Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Prayer is very important in our lives. Without our consent God can’t interfere in our lives. That is why God can work for those who live in obedience to His will. That is also why we must pray for those outside of His will. That allows Him the authority to work in their lives even though they may not want it. God has to be very careful in dealing with humans. He is not allowed to control us, but He can control circumstances and nature. Therefore, He needs our permission in order for Him to work in our lives.
You find this concept when Abraham was pleading for Sodom. God answered his prayer. However, there were not ten righteous people in Sodom to save the city. Another example of this is Moses. God could have performed the miracles by Himself without the aid of Moses. But God required Moses to do the requesting and the “rod” work in order for God to work the miracles. God works through us. Never “at” us.
Therefore, pray! Pray all day long. And pray in accordance with the will of God. As such, it is important to know the will of God. Once you understand the will of God, the rest is easy. But it does take work. Everything about the Christian walk is work. The life of Jesus was a life of work and prayer. He is our example.
Luke 18:1 to Luke 19:27
Jesus told his disciples a parable about their need to pray all the time and never give up.
“Never give up”! I am learning this also. It is so easy to just “give up”. Very few of us understand what persistence is.
He said, “In a city there was a judge who didn’t fear God or respect people.
That sounds familiar in today’s world. Few, even of those who claim to be Christian, “fear God or respect people”. We need to open our eyes and become more aware of what is going on in the world around us. Too many Christians are walking around with their eyes and hearts closed to the power of God, and open to politics, news and the world.
In that city there was also a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
We all want justice. As this woman was constantly coming to the judge for justice, so we are to constantly go to our Judge for justice. Many inmates write me and talk to me about how they are depending on their lawyer, or the Parole Board to do this and that for them. I always share with them that depending on man will only disappoint them. But if they go to Jesus and live as He commands, then they will not be disappoint. God has a way of working it all out.
For a while the judge refused. But later he told himself, ‘I don’t fear God or respect people, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice. Otherwise, she will keep coming and wear me out.’”
In our lives the Judge may “refuse” to grant us our request when and how we may want it. But if we patiently wait, taking our requests to Him, making sure our request is in obedience to His will, He will grant us our request.
Then the Lord added, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says.
We need to listen more. Even to what is going on around us. God is working. Watch and learn! Know your Bible, not your church. Then you will see the working of God in truth.
Won’t God grant his chosen people justice when they cry out to him day and night? Is he slow to help them?
Will He grant “His chosen people justice”? Of course. “Is He slow to help them”? As man counts slowness, possibly. That is why we need great patience and endurance in our relationship with God. Like a parent with a child, a child may ask for something, but the parent may wait to see if that is really what the child wants, or if it was just a passing whim. But if the child keeps insisting, then the parent understands that the child really wants it. Same with God.
I tell you, he will give them justice quickly. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
Quickly? Well, maybe not in our timeline, but in His. God will take care of His own. Even if we should give our lives for God, so what? Our lives here on earth are nothing compared to eternity. Go to sleep and wait to be awakened by the Father’s hand. Will the Son of Man find faith on the earth? Not much of it here on earth any more. I have a hard time seeing it. People claim to have faith in God, but it is faith in Social Security, pensions, government, Parole Boards, church, the traffic signal, light switch, the super market and a million other earthly things. Not much faith in God.
Jesus also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves, thinking they were righteous, but who looked down on everyone else:
Three things going on here:
1. People who trusted in themselves
2. People thinking they were righteous
3. People looking down on everyone else
Lots of people in the world are trusting in themselves. Lots of pride, ego and arrogance floating around. Me, Me, Me and I, I, I. “I’m going to do this.” “I’m going to get that.” People have been growing up since the 1960’s with the world telling them they can trust in themselves. It is destroying the world.
Churches are full of people thinking they are righteous. Church-going is destroying more people than anything of the world. It gives people a false sense of security as to their eternal life. The devil could not have invented a more destructive force than the church. Keep in mind, God did not invent church. Nowhere in the Bible will you find God telling us to go to church. Church was a pagan invention to destroy man.
And of course, looking down on others is the natural outcome of trusting in yourself and thinking you are righteous. If you think you are righteous, than others must not be. If you think you are the master of your own soul, then those who are down-and-out must be inferior to you. All of it goes against the will of God. God is humble. His whole nature is cooperative, not singular. He works with others, not Himself. In the beginning, those consisting of the God-title worked as a team, not as individuals, in the creation of the world. God wants us following His example. The righteousness of God doesn’t look down on others, it lifts them up.
“Two men went up to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector.
Both went to “God” to pray. The Temple is a representation of going to God. So, whether in your “closet”, by your bed, in the woods or at church, et cetera, how do you go to God?
The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘O God, I thank you that I’m not like other people—thieves, dishonest people, adulterers, or even this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I give a tenth of my entire income.’
