WesleyGospel Ministries

I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
–Jesus in John 14:6 (KJV)–

The devil that deceived them
was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone,
where the beast and the false prophet are,
and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
–Revelation 20:10 (KJV)–

Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging:
and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
–Proverbs 20:1 (KJV)–

Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts,
but rather that ye may prophesy.
–1 Corinthians 14:1 (KJV)–

Now bring me a minstrel.
And it came to pass, when the minstrel played,
that the hand of the Lord came upon him.
–2 Kings 3:15 (KJV)–

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There are people who do not accept the full Christian doctrine about Christ but who are so strongly attracted by Him that they are His in a much deeper sense than they themselves understand. There are people in other religions who are being led by God’s secret influence to concentrate on those parts of their religion which are in agreement with Christianity, and who thus belong to Christ without knowing it. For example, a Buddhist of good will may be led to concentrate more and more on the Buddhist teaching about mercy and to leave in the background (though he might still say he believed) the Buddhist teaching on certain other points.
–C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
(HarperCollins, 2009), pgs. 208-209–

I cannot give pederasty anything like a first place among the evils of the Coll. There is much hypocrisy on this theme. People commonly talk as if every other evil were more tolerable than this. But why? Because those of us who do not share the vice feel for it a certain nausea, as we do, say, for necrophily? I think that of very little relevance to moral judgment.
–C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy, p. 109–

Why do I struggle so much with the Biblical concept of Hell? Maybe it’s because I don’t like to see my comrades suffer. You have trouble with Hell? I do. I cannot enjoy contemplating for one minute any human being in Hell. A lot of times people say to me, “Do you believe that Hell’s a lake of fire, literally?” I say, “No.” And they say, “What do you think it is?” I say, “‘I think it’s separation from God.’ And you know what their usual response is?…‘Whew, man am I glad to hear that.’”
–R. C. Sproul, “The Problem of Hell.”–

The lady said, “Oh no, nobody here drinks. We’re Christians.” I came so close, so close. I didn’t, but I wanted to order somethin’ like a double scotch on the rocks.
–R. C. Sproul–

I’ve never felt the presence of God.
I don’t even know what that means.*
–John MacArthur, “The Promise of the Holy Spirit, Part 2”–

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Dr. John Gerstner, Repent or Perish: With a Special Reference to the Conservative Attack on Hell (Soli Deo Gloria, 1997).

Dr. John R. Rice, The Double Curse of Booze (Sword of the Lord, 1960).

Dr. Jack Deere, Why I Am Still Surprised by the Power of the Spirit (Zondervan, 2020).

* I disagree with MacArthur’s deistic view of the Christian life. I have always hated and will always absolutely denounce the cessationist conclusions he’s drawn in The Charismatics, Charismatic Chaos, and Strange Fire, while at the same time admitting that he also did a really good job at pointing out charlatans and false teachers in the charismatic camp. His book The Gospel According to Jesus was also a really important book that defined a Biblical gospel presentation in a day and age when most evangelicals have gone the way of Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life. I’d say that the Wesleyan counterpart to it would be Harald Lindstrom’s Wesley and Sanctification (Francis Asbury Press, 1998). Dr. MacArthur also exposed Warren’s Purpose Driven Church ideology in his book Ashamed of the Gospel. He’s written some really important and useful theological books, but I’ve also seen other things I just can’t agree with, like his views on psychiatry and church discipline. All of this is to say that we just always need to MAKE THE BIBLE NUMBER ONE; and make teachers, preachers, dreams, visions, books, and words of knowledge SUBORDINATE to the Bible as the Word of God. –J.B.

I want you here with me.
But you’ve been keeping other company.
You can’t sit still, it’s plain to see.
You love the world and you’re avoiding me.

My Word sits there upon your desk.
But you love your books and magazines the best.
Prefer the light of your TV.
You love the world, and you’re avoiding me.

