H-E-L-L is not just a swear word!

Recently, I was shocked, and even dismayed, when I found out many supposed Apostolics no longer preach on hell. They have grown afraid of offending the saints, when "the Love of God, is all people need to hear to be saved."

Although I do not disagree that God's love is immense and powerful, we are raising a generation that no longer understand there are bad implications if you do not serve God. It isn't just about the good.

I remember growing up on a church pew, and there were times I was afraid to go to sleep at night because I didn't want to go to hell. I remember hearing messages that were so intense that my the hair on the back of my neck actually stood up. We save we have evolved, and have taken the stance that God is love, but in fact we are neglecting part of the message. If we are to be true witnesses, we have to teach, and preach, the bad as well as the good. If we don't, we are raising a generation of easily swayed christians, who if they fall, think there is no consequence to the lack of repentance.

Now, understand, I know that hell is prepared for the devil and his angels, and that the fiery pit, according to some scholars is a different place. I know also that David in Psalms wrote that even if he descended into the pits of Sheol (hell) that God would be with him there. However, what he meant was in the deepest, hardest, fiery trial, God is there. If we die without God, I am sorry, but we are going to see the beauty of heaven. It isn't scripture.

The reason this subject came to mind recently, is I overheard someone mention hell at a local church, and a little Sunday School girl covered her mouth, and whispered, "He swore in church?"

Does anyone preach fire and brimstone anymore? I know of one preacher who said he could count the times in his ministry where he had preached on hell, and it was less than the fingers on his two hands. He had been a minister for more than 30 years by the way. Really? In thirty years, hell was only the message less than 10 times?

How do we profess to our children about serving God, and leave out the consequences for not serving him?

In life, we face consequences for bad behavior. If you steal, there is a punishment. If you murder, you will pay the price. If you lie in a court, it is called perjury, and there is a cost.

Yet, somehow we have led others to believe that serving God is wonderful, and if they don't follow his laws, and precepts, well they won't go to heaven, but the consequences don't seem to matter.

HOW CAN WE PROFESS TO PREACH TRUTH, IF WE LEAVE PART OF IT OUT?

Now, for those of you who choose to preach predestination, I am sorry you are misguided. There would be no point in your ministry if predestiny was right.

For those of you who only preach about the love of Christ, let me say love can be wonderful, but at times love is not enough. There has to be a form of discipline. Don't believe it? Look at all the school violence, guns, and kids being killed, simply because someone didn't get their way. They never learned that the bible teaches the principles of discipline, and if you do not, the effect will be long reaching, and most always detrimental.

For those who only preach the blood of Christ, and his death on Calvary, was his suffering for nought? We have to accept his love, blood, and the power of his resurrection or we are lost without him.

Lost has a real meaning.

LOST: Defined:

Unable to find one's way: a lost child.
No longer in the possession, care, or control of someone or something: a lost pen.
No longer in existence; vanished or spent: lost youth.
No longer known or practiced: a lost art.
Beyond reach, communication, or influence: The expedition was lost to the world for two months.
Not used to one's benefit or advantage: a lost opportunity.
Having not been or unlikely to be won; unsuccessful: a lost battle; a lost cause.
Beyond recovery or redemption; fallen or destroyed: a lost soul.
Bewildered or confused: I'm lost, can I start over?

I highlighted the one definintion because it best illustrates what I am talking about.

The rich man called up out of hell, and wanted Lazurus to just dip his finger in water and quench his thirst but it was too late, he was beyond recovery.

Now, how can we let our children think that hell is just a swear word? How can we expect them to be moral upstanding citizens, if we do not define the limits with consequences?

The same is true with the ministry. We have to quit being preachers with itching ears, preaching what the people want to hear, and do as 'thus saith the Lord.' If we don't we are lying to them, to ourselves, and more than likely, God will not be pleased with us.

Not everything about serving God is going to be easy, or all sugar-coated. If you are looking for a sugar-coating on your Christianity, you are Lost. Even Jesus said he came to 'offend.'

Preaching truth means all truth, and it is time someone took it upon themselves to preach it. Otherwise, how can we say we are saving them from hell, if H-E-L-L is just another swear word?

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FEAR NOT!

"The Lord is my light, and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalms 27:1


"Fear thou not: for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strenthen thee: yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Isaiah 41:10

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A bump in the night. The sound of a crying baby. The crash of breaking glass. A sudden barking dog awakens you in the night. Three in the morning and the phone rings. All of these are things which might cause us to fear.

Many times a simple change in the things around us can cause us distress because we become afraid. Many times throughout the Bible, the people became afraid. It is easy to become afraid of uncertainty, but there are 365 scriptures in the Bible that say, “FEAR NOT!”

The devil would have us to be afraid of the darkness, but we have got to come to the place where we understand that there is no fear when you have the Light dwelling within; we should not be afraid. I realize the world we live in is paralyzed with fear. War, famine, depression, anxiety, storms; these are the normal factors in our lives. It is easy to begin to worry, and once we start, it is hard to stop. However, in the 23rd Psalm, David wrote, “I will fear no evil, thy rod and they staff, they comfort me.”

