Alright folks, this is going to be a long one – this could be one of my 45 minute, fire and brimstone sermons – if the Lord would just allow me to have my voice back.

So you’ll just have to settle for the written word. God’s word, not mine, I’m merely the messenger.

So here goes – buckle up!

I’ve been seeing a lot of videos lately of churches in various liberal denominations, which have openly embraced sinful lifestyles, in a way that would make Jesus want to pull out the whip and start overturning pews.

The latest made me write a post to my Facebook and X accounts that said plainly.

Hey REAL, BORN AGAIN, WASHED IN THE BLOOD, CHRISTIANS: ARE YOU PISSED OFF YET?

You SHOULD be!

This was followed by a description of the heresy being conducted by a drag queen during the offertory during a church service and a video of the act.

I was surely pissed off – I was fuming! 

I could see the Apostle Paul now – Any mention of love is out the window, bring on judgment! The epistle he would pen would be full of fire and brimstone, and rightfully so!

Of course this was a liberal church in Toronto, Canada – where it is now illegal to quote the Bible as to offend groups that could be hurt by passages describing sin.

That epistle that Paul could pen, could be addressed to any number of churches in a number of denominations.

In my prior message, I listed a few, and here they are again:

• The United Church of Christ 
• The Presbyterian Church (USA) also known as PCUSA 
• The United Methodist Church (UMC) 
• The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA)
• The Episcopal Church,  which is the American branch of the Anglican Church – the Church of England

There are others – these however, are some of the major offenders.

In these churches, you’ll find ordained “Pastors” who are homosexual, trannies, lesbian, female heterosexual (against 1 Timothy 2:12. 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9).

Compromise can be found in several categories, and we’ll look at them in this message. They are:

• Pleasing People Over God
• Itching Ears and Rejecting Sound Doctrine
• False Teaching and “Peddling” the Word
• Lip Service and Man-Made Traditions

Pleasing People over God

How many times have you been accused of being a “people pleaser”? Someone who doesn’t want to “rock the boat,” if you will. Some people will go to extraordinary lengths to “keep the peace” and not cause dissension in the ranks.

There are many a pastor that are in the same predicament. They won’t call out sin from the pulpit, even though the Bible says to do so!

Some even affirm the sin!

“For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10, NKJV)

Paul was clear, he wasn’t put on this earth to please men – for if he tried to please men over Christ, he would be a people pleaser, instead of doing his job and spreading the Word of God and the Gospel of Christ.

Serving Christ and looking for approval from man are incompatible with each other. If you’re compromising the gospel to avoid offending people means that you’re no longer a servant of Christ. 

It’s that simple.

“Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” (John 12:42-43, NKJV)

This shows the danger of craving the approval of men – or fearing rejection by the congregation or more importantly, denominational leadership. It’s more important to God to stand up for His approval, than look for the approval of your congregation or maybe leadership in your denomination.

Let’s say you’re an Associate Pastor, and you’ve been tapped to preach the following Sunday. Any Senior Pastor would want to see at least some notes on your sermon to approve – and you’re looking for that approval on your sermon text. 

The subject is controversial by man’s standards: – if it’s biblically sound, your Senior Pastor should have no problem with it. If he does, then you have a problem. If you can’t work it out biblically, then you may need to bring elders into the conversation.

If you can back up your message with solid scripture – there should be no issues at all. If there is, then this is a clear sign that there’s compromise in the church and among the leadership.

If all else fails, if you are on solid biblical grounds, and the Senior Pastor and elders are not, then it’s time to move on – because you should never be called to compromise a message to the faithful, to satisfy some unbiblical grounding.

Overall, if our message is biblically sound, and rooted in scripture, you should not fear anyone – leadership or members of the congregation.

If members of the congregation are offended, then they need to take it up with God and their Bible – not you. 

Yes, people have been known to walk – leave the church – over “hateful” messages. Let them leave, as the ones that stay know that God was in that message – the ones that left were prideful, being convicted, by the Holy Spirit – and hopefully, they return with a contrite heart. 

We pray for them – we do not, under any circumstances, pander to them.

