In at least two movies, the phrase noted in the title of this article, has been dramatically spoken by actors/characters. The first is Gladiator and the second is the new movie Sisu: Road to Revenge. In Gladiator, Russell Crowe/Maximus Decimus Meridius, commands his troops, “At my signal, unleash Hell!” Stephen Lang/Igor Draganov in Sisu: Road to Revenge declares the same: “Unleash Hell!”. We make no distinction between actors and their characters when spiritual matters are at play! To these boys, their directors and their producers, I say Hell is not yours to unleash! Hell is the Lord Jesus’! Moreover, what you are unleashing is hardly Hell! Your biggest bombs and missiles are microscopic firecrackers, and fireflies compared to Hell! The firepower of God’s Hell is unlike any of man’s weaponry! Further, unleashing speaks of that which is of an appropriate size to unleash. Something relatively small is unleashed! You unleash your pit bull! The point is that the bigness of Hell does not allow for, or facilitate, its unleashing! Notwithstanding, God’s absolute and limitless power overrides this generality! To the massive, unbelievers are escorted after sentencing! They go to it! It does not come to them! Much of the world does not and will not believe the Bible and the God of it! Hell is therefore appropriately BIG to receive the BILLIONS that descend into it!

Isaiah 5:14: “Therefore Hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.” Matthew 3:12: “Whose fan is in His hand, and He will throughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” These verses reveal so much about Hell:

1. Hell gets bigger. Hell has enlarged herself! Men build more prisons, God makes His bigger!

2. Hell opened her mouth without measure - without limits/without boundaries. It is indeed massive!

3. Hell receives their multitude/billions!

4. The character of those there and going there are their glory, their pomp, and he that rejoices.

These descriptors speak of self-importance, self-centeredness, and an arrogant, “know it all” attitude, and those that rejoice in the demise and pain and suffering of others. These speak of self-sufficiency and knowing more and better than God Himself!

5. Hell is not unleashed. People descend into it!

6. Hell has unquenchable fire. What they are unleashing in those movies fizzles out and freezes over in mere moments.

It is a revealing thing when screenwriters and actors misuse and misapply God’s Word or elements of it; it exposes gross unbelief! All players in the process are equally guilty, not just the writers and those who speak it. In our world, a person does not have to shoot and kill another to be justly found guilty of murder; all he/she has to do is be the getaway driver! God will not be toyed with, and His Word will not be minimized and trivialized without deadly eternal consequences! “The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness” (Proverbs 15:2). The tongue of the wise uses knowledge right! But the mouth of these fools, all of them, Russell Crowe, Stephen Lang, Ridley Scott, Douglas Wick, David Franzoni, Branko Lustig, Jalmari Helander, Petri Jokiranta, Mike Goodridge et al., pours out foolishness! We encourage you, again all of you, to read God’s statute, the Holy Bible, with fear of Him and Him alone, to first and foremost come to a saving knowledge of Him and secondarily to properly and truthfully reflect His truth in your movies, should you go there in them! Psalms 119:155: “Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes.” “The wicked” are unbelievers! Psalms 115:13 declares, “He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great.” You are the latter and you are most definitely included! “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:7).

I have always loved movies. I have thoroughly enjoyed Gladiator each time I have watched it, and I’m sure I will enjoy Sisu: Road to Revenge (saw “Unleash Hell!” in its trailer)! I greatly appreciate excellent actors such as those mentioned in this write-up! They have brought many happy moments in my life as I watch them in their element dispensing their craft! I have even fantasized playing a role in such movies and would gladly take the opportunity to do so should I be given it! As a Bible-believing Christian and Minister, with the fine filter of God’s Word part and parcel of my brain, I am constantly seeing it play out with absolute precision and accuracy in our world, and being alerted to error! The Lord Jesus commanded and counselled: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell” (Matthew 10:28). Notice the somberness and seriousness with which the King speaks of Hell! He is the One who destroys both body and soul in Hell! This is the only tone and terms with which Hell must be spoken! Luke 12:5: “But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear Him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into Hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear Him.” Notice as well, people are cast into Hell! Hell is not unleashed! Do you suppose God will excuse saying, “well, it’s only his character saying those words”? To those mentioned by name in this article, we warn of, not wish, God’s Hell! To forewarn is to love!

Further, countless religions believe that bad people go to Hell. But this is “bad” as defined by man and as per man’s self-righteous standards. “Bad” to God are those who do not believe Him! Bad to God are those who believe and worship the other gods of the major world religions! Bad to God are those who deny the death, burial, and bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus! Bad to God are those who believe the theory of evolution, which is diametrically opposed to, and denies, Genesis’ creation account! Bad to God are those who believe that the impotent/dead gods of the other religions will take those adherents to Heaven; even those who claim to be Christians believe this nonsense! Of course that would be just a claim, as those are NOT real Christians who believe this horse hooey! Bad to God are those who do not believe that the Lord Jesus is the ONLY way to Heaven! God sums it up beautifully: “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God” (Hebrews 3:12). Bad to the God of the Bible is possession of an evil heart of unbelief. Hell, then, is a place for good people, people who are so good in their own eyes as per their morality and good social deeds that they do not need to believe the Bible and its Saviour! Those who, in grand disbelief, make light of Hell’s colossal and deadly reality go there!

