WesleyGospel Ministries

This is one of my favorite sermons. Not only because I agree with most of it, but because of his Gregory Peck and George C. Scott gravelly, hoarse, raspy voice. His tone is so harsh, so manly, sometimes its just funny. Especially when he combines it with preaching against really trivial things such as singing with sliding notes. All that aside, I still think its a very important message for parents in this time we’re living in.
–J.B.–

¹⁸ Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” ¹⁹ Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. ²⁰ Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, ²¹ being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. ²² This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” ²³ The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, ²⁴ but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. ²⁵ He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
–Romans 4:18-25 (NIV)–

¹⁸ Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, ¹⁹ holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith.
–1 Timothy 1:18-19 (NIV)–

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What faith is it then through which we are saved It may be answered, first, in general, it is a faith in Christ: Christ, and God through Christ, are the proper objects of it. Herein, therefore, it is sufficiently, absolutely distinguished from the faith either of ancient or modern heathens. And from the faith of a devil it is fully distinguished by this: it is not barely a speculative, rational thing, a cold, lifeless assent, a train of ideas in the head; but also a disposition of the heart. For thus saith the Scripture, “With the heart man believeth unto righteousness;” and, “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
–John Wesley, “Salvation by Faith, 1.4”–

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Dr. Thomas C. Oden, John Wesley’s Scriptural Christianity (Zondervan, 1994).

Dr. Jack Deere, Surprised…Power of the Spirit (Zondervan, 2020). Has AUDIO BOOK.

Dr. Craig Keener, Miracles Today (Baker, 2021). Has AUDIO BOOK.

Lee Strobel, Seeing the Supernatural (Zondervan, 2025). Has AUDIO BOOK.

John Wimber, Power Healing (HarperCollins, 1987).

Dr. Augustin Poulain, The Graces of Interior Prayer (Kegan Paul, 1910).

Adam Clarke, Christian Theology (Schmul, 1967).

French Arrington, Christian Doctrine (Pathway Press, 1994).

Robert Tuttle, Mysticism In the Wesleyan Tradition (Zondervan, 1989).

A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God (Wingspread, 1998).

Richard J. Foster, Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home (HarperOne, 1992).

—. Celebration of Discipline (HarperOne, 2018).

—. Streams of Living Water (HarperOne, 1998).

Renovaré, Prayer and Worship (HarperOne, 2009).

Vineyard Digital, John Wimber on Worship, Parts 1-5.

James G. Lawson, Deeper Experiences of Famous Christians (Whitaker House, 1998).

Henry and Richard Blackaby, Hearing God’s Voice (B&H Books, 2002).

Dr. Archibald Alexander, Thoughts on Religious Experience (Banner of Truth, 1996).

Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil…the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
–Matthew 4:1, 8-10 (NIV)–

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.
–1 Timothy 4:1-2 (NIV)–

GEN X AND MILLENNIAL PREACHERS
WHO ARE FRIENDS WITH KENNETH COPELAND

TODD WHITE

DANIEL KOLENDA

JONATHAN SHUTTLESWORTH

MICHAEL KOULIANOS

JEREMY PEARSONS

Whoso sheddeth man’s blood,
by man shall his blood be shed:
for in the image of God made he man.
–Genesis 9:6 (KJV)–

The innocent and righteous slay thou not:
for I will not justify the wicked.
–Exodus 23:7 (KJV)–

The word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
–Jeremiah 1:4-5 (KJV)–