“I thank you that I’m not like . . .”. We are to thank God, but not like that. We don’t thank God we are not like others. We are to thank God for all that He has provided for us. Then, we are to thank God for the opportunities to share what He has provided us to the “thieves, dishonest people, adulterers, or even this tax collector”. We do not boast about fasting or tithing or going to church or what we wear, we thank God and serve Him by what we can do for others.
“But the tax collector stood at a distance and would not even look up to heaven. Instead, he continued to beat his chest and said, ‘O God, be merciful to me, the sinner that I am!’
Attitude! Attitude is all that counts. A humble attitude, recognizing that God is God and we are His servants. We are to acknowledge that God is righteous and we are sinners. Nothing good lives in us. The only good we have is that which originated and comes from God. Nothing to be proud of. Everything we have is “borrowed” from God.
I tell you, this man, rather than the other one, went down to his home justified, because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the person who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Notice, he “went down to his home justified”, not sanctified. Justification is just the first step in the eight step process of perfection. Nothing to be exalted over. There is a long journey ahead of justification. Also, the exaltation God gives us is not a worldly exaltation. For example, God has exalted me to director of this ministry. But it is a very humbling position. I work! It is painful, hard and humbling. But I thank God for giving me such an exalted position.
Now some people were even bringing their infants to Jesus to have him touch them. But when the disciples saw this, they sternly told the people not to do that.
To be honest, I struggle with this. You see, I was raised with the notion that if you didn’t go to church on the Sabbath, you were no good and God didn’t love you. But in this parable, people bringing others to Jesus are not to be repulsed. This is a stepping process. Some people may start the process going to a Catholic Church; then, they may be led to a Baptist church; then, they may be led to the truth that all they need to do is obey as Jesus commands: stop sinning, be perfect and keep the Ten Commandments to get your eternal life. That’s it!
Jesus, however, called for the children and said, “Let the little children come to me, and stop keeping them away, because the kingdom of God belongs to people like these.
Therefore, let us not look down on people in their process of perfection. Let us encourage them in their coming to Jesus. Those “little children” who are coming to Jesus, no matter what the stage they are in, belong to the kingdom of God.
I tell you with certainty, whoever doesn’t receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never get into it at all.”
This just knocked out most churches. Most are unwilling to receive the kingdom of God as little children. This is not the same as being childish. Little children are very accepting. They believe what they are told. They are willing to be obedient. They forgive so readily. These are the ones who will be in the kingdom of God.
Then an official asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
More of us need to be asking that question. However, most have believed their churches. They do what their churches say and require. But few go to Jesus to ask that question.
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “Nobody is good except for God.
Jesus, as a man born into this world was not inherently “good”. He had to earn His goodness.
“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission. Son though He was, He learned obedience from what He suffered and, once made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him.” Hebrews 5:7-9.
The goodness Jesus had came from His obedience to that which was “good”: the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments are just and good. Only those who live in obedience to them are just and good. All good comes from God. Also, did you catch the last of that, “He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him.” Nothing there about going to church for eternal life.
You know the commandments: ‘Never commit adultery. Never murder. Never steal. Never give false testimony. Honor your father and mother.’”
Jesus didn’t have to give all of the Ten Commandments. He was talking to a man who had memorized them from childhood. The problem was, they were in his head but not his heart. This silence is also notable. Jesus did not include church rituals, feast days, holy days, foods and sacrifices. Only the keeping of the Ten Commandments is required for eternal life. Always has been.
The official replied, “I have kept all of these since I was a young man.”
Like most Christians today, he thought he had been keeping them. He kept them according to the standard of his church. But according to God, he was a failure and not ready for heaven.
When Jesus heard this, he told him, “You still need to do one thing.
“One thing”?! At first glance, we might say he got off easy. If only there was just “one thing” for each of us. However . . .
Sell everything you have and give the money to the destitute, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come back and follow me.”
“Sell everything”! That may have been “one thing”, but in that one thing was the accumulation of a lifetime of “things”. Now he was asked to give up everything he had accumulated. Why? Because, greed, selfishness and coveting had marked his life. To get his eternal life he would have to change his life.
But when the official heard this he became sad, because he was very rich.
In other words, he was not fit for heaven because of his selfish character, he had lied to God. He had not been keeping the Ten Commandments. He had been breaking the tenth commandment: Thou shalt not covet. Coveting was the root and foundation of his life. To get to heaven he had to destroy that sin. He was unwilling. How sad. Which command of the Ten Commandments are you unwilling to obey for Jesus?
So when Jesus saw how sad he was, he said, “How hard it is for rich people to get into the kingdom of God!
