PLM Unchained Magazine Summer 2018

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PASTOR S ON H E L L’S H I T L I ST STEVE G ALL AG H E R

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A W HIRLWIND of DESIRE the LITE CHURCH

DAVI D R AV E NH I LL

MAGAZINE PURE LIFE MINISTRIES is fully committed to bringing the hope, healing and restoration found only in Christ to those who have been touched by the leprosy of sexual sin. Our staff members are graduates of one of our counseling programs themselves and have responded to the call of God to freely give to others the same compassion and mercy which the Father freely bestowed upon them.

They are men and women who know how to speak the truth of God in love.

In fulfilling our call, Pure Life Ministries is founded upon the authority of the Word of God as the supreme and allsufficient Truth for overcoming sin. We unashamedly preach a message of repentance unto salvation. Everything we do—whether in our counseling programs, our speaking ministry or the distribution of our books and resources—is based on the Word of God, with the goal of leading others to victory over sexual sin through a deeper life in God.

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PURE LIFE MINISTRIES 14 SCHOOL STREET DRY RIDGE, KY 41035 OFFICE | 859.824.4444 ORDERS & INFORMATION | 888.254.2884 EMAIL | unchained@purelifeministries.org WEBSITE | www.purelifeministries.org

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NO REPRESENTATIONS MADE OF INDIVIDUALS DEPICTED.

T H E WAY I S E E I T

“G od, can I plead in s anit y on Judg me nt D ay ? ”

BY STEVE GALLAGHER Founder and President of Pure Life Ministries

Those who claim to have experienced temporary insanity had a long history of rebellion to God that precipitated it.

A number of years ago, America watched as Andrea Yates came to trial for deliberately drowning her five children in the bathtub.

Her attorney contended that she was innocent by reason of insanity; that “the killings were brought on by psychotic delusions, exacerbated by repeated episodes of postpartum depression.”1 Even her husband, the father of the five children, claimed that she was a victim of mental illness and therefore should not be held liable for her actions.

There was a great sigh of relief by many Americans when the jury ultimately rejected the defense’s argument and convicted her of murder (later overturned). But this case brings to the surface a disturbing trend that seems to be growing—not just in society at large—but also in the Church: an increasing unwillingness to accept responsibility for one’s actions.2 True repentance is impossible without the admission of guilt. This fact makes the current mindset all the more troubling, as people—saved and unsaved alike—find multiple reasons why they do what they do. “I molested that child because I was abused as a child.” “I lusted after that woman because of the way she dressed.” “I visited that prostitute because my wife is cold in bed.” Understandably there are often contributing factors to people’s actions, but why has it become so wrong to say, “I’m wrong”?

I don’t know what Andrea Yates and others like her were thinking when they committed their dreadful crimes, but this I do know: there will be no insanity pleas on Judgment Day. We will be held accountable for our actions. (ROMANS 14:12) Without a doubt, those who claim to have experienced temporary insanity when they committed

some criminal act had a long history of rebellion to God that precipitated it.

The fact is that we’re all rebels by nature, and the only thing that any one of us can do to find forgiveness and cleansing from sin is to repent.

However, before there is repentance there must first be confession, an unequivocal acknowledgement of wrongdoing. Whenever we attempt to minimize the wrongness of our actions, rationalize our sinful behavior, or shift the blame toward someone else, we are, in essence, telling God that we are right and He is wrong.

(1 JOHN 1:10)

How different was David’s attitude after he was caught red-handed in the Bathsheba affair. His response was to cry out in anguish, “I have sinned against the Lord!” and to write a confession for all to see (PSALM 51).

The Bible predicts that the last days will be characterized by unprecedented evil and a stubborn refusal to repent.

(REVELATION 9:20, 21; 16:9, 11) Just before the first advent of Jesus Christ, John the Baptist boomed, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

If that was the way to prepare for His first appearance, is there any reason to believe it should be any different for His second? As we draw ever closer to Christ’s return, I for one am determined to do my best to live in a spirit of continual repentance. The truth is that I am wrong in many ways, but by acknowledging this, I allow the Lord to make me right.

1 “The Yates Odyssey,” Time Magazine, June 3, 2002.

2 ibid.

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PURE LIFE MINISTRIES

Pastors on Hell’s

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PA S T O R , I F Y O U A R E L I V I N G A C O N S E C R A T E D L I P R AY I N G F E RV E N T LY F O R Y O U R P E O P L E

YO U A R E M O S T C E RTA I N LY Worldly, carnal or self-ambitious pastors need not fear. They can rest easy in the fact that they are no threat to Hell. The devil may lead them into moral failure for the purpose of maligning the name of Christ; but it won’t be because they are any danger to his kingdom.

Godly pastors are another story. The degree to which a pastor is living a holy and righteous life determines how much the enemy feels compelled to silence his voice. Nevertheless, we need not fear his schemes. We only need to understand his tactics and avoid his predictable traps.

