Wretched TV's Good Friday/Easter Special!

I just wanted to let you all know that On Good Friday, April 10th, Todd Friel and the gang are putting on a hour-long, uninterrupted, Good Friday / Easter Special. I am not sure at what time it is going to air, I will keep you updated, but it will not be at Wretched's normal time. FamilyNet is going to run it eight times that weekend at different times. It will air on FamilyNet stations. I know locally it is on channel 45 (analog, not digital.)

If this special is going to be anything like what Todd has put together in the past on the old Way of the Master Radio program, it is going to be eye-opening. I truly suggest you not miss it. I will embed a mp3 player below with the audio of one of their Good Friday / Easter Specials.

For those that are unable to get a FamilyNet TV station, or think that they will miss it, I am going to try and record it and if requested I will try and make DVD copies.

Fishing Update: Inoculated or True Believer?

I have a confession to make, and I ask that you pray for me and my obedience. Last week while at my fishing hole their were a lot of people and I was disobedient; I made excuses not to share the Gospel with anyone. I have been doing this lately at work and while out and about. I pass up perfect opportunities to at least hand out a tract. This morning was Communion, and before taking it I was convicted of this unconfessed sin. I ask for your prayers in this area, thank you.

Well, today I was back at my fishing hole, and it was pretty empty. I saw an older woman sitting by herself, so being obedient I went over and talked to her, her name was Sandy. It turns out she has see lots of different kinds if money tracts before, but not in the million dollar denomination. She seemed to be familiar with Christianity. She told me that she was raised as LDS and then went to Baptist and Pentecostal churches after her parents divorced.

I was naturally concerned, so I wanted to quiz her and see if she had a correct view of man, God, Jesus, salvation, and Mormonism. I asked her to pretend that I was not a Christian and had a knife in my back and only had three minutes to live, and I came up to her, dying, asking what I needed to do to be saved. She said, "I would simply tell you that you need to ask for it (salvation/forgiveness.)" I asked her what she meant by that and explained to her that we need to use more clear language. I told her that "Repentance" and "Faith/Trust" would be closer to what the Bible says (Mark 1:14,15.) I believe that is along the same lines that she was meaning. From a lot of witness encounters/testimonies I have heard, people use Christian lingo, which to the Christian is clear but to the unchurched can be confusing.

I then went though who God is (i.e. the Trinity, eternal, never created, never was a man) and she confirmed that she thought the same way. We talked about God's Sovereignty and many other subjects that I thought I should cover to be sure she had a clear Biblical view of things (at least to the best of MY knowledge.) She agreed with me on all points, which I have to say surprised me with her background.

We somehow got in the subject of creation and atheism. She told me her grandson claimed to be an atheist since his father died (suicide or murder, he was found at the base of the canyon two years ago) and thinks that there can't be a God. Sandy believes that he is just angry at God for allowing it to happen and he is just acting out rebelliously. She told her grandson that their was a chance that he had repented moments before his death. I told her she should share Luke 13:1-5 with him and to use his father's death to get his attention about his own eternity. In that passage, Jesus tells a group after a disaster to repent or they too would perish. She told me that she would do that.

When I fist talked to her I asked if she went to church, and she said she "had been going to a LDS church." This concerned me and also confused me. She said that she has been to many different "Christian" churches, including Catholic. The answers she gave me did not seem to match her buffet of church going. I asked her again if she went to church currently, and she said no. I breathed a sigh of relief. I was concernded about her going to a mormon church, plus it did not make sense with her answers. I invited her to our church on sunday and she said she may check it out.

So, I ask, if you think about it, to pray for Sandy. I am not sure if she is a true believer or if she is inoculated to the truth. Also, please pray for her grandson, that he sees God and all His might and that his grandmother is able to be used by God. And again, I ask that you pray for me to be obedaint to God's commands, thank you.

Story Time!

I am not a writer by any means, but I have had this idea for a story for a while. Please read and enjoy.

----------------

Suddenly aware, I notice that it is pitch black and I cannot open my eyes, where am I? I suddenly hear sounds, faint at first but steadily growing louder. BEEP...BEEP............BEEP..........BEEEEEEP! My body is suddenly seized with excruciating pain and all sounds fade away.