Compared to Jesus, we are all “rich”. We have so much. The reason many think they are poor is, they are comparing themselves to their idols. But when we compare ourselves to Jesus, we are all so rich. I have nothing. I own nothing. I am nothing. Yet, I count myself to be rich. Why? Because Jesus loves me and gave His life for me. He has touched hearts to supply what this ministry needs. Through this ministry I have everything I need to survive and do the work. Rich people do not “feel” the need of Jesus. Their Christianity may be theoretical, but theory won’t get you into Heaven. The kingdom of God requires total commitment to the Ten Commandments, not a church.
Indeed, it is easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into the kingdom of God.”
In reality, no matter how you want to parse this, it is impossible to get into Heaven. Impossible! Only by recognizing how sinful we are, and accepting the life-blood of Jesus, will we be able to get into Heaven. We have all sinned. The wages of sin is death. Only by accepting the life of Jesus and His sacrifice into our own lives will we be able to “get into the kingdom of God”. That means weeping for every sin we have committed. That means STOP sinning. That means recognizing that only through the forgiveness of our past sins by Jesus will we be able to get into Heaven. That comes with hard work to overcome those sins so God can forgive them.
Those who were listening to Jesus asked, “Then who can be saved?”
No one! Not one person can “be saved”. Salvation is a work, not a state of being. Even when we are in Heaven, it will still be a work to stay “saved” in Heaven. If anyone should decide to sin in Heaven, he would be immediately blotted out of existence. We have to work out our salvation now and for eternity. We must never let sin back into our lives once we have committed our lives to Jesus. Hebrews 10:26. However, not many believe the Bible. They just go to church and think they are entitled to Heaven.
Jesus replied, “The things that are impossible for people are possible for God.”
That is the only way to enter Heaven. It is impossible for man. But when man “wills” to be like Jesus; “wills” to surrender his life; “wills” to live in obedience to the Ten Commandments, then that person desires the power of God in his life. Now it is “possible for God” to give that person power to overcome sin.
However, the Bible does give us an example of a rich man getting into Heaven. Read the story of Zacchaeus. He was a rich sinner who accepted Jesus as His savior and demonstrated that acceptance by giving half his wealth to the poor and repaying 4x those He robbed.
Then Peter said, “See, we have left everything we have and followed you.”
Have you?
Jesus told them, “I tell you with certainty, there is no one who has left his home, wife, brothers, parents, or children because of the kingdom of God who will not receive many times as much in this world, as well as eternal life in the age to come.”
I can attest to the truth of that statement. When we withdraw our feelings, emotions, wants and desires from this world and put them squarely on Jesus, we receive “many times as much in this world”. Are you willing to trust God?
Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “Pay attention! We’re going up to Jerusalem. Everything written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.
“Pay attention”! Not many are paying attention to the words of Jesus. It is all about church, pastor, teacher and denomination. But Jesus? Not at all! We want something more exciting!
Have you gone through the Old Testament to ground your faith in Jesus by learning “everything written by the prophets about the Son of Man”? We need to do that more often. If the disciples had allowed themselves to be properly grounded in the Old Testament, they would not have had to go through the disappointment they went through. If the church had properly taught the Old Testament, the nation of Israel would have accepted Jesus. Our churches are not teaching the Old Testament today. It is all about the New Testament. But the few who are, it is all about church.
He will be handed over to the gentiles and will be mocked, insulted, and spit on.
To the disciples this must have been impossible to understand and accept. They were expecting their Messiah to ride in at the head of armies to take the throne of David and wipe out their enemies. Mocked, insulted and spit on was not in their thinking.
After they have whipped him, they will kill him, but on the third day he will rise again.
We are told “After you take the breast . . ., wave it before the Lord as a wave offering.” Exodus 29.26. To “wave” something, your whole body must get involved. You sway back and forth. When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, His body, His breast, heaved and waved with emotion for the sins of the world. He was giving His body, His breast, to be beat and whipped and spit upon.
Then, “Any meat of the sacrifice left over till the third day must be burned up.” Leviticus 7:17. If Jesus, our sacrifice, had been “left over” on the third day, salvation would have been “burned up” and we would all have been lost. But on the third day, thirty-six hours after his death, Jesus rose from the tomb. The sacrifice was complete. Nothing was left over. Jesus accomplished the mission.
But they didn’t understand any of this. What he said was hidden from them, and they didn’t know what he meant.
There are lots of prophecies still to be understood. Many prophecies that have been “finished” were only finished for those at that time. But most prophecies have multiple purposes before they are completely finished. Those referring to the “Last Days” will be fulfilled again in a more compacted time period. This information will, of course, be “hidden from them” and will not understand. They are too busy going to church instead of studying with the Spirit of God.
As Jesus was approaching Jericho, there was a blind man sitting by the road begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him that Jesus from Nazareth was coming by.