Itching Ears and Rejecting Sound Doctrine

How many of you have listened to a sermon and wondered, “Where’s the Beef?” – recalling Clara from the old Wendy’s commercials from the 1970’s.

There are many a pastor today, that will deliver a sermon that pleases the congregation, instead of giving them what they need to hear – from the Word of God,

Many Word of Faith pastors fall into this category – they preach prosperity and blessing, but you won’t hear a lick of sin, repentance, Heaven or Hell.

Well-known pastor and popular author Joel Osteen falls into this category. He uses very little bible, if at all, and does nothing except preach positivity. When he appears in interviews, and confronted with questions regarding sin, he will skirt around the issue or outright deny it.

He had a well-known interview with the now-departed Larry King on CNN – one that he could have used to give the absolute word on salvation! Let his words do the talking though:

LARRY KING: “If you believe you have to believe in Christ? They’re wrong, aren’t they?”

JOEL OSTEEN: “Well, I don’t know if I believe they’re wrong. I believe here’s what the Bible teaches and from the Christian faith this is what I believe. But I just think that only God will judge a person’s heart. I spent a lot of time in India with my father. I don’t know all about their religion. But I know they love God. And I don’t know. I’ve seen their sincerity. So I don’t know. I know for me, and what the Bible teaches, I want to have a relationship with Jesus.”

First of all, the majority religion practiced in India is Hindu – and they don’t have one god, they have a boatload! They have a god for any situation or anything.

Secondly, there isn’t one scripture that says that God judges a person’s heart when it comes to salvation. A Hindi, or a Muslim can be as devout as one can be, but if there’s no belief in Jesus Christ as their savior, and His crucifixion and sacrifice on the Cross as the final sacrifice for their sin, and if they haven’t repented and asked forgiveness for their sin, in Jesus’ Name, there’s no salvation.

He preaches this ‘“Christ-Lite” pablum and beats around the bush when it comes to sin and salvation.

Preaching a “feel-good” message that promotes positivity and inclusive “love” of everyone and everything, goes against sound teaching of the Bible.

I once heard the late John MacArthur say, “The only way you’re living your best life now is if you’re going to Hell.” This was a direct rebuke to Joel Osteen and his best selling book, “Your Best Life Now,” and he was absolutely right.

Paul wrote about this “Church-Light” stuff to his young protege, Timothy, in his second letter to him, chapter 4, and verses 3 and 4:

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. (2 Timothy 4:3–4, ESV)

This is a clear prophecy that churches will accumulate pastors, preachers and teachers who will tell people what they want to hear, instead of the biblical truth they need to hear

I want God to be proud of me and to approve of my life and my work – whether people like it or not. I’ve had relatives say that we should be careful what we say to others, lest we offend.

Offend? Jesus offended people and religious leaders all the time! I could care less if people are offended by the Gospel! The Gospel offends, period! It goes against everything that man stands for. 

We like control, and to be in control. But who is in control of our lives? God is, through the saving blood of Jesus.

I know pastors who are absolute tyrants and control freaks. I’ve worked for them – and I look back and wonder, “were they really saved?” Yeah, they “talked the talk,” but they had a real hard time “walking the walk.” 

Yes, pastors are to lead the church, but not as dictators and tyrants. Jesus didn’t lead the disciples in this way. He was more of a benevolent leader – he loved his disciples and wanted the best for them. He made the decisions on where they went and what they did – true, but He was not dictatorial in his leadership style.

The other end of the spectrum is to preach a feel-good message that appeals to everyone – one that doesn’t have one ounce of biblical grounding to it. 

For example, in that CNN interview I mentioned earlier. Joel Osteen said to Larry King and the CNN audience that there were multiple ways to God – that it doesn’t matter which god – or gods – you worship.

His response said it all, “God will judge a person’s heart. I spent a lot of time in India with my father. I don’t know all about their religion. But I know they love God. And I don’t know. I’ve seen their sincerity. So I don’t know.”

Joel, You don’t KNOW? And you pastor the largest church in the United States? You say that a lot apparently – you “don’t know” – c’mon man! Read your Bible!

A supposed “Christian” pastor said this on international television – CNN is seen internationally, and Larry King was an internationally seen program, on CNN and CNN International.