This is an antinomian misunderstanding of salvation. As their founder says on their site, “I am currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree from Dallas Theological Seminary,” which is the top free grace, no-lordship, antinomian school for pastors. But true faith in Jesus always leads believers to “uphold the law.” Romans 3:31 (AMP): “Do we then nullify the Law by this faith [making the Law of no effect, overthrowing it]? Certainly not! On the contrary, we confirm and establish and uphold the Law [since it convicts us all of sin, pointing to the need for salvation].” The Sodomites lived in the same time as Abraham, before the law of Moses, but God destroyed their city, because they were wicked and exceedingly homosexual (Genesis 13:13). Salvation is not just about believing in the existence of God or that he just loves you and just forgives you if you believe that he’s real (easy believism). That is a very false understanding of salvation and its spiritually dangerous. It contradicts the Reformers. Perfect versus imperfect obedience is another matter, earning concepts, etc–but when you frame salvation like this, completely obliterating the need for obedience to the Bible from believers’ lives: Danger, Will Robinson. Pornography, fornication, molestation, and sexual perversion are often hanging around the corner somewhere. Big stuff gets trivialized; and everything is just about managing your anxiety and depression: feeling good about yourself instead of living a life that actually pleases God. That’s not saving faith at all. Views like this are everything that’s wrong with Protestantism. James 2:19 (AMP): “You believe that God is one; you do well [to believe that]. The demons also believe [that], and shudder and bristle [in awe-filled terror—they have seen His wrath]!”

What is the purpose of faith in the cross of Christ? 2 Corinthians 5:21 (AMP): “He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness].” So as holy living becomes normalized in the lives of individuals and the church community, deviations from that lifestyle are supposed to be excommunicated from the church. 1 Corinthians 5:11 (AMP): “I have written to you not to associate with any so-called [Christian] brother if he is sexually immoral or greedy, or is an idolater [devoted to anything that takes the place of God], or is a reviler [who insults or slanders or otherwise verbally abuses others], or is a drunkard or a swindler—you must not so much as eat with such a person.” The point of kicking such people out of the church is in hopes that they will stop living those kinds of lifestyles. But if they die like that, then they’ll go to Hell: “As for the cowards and unbelieving and abominable [who are devoid of character and personal integrity and practice or tolerate immorality], and murderers, and sorcerers [with intoxicating drugs], and idolaters and occultists [who practice and teach false religions], and all the liars [who knowingly deceive and twist truth], their part will be in the lake that blazes with fire and brimstone” (Revelation 21:8, AMP).

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VI. OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.

The Old Testament is not contrary to the New; for both in the Old and New Testament everlasting life is offered to mankind by Christ, who is the only Mediator between God and man, being both God and man. Wherefore they are not to be heard who feign that the old fathers did look only for transitory promises. Although the law given from God by Moses, as touching ceremonies and rites, doth not bind Christians, nor ought the civil precepts thereof of necessity be received in any commonwealth, yet, notwithstanding, no Christian whatsoever is free from the obedience of the commandments which are called moral.

VII. OF ORIGINAL OR BIRTH SIN.

Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam (as the Pelagians do vainly talk), but it is the corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam, whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and of his own nature inclined to evil, and that continually.

VIII. OF FREE WILL.

The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such that he can not turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strength and works, to faith and calling upon God; wherefore we have no power to do good works, pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with us, when we have that good will.

IX. OF THE JUSTIFICATION OF MAN.

We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by faith, and not for our own works or deservings. Wherefore, that we are justified by faith only is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort.

X. OF GOOD WORKS.

Although good works, which are the fruits of faith, and follow after justification, can not put away our sins, and endure the severity of God’s judgments; yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, and spring out of a true and lively faith, insomuch that by them a lively faith may be as evidently known as a tree is discerned by its fruit.

–THE ARTICLES OF RELIGION, VI.-X.–

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is within you, whom you have [received as a gift] from God, and that you are not your own [property]?
–1 Corinthians 6:19 (AMP)–

Skaters and surfers share the values of independence, freedom, and nonconformity. So when they get born again, they have a tendency to relate to people like John the Baptist, Elijah, Paul, Jesus, Francis of Assisi, Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Martin Luther, George Fox, John Wesley, Charles Finney, Leonard Ravenhill, and David Wilkerson. Just so you know. And even after getting to know the Lord, some of them still might skate and surf, but they’re just more careful about it; and they don’t let it totally consume their lives.

This is what the Lord says about the people of Anathoth who are threatening to kill you, saying, “Do not prophesy in the name of the Lord or you will die by our hands”—therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will punish them. Their young men will die by the sword, their sons and daughters by famine. Not even a remnant will be left to them, because I will bring disaster on the people of Anathoth in the year of their punishment.”
–Jeremiah 11:21-23 (NIV)–