It appears that only the “blind man” could “see”. While the crowd was pressing in about Jesus and “going by”, only the blind man was able to see the truth about Jesus. The crowd only saw “Jesus from Nazareth”. Those in the crowd did not feel their need to have “mercy on me”. But the blind man felt his need. He saw Jesus as the “Son of David”, the Messiah who was to come to bring healing, peace and joy to the heart.
So he shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Do you feel your need of mercy? Are you crowding around the name of Jesus, going to church without feeling your need of the cleansing power of Jesus in your life? Is there sin in your life that is blinding you.
The people at the front of the crowd sternly told him to be quiet, but he started shouting even louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Don’t let the church crowd keep you from looking to Jesus for healing. Don’t let their stern looks or happy entertainment keep you from finding Jesus. You may have to shout louder. Jesus is testing you to see if you truly want what He has to offer.
Then Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”
That just amazes me. “What do you want Me to do for you?” The creator of the universe stooping to ask what He can do for the man. If we come before the Lord, not with shouting, church praise, or chanting His name, but with humility and a sincere understanding of our need for mercy, Jesus will ask the same of you. “What do you want Me to do for you?” Make sure you have the right answer when He askes.
He said, “Lord, I want to see again!”
He could have asked for wealth. He could have asked for a home with servants to wait on him. He could have asked for a fancy “ride”. Lots of “things” he could have asked for. How about you? What are you asking of the Lord? Is it to “see” the truth?
So Jesus told him, “See again! Your faith has made you well.”
There could have been many blind people in the crowd. But none were healed. Jesus didn’t give a blanket healing with the wave of his arm for all to see. Why? Jesus can’t heal or save one person who doesn’t have the faith needed for healing or saving. We save and heal ourselves by our faith. The obedience that comes from faith. (Romans 1:5). Jesus can’t do it for us. It has to come from within. You have to want salvation more than anything this world has to offer. Only you can “save” yourself eternally. Jesus has opened the door, something you can’t do, but unless you walk on the narrow way through that door there will come a time with the door will be shut and no more salvation will be offered.
Immediately the man could see again and began to follow Jesus, glorifying God. All the people saw this and gave praise to God.
Has God opened your eyes? Those whose eyes have been opened begin to follow Jesus, not a church. They glorify God, not a church. People will see this and give praise to God, not a church, denomination or pastor. Totally unlike those who claim to be “saved” in today’s world.
As Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it, a man named Zacchaeus appeared. He was a leading tax collector, and a rich one at that!
Jesus had earlier stated that it was hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven. The disciples were alarmed and wondered who than could be saved? Now we are going to see how a rich man can enter Heaven.
He was trying to see who Jesus was, but he couldn’t do so due to the crowd, since he was a short man.
There are many in the world today who are trying to “see who Jesus” is. Many have limitations that keep them from seeing Jesus. For many, it is their church and the family or the crowd keeping them from seeing Jesus. They could stand around complaining about their problems, or they could . . .
So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus, who was going to pass that way.
. . . solve the problem by finding a solution. There are no excuses why we can’t “see who Jesus” is. If the church is in your way, get out. If the crowd is in your way, move. God has provided ample provision for each and every person on the face of the earth to “see Jesus” if they want to. Not one sincere person will be left to die for lack of opportunity to “see who Jesus” is.
When Jesus came to the tree, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down! I must stay at your house today.”
Jesus Christ wants to “stay at your house today”. But to do that, we may have to come down from our lofty plans, pride, arrogance and self-sufficiency. And by the way, when Jesus calls, don’t delay, “hurry and come down” before it is too late. Leave it all behind and follow Jesus only.
Zacchaeus came down quickly and was glad to welcome him into his home.
Few come “down quickly” and are “glad to welcome Him into” their homes. Most are not willing to give up their church, their worldly ideas, opinions and riches. Jesus is not welcome. The church is, but not Jesus.
But all the people who saw this began to complain: “Jesus is going to be the guest of a notorious sinner!”
Yes, all the “good” church people will complain. They don’t believe Jesus should go to the homes of “sinners”. No, He should only go to their church and into their homes. Oh yes, our little sins are not a problem, but why would Jesus go to be the “guest of a notorious sinner”? We do the same. We watch the news, read the papers or view the internet for those “notorious” sinners and then pat ourselves on the back thinking we are “Christian” because we take our little sins to church with us.
Later, Zacchaeus stood up and announced to the Lord, “Lord, I’ll give half of my possessions to the poor. I’ll pay four times as much as I owe if I have cheated anyone in any way.”
Those with the little sins don’t recognize how sinful they are, and therefore they lose out on eternal life. They refuse to get rid of the little sins. In the Bible, those who were “notorious” sinners were the ones God could use. They recognized their sins, confessed, repented and turned away from them. They were the ones who had eternal life and Jesus could use the most.
