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(Psalm 41:1) ***ASK BILL: Pastor Bill, when we accept the Lord as our personal Savior and still sin, even though we don’t mean to, will we still be judged for those sins? This is very confusing to me and I know it is for others like me. ANSWER: Christ paid the price on the cross for ALL of our sins. However, when we sin, we forfeit the peace, joy, and abundance we should enjoy, plus, whatever consequences there as a result of our sins. the Bible talks about crowns in Heaven. Little is known about those crowns and rewards, other than they will be for our faithfulness and obedience. We don’t lost our salvation, but we probably forfeit some crowns and rewards. I want to encourage you someday to take about an hour, sit down with your Bible, and look at all the scriptures concerning care for the poor and needy. One thing I have learned to understand about God and the way He has divinely given us His word, is when you see the same issue talked about over and over, especially thr

(Judges 13:24, 14:3; 16:1, 16:21, 16:30) ***ASK BILL: Pastor Bill, if the anti-Christ is alive today, does he know he’s the anti-Christ or will this not become apparent to him until later? ANSWER: Great question. I honestly am not 100% certain, though, I have a feeling someone who has the incredible abilities to bring together a one-world government, a one-world-economy, and a one-world religion, may even feel they are inspired by God! Another thing, none of these things are possible simply thru brute force, so the anti-Christ will be an incredibly charismatic, incredibly intelligent, incredibly gifted person to bring together the world under one single banner. Of course, once in control, the evil of one human being controlling the world will become apparent. Very scary. No matter how long you have been saved, no matter how greatly God is using your life, the fact is that we each wake up in the morning and face the choice of who we will serve that day. I have used the li

(1 Timothy 6:12) ***ASK BILL: Pastor Bill, my sister and I were talking about that papyrus found that mentions Jesus might have a wife and I said if he was married, it would have been written in the Bible. She said, King James and possibly others before him, took out some of the books he considered “unacceptable.” ANSWER: First, you are 100% CORRECT. Jesus was NOT married, and did NOT have children or it would have been in the Bible. If this papyrus is even legit, it was probably from one of the SCORES of “books” written but deemed not inspired and inerrant prior to the complete canon of 66 books we recognize today as the Bible in 90ad, or after. Just like today, many “books” were written that were theologically, historically, archeologically, scientifically inaccurate and not accepted as Scripture. Just like today, there were many “cults” that took pieces of Biblical Christianity but added their own “Scriptures.” If it is not in the Bible, it is not true! “Fight the good

(Luke 18:1-8) ***ASK BILL: Pastor Bill, some people think God chose who he was going to be saved even before they were born. I tend to think He just knew who was going to follow him and who wasn’t. What is your opinion? ANSWER: It is the age old debate about “election.” God in His omniscience knew before the foundations of the earth was formed who would accept Him and who would reject Him. Having said that, despite His knowledge, man has the free will to accept or reject Christ and God DOES NOT interfere with that free will choice, meaning each person is responsible for what they do with Jesus. Otherwise, there would be no need for preaching the Gospel, there would be no point in evangelizing, and all of the commandments regarding telling others (Romans 10) would be meaningless. One of the greatest tests of our faith is when we pray about an issue and NOTHING happens. We pray some more, and still nothing happens. We pray until we simply can’t pray any longer. Let me say up front, there

(Revelation 13:16) “He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead.” Revelation 13:16 Over the years, I have written many times on the fact that we are in the “last days” according to the Bible. All you have to do is read the words of Jesus in Matthew Chapter 24, the words of Paul in 2 Timothy Chapter 3, and the words of Peter in 2 Peter Chapter 3, to see that what they describe as the conditions in the “last days” clearly exist today. Of course no man knows the exact date or time Christ will return, only God knows that, but based on the signs the Bible says will mark the “last days,” it is clear His return is imminent. Let me explain to you how close we are. Ten ago, I was laughed at when I shared with you about a company called Mondex. Mondex (the word is a combination of the word MONETARY=money and DEXTER=belonging to the right hand) is a company that is providing a cashless system through

'...SUBMIT TO GO. RESIST THE DEVIL...'JAMES 4:7 NKJVs When it comes to temptation, remember these seven things: 1) Never say 'never.' You never become so spiritual that you're immune. 'No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it' ( 1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV). 2) Realize you can stumble on the last lap. Because you haven't blown it yet, doesn't mean you can't. satan is a master of timing, and he's in no particular hurry. 3) Acknowledge your basic drives. St Augustine said, 'There is nothing more powerful in bringing down the spirit of a man the caresses of a woman. ' Your flesh is powerful; once indulged it will always want more. 4) Understand that you are responsible. Sin is a choice. When you chose to abuse God's grace you pay th