Unbelievable!

In addition, so many pastors are preaching around the edges – or outright preaching heresy – when it comes to sin, instead of actually calling it out.

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. (2 Timothy 3:1–5, ESV)

Here we see Paul warning Timothy that churches may maintain outward religious appearance.while denying the actual authority and transformative power of God’s Word.

Paul is issuing a clear warning here, he’s describing not only the distant future, but also the current time. Every generation of Christian has seen elements of the things on the list in this passage, but Paul implies that it intensifies as the time of the Rapture gets near.

How much of this do we see today?

And speaking of using ministry to make a buck…

How about self-love and materialism – Paul writes “lovers of self, lovers of money.’ It describes the “all about me” and “what I can get out of it” mentality – basically, idolatry of self and wealth.

Then there’s arrogance and irreverence – the list continues, “boasters, arrogant and abusive’. These are people who elevate themselves above God and speak against Him.

We also see Family and Relational Breakdown – “disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable”. This is the erosion of basic human needs – the breakdown of the family – divorce and family breakup and shunning, as well as friendships being destroyed over various issues – both faith based, and secular.

Aggression and lack of restraint – “slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good”. Basically verbal and physical abuse and violence and the rejection of all virtue. Look at the “protests” happening today. Law enforcement and others in authority are being verbally and physically assaulted for doing their jobs.

Betrayal and pride – “treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God”. Loyalty to, and the needs of friends, family and others is tossed aside for addressing loyalty and the needs of themselves. They become stubborn, and their arrogance reigns supreme.

False Teaching and “Peddling” the Word

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.  (2 Peter 2:1–3, ESV)

Paul is clearly warning about coming False teachers who will exploit people with smooth, appealing messages for personal gain, like money, influence, popularity.

I use Joel Osteen again, and his “feel good” messages, which are more like motivational speeches. Again, if this is “your best life now” – then what do you really have to look forward to?

There are any number of prosperity preachers that will extol from the pulpit that if you just “sow a seed” of a certain amount of money, that God will bless you financially in return.

I don’t know how many times I have to say this, but God isn’t a Genie! He’s not the idol you wish on to get something. While it’s true that God will provide for His children, there’s nothing in the Bible that says if you give a certain amount, that God will put many times back into your pocket.

But my pastor says that it says in Malachi chapter 3 about that if I bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that God would open the windows of heaven and pour down blessings so that there is no more need. Isn’t this what they’re talking about? 

No, that’s not what Malachi 3:10 is talking about – that’s what they want you to think – so you’ll give, and give, and give – even your rent money!

I’ve said it over and over – never just read a single verse by itself, always read it in context. People can make the Bible say whatever they want it to say. Single verses can be misinterpreted and misconstrued – but in context, you get a clearer understanding.

Read the entire passage – in this case, verses 1-15, and understand the context.  I kept the verse numbers in here

1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. 4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years. 

5 “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts. 

6 “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. 7 From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ 8 Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. 10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. 11 I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. 12 Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts. 

13 “Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord. But you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?’ 14 You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? 15 And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.’ ”  (Malachi 3:1–15, ESV)

This passage confronts covenant unfaithfulness by the Hebrews while promising future purification, justice, and blessing,

A little background.

Malachi prophesied around 450–400 BC to the southern kingdom of Judah. The temple had been rebuilt around 516 BC, but spiritual apathy, cynicism, and covenant-breaking were rampant. Corrupt priests, Intermarriages between Hebrew and Gentile, divorce, sorcery, oppression of the vulnerable, and – here goes – the withholding of tithes. 

The people were disillusioned – God’s promises of restoration seemed unfulfilled. Malachi uses a question-and-answer style to expose their heart attitudes., especially starting in verse 7 – where it talks about “robbing God” – the withholding of tithes.

In Old Testament times, when Malachi was written, there was a tithe that was an offering to the Temple. That tithe, one-tenth of one’s income or wealth was required of everyone. 

Under the New Covenant, the tithe is no longer a requirement. 

In fact, the Apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 9:7, “Each one should decide what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver.”  