Then Jesus told him, “Today salvation has come to this home, because this man is also a descendant of Abraham, and the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”
Yes He has. I praise God for the salvation He offered me. I thank God for not forsaking me. I thank God for seeing in me, a notorious sinner, the person He could use for His work.
As they were listening to this, Jesus went on to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem and because the people thought that the kingdom of God would appear immediately.
Are you hearing people talking about “Jesus is coming soon”? That would be the same as the people back then thinking “the kingdom of God would appear immediately”. It all depends on your understanding of the word “soon”. In relation to six thousand years of earth’s history, yes. But in our lifetime? Probably not. Well, depending on how old you are. Maybe if you are in your teens. Why? Because there are events that have to play out first. Jesus can’t just snap His finger and come because you are getting old and think you need to go to Heaven. Selfish people think Jesus is coming soon for them. True Christians are not telling people “Jesus is coming soon”, but how to get ready by living the perfect, sinless and Commandment keeping life.
So he said, “A prince went to a distant country to be appointed king and then to return.
You see, there is work that has to be done before He can come.
He called ten of his servants and gave them ten coins. He told them, ‘Invest this money until I come back.’
If you are a servant of Jesus you are not to be yelling, “Jesus is coming soon”. You are to take what Jesus has given you, His teachings: to stop sinning, be perfect and keep the Ten Commandments to get your eternal life. You are to “invest this” information, His teachings, into people “until I come back”.
But the citizens of his country hated him and sent a delegation to follow him and to announce, ‘We don’t want this man to rule over us!’
The same today. Churches hate Jesus. They don’t want to stop sinning, be perfect and to keep the Ten Commandments for eternal life. No! They don’t want “this man to rule over us”.
“After he was appointed king, the prince came back. He ordered the servants to whom he had given the money to be called so he could find out what they had earned by investing.
Oh yes, He is coming back. He will call you first, His servant, to give an account of the truths He has given you. What did you do with it?
The first servant came and said, ‘Sir, your coin has earned ten more coins.’
Has the truth Jesus given you brought ten people to Jesus?
The king told him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been trustworthy in a very small thing, take charge of ten cities.’
Then you have responsibility to give the truth to more.
“The second servant came and said, ‘Your coin, sir, has earned five coins.’
Has your truth earned five more people for God’s kingdom?
The king told him, ‘You take charge of five cities.’
Since you know how to teach my truth, go teach more.
“Then the other servant came and said, ‘Sir, look! Here’s your coin. I’ve kept it in a cloth for safekeeping because I was afraid of you. You are a hard man. You withdraw what you didn’t deposit and harvest what you didn’t plant.’
Most of those who claim to be the servants of Jesus have hidden his truth. They are busy with the world and afraid to share it with others. It is kept for “safekeeping” thinking God will be pleased with them. They will just go around telling people Jesus is coming back soon.
The king told him, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you evil servant! You knew, did you, that I was a hard man, and that I withdraw what I didn’t deposit and harvest what I didn’t plant? Then why didn’t you put my money in the bank? When I returned, I could have collected it with interest.’
The truth will be taken away from those evil servants.
“So the king told those standing nearby, ‘Take the coin away from him and give it to the man who has the ten coins.’
It is only by working for the salvation of others that we ourselves are saved. We grow by sharing. The more you share, the more you have.
They answered him, ‘Sir, he already has ten coins!’
Jealous people are always looking at what others have instead of working with what they have.
‘I tell you, to everyone who has something, more will be given, but from the person who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away.
Many who claim to be Christian have nothing. All they have is church, lies and the world. Even all of that will be taken away from them. Why? Because they didn’t have what God offered them.
But as for these enemies of mine who didn’t want me to be their king—bring them here and slaughter them in my presence!’”
After the King deals with those who claimed to be His servants, then He will deal with the wicked. “The history of Israel was to be placed on record for the instruction and warning of coming generations. Men of all future time must see the God of heaven as an impartial ruler, in no case justifying sin. But few realize the exceeding sinfulness of sin. Men flatter themselves that God is too good to punish the transgressor. But in the light of Bible history it is evident that God’s goodness and His love engage Him to deal with sin as an evil fatal to the peace and happiness of the universe.” PP 420.
INMATE LETTERS
Hello,
Thanks for the correspondence. It really is a blessing to have the light of God shining in this dimly lit world.
Vernon, IL
Hey Brother Ron,
I have recently been transferred from county to state. We were only allowed to bring our Bible and legal material. So, my CYLB was left behind for my mother to pick up with the other property I had accumulated. I’m not sure about how long I’m going to be at this facility. If at all possible, I’d like to receive another book and have the newsletters forwarded. Your book and Bible study are eye opening and a blessing to me. So many “truths” I believed because I was taught them without any real investigating myself showed how the church is propagating sin in order to keep us coming back. I thank you for your eye opening teachings.
