my level of patience for various situations and people diminishes.
Responses to the temptation of the ‘flesh’:
‘flesh’ But, the suffering through this and controlling ourselves is the heart of the matter. What is happening inside as we practice this is a crucifixion of our flesh. We are to suppress these influences daily, this is part of bearing our cross.
Luke 9:23-24 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
Rom 8:13-14 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Mark 14:38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly [is] ready, but the flesh [is] weak.
Warning, many in Christendom call this influence of the flesh; sin. Many in the world also desire to blame Adam as the federal head of our sin. Sin as clearly taught in the Bible is refusing to obey God who is worthy of that obedience.
The flesh has lusts, cravings, or desire, which can be gratified through the forbidden means of sin. (Gen 3:6) These lusts are at first involuntary lusts, cravings, or desires, being strictly physical and not moral. There are involuntary physical desires and then there are intentional committals of the will. One is involuntary while the other is intentional. The former is physical, the latter is moral. But involuntary physical impulses do not bring forth moral (or immoral) sin until the will selfishly serves them supremely (James 1:15) instead of self sacrificially serving the highest well-being of others. (Luke 10:27). Physical temptation becomes immoral sin when the will yields itself to it. –Jesse Morrell
B. The temptations of the world (kosmos)
These temptations are the whole circle of earthly goods, endowments riches, advantages, pleasures, etc, which although hollow and frail and fleeting, stir desire, seduce from God and are obstacles to the cause of Christ
Mk 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Ps 73:12 Behold, these [are] the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase [in] riches.
Titus 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Peter Cartwright a traveling preacher in the Mississippi valley during the mid 1800’s stated this about a worldly temptation we see come to many ministers of God’s glorious gospel in every generation.
‘By the consent of all our traveling preachers, the bishop appoints from year to year every traveling preacher to his field of labor; this saves a vast amount of time and trouble in the ministry, in running about and seeking to contract with congregations for a specified time and stipulated amount of salary; moreover, it cuts off the temptation of selling the Gospel to the highest bidder….’
Responses to the temptations of the world.
Flee, Pray, and Capture
Flee those temptations
Matt 10:23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another:
1 Tim 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
Pray against those temptations
Matt 9:38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
Luke 6:28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
Luke 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Capture the thoughts of temptation
2 Cor 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Matt 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
C. Temptations by Satan or his demons
Matt 4:7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Acts 5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back [part] of the price of the land?
I Cor 7:5 Defraud ye not one the other, except [it be] with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.
Incontinency – denotes “powerless, impotent;” in a moral sense, unrestrained, “without self-control,” 2Ti 3:3, RV (AV, “incontinent”).
See SELF-CONTROL.
Self Control is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, not spoken of in many Christian circles.
Responses to devilish temptations
II Cor 2:9-11 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. To whom ye forgive any thing, I [forgive] also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave [it], for your sakes [forgave I it] in the person of Christ;Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
II Cor 2:14 Now thanks [be] unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
II Cor 12:8-10 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Conclusions:
John Wesley speaking on temptation and the Christian desire to be perfect as God is perfect, said,
“From such infirmities as these none are perfectly freed till their spirits return to God; neither can we expect till then to be wholly freed from temptation; for ‘the servant is not above his master.’”
II Cor 13:4:5 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you. Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance(self control): against such there is no law.
Heb 2:17-18 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.
1 John 2:3-6 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
How did Jesus walk? Perfect of course. He was tempted as we but he resisted and had victory over sin and the devil. We ought to walk the same way.
As we walk out our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ we are to examine ourselves, test, adjust our thinking, deeds, and motives to align our will with the Word of God and His will to be done here on earth as it is in Heaven. Amen.
Scriptures and teachings from Youtube:
James 1:2-3 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience
Why? becuase it is an opportunity to show God you love Him by not sinning. Well, it’s one of many reasons….
James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
We are considered free from sin after putting faith in Jesus, because we are no longer under bondage to it(slaves to sin can’t help but sin). Sin is always a choice and it never happens automatically against your will. Sin is a choice from our hearts. It doesn’t originate from the playground the Devil likes to mess with called the mind. Stop saying your temptation is sin, because that is bondage. You will never learn how to live free from sin if you believe sin is automatic and every little evil thought that pops in your head is sin. Jesus had those thoughts too because he was tempted as we are.
1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. God always leaves a way out , so sin doesn’t HAVE to happen.
2 Peter 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
Self-control, when free will is submitted unto God, is possible and required for all moral agents. No matter what temptations a person’s nature inherits (natural or unnatural desires) they never have to obey these temptations (1 Cor. 10:13). Because of free will, or man’s natural ability, he is responsible and accountable for his choices, he cannot blame it on his nature.
God has given us natural desires that can be gratified lawfully or unlawfully (Gen. 3:6).
“When God made us He gave us many different appetites… But God looked at the being He made and to whom He had given all these appetites and urges and said, ‘It is good!” Paris Reidhead
(Finding the Reality of God, pg 141)
A. We have a natural desire for food (Gen. 2:16).
B. We have a natural desire for sexual relations (Gen. 1:28; 2:24).
C. We have a natural desire for well-being (Gen. 2:18).
D. The natural desire God has created us with are good, not evil (Gen. 1:31).
3. Sin is when the will of man seeks to gratify a natural desire in an unlawful manner (Gen. 3:6).
A. Our natural desire for food can be used for gluttony.
B. Our natural desire for sexual relations can be used for fornication, adultery, or homosexuality.
C. Our natural desire for well-being can lead to selfishness and greed.
“Now temptation is not sin. Temptation is the proposition presented to the mind that you can satisfy a good appetite in a forbidden way. Temptation leads to sin…. Sin is the decision of the will…. sin is the decision to gratify a good appetite in a bad way.” Paris Reidhead
(Finding the Reality of God, pg 141-142)
“Don’t mistake temptation for sin. Temptation is a suggestion to gratify a desire in an illegal way
or amount. Temptation is not sin. Jesus was tempted.” Winkie Pratney
(Youth Aflame, Bethany House, pg. 83).
“The bodily appetites and tendencies of body and mind, when strongly excited, become the
occasions of sin. So it was with Adam. No one will say that Adam had a sinful nature. But he
had, by his constitution, an appetite for food and a desire for knowledge. These were not sinful
but were as God made them. They were necessary to fit him to live in this world as a subject of
God’s moral government. But being strongly excited led to indulgence, and thus became the
occasions of his sinning against God. These tendencies were innocent in themselves, but he
yielded to them in a sinful manner, and that was his sin.” Charles Finney
(You Can Be Holy, published by Whitaker House, p. 215).
“We have a nature that is capable of being perverted from legitimate to illegitimate, from the natural to the unnatural, from the pure to the polluted.” Sin is to “pervert… natural, legitimate, human desires.” F. Lagard Smith
(Troubling Questions for Calvinists, page 134-135).
Doctrine of Passive Non Resistance
The Doctrine of Passive Non-resistance
Primary goals of this teaching are:
• To realize as the body of Christ, God is our defense
• To prepare ourselves spiritually and physically for coming persecution
• To examine our walks in light of Jesus’ commands
• To obey Jesus’ commands to resist defending oneself, family, or neighbors against evil men in an ungodly way
Passive Non-Resistance Defined
Passive – receiving, enduring, or submitting without resistance:
Non-Resistance –negate the act or power of resisting, opposing, or withstanding.
Some background concerning my life and views for the reader’s understanding. I have a family that is steeped in past proud military traditions. On my father’s side of the family; my father was a Marine for four years earning Staff Sgt before getting out after the Bay of Pigs fiasco. My grandfather was a waist gunner in a B-24 stationed with the 8th Air Force in England during WWII. He was shot down by Anti aircraft fire on Jan 7th, 1944. Most of the crew bailed out except the tail and ball turret gunners, and my grandfather. The SS gestapo shot and killed them as they exited the downed aircraft. They were not known for taking POW’s who were injured in the fighting. My great grandfather was an infantry man in WWI in the south of France in 1917. He survived the war. My great great grandfather was a Colonel in the CSA part of the Tennessee Volunteers killed at Rocky Top, TN. My matriarchal side of my family I only know of a great uncle who has retired from the U.S. Coast Guard service as an Admiral. I served 21 years in the U.S. Navy as a Boatswains Mate, Quartermaster, and Signalman retiring in 2001 as a Chief Quartermaster. I served on five different warships, have four rows of medals, campaign ribbons, unit awards. I spent upwards of 15 years stationed aboard ship, 12 of that actually either deployed overseas or underway training to go overseas. So, needless to say, I was a patriot to the core. Sworn to defend the Constitution of the United States from enemies both foreign and domestic. When the Lord convicted me of these issues over the course of some months I did not take these matters lightly! Here is a book, along with the Bible, which really helped to solidify my views in seeking the truth on these issues. A Change of Allegiance by Dean Taylor
Scriptural support for Passive Non Resistance
Matt 5:38-48 You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectorsj do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
[Resist GR 436 anthistēmi än-thē’-stā-mē 1. to set one’s self against, to withstand, resist, oppose]
Matt 10:16-39 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. 17 But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. 18 You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. 21 “Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 22 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub,[d] how much more will they call those of his household! 26 Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. 27 “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
Luke 6:27-36 “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. 29 To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. 31 And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.32 “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. 35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.
Rom 12:14-21 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”says the Lord. 20 Therefore “ If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
John 18:35-37 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?”36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”37 Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?”Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.
A Few Distinctions
We need to make a few distinctions here: 1. persecutions by the world 2. persecutions by the professing ‘church’. Both of these types of persecutions come from the world which is under the authority of Satan’s system of lies and deception. But, the latter is very deadly because it is very subtle and causes divisions in the real body of Christ.
Some Historical Background of the Persecutions of the Body of Jesus Christ.
Constantine brought a new era in the church era; marrying the church with the state. This hybrid gospel fostered corruption in the church at every level. Christians who for the first three hundred years of the church were brutalized by the world were now accepted. Persecution subsided for the time. This hybrid corrupt church began to make up it’s own traditions and theologies. Under Constantine’s close scrutiny the organized visible church began to conduct councils which were necessary to uphold this mutant gospel and suppress the gospel of love in Jesus. The visible state church began to persecute those who would not agree with their authority, interpretation, or translation of the Bible.
But here is what Jesus taught:
Matt 26:51-53 And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.52 But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?
Early Church Believers thoughts on PNR
THE EPISTLE OF IGNATIUS TO THE SMYRAEANS. ECF Vol 1 Ch 4 para 2
But I guard you beforehand from these beasts in the shape of men, from those beasts in the shape of men, whom you must not only not receive, but, if it be possible, not even meet with; only you must pray to God for them, if by any means they may be brought to repentance, which, however, will be very difficult. Yet Jesus Christ, who is our true life, has the power of[effecting] this. But if these things were done by our Lord only in appearance, then am I also only in appearance bound. And why have I also surrendered myself to death, to fire, to the sword, to the wild beasts? But,[in fact,] he who is near to the sword is near to God; he that is among the wild beasts is in company with God; provided only he be so m the name of Jesus Christ. I undergo all these things that I may suffer together with Him,
The Donatists movement which lasted about 400 years refused to bow down to this new mutant gospel of Constantine. However, they appealed the injustices of the North African Catholics to Constantine to resolve issues between the RCC and the local Donatist bishops. They were suppressed and maligned for a hundred years and then in 411 they finally had a time for disputing the matters in Carthage.
A disputation was then arranged in Carthage (411), Collatio cum Donatistis. Two hundred and eighty six Catholic and two hundred and seventy-nine Donatist bishops were present: Augustine and Aurelius were the speakers of the former; Primianus and Patilianus, those of the latter. For three days the debate lasted, but no result was arrived at. Finally the imperial commissioner declared the Donatists vanquished, and very severe measures were decided upon against them. In 414 they lost all civil rights; in 415 they were forbidden to assemble for worshipping, under penalty of death. Nevertheless, they had not become extinct, when, in the seventh century, the Saracens(Islam) occupied the country, and destroyed the African Church and the RCC of that area.