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In our world, many companies are run by a board of directors. The board of directors works to oversee a company’s management and provide strategic direction on behalf of stakeholders such as shareholders. Further, much of the board’s detailed work is performed by committees, like an audit or compensation committee, which then present their findings to the full board. A board of directors typically has between 3 and 15 members, usually with an odd number to avoid tie votes. A board of 3 directors is common, often consisting of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), a key investor, and an independent director. Made in God’s image, we tend to do as He does. However, as sinners, in mirroring Him, we are highly deficient. Because His image is engrained in us, inherent and integral to our being, we naturally tend to emulate Him even if we do not acknowledge Him in the very least or trust in Him as Saviour. We have board of directors because God Himself presents as a Board! That Board is the Trinity: three Persons, one Board/one Godhead! He is not three Gods. A board of directors comprised of 5 people is not five boards; it remains one board! He is one God/one Board comprised of three Persons! Exodus 20:3, the very first commandment, states: “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.” The true Christ declares: “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matthew 24:24). If your God is not the Trinity of the Bible, it is an idol! If your Christ is a false Christ, your god is an idol!

This doctrine, the doctrine of the Trinity, is taught at the very outset in His Word. Genesis 1:26: “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” Observe the plural pronoun and the repeated plural possessive adjective, respectively. And God, not Gods, said, Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness. God in Genesis begins to reveal who He is. “For there are Three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these Three are One” (1 John 5:7); in this verse we see how many comprise the US and OURs and who they are. The Trinity is the Father, Lord Jehovah, the Word, the Lord Jesus, and the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit. And to reiterate, these Three are One. In declaring, “I and My Father are One” (John 10:30), the Lord Jesus teaches the Trinity as He highlights and identifies Two of the Three Persons in the Godhead. The Three are one in essence (God “material” / “substance”), equality, all deity attributes, and complete and full unity! Though there is an odd number of three, counteracting tie votes does NOT apply to Him! “Votes” are ALWAYS UNANIMOUS! For further clarity, by way of examples, the essence of my keys is metal, the essence of my desk is wood, the essence of my shoes is leather, etc.

Every religion that does not believe God’s revelation of Himself in the Bible as a Trinity is a false one. One sabbath-fixated cult names another cult, because of its disdain for that cult, which is the Mary-fixated cult, as one reason for rejecting the doctrine of the Trinity. It took over 100 years for the former to now claim that they espouse this truth! They have acquiesced for acceptance! They adopted the Trinitarian position in their 1980 Statement of Fundamental Beliefs. What has become of all their followers, who have since died, that they deceived with lies until 1980? Neither God nor His truth changes! What a red flag when a religious organization changes like the wind as per their leaders’ whim of what their people believe and when to believe it! Perhaps, in 2097 they will adopt that Hell is a place of EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT! Very slow learners indeed! But the irony here is that the Mary-venerating cult in real and practical terms does NOT adhere to the Biblical Trinity. The Lord Jesus is not a piece of bread when that bread is “consecrated” by their clergy! Their people are then told to worship that wafer for it is now the body of Christ. This is nothing short of idolatry, the grossest sin to God! The wafer God is not God! Not only does the name have to be right but the Person also must be right to truly uphold the doctrine of the Trinity. Calling my microwave cooker Christ does not make it Christ, and this even after I “consecrate” it!

There are occurrences in the Bible where the Three interact and communicate with One Another. Matthew 3:16 & 17: “And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him: And lo a voice from Heaven, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” The Holy Spirit lighted upon the Lord Jesus and then Lord Jehovah spoke to His Son, and in truth, the world: This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased! Note this: the son of an alligator is alligator, not cockroach, the son of a tiger is tiger, not pig, and the Son of God, is God, not anything else! The son of a thing is never less than the thing from which it emerges as son! The Lord Jesus is not only the Son of God, but He is also God, the Son! The Great Commission also reveals the Three together: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:19). We are to baptize in the NAME of, not names of, emphasizing again the Trinity, that God is One but Three in Persons. The Three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, are listed yet again. The Kingdom Hall cult vehemently denies and rejects the Trinity claiming that their God is Jehovah God. However, it seems that they missed this and countless other verses: “Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also” (1 John 2:23). In truth, they neither have Lord Jesus nor Lord Jehovah!

Five deity (God) attributes apply to each of the three Persons of the Trinity. These are omnipresence (present everywhere), omnipotence (all-powerful), omniscience (all-knowing), eternality (without beginning or end), and immutability (unchangeableness). In reference to the latter: “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed” (Malachi 3:6). These deity distinctions are critically important when it comes to something as basic, and yet profound, as prayer. Prayer is in fact an act of worship. It is such because deity attributes are required for the communication to go through to, and be heard by, the Recipient, God. This means that prayers to church canonized “saints” or “Mary” are not heard. People in Heaven do not become God and therefore do NOT have deity attributes! Further, real saints, i.e. believers, are actually in Heaven and are fully and wholeheartedly preoccupied with their Saviour! Moreover, it is idolatry to pray to any other but the Triune (Three in One) as it inappropriately implies and imposes deity attributes upon those who do NOT possess them! And above all, in the entirety of the Bible there is neither exhortation nor example to pray to anyone but God Himself! Psalms 50:15: “And call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.” God instructs to call upon Him in the day of trouble! He also states that we will glorify Him as He delivers us! He is it! Neither “saints” nor surrogates are pertinent!

Other cults such as the no-coffee cult support a distortion of the Biblical Trinity. Shouldn’t their prophet be peddling “no cocaine” and “no crystal meth” instead? I surmise from this he was not too much of a prophet, a false one indeed! Because of this folly I will have two cups per day, not just one! Romans 14:17: “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” The kingdom of God is not meat and drink! As they deny God Himself, they demand and command “no coffee”! How silly! They regard the Son as subordinate to the Father. The Bible teaches co-equality! Virtually all major religions reject God’s revelation of Himself in the Bible. Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, etc., all fervidly reject the Bible and its Holy Trinity and this to their eternal detriment! God the Holy Spirit authored a Book, not a normal book, but a supernatural Book, so that we can come to knowledge of Him who created us and with Whom we have to do! “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:21). Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost; this was one of His “committee” works. If your religion were referenced in this article in some way, shape or form, it is because we love you! To truly and fully love another is to love their soul! We encourage you to turn to the Board of Directors of the Universe, and of Heaven and of Hell from your idols, for He is the living and true God! “For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Thessalonians 1:9).

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These lyrics fly in the face of grace. Grace means UNDESERVED favour. And “came through” connotates deserved favour. Hence, a grave error is here noted! Ephesians 2:8: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God”. Romans 5:6-8: “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”. Christ died for the ungodly! He didn’t die for good people, not that there are any of these. In other words, we are totally and completely undeserving of His sacrifice! The phase “came through” implies a reciprocity of good for good. It is an expected good to come our way that actually comes to fruition with a subtle pitch of our own merit leading to that favourable outcome. Moreover, the Lord Jesus is Almighty God in the flesh, God incarnate, and he has never failed in anything ever and has zero potential for failure. He is God after all! With this fact, “Jesus, You came through” is an ultra-poor and grossly inaccurate choice of words!

These are the very reasons the Holy Bible itself nowhere says “God came through” or that “Jesus came through” or “Jesus, You came through”. The phrase is used only twice in the Bible and it refers to the physical passage through a geographic location or place: 1. “(For ye know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt; and how we came through the nations which ye passed by” (Deuteronomy 29:16); 2. “And he took the captains of hundreds, and the nobles, and the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought down the king from the house of the LORD: and they came through the high gate into the king’s house, and set the king upon the throne of the kingdom” (2 Chronicles 23:20). God the Holy Spirit has authored a big and powerful book. Surely, you can come up with something from it. Doing so would ensure that your lyrics do not violate, either implicitly or explicitly, truths contained in God’s Word for they would have come from it!

“Jesus, You came through”! O, sweet, this is so nice to hear. I hope that one lovely day that I can also excitedly say, “Jesus, You came through”! I never thought that Jesus would come through! Who knew? But thanks to Jordan, now I know! O just one other little thought. In your whole song “Jesus” is sung 10 times. May I suggest a little more honour to the Name that is above all names, including yours and mine? Learn a pinch from Paul. In one tiny verse, Paul calls Him “Lord Jesus” twice. “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 5:4). I would think He is worthy of this! What do you think? My suggestion: sing “Lord Jesus” instead! Even once might have done the trick! I have this strong feeling, but I could be completely wrong as it’s just a feeling, that your next hit will be awesome, biblically speaking of course! Then, I myself would be able to say and joyfully declare, though it is ideally sung, “Jordan, you came through”!

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I will see my Christ on clouds in a brightened sky
Coming with glory, unrivalled in authority and might
Into the air I am taken, no more a dole or sigh
With blessed joy, in Him, begins the supernal eternal flight
In time passed, the sun before veiled its face
Christ Jesus upon a cross hung, piercing nails the support
Perfect love, the Sacrificial Lamb – died – took my place
Blood of atonement, for sure only His, they report
Thenceforth, a gateway by Providence for treasures to gain
When the sun darkens

Like His form of shining greatness, a body – spirit – bestowed
With the air I blend, and gracefully I soar
The Discoverer, supersonic jets – houseflies within a room
A flash – in time immeasurable, light years I go – and more
With His love I tire not, by His grace I am perfect
The Almighty Sovereign Being, in Him, for Him – completeness
Stars, planets of infinite galaxies, elliptical and spiral, I effect
Then, with a shout of praise, to His feet I go – repleteness
Dreams of a heart, but one glorious day absolute ecstasy
When the sun darkens

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“Supporters of President Donald Trump are calling for a boycott of Walmart after a company heiress bought a full-page newspaper ad encouraging mobilizations for the June 14 nationwide No Kings protests. Folks on social media responded to a June 8 New York Times ad placed by billionaire Christy Walton. “The honor, dignity, and integrity of our country are not for sale,” the ad said. “Our government is of the people, by the people, for the people.”

Should Ms. Walton be spited and punished in this way because she has differing views and beliefs about a political situation? No, Absolutely NOT! Those supporters of President Trump should voice their opposing views without being spiteful. Boycotts are by nature spiteful and are meant to inflict financial and other harms. Though I am a supporter of President Trump, and this especially because of his love and support of Israel, God’s Chosen, I will continue to shop at Walmart! We love their prices, their foods, their goods, their return policy, their staff, their everything! God directs: “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10). God’s Word calls us to do good unto ALL men, not just those who agree with us, or those with whom we agree.

My lawyers are Mormons and my barbers are Muslims. I teach them the Gospel and warn them about their eternal destination AND continue to support their businesses. God is love! As such, let us extend love and kindness to ALL. Psalms 107:43 states, “Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.” Let us share the very lovingkindness of the LORD that we, as born-again Christians, have received! Even in a small part, that same lovingkindness that we extend to our fellow man is much for God’s is boundless!

Psalms 10:14 states: “Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.” God beholds spite! And He does do so to requite or return it, to the wrongdoer, with His very own hand! “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19). I find great comfort in knowing that God Himself with conduct vengeance for those that believe Him! If we are spited, we are commanded, “avenge not yourselves”. Another manifestation of spite is violence and murder. Matthew 22:6 states: “And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.” The king’s servants were treated spitefully and slaughtered! A 1.9 billion weak cult has doctrine that teaches to kill and destroy anyone who blasphemes their prophet. Yet this same religion blasphemes the Lord Jesus in dogmatically and unashamedly and hypocritically denying His deity (and countless other truths)! Moreover, no man or minister or prophet or pope or pastor can be blasphemed! The word pertains to God only! Romans 2:24 declares, “For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.” Only “the name of God is blasphemed”. Devoid of critical details and truths, their religion fills in the blanks and makes these woefully wrong and unwarranted claims. Being God, the God-Man, one hundred percent God and one hundred percent Man, the Lord Jesus is blasphemed! “And many other things blasphemously spake they against Him [Christ]” (Luke 22:65). So, whether in the context of politics or religion or social interactions or whatever, we are commanded to neither initiate spite nor respond with spite! Instead, God commands us to “give place unto [His] wrath”. Vengeance is God’s, not yours or mine! The Lord God of Israel is fully capable and effective and efficient in executing vengeance for His own glory and for His own! “See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men” (1 Thessalonians 5:15).

In the same aforementioned article, Sean Harrison, who appears to present himself as a professing Christian, is quoted on X as saying, “#BoycottWalmart #NoKingsDay #JesusIsKing”. Here we see this individual invoking Christ’s name but does not cite His word! I wonder why! To do so would expose his spite doctrine directed at Ms. Walton! He further declares, “Christy Walton used her billions to mock the people who built Walmart. Walmart “distanced” itself—but didn’t condemn her.” Where are the poorly taught Christians that erroneously teach “you should not judge” when you need them? Can you please tell Mr. Harrison to stop judging Christy and desiring her condemnation? We’ve got no problem with Sean’s choosing to judge but we have, because God has, a huge problem with his unrighteous judgment! John 7:24 declares, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”

Let us heed the great commission, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” The Holy Bible does not say, “Go ye into all the world and spite.” Put out an ad, if you are so inclined, refuting her position, or better yet, informing Ms. Walton that “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:25) then go and shop up a storm at Walmart. We are called to speak “the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). Whether you are Muslim or Mormon or Roman Catholic or Hindu or Buddhist or Baha'i or Shintoist or Sikh or Seventh Day Adventist or Christian Science or Scientologist or Jehovah’s Witnesses or Ismaili or Amish or Armstrongite or Campbellite or Hutterite or Mennonite, we wish you the very best material successes on this earth and will not hinder those goals and even work to support you practically in them, i.e., no boycotts and the like! We also wish you heaven after life here. And in like manner we will work to warn you, with kind and warm and truthful words, only God’s Word, of the Hell that awaits those who subscribe to these countless man-concocted and strange doctrines which are not consistent with salvation, and which are diametrically opposed to the glorious Gospel of Christ!

The Lord Jesus Himself was spited when He came on this earth to die for us. Luke 18:32: “For He shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on”. Our Saviour was spited by being spitted on. And He willing subjected Himself to this for me, and for you! Note here, the enemies of God engage in spite. It follows then that Christians ought to refrain from spite. As a ministry, we reject and condemn all forms of, and the self-serving reasons and rationale for, spite especially violence and murder. Only the LORD God of Israel has the right to kill! We strive to, and must, keep our filthy and sinful hands to ourselves! Further consider, advising that one’s religion is false and that his/her god is an idol is neither intolerance nor spite. But spite is exhibited when the subscriber of that religion responds with stoppage or withholding of warmth, kindness, friendship, assistance, or hateful mistreatment, gossip, slander, libel, violence, murder, job dismissal, boycott, etc. “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity [love], which is the bond of perfectness” (Colossians 3:12-14).

News headlines declare, “'Miracle' student survived his body being frozen solid” (Andrew Buncombe, January 20, 2016). The subtitle goes on to say, “The 26-year-old collapsed on a night when it was -20C”. Just based on these words, it can be said, no, its not a miracle. “Survived”, “collapsed”, along with “frozen solid” are all indicators of, and describe, what is expected in this terrible situation. Miracles defy the natural laws of our world. These are all well-within the realm of natural. Justin Smith claims, with both of his little fingers and a number of toes amputated, “I consider myself a miracle”. Dear Justin, the word “miracle” does not apply. No, it’s not a miracle! But I am happy for you! I’m glad that you did not die! I’m glad that you survived! It’s awesome! It’s great! It’s cool! It’s even wonderful! But… no, it’s NOT a miracle!

Justin’s story involved freezing temperatures. I now tell you a story, involving intense, extreme heat and fire, which describe a genuine miracle! This account is given in Daniel 3:17-28:

               If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent His angel, and delivered His servants that trusted in Him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.

Though cast into a burning fiery furnace, observe the truly miraculous for Daniel’s three friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: 1. They had no hurt; 2. The fire had no power upon their bodies; 3. Not a single strand of their hair was singed; 4. Their coats were wholly unchanged/no soot, completely unburnt; 5. The smell of fire had not passed onto them; 6. The fire burnt off the restraints with absolute accuracy and precision such that not even a single cell on their bodies was adversely impacted; they were cast in bound and now they are loose and walking and this in the midst of the fire; and 7. They were graced with, and protected by, the literal and physical presence  of their Miracle Worker, the Son of God, a preincarnation of the God-Man, the Lord Jesus.

Notice the Bible’s true miracle here does not include the elements of first to sixth-degree burns, doctors, coma, amputated appendages, lying lifeless, unconscious bodies, being burnt to a crisp and carbon, and missing heartbeats! The fire burnt everything in its path including the Daniel’s friends’ enemies and the extraneous. The most mighty men in Nebuchadnezzar’s army that took them up to the burning fiery furnace were killed by the heat and flames at the periphery of the furnace; they were not in the core of it as the men they cast there. They were rushed by the urgency of the king’s commandment, and it appears, because of this, PPE (personal protective equipment) was not worn by them, not that the latter would have proven effective. The furnace was exceedingly hot! It was seven times hotter than it was meant/designed to be heated or ever was heated!

Neither Smith not Buncombe names their “miracle worker” anywhere in the entire article. Also, observe that God was not featured in the slightest as an integral part and power of their earthly lives and eternal future. In stark and dramatic contrast, the young men: 1. Named and identified their Miracle Worker and this even before He performed the miracle – “our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace” [emphasis added]. They effortlessly declare Him because He is their heartbeats and their breaths! 2. Were wholeheartedly ready and willing to die for the honor and glory of their God. God is central to their entire story! “But if not” expressed this possible fate, one they fully accepted; and 3. Purposed in their hearts that they will not serve Nebuchadnezzar’s gods, nor worship the golden image. Their hearts and minds were saturated with their Saviour! This holy and honourable stand they took for their God, the God of Israel, was the very reason a great and grand miracle became a necessity, and this as assessed and executed by their God, the Son of God, the sinless Almighty Lord Jesus Christ!

Nonetheless, for a moment, we will humor Smith and Buncombe and further consider and analyze their claim. It seems their unidentified “miracle worker” is quite inadequate. He, she, or it was wholly incapable of preventing “extracorporeal membrane oxygenation”, a 15-day stint in a coma, and all of Justin’s other injuries, pain and suffering! In total contradistinction, the burning fiery furnace had no power on Daniel’s friends! This defies the nature and character of heat and fire! As these men sought to honor the one and only true God, that true and omnipotent (all powerful) God honoured them with this miracle. “Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before Me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from Me; for them that honour Me I will honour, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed” (1 Samuel 2:30; [emphasis added]). These men were in midst of saying a big chubby “NO” to idols and idolatry! They were in the course of doing the most important of God’s business and will – believing and worshipping Him and Him alone, to the full and uncompromising rejection and refutation of false gods! They could have erroneously, blindly, and cowardly, like countless professing “Christians”, said: 1. There is just one God and fall before the golden image; 2. In Chaldean language, God has a different name and begin worshipping Nebuchadnezzar’s gods; 3. There is no evil in worshipping idols as long as the worshippers genuinely follow their god, and are good people, and then join the masses in idolatry. But they did not! There is only one true God, the name of the Lord Jesus translates to the Lord Jesus in every language of the world, and idolatry/unbelief, not porn, or prostitution, or profanity or Pride, is the greatest evil that is and can be committed against the Holy Triune of the Bible! There is a reason “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me” is the first commandment (Exodus 20:3)! And for the record, anyone who subscribes to points 1 to 3, is not a Christian and will not see Heaven!

With true miracles, God is acknowledged and glorified by outsiders and onlookers. Mark 2:12 states, “And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.” None of the participants in Smith’s story ever mentions God, not even once. Neither the police officers, nor other first responders, nor his dad, Don Smith, nor the emergency doctor, Dr. Gerald Coleman, speak of God, much less credit Him for doing a miracle. Why? Because nothing here superseded the natural! There was nothing that prompted an amazement and no miracle to ascribe to God or for which to praise Him. In contrast, king Nebuchadnezzar, a witness of this Bible’s miracle, was astonished and he: 1. Declares that the form of the fourth [Man] is like the Son of God; 2. Exalts the God of Israel as the most high God; 3. Glorifies God by saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego…”; 4. Acknowledges that God delivered His servants that trusted in Him; and 5. Concedes that God changed his word. Though unsaved/an unbeliever at this time in his life, we see here Nebuchadnezzar responding to the Light, the true Light Christ, who is lighting him, so much so that he is compelled to exalt and glorify Him who is not yet his and to confirm with his very own testimony the miracle wrought before his very own eyes! John 1:9, “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” Further observe that this king was zealous to commit murder for his dead gods and yet they, his useless gods, had no power whatsoever to cement the murders that were being committed for them! Those who kill for their god advertise to the world that their god is not only not omnipotent but impotent! He can’t get the job done! They must do it for him.

To all those mentioned, especially by name, in this article we beseech you with love to study and search God’s Word, the Holy Bible, to be able to speak with true knowledge and understanding of all the elements that attend true miracles. But most importantly, we urge you to do so to come to full belief in, and a saving knowledge of, the Lord Jesus. The ubiquitous and inappropriate use of the word “miracle” is a regular occurrence. This article addresses just one example. Feel free to assess and expose false assertions, with God’s Word as the Standard, as detailed in the following (a few other examples):

1.      Gabrielle Giffords 'a Miracle' for Surviving Shot to the Head, Docs Say, Neurosurgeon says "no change is good, and we have no change" (ABC News, January 10, 2011, 9:55 AM).

2.      Horrific death of 'miracle baby' renews calls for foster care changes in B.C. “What happened to (Colby) is unimaginable. There are no words," said Grace Lore, minister of children and family services (Lori Culbert, Published Jul 16, 2024).

3.      Latest MS 'miracle' treatment overshadows the real news Multiple sclerosis was once considered a hopeless disease. Today, drug treatments are highly effective (Kelly Crowe, CBC News, Posted: Jun 11, 2016).

If the laws of the sciences are not violated, it is not a miracle! “And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea” (Matthew 14:25). How many of His physical laws does He contravene as He walks on the sea that He created? People do not “survive” real miracles; they triumph in and through them! “For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands” (Psalms 92:4).  Miracles are the works of God’s hands! Above all, if it’s Godless, it’s not a miracle!

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In Jean Casella’s and James Ridgeway’s May 1, 2013 article “The 10 Worst Prisons in America” they document: “Conditions in some American facilities are so obscene that they amount to a form of extrajudicial punishment. Doing time is not supposed to include being raped by fellow prisoners or staff, beaten by guards for the slightest provocation, driven mad by long-term solitary confinement, or killed off by medical neglect. These, however, are the fates of thousands of prisoners every year — men, women, and children housed in lockups that give Gitmo and Abu Ghraib a run for their money.” Doesn’t this sound like doom and gloom to you? There’s more: “The United States boasts the world’s highest incarceration rate, with close to 2.3 million people locked away in some 1,800 prisons and 3,000 jails. Most are nasty places by design, aimed at punishment and exclusion rather than rehabilitation. While reliable numbers are hard to come by, at last count 81,622 prisoners were being held in some form of isolation in state and federal prisons. Thousands more are being held in solitary at jails, deportation facilities, and juvenile-detention centers. Nearly 1 in 10 prisoners is sexually victimized, by prison employees about half of the time — more than 200,000 such assaults take place in American penal facilities every year, according to estimates compiled under the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act. Suicides, meanwhile, account for almost a third of prisoner deaths, per the Bureau of Justice Statistics, while an unknown number of fatalities result from substandard nutrition and medical care.” Man’s prisons for his fellow man are doom & gloom. God’s prison, Hell, is NOT doom and gloom! Hell is justice & furnace! “And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13:50).

