22 While they were celebrating, behold, the men of the city, certain worthless fellows, surrounded the house, pounding the door; and they spoke to the owner of the house, the old man, saying, “Bring out the man who came into your house that we may have relations with him.” 23 Then the man, the owner of the house, went out to them and said to them, “No, my fellows, please do not act so wickedly; since this man has come into my house, do not commit this act of folly. 24 Here is my virgin daughter and his concubine. Please let me bring them out that you may ravish them and do to them whatever you wish. But do not commit such an act of folly against this man.” 25 But the men would not listen to him. So the man seized his concubine and brought her out to them; and they raped her and abused her all night until morning, then let her go at the approach of dawn. 26 As the day began to dawn, the woman came and fell down at the doorway of the man’s house where her master was, until full daylight. Judges 19:22-26

“Tell us, how did this wickedness take place.” Judges 20:3b

“… for they have committed a lewd and disgraceful act in Israel.” Judges 20:6b

This story is very much like the story of Genesis 19 where the two angels visited Lot. He also offered his two virgin daughters to the attackers at the door. They wanted the men, not the women and proceeded to try and tear down the door. The angels struck them all with blindness and the incident was ended. In this story the incident did not end so peacefully. They took the man’s concubine and raped her through the night until they killed her. The man cut her into twelve pieces and sent a piece to each of the tribes. They gathered for war against Benjamin and ultimately came near to wiping this tribe out because of their perversion.

Sexual perversion brings the judgment of God on a city because the perversion is so intrenched that He will bring His judgment on them. When the dust settled Benjamin was few in number. The other tribes vowed to not let any of their daughters marry them so, as chapter twenty tells us, brides were given to them by unusual means.

Would to God that America wakes up before similar destruction is leveled against us. It is not just homosexuality that is the problem. We have rampant heterosexual perversion also. All you have to do is visit the magazine stand or watch a sit com on TV to see just how sex crazed our nation has become. New York has now passed a bill that allows the viewing of child pornography with no penalty. Look for the other coast to follow suit. The legalizing of homosexuality and the push for gay marriage may just be the final straw for this nation.

When was the last time you heard a pastor speak on such topics? The problem is laid at the feet of pastors and teachers in the church. Thank God for those pastors who still have the spine to deal with horrific sin today. They are my true heroes hands down. Would to God that He send a sweeping revival into His church NOW. We desperately need it before we lose everything our forefathers and mothers have sacrificed to give to us and our kids.

From the autobiography of Ben Franklin on his religious beliefs.

“I had been religiously educated as a Presbyterian; and, though I early absented myself from the public assemblies of the sect, Sunday being my studying day, I never was without some religious principles. I never doubted, for instance, the existence of the Deity; that he made the world, and governed it by his providence; that the most acceptable service of God was the doing good to man; that our souls are immortal; and that all crime will be punished, and virtue will be rewarded, either here or hereafter.”

It is interesting to hear those who have an axe to grind against our founding fathers, say that Franklin was an atheist. Well, his own words would refute that idea. The signers of the Declaration of Independence were very spiritual men, many holding theological degrees.

The LORD made it crystal clear to Israel that they were to pass on the Word of God to the next generation diligently, as we see in the following passage.

“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:4-9 NASB

What happens if they fail this task?

“All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel. Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals, and they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed themselves down to them; thus they provoked the LORD to anger.” Judges 2:10-12 NASB

Notice that their fathers, in the previous chapter, failed to obey God’s commands completely, with only a few exceptions, and set the stage for the failure of their children. If we look at history we see this pattern over and over, especially in Israel. The parents were told to rid their territories of all the pagans and their false gods, but we see a series of partial obedience and this led to the downfall of the generation who knew not God.

The situation in America today is the result of this very problem. Today, we have many young preachers who have been taught by many older preachers that they should avoid using certain words when they preach and teach. This is in essence dumbing down the congregation and then political correctness takes precedent over the Word of God leading to apostasy and compromise.

It was interesting to read the Texas Baptist newspaper about a survey taken among Protestant pastors and their congregations. The question was: “If a person is sincerely seeking God, he/she can obtain eternal life through religions other than Christianity.”

77% of pastors strongly disagreed, 7% somewhat disagree, 7% somewhat agree and 5% strongly agree. AMAZING!

Among the people who attend a Protestant church: 48% strongly disagree, 9% somewhat disagree, 16% neither disagree nor agree, 13% somewhat agree and 13% strongly agree.

Do you see the problem? We have people in the pews who have been dumbed down by feel good preaching because of the pastor’s unwillingness to teach the WHOLE Bible. The pastors, for the most part, believe the Bible while their congregations are all over the place.

Among the congregation we find 42% either on the fence or outright disagreeing with solid Bible truth. Now, where will this lead the NEXT generation of Americans IF we do not see an revival among our pastors?

Folks, this is as serious as a heart attack!!! When will those who know better hold their soft preacher’s feet to the fire or see that he is released from service? This sounds harsh but the future generation is at stake. The very future of America is in the hands of pastors NOW. I have written much over the years on this topic and plead with God daily for a massive revival in His church and then a Third Great Awakening that will sweep multiplied millions into the Kingdom of God. It all begins with you and prayer. Cry out to our Holy God to bring this about now.

“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man (woman) availeth much.” James 5:16 KJV

Prayer does not equip you for greater works.
Prayer is the greater work. —- Oswald Chambers

As I was reading the Word the other day, with my Hebrew Bible at my side, I decided to look up the word priesthood to see what it was. To my surprise, it was the word I have listed just below. So, let’s take a look at this interesting word.

Kehunnah: as in THE BIG…
kehunnah: priesthood

Original Word: כְּהֻנָּה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: kehunnah
Phonetic Spelling: (keh-hoon-naw’)
Short Definition: priesthood

Now, inquiring minds want to know STUFF, so I did some searching as to the origin and meaning of the Hawaiian word Kehunnah. Here is what I found.

Today this is a surfing term from the Hawaiian islands, but what is the origin of the term? I find it very interesting that the word is found in Numbers 16:10, and other places, in the word kehunnah which is translated priesthood.

If we trace it forward, we find that the same word is used in Hawaii for medicine man/ PRIEST. Isn’t that interesting? One is led to believe that the Polynesian people had no contact with other people outside the Pacific Far East, but here we have the same word and same meaning far predating the Hawaiian word and both mean priest. Seems that someone took the word to the Polynesian people, huh?

Now you know something that the vast majority of people are unaware of and that it did not originate for surfers.

Karma:

1 often capitalized : the force generated by a person’s actions held in Hinduism and Buddhism to perpetuate transmigration and in its ethical consequences to determine the nature of the person’s next existence

I heard two commentators use this over and over as though it is some magical good luck charm, but it is not.

It is not a good luck charm, but is more practically translated, WORKS. Just like Mormonism and Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that you must have works to be saved, so these religions of Hinduism and Buddhism hold that individuals must have a load of good works to make it to a higher state in the so called next life on earth.

It is interesting to contrast true Christianity with any other belief and you will find FREEDOM in Christianity and NOT in religion. With Jehovah’s Witnesses, they actually keep track of the number of hours they spend going door to door or other work for the Watchtower Society. They even have to BUY the books they hand out. So with Mormons, they too spend countless hours going door to door trying to convert people to Mormonism.

The Bible clearly says that we can NEVER gain any points with God by our works. Christians work BECAUSE they are saved, not to get saved!

Romans 3:20, 27-28; Ephesians 2:8-10 tell us the futility of working for your salvation. Grace means just what it says, FREE gift of God because Jesus died in our place and took our sins on Himself.

This leaves only one thing for mankind to do, “… believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” Put your trust in His finished work on the cross and your sins will be forgiven instantly. I took Him at His word 37 years ago and would not trade this for anything.

This topic is one that will catch flack but I must deal with it honestly.

I was just checking the credentials of a famous TV prophesy teacher and his wife to see why they refers to themselves as Doctor. I found, as I regularly do, that most TV preachers do not even have an earned college degree, a master’s degree and certainly not an earned doctorate. Why do so many, then, call themselves doctor so and so? Do you know where they usually get the justification for doing so? Check out the following passage from the King James Version.

1 Timothy 3:13 “For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus”

Right away we run into a problem, the verse clearly deals with deacons or servants of the practical ministry of the church, not the pastoral or Bible teaching positions. Next, this translation is a very poor one according to the Greek text.

The NASB translations says: “For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.”

Same verse, yet note the clear difference of intention.

One has to literally stretch the meaning of this verse to justify BUYING a doctorate from a degree mill. This is exactly what they do. One such doctorate was given to me once by wonderful people with honest hearts as a way to honor me as their pastor. I was not aware of the source at the time it was given but later found this out. It sits in my file drawer as a reminder of those wonderful folks. Some, even knowing this, continue to call themselves Doctor. To me this is the ultimate ego trip. Be who you are without wanting regard for something that you DID NOT EARN. The prices for doctor degrees run from as low as $40 to a few thousand. These institutions that call themselves seminaries etc. do not even have buildings but operate on line. Some accredited colleges and universities give away a doctorate to the person who speaks at the graduation ceremony. This, again, is a mark of honor and should be filed, as a friend of mine did, and then went on to earn his doctorate. Would you want a doctor to do surgery on you with a give away or bought doctorate? There is a huge amount of blood, sweat and tears shed to become a real doctor. So must those who claim great knowledge of the Bible do the hard work to deserve being called DOCTOR.

Why am I making a big deal about this? I am greatly bothered to see this happen. If you want a legitimate doctorate EARN IT! Then you will have the genuine respect of those around you. Ego/pride is condemned in Scripture and we must avoid all appearances of evil, especially in ministry.

A final note, when one does use this title associated with a purchased degree, his or her title is to be Revered Doctor, not Doctor in front of the name.

If this little note gets around, I am sure that I will take some strong criticism for it, BUT I must write and speak the truth in love. LOVE YOU!!!

“You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.” Deuteronomy 4:2 NASB

Far too many assume to be God’s editor today, by changing what God originally said to His people and those who are not His people. One of my college professors, now with the LORD, once said: “I have no patience with those who would take a scalpel to God’s Word.” How right he was. We too must have no patience with those who try to make God say something they want it to say. A famous and current pastor today simply takes multiple translations of the Bible and searches them till he finds the one that says WHAT HE WANTS IT TO SAY and then publishes it on his handouts, rather than to have people look it up in their own Bibles.

My professor would have NO patience with this pastor, and he was one of his students at one time.

Folks, we desperately need a revival in God’s church today. A revival is when God brings great conviction on His own people and brings them to repentance and a restored trust in Him which leads to absolute obedience. It is time also for the Third Great Awakening in our land and the world. An awakening is when the Spirit of God is so powerful among mankind that He brings great conviction of sin and literally draws them to church, which is now revived, and to salvation, worship, training and ministry.

Oh how we need this today!

A final word from the Word. “Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear (reverence) Me and keep all My commandments always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever.” Deuteronomy 5:29 NASB

“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to yor sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.” Deuteronomy 6:4-7 NASB

Can you imagine what would happen today if Christians and Christian parents would do what these verse COMMAND them (us) to do? Wow! Love you all.

RESPONSIBILITY: Brethren, our preaching will bear its legitimate fruits. If immorality prevails in the land, the fault is ours in a great degree. If there is a decay of conscience, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the public press lacks moral discrimination, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the church is degenerate and worldly, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the world loses its interest in religion, the pulpit is responsible for it. If Satan rules in our halls of legislation, the pulpit is responsible for it. If our politics become so corrupt that the very foundations of our government are ready to fall away, the pulpit is responsible for it. Let us not ignore this fact, my dear brethren; but let us lay it to heart, and be thoroughly awake to our responsibility in respect to the morals of this nation. –Charles G. Finney, December 4, 1873

Charles Finney is one of my all time favorite preachers. He did not mince words when he preached or wrote. He was a brilliant mind and was used of God in the Second Great Awakening in the 1800’s.

He would be shocked if he were alive today. It shocks me to see daily a new compromise of the Bible and the apostasy that is no longer creeping in but is coming like a flood. It is undermining the very foundations of our nation and especially the Church of Jesus.

As we come to celebrate Passover and Firstfruits, the death of Y’shua or Jesus and His Resurrection this Sunday, the church needs desperately to experience a heaven sent revival which leads to a Third Great Awakening that multiplied millions might be saved. Far too many preachers today have lost the central core of what the church is built on. I just read an article today where a Baptist group is considering hiring homosexuals in its organization. How does this line up with God’s pronouncement that homosexuality is an abomination?

Just one reference to how GOD feels about this sin.

“If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them.” Leviticus 20:13

It amazes me to hear professing Christians say that God could never condemn homosexuals like this, yet you have to ignore the Word of God to say this. Romans 1:18-32 is a NEW Testament passage. We forget that the tribe of Benjamin was almost destroyed because they refused to abandon homosexuality.

So now, famous pastors say that they have Gay friends and refuse to support an initiative for marriage by the Scriptures! Now they want to hire homosexuals to work in their organization. Where are the prophets and pastors today who cry out “FOUL” when this kind of thing happens? There are some, but tragically far too many. If the church fails to restore morality to our nation then that will spell the destruction of our nation as we have known it.

“LORD rend the heavens and come down.” In Jesus/Y’shua’s name, AMEN!

Last night I watched a History Channel program on Netflix about Sodom and Gomorrah. At first, it looked like they were actually going to exceed their normal attempts to destroy anything having to do with the Bible, but it did not take long before they did just that. They did a number of archaeological portions with various scientists who indicated that they probably found the two cities and then turned when it came time to determine how the two cities were destroyed. They determined that volcanic was out since there is no volcanic activity in the area. They explored the idea that an earthquake did the work but basically discounted this idea as well. Then they decided that it was probably an ARMY that came and fought against them and burned the cities.

Their lack of intellectual honesty came as they COMPLETELY IGNORED good solid scientific exploration of the area done by geologists. There is huge evidence all over this area that balls of burning sulfur fell from the sky and remnants still remain today, just as the Bible account says.

What really toasted me was a so-called theology teacher who said that NO evidence was found having to do with the cities being immoral, deserving the judgment of God. The scientists had found skeletons that had syphilis, but I guess this was inconclusive for this EXPERT. A local rabbi also discounted such an issue. What amazed me was that this so-called theology expert had the gall to suggest that the two cities were judged because they failed to show HOSPITALITY!!! Amazing! God destroyed these cities and others because they did not allow the neighbors to come in and VISIT with the two strangers. She went on to say that when ONE examines the original texts that it indicates that sexual sin was not the problem at all, with the exception of the one incident recorded at Lot’s door. GIVE ME A BREAK, THIS WAS THE TEXT DEALING WITH HOMOSEXUALITY. I wonder where she is EXAMINING the text if not IN the story itself.

Many modern preachers had joined her insanity by either ignoring the sin of homosexuality or actually welcoming those who are practicing it into their congregations. There was a BAPTIST church in Fort Worth, Texas that had a big issue as to whether or not to include homosexual couples in their church directory. I called this pastor and he argued that the Greek text does not condemn homosexuality but dealt with child molestation. He persisted in his position until I saw that I was doing no good. I closed by telling him that he was going to blow this church apart if he persisted. About a year later the Southern Baptist Convention threw the church out because of their position on accepting homosexuality as normal.

Intellectual Integrity is a critical issue in our nation today. It is missing in politics, media and in many parts of Christianity itself. Political Correctness has overruled biblical correctness and it is leading to the biblical APOSTASY prophesied for the last days. Where will it all end? There will be a great falling away in the last days and this sure looks like it now. Look up, your redemption draweth nigh.

“I will sing to the LORD, for He has hurled into the sea. The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea. The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise Him; my father’s God, and I will extol Him. The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is His name.” (YHVH) Exodus 15:1-3 NASB

Jesus’ name means YHVH is salvation and the word salvation in the text is a form of Jesus’ Hebrew name, Y’shua.

What’s in a name? EVERYTHING that matters most. All of us will one day die and go on to the next life, this is what really matters since it could be today! Knowing where you will spend eternity is really all that matters. God has made a way for every human being to spend eternity with Him in heaven, but sadly most people on earth today have chosen to say a blatant NO to Him and follow his or her own choices.

“There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Proverbs 14:12; 16:25

There is a place called the Lake of Fire and it is literally FOREVER, as is HEAVEN. God gives every person a choice as to where they will live forever.

Choose wisely!