SOURCE: Early Church Website
Augustine’s false teachings have lead millions astray from the gospel of peace, into a gospel of the sword. These empowered councils united with the earthly kings, queens, governments, bishops, and popes would be responsible for the massive horrors of what would become the crusades and inquisitions.
Many Muslims point to the Crusades as an illustration of violent church action. It is true that many unethical acts were done during the military campaigns of the Crusades. It was a time in history that scholars have labeled the “Dark Ages.” Muslim forces had been attacking Christian countries for centuries. Their conquests included the “Holy Land” of Israel. The motivation for the Crusades found its root in reports that Muslims were desecrating Christian holy sites and persecuting Christians on pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The first knights took their vows in AD 1095 when Pope Urban II organized the troops to “liberate the Holy Land from the Muhammadans.” Many of the Crusaders went beyond their mission and forgot their Christian ideals as they sought earthly revenge and treasure. Their atrocities, however, were not motivated by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
SOURCE: A Topical Study of Islam by M. J. Fisher, M.Div.
We can see in church history this problem of professing Christians taking up arms against others when Jesus taught us to love our neighbor and pray for our enemies. Sometimes the ones being persecuted were Christians who are trying to be obedient to Christ not a particular religious system or government.
Probably the most famous protagonist of the just war theory is John Calvin, who used force to kill, torture and imprison his neighbors in the name of God. From the Calvin Seminary website we find:
An aspect of Calvin’s teaching on the state relates to his position on war. This study shows that Calvin positioned himself in continuity with the medieval just war tradition established by Augustine of Hippo. He did not believe in either element of what constituted a holy war—authorization by the church or the prosecution of war without restraint. He stood within the mainstream tradition when it came to both the jus ad bellum and the jus in bello. He always insisted that the private individual may only offer passive resistance to a ruler’s ungodly commands. A parliamentary body alone is authorized by God to resist a tyrannical prince.
SOURCE: Calvin College Website Mark Lawson article
This is exactly why the ‘Christians’ during the Civil War in our own country wore both blue and gray! Brother against brother, son against father, uncle against nephew, and cousin against cousin were not uncommon situations across the Mason Dixon line. If someone is ready to kill one of our children what would we be our response? Of course no one wants a loved one killed at the hands of an evil person. I would do everything in my power short of violence to protect my family. I pray I would respond with: laying down my life in love, prayer, family fleeing, command in Jesus’ name, pleading, exhortation to come to Christ, informing them that they could do nothing lest God allowed them, and defend them with my body from the attackers. So, please dear reader do not say that those of our passive view would do nothing. That is the farthest from the truth, we would do nothing in regards to carnal weaponry, military or martial art tactics to kill those who have made themselves our enemies.
Matt 10:37-39 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
I must confess this has not been my attitude at all until the early 2009 when I considered what Jesus taught on these issues. My lifelong dedication to patriotism, country, honor, etc was evaporating before my eyes. We must realize that if we kill someone, then we have sent them into eternity, no matter how horrible the earthly deed/s they are committing. The Bible states that God holds the keys to life and death, not us.
Rom 13:1-7 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
In Rom 13:2 the word resist is GR. Antitassō which has two meanings:
1) to arrange in battle against
2) to oppose one’s self, resist
Most American Christians will use this verse to justify warmongering, and obedience to unlawful commands by the government. Resisting in this case is to plan to overthrow or to change by force. It does not mean resisting unlawful orders from that same government. Notice the passage asks, “Do you want to be unafraid….Do what is good. Would Hitler tell you to do what is good? Do what is right for God’s kingdom and then you will have nothing to fear from him. The authorities may kill you or put you in jail in the process of obeying God and disobeying them. But, Romans 13 is NOT saying to do that which is evil because you must obey them.
Justifying Ourselves to Defend Ourselves
In the following passage many in our day and past will point to this Scripture passage to support their argument in support of defending oneself. But are there any alternative reasons why Jesus would command them to bring two swords?
Luke 22:35-36 And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?” So they said, “Nothing.” 36 Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. 37 For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For the things concerning Me have an end.” 38 So they said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” And He said to them, “It is enough.”
Most people will not consider the day in which this passage was written. In order to butcher an animal or defend themselves from wild animals they would need a few swords. Not to mention cutting wood, wheat, or other basic needs that we don’t even consider if they did not have axes, hatchets, or knives. But, to properly defend themselves or to properly institute the just war theory they would need at least 13 swords, 13 spears, 13 shields, 13 horses, and much, much more against the Roman Legions! Jesus would need those things to defend Himself right? So, in light of all the other teachings of Jesus which teach contradictory to the ‘Just War’ view, to use this passage to defend our right to defend our selves or families is fallacious nonsense.
There are many prophecies of Jesus’ laying down of His life for others to be saved verses laying down His life to take the lives of others. In this account:
Isaiah 53:12 And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.
Aren’t we called to lay down our lives as well?
The following passage is often used to justify self defense.
Psa 82:3-4 Defend the poor and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and needy. 4 Deliver the poor and needy;
Free them from the hand of the wicked.
vs. 3 the word defend is shaphat H8199; 1) to judge, govern, vindicate, punish 1) to act as law-giver or judge or governor (of God, man) a) to rule, govern, judge 2) to decide controversy (of God, man) 3) to execute judgment a) discriminating (of man) b) vindicating c) condemning and punishing d) at theophanic advent for final judgment b) (Niphal) 1) to enter into controversy, plead, have controversy together 2) to be judged (c) (Poel) judge, opponent-at-law (participle) 4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid [them] out of the hand of the wicked.
vs. 4 the word deliver is (Palat H6403); to escape, save, deliver, slip away a) (Qal) to escape b) (Piel) 1) to bring into security, deliver 2) to cause to escape, cast forth ) to be delivered 4) to slip away c) (Hiphil) to bring into security, bring to safety
Bringing the orphans, widows, or destitute out of a difficult, life threatening circumstances is honorable and necessary. But, for the Christians we must do so in a way which honors the commands of Jesus over the thinking of men. I would add here that governments are given a responsibility to defend it’s citizens from the evil doer. Rom 13:1-4 The question becomes how involved should we as Christians be in that system, if at all?
Why is PNR so important to a Christian?
These commands of of God are of great importance to a follower of Christ. Here are few of the reasons for their importance:
1. to be obedient to God in all areas, loving Him with all of our heart,mind,strength, and soul.
2. to hold on to nothing personal or material
3. to gird ourselves in the time of testing/temptations that we will not fall away by denying our Lord Jesus.
4. It does not happen here in America yet, but there will come a day when families are decimated for the Name above every Name.
5. Not to be drawn into a profession that does not honor God and His Word, ie. Military, police, or security
6. Avoid the guilt of murder upon our consciences and others.
7. To be a good example to the disciples of Christ especially our wives and children.
8. That our enemies would be blessed with our actions toward them instead of sent to an early hell.
How do We Practice This Doctrine?
We would seek the Holy Spirit to do the following:
1. Resist the temptation to kill
2. Resist not an evil man
3. We pray
4. We speak boldly the gospel
5. We stand
6. We flee
7. We take up God’s armor Eph 6:13-20
Eph 6:13-20 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
More Thoughts on Family, Friends, and Enemies
Jesus died for all of our family, friends, and enemies that is why He instructs us not to resist their evil intents. If our earthly governments punish manslaughter,(accidental or defensive killing) why do we justify these acts before our Lord as if He didn’t give us a law? Jesus Christ when talking to the rich young ruler,
Matt 19:16-19 Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Many times Christians will try and justify killing by saying it is not murder. But, here is a comparison of the two words in Hebrew and Greek.
GR 5406 phoneuō ;1) to kill, slay, murder 2) to commit murder
Exodus 20:13 “Thou shall not kill.” H7523 ratsach means; 1) to murder, slay, kill 1a) (Qal) to murder, slay 1) premeditated 2) accidental 3) as avenger 4) slayer (intentional) (participle) b) (Niphal) to be slain
This primary Hebrew definition covers all the bases on this issue; ‘Thou shalt not, murder, slay, or kill’.
I would like to ask the dear reader here a few rhetorical question. Suppose you were enlisted in the military as a believer, trained to kill and destroy the ‘enemies’ of the United States. You were trained, then deployed to the middle east, where another believer had enlisted or was conscripted into the Iragi army. Now, you are facing your ‘enemy’ on the battlefield with your scope clicked down on the side of his head of another human being. This head belongs to that believer I just mentioned but you don’t know that. Guess what? The Iraqi believer that is being now shot at by his enemy doesn’t know that the one shooting at him is a believer either. Now you are both in the position of killing a spiritual brother but both of you are ignorant. How could the hand of the body of Christ, chop off the finger of Christ?
Matt 5:21-22 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.
The Greek for the word angry is the GR orgizo G3710 and means: 1) to provoke, to arouse to anger 2) to be provoked to anger, be angry, be wroth
This is very convicting for me personally because I know that in the open air and message boards I have provoked people to anger, even the brethren. I also temper that with knowing that preaching brings anger and hatred which I am not responsible for that as long as I am conducting myself blamelessly before the Lord and and the world.
Rev. 13:9-10 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
I was meditating on this and thought of my family whom I would die for sacrificially and the Lord put this on my mind. I died for my enemies, will you? Of course one of the most difficult parts of this doctrine is my family. But, the Lord teaches that a man and wife become one when they consummate their marriage. So, if someone attacks my wife they are attacking me. What should my/our response be? Resist not an evil man. What about the scenario of an attack on our children? Same response because our children are of us, just like Jesus is of His Father in heaven. This relationship between parents and children is a shadow of the triune relationship. Or course if we are of Jesus, part of His body, and the Head commands that we leave all these issues up to Him and not to defend ourselves; what should we do? What is the conclusion of the matter?
In the passage below, James and John had a spirit of vengeance about them and got rebuked by the Creator of the Universe for their ungodly zeal.
Luke 9:52-56 … and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. 53 But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. 54 And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?”55 But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.
In speaking of the judgment to come for the greedy oppressors of the world the Apostle James writes in reproof.
James 5:6 You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you.
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Great video debate on this issue:
Here is an excellent testimony of a brother in the Lord doing spiritual battle and being delivered from a murderous madman with a machete.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a906kk-N4Lk&w=560&h=315]
Here is a great video of a believer exercising her faith in the power of the Name of Christ in spiritually defending herself and a customer in her store.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66rjPEY4Dy0]
Here is a great video of a 92 year old sister in Christ who defended herself with God’s Word which is the spiritual sword and her faith which was her shield from a mugger who jumped in her car at a Walmart:
http://faithtap.com/420/grandma-witnesses-to-robber/
2 Cor 10:3-6 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
Friend to you have a carnal view on this important issue?
Rom 8:6-8 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Here is an interesting letter from Br. Britt Williams concerning this matter to a famous open air preacher:
Non Resistance by Britt Williams rights reserved Consuming Fire Fellowship
Here is a fellowship with Anabaptist/Mennonite roots which takes a different take on this issue which I am currently studying and considering:
Mennonite Teaching on Vengeance
Here is a great video of Pastor Troy Bohn and his Raven Group being continually assaulted on the street and how Troy responded.
Never a dull moment at Raven Street Church . . . we continued to minister for the next couple of hours and had a great time in Jesus as many came to the Cross! "No weapon formed against us will prosper…" GOD IS GOOD!
Posted by Troy D. Bohn on Sunday, April 5, 2015
This is the only area I am unsure of in my views on this. If people are being attacked then should you constrain the individual until the authorities arrive? Going back to the definition of, ‘not resisting’ it means to not overthrow or arrange in battle against. So, does a civil arrest or constraint amount to the same thing as ‘resist’? Seek the Holy Spirit for understanding, I know I will.