I become aware, but this time it is different. I look around and see that I am heading down a hall. On either side of me are two beings, beautiful yet stoic. I look down, my hands and feet are bound in chains. "What is going on? Where am I going?" I ask the beings. No answer. I ask again. The one on my right says, "You are headed to see the Judge. Now be silent, we are here."

Suddenly alone, I stand in a room filled with a brilliant light emanating from directly in front of me. From what I can make out, there is someone, of massive size, sitting on an enormous throne. I cannot make out who this person is because the light is too brilliant. This must be the Judge I was told about, but why am I here? I am a good person! I haven't done anything!

Suddenly, a voice thunders and shakes the room's very foundation, "What is your plea?"

Defiantly I ask, "To what charge?"

"You have been charged with violating God's Law, how do you plead?"

"Not guilty! I am a good person. I may not be perfect, but I do good," I reply contemptuously. Who was this person to accuse me of such a crime? I ask, "What 'Law' are you talking about? I don't believe in God, so how can I be held accountable to Him?"

"For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse," (Romans 1:20) the voice replied, "They show that the work of the Law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus." (Romans 2:15, 16) After a pause, the voice continued, "The Law is the Ten Commandments. No matter whether you believe there is a God or not, you are without excuse!"

I suddenly become very sober-minded. I realize that I shut up and ignored my conscience a long time ago. "Surely my crimes have not been that bad," I say, regaining my defiant attitude.

"Let's see the evidence of your guilt."

I become painfully aware of my guilt. In front of me I see my life and every violation of the Law. The Judge went thought the Commandments:

1. "You shall have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:3)
2. "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth." (Exodus 20:4)
3. "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain." (Exodus 20:7)
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." (Exodus 20:8)
5. "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you." (Exodus 20:12)
6. "You shall not murder." (Exodus 20:13)
7. "You shall not commit adultery." (Exodus 20:14)
8. "You shall nit steal." (Exodus 20:15)
9. "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." (Exodus 20:16)
10. "You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s." (Exodus 20:17)

As the Judge goes though all of the Law, I see all of my violations. I did not break these just once, but countless times. It seems like an eternity, but finally He finishes and asks, "Defend your actions, give Me an account of all your deeds. As you saw, I have not only seen the deeds done in the light, but your secret sins done in darkness. How can you defend yourself?"

Like a rebellious child I reply, "Come on! I am but man! My violations have not been that bad. I may have broken all your Laws, but my sins are not spectacular! Do I really deserve punishment?"

The thundering voice says,"You are correct. Your sins are not spectacular, but it is against whom you have committed the crimes. You have offended Me, the Just Judge of all the world. Your offenses have been against an infinite and Holy God! You are deserving, therefore, of infinite punishment in the Lake of Fire and Burning Sulfur!"

Crushed under the weight of my guilt and impending punishment, I cry out,"Who are you? Who have I offended?"

He leans forward and I can now make out the face of my Judge. I gasp as I realize what I am looking at. His face was hardly recognizable as a man's, yet I know who this this. As I study His face I see the bruises, lacerations, blood, and missing bits of His beard. I see that His wrists still bear the nail holes. This is Jesus the Christ, God the Son, who was crucified on the cross. While on the cross He suffered the full Wrath of God the Father for the sins of all who repent and trust Him. He died, was buried, and rose on the third day.

I recall that God is supposed to be an "all-forgiving" God. Hopefully and with tears I say,"I know who you are. You are Jesus, the Son of God. You died for my sins on the cross." I then start to beg for forgiveness. "Please, forgive me. I am sorry that I violated your Law. I know that you will forgive me and let me go. You have to, I apologized and believe in you."

"You fool! The demons believe and tremble!" He thunders, "You think that you can just say that you 'believe' in Me? You think just because you apologize now that you will be forgiven? You foolish man! It is too late to beg for forgiveness!"

Startled, I reply, "What do you mean it is too late? I can't be held accountable for what I did not know! You never showed Yourself to me! How was I supposed to know that You were real?"

"You have no excuse. I gave you all of My Creation - the stars, moon, and planets; the changing seasons, extravagant sea creatures, and a wide variety of plant life. You have suppressed the Truth in your unrighteousness and have silenced your conscience." I can feel the heat emanating from Him, getting more intense with every word. He continues, "I had mercy on you by ordaining you run into My servants. Just recently you heard one of them preaching out in the open at the beach."

