Dear Vigilant Watchman: As we were reading in Matthew 13 today church people came to our minds independent of each other as we read about the seed that fell on stony places-- Matthew 13:5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: Matthew 13:6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. Matthew 13:20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Matthew 13:21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. I thought about Thatman, my daughter thought about church people. People like Thatman are glad enough to hear the good news of the gospel. Anon with joy they receive it but they are not counting on the tribulation that comes with the word (v. 21). When it comes, they are offended. Thatman was deeply offended because there is a great whore who is taking over the earth. This truth disturbs his, "peace". "Don't wake me up, I'm relaxing," he says. People like this go out and make the same kind of disciples as they are. They compass land and sea for souls, and when one is made, he is two fold more the child of hell than the so-called soul winner. Thatman is more like a soul innoculator than a soul winner as he innoculates people to the true gospel. I wanted to be more mild than "child of hell" but I deleted it, because people like Thatman are deceived and deceiving other people. Whole churches, whole mission groups are filled with false workers who think that they are kinder than God who is the one who called the whore a great whore. God said what he meant. He was showing us what we need to know. How can the works of the soul innoculator be less than an abomination when they teach people to follow in their steps as they warn them against the few true workers in the earth? Some man took Jesus-is-Lord.com put a new name on it, rearranged a few things, changed articles around (including quotes on the Antichrist Slideshow), and acted as if he wrote it and put it together--okay fine--but he went forward and said that you can do whatever you want and you are saved. He said that telling people to repent is a false teaching. I don't know why he is allowed to live and put shame and blasphemy and heresy on the gospel. I want him to get his hands off of the website. I hate saying "my" website or "I" wrote something when I probably need to in order to be more honest. I'd rather hide behind "our" or "we". I think of the website as the Lord's but any mistakes or errors are my own. People like that man make me very angry. One man told me I need the Stephen spirit, and I received that word. And yet I also feel like, "the Lord reward him according to his works" (II Tim 4:14). My daughter said that I am usually sad or mad. Look at all the outrages that beset me round about in this world...to somebody who sees cherry trees and daffodils everywhere, I must look extreme. I do wish that I were better than I am, but I am not. Although I am oftentimes troubled, by God's grace I've tried to keep and open door for my daughter. She is a happy person. Even when no one is looking she usually has a pleasant looking unfeigned smile on her face, which I find remarkable... In searching for why I received this assignment, I've come to the conclusion that it is because I believe the scriptures to the exclusion of everything else. Ecclesiastes 1:18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. There is enough evil in this world to keep a body in sorrow and grief day and night--and it is only intensifying. Our Lord was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, yet he was completely in balance. The apostle Paul had to go through many things, but he was in balance. Sometimes I am in balance, but there are many times, most of the time, I need to be propped back up... Mephibosheth