Smashed on Broadway New Years 2014
Romans 6:5-7
For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him,that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin.
Friends,
What did you spend your last year doing? On Facebook they have a feature that gives you a page of summary of your activities for that past year. When I opened mine, I was pleased to see that most all of my FB was centered on Jesus, His Gospel, getting that published and my family!
https://www.facebook.com/yearinreview/john.mcglone.777
This new year as I contemplate how God has so drastically changed my life, heart, mind and soul for Him in the last sixteen I am amazed. I want to run with more fervor and endurance in the next, then next, and next, if the Lord wills until my physical body is completely poured out for Him.
Rom 12:1-3 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
In light of that thought, as my family is spiritually and physically preparing themselves to go out for about four hours of driving and four hours of preaching in 30 degree weather. I am so thankful for the work the Lord has done in our children in preparing them to count the cost of being a disciple of Jesus. They will endure the hardness of this environment as a demonstration of love to all the sin loving God hating multitudes that will swarm in the downtown area of Nashville, to party, lust, drink booze, fight, and generally whoop it up for the devil.
The irony is that of the seven children that went out yesterday in the same kind of weather yesterday, they all wanted to go back out today. They were threatened, cursed at, called names, and generally despised for Jesus while I preached at the Music City Bowl. All they were doing was standing there handing out tracts, ,holding signs, and wearing gospel hoodies from www.preachinggear.com. Not only were they despised by the sinners, but they brought their children out to the ball game and made them endure the weather for their parents lust of football, beer, and fun. The sinners tried to get our children to repent of their repentance! You don’t have to come out here! He can’t make you do this! Is your daddy forcing you to do this? Someone should call the police! I turned to our youth and calmly asked, “Children, did I make you come out here, or did you choose? They resoundingly spoke up, we choose! Why do my children care so much for the lost? Because they were once lost themselves and know the weight of sin and the freedom Christ has brought them by the Holy Spirit! Hallelujah! Pray for us saint as we make our final preparations to head back into the fray for souls, where the naysayers will preach: 1. You’re doing it wrong 2. This isn’t the Gospel 3. You’re sinners too! 4. No one obeys God. While we preach verse upon verse, line upon line that the blind may grope after Christ and be found in Him on that Great and Terrible Day of JUDGMENT.
ROMANS 7: THE LAST REFUGE FOR SIN EXPOSED-BROTHER MICAH ARMSTRONG
I highly recommend all the holy saints of God copy this article to a document on their computers to give them the organized ammunition they need to battle the scourge of the carnal ‘Christian’s’ theory that we all sin everyday in thought, word, and deed. Used with kind permission from Bro Micah.
Usually when preaching and talking to sinners and professing Christians about God’s command to repent from sin (Acts 17:30-31) and command to live a holy, sin free obedient life (Hebrews 12:14, 1 Peter 1:15-16, 1 Thessalonians 4:7) they will bring up Romans 7. It is a shame people will use God’s holy Word that commands holiness as an excuse to sin and Romans 7 has been used as one of the biggest excuses.
The purpose of this tract is to show the Apostle Paul was not talking about his experience after he was converted in Romans 7 but is writing about his experience before he was converted. Paul grew up as a religious Jew under Jewish law.
First in Romans 6 Paul makes it abundantly plain the Christian is to be dead to sin and free from sin.
Romans 6:2-How shall we that are DEAD TO SIN LIVE ANY LONGER THEREIN?
Romans 6:6-Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him that the body of sin might be destroyed, THAT HENCEFORTH WE SHOULD NOT SERVE SIN.
Romans 6:7-For he that is dead is FREED FROM SIN.
Romans 6:11-Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be DEAD INDEED UNTO SIN, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 6:12-LET NOT SIN THEREFORE REIGN IN YOUR MORTAL BODY, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Romans 6:13-NEITHER YIELD YE YOUR MEMBERS AS INSTRUMENTS OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS UNTO SIN:
Romans 6:14-FOR SIN SHALL NOT HAVE DOMINION OVER YOU: for ye are not under the law but under grace.
Romans 6:15-What then? SHALL WE SIN, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW BUT UNDER GRACE? GOD FORBID.
Romans 6:16-Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, WHETHER OF SIN UNTO DEATH or of obedience unto righteousness.
Romans 6:17-But God be thanked, that YE WERE THE SERVANTS OF SIN, but have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Romans 6:18-BEING THEN MADE FREE FROM SIN, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Romans 6:22-But now BEING MADE FREE FROM SIN, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life.
The whole subject of Romans 6 is once grace has been received the believer is to be dead to sin, free from sin’s power, live in victory over sin, and have dominion over sin.
In Romans 8 Paul makes it abundantly clear the believer who walks in the Spirit will not walk in the flesh and will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh which is sin (Galatians 5:16-25).
Romans 8:1-There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH BUT AFTER THE SPIRIT.
Galatians 5:16-This I say then WALK IN THE SPIRIT AND YOU SHALL NOT FULFILL THE LUSTS OF THE FLESH. If we are walking in the Spirit we are not fulfilling the lusts of the flesh.
Romans 8:2-For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has MADE ME FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH.
For someone to use Romans 7 as an excuse to sin you would have to make Paul contradict everything he wrote in Romans 6 and Romans 8. Either the Bible contradicts itself or people are taking Romans 7 out of context.
After Paul finishes Romans 6 he gives a brief analogy in Romans 7:1-3 of the believer’s relationship to the law and to Jesus Christ. He gives an example of a woman married to an husband. As long as the husband is alive she is married to the husband. She is bound to her husband as long as he lives. However once the husband is dead she is free from being married to her husband. He uses this example to compare the believers relationship with the law and with Christ. Before a person is in Christ they are under the law. Once the person is in Christ they are married to Christ and no longer under the law. In the example the dead husband represents the law, the living husband represents Jesus Christ and the believer is represented by the wife (Romans 7:4).
This example introduces the subject of the remainder of Romans 7. It is the person before Christ and still under the law. This is very clear as the chapter continues.
Romans 7:4-Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead, that ye should bring forth fruit unto God.
Now the believer is dead to the law and married to Christ. Now that we are married to Christ we are to bring forth fruit unto God. We are to no longer bring forth the “fruit unto death” talked about in the next verse when we were “in the flesh”.
Romans 7:5-For WHEN WE WERE IN THE FLESH, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth FRUIT UNTO DEATH.
Here Paul is clearly talking about his past life in the flesh. Paul makes it clear in Romans 8:8-9-SO THEN THEY THAT ARE IN THE FLESH CANNNOT PLEASE GOD. BUT YE ARE NOT IN THE FLESH, BUT IN THE SPIRIT, IF SO BE THAT THE SPIRIT OF GOD DWELLETH IN YOU.
If someone is born again the Spirit of God dwells in them and they are no longer “in the flesh”.
Paul shows us a contrast of those “in the flesh” who mind or obey the things of the flesh versus those “in the Spirit” who mind or obey the things of the Spirit of God.
Romans 8:5-For THEY THAT ARE AFTER THE FLESH DO MIND THE THINGS OF THE FLESH; but THEY THAT ARE AFTER THE SPIRIT THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT.
He finishes verse 5 talking about those in the flesh “bring forth fruit unto death”. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and everyone knows that means eternal separation from God. Romans 8:6-FOR TO BE CARNALLY MINDED IS DEATH but to be spiritually minded is LIFE AND PEACE. Another way of saying someone is in the flesh is they are carnal. They are not governed by the Holy Spirit of God but rather by their senses. They are governed by their bodily appetites and not the Spirit of God. Some try to teach there is such a thing as carnal Christians but not according to the Bible.
Romans 8:7-BECAUSE THE CARNAL MIND IS ENMITY AGAINST GOD FOR IT IS NOT SUBJECT TO THE LAW OF GOD NEITHER INDEED CAN BE. The carnal person is at enmity against God and is not in subjection to God’s law to love Him and his neighbor (Matthew 22:37-40) as the Bible commands.
To be carnally minded is death (Romans 8:6). The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). The man in the flesh brought forth fruit unto death (Romans 7:5). The carnal mind is enmity against God (Romans 8:7). So here Paul is not talking about his post conversion experience but rather his pre conversion experience before Christ “in the flesh” and bringing forth “fruit unto death”.
Romans 7:6-BUT NOW WE ARE DELIVERED FROM THE LAW, that BEING DEAD wherein we WERE HELD; that we should SERVE IN NEWNESS OF SPIRIT, AND NOT IN THE OLDNESS OF THE LETTER.
Now Paul is contrasting his present life no longer under the law (Romans 8:2), and dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1, Romans 8:6, 13) with his new life in the Spirit (Romans 8:2), walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16), and free from sin (Romans 6:18, 22, Romans 8:2).
Romans 8:1-There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who not after the flesh but after the Spirit.
There is no condemnation only to those who are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit. If you are walking in the Spirit you are not fulfilling the lusts of the flesh.
Romans 8:2-For the LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS HAS MADE ME FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH.
Romans 7:6-BUT NOW WE ARE DELIVERED FROM THE LAW, that BEING DEAD wherein we WERE HELD; that we should SERVE IN NEWNESS OF SPIRIT, AND NOT IN THE OLDNESS OF THE LETTER.
Paul is talking about the same life in the Spirit in Romans 7:6 that he is talking about in 8:2.
Romans 7:7-What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin but by the law: for I had not known lust except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
If Paul was writing about his post conversion experience then why would he be saying above he did not even know what sin was. How could the great apostle Paul not know what sin was as a mature Christian?
Paul was writing about his preconversion experience as a Jew growing up under Jewish law. If anyone was self righteous enough, disciplined enough, and moral enough to earn salvation through keeping the law it would have been the Apostle Paul. Yet Paul growing up as the Pharisee of Pharisees and touching the righteousness which is of the law blameless (Phillipians 3:5-6) he was convicted of his self centered covetous lifestyle by the law.
Romans 7:8-But sin, taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
The law was holy, just and good (Romans 7:12) as Paul later points out. The problem is not with the law. It should be obeyed. It shows man his sin, it shows man the holiness of God, and it shows man his need of a Savior. That is the purpose of the law and the subject of Romans 7. You cannot be saved by keeping the law and you need a Savior.
The law showed Paul his sinfulness. Paul seemed to be very moral and righteous but the law exposed his self centered lifestyle.
Romans 7:9-For I was alive without the law once but when the commandment came sin revived and I died.
The law showed Paul his sin. Paul thought he was pleasing God until the law exposed his sin.
Romans 7:10-And the commandment which was ordained to life I found to be unto death.
That which was holy and just and good was the means of showing Paul the religious, moral self righteous Pharisee of Pharisees how far short he fell of God’s standard.
Romans 7:11-For sin taking occasion by the commandment deceived me and by it slew me.
Romans 7:12-Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
As an unconverted Jew Paul does not speak evil of the law. He holds it in high esteem. He reveres it. It is just and good. He does not treat it with disdain as many claim all unsaved people will do. He admitted it should have been obeyed but he had not the grace to obey it with the heart (Romans 6:17), only from an outward, legal standpoint.
Romans 7:13-Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; That sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
Now we come to a very important point. This may be the most important verse in understanding Romans 7.
Romans 7:14-For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
Paul now says in the present tense “I am carnal”. To be carnal means you are governed by the senses and not governed by the Spirit of God.
You cannot be free of condemnation if you are not walking in the Spirit (Romans 8:1). You are fulfilling the lusts of the flesh and not walking in the Spirit if you are carnal (Galatians 5:16, Romans 8:2). You cannot even be a child of God unless you are led by the Spirit of God (Romans 8:14).