Before me appears a man on a soapbox. He is not a large man, but his voice is powerful and carries without amplification. I remember the scene. He was proclaiming that people were not good and were going to hell. I see myself step up and take his test. I did not take it seriously and mocked him the entire time. After he was done, he came up to me and explained where I would go if I died in my sins - Hell. I scoffed, so he handed me a Million Dollar bill and told me to at least ponder what I had been told and he walked off. I see myself crumple up the tract and shove it into my pocket.

The images disappear and He says, "I sent my servant, Ray, to you just today and you ridiculed him. But he was faithful. You are without excuse. You are guilty!"

I am defeated. I know that my next destination is eternal torment in Hell. If I had only listened! My chains fall off and He reaches out grabbing me. I see a Lake of Fire and I am cast into it. I start screaming....

BUZZ...BUZZ...BUZZ...

My eyes open as I scream at the top of my lungs. I look around. I am in my room! The buzzing is my alarm clock, which I promptly shut off. I finally catch my breath. "It was just a dream. Just a dream," I say to myself. I am not comforted. That was too real. I still feel the weight of my sins on my shoulders. What did that preacher say? I know that I am a sinner, I know that God is real, and I know that if that was real and I had died in my sins, I would be going to hell. But what did he say I needed to do to be saved? I am such a fool! Why did I not take him seriously?

I fumble around looking for the pants I was wearing yesterday. I dig in the pocket and uncrumple the Million Dollar tract and read the back:

The million dollar question: Will you go to Heaven when you die? Here's a quick test. Have you ever told a lie, stolen anything, or used God's name in vain? Jesus said, "Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Have you looked with lust? Will you be guilty on Judgment Day? If you have done those things, God sees you as a lying, thieving, blasphemous, adulterer at heart. The Bible warns that if you are guilty you will end up in Hell. That's not God's will. He sent His Son to suffer and die on the cross for you. You broke God's Law, but Jesus paid your fine. That means He can legally dismiss your case. He can commute your death sentence: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Then He rose from the dead and defeated death. Please, repent (turn from sin) today and trust in Jesus alone, and God will grant you the gift of everlasting life. Then read your Bible daily and obey it.

I fall to my knees, tears pouring down my face as I sob uncontrollably. I am undone, crushed by my guilt. With a contrite heart, I cry out to The Lord. I confess all my known sins. I forsake my sinful life. I also trust in Jesus to save me from my sin and for having paid my fine!

---------------

Well, I hope you enjoyed my tale. If you have any feedback please let me know. I have tried to be as theologically correct as possible, but if I have erred please let me know!

Fishing Update: Tom Clancy is More Interesting Than The Gospel

I think I have found a fishing hole, the laundromat. While I am not the point I want to be, I am getting more bold and confidant about witnessing. On Sunday, I was washing my cloths reading the Word and my hermeneutics book (I am WAY behind,) and gentleman joined me at my table and saw that I was reading the Bible. He ask what I was reading and told him that I was in the Gospel of Luke. He asked what church i want to and told me that he was an Episcopal priest. I know the Episcopal church has strayed from orthodox Christianity, but I do know that there are a few rouge churches out there that are trying to bring their denomination back to Biblical Christianity. After we talked briefly we both went back to our books. While I was reading I saw a man I have seen several times at the laundromat, I prayed a quick prayer for this man's soul and then approached him.

Let's just say I was shot down pretty quick. I waled up and asked if he had received a Million Dollar Bill (I told him it was part of the stimulus package.) He gave me a chuckle, and I preceded to tell him it was a Gospel tract that asked the Million Dollar Question, if you were to die would you go to Heaven? He responded quickly with "If I am lucky," and he quickly handed back the tract. I said that he could keep it and he made it clear he did not want it. He then acted like I was not even there anymore and continued to stare blankly at the TV. I respected his nonverbal request and went back to the table.

When I sat down I asked the priest if he had see the tracts before. He said that he had not, and I tried to talk to what I was hoping was a fellow believer (I am not saying that he was not.) I tried telling him about the nice and concise message on the back and he handed it back to me and went right back to his book, End War by Tom Clancy.

I was a little disheartened, but I will not let this deter me. I know that not all conversations are going to go well, I may even get people who get really mad at me, but I is not me who converts the soul, it is God and His Spirit alone. I was obedient, and that is what God wants.

I ask that when you remember, please pray for my boldness and obedience. I want desperately to have a passion for spreading God's Good News!