You used to pray, you were so brave.
Now you can’t keep even one appointment we’ve made.
Oh I gave my blood, to save you life.
Tell me, tell me is it right?
Will you leave me here along again tonight?

Well I love you, still more and more.
But you’re fighting everything I’m working for.
You’re acting like my enemy.
You love the world and you’re avoiding me.

These other loves, they’re hurting you.
If you end up losing me, then what will you do?
Oh, I gave my blood, to save your life.
Tell me, tell me is it right?
Will you leave me here alone again tonight?

Well, I want you, here with me.
But you’ve been keeping other company.
Prefer the light, of your TV.
You love the world, and you’re avoiding me.
You love the world, you love the world,
You love the world and you’re avoiding me.
Oh, you love the world.
You love the world and you’re avoiding me.

–Keith Green, “You Love the World”–

Deciphering screamed Spanish lyrics is definitely not my forte, especially when I’m unable to find them written out online. But I think in the song “Mire Niño” by Puya, he’s ranting about leaders in Puerto Rico enchanting the people a whole lot; and then everyone giving them a pass. –J.B.

Rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, 
so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
–1 Peter 4:13 (NIV)–

I have been crucified with Christ 
and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.
–Galatians 2:20 (NIV)–

I rejoice in what I am suffering for you,
and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, 
for the sake of his body, which is the church.
–Colossians 1:24 (NIV)–

Because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
–2 Corinthians 12:7-9 (NIV)–

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, 
because we know that suffering produces perseverance.
–Romans 5:3 (NIV)–

The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar:
and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen,
and his body was wet with the dew of heaven,
till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers,
and his nails like birds’ claws.
–Daniel 4:33 (KJV)–

3. Two inferences may be drawn from the whole: The First, let none ever presume to rest in any supposed testimony of the Spirit which is separate from the fruit of it. If the Spirit of God does really testify that we are the children of God, the immediate consequence will be the fruit of the Spirit, even “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, fidelity, meekness, temperance.” And however this fruit may be clouded for a while, during the time of strong temptation, so that it does not appear to the tempted person, while Satan is sifting him as wheat; yet the substantial part of it remains, even under the thickest cloud. It is true, joy in the Holy Ghost may be withdrawn, during the hour of trial; yea, the soul may be “exceeding sorrowful,” while “the hour and power of darkness” continue; but even this is generally restored with increase, till we rejoice “with joy unspeakable and full of glory.”

4. The Second inference, is, let none rest in any supposed fruit of the Spirit without the witness. There may be foretastes of the Spirit without the witness. There may be foretastes of joy, of peace, of love, and those not delusive, but really from God, long before we have the witness in ourselves; before the Spirit of God witnesses with our spirits that we have “redemption in the blood of Jesus, even the forgiveness of sins.” Yea, there may be a degree of long-suffering, of gentleness, of fidelity, meekness, temperance, (not a shadow thereof, but a real degree, by the preventing grace of God,) before we “are accepted in the Beloved,” and, consequently, before we have a testimony of our acceptance: But it is by no means advisable to rest here; it is at the peril of our souls if we do. If we are wise, we shall be continually crying to God, until his Spirit cry in our heart, “Abba, Father!” This is the privilege of all the children of God, and without this we can never be assured that we are his children. Without this we cannot retain a steady peace, nor avoid perplexing doubts and fears. But when we have once received this Spirit of adoption, this “peace which passeth all understanding,” and which expels all painful doubt and fear, will “keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” And when this has brought forth its genuine fruit, all inward and outward holiness, it is undoubtedly the will of Him that calleth us, to give us always what he has once given; so that there is no need that we should ever more be deprived of either the testimony of God’s Spirit, or the testimony of our own, the consciousness of our walking in all righteousness and true holiness. –John Wesley, “The Witness of the Spirit, Part 2,” 5.3-4

I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus. On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet.
–Revelation 1:9-10 (NIV)–