“I am carnal”. To be carnally minded is death (Romans 8:6) and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) which means to be eternally separated from God. The carnal mind (one who is governed by the flesh and not the Spirit of God-Romans 8:5) is enmity against God (Romans 8:7). You cannot be against God and a loving follower of God at the same time. The carnal mind is not in subjection (obedience) to God’s law (Romans 8:7) so one who is carnal does not love God (John 14:15). If you do not love God you are against Him according to the words of Jesus Christ (Matthew 6:24).
Then Paul says in the last part of verse 14 “sold under sin”. How can one be sold under sin and redeemed from sin at the same time? To be redeemed means to be bought back from. Bought back from under the slavery of sin. The New Testament repeatedly makes references to the believer being bought back from sin (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 7:23, Ephesians 1:7, Colossians 1:14, 1 Peter 1:18-19) and redeemed from sin. You cannot be sold under sin and redeemed from sin at the same time.
Now we have a picture of an unregenerate man, a religious Jew who has strived to please God by keeping the law but realizes he cannot.
Romans 7:15-For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
This is not the testimony of one who has been saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9) because “The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world” (Titus 2:11-12).
The grace that saves from sin does not just give us forgiveness for the penalty of sin but also victory over the power of sin. If there is no victory over the power of sin then there is no forgiveness for the penalty of sin (John 8:32, 34, 36, Romans 6:16, 18, 22). It is the power to keep the law from a right motive from the heart (Romans 6:14-17).
Romans 6:14-For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Grace is power over sin to live a holy, righteous, and godly life.
The Apostle Paul is the author of 1 Thessalonians. In 1 Thessalonians 2:10 Paul says “Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe”.
Paul says with God as his witness his behavior, lifestyle, and actions before God were holy, just and unblameable. He wrote this under divine inspiration of the Holy Ghost.
Paul was not going around sinning every day in word, thought and deed.
Paul also stated in Acts 24:16-Herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men.
Romans 7:16-If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
Romans 7:17-Now then it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me.
Paul is not denying any responsibility here. He is acknowledging that as a person of their own free will continues to give themselves over to self gratification eventually that self gratification takes hold of them and holds them captive and they become a slave to it.
Romans 7:18-For I know that in me (that is in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Romans 7:19-For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Romans 7:20-Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Romans 7:21-I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Although Paul acknowledges the law is good and should be obeyed he is describing the state of the unregenerate man using himself as an example before he was saved. The unregenerate man has repeatedly given himself over to gratify himself (carnal mind) and is now a slave to his selfishness. Often when unregenerate (unsaved) people see God’s holy law they will make an attempt to please God by self reformation and obeying the law outwardly. This is the condition Paul is describing.
Romans 7:22-For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Once again as an unregenerate Jew Paul had a high regard for God’s holy law.
Romans 7:23-But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Romans 7:24-O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death.
Paul realizes despite his best efforts to please God by keeping the law he is still a slave of sin.
John 8:34-Whosoever commiteth sin is the servant of sin.
Matthew 6:24-No man can serve two masters:
Romans 6:16-Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness.
If we are committing sin we are serving sin and not Jesus. We cannot serve two masters and regardless of what someone says they are serving the one they obey.
Romans 6:6-Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Paul cries out for deliverance from the “body of this death” in Romans 7:24 but in Romans 6:6 he shows us the Lord Jesus provided this deliverance and providing freedom from sin.
Romans 7:25-I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
In verse 24 Paul asks who will deliver him and in verse 25 he gives the answer. Jesus Christ the Savior from sinning (Matthew 1:21, John 1:29, Acts 3:26, Galatians 1:4, Titus 2:14, 1 John 3:5).
In the last part of verse 25 Paul summarizes the experience he has been describing in verses 5 and 7-24 before moving into the freedom and deliverance of a Spirit led, Spirit governed lifestyle in Romans 8.
Romans 8:1-THERE IS THEREFORE NOW NO CONDEMNATION TO THEM WHICH ARE IN CHRIST WHO WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH BUT AFTER THE SPIRIT.
Sylvia Got Saved!
It is not often in the work of open air preaching that we see someone respond to the call of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But, when we do it is a glorious thing to behold. This young woman featured in these videos hung around the preaching for two days. She was homeless and drinking. There were many of us that prayed for her that last day. I have thought of her and prayed for her many times since. I was thrilled to hear of the report this year that she pursued the Lord and now He is found in her. Here are some videos of her experience the last being her report from the Superbowl preach 2010 with Ruben Israel. Praise God!
Col 1:19-21 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqPcxpgPikE]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8giVaMhjICM]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfFyAJ2qnd0&channel=preacher717]
This really blessed my heart. All of heaven rejoices when one sinner repents, Hallelujah. Praise you Jesus, for your glory…Amen.
Daytona Beach Spring Break Preaching…
03/07/10
This is our third year in a row that we have done a week long mission trip to Daytona Beach. The first two years was with Jesse, Kerrigan and I, this year Tracy has been added to the front lines. This year we confirmed when the most populace week of spring break. We arrived in Daytona Beach after 12 hours of driving to the mission. We were a bit tired and got settled. Praise the Lord for Kerrigan’s grandfather, Mr. Kelly who allows us to use his great condo just minutes from the beach every year. Jesse called to meet us out at the clubs after they got done eating. We waited for a bit and decided to go and meet them there. We noticed it was a bit slow, but walked around and noticed a lot of people at Aqua. We decided to set the preach up there. Kerrigan began and immediately we had lots of mockers and scoffers. The bouncer we see every year went and got his motorcycle parked it in front of us while revving it to try and drown out the preaching. But, the Lord led me to get my PA and hook it up in series with Kerrigan’s and we trumpted the gospel despite his wicked suppression of the same. I told him later he was no spring chicken and he would be facing my King soon and that my witness was true. We preached for over two hours, hundreds heard and mocked, some were under conviction, and we had some good one2one’s despite the devils who were acting lawlessly. There was lots of physical threats especially from the young military crowd whom we see every year and exhort them to stop their warmongering. One young man who got into my face a dozen times, finally calmed down enough for me to bring the truth to his mind and heart. He immediately left with his friends, praise the Lord for His Word. After a few hours of this we decided to call it a night. Unfortunately, we did not have a chance to meet up with Br. Jesse and Raven ministries.
More to come soon. Please pray for us, thank you.
John
03/08 a.m.
I awoke early for reading, prayer, and my usual walk on the beach. Daytona Beach has a great flat walking beach with nice firm sand. I really miss my bride and children during these times. It was a beautiful sunny day, with a light breeze I handed out a few dozen tracts and talked with a half dozen people. A few notable interactions I would ask you to pray for: 1. Ray who resides on the beach and I have seen him two years in a row at the same place. 2. Catherine who is the toll agent for the vehicles driving on the beach. Ray told me the same thing last year that he had been prayed for by the Christian racing club on many occasions. I kept bringing him back to the gospel and urging him unto repentance. He seems to believe he is saved and on the surface it seems so. But, he will throw out unbiblical thoughts so often he needs to seek the Truth in Christ. Catherine is a Roman Catholic by tradition but rejects many of the wicked practices of the church. I exhorted her to seek God while He may be found and not be satisfied with the teachings or assurances of men.
After returning to the condo, we decided to get going to the daytime preach. We almost always set up right behind the Beach Shoppes a beach mall of sorts that connects to the public parking lot in Daytona. We arrived at the public boardwalk about 11 am to find that the boardwalk was in the process of almost being completely renovated. The benches we usually stand on to get elevation to preach were gone! We had a hard time deciding where to preach. This is probably one of the most important decisions a preacher needs to make. We consider the following when making that decision:
- Where is the natural flow of people? 2. Where are the manmade or natural gateways through which people flow? 3. Wind direction and speed, which will cast or diminish your voice. 4. Is there anywhere for people to sit or congregate? 5. Are there any outdoor eating areas? 6. Are there any groups of people there already and why? 7. Is there any shade in which the listeners or preacher can take cover? 8. Are your listeners looking into the sun while you preach?
These are things we look for when making our decision to preach. Jesus went into a boat upon the water to preach to people. Why? He was providing some separation from himself and the people and the natural amplification of the water is amazing. We decided to preach in between our usual spot at a gateway from the plaza unto the boardwalk and some other elevation about 100 feet away. Tracy preached first, getting a few hecklers, for just over an hour. Then we decided to move closer to the gateway to illicit a better response from the people.
We should always be preaching for the glory of God and if He brings listeners to enjoin us, Hallelujah. We were not able to draw too many to engage us in discourse but people were hearing despite their suppression of God’s Word. Hundreds heard the truth whether they liked to hear from Jesus today or not. Often we are accused of pushing Jesus upon them by other professing Christians and the lost. Well, actually this is exactly what Christ commands us to do. What you have heard whispered in the ear, SHOUT from the housetops! We are to compel them to come in to the house of the Lord.
Kerrigan took over the preaching and we were able to get a few good sized crowds of a hundred or so. We see that hecklers or discourse with an atheist or drunkard will draw people to the preacher. Kerrigan has become an excellent apologist for the faith. He uses pre-suppositional apologetics to destroy the worldview of the lost and show it as foolishness. Open air preaching is God’s proven and approved method of evangelism, though the ‘church’ and the world hates to hear of it. I care not for the flatteries of men, but only the approval of my King.
Brothers Jesse, Troy, Scott, and some others from Raven Ministries International joined us for the work. Bro Jesse preached toward the sinners on the beach and stirred up a good crowd of 150 or so that a beach patrol officer came and advised us we could not use the PA and stir up a crowd to ‘rioting’. I explained that the law allows for religious speech amplified and that the police would have to control the crowd verses shutting down the preaching. He smiled, professed his Christianity, and left. Unfortunately, he did not stick around to enforce what we talked about.
I preached for a short while pleading with sinners to get right with God and trust the Savior. I used the band shell to catch my voice and amplify it into the mall area. It is very effective as the mall thoroughfare catches that preaching into all the restaurants and shops. We wrapped up and went home and had a great time of therapy in the hot tub at Kerrigan’s grandfather’s condo. They had just installed a brand new one that was deeper, hotter, and more air jets. It was just the prescription from the Lord for my weary bones. Preaching the gospel is not only spiritually draining but physically as well. We find that will we are in the middle of the battle, God supernaturally provides the strength. As soon as we leave the field our weaknesses are revealed. We had a nice Mexican chicken casserole that Angela had made. Our brides are so loving they made us nice casserole meals that they froze that we could have hot homemade meals all week long. I praise God for Nida and Angela!
03/08 p.m.
After dinner, we rested, prayed and went back out about 10 pm. Tracy started preaching across from Razzel’s with a half mile hailer. It was very loud and effective at piercing the loud music and hard hearts of the sinners that were lined up for the sin they were planning to do. We quickly came under a barrage of physical attacks by the ‘loving’ sinners who were so intolerant of our preaching and methods. The police had to be called and two men were charged and cited with battery. These police were great and really took charge of the situation. The half mile hailer that Raven let us borrow was ruined in the attack. We decided that two would return the hailer to the car and Jesse and I would stay out and preach at Aqua’s another club around the corner. Tracy and Kerrigan left and Jesse and I began to walk to the club, we did not make it 150 feet before we were surrounded by a group of venomous sinners who justified their sin, unrightly judged us, then hypocritically condemned our pleas for them to turn or burn. Some time later, Bro T and K returned and joined in what had become a fiasco. One very notable issue was a ‘Calvinist’ drunkard who assaulted all of us, many times, broke my camera, and stalked us back to our car. We did not return all the way of course, and he would not let Tracy leave. He became very vile and violent, and we called the police. They showed up in a few minutes, the perpetrator was there. The police put the spotlight on him, then told him twice to leave. We were astonished as we were telling them that was them man that assaulted all the while getting the sinner protection from the law. We asked them what they were doing and they stated they did not see anything, and if we were physically hurt. We replied no, but that we wanted to press charges. These police were so wicked we must report them to their supervisors. Where lawlessness abounds the hands of the sinner is strengthened.