The US Penitentiary Administrative Maximum in Florence, Colorado hit the number one spot in their top 10 list. Casella and Ridgeway further write: “Known as ADX, and nicknamed the ‘Alcatraz of the Rockies’, this is among the most secure prisons in the world — and one of the most isolating. Many of its cells, fashioned out of poured concrete with solid steel doors, are equipped with built-in showers and automated chutes that open onto private concrete ‘exercise yards,’ such that occupants need never see a guard or fellow prisoner — much less a visitor. One former warden interviewed by 60 Minutes called it ‘pretty close’ to hell.” However, that warden is sorely mistaken! Moreover, with such belief, he himself is likely in God’s Hell if he has since died. Those who believe the Holy Bible know Hell as a place of torment (Luke 16:28) without end. It is “everlasting punishment” (Matthew 25:46). The only sentence handed down by the Judge, the Lord Jesus, is an ETERNAL life sentence! As bad as ADX is, it is NOT in the very least “close” to Hell! Hell is infinitely worse and yet infinitely more just than any of man’s prisons! In prisons there are food, water, vending machines, medical care, medicine, and sleep. These little comforts, cures, and moments of rest do not exist in Hell! Luke 16:24, “And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.” The heat, the hot heat of Hell and the unending burning in its flames punishes and torments! And note again, there is no water, there are no cooling stations! The incarcerated have relief from man’s prisons upon parole or death.

Hell, though everlasting, is completely just for at least 10 reasons:

1.      No one is ever beaten, shanked, raped or otherwise abused by any other; ALL there are in continuous torment perfectly crippling their ability, or even desire, to inflict pain upon another.

2.      It is a place created by someone completely sinless, God, the Lord Jesus. Hell is God’s prison, not man’s. Matthew 25:41, “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels”.

3.      The Lord Jesus is the righteous judge. He is wholly pure and untainted! Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing (2 Timothy 4:8).

4.      The Lord Jesus is a just Judge. He is not swayed by personal biases or influenced by pressures as judges in our legal system. He is not a respecter of persons. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith (Luke 18:6). “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34).

5.      There is no wrongfully convicted; The Innocence Project does not apply! Matthew 12:25, “And Jesus knew their thoughts…” The Lord Jesus knows if a person believes Him or not!

6.      The determination of guilt is based on the violation of only one criterion, faith/belief, and this for all cases/persons. “He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).

7.      The degree of punishment/sentencing phase for Hell is perfectly calibrated by the Holy One of Israel for each inmate based on their individual religious and moral evils. “Therefore it is no great thing if his (Satan’s) ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:15). “And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and Hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works” (Revelation 20:13). The intensity of their Hell is according to their works.

8.      God Himself, whose Hell it is, made a way of escape though faith and faith alone in Him. “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him” (Hebrews 2:3).

9.      God Himself became a man to be slaughtered to pay the sin debt of sinners. “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

10.   God Himself laid down His own life and offers His shed blood to cleanse us of all sin and this just for believing and receiving Him as Saviour. “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us…” (1 John 3:16). “…the blood of Jesus Christ His (God’s) Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

In our world it is uncompromisingly stated, “you do the crime, you do the time”. There is no concession to prevent prison time outside of inadequate evidence or an effective defense. Judges do not offer to do the time imposed upon those they sentence. The legal system with its countless and unending laws creates a harsh and punishing world. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre unashamedly preaches “jail, not bail” (The Canadian Press, May 18, 2023). His doom and gloom compel Boris Bytensky, a criminal defense lawyer, to respond: "Somewhere in there, there should be room for a person to be found not guilty. Because presumably, we don't actually sentence people until and unless they've been found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. But that doesn't seem to be included in the narrative." Just about daily attempts are being made to cast President Donald Trump into prison. He calls it a witch hunt! I am confident that he would not contest the term “doom and gloom” in describing the prison sentences they seek for, and wish upon, him. NBC News’ Jillian Frankel and Rebecca Shabad write: “Trump lawyer Susan Necheles asked Daniels if she hates Trump and Daniels said yes. Asked if she wants Trump to go to jail, Daniels said that she wants ‘him to be held accountable’ and ‘if he is found guilty, absolutely’” (May 7, 2024). A fellow sinner with Trump and myself and every other human inhabitant on the earth, Stormy Daniels zealously pursues justice. For this for what? To Ms. Stormy Daniels I offer both a caution and an encouragement. As you seek accountability and jail time for another, the God of Israel, the sinless Lord Jesus, seeks accountability and Hell time for you. As such, I beseech you to believe the Bible and receive the Lord Jesus as your Saviour. There is no greater evil than rejecting God’s Word the Holy Bible in utter unbelief!

In Thailand in 1989, Chamoy Thipyaso was found guilty of defrauding over 16 000 people in a pyramid scheme valued at over $204 million. For this crime she was sentenced to 141 078 years in prison! These foolish prosecutors and judges pronounce doom and gloom upon this lady in a most dramatic and silly and unjust way. But they, of all people, would, or at least should, fully understand the eternal life sentence that the Lord Jesus would likely hand down to them! Thankfully she served only 8 years, a more reasonable and appropriate time. God’s sentence of Hell to the billions who do not and will not believe Him and His Word is terror and torment! 2 Corinthians 5:11, “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.” As horrific as things may become for any of us here and now, there is no place or experience on this earth comparable to God’s Hell! Hell is furnace and fire! Hell is wailing and gnashing! Matthew 13:42, “And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” Hell is blackness and darkness! “Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever” (Jude 1:13). As inmates look up from the light emitted from Hell’s flames there is only the blackness of darkness! It is the outer darkness! Matthew 25:30, “And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Hell is not doom and gloom! But, above all, Hell is joy and rejoicing… for those not there! “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts” (Jeremiah 15:16).