Steve, TN
Dear Ron,
Thank God for giving you the ability to teach the Word of God in this way. This is a blessing to all. I have never heard the Word of God broken down in this way. That’s how I know He has His hands all over this. This is meat, not milk. The Holy Spirit led an inmate to introduce this teaching to me. Like I said earlier, I have never heard the Word of God taught this way. But now that it is being taught this way to me, I see that I’ve been getting taught wrong. I’ve been getting led astray by all types of doctrine trying to find the truth when it has been trying to get my attention since as long as I can remember. Every time I’ve tried to study with other religious groups, I always got a feeling in my heart that this was wrong. I could only find comfort in the teachings of the Bible. I’ve read the Bible several times and each time I got a different understanding. But not like this. I have found a new love for Jesus and have come to see that His love cannot be replaced. He is the unreplaceable love of my life. Brother Ron, I want to ask you to please send me my own copy of this book. This book I will use as a study guide for the rest of my life. I want to go through this book and be obedient to all it tells me to do. I love you brother Ron. It is a joy to know that there are believers in this world with faith like you (obedience). It brings a peace to my soul that comforts me so that I can be patient. Brother Ron, I see that we are on the same mission to point out the corruption of this world and to spread the Good News about the true teachings of Jesus Christ.
Bill, LA
Hello,
My friend gave me this address so I could start getting Bible studies. If so, may I please get started.
Tammy, TN
Hi,
I would like to have this book. I was studying the Word, but lately I’m going on a wrong path and I need help to get back on the Lord’s way. God bless you all involved in this ministry.
Adrian, OK
Brother Ron,
The things I am learning in this book is amazing me. Like, I always had a feeling in the pit of my stomach that something isn’t right. Things were really confusing about some of the things that were being taught by certain ministers. I know the feeling of being brainwashed and it is not a good feeling. Wrong teaching has led me to prison for the past 21 years. I’ve learned the importance of being a critical thinker. I’ve learned you must test everything by the Spirit of God. That is why I’m so glad God is giving me conformation through this book that the Holy Spirit put on your heart to write.
Bill, TN
Dear Ron,
On this next exercise, I have never had a Bible broken down to me like this. The Holy Spirit is all over this. What I’ve learned is that the Bible is letting us know that God is alive and has a plan for our lives that will not fail us. So when I read the Scripture in the Bible now, I have a new respect for the Bible and recognize that it is alive and powerful. This knowledge that the Holy Spirit has given you has given me new wisdom and a better understanding of God.
Bill, LA
Dear Brother Ron,
Hello, I was really happy to hear from you!!! Man, you need to be careful over there!!! I pray that God makes you well soon and gives you all that you need to make things easier for you. I want to thank you for sending James the workbook. Thank you again. I will do everything I can to encourage him to read, study and embrace the teachings in the workbook. I just hope and pray that he sees the truth in the book and not what the church teaches. I’m waiting to hear from him now. Hey, thanks a lot for the pictures of Duke and Butch. Boy, is Butch getting big. Brother Ron, I know that Jesus wants me to be a voluntary missionary and maybe that is why I’m still here. Well, I’m willing to be a volunteer missionary anywhere God wants me to be.
I am angry because I grew up a Catholic and so did all of my family. I just recently began learning things about the Catholic Church like the paganism. But now, with this great book, my heart and eyes are wide open to the truth. I have learned so much. I now know that Jesus is our “Rock” and not Peter. Brother Ron, all of this is a great history lesson that I truly appreciate.
Ricardo, TX
Brother Ron,
I received your brochure through the mail and am very curious. I am very intrigued by the book, “Change Your Life Biblically”. So, I’m sending an order form with this letter. I have been incarcerated since 1998. I am ready for real change that only Jesus can bring.
Rich, CA
TESTIMONY FOR GOD’S CHILDREN
My Dear Family in Christ,
Many who claim to be Christian are so involved with what they believe, think and what church they belong to, they have no concern for others. Oh, they put on a show by doing a few good works every now and then, but their heart really is about pride and ego in what they think they know and understand. How about laying down the missiles of your opinions that “love is all we need”, along with “what Bible are you reading” and just show the love of Jesus to all around you. Love and sympathy are truly lacking in the world today.
Love and Sympathy at Home
There are many in our world who are starving for the love and sympathy which should be given them. Many men love their wives, but are too selfish to manifest it. They have a false dignity and pride, and will not show their love by words and deeds. There are many men who never know how starved is the heart of the wife for words of tender appreciation and affection. They bury their loved ones from their sight and murmur at the providence of God that has deprived them of their companions, when, could they look into the inner life of those companions, they would see that their own course was the cause of their premature death. The religion of Christ will lead us to be kind and courteous and not so tenacious of our opinions. We should die to self and esteem others better than ourselves.