03/09 pm
We met Jesse and family on the boardwalk about 2pm preaching from the small public park on the boardwalk in beachside of the Hilton hotel. Kerrigan preached for awhile and we did not stir much interest and decided to move back our usual gateway in Daytona. We got there and Kerrigan led off the day and gathered a good sized crowd of 150 or more. He used three proud, drunk, wicked men to draw interest in the preaching. They continually talked of their masturbation even in front of women and children, they were wicked. They boasted that they had drawn the crowd, Kerrigan then corrected them saying that God used them for our purposes. After Jesse preached, I got an opportunity to lift up God’s word to the people. I had one young man who was very focused on my ‘no porn’ button and asked if he could have the same. I told him if he was a nice sinner, at the end of the day I would give it to him. This dialogue with him enabled me to get some good interaction and discussion going about moral issues. We love to proclaim the truths of the Bible in this type of venue. Most get quiet and they will begin to raise their hands, if someone interrupts or gets rude I will not speak with them anymore. This helps to control the crowd and keeps them from machine gunning the preacher with questions. Many times it seems that they don’t want the answer. Though at other times I believe they get excited and are trying to engage their minds with many concepts they have never heard before, either in home, school, or their churches. While beach preaching we do lots of reproving of immodest dressing of the women and their strings that they call clothing. 1 Tim 2:9-10
After I preached I had some great interaction with a young man who was under heavy conviction about his sin. He was a Roman Catholic who did not like Christian judgment. I explained some verses and asked that he write or call me. As the day was winding down, Jesse asked if we could have dinner together. I am so appreciative of time with the Morrell’s getting to talk with them and hang out with their cute baby, Elizabeth.
03/09 pm
We left and went to Pizza Hut for dinner meeting with Bro Jesse, Krista, and Elizabeth. We were even heckled inside Pizza Hut from sinners who had heard preaching earlier this day. Hallelujah, we got to preach to them again! They began by laughing and making snide comments about the Bible after they were done eating. This escalated and we ignored them while we ate our food. We finished our meal and I went to pay the cashier, they began asking us questions and pointing out that one of them was attending Mt. Dora Bible College here in FL. Kerrigan gave him a great verse about coming out from amongst them and touching no unclean thing. I believe it was just the right scripture prescription for this young man. He was one of the chief mockers during the daytime preaching. We departed exhorting many in the restaurant to get right with our Lord.
We went to file a complaint against the two unlawful police officers from the night before after our meal. We went to the beach station and talked with a Lt. Pera and Sgt. Webber, they were very accommodating and assured us our protections. It was a really good interaction with them and we decided we would not want to either press a complaint against their officers or the young man that assaulted us the night before. We understand their forces are overwhelmed during this time of sin assaulting their fine city and desired to save them some work with all the paperwork and documentation. This seemed to really change their countenance and I believe garnered favor with them. I had sent our PinPoint Evangelism pre event letter to the Police Chief and the Mayor the Friday before we left. I am so thankful that we did as this document is instrumental in assuring our civil rights are protected. We returned to the condo, for a bit of rest and recuperation before hitting the streets earlier than we have in the past.
Earlier in the day, we had seen a plane flying a banner about a ‘Girls Gone Wild’ event across the intercoastal waterway at the Coliseum. We talked about it and decided just to go to Razzles early and call it a night after a few hours. We got there preached to a few but realized that the event over the bridge was taking away all the sinners. We decided to flex our plans and go over there. When we turned the corner to the Coliseum, was I ever thankful we did go. There was a two lines of hundreds with police stationed in one lane of the street. We got set up on the median across from them and began to lift up our Savior. Of course, when you have group of people that are obviously planning on sinning when you start hitting them with God’s Word they get a bit upset. We all took turns preaching with a few sinners coming to speak with us one2one. Kerrigan was dealing with two young men and one of them spit in his face. Kerrigan went, got the police and they quickly arrested him! That was really a great demonstration of law enforcement for the rest of the crowd. We took turns showing them the truths of the Bible and the madness they were in by opposing God. About 1 am a fight broke out amongst the sinners and the police had a dozen officers there in just a few minutes. Very well coordinated and the perpetrator was quickly tazered, cuffed and the crowd quelled. We decided to flee the mayhem and get Jesse back to his truck near Razzle’s. As we approached we saw the Raven group was about our Father’s business with a ten-mile hailer. Now, in the preaching business most everyone knows about a powerful little amplifier called the ‘half-mile’ hailer. This horn that Brother Troy owns, has a 2.5 foot horn attached to a powerful amp. This wonderful instrument is then mounted on a seven foot extra heavy duty mount. It is absolutely beautiful to hear God’s Word being trumpeted above the chaos of the world’s noise. I got really excited and Tracy and I decided to come back out after dropping off Kerrigan at the condo. We returned and decided we would not carry bullhorns or banners, no need with the set up Raven had installed there in front of Razzle’s. We grabbed a bunch of tracts and headed up there. We did small groups most the rest of the night having great interactions with lots of drunkards of which I used to be a ‘chief’. One of the young preachers got into a personal discussion while on the microphone so I decided I would ask if I could give the Mega-horn a try. It was truly an awesome instrument to proclaim the beauty and majesty of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you Lord!
03/10 am
Awoke to a beautiful sunny day that the Lord has made, and we were glad in it! We were a bit wearied as we got back very late the night before about 3am. Kerrigan had to take care of some business on the internet at McDonald’s wi-fi network. He and I went there and praise the Lord as he worked He brought in hundreds of young people for breakfast. I had a great time passing out tracts talking with a few people. Of course they all admired my ‘Turn or Burn’ shirt with it’s bright fluorescent yellow color. I like to ‘highlight’ God’s Word. We finished up there and returned to condo to prepare for the day. We got to the boardwalk and noticed many of the young people had migrated down the beach to a large hotel about 300 yards from our usual position. We preached for a few hours with small crowds gathering. A man named Dan, that we met the day before, showed up with his homeless friend Luke. They are YHWH/Yehoshua believers, they engaged Tracy and I about these issues. We explained that we were there to preach not to discuss these types of doctrines. I let them know that I have studied this issue for about a year, and am willing to discuss this but not on the mission field. They consumed about an hour of our precious preaching time disputing these false teachings. I admonished them to start preaching if they believed they had the truth. I don’t really want them to preach this nonsense but I also know that by challenging them to take these things to the lost, hopefully they will be shown by the Holy Spirit of their errors. We moved down the beach to where all the sinners had migrated and decided to take the banners and bullhorn on the beach. This was great as we found that we now were hitting the mark turning the beach upside down for a period of time. I prayed as we walked that the Lord would protect us physically, especially from the dozens of footballs that were ‘innocently’ thrown to try and hit us. Praise the Lord none of us got hit. I picked up one ball and walked down the beach with it looking back to see who the owner was, but no one followed. I rolled the ball back to the general area and the coward came out of the crowd to retrieve his ball. There were some young Catholic girls dressed in strings that decided they would tell us how to preach, Kerrigan rebuked them sharply and they returned to their vainglory of sun tanning. We decided to go back up to the board walk and I began to lift up my voice asking the students which schools they attended. There were a dozen students from WKU, where we regularly preach two to three times a semester. Of course, they complain but many of them have begun to take a friendly attitude towards us. They hate the preaching but deep down they know that we care for them. I believe that our preaching though it may be fiery has lots of God’s love demonstrated and His grace manifested throughout. There was a older man named Lenny who had joined us, he has been in touch with Kerrigan about open air preaching. He seemed very reserved but I asked him if he would help me hold another bull horn in series that God’s Word would go forth with greater intensity. After I was done preaching I asked him if he would have a go, encouraging him that God would fill his mouth with His Word. He hesitated. But, praise the Lord, he decided to obey God in this matter. I was very encouraged to see Lenny take this step of faith. God did fill his mouth with the truths from the Bible. I don’t think many Christians realize that by studying we are storing up His Word in our hearts. God’s will is that His Word go forth in power by the Holy Spirit within us. When we obey Him this way it strengthens our faith in most every area. Jesse preached for a bit and drew a hostile crowd of a dozen or so students which would have turned into a good meeting if we had not run out of time. We had to get back as Kerrigan had some dinner plans that he had made. I got a message from the Assistant City Attorney stating that they had gotten the correspondence from PinPoint Evangelism. He further stated that the city believed that we would need a permit to continue our amplification work. I read through the city laws a few times and our legal letter to the city in preparation for my discussion with him. I called him and had a very cordial conversation with him. We agreed that we still have the right to amplification but I understood the concern of disturbing residences that are about two blocks away outside the commercial district we are preaching. I would find out later, he did not communicate this change to his subordinates in his chain of command. I had invited Jesse and his family over for dinner and we had a great time of fellowship consuming another fine meal that Angela had made. We rested for at bit waiting for Kerrigan to return. We got back on the streets about 10 pm stationing ourselves across from Razzel’s. Immediately the police grabbed Jesse by the arm to cite him for using amplification without any warning at all. We spoke with Sgt. Mayes in depth and finally to his Lt. and we convinced them that we wanted to cooperate with them and obey the law. I called the city attorney, who promised us favor but did not send out another email concerning our situation. This took about 45 minutes of our precious time there on the streets. We had known a new shift was taking over and expected we may have some transition trouble. I asked the guys to start praying the Lord would break through this Sgt’s resistance to the work. Praise the Lord, He delivered us through another trial. It is very important to understand how we should deal with the police, watching your tone, presumptions, body language, etc. Some police officers can be very prideful at times and if you get on their hit list it is hard to get favor with them now or in the future. We got back to the preaching for about ½ an hour and the Raven crew showed up with their tower of power 10 mile hailer I described earlier. I debriefed them about what had happened with us. As we talked I realized that the police were probably trying to bully us into not using the small 7 watt amplifiers that we have. The Raven horn is 50 watts with a very large horn which concentrates the sound signal for long range penetration into the noise of the world. The young man Jared did not seem the least bit concerned, he explained that they go through this all the time but the district police chief gives them favor, and they would not have a problem. Sure enough, his testimony was true about what the police would do. It was great having the Word of God clearly preached to thousands as the passed through this wide gate to hell called Razzell’s. I asked Tracy if he would like to tract the line with me, which he did. We had dozens of great conversations with lots of sinners. I even had a group of five Irish men get out of line, I hoped to go home and repent. About 1 am we called it a night and retired for some rest from the battle for souls.
03/11 am
We awoke to severe rain and winds. I began to pray the Lord would break the weather. I found out later in the morning that Daytona and surrounding areas were under a tornado watch. Bummer, but God is in charge and as I meditated upon the weather I realized the Lord was giving us some rest from the battle. So, we relaxed and prayed that we would be able to get out to the battle that night. Kerrigan and I went to McDonald’s to check our email, I spoke to one of the worker’s there and she became very animated about us ‘judging’ everyone. She stated that her cousin was a Christian preacher and a crack head. Well, I tried to show her 1 John 2:3-4 and she stiffened her neck concerning his spiritual condition. The Lord was really working on her, as I went to the bathroom I heard her talking with a co-worker about God. Then when I returned I overheard her talking to a group of customers about God. Unfortunately, she was defending sin instead of the gospel of Christ.