Of course, read in context, Paul is stressing that we should give generously and sacrificially – but cheerfully, not with a grudging attitude,

Luke 21 tells of the poor widow who placed two small coins into the collection box, while everyone else was stuffing it with cash. What did Jesus say? Verse 3-4, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put more in than all of the others. For they contributed out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty, has put in all she had to live on.”

That’s sacrificial giving! And she did it without complaining – she just did it.

For the New Testament believer, this passage calls on the church, and to Christians in particular, to examine themselves: 

• Are we cynical when the wicked seem to prosper? 
• Do we rob God through withholding time, resources, or obedience? 
• Are our leaders and worship purified? 

God’s promise remains—return to Him, and He will return to you. 

In an age of skepticism and nominal Christianity, this passage urges genuine fear and reverence of the Lord, personal integrity in your finances and relationships, and hopeful expectation of Christ’s return.

Let’s face it, God knows when we have it, and when we don’t – and when we have it, we’re expected to give to Him what He’s given to us.

And yes, God does bless, but not because we made a $1,000 seed to some slimy televangelist. (And there are plenty of them out there!)

God blesses obedience. When God calls us to help others, whether it be time, money or other resources – we are to obey. 

Yes, we are to give to the local church, and that should be the primary focus of our giving, but if you are also feeling led to give to a ministry or a mission, over and above your local church, or even helping out someone in need, God blesses that too.

I personally turn off any pastor who preaches giving with guilt, especially using Malachi 3. It’s wrong – plain and simple. It’s used today as a “guilt knife” that’s shoved into the backs of believers.

Too many “prosperity preachers” use this text as a pretext to guilt people into sending a “seed offering” – when in fact many times, it’s downright fraud. Need we point to the mansions they live in, the luxurious lifestyles they live and the jets they own? 

For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.  (2 Corinthians 2:17, ESV)

The Greek word in this verse for “peddling” is kapeleuō (καπηλεύω). 

It originally referred to retail merchants, especially tavern-keepers who diluted wine with water to increase profits. Paul accuses many traveling preachers of corrupting or adulterating God’s word for personal advantage—financial gain, popularity, power, or influence.

Where do we see that today? How many of these TV preachers have multi-million dollar mansions and Lear or Gulfstream jets? 

I mean – really, Kenneth Copeland has a personal landing strip on his property! 

He brags about his Breitling Watches – yes, multiple watches. Average cost, $32,000 each. He and Gloria sure do live high off the hog down there in Texas.

Jesse Duplantis is another one. I could go on and on.

I swear they would sell their own mother for a buck.

Impastor Paula White is another one. Yeah, I said “impastor” – an imposter for a pastor, She’s no pastor!

The US President, Donald Trump, needs to do a much better job vetting the person heading White House Faith Office and his faith advisor! She’s definitely not the one!

Let me give one example.

At her 2026 Unleashed Conference, held in Apopka, Florida in February of this year, she urged attendees to give sacrificially to a ministry, not hers, but that she would not lay hands on anyone who didn’t give. 

Want proof? Here’s an article.

She was urging “seeds” of $10,000 and $1,000 in an attempt to raise $100,000! She was using guilt to do it. 

She’s a shyster and a huckster, selling the gospel and prayer – for a buck, or in this case, thousands of them! 

There’s a special place in Hell for these so-called “preachers”,

And biblically – she cannot be called a “pastor” (or elder, or any other title in leadership), by the very fact that she’s not the husband of one wife. (1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9) and the fact that she’s female (1 Timothy 2:11-12)

Call me sexist and misogynistic if you want – argue with God, if you dare. Paul wrote that to Timothy under inspiration of the Holy Spirit. 

I ain’t arguing with God over His qualifications for elders in a church. His ways are righteous, and questioning God can get you the extra-crispy treatment for eternity.  No thanks.

As it says in 2 Timothy 3:5 – Avoid such people! 

Don’t watch them. Don’t support them. 

Remember the old adage, a fool and his money are soon parted? That applies to these hustlers.

Remember the other one too – if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

God gave you common sense, use it!