Often, in the midst of our greatest trials, we can find strength to overcome our fears if we can just learn to depend on God.

In 1 Kings, chapter 17, we read of the widow who had just a little oil, just a handful of meal. And she decided she would make one more small cake for her child and herself. She decided they would eat the little cake, and then sit down in a corner to die. They had no way to support themselves in the famine that rocked the land, and therefore this was their final hope. We can see similar situations in the African nations even today. People are literally starving to death for want of a bite of food, and willing to just accept that lifestyle of do what they can, and die.

Along came the prophet, and he asked the widow woman to feed him instead. The audacity of that man. How dare he! However, because of her willingness to trust the man of God, and to feed him first, she was able to see the sustaining power of God. We can trust in God to see us through the hard times if we learn first to follow the leading of the shepherd.

In Isaiah 43:1 we read, “Fear not; for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by name; thou art mine.” We are his workmanship; we belong to him, and we don’t need to fear.

I remember hearing a story a long time ago about a little boy and his boat. He had seen a toy boat in the window and oh how he wished he could have one to play with. But he had no money, and the little boat in the window was more money than he could even dream of having. So the little boy found a piece of wood, and he carved and sanded it until it looked a little bit like the boat in the window. He took some red paint he found, and with loving hands he slowly coated the little boat. He then got one of his father’s old handkerchiefs and put a sail on his little boat. Finally, it was just what he had wanted. He had a boat of his own.

One day while playing with his boat in the little creek that ran beside his house, ominous storm clouds rolled in. The wind begins to blow fiercely, and the little red boat sailed majestically down the creek and into the river. The little boy chased after his boat, but the current was too swift, and the river took his boat from him. Sadly and with much disappointment, the little boy had to go home. It was too dark to see, and his little red boat was gone!

After a couple of weeks, the little boy was back in front of the store window, wishing for his boat when he noticed off to one side, there behind a couple dolls was His Boat! He ran inside the store and told the man behind the counter that his boat was in the window.

The man looked at the little boy and asked him, “How much money do you have to buy the boat?” The little boy tried to make him understand that he had carved and painted the little boat with his own hands, but to no avail. Although he had made the little red boat, the only way to get it back, was to pay the price.

Right away, he started collecting bottles, running errands for other people, doing any odd job a little boy could do, just to earn enough money to buy the little boat. After about a month he had collected enough money to buy the little boat. He hurriedly went down to the store and told the man behind the counter, he wanted the little red boat in the window. This time when he was questioned about the money, he was able to place it in the man’s hands. Walking out of the store with the boat in his hands cradled ever so gently, if you listened closely you could hear the little boy say lovingly, “First, I wanted one of my own; then I made you, and now I have bought you. You belong to me!”

Thou art mine! To know that Jesus created us, loved us, paid his precious blood to redeem us; what an awesome thought. He will come thru in the storms of our life to bring us peace.

In Matthew 14, we read that Jesus had fed the multitude with just a little boy’s lunch, and thereafter had went to the mountain to pray. He had sent his disciples ahead to the other side of the sea, but in the midst of their trip, the winds became contrary, and the ship was tossed about on the waves. In all the tumult that was crashing around, here came Jesus walking on the water, and the disciples became afraid. Not of the storm, and the waves crashing about, but of Jesus coming toward them on the water. And they cried out in fear. “But straightway Jesus spake unto them saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.”

Sometimes, the way Jesus chooses to meet our needs may cause us to fear. However, we have to realize he knows what he is doing. Trust him! Maybe circumstances will kick up a few storms, but hold on, Jesus will come along on the top of our trial, and give us the victory.

If we were able to look in on the devil, and could see who he really is, chances are we would no longer be afraid when things seem to be going wrong. The Bible says, “Be strong, be vigilant, for the Lord our God is mighty!”

So how do we defeat fear? Being a witness is the easiest way to overcome the enemy. It is true; sometimes telling others about Christ can be scary. In Matthew 10:27, 28, we read, “What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light; and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

In the book of Revelation we read of those who overcame the deceiver by the blood of the Lamb, and by their testimony. We can become overcomers by simply not allowing fear to reign in us. Teddy Roosevelt said, “The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.” Fear is like a cancer; it spreads quickly when fed; it quickly builds upon itself; and before long has taken over our whole being if left unchecked.

Can you overcome the fears of life? Sure you can; thru the love of Christ! Just like the little boy and his boat, Christ’s love for us is a strong force that we can cling to. The apostle Paul put it best when he wrote in Romans 8:35, 37-39. “Who shall separate u from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

No, I am not afraid of the darkness, for I know I’ve got the Light! FEAR NOT!

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We are back!

Please note: It has been a long tme since we updated this site. Between health, finances, and family life, travel, and other conditions, we haven't used this spot to its full potential. However, we hope to be more available in 2007 to share our burden, and our message with you. If you are a regular viewer, we appreciate your patronage. If you are new to this blog, then we hope and pray that we are a blessing to you now and in the future. God Bless You!

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