03/11 pm
We got out to Razzle’s about 9pm and the crowds were out! It was obvious to me that they did not like being cooped up all day and were juiced for a night of revelry. I began the preach using my truth horn to hit the sinners ears, hearts and minds with God’s truths. I preached for about an hour while Tracy was doing some one2one work and Kerrigan was recording. I gave my horn to Kerrigan after I got done in order to go drop my sweatshirt off at the car as it had gotten very warm. I retrieved my sandwich board and proceeded to return. As I got back to the clubs, I was lead to speak to a few women about their salvation. One girl named Whitney came under such heavy conviction about her sin she began to cry. She explained that she had been born again when she was younger and that she knew she was not living right. I pleaded with her to return to salvation in Christ, to come out from amongst the wicked. I spoke with them about ten minutes and realized I needed to get back to the workers. I turned around and there was Kerrigan and Tracy they had come to check on me. I praise God for fellow warriors for the Lord who look out for the safety and well being of the others. What a bond there is between the laborers of the Lord’s white harvest field! We returned to a street corner right next to Razzle’s which has lot’s of traffic between bars and we are able to strike up pretty good conversations. There was a group of young people that stopped because they did not like Tracy’s sandwich board. One of the young women began to curse Tracy, trying to kick him in the shins. Tracy was kind of dodging the blows and she became frustrated with that, slapping him in the face. I was trying to get my camera out, when her boyfriend slapped Tracy in the face twice! I was flustered as my camera had gotten caught in my pocket and I got it out just in time to video them fleeing the scene of their crimes. After this I noticed a young man who was sitting down on one of the rocks near the corner. He was incredulous that people treated us this way, saying he had never seen anything like it. He explained later that he had called his mother and was explaining everything to her. He kept repeating, ‘I have never seen anything like this, they hate God’s Word.’ I realized he was under conviction about why he had come down there two nights in a row. He disappeared into the night, I pray to go and seek God. Raven had set up their tower of power to preach the gospel, which of course stirred up the crowds. They could not escape the torment of having to listen to the truths Jesus taught without shame. Tracy, Kerrigan and I hit the lines with tracts again. I noticed lots were being thrown down, so I have started to conserve the few hundred that I have left for people I talk with who seem sincere or are at least sober. I did notice something else, after 3 and ½ days of hard preaching even some of the lost were thanking us and encouraging us to keep doing what we were doing. Isn’t that ironic? They will disregard the gospel tract and their salvation; and then thank us in the same conversation. We decided to call it a night about 12:30 am and headed back to the condo. Praise the Lord, he had held off the rain that was predicted by men to show up at 11 pm. I found out after I returned that one of the young preachers, Jesse, that was there on the streets had just been converted last year. He was listening to our preaching while in line at Razzell’s then he went home and confessed his sin and trusted Jesus Christ as His Savior. Hallelujah! All heaven rejoices when one sinner repents. I had met him in Mardi Gras last month. Though I did not hear this story from him. I knew he was very zealous, especially for preaching Jesus and Him crucified. This was such an encouragement to me. We often are discouraged by so many professing Christ asking, “How many people have you seen saved by your methods?” My reply is, ‘This is God’s primary method of evangelism. How many have been saved by your methods of hanging out with them while they sin?”
03/12 am
We awoke to another rainy overcast day, got some good prayer and studying.
I decided that the weather was not going to stop God’s Word being preached today. As Tracy and I got there a young man, told me, ‘Hey it’s raining today, why don’t you guys take a break?’ This only fueled my zeal for his soul, I replied, “You won’t get a day off in hell, why should we take a day off because of some rain?’ This reply left him speechless and he walked off shaking his head. A young woman behind me said, ‘That was rude.’ I told her many truths from the Bible seem rude.’ The carnal mind accepts not the teachings of my Master. We went to the boardwalk and I began to preach with my voice bouncing off all the hundreds of patios of the major hotel chains here on the beach. With the light rainfall the beach was very quiet except God’s Word was booming. There were many hundreds within the mall and I am sure listening in their rooms. We had a sinner come and confirm he could not relax in his hotel room because of the preaching penetrating his room. Praise the Lord! We also found out that tomorrow there would be a big BET event in the band shell from 2-4pm. That’s great. We will be able to preach to the crowds before the event when we plan to leave at 2pm to return home to our loved ones. We returned to the condo, for rest, prayer, dinner, and preparations for the night of preaching ahead.
03/12 pm
We decided to get out early as we figured the students would be out early as they had been cooped up all day also. We were wrong because it was very slow until about 09:30, I guess maybe they were exhausted from a week of harming themselves with drunken revelry and late nights. Things did start to pick up while Tracy was preaching and he got some hecklers who were ‘Christians’ that were ignorant of God’s Word. This is so common in America that no one seems to know which way is up or down. We worked this particular street corner then moved across from Razzle’s as the line to preach had formed. We took up our positions and Jesse preached for a bit. Handing out tracts had really become almost fruitless as so many had already received, they did not desire, or they threw them away. But, this was Friday night there were some local faces we had not seen during the week so I persisted. We had a tow truck that began to heckle us with it’s alarm system. The driver had posted his truck right behind our preaching then would turn the alarm on anytime Jesse would speak. Suppression of the truth, this is the motto of the enemies of God. We decided to move down the street a bit to get away from the noise and get a good angle on the crowd. This worked well, and the driver got frustrated and left, Hallelujah! Tracy took over the preaching for a bit, and Raven came and set up the tower of power where we had just been. They began to preach, and Tracy and I went to work the lines with tracts. Most, maybe 90% refused the offer of mercy from Jesus Christ presented on the tracts. I took Kerrigan and Tracy back to the condo, I had decided to return to the work with Raven until they or the sinners called it a night. I got back out there and as I arrived it was a downpour, but praise the Lord he stopped it before I got out of my car and we did not have rain again the rest of the night. Bro Jesse had left for the night while we were gone also. I worked one2one and small groups for the rest of the night preaching one last time on that wonderful instrument of God’s proclamation. I believe Troy had that horn custom built for Bike Week. The sinners had a very serious fight break out while I was preaching with someone getting hit over the head with a bottle multiple times. I stopped preaching and waited patiently while the police and emt’s cleared the carnage. What a great springboard to speak on murderous intentions of the heart, which had been so clearly demonstrated before us in front of the club. I did this for about 45 minutes then they could stand it no longer and came and surrounded me and the horn stand, hanging on it and me. I tried everything I knew to get them to stop and the police were just not participating in my protection so I choose to stop preaching and let them wander away into the night. I turned the preaching over to a young preacher named Troy who is very gentle in his speaking with the sinners, even this did not help calm them down. So they decided to pack up the horn before it was damaged. Praise the Lord for Raven Ministries, they are faithful most every night to get out there with someone being a witness for the Lord Jesus who is worthy to receive souls for His glory. About 3:30am I thought I better get going as I would have an early morning and a few hours of preaching on the beach before we were to leave.
03/13 am
We awoke before Kerrigan and Tracy about 08:30 am. I am a pretty early riser having served in the Navy for 20 years working sometimes 14-16 hours a day and sleeping for a few hours. I woke Bro Tracy and we began to get packed and clean the condo for our departure. We got everything ship shape and out to the car just before 11am which was our plan. We arrived at the boardwalk to find the BET event at the band shell had been completely set up and was just awaiting the 2pm start time. We decided to take a walk on the beach with Tracy preaching first. We had a nice preach walk with many heckling us as we proclaimed God’s truths. Kerrigan preached for awhile, the sinners will ‘innocently’ throw footballs and Frisbees at us while we do this work. Kerrigan got hit in the leg and Tracy almost in the head. Of course the sinners think this is great fun, but it won’t be funny on judgment day if they will not repent. We got back over to the band shell area and noticed a line of people lining up for the BET event so Kerrigan began to preach to the line to much consternation of the wicked. He worked there for about ten minutes when the Beach patrol showed up with a noise ordinance which does not allow amplifiers. There were exemptions on the bottom of this particular law but they would not get them for me. They explained that it would be okay if we went to the boardwalk as that was city jurisdiction. Kerrigan and Tracy went up and I attempted to deal with him some more asking him to call his Lt. which he did. He showed up I explained our positions and he agreed we could use it as long as it was not heard over 50 feet. At this point I realized that Kerrigan and Tracy had a good meeting going and I wanted to get up there to get some good photos. I thanked them and the beach patrol left. I got up to the boardwalk with Kerrigan crying aloud to them for quite some time. I preached next talking about the wickedness of gangster rap, drugs, fornication, and drunkenness. These were the primary sins these students were living in. I wanted to make it personal and ensure they knew their crimes were an offense to God. Exposing sin and testifying about the justice and love of God are very important issues that the Christian must address to the lawless. Jay and Paula Gilbert of Sin is a Choice ministries showed up. We had a few brief minutes of fellowship before we left and they would take over where we left off the proclamations. We wrapped up for the day heading back to our car. Praise God we got to see Jesse and Krista as God coordinated our meeting just before we left. Then we prayed up and began our 12 hour journey back to our beloved families and Kentucky.
God Hates Mardi Gras! Feb 2010
- Pleading with a Sinner
Here is some of my testimony from my mission trip to New Orleans with Br. Tracy Bays:
We arrived to the Raven Ministries camp about 7pm on Friday the 12th of Feb, 2010 using the van loaned to us by Consuming Fire Fellowship, thanks Jeff! We stayed on bunks in a large unfinished warehouse type of building. About 150 men sleeping in the same area. We got settled in, they had a prayer/organizational meeting. We were blessed to be offered to use a half mile hailer during the meeting. We loaded up on buses and went to the French quarter from 10pm until 2am. We met Jeremy who was leading a busload of people from Amarillo, TX to the Mardi Gras. He offered to let us ride in the very nice bus that had been leased by his church. Problems in getting us in and out with the buses were difficult to maneuver. Moving 300 people in the same direction safely is another issue Raven ministries had to deal with. Many of the people we worked with from Raven were first timers on the streets. Our shirts and banners were quite striking compared to what they were used to seeing at their churches. This first night was just trying to get our bearings with the Quarter and with the people we would work with for the next four days. We found a quieter area that did not have too much noise comparatively speaking. I used the mic for the HM hailer with a banner, and Tracy stood about 15 feet away with the horn and camera. This confused the sinners who thought Tracy was preaching and approached him and tried to harass him. I would rebuke them and tell them that the preacher was behind them and to pick their fights with me not the guy holding the horn. We met a couple of guys from the crossbearers and Brian OConnell who stated they would be going down to the quarter first thing Sat morning.
During our preaching Tracy was slapped in the face with beads and was thankful he wore safety glasses.
Saturday morning
We met up with Brian O’Connell and followed the Crossbearers down to the French Quarter to find reasonable parking. We got down to the around 11am and preached until 4pm. We preached at Jackson square for a few hours and noticed that there was a huge crowd in an amphitheater across the street near the river. We found some wicked street dancers delighting the crowds with their sinful routine. They finished up and I began to preach for about 20 minutes down from the top of the amphitheater and saw lots of conviction from the groups of people that stayed and listened to the preaching. We saw the CrytoGod preachers, Kevin, Bill, Gail, Steve, and Stephen by looking for banners down Bourbon St. We met them, worked with them for a few hours then they explained they would be taking a break for dinner and returning out to the streets for the evening preach. We stood with them and did one2one’s before leaving around 4pm. We returned to Raven camp about 5pm had a nice spaghetti and salad dinner. We rested prayed and returned back out to the Frech Quarter from 9:30 pm until 3am.
Saturday evening
We returned with Raven but departed from them to join the another team of street preachers; we found Ruben, JK, and Brian Cranford leading a group of godly men. We found out that they were leaving the streets for the night having preached for over 12 hours. I soberly realized Tracy and I were going to have to face these crowds with no bull horns, just banners, and by ourselves until 3am. We had thought to find the RAVEN team, and rejoin them. But, since we were already in a good spot, for foot traffic, and we had our banners we decided to stay where we were. We did one2one’s and some preaching, as we were able without amplification. We found a police barricade, and we held onto that to help restrict sinners from sneaking up on us, or crowding us in. This forced the traffic flow to go around us, and was very effective for the most part. There were many one2one’s that night. We decided to wrap it up, and look for our meeting spot. So we headed for Jackson Square to meet up with Raven around 1am. We were in spiritual battles, preaching, and witnessing the Gospel. It took us some time to find our way around, and also to organize everyone to the pick up point. So we made it back to base camp around 4am. We had some PB&J sandwiches to finish out the day!
