WesleyGospel Ministries

I remember this song from Catholic services with my grandparents when I was younger. I got struck with a little bit of a weep as I thought about how pure this song was. Grandpa was a Deputy Chief of Investigation, the detective team, with the Chicago police. He passed away recently. I remember he got me this big red book of Sherlock Holmes stories when I was a kid. Strangely enough, down the road I’ve come under the impression that Sherlock was probably an Anglican if anything, the same denomination as John Wesley, J. C. Ryle, and J. I. Packer. Grandpa was always reading crime fiction novels during his retirement. It’s not hard to understand why I came to identify with David Wilkerson’s sermon content so much in college. As I played this song, about 15 seconds into it, two police cars came rushing through the gate where I’m currently stationed at night, with their lights and sirens on. –J.B.

⁴ Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. ⁵ For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. ⁶ Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. ⁷ Be not ye therefore partakers with them. ⁸ For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: ⁹ (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) ¹⁰ Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. ¹¹ And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
–Ephesians 5:4-11 (KJV)–

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David Wilkerson, “Wild Donkeys.”

—. Set the Trumpet to Thy Mouth (World Challenge, 1985), ch. 2.

—. Racing Toward Judgment (Spire Books, 1976).

Dr. John R. Rice, Adultery and Sex Perversion (Sword of the Lord, 1978).

—. Why Preach Against Sin? (Sword of the Lord, 1985).

Dr. Jeff Amsbaugh, Pay-Per-View: The Double Cost of Pornography (Sword, 2008).

Thomas Watson, The Ten Commandments (Banner of Truth Trust, 1965), 2.7.

Richard Baxter, A Christian Directory, “Directions Against Fornication” (1.5).

Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting.
–Ephesians 5:4 (KJV)–

—

When your stars are baked
And your rivers fly
Do you ever believe you were stuck out in the, sky
When your castle breaks
And your feet are dry
Do you ever believe you were stuck out in the, sky
Do you believe, when you’re high
That your life is tried
Don’t you ever get stuck in the sky
Don’t you ever get stuck in the sky
Don’t ever get stuck in the sky, when you’re high
When your moon is fake
And your mermaids cry
Do you ever believe you were stuck out in the, sky
When your tunnel fades
And your guide is shy
Do you ever believe you were stuck out in the, sky
Do you believe, when you’re high
That your life is tried
Don’t you ever get stuck in the sky
Don’t you ever get stuck in the sky
Don’t ever get stuck in the sky, when you’re high

–System of a Down, “Peephole”–

The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.
–2 Timothy 4:3 (KJV)–

I was at an interdenominational men’s group this morning. I’m glad for this group; as I believe it’s perfect for where I’m at in my walk right now. I brought up John MacArthur today and mentioned how he was a man of Biblical convictions known for preaching against things like evolution, egalitarianism, gay marriage, abortion, and most of all easy believism. I said that while I didn’t really care for what he had to say about the Holy Spirit, I was really thankful for his influence on the Church to make people Bible centered. I think of MacArthur as a kind of Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) successor to Dr. John R. Rice–another man of strong Biblical convictions, who preached and published against all the same things mentioned before, through Sword of the Lord Publications. I almost think of Grace to You as a sort of mainstreaming of that same strain of old school Baptist fundamentalism. I thought to myself, without clear Bible-based definitions like this, in terms of teaching, there’s really no reason why Christian high schools should exist. When clear cut teaching distinctives are removed, what reason do Christian parents have to not send their kids to public schools and get indoctrinated into a secular humanist worldview like every other American kid?

The evolution issue divided our group a bit–I got some friendly but confused pushback from a Church of the Nazarene guy and two Southern Baptist guys. One IFB guy agreed on the young earth creation view; and mentioned Kent Hovind favorably.

It’s amazing to me how just firing down the line of clear cut Bible convictions: how clarity and confusion, how the Sword of God’s Spirit, the Word of God, can draw the line between compromisers and people who truly trust in what the Bible plainly and literally says, regardless of what the world says.

I also think the evolution issue confuses people because of its complexity. We need to have more sermons on creation with a strong Bible Baptist preaching against evolution sort of style; that is simple, to the point, and won’t meander about Neander. Dr. John R. Rice’s booklet Evolution or the Bible–Which? was a great example of nailing all the main points without getting into Ph.D. level complexity. I think that the common churchgoer can’t shake off evolution if the issue remains befuddled with complexity, so complex that evangelical pastors don’t even know where to start–even if they work up the guts to confront the problem, as teachings about evolution continue to eat away people’s faith in the Bible every year. Whether they’re aware of it or not.

Although I’m an independent Pentecostal–seriously, where would the Bible believing church be without the independent Baptists? We need them terribly! Especially since most Wesleyan and Methodist denominations compromise with theistic evolution: the Salvation Army, the Evangelical Church of North America, the Free Methodist Church, the Church of the Nazarene, the Church of Christ in Christian Union, the Global Methodist Church, the Friends Church, the Wesleyan Church, Church of God (Anderson), and even Assemblies of God (only 35% are young earth creationists).

I suspect that the Southern Methodist Church, the Missionary Church, and Church of God (Cleveland) have more young earth creation leanings, and use the A Beka curriculum, but I can’t be absolutely sure about the percentages. The same could be said about the denominations connected with the InterChurch Holiness Convention.

In a fevered dream
Code was shown to me
By disembodied
Tongues clear and clean

You’ll see it, not with your eyes
Obscured through mortal disguise

The maze-like depths
Of the haunting pools

If one were to arrive
Below the line
Pulled by the tide
One can’t come out

This code the tongues have spoken
“It was broken when we found it
(We found it like that)”

–Zao, “Haunting Pools”–

Lazy hands make for poverty.
–Proverbs 10:4 (NIV)–

¹² The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. ¹³ One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, ¹⁴ a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, ¹⁵ and the Sabeans attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!” ¹⁶ While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!” ¹⁷ While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!” ¹⁸ While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, ¹⁹ when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
–Job 1:12-19 (NIV)–

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
–James 1:12 (NIV)–

—

John Calvin, Sermons on Job, 3 vols (Banner of Truth, 2022).

Jesus said to fear Him who
Can destroy both soul and body in Hell
John said the wicked will be tormented
Day and night forever and ever

And so my faith was grounded
On the reality of Hell
And the power of the Cross
For salvation and holiness

But then I met a man
He said God wants all men to be saved
He said Jesus died for the sins of the whole world
And so even if people die without Christ
They’ll go to Heaven

He also said there might not even be a Hell
And that Jesus was just kiddin’
That the hellfire in the Bible isn’t real
But that it’s just a word picture

He also said when we die
We might just not exist anymore
He said who knows
Maybe murderers are changed into men of God

He believed that way for twenty five years
He told me not to believe in Hell
But I saw him just the other day burnin’
As I looked down from glory