One of the many reasons I completely trust the veracity of Scripture is that it tells the utter truth about its characters. One such person is Solomon—whose story is

Unchained! SUMMER2018

chock-full of meaning for pastors under the malignant surveillance of the devil.

Life could not have been more promising for young prince Solomon and yet, before it was over, he was so miserable that he “hated life.” (ECCLESIASTES 2:17) He fell so far from grace that he eventually built demon-infested temples for the worship of idols, right within view of the Holy of Holies.

The Bible clearly states that it was Solomon’s foreign wives who led him astray. (1 KINGS 11:4) However, I don’t believe it was sexual lust that led to his downfall. A closer look seems to indicate that the devil used the same ploy on him that he is successfully using with many pastors today.

Like many ministers today, Solomon

began his career with a love for God and a sincere desire to further His kingdom.

I don’t believe it was sexual lust that led to his downfall. A closer look seems to indicate that the devil used the same ploy he is successfully using with many pastors today.

Not long after he became king, the Lord appeared to him in a dream asking him what He could do for him. When the young monarch humbly requested wisdom to lead His people, he was given tremendous insights into the spiritual realm where the great purposes of the Almighty are formed and initiated.

HIT LIST

BY STEVE GALL AGHER

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I F E , P R E A C H I N G T H E T R U T H , WA L K I N G I N L O V E , A N D S TA N D I N G F O R R I G H T E O U S A N E S S ,

A T A R G E T O F T H E E N E M Y. Solomon’s humility and godliness posed a particularly dangerous threat to the wily serpent’s kingdom. The devil knew that such a man would be a mighty weapon in the hands of God. It was vital that his testimony be destroyed. Every leader of Hell must have been involved in the plot to bring him down.

Satan surely must have noted that Solomon inherited two traits from his father: a driving ambition and an inordinate attraction to women. It is not surprising that the enemy’s first line of attack would be in the realm of sexual temptation.

It seems clear—from the things he wrote in Proverbs—that the young king learned the dangers of sexual sin through experience. He apparently resisted those snares and emerged from this period of

his life with the conviction that pursuing sexual sin would eventually destroy a man.

“Now then, my sons, listen to me,” he wrote. “Keep your way far from [the house of the adulteress], or you will give your vigor to others and your years to the cruel one.” (PROVERBS 5:7-9) Eventually the devil (“the cruel one”) was forced to concede that Solomon was too intimate with God—too spiritually solid—to fall for such blatant temptation.

He clearly needed a new plan, one which would require patience.

In the bloody sport of boxing, the novice will flail away at his foe hoping to land a lucky knockout punch. The cagey fighter, on the other hand, understands the importance of attacking the opponent’s body. He will wear the other guy down by

using relentless body shots. It may take a few rounds, but eventually the other boxer will become exhausted from the pummeling to his midsection and will start dropping his hands. It is then that he becomes vulnerable to the knockout punch.

Likewise, the enemy knows that a knockout punch is not going to work on a man who is walking in the Spirit.

(GALATIANS 5:16) Pastors who spend time seeking the face of God and soaking in His Word live very protected lives. The devil understands that the way to destroy these men is to wear them down spiritually—get them disconnected from their Source of spiritual strength.

But how can he accomplish this? I believe Solomon’s story provides a clear illustration of how the enemy uses the very CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 >>

NO REPRESENTATIONS MADE OF INDIVIDUALS DEPICTED.

FOR INFORMATION

888.254.2884 // www.purelifeministries.org

PURE LIFE MINISTRIES

Pastors

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Solomon was too intimate with God— too spiritually solid—to fall for such blatant temptation. The devil clearly needed a new plan.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 >>

thing the man brings to the Lord—his labor for God’s kingdom—to lure him away from the One he is supposed to be working for.

When Solomon was handed the kingdom by his father, he was given a clear mandate to build a house for the Lord. For seven long years the young monarch thought of little else. Like so many in ministry today, he relentlessly pushed himself and those who worked for him to accomplish his life’s great work. The fact that God filled the Temple with His presence seems to indicate that—at least at that point—He was pleased with Solomon’s efforts and the motives which compelled them.

But somewhere along the line I believe the young king strayed off course. Even though his motives remained pure during that building project, he developed bad habits such as using (selfishly overworking)

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people to accomplish his goals. The elders of Israel later complained of “hard service” and “a heavy yoke.” (1 KINGS 12:4) Like so many who enter ministry, a godly mandate can gradually become replaced with selfambition. Workers and church members become objects to be used rather than people to be served.

One of the unfortunate side-effects of this kind of ambition is that it causes tremendous stress. Let’s face it, even the minister who is content to wait on God is going to deal with some level of stress in our day-and-age. But when a minister puts undo pressure upon himself and others to accomplish goals or timeframes of his own making, everