Sermons 1998:

As many of you already know Rita and I have just gone through a fire and our apartment building was set aflame by a man who lived for the pleasures of sin for a season. This individual, though refusing to acknowledge that Satan was his lord and master, was a tool used by the demons of Hell to try to kill all those in the building. This fire was set intentually by an evil and perverse devil who has in times past has stated that he is out to destroy me. It is the devil's sole purpose to destroy all of the saints of the living God, who are his enemies. Satan is continually seeking ways to destroy the righteous.

The ways of the Lord are certainly not our ways. When Rita and I prayed that the Lord would remove some tenants who throughly enjoyed playing their rap music at all times of the day and night, we did not realize that the Lord would allow a fire to take place to remove them and us! The Lord certainly answered the prayer, but not in the manor that we expected. For we expected that He would have just caused them to move to another place, or something. But the Lord in his infinite wisdom caused them not only to move, but created great personal financial loss and damage to them. Whereas, we only had minimal damage and loss. Though the Lord's ways are not necessarily our ways, we must be careful about what we pray. For the Lord will not always answer us the way that we expect.

Thus if we are not buried with Jesus into his death, and raised to newness of life there is no resurrection for us. If we are not born of the water and of the blood we are not born again. Jesus told Nicodemus that you must be born again and if you aren't, then you have no salvation. Without the rebirth in Christ, there is no blessed assurance of an eternity in heaven with Jesus Christ the Lord.

This past week I was talking to the manager of a Wawa in the neighborhood and he was complaining about how bad the times are. He was going on that the you couldn't leave your doors open and that nothing was safe. He remembers the times when a child could leave his bike and it would be right where he left it whenever he came back. He prays for bad weather for that is the only time when people will stay in and he doesn't have any fear about being robbed. this fear and trembling is described in the Bible as the signs of the times.

Jesus was a guest at dinner with the Pharisees, who were proud of their humbleness. They are just like some Christians of today, who put on a good show before men, but are empty and hollow inside. Though the Pharisees are ridiculed by today's Christians, if Jesus came today and ate at a lot of the houses of the Christian hierarchy, wouldn't he find the same situation that he found in Jerusalem almost 2000 years ago? Jesus would find a proud bunch who portray themselves as ``holy men of God''. Oh' how foolish and vain men can be when they hold themselves in higher esteem than they ought.

Ariel is a city that some suppose to be Jerusalem. This name of this city mean ``The Lion of God.'' Now a lion is very strong and ferocious. They are also very protective of their territory, so Ariel was very protective of her position, prestige, and power with God. But, though this city may have been like a lion and strong in the Lord, they lost their fortitude. They lost their backbone. They lost their strength in the Lord, becoming like an old, sick, diseased lion.

The other day I was riding the ``El'', and I saw some very young teens, talking and reading some magazines. One of the teens stated, ``That if this is what the `chicks' look like in hell, then that is where I want to go!'' Needless to say these children have no concept or idea what they are talking about or what they are even saying. The images in the present day comics and magazines that the teens read portray hell as a nice place full of debauchery and every lust of the flesh can be filled.

Sennacherib, king of Assyria, Thought that he had all of the answers. He thought that he knew the Gods. He thought that his strength and power of his army was strong enough to conquer all. He thought that the Lord God, the creator of the universe could be laughed at and scorned. But, God was not mocked, and Sennacherib was killed by his own son.

he day of the Lord is coming upon an unsuspecting world of sin. They don't suspect that their destruction is near. The world is filled with violence, sin, fornication, adultery, thefts, and et' cetera. This wickedness is filling this country and the rest of the world. The world is living deliciously and are partaking in all sorts of wickedness.

Have you ever been robbed? Has your house or business ever been broken in to? When does the robber come? Is it during a nice day when you are awake? Is it during the night when all are asleep? Of course the thief comes when all are asleep in the middle of the night. Today much of Christianity is asleep! They are settled on their lees and don't realize what time it is. They think that the rapture of the church is far off. They think that the Lord will tarry for another day.

If the Lord called His church home today, would you meet the Lord in the air, or would you be left behind? Are you ready to meet the Lord today? Are you ready to meet the Lord this very hour? Are there secrets in your life that should be covered by the blood of Jesus but aren't? These questions should be on the mind of every Christian. Every Christian should examine himself daily to see if he is really ready to meet the Lord when He comes.

This day almost 2,000 years ago, Jesus made a triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem. But though the crowds cheered him, and paved the way for him, the fickle tide of public opinion turned in less than one weeks time. At one instant Jesus was cheered as a hero and the next the same people were shouting for his death.

In this modern society many are caught up with the celebrations and festivities. Today is Easter Sunday, and there is all of the excitement of children this morning running down stairs to get their candy that the ``Easter Bunny'' left for them. There is no mention of a risen Saviour who was slain on the cross for our redemption. None of the merchants show any concern or care for the true meaning of Easter, but their only concern seems to be to sell more candy and flowers.

Pentecost is 50 days after the celebration of the Passover. It is primarily a Jewish holiday, but to the first century Christians it seems to have been a holiday that was the number one ``Christian'' holiday. For this was the day that the Holy Ghost fell and the initiation of Christianity began.

He admonished the sinner to ``go, and sin no more''. There are many that think that the forgiveness of Jesus is a license to sin.

Last night Rita and I were walking around the neighborhood when some young teenagers asked us if we would run if they attacked us with an astronomical baseball bat.

Women make up approximately one half of the population, yet there is a misconception about them. Religions have relegated them to second class citizens. Some cultures have placed them as only as objects of desire, such as the US with emphasis on pornography, hedonism and such. But a virtuous woman is very valuable.

Every one knows the story of Adam and Eve in the garden. We know of their fall and eventual dismissal from the garden. But a topic that is rarely discussed is the loving relationship between Adam and Eve.

Tomorrow we are going to celebrate Memorial Day. A day that we set aside to remember our veterans who have died in war. We have built memorials honoring them and have and have given them great honor for the supreme sacrifice that they have made. But, there is another kind of memorial that is far more important to build. And that is a memorial in heaven. Have you built a memorial in heaven?

We are living in a day that the wicked are in control of the earth. A day when wickedness and unrighteousness seem to reign supreme. A day when the righteous are lamenting the wickedness all around them with no end of the degradation in sight. When the wicked bear rule, the people are morning. The courts are corrupt. Look around you today. Read the newspapers. All you see is the morally corrupt running things. All that is out there is wickedness, corrupting the minds of the youth

We are living in perilous times. The world is ruled by the wicked and the days are the same as discribed in the Bible.

There are many who feel that there is a difference between sins. They think that it is OK to take a 5¢ piece of candy from a store. They feel that is not really ``stealing'', look at the little monetary value. Or look at someone who thinks that if something isn't locked and secured, it is theirs for the taking. All of these instances are causes to keep you out of heaven. For the Bible stipulates that, ``Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.''

Now there are many that use Religion and Christianity for their own means. The Lord considers this wickedness. When you deceive, you are ready for the judgment.

When I was in college, one of the papers that I had to write was about if we were living during the time of the Revolutionary War, would it be proper for a true born again Christian to fight on the side of the colonists, or would it be wrong according to the precepts laid down in the Bible. There was no right or wrong answer as long as you had the proof from the Bible to back up your stance. Now I ask you the same question, ``Would it be considered proper for a Christian to rebel against the current government?'' Before you answer this question, please take time to consider your answer to the precepts that you learned in the Bible.

I remember a time when the Television Networks subscribed to the broadcasters code. Now the shows that were broadcast back then are now ridiculed. Ozzie and Harriet, and the Leave It To Beaver shows are now topics for scorn. What is wrong with showing a happy family? What is wrong with showing a home life that is more idealistic than is normal?

When Jesus preached the ``Sermon on the Mount'', he was preaching a message that was anathema to his audience. He was telling the people that the poor, humble, meek, and righteous shall become the rulers in lieu of the rich and mighty. His audience was incredulous when they heard this doctrine, for they imagined that only the rich, famous, and powerful have enough strength to rule. The same viewpoint is prevalent today. How many times have you heard that the Congressmen know so much more than we do? Or, if they're rich they must have more knowledge than we. All of these thoughts are contrary to the teachings of the Bible and Jesus Christ. Jesus, in his sermon told his audience that it isn't the rich, famous, and arrogant who are going to inherit the earth, but the meek and lowly!

In the news there is a lot mentioned about the year 2000 bug or as is known in the industry as the y2k bug. For the most part most of the press coverage is a lot of hype. But this past week Forbes magazine reported that many of the Russian and former Soviet States still have their missiles pointed at us. The computers that they are using are some of the oldest in the world. Some of the Russian computers are still tube machines operating with less power than the lowly IBM XT. Though these machines are ancient, they are dependable.

Jesus came to give us an abundant life. He didn't come to make us be sad and downtrodden, but the Christian is to have a joyous and abundant life that is full of grace and truth. He came to lift us up above the laws of ordinances of men and made us to sit in heavenly places with him. He came to make us more like him.

There is a new official proposal by President Clinton to make every one have an official E Mail address issued by the US Post Office. This new policy runs into severe problems when compared to the power of the antichrist. The power of the antichrist will be to prevent you from carrying on any commerce. If you don't receive his mark you won't get your mail, you won't be able to buy anything, or even access your bank account. Now with the power of the computer and the low cost of

This past week the ability to bring to apparent life a computer controlled object has come to fruition. MIT has produced a stuffed animal that has the ability to see, speak, and reason. http://ttt.media.mit.edu/pia/Research/Mort/mort.html This ability to bring an inanimate object to life is the fulfillment of prophecy in the Bible.

There is a day coming that the majority of the world is not prepared for. A day of sudden destruction and malice. a day that even most ``Christians'' seem to believe that is far away. But, lately more and more of the prophecies have been fulfilled concerning the last days. The Lord is not slack as concerning slackness. He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But as has been prophesied, many have fallen away from the truth, fulfilling the lusts of the flesh.

The BBC reported about the dangers of the rapid rise of technology. Today the scientists have implanted chips that have the ability to track all of your whereabouts, finances, investments, and etc. All of this technology coincides with the abilities of the antichrist, false prophet, and the image of the beast. Two weeks ago I talked about the prototype of the image of the beast being created at MIT. The technology is escalating so fast that at any time the rapture of the church could happen.

The United States Government and the rest of the world are utilizing the same tactics that Adolf Hitler used in Germany back in the 1930's. Hitler's rise to power was at a time of distress. There was a world wide depression that he used to cajole and convince that there had to be a diminishing of civil liberties. These same tactics are being used today by the government. For instance, the FBI is instituting a national surveillance program that at a push of a button they can monitor your phone conversations. This was instituted because of the threat of terrorists.

Many Christians say that the Lord is good, but they don't put their trust in him. They have failed to totally trust the Lord and many have been led astray through the devices of men. Many have trusted President Bill Clinton, only to be let down. Many have trusted a religious leader only to be let down. The Christian is to put his trust and devotion in the Lord Jesus. If you put your trust in any other, they will let you down.

Through the Bible there is ample proof the Jesus truly is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. In the world today there is turmoil and disruption throughout the land. Bill Clinton is watching his presidency fall apart and there is nothing that he can do or say to stop it. He has tried showing an outward form of repentance, but at the same time he is arguing whether oral sex is sex. His life is a duplicity of contradictions that is causing the charade to crumble.

How close are we to the rapture? How close are we to the day of the Lord? In my reading and understanding of the Bible we are living in the days that have long been described in the Bible. The day of the Lord is at hand!

In the present day there is very little preaching against sin. This past week Dr. Laura Schlessenger asked when was the last time that you heard that it was a sin to go to bed with someone before you are married? We are living in wicked times where sin is no longer considered sin. The television shows daily fornication and lasciviousness as a standard way of life. Look at the way that the world looks at fornication today. Look at the attitude towards the actions of Bill Clinton and Monica Lewenski. Aren't many saying that what him and Monica do is their own private business? There are many preachers that are acting as apologists for Bill Clinton telling us that we are not to judge. ``Let him that is without sin is to cast the first stone'' Well, sin is still sin, whether in the Old Testament or in the New Testament.

The number of the Antichrist 666 has a great deal of significance with the Internet and file permissions.

There are many who come in the name of Jesus Christ who have preached the way of the flesh rather than the way of life. They continue to apologize for the sinner. They continue to claim that the wicked are really righteous. For instance I have heard that some still extol the sins of Bill Clinton and say that he is only a sinner who is saved by grace. They claim that such a person is on the road to heaven and his sins are covered by the blood of the lamb. They claim that he couldn't help himself and that his actions are just a part of life. They claim that ``all are sinners.'' Though the previous statement is true, but after a person repents, they are to rise up to newness of life, and not continue in the sin!

ATLANTA (October 23, 1998 7:08 p.m. EDT http://www.nandotimes.com) - A paralyzed Georgia man who received a tiny brain implant has become the first human to control a computer using only his thoughts.

Last night the children came to my door dressed up as witches, goblins, ghosts and etc. These children and for the most part the parents don't know why they are dressed up like wicked evil beings. There is very little teaching in the churches about the wicked evil of the druids where the origins of Halloween come from.

With all of the above, is it any wonder that the Unites States is a cursed nation? We have the audacity to coerce and force Israel into an agreement with a nation that has as its very own charter the total destruction and anilation of israel! We as a nation have publically stated that we don't care about you. We have stated that you must make peace with those who have pledged your destruction!

There has been a lot of talk and discussion about the coming millennium. There have been preachers proclaiming that the end of the world is at hand. Some have been proclaiming that all systems will crash and they are promoting stock piling food and goods. And others are saying that all computer systems will crash! All of this doom and gloom makes for great sermons to scare the people, but there is little fact on which these assumptions are based. Many don't know enough about computer dating methods and are just jumping on the band wagon about the Y2K problem. Others who know the truth, are using scare tactics to scare their audience. This aught not to be.

The first Thanks giving day was celebrated by the pilgrims in 1621. These men and women were stout folk, but if it wasn't for the Massasoit, they would probably would have starved. They really had to trust in the Lord for their every need. They made friends with the native inhabitants and befriended them. Thus there are some documents that were written at the time commemorating that first year of 1620 to 1621.

Many have wondered about what makes the Christian so filled with joy in a world that is filled with depression and sin? There are psychiatrists offices filled with people who are depressed. Many people see the sin of the world and wonder where it will all end. They see murder, deception, lies, adultery, fornication, and every other sin imaginable to man and are depressed about the state of the world. All they can see is that the wickedness in these last days is escalating at an ex-ordinate rate. The reason for their depression is that they have no hope! They have no vision of the world becoming a better place. They don't have a savior who will elevate them to a higher plane. If you don't know Jesus, all you have is the world and it is going downhill. But those who know the Lord Jesus have a hope that the world does not know. They have a vision that the world cannot see. They have a view of better things to come, for they know the Lord Jesus Christ.

The strength of the Christian is not in his own ability, or assets, but it is in the Lord. The Lord is the strength of the Christian. Jesus is the one that the Christian gathers his strength from. Jesus is the one who makes the Christian who he is.

John the Baptist was a prophet of the Lord. He was given a message from the Lord. His message was not from his own learning or ability, but it was a message from God to a people who were not close to the Lord. They needed to repent and prepare themselves for the coming of the Lord. These words were written down in the scriptures hundreds of years before John the Baptist was born. These words were written down eons before the prophet spoke his first words. Isaiah the prophet provided the words of the one crying in the wilderness!

This year we are starting an new millennium on the calendar. There are many that are making all sorts of dire warnings and predictions that every computer in the world will break. They are also saying that there will be a nuclear catastrophe that all of the ICBM's will launch and blow up their targets. There are some that are even saying that it is time to head for the hills and set up camp. Some are predicting that all of the governments computers will go down and there will be no Social Security or any government checks cut. All government services will break and the only survivors will be the survivalists.