Sunday morning
We left early about 11am Sun morning by ourselves in order to get good parking in the Quarter. We had determined that we would go to Jackson Sq. to preach and hopefully meet up with JK and that group of preachers. Unfortunately, we did not secure parking and ended up paying $20 to park in about the same area we parked in the day before. We proceeded to Jackson Square to preach. We preached for a bit in front of all the tables of palm readers and witches. As I crossed the square I heard a bullhorn siren and looked and noticed a bunch of banners flying behind a truck. We joined Brian’s team of preachers, Steve, Larry Craft and Larry Keffer. We preached with them for a few hours moving back and forth across the square. We had some interactions with the police who were threatening to shut down our amplification if we did not move while we preached. This is a new ordinance this year which is probably not constitutional. We decided to go over to the amphitheater I had preached at the day before when the street dancers were done and cry aloud. Brian offered to let Tracy use his huge bullhorn! He started preaching during the intermission. He preached on righteousness, rebuked sin, and basing his theme on dancing and singing. That the Bible encourages dancing and singing, as long as it is to glorify the Lord. Then he started to preach on the wickedness in the dance act, and how they only put so much in because it sells. That because of the wicked hearts of people, entertainment is also wicked. I was rebuking the dancers, and told them they should change their act to be Godly, instead of sinful. They didn’t like that, and they ran up the stairs, and started to attack us. One of the dancers lunged at Larry Craft, and he stepped back. Then he turned toward Tracy. He was standing looking down, breathing heavy, and balling up his fists. The other dancers grabbed him and pulled him back down the stairs. Tracy continued to preach. Their routine was filled with inappropriate gestures, Racist humor, and just promoting of theft, murder, and sin, in general. Probably comparable to most TV programs. After, the preaching we decided to go back to Jackson Square to preach.
Sunday evening
We intended to meet all the street preachers teams at a church in the Frech Quarter. We headed that way, asking directions as we went. As we were enroute we intersected with them on the street and followed them back to the AOG church. We fellowshiped there for some time and met Br. Ken there. Then some went to the Zulu parade on Canal St. and the rest of us to Bourbon St with the CrytoGod team. While we were heading out to preach we intersected with Br. Dick C. and spent the night preaching with them. Lots of one2ones and tracting during this time. One time I was preaching and a very angry Catholic woman threatened me because God the Holy Spirit was threatening her religion. I told here a godly woman was meek and quiet to which she went ballistic! She and her husband came over physically grapping my bullhorn to try and rip the microphone off. I held on and eventually they let go. About five minutes later, the police came and escorted me off the street to explain that I was being charged with assault! I had called out to Br. Kevin as I was escorted off and he found out that we had video of the entire event. We explained this to the police who then explained it to the liars who were falsely accusing me. They left and I pray they repented. I have seen many pictures of myself witnessing to people I can’t even remember there were so many.
Monday morning
Tracy: We determined to get there earlier than the previous day as we did not want to pay the parking fees. We were successful and parked about 50 yards beyond where we parked the day before. We preached on Jackson square for a few hours. We preached back and forth on the square using the buildings to trap our amplified voices and reflect them back unto the square with great effect. We knew there would be a Praise and prayer rally from 2pm-4pm. We determined that we would go there to admonish the Christians to preach and not pray on the street corners. We took a break and decided to go back to the Baptist church which had given us water and sandwiches the day before. I went to the van to retrieve Br. Doug’s banner from the van that we might give it to him. John stayed and rested. While I went to the van to get the banner, I was passing out tracts along the way. A Yeshua only, oneness penecostal engaged me in a one2one. I was in a hurry, since John was waiting, and we were trying to make it to the praise rally that was being conducted in public. John wanted to preach against what they were doing, since it was very unbiblical. So, this man was telling me all sorts of things. Because of experience with oneness teachings in the recent past, I knew exactly what to ask. He also denies the validity of the written New Testament. So, I told him he was demonic, and went on to get the banner. I quickly returned to the Vioux Carre Baptist church where John was waiting.
John: We then proceeded over the direction of the praise rally. We preached practically everywhere we traveled as people were everywhere. As we almost got to the P&P rally, I had a vendor begin to blow his whistle in my face and commanding me to move down the street. I inserted my faithful purple earplugs, rebuked him sharply, and stood my ground. He told me he was calling the police which I encouraged him to do. He was so angry that he blew his spittle through his whistle in my face and I turned from him that I may receive his spit on the back of my head. This went on for some 10-15 minutes, constantly blowing his whistle. His face was a bright scarlet and we have great video of the same. I noticed a brother in the Lord across the street who had a great sandwich board, whom I did not know. He was nodding his head in agreement the whole time I preached. When the Lord led us over to him we just hung out with him and some other local brothers who were encouraged by our preaching to the whistling sinner. We handed out tracts and preached to the line at the Café du Mond a famous coffee shop. We could see the P&P rally but really could not get to it for the crowds. So we just stayed there for about an hour as the rally finished. Our signs and banners were so effective to the multitudes. After the P&P broke up we went to the French Market with the local brothers to check that venue out. We departed there to return to the van to pick up warmer clothes and returned to the Baptist church to get the banner for Doug.
Mon evening
John: When Tracy returned from the restroom at the Baptist church, I was having conversations about the P&P rally. It was a difficult conversation as the people I was talking with were trying to defend what they were doing and condemn open air preaching. This was the same group that preached with Smiley faces for Jesus. But, thankfully the Lord worked some peace between us. We decided to go buy some sandwiches and eat them at the AOG. We then went to try and return Doug’s banner at the Assembly of God church, they were closed. Man, o man….we returned to the Baptist church, and stored the banner there and ate our sandwiches with mouths closed if that is possible. We were actively ignoring all of their unbiblical conversations. At this time, the devil sent two of his puppets from XXXchurch.com from the street into the fellowship of believers. I was astonished the Baptists would be okay with this and that maybe they did not realize who they were or what they represented.
TRACY: We had finished our sandwiches when the XXXchurch guys walked by. They went straight to the back of the Church to a storeroom and began putting away some of their gear. They were wearing black T shirts with hot pink rams horns on the front. Across that was XXXCHURCH.COM in bold letters. I had known about them previously. I had watched a youtube video of Michael Markley rebuking them in a Walmart parking lot. Then I had also checked out their website. They claim to be Christian. They say they are helping Christians with their Porn addictions. Of course, we know that real Christians don’t have porn addictions. Real Christians have victory in Christ Jesus. So, this organization puts on the appearance of a internet porn website. They even have a slogan “#1 Christian Porn site”. The Holy Spirit was convicting me as I sat there and watched them in the back room. I was trying to avoid doctrinal differences with the others that were down at Mardi Gras to preach the Gospel. This was completely different than just doctrinal differences. So, when they attempted to pass by me, to leave, I started to admonish them. I said, “Don’t you know that the Bible says to not put on any appearance of evil?” He then looked at me and said, “Well, maybe the bible says that, and maybe it doesn’t” I then started to preach at him. I don’t remember much of what I said, because I was in the Spirit. When I started to do this, other people started to try and rebuke me. When the attention was taken off of the man I was talking to, the XXXChurch guys left. So, I started preaching to the people in the Church. There was a man that said I was taking the Bible too literally, and that everything was completely subject to interpretation. Then I started to put my bullhorn on, and my sandwich board, in preparation for leaving as I preached. I knew we would soon be made to leave. This man then said “which judgment day?” looking at the sandwich bard I was wearing, which says ‘Are you ready for judgment day?’ I then called him out on his hypocrisy, by telling he wasn’t even a Christian. He doesn’t believe in the validity of God’s word, and thinks there is more than one judgment day. There is more than one judgment, but there is one day on which all judgment takes place. That’s when they started ushering us out the door. John was also preaching and rebuking them at the same time as me. I quickly grabbed Doug’s banner, and started toward to door. The last thing I remember saying as I approached the door was “You know your problem? You have a man centered Gospel, that’s your problem!” I said, “What you need is a God centered Gospel!” They denied it, as they made the holiness preachers leave their church building.
JOHN: I was also convicted that the XXXchurch was having fellowship here and able to store their unbiblical banners and I began to pray. I noticed that Br. Tracy engaged one of them as they walked by and he began to rebuke them. I went to get my gear and noticed all the ‘church’ members siding with the XXX guys. We were beginning to have an open air meeting inside this little church! The devil puppet made a quick exit out the door and a young man began to heckle Tracy. I got my camera rolling and one of the pastor’s walked up and asked my what were my motives for filming what was happening. I replied that the truth will be known this church supports the XXX church and that more importantly God was recording all of these events. Someone went to get the head pastor who defended the XXXchurch and even proclaimed that he had worn a shirt of theirs the night before. I rebuked him sharply about having fellowship with darkness. Him and two other men began to angrily tell me that we were leaving. I replied that since light has no fellowship with darkness we had no problem with that at all. I was gathering our things and the first pastor told me, ‘We have given you shelter and food for the last two days and why are we responding this way?’ I told him we would not be needing that anymore as the Lord would provide for us. We were then banished from the fellowship of the sinners, Hallelujah!
We then returned to the streets to preach with Cry to God preachers on Bourbon St for the rest of the evening.
Fat Tues morning
JOHN: We had to get ready very early and got up at 4:30am to pack and prepare. We got all of our gear loaded up in the loaner van from CFF. They called about 5:30 and picked us up at 6am to take us to the final parade on Canal st. They go so early because of driving/parking problems on Fat Tuesday. We had about 15 men from CFF with us and another bright, but cold morning in New Orleans. We loaded out and headed down to the parade route. We grabbed some chow at McD’s and handed out tracts and witnessed to the long lines. We mustered up and assembled at a major intersection for the day’s work. Br. Kevin and Leon and I decided to take a walk to JS, preaching while we went. The PA was blasting out God’s word between the business buildings as we went. Unfortunately, I did not discern the change to residential buildings when a woman police officer commanded me to shut up. I did not see her at first and thought she was a sinner trying to stop the preaching. Fortunately, I saw her authority before I responded with a rebuke. I hung my head and responded, ‘yes ma’am’. She rebuked me again, I said, ‘yes ma’am’. She rebuked me again, I said, ‘yes ma’am’. ROFL, then we proceeded to JS to see all the foolishness going on there. They had thousands of people wearing all manner of wicked costumes, so we preached to them sharply for about an hour and half. One notable one2one I had with a normal looking fellow was a bisexual Christian pastor. He stated that he struggles with his sin and believed he was born that way. I am sure you know what I told him. I spoke with him for over 15 minutes and he was very convicted and interested in the things I was saying. I admonished him to seek God until the Holy Spirit lived in him. One man whom I have seen in videos with a bull horn rebuking preachers with, ‘blah, blah, blah’ every year was there. I went to him closely and bound him in Jesus’ name, then I admonished him about how foolish what he was doing appeared. Why couldn’t he say something intelligent against the preachers? He then shut his mouth and went across the square to preach his nonsense to the lost. Br. Kevin, Leon, and myself decided to return to Canal st. after about an hour of this. Many preachers had shown up by this time and I believed the Lord wanted us to spread the net. We returned to Canal via Bourbon st preaching all the way and arrived back on Canal st. about noon. The venue had dramatically changed with the parade going on and our CFF group still holding ground for the Lord.
