The SWORD OF THE LORD Newspaper June 14th, 2019 | Page 2

2 SWORD OF THE LORD What They Had They Treasured, but It Was Not Enough! “For I say unto you, at except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.”—Matt. 5:20. The scribes and the Pharisees of the first century were people with whom Jesus had to deal often. To me they are an interesting case study. They, like a lot of people today, were very religious; but they were also very lost. What they had was a version of the Old Covenant faith that they had somewhat reinvented for themselves. They were sincere, but they were not Heavenbound. They were religious by their definition, but not in line with the plan of God. Jesus acknowledged that they had religion when He said “the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees.” He then indicated that what they had was not enough to get someone to Heaven. He said, “That except your righteousness shall exceed…” Indeed, what we all need is something more than what they had. Furthermore, He made clear that what they had would “in no case” work for anyone. Were the scribes and Pharisees religious? Were they dedicated? Were they good citizens? Were they moral people? Indeed, they were all of that and probably even more. What they had they treasured, but it was not enough. So let’s take note and take heed. Joining a church, getting baptized, taking the Lord’s Supper, going to church faithfully, etc., are not enough. Living the principles of the Christian life and being morally clean are not sufficient to make you a Christian. Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Later in that chapter He said, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (vs. 36). In John 14:6, He declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” In Jerusalem the apostle Peter preached, “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21). “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” (vs. 36). A couple of chapters later he asserted, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (4:12). The apostle Paul defined the faith and works issue with this: “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work” (Rom. 11:6). When all is said and done, nothing says it better than Ephesians 2:8 and 9. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: “Not of works, lest any man should boast.” So, dear friends, it is imperative that we be converted, born again, saved. Whatever else we have and whatever else we do cannot suffice. However treasured it may be, nothing will get you to Heaven except the salvation offered to us by the Lord Jesus Christ. “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; “And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”—I Cor. 15:3, 4. National Sword Conference July 22–25, Gospel Light Baptist Church, Walkertown (Winston-Salem), North Carolina Yes, we are getting closer and (USPS 531-160) (ISSN 0039-7547) AMERICA’S FOREMOST REVIVAL PUBLICATION DR. JOHN R. RICE, Founder-Editor 1934-1980 DR. CURTIS HUTSON, President-Editor 1980-1995 DR. SHELTON SMITH, President, Editor MARLON SMITH, Executive Vice President BART WALKER, Treasurer JIMMY BARRETT, Customer Service Manager DR. DAVID SUMNER, Advertising Manager C ONTACT U S Customer Service Book sales, Subscriptions, Address changes, Gifts 800-247-9673 fax [phone] [email protected] Advertising 615-893-6700 fax [phone] [email protected] Conferences 615-893-6700 fax [phone] [email protected] Editorial 615-893-6700 fax [phone] [email protected] Correspondence to columnists should be sent in care of the Sword of the Lord, PO Box 1099, Murfreesboro, TN 37133-1099. Web Site www.swordofthelord.com S UBSCRIPTION R ATES United States: one year $19.95 Canada and Foreign: $29 U.S. per year SWORD OF THE LORD (ISSN 0039-7547) (USPS 531-160) is published biweekly by the Sword of the Lord Foundation, 224 Bridge Avenue, Murfreesboro, TN 37129. Periodicals Postage Paid at Murfreesboro, TN and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Sword of the Lord PO Box 1099 Murfreesboro, TN 37133-1099 Publication Mail Agreement #41347012 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: PO Box 503 RPO West Beaver Creek Richmond Hill, ON L4B 4R6 closer to the big week of blessing in North Carolina. I hope you will be there with us. Churches should send their pastors and staff. What little you invest in them will pay big dividends for your church. Pastors should urge their church leaders and their families to attend. It will help them catch the vision of doing what you want to do in your church. And remember: there is no advance registration, all seats are first come first served and all sessions, including the workshops, are free to everyone. We will pass the offering plates and we will ask those who can to join our Sword VIP Clubs. That’s the way we finance the Conference and pay the bills. But everyone is invited to be there without any fees whatsoever. We do not want anyone to be left out so we step out by faith, trust the Lord and ask our friends who can do it to help us. Am I making my case here? We want you to come, so start getting ready and plan for it. See you Monday night, July 22, at National Sword Conference. June 14, 2019 Noteworthy News ■ Continued from p 1■ liberals in an attempt to gain acceptance for their agenda. This church and its psychic staff member are either engaged in demonology, or they are faking the whole thing. Either way they are dabbling in a very dangerous matter. Library Card Gets Your Child Access to More Than Books Parents are being warned their children are becoming exposed to more and more LGBT activism in their public libraries. Children are being encouraged to go to private space sessions at their libraries—meaning parents are not allowed—where they are indoctrinated to alternative and dangerous lifestyles, including transgenders teaching them in “drag queen story hours.” In Delaware County, north of Columbus, Ohio, alarmed parents were able to convince the library to cancel a “Drag 101” session, the latest case of communities pushing back against LGBT activists. Linda Harvey of Mission America says many public libraries also stock material promoting the lifestyles. “[They give] links to child corruption groups like GLSEN, the Gay and Lesbian Straight Education Network,” she warns, “and the Human Rights Campaign and many other resources,…[P]arents would be highly disturbed to see what’s given out to their children, bypassing parental oversight.” In Houston, Texas, it was learned that not one but two “drag queens” who participated in a “story hour” were both convicted child sex offenders.