…FORGIVE WHATEVER GRIEVANCE YOU MAY HAVE…COLOSSIANS 3:13 NIV We talk about grudges the way we talk about babies. You can hold a grudge, carry a grudge bear a grudge, or nurse a grudge. The trouble is, when you nurse something you feed it, make it grow and pretty soon it’s full grown. Are you carrying a grudge? Why? It doesn’t make sense. Why would you pick up something each day that weight you down and carry it around with you? But they hurt m.’ Yes, but by carrying a grudge you enable them to keep hurting you. Don’t do that do that to yourself! We know we’re supposed to forgive other people, but sometimes forgiving feels like we are giving up something. One of Lincoln’s stories we about a man on his sickbed who had been told by the doctor that he didn’t have much time to live. He summoned an old friend named Brown with whom he’d quarreled bitterly. They didn’t spoken for years. The man talked of how he was going to die soon of how their petty differences looked in the face of death, a

…FORGIVE WHATEVER GRIEVANCE YOU MAY HAVE…COLOSSIANS 3:13 NIV We talk about grudges the way we talk about babies. You can hold a grudge, carry a grudge bear a grudge, or nurse a grudge. The trouble is, when you nurse something you feed it, make it grow and pretty soon it’s full grown. Are you carrying a grudge? Why? It doesn’t make sense. Why would you pick up something each day that weight you down and carry it around with you? But they hurt m.’ Yes, but by carrying a grudge you enable them to keep hurting you. Don’t do that do that to yourself! We know we’re supposed to forgive other people, but sometimes forgiving feels like we are giving up something. One of Lincoln’s stories we about a man on his sickbed who had been told by the doctor that he didn’t have much time to live. He summoned an old friend named Brown with whom he’d quarreled bitterly. They didn’t spoken for years. The man talked of how he was going to die soon of how their petty differences looked in the face of death, a

A 92-YEAR-OLD woman from Florida, USA, was arrested after she fired a handgun into her neighbour's house when he refused to give her a kiss. Helen Staudinger told Marion County sheriff's deputies that she had walked next door to speak with her neighbor, 53-years-old Dwight Better, who she said had asked her to leave. She insisted she would not leave until he had given her a kiss. After a brief argument, she got a .380 semi-automatic handgun from her home and fired several shots into Mr. Bettner's home. One of the bullets flew into Mr. Bettner's bedroom, where he was hit with flying glass. The man told the police that Ms Staudinger, a widow, had expressed a fondness for him since he moved to the neighbourhood six months earlier. "I told her I'm in a relatinship," Mr. Bettner said. " She has this idea I'm supposed to be her man. " Ms. Staudinger was charged with aggravated assult and shooting into an occupied dwelling. Oh what a world of loneli

A 92-YEAR-OLD woman from Florida, USA, was arrested after she fired a handgun into her neighbour's house when he refused to give her a kiss. Helen Staudinger told Marion County sheriff's deputies that she had walked next door to speak with her neighbor, 53-years-old Dwight Better, who she said had asked her to leave. She insisted she would not leave until he had given her a kiss. After a brief argument, she got a .380 semi-automatic handgun from her home and fired several shots into Mr. Bettner's home. One of the bullets flew into Mr. Bettner's bedroom, where he was hit with flying glass. The man told the police that Ms Staudinger, a widow, had expressed a fondness for him since he moved to the neighbourhood six months earlier. "I told her I'm in a relatinship," Mr. Bettner said. " She has this idea I'm supposed to be her man. " Ms. Staudinger was charged with aggravated assult and shooting into an occupied dwelling. Oh what a world of loneli

When you lose what you love you go through 5 stages: (1) Denial – ‘No, it can’t be happening.’ (2) Anger – ‘God, why are You permitting this?’ (3) Bargaining – ‘Please make it go away.’ (4) Depression – Silence and withdrawal. (5) Acceptance – ‘Not my will but Thine be done.’ Whether it’s the loss of a child, a marriage, a job, your health, etc. when you turn to God He’ll give you the grace to embrace it, grieve it, express it, release it, and go on to become stronger. Sometimes we seek quick relief by releasing it before we’ve gone through these stages. That’s because we fear the process. We’ve been taught that any show of emotion is a show of weakness, so we stuff it. But we only stuff it into our emotional garbage can, then spend all our time and energy sitting on the lid, trying to keep the contents from spilling out. ‘You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free’ (John 8:32 NKJV). It’s knowing and embracing the truth, including its painful aspects, that sets you fre

