I’m afraid the news concerning my ongoing health issues is still not good. As you might imagine, it’s taking a toll on us. Please know that, as always, we are very grateful for the continued prayer of faithful saints. This is a most powerful weapon God’s given us against enemy attacks.

We remain thankful for those who’ve been sending financial support. However, at the same time, because of the length of this trial we have lost more than a few supporters. As much as I dislike discussing finances, we need the Lord to raise up more people to help us with our funding.

For those who are praying, I do have an appointment Friday at Noon EST with a specialist in neurology. Unfortunately, these kinds of  tests are very expensive; but we really think that I now need to be tested for neuropathies in addition to Charcot-Marie-Tooth, as well as for things like ALS, MS, etc.

I continue to lose strength in my lower legs and ankles on a daily basis. It almost seems like the muscles in my calves are disappearing. That’s rather frightening because it would appear to be more than merely CMT degeneration. I saw a different doctor about this last Friday and he immediately referred me to the neurologist.

This is very discouraging for us because since I got out out of the hospital just over a year ago I’d been recovering well from the spinal osteomyelitis that had me bedridden for months. In fact, just a month ago I was almost walking without the aid of a cane at times.

At that time, I could walk quite a distance each day; but now, even taking just a few steps severely fatigues my ankles and calves to the point where they become very wobbly and then sore later. Right now that soreness is still in more of a “discomfort” stage.

Thus far, this doesn’t require any extra pain relieving medicine beyond the current dosage of ibuprofen I’m already taking. I also still plan to post here as I feel able. So, I’ll close this with a few thoughts that come to mind as I think about the state of Christendom.

Critics of online apologetics and discernment works such as Apprising Ministries are under the mistaken impression that someone like myself would go “looking for” these issues I’ve covered these past 10 years as Jesus has built this ministry of His Gospel.

They couldn’t be more wrong. What usually happened is I’d just be lead across these things that are being perpetrated. Jesus knows I tell the truth when I say that I don’t take pleasure in documenting this falling away of the mainstream evangelical community.

Yet I have warned you that there is a tsunami of apostasy—pushed along by 1 Peter 4:17 judgments—spreading throughout the church visible. Not a few of these judgments have come through evanjellyfish’s foolish embrace of the sinfully ecumenical Emerging Church,

This has served to metastasize their spiritual cancer throughout the younger sectors of the evangelical community. With this in mind, I want to point you to the following from my late friend Jim Bublitz. It comes from his article Why Does God Allow False Teachers?

Jim based his short message on A. W. Pink’s book The Sermon on the Mount, Writing more than half a decade ago Bublitz insightfully brings out:

Like many of you, I come from a church that is accustomed to “binding and loosening” the devil and evil spirits of various kinds. The first few chapters of Job however, give us a different depiction of who exactly is in charge.  We know it’s God, and the power of the devil does not even come close; in fact in Job we see the devil asking God’s permission to carry out his schemes.

So the question arises, if God is in charge – why does He allow so many false teachers today that are deceiving people by the bus load.  A quick glance at the Top 50 churches in America leaves one wondering how we’ve gotten to this point where so many suspect teachers have accumulated giant crowds and such positive critic acclaim.

A while ago however, I found this helpful excerpt from AW Pink that seemed to make some sense of the matter [of God allowing false teachers]:

This is a very solemn question, and we must restrict ourselves to what the Scriptures say by way of reply.

“You shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul“. (Deuteronomy 13:3).

From those words it is clear that God allows teachers of error for the same reason as He does persecutors of His people: to test their love, to try their fidelity, to show that their loyalty to him is such that they will not give ear unto His enemies.

Error has always been more popular than the Truth, for it lets down the bars and fosters fleshly indulgence, but for that very reason it is obnoxious to the godly.

The one who by grace can say “I have chosen the way of Truth” will be able to add “I have stuck unto Thy testimonies” (Psalm 119:30, 31), none being able to move him therefrom.

“For there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.” (1 Corinthians 11:19).

Error serves as a flail, separating the chaff from the wheat. Let some plausible and popular preacher come forward with an old error decked out in new clothes and empty professors will at once flock to his standard; but not so with those who are established in the Faith. Thus, by means of the false prophets,

God makes it appear who are the ones who hold the Truth in sincerity: they are faithful to Him despite all temptations to turn away unto a “broader-minded” way. The genuine gold endures every test to which it is subjected. Thus too are the unregenerate “converts” revealed: the counterfeit gold will not withstand the fire.

Those who are attracted by a novelty do not endure but are soon carried away by some newer innovation. ((You will find Pink’s entire work The Sermon on the Mount online here: http://pbministries.org/books/pink/Sermon/index.ht, accessed 8/11/14.))

If you would like to help us out in this time of need, your prayer and financial support would be deeply appreciated. If you feel so led, you may donate via PayPal by clicking here.

Or, you can make your checks/money orders payable to Connecticut River Baptist Church with Apprising Ministries in the memo and send them to:

Connecticut River Baptist Church
P.O. Box 340
Claremont, NH 03743

Further reading

• *UPDATED* LATEST CONCERNING APPRISING MINISTRIES
• GOD’S LAW AND THE GRACE OF CHRIST
• JESUS, THE GOD OF HOLY SCRIPTURE