Now, to wrap up this section:

zIf anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.  (1 Timothy 6:3–5, ESV)

This passage fits with other areas I’ve addressed in this message – 2 Timothy 3:1–5 on last-days corruption, Malachi 3 on covenant robbery and cynicism, and 2 Corinthians 2:17 on sincere vs. peddling ministry. It reinforces a consistent biblical theme: God’s word must be handled with purity, and its teachers must reflect the character of Christ.

These verses are the crux of Paul’s repeated warnings against false teachers throughout this book (see 1:3–7, 4:1–5). 

Paul is equipping young Timothy to guard the church against doctrinal error and its moral/spiritual consequences.

Many churches, especially those in the denominations mentioned at the beginning of this message, are full of doctrinal error – from stances on human reproduction, to human sexuality, to basic biology. They deny the creation. They must, if they think that men can be women, and vice versa, and that the killing of the unborn is justified. 

Lip Service and Man-Made Traditions

Traditions – the Jews have many, and the Pharisees were no exception. In fact, they were the main contributors of their time to the Jewish Oral Tradition called The Talmud.

You see, there’s the written tradition – the Torah – the first five books of the Bible – Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, These comprise the 613 Laws that God laid down for the Hebrews – that all observant Jews believe that they are to keep to this day.

Then there’s the Talmud. the oral tradition – which is the rabbinical interpretation of the Torah over the generations. This has expanded the 613 laws into well over 3,000 – and counting, as the rabbis are still debating to this day over the tiniest issue of the laws, and how to interpret them.

And this is where Matthew 16 comes in. Verses 1 and 2 are a classic example:

Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” (Matthew 15:1–2, ESV)

Now remember that Jesus lived under the Old Covenant – He had not yet been crucified. 

Nowhere in the Torah is it written, that one must wash their hands when they eat. Okay, to you and me, it’s a sanitary thing – but I defy anyone to find it in the first five books of the Bible.

In verse 2, the Pharisees are specific, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?”

Jesus, a Jew, should know this tradition. Another trap. This guy has been running around declaring himself God, and thumbing his nose at the Temple authority – they had to do something.

So they posed a simple question. 

Never give a question like this to the King, who will turn it around and make you look like an idiot. Verses 3 through 6.

He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 5 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” 6 he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.  (Matthew 15:3–6, ESV)

Jesus goes back to what’s actually written in the Torah – the scroll of  Shemot (Exodus 20:12), Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which YHVH your God is giving you.

The fifth of the Big Ten.

He exposes how their human traditions actually nullify God’s explicit commandments. Focusing on this Commandment, this carried both moral and practical obligations in Jewish society, including financial support for aging parents.

Jesus paraphrases the Pharisees’ teaching and practice. They allowed, and even encouraged, a legal loophole called Corban, which is Hebrew for “offering” or “gift devoted to God”. A person could declare that their resources – money, property, or future inheritance – for example, were “Corban” — consecrated to the temple or God. Once declared, these assets could not be used to support parents, even if the person still benefited from them personally.

This created a hypocritical way to appear pious (“I gave it to God!”) while neglecting the clear command to honor parents.

In verse 6, the phrase “he need not honor his father” shows they effectively canceled the obligation, thus showing no honor at all. This is Jesus’ core accusation. Their man-made tradition did not merely supplement God’s law – it nullified it.

This verse uses the Greek word akuroō, which means to invalidate, cancel, or make powerless.

Jesus highlights the conflict: God’s commandment required active honor and care for parents, including financial and practical support, but their tradition provided a religious-sounding escape clause.

He showed their hypocrisy. He did it all the time.

He followed it up by quoting Isaiah, verses 8 and 9.

‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”  (Matthew 15:8–9, ESV)

That was the final blow that Jesus struck – you honor me with your lips, but your heart’s not in it. Neither is your teaching.

They paid lip service to the Word, meanwhile putting their own spin on it.

And that’s all the Talmud is – rabbinical lip service and false teaching. 

And they have had the Jews snookered for generations.

Jesus condemns worship and teaching that places an emphasis on human ideas, cultural norms and preferences and traditions over God’s actual Word – His Commandments,

And I consider the Ten Commandments as valid today, as they were in Exodus when they were first carved in those stone tablets. They are the moral foundation for society, then – and today.