When you lose what you love you go through 5 stages: (1) Denial – ‘No, it can’t be happening.’ (2) Anger – ‘God, why are You permitting this?’ (3) Bargaining – ‘Please make it go away.’ (4) Depression – Silence and withdrawal. (5) Acceptance – ‘Not my will but Thine be done.’ Whether it’s the loss of a child, a marriage, a job, your health, etc. when you turn to God He’ll give you the grace to embrace it, grieve it, express it, release it, and go on to become stronger. Sometimes we seek quick relief by releasing it before we’ve gone through these stages. That’s because we fear the process. We’ve been taught that any show of emotion is a show of weakness, so we stuff it. But we only stuff it into our emotional garbage can, then spend all our time and energy sitting on the lid, trying to keep the contents from spilling out. ‘You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free’ (John 8:32 NKJV). It’s knowing and embracing the truth, including its painful aspects, that sets you fre

A famous singer was to perform at the Grand Opera House. The concert hall was packed. Suddenly the house manager announced, ‘Ladies and gentlemen I regret that due to illness our special guest will be unable to perform this evening. But we’ve found another singer, an equally great talent, so would you please give her a warm welcome.’ The crowd groaned so loudly that nobody even heard the singer’s name. You could feel the disappointment everywhere. The stand-in singer gave it everything she had but when it was over all she got was brief scattered applause followed by uncomfortable silence. Suddenly in the balcony a child stood up and shouted, ‘Mommy, I think you’re wonderful!’ Realising what had happened, the crowd jumped to their feet and gave her a standing ovation that lasted for several minutes. There are people in your life today who are bleeding emotionally, crumbling under the load they silently carry, who never hear the words, ‘I think you’re wonderful.’ Why? (a) Because we nev

A famous singer was to perform at the Grand Opera House. The concert hall was packed. Suddenly the house manager announced, ‘Ladies and gentlemen I regret that due to illness our special guest will be unable to perform this evening. But we’ve found another singer, an equally great talent, so would you please give her a warm welcome.’ The crowd groaned so loudly that nobody even heard the singer’s name. You could feel the disappointment everywhere. The stand-in singer gave it everything she had but when it was over all she got was brief scattered applause followed by uncomfortable silence. Suddenly in the balcony a child stood up and shouted, ‘Mommy, I think you’re wonderful!’ Realising what had happened, the crowd jumped to their feet and gave her a standing ovation that lasted for several minutes. There are people in your life today who are bleeding emotionally, crumbling under the load they silently carry, who never hear the words, ‘I think you’re wonderful.’ Why? (a) Because we nev

Only by loving yourself in a healthy way, can you love others the way God intended. When you don’t love yourself you live with insecurity, and you keep looking to others for approval. When you don’t get it, your self-worth shrivels. As a result, you live far beneath your potential. You are the only person you can’t get away from, so unless you learn to accept yourself, you’ll be miserable. Stop and think about the last time you were around somebody you didn’t enjoy being with; how did it feel? Whether good or bad, you project onto others the thoughts and feelings you have about yourself. So if you want people to think well of you, have a good opinion of yourself; one that’s based on God’s Word and nurtured by the right relationships. No question, the Bible cautions us about having an over inflated opinion of ourselves. But don’t go to the other extreme! Living with continual self-rejection is an open invitation to Satan, who is always ‘sneaking around to find someone to attack’ (1 Pete

Only by loving yourself in a healthy way, can you love others the way God intended. When you don’t love yourself you live with insecurity, and you keep looking to others for approval. When you don’t get it, your self-worth shrivels. As a result, you live far beneath your potential. You are the only person you can’t get away from, so unless you learn to accept yourself, you’ll be miserable. Stop and think about the last time you were around somebody you didn’t enjoy being with; how did it feel? Whether good or bad, you project onto others the thoughts and feelings you have about yourself. So if you want people to think well of you, have a good opinion of yourself; one that’s based on God’s Word and nurtured by the right relationships. No question, the Bible cautions us about having an over inflated opinion of ourselves. But don’t go to the other extreme! Living with continual self-rejection is an open invitation to Satan, who is always ‘sneaking around to find someone to attack’ (1 Pete

‘If I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.’ 1 Corinthians 13:2 NIV We keep saying that relationships are more important to us than anything else, but our actions don’t show it. We constantly short-change our friends and loved ones for the sake of money, or ‘getting ahead.’ Relationships are like flowers; if you don’t nurture and protect them, they die. That’s why Paul writes: ‘Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit…look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others’ (Philippians 2:3-4 NIV). Sometimes it takes heartache and crisis to remind us how irreplaceable the people in our lives are. One author writes: ‘I have spent long hours in the Intensive Care waiting room watching anguished people, listening to urgent questions: “Will my husband make it?” “Will my child walk again?” “How do you live without your companion of 30 years?” The Intensive Care waiting room is different from any other place in the world. And the pe