TRACY: I stayed with Brother Britt’s group. I stood next to Wesley, and Jude. Two of the younger men. I had the sandwich board that I had been using on previous days, and also my bullhorn. Brother Britt preached first. Then two more fairly young preached. Tim is only 16! It really encourages me to see such young men preaching the Gospel at Mardi Gras, on Fat Tuesday! They preach a very powerful Gospel. Preaching holiness, God’s wrath upon sinners, and the only way Jesus Christ! I preached at times in between the other preachers, when the Spirit moved me. We would preach awhile, then pass out tracts. We all either had banners, or sandwich boards. We were passing out the ‘Got fruit’ tracts that were customized for their fellowship, and also the ‘Who Dat?’ tracts that Brother Britt designed specifically for this outreach. He said we started the day with around 3000 Got ‘Fruit tracts’, and 5000 ‘Who Dat?’ tracts. So out of 8000 tracts, we had maybe 2000 left over. Basically we had a completely full backpack of tracts, at the beginning, and by the end of the day the backpack was about 80% empty! They really seemed to accept the ‘Who Dat?’ tracts. They were going very fast! Some people would throw them on the ground, only to be picked up by other people that walked by. I was also witnessing one2one, as people walked by. One man was asking me about demon possession. At first I thought he was saying either he himself was possessed, or someone he knew. He was a local to New Orleans, and it was hard to understand his Creole accent. It turned out it was his apartment that was possessed. Or, maybe something in his apartment. I had remembered that John had told me of a verse that demons could inhabit inanimate objects, like idols, or something. I had not had a chance to research that yet, so instead of denying his problem, I saw it as an opportunity to preach to him. I explained that even if, I did cast the demons out, unless he started living a holy life before God, they would return 7 times worse than before. Which is in Matthew 12:43-44. He didn’t like my solution to his problem, so he kept trying to explain his situation. I’m not sure if it was his wife, or girlfriend, but a women asked him if he asked me to rid them of their demon. Then I explained to her that unless you deal with your sin, and submit to the Lord, you cannot have the Holy Spirit within you. I told them about repentance and submission to Jesus. I also explained that if I simply cast out their demon, it would just return with 7 more. That they would just be in even worse shape. They were approaching their demonic problem like someone would deal with rats, or roaches. They just wanted an exterminator! So, I used the opportunity to confront them with the Gospel, and that they need to be born again, and get themselves right with God. Otherwise, nothing can be done. I hope they considered what I had told them. The big problem they have isn’t the demon, it’s the sin in their life! Another encounter was with a young woman. She was professing to be a Christian, and also partaking of the wicked celebration of Mardi Gras. I explained that unless she truly repents, of her sin, she is not a Christian at all. I showed her the many verses that explain this. She was holding to Original sin, and as a result, that we could never stop sinning. When I showed her what the Bible said, she started to cry, and she walked away convicted in her sin. Her friends yelled at me, saying I should be ashamed of myself, for making her cry. I then said, “I only told her the truth” they were consoling her in her sin, instead of telling her the truth. Of course, they also don’t know the truth. Meaning they also don’t know Jesus. They, like many people who claim to be Christian, follow the widely publicized antichrist, as taught in the visible church. There were many more one2one’s. It was great to see other preachers out there with us rebuking the crowd, and preaching the Gospel. Truth, righteousness, and holiness. Praise the Lord!
JOHN: After returning I had seen Br. Charlie with a few others moving through the crowds preaching. I asked Br. Jeff if he would join me on an excursion. We went to another area where there was a bus stop and the Lord turned me to a large ladder. Beyond the ladder there were thousands of people and no parade! I approached the owner of the ladder to request permission to preach from the ladder. He vehemently denied my request. I asked if he was a Christian, he said yes! I rebuked him. I went to the next ladder, I asked if the owner was a Christian, he said yes, I asked for the ladder, he denied, I rebuked Him for denying the opportunity for thousands to hear the trumpet call of repentance. We backed off and began to witness one2one occasionally preaching to the crowds where there was no parade noise. The floats reminded me of idols the multitudes would raise their hands to in adoration. We got into a discussion with a man who claimed to be a Christian, denying we can live holy. He got angry and threatened Jeff and burst his can of beer all over us. Shortly after this a demon possessed woman made horns and charged me like a bull hitting me from the side like a NFL fullback. She then snarled out some wickedness, backed up 15 feet and charged Jeff almost knocking him over also. We rebuked her and I went to get the police as she slipped back into the crowds. {Police interaction}
After leaving about 3pm, we ate at Cracker Barrel enjoyed fellowship. We stayed Wed and rested in MS, attended their Wed night fellowship. Leaving this loving fellowship of believers was difficult not only for us but for my wife and children also. We left early am Thurs to return home to KY.
Praise the Lord for 10-12 hour days crying aloud for the gospel of Jesus Christ and for the lost to humble themselves and receive His mercy, Hallelujah!
Peter Cartwright (1785 –
Peter Cartwright. His colorful Autobiography remains a favorite source on frontier conditions.
Illinois was flooded. Not a path could be seen beneath the sheet of water. Treetops, which might guide a bold traveler, stood miles away but would be out of sight whenever he rode into a hollow. He could easily lose his way or flounder into a hole. Even if he reached the trees, a swollen creek beside them would compel him to swim twenty yards. He might have to spend the night on the sopping prairie. The rider paused. On one hand was his duty to the souls of his frontier parish; on the other, serious danger. At that moment he recalled his motto: “Never retreat till you know you can advance no further.” He rode forward.
Frontiersman
That decision was characteristic of Peter Cartwright, one of the most colorful frontier preachers in the young United States. Born in Virginia in 1785, just two years after treaty ended the American Revolution, he was taken West to Kentucky. There he became a tough guy in rough Logan County known as “Rogue’s Harbor” because of its swarms of badmen. His Methodist mother pleaded and prayed with him. Her prayers wakened a response. In a camp meeting her sixteen year old son was convicted of his sinfulness and need for a Savior. For hours he cried out to God for forgiveness until finally the peace of Christ flooded his soul. At once he joined the Methodist Episcopal Church. Within two years he was a traveling preacher, bringing the gospel to the backwoods of the new nation. His rough past and hardy constitution served him well, for he faced floods, thieves, hunger and disease. He met every challenge head on.
Fear no mortal man
Once Cartwright warned General Jackson (future President of the United States) that he would be damned to Hell just as quickly as any other man if he did not repent. A timid preacher apologized to Jackson for Cartwright’s bluntness. The general retorted that Christ’s ministers ought to love everybody and fear no mortal man, adding that he wished he had a few thousand officers like Peter Cartwright.
Peter the pugnacious preacher
Frequently rowdies disrupted Cartwright’s meetings. When one thug promised to whip him, Cartwright invited the man to step into the woods with him and do it. The two started for the trees. Leaping over the fence at the edge of the campground, Cartwright landed painfully. He clutched his side. The bully shouted that the preacher was going for a dagger and took to his heels.
Another time Cartwright charged a group of rowdies in the dark, yelling to imaginary forces, “Here! here! Officers and men, take them!” The troublemakers bolted in panic. Such events gave him a name. A story spread that he had fought legendary river boatman Mike Fink.
Soul winner extraordinary
Crowds flocked to hear him. Throughout Kentucky, Tennessee and Illinois, Cartwright preached to hosts of men and women, speaking three hours at a stretch, several times a week. The conviction in his booming voice could make women weep and strong men tremble. 10,000 came to Christ through his preaching in meetings that often ran day and night. Cartwright baptized thousands, adding them to the church. Several church buildings were erected at his instigation to house services for the new converts. To answer a desperate need for more preachers, he championed the creation of Methodist colleges. Having schooled himself, he saw the value of learning. Wherever he went he left behind religious books and tracts to convert and strengthened souls in his absence. The joy of soul-winning compensated him for all hardships.
Continual Hardships
Hardships were plentiful. Several times Cartwright went two and three days without food. He once returned from his circuit with just 6¢ of borrowed money in his pocket. His father had to outfit him with new clothes, saddle and horse before he could ride again. Traveling preachers were paid a measly $30- 50 a year with no family allowance. Nonetheless Cartwright married and raised children. His family was not spared tragedy. Forced to camp in the open one night, they were startled awake when a tree snapped in two; Cartwright flung up his arms to deflect the falling log, but it crushed his youngest daughter to death.
A Move For the Sake of the Family
In 1823 Peter Cartwright sold his Kentucky farm. He was disturbed by the effects of slavery on consciences and feared his daughters would marry slave owners. Slavery, he felt, sapped independence of spirit. His family readily agreed to the change and his bishop appointed him to a circuit in Illinois.
In Illinois he more than once braved floods. Once he had to chase his saddle bags which were swept downstream. Another time, in snowy weather, when even he hesitated to enter a flooded river, his eldest daughter, riding with him, proved her own mettle, urging him onward. In every instance, the Lord brought him to safety. He died at eighty-seven, leaving behind an autobiography which became a classic as much for the exploits it recounted as for the picture it painted of frontier life. His courage won him numerous sons and daughters for Christ. He stayed at “his post to do his duty.”
Fascinating Facts. . .
- In 1812 a severe earthquake struck New Madrid, Missouri. At places along the fault the Mississippi flowed backward. Thousands cried out for forgiveness of sins, believing the end of the world had come. Many later joined churches.
- Pioneers, isolated from church communities, often had little knowledge of spiritual terms. One preacher asked a woman if she had any religious convictions. “Naw,” she replied, “nor my old man neither. He were tried for hog-stealin’ once, but he weren’t convicted.”
- Because drunkenness was a problem on the frontier, Peter Cartwright thought he’d demonstrate the danger of strong drink. He placed a worm in a glass of wine. It wriggled. He transferred it to a glass of whiskey. It curled up and died. “There,” Cartwright said. “What does that tell you?” A man replied, “It shows that if you drink whiskey you won’t have worms.”
- Francis Asbury, one of Cartwright’s overseers, was the first Methodist bishop in the United States. He traveled nearly 300,000 miles in his life, building the Methodist church from 300 members to over 200,000.
- Historian Nathan Hatch asserts: “Between 1840 and 1860, the Methodists founded at least 35 institutions of higher education. Between the Civil War and 1900, they founded more than one college or university per year. . . . By 1852, eleven of thirteen congressmen from Indiana were Methodists. In 1880, no denomination could claim the affiliation of more governors than the Methodists.”
Peter vs. Abraham
Running for Congress in 1846, Peter Cartwright lost to none other than Abraham Lincoln. In 1832, over a decade earlier, however, Cartwright had defeated Lincoln in a race for the Illinois legislature.
In His Own Words. . .The Price of Being a Preacher
“. . .in reference to the Methodist Episcopal Church, when we consider that her ministers were illiterate…that we were everywhere spoken against, caricatured and misrepresented; without colleges and seminaries, without religious books or periodicals, without missionary funds, and almost all other religious means; and our ministers did not for many years, on an average, receive over fifty dollars support annually, and a Methodist preacher’s library almost entirely consisted of a Bible, Hymn Book, and a Discipline, may we not, without boasting, say with one of old, ‘What hath God wrought?’ A Methodist preacher in those days, when he felt that God had called him to preach, instead of hunting up a college or Biblical institute, hunted up a hardy pony of a horse and some traveling apparatus and. . .cried ‘Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world.’ In this way he went through storms of wind, hail, snow, and rain; climbed hills and mountains, traversed valleys, plunged through swamps, swam swollen streams, lay out all night, wet, weary, and hungry, held his horse by the bridle all night, or tied him to a limb, slept with his saddle blanket for a bed, his saddle or saddle bags for his pillow, and his old big coat or blanket, if he had any, for a covering. Often he slept in dirty cabins, on earthen floors, before the fire. . .His text was always ready, ‘Behold the Lamb of God.’ ”
–From Cartwright’s Autobiography
More on Cartwright’s Autobiography (Editor’s Notebook)
While riding to a meeting with Professor Richard Heitzenreiter, a Wesley scholar who teaches at Southern Methodist University, I asked him how he aroused interest in his students in Christian history. He told me one particularly effective approach is to have his students pick up the Autobiography of Peter Cartwright and tell them open it to just about any page at random. There they inevitably find some fascinating anecdote from the life of the great circuit rider that draws them in to want to read more. Hopefully this issue has done the same for you. Get ahold of the autobiography for fascinating reading.–Ken Curtis
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