A better line would be: “Unless God kills me, I’m goin’ to do me some punishing.” Even better yet, speak nothing about God unless it is done with fear, of Him, and Biblical soundness. Jonathan Hensleigh and Michael France would do well to consider what they pitch about the The God of Israel for He is the only true God. This not a small matter. Nothing pertaining to the One who has given us a heartbeat is a small matter! Again, God sits nothing out! Even when we think we are in control, we are not. Yes, we still do our part. But without God permitting or directing nothing happens whether it be good or evil! Had God stopped Thomas’ heart on set, The Punisher would not be!

In real life, in our past, present, and future earthly world and life beyond, the Lord Jesus is the true and enduring Punisher! By way of example, during the 7-year Great Tribulation, He will release specially designed and created locusts to torment men and women for 5 months. Revelation 9:5 & 10: “And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.” In light of this true and enduring Punisher, let our entertaining Punisher and his team heed the foregoing cautions.

A new TV commercial entitled “Heaven or Not” is being promoted by Global Media Outreach. It concludes by directing viewers to its website “heavenornot.net”. The third and fourth statements there read: “Many scientists today acknowledge that “everything” began all at once...with the “Big Bang”! And that is what the Bible says.” These words are a complete lie! The Bible does NOT say that! There is no Big Bang in the Genesis account of creation! And many so called scientists vehemently and blasphemously reject that “the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7). Also, “everything” did not begin “all at once”. God created all that there is over a 6-day period. Here we see a feeble attempt to blend lies with truth! Here we see an organization less honest and less dogmatic than the very scientists that they quote here as unashamedly believing in the Big Bang. All of it is so very strange!

Are we now trying to trick people into heaven? Do these writers think that they can fool the Lord Jesus as to whom believes Him? “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (2 Timothy 2:19). The Lord Jesus knows those who are His! No one who does not believe the display of God’s absolute power as detailed in Genesis will see heaven! No one! God has asked us simply to believe Him, and even this little ask we cannot and will not do? Then, good luck! Genesis must be believed exactly as it’s written without deletions, distortions, deceptive delusions, dissing, distractions and devilish doubt for one to enter heaven! God turned dirt into DNA in a microsecond! Believe His Word or burn. You choose! And this includes authors of heavenornot.net!

What is “Not”? Where is “Not”? Is it a place? Is it a bad place? As the alternative to Heaven, “Not” does not sound too scary. Another of their statements: “Sin is any thought or action contrary to the goodness of God. That is the bad news...but...here is the good news!” However, sin, though infinitely bad, is not the bad news. Sin is the reason for the bad news! That is such a dishonest presentation of the Gospel. Is this organization wiser than God? Do they know something that He does not? The Words of the Master, the Lord Jesus: “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of Hell?” (Matthew 23:23). Notice the clear and concise and strong and uncompromising and truthful words of the Saviour! The bad news is the damnation of Hell! Say it as it is! Speak truthfully! “The righteous are bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1). First, you yourselves believe to become “the righteous” and afterwards be bold as a lion in evangelizing! Then, your presentation will be “Heaven or Hell”!

The Bible goes on to guide how we are to conduct those judgements. The Lord Jesus commands, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment”. In other words, we are to judge based on evidence not according to the appearance. And righteous judgment is judgement where the statute consulted and applied is the Bible. Our beautiful Saviour judged daily, especially addressing falsehood and pretentiousness and self-righteousness. Do we claim to follow Him, and then shy away from His example? Striving to follow our Saviour does not only entail bringing a hot apple crumble to our neighbour every month, if of course this is your thing. “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation” (Matthew 23:14).

In our world today, there are judgments on every hand. We do, though imperfectly, what God does because we are made in His image. Police Officers, Safe Codes Officers, Lawyers, Judges, Prosecutors, Juries, Insurance Companies, Carpenters, Plumbers, Electricians etc. etc. judge daily and are paid to do so! In matters of religion it is fair game and just and required to judge doctrines, deities, ministries, messages, methods, new versions of the Bible, other so called holy books, false religions, cult founders, cult leaders, etc. I dare you! Just go ripping down the highway at 160 km/hour and when you are stopped, say to the officer: “Who do you think you are to judge me? The Bible teaches we are not supposed to judge!” and let me know how you make out. If he or she is one of the many excellent officers, he/she will say, “Have a nice day”, as you are handed a $700 ticket! This is not a true dare! Don’t do that! It’s an illustration to make a point.

“I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say” (1 Corinthians 10:15). Here God is declaring that the wise judge, even encouraging those believers to judge/assess what Paul is speaking, so as to be persuaded in their own minds. Romans 14:5, “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.” To tell another that they are not supposed to judge is in and of itself a judgement! Have you considered that? Such is the folly of this great misconception! Moreover, it represents a willful and crafty distortion of God’s clear and irrefutable Word to cloak cowardliness! I will close with God’s Word which sums it up quite nicely: “Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?” (1 Corinthians 6:2).