‘If I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.’ 1 Corinthians 13:2 NIV We keep saying that relationships are more important to us than anything else, but our actions don’t show it. We constantly short-change our friends and loved ones for the sake of money, or ‘getting ahead.’ Relationships are like flowers; if you don’t nurture and protect them, they die. That’s why Paul writes: ‘Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit…look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others’ (Philippians 2:3-4 NIV). Sometimes it takes heartache and crisis to remind us how irreplaceable the people in our lives are. One author writes: ‘I have spent long hours in the Intensive Care waiting room watching anguished people, listening to urgent questions: “Will my husband make it?” “Will my child walk again?” “How do you live without your companion of 30 years?” The Intensive Care waiting room is different from any other place in the world. And the pe

                     ‘LET HIM HAVE ALL YOUR WORRIES AND CARES.’ 1 PETER 5:7 TLB A lot of us grew up believing there’s a Mr. Right out there who can ride in on a white horse with no troubles of his own and make everything wonderful for us. The truth is Mr. Right is probably looking for somebody to answer his own ‘help wanted’ ad. Do you really think someone is going to come looking for the kind of weight your problems would lay on them? Even if they are willing (and most are not), are they able? Men are not God. Only the Lord can restore what you’ve lost and make your life what it ought to be. So start talking to the right person – God! Things will begin to improve when you stop looking for Mr. Right to be the antibiotic to all of life’s infections and the answer to all of life’s questions. Only God can heal what you’ve been trying to cure, or demand emotionally from others. He alone can ride into your situation on the wings of hope and put things together. One touch of His hand can br

                     ‘LET HIM HAVE ALL YOUR WORRIES AND CARES.’ 1 PETER 5:7 TLB A lot of us grew up believing there’s a Mr. Right out there who can ride in on a white horse with no troubles of his own and make everything wonderful for us. The truth is Mr. Right is probably looking for somebody to answer his own ‘help wanted’ ad. Do you really think someone is going to come looking for the kind of weight your problems would lay on them? Even if they are willing (and most are not), are they able? Men are not God. Only the Lord can restore what you’ve lost and make your life what it ought to be. So start talking to the right person – God! Things will begin to improve when you stop looking for Mr. Right to be the antibiotic to all of life’s infections and the answer to all of life’s questions. Only God can heal what you’ve been trying to cure, or demand emotionally from others. He alone can ride into your situation on the wings of hope and put things together. One touch of His hand can br

Illness, stress, family problems, job demands, etc., rob us of sleep. And when we constantly run on low battery power it shows up in our attitudes, our relationships and our performance. The Bible says: 1) ‘It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep.’ 2) ‘I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety’ (Psalm 4:8 NKJV). 3) ‘When you lie down, you will not be afraid; yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet’ (Proverbs 3:24 NKJV). Sleep is an act of trust: when you go to sleep the world is in God’s hands, not yours. And it will get along very well, even if you’re not awake to control things. When you awaken tomorrow morning, just like God giving Israel fresh manna, He will give you the grace needed. Jeremiah said, ‘After this I awoke and looked around, and my sleep was sweet to me’ (Jeremiah 31:26 NKJV). Ever tried to pray when you were suffering from sleep defici

Illness, stress, family problems, job demands, etc., rob us of sleep. And when we constantly run on low battery power it shows up in our attitudes, our relationships and our performance. The Bible says: 1) ‘It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep.’ 2) ‘I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety’ (Psalm 4:8 NKJV). 3) ‘When you lie down, you will not be afraid; yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet’ (Proverbs 3:24 NKJV). Sleep is an act of trust: when you go to sleep the world is in God’s hands, not yours. And it will get along very well, even if you’re not awake to control things. When you awaken tomorrow morning, just like God giving Israel fresh manna, He will give you the grace needed. Jeremiah said, ‘After this I awoke and looked around, and my sleep was sweet to me’ (Jeremiah 31:26 NKJV). Ever tried to pray when you were suffering from sleep defici

'ELIJAH WAS…JUST LIKE US.' JAMES 5:17 NIV What was God's prescription for getting Elijah back on his feet? A lecture on the prophet's faltering faith? No, just rest and nourishment! God recognises our limitations, even when we don't. 'A bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out' (Isaiah 42:3 NIV). When we neglect our own legitimate needs, it shows up in our attitude. God understands that being down is a 'perspective' problem, and getting back up requires adjustment in four crucial areas. So: 1) He adjusted Elijah's God-perspective. 'Get in the presence of God and he'll meet with you' (1 Kings 19:11 NIV). The One who gave Elijah victory on Mount Carmel, could also sustain him in the desert of Jezreel. But first Elijah had to spend time with Him; otherwise he was running on an empty tank. Hello! 2) He adjusted Elijah's world-perspective. Elijah said, 'God's covenant is broken, His altar des