It's been awhile since my last series of posts about "The Protesters"; those Sanctimonious Self-declared defenders of the Gospel whose tactics include throwing "verbal" & "libelous" stones at fellow believers who are different than them. One of the main leaders is a man by the name of Ralph Ovadal who has the unmitigated gall to label himself a "Pastor", but instead should consider calling himself the head "Witch-hunter" as that is what he does. I haven't decided if he's just "nuts", "puffed up" on himself, or just plain bogus. Many of my co-ministers from my leadership forum that I joined a few years back as a result of a Cornerstone Seminar, have advised me to ignore him as talking to him will not bear any "good fruit." In the past, Mr. O. has accused me of trying to make him look like "the bad guy." That's not true as the only real bad guy is Satan; who can deceive people like Mr. O. into believing they are serving God by attacking those that serve him in ways foreign to Mr. O's. Ralph, in my opinion, is an arrogant Pharisee who isn't content to just reach out to the sinners lost to Christ with the compassion that Christ showed us, but to throw stones at fellow believers who, not only believe in other methods, but have proven their worth time & time again. I'm sure that he, &/or others like him that stand outside the gates of the Festival will cause a few attendees into questioning their motives in attending the Fest, & some will even turn away from it; but that's no surprise as even the Mormons & Jehovah's Witnesses pull Christians out of their respective congregations & cause them to question their faith as well as their 1st love. I have concluded that people like him will always hang around the true Christians that do God's work in reaching the lost for Christ; & their is nothing I can say or do that will make people like that believe any different. I will turn them over to Satan so that they can go through their hell here on earth to, hopefully, save them from the pit that awaits in eternity.
Mr. O. seems to have it in for people like the catholics, born-again Gays, Franklin Graham, The Boy Scouts of America, & even those that have been adult leaders in such an organization, as, in his piece of "yellow journalism" entitled "The Cornerstone Report", (http://www.pccmonroe.org/Newsletters/2008.09.11.htm) he writes the following: "
We no sooner had set up our signs than a rock music fan wearing a red beret--in his 60s no less--" Yes, I wear the Red Beret that I wore as an Assistant Scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America that's part of the uniform; it even says so inside of it! But Mr. O. likes to make groundless accusations, mocking God's servants, without bothering to check out the facts 1st! Enough of this Cultist!
Since his barrage of venomous e-mails to me after last years Fest, I've been thinking about other people I've known as Pastors, Ministers, & Believers; most of who have also caused me to question their motives & walk with Christ. It's the ones that I used to have a close relationship with that I had a close relationship with, either personally or through their ministry, that seem to also serve Satan just as much as the Protesters!
At the 2003 C-stone Fest I attended after a 6 year absence. It was my distinct pleasure to meet a man that I'd truly admired for his work in Christian music. That man was none other than the very famous Ray Boltz! So imagine my shock when I read that he had divorced his Christian wife of 30 years to go live an openly gay lifestyle in Jacksonville Florida! (http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2008/09/13/ray-boltz-confesses-he-is-gay/#comments)
Furthermore he went on record as confessing that his 30 year ministry was a lie & that it was okay because God knew he was gay! (http://www.washblade.com/2008/9-12/arts/feature/13258.cfm) No, being actively gay & calling your ministry a "lie" is WRONG!
Then there was Pastor Ted Haggard, whose Church in Colorado Springs, Co. I'd attended a few times, who was exposed as an illegal drug user and of having a homo-sexual affair.
Another Pastor I'd grown close to, and whose church I'd attended regularly had been divorced from his wife & later confessed to be having a torrid love affair with his Church secretary!
And then there was my close friend, S.L.C. This young man & myself started a music/drama ministry together that brought many young people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. He married a young lady that he'd known all of his life, & they moved to another state. Later I discovered that his wife divorced him when he was arrested on a "sexual Molestation" charge.
Because I'm "soft-hearted", & apparently "soft-headed" as well I called this guy up from time to time just to see how he was doing. However, the last couple of years he's not picking up the phone when I call anymore or answering any of the messages that I leave on his e-mail.
The Word of God reads: "Narrow is the path, & few are those who find it." As I study God's word I find many examples of people that claimed to be servants of God, but did things contrary to what God would have us do. I see Ralph O. & those like him bearing a strong resemblance to Simon Bar-Jesus who followed Paul around, trying to ruin him for doing God's work. I also can compare them to the Pharasees who questioned Jesus for his disciples breaking the "law" by healing on the sabbath. Jesus' response put them in their place. (Matt. 12:9-14)
Balim was God's prophet who "sold-out". Lot's weakness before God extracted a terrible price.
Jonah's flight from God's will was fruitless as God kept his feet on the proper path. Noah was a drunk and Rahab the Harlot is listed in Jesus' genealogical linage.
In 1st Cor. 6: 9-11, Paul writes: "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards will inherit the kingdom of God. (Now the interesting part!) And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God."
Yes, these people were the same sort at one time in their lives yet managed to come clean by the blood of Christ and the Spirit of God! And what of those that don't? In 1st Cor. 5:11 Paul writes: "But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner--not even to eat with such a person". Strong Words, I keep all of those I've mentioned in prayer that they may come to their senses before it's too late. Peace!
(Top) Rez Band Reuinion!
John Herrin, Fest director & former Rez