They are the Moral Law – and just because they were laid down in the Old Testament, doesn’t mean that God negated them in the New – they are just as valid now, as they were then.

Without a moral foundation, we’re no better than the animals.

Let’s bring this into today. Look around. What do you see that might fit this?

I’ll wait.

I see so-called “preachers” preaching heresy from the pulpit – sermons extolling the virtues of homosexuality and transgenderism.

I see directors of local planned parenthood clinics giving sermons on Sunday mornings about how abortion isn’t murder. I’ve witnessed it in a Unitarian Universalist “church”.

I see these pastors performing same sex marriage ceremonies.

I see other politicians using God in inappropriate ways as well! Going into churches and pandering to congregations with itching ears, saying what they want to hear from these politicians – and the pastors are all for lettimg them do it – and get away with it.  So much for the shepherd watching over the sheep.

I see a Senate candidate, James Talerico in Texas who attends a PCUSA church and is a seminarian under the PCUSA, preaching heresy regarding transgenderism and kids – and how God is nonbinary, when God clearly uses the masculine pronoun. 

That man makes me sick to my stomach every time I see his face – he needs salvation in the worst sort of way.

I see feminism infecting the church – women in pastoral and leadership positions, in direct violation of sctiptire.

All of this is man-made tradition today – but fifty years ago? It was unheard of! I certainly don’t want to be in their shoes on the other side.

Which leads us to Isaiah 30:9-10,

“That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children who will not hear the law of the Lord; who say to the seers, ‘Do not see,’ and to the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy to us right things; speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits.’” (Isaiah 30:9-10, NKJV)

People, and by extension, congregations, are starting to demand comfortable language and messages that aren’t offensive. They don’t want the truth of the Word of God, because it doesn’t fit their definition of truth.

Jeremiah 23:16 and 17 – the weeping prophet warned of false teachers offering peace and prosperity instead of truth:

Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you.’ ”  (Jeremiah 23:16–17, ESV)

This is a warning against smooth-talking preachers offering a false gospel to please a rebellious people,

And if you look at some of these denominations today, like the Presbyterian Church USA, and the United Methodist Church, or any of that list I offered at the beginning of this message – it fits all of this to a tee.

Ezekiel 13 is a strong condemnation of prophets and teachers who come up with lies and false teaching, whitewashing the truth to please people.

In my last message, I broke down Romans 1 when it came to sexual sin, and from the biblical Greek, their arguments in favor of homosexuality, lesbianism, transgenderism and all of the other sexual perversions in that LGBTQ alphabet soup were effectively debunked – by the Word of God, not by me – I was just the messenger.

But I will rail against what God calls sin. 

God is Holy – Yes, He loves us, but He’s holy – set apart – and He cannot reside where there is unholiness.

He gives you time to repent and come to Him, through His Son Jesus – who He sacrificed on the cross for your sin and mine, if you’ll only humble yourself, repent, and say, Lord, I need Jesus – I need a savior! I’m a sinner, and I need cleaning up – I need a savior! I need Jesus. Please save me!

I’m not telling you what to say – that’s between you and God, but this is the gist of what you need to come out with.

God doesn’t want to send anyone to an eternity in Hell – but again, Heaven is a Holy place, and we serve a Holy God – who does not wink at sin. You’re not guaranteed eternity in Heaven, you are, however, guaranteed an eternity of suffering and punishment in Hell – a very real place – if you don’t repent and cry out for Jesus.

And soon – because you’re not guaranteed tomorrow.

Homeowners, you carry home insurance on your home in the event it’s destroyed, correct? Renters – you carry renters insurance to cover your possessions in the event they’re lost or destroyed, correct? You never know if a fire or other calamity will befall you – tomorrow, next week, next month,,, or five minutes from now.

You could step off a curb and get hit by a truck at lunch today.

If that truck takes your life, what’s the next thing you’ll hear? Will it be “Well done, my good and faithful servant, enter into your rest” – or “depart from Me, I never knew you.”

I know what I will be hearing. Do you?

If you need to do some business with God, might I suggest that you get on your knees now? Because you will do so either here, or the hereafter. 

For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me. And every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. (Romans 14:11–12, NKJV)

Do it now, because later, will be too late.