… “What we have is activism going on,” Harvey warns, “and The Couples’ Conference at unfortunately this starts with the American Library Association and all the National Sword of the…professional library groups and training programs.” Conference Such left-wing groups are “wildly enthusiastic” about pushing We are doing something this year “alternative lifestyles” on the public using their own public libraries that we have not done before at to do so, she says. the National Sword Conference. —Charlie Butts, onenewsnow.com Instead of the ladies’ workshops, we are doing a couples’ event all three afternoons. Christians Are Targets of Persecution I will have a thirty-minute Worldwide teaching session each day. According to a…report commissioned by Britain’s foreign office, the Then I have asked three of our overwhelming majority of religious persecution around the globe is main speakers, Dr. Mike Allison, against Christians. With high levels of persecution in 50 countries, Dr. Jeff Fugate and Dr. Jim Townsley, to do a one-hour teaching session. literally millions of people who identify as Christians are finding These sessions will be geared to themselves the targets of hostility by governments and by non- marriage, parenting and family Christian religious groups. British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt told reporters in Ethiopia, “I issues. Add up the years and you will find that the four of us have a think we’ve all been asleep on the watch when it comes to the combined total of 185 years of persecution of Christians.” —SWORD NEWS SERVICE marriage. We all have children and grandchildren. We will do our best to pass along the wisdom of God, the principles Flap Over Flying Christian Flag of Scripture and undoubtedly A lawsuit by a Christian organization seeking to fly its flag at Boston’s some humor from our years of city hall, as other groups are allowed [to do], is going forward. experience. That’s after U.S. District Judge Denise Casper ruled…the city These sessions will be from presented insufficient evidence to make an immediate judgment. 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, The city banned an organization called Camp Constitution from Wednesday and Thursday. participating in the program to which dozens of other groups, including some foreign interests, have been granted access. This Year’s School of the Prophets at National Sword The program allows a private flag to be flown over city hall for a Conference short period.… The group alleges that the city’s policy against nonsecular flags This will be my twenty-fifth year of conducting what I call my violates the equal protection clause because it discriminates against School of the Prophets at the speech based on its content—namely, against religious speech—the judge explained. National Sword Conference. The camp also alleges the city’s rule against religious flags violates These teaching sessions are for pastors, church staff, evangelists, the Establishment Clause and free speech protections. missionaries, deacons, Sunday —wnd.com school teachers, bus workers and soul winners. They are practical, down-to-earth, nuts-and-bolts Massachusetts Becomes Sixteenth State to workshops about anything and Ban Conversion Therapy for Gay Youth; everything related to the building Lawsuit Expected of a church. This year we will have three guest Massachusetts became the sixteenth state to ban sexual orientation teachers in addition to my lectures. change efforts therapy for LGBT minors.… I have asked Dennis Leatherman Republican Governor Charlie Baker signed H. 140 into law on [April (Maryland), Mike Wells (Texas) and 6]. The new legislation prohibits licensed professionals from engaging Kevin Wynne (Mexico) to assist me in counseling meant to help minors struggling with same-sex with detailed instruction from their attraction who want to change. years of experience. …[T]he Massachusetts Family Institute, which had campaigned Pastors will glean much from against the proposed legislation, denounced Governor Baker’s signing the School of the Prophets, but of the bill and threatened legal action. church workers need to be there …MFI President and General Counsel Andrew Beckwith [said], “This as well. These sessions will be held in the main auditorium from law is an extraordinarily invasive assault on the rights of parents to 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, raise their children and a violation of the First Amendment right to free speech for the counselors whose help they seek.” Wednesday and Thursday. …In addition to California, D.C., and Massachusetts, states that ban Victory Baptist Church the practice for minors include Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Hanover, Pennsylvania Maryland, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New The third weekend of May, I York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington State. traveled to Hanover, Pennsylvania —Michael Gryboski, christianpost.com Continued on p 3▶ Continued on p 9▶