How true this was in my childhood home. I do not ever remember an “I love you” from my parents. No hugs. No touch of love. I grew up in a world devoid of love. And my father was a minister.
God’s word is our standard, but how far have His professed people departed from it! Our religious faith must be not only theoretical, but practical. Pure and undefiled religion will not allow us to trample upon the rights of the least of God’s creatures, much less of the members of His body and the members of our own family. God is love, and whoso dwelleth in Him dwelleth in love. The influence of worldly selfishness, which is carried about by some like a cloud, chilling the very atmosphere that others breathe, causes sickness of soul and frequently chills to death.
My father was an ego-maniac. Everything had to revolve around him. No one and nothing else mattered, only him.
It will be a great cross for you to cultivate pure, unselfish love and disinterested benevolence. To yield your opinions and ideas, to give up your judgment, and to follow the counsel of others will be a great cross to you. The several members of your family now have families of their own. But the same spirit which existed to a greater or less extent in their father’s home is carried to their own firesides and is felt by those outside of their family circles. They lack sweet simplicity, Christlike tenderness, and unselfish love. They have a work to do to overcome these selfish traits of character in order to be fruitful branches of the True Vine. Said Christ: “Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit.” You need to bring Jesus near to you, to have Him in your homes and in your hearts. You should not only have a knowledge of what is right, but should practice it from right motives, having an eye single to the glory of God. You may be helps, if you will comply with the conditions given in the word of God.
The religion of Christ is something more than talk. The righteousness of Christ consists in right actions and good works from pure, unselfish motives. Outside righteousness, while the inward adorning is wanting, will be of no avail. “This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” If we have not the light and love of God we are not His children. If we gather not with Christ we scatter abroad. We all have an influence, and that influence is telling upon the destiny of others for their present and future good or for their eternal loss.
(Church members) both lack sympathy and love for those outside of their own families. They are in danger of watching to see defects in others while greater evils exist undiscerned in themselves. If these dear souls ever enter heaven, they must die to self and obtain an experience in well-doing. They have lessons to learn in the school of Christ in order to perfect Christian characters and have a oneness with Christ. Said Christ to His disciples: “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” He explained His meaning to them. He did not wish them to become children in understanding, but in malice. Little children do not manifest feelings of superiority and aristocracy. They are simple and natural in their appearance. Christ would have His followers cultivate unaffected manners, that their whole bearing may be humble and Christlike. He has made it our duty to live for others’ good. He came from the royal courts of heaven to this world to show how great an interest He had in man, and the infinite price paid for the redemption of man shows that man is of so great value that Christ could sacrifice His riches and honor in the royal courts to lift him from the degradation of sin.
If the Majesty of heaven could do so much to show His love for man, what ought not men to be willing to do to help one another out of the pit of darkness and suffering! Said Christ, “Love one another, as I have loved you;” not with a greater love; for “greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Our love is frequently selfish, for we confine it to prescribed limits. When we come into close union and fellowship with Christ, our love and sympathy and our works of benevolence will reach down deeper and will widen and strengthen with exercise. The love and interest of Christ’s followers must be as broad as the world. Those who live merely for “me and mine” will fail of heaven. God calls upon you as a family to cultivate love, to become less sensitive in regard to yourselves and more sensitive to the griefs and trials of others. This selfish spirit that you have cherished all your lives is correctly represented by the priest and the Levite who passed by the unfortunate on the other side. They saw that he needed help, but purposely avoided him.
Each one of you needs to awake and face square about to get out of the cart rut of selfishness. Improve the short, probationary time given you by working with your might to redeem the failures of your past life. God has placed you in a world of suffering to prove you, to see if you will be found worthy of the gift of eternal life. There are those all around you who have woes, who need words of sympathy, love, and tenderness, and our humble, pitying prayers. Some are suffering under the iron hand of poverty, some with disease, and others with heartaches, despondency, and gloom. Like Job, you should be eyes to the blind and feet to the lame, and you should inquire into the cause which you know not and search it out with the object in view to relieve their necessities and help just where they most need help.
(Church member) needs to cultivate love for his wife, love that will find expression in words and deeds. He should cultivate tender affection. His wife has a sensitive, clinging nature and needs to be cherished. Every word of tenderness, every word of appreciation and affectionate encouragement, will be remembered by her and will reflect back in blessings upon her husband. His unsympathizing nature needs to be brought into close contact with Christ, that that stiffness and cold reserve may be subdued and softened by divine love. It will not be weakness or a sacrifice of manhood and dignity to give his wife expressions of tenderness and sympathy in words and acts; and let it not end with the family circle, but extend to those outside the family. (Church member) has a work to do for himself that no one can do for him. He may grow strong in the Lord by bearing burdens in His cause. His affection and love should be centered upon Christ and heavenly things, and he should be forming a character for everlasting life.
Dear (Church member) has very limited ideas of what constitutes a Christian. She has freed herself from burdens which Christ has borne for her. She is not willing to bear His cross and has not exercised to the best account the ability, the talents, given her of God. She has not grown strong in moral fortitude and courage, nor felt the weight of individual responsibility. She has not loved to bear reproach for Christ’s sake, considering the promise: “If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you.” “If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him.” The Master has a work for each to do. None can be idle, none can be careless and selfish, and yet perfect Christian character. He wants all of your family to unclose their hearts to the benign influence of His love and grace, that their compassion for others may overflow the boundaries of self and the enclosures of family walls, as did the Samaritan’s to the poor, suffering stranger who was neglected and left to die by the priest and the Levite. I was shown that there are many who need our sympathy and advice; and when we consider that we can pass through this world but once, that we can never return to repair the errors and mistakes we have made, how important that we go through it as we ought!
Some time ago I was shown the case of (Church member). Her errors and wrongs were faithfully portrayed before her; but in the last view given me I saw that the wrongs still existed, that she was cold and unsympathizing with her husband’s children. Correction and reproof are not given by her for grave offenses merely, but for trivial matters that should be passed by unnoticed. Constant faultfinding is wrong, and the Spirit of Christ cannot abide in the heart where it exists. She is disposed to pass over the good in her children without a word of approval, but is ever ready to bear down with censure if any wrong is seen. This ever discourages children and leads to habits of heedlessness. It stirs up the evil in the heart and causes it to cast up mire and dirt. In children who are habitually censured there will be a spirit of “I don’t care,” and evil passions will frequently be manifested regardless of consequences.
Whenever the mother can speak a word of commendation for the good conduct of her children, she should do so. She should encourage them by words of approval and looks of love. These will be as sunshine to the heart of a child and will lead to the cultivation of self-respect and pride of character. Sister (Church member) should cultivate love and sympathy. She should manifest tender affection for the motherless children under her care. This would be a blessing to these children of God’s love and would be reflected back upon her in affection and love.
Children have sensitive, loving natures. They are easily pleased and easily made unhappy. By gentle discipline in loving words and acts, mothers may bind their children to their hearts. To manifest severity and to be exacting with children are great mistakes. Uniform firmness and unimpassioned control are necessary to the discipline of every family. Say what you mean calmly, move with consideration, and carry out what you say without deviation.
It will pay to manifest affection in your association with your children. Do not repel them by lack of sympathy in their childish sports, joys, and griefs. Never let a frown gather upon your brow or a harsh word escape your lips. God writes all these words in His book of records. Harsh words sour the temper and wound the hearts of children, and in some cases these wounds are difficult to heal. Children are sensitive to the least injustice, and some become discouraged under it and will neither heed the loud, angry voice of command nor care for threatenings of punishment. Rebellion is too frequently established in the hearts of children through the wrong discipline of the parents, when if a proper course had been taken, the children would have formed good and harmonious characters. A mother who does not have perfect control of herself is unfit to have the management of children.
Brother (Church member) is molded by the positive temperament of his wife. He has become in a degree selfish like her. His mind is almost completely occupied by “me and mine,” to the exclusion of other things of infinitely more importance. He does not take his position in his family as father of his flock and, unprejudiced and uninfluenced, pursue a uniform course with his children. His wife is not, and without a transformation never can be, a true mother to his motherless children. Brother (Church member), as a father to his children, has not stood in the position that God would have him. These motherless children are God’s little ones, precious in His sight. Naturally Brother (Church member) has a tender, refined, loving, generous, sensitive nature, while his wife is exactly the opposite. Instead of his molding and softening the character of his wife, she is transforming him.
He thinks that in order to have peace he must let things pass which trouble his mind. He has learned that submission and the yielding of her opinion are not to be expected. She will rule; she will carry out her ideas at any cost. Unless they are both in earnest in their efforts to reform, they will not obtain eternal life. They have had light, but have neglected to follow it. Selfish love of the world has blinded their perceptions and hardened their hearts. (Church member) needs to see that unless she lays aside her selfishness, and overcomes her will and her temper, she cannot have heaven. She would mar all heaven with these elements in her character. I warn Sister (Church member) to repent. I call upon her in the name of my Master to arouse quickly from her stupid indifference, to heed the counsel of the True Witness, and zealously repent; for she is imperiling her soul.
God is merciful. He will now accept the offering of a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Will Sister (Church member) excuse herself as did the Levite and the priest, for not seeing and feeling others’ woes, and pass by on the other side? God holds her accountable for neglect of duty in not exercising sympathy and tenderness for the unfortunate. She does not keep the commandments of God which plainly show her duty to her neighbor. Said Christ to the lawyer: “This do, and thou shalt live.” Thus a neglect of duty to our neighbor will result in our loss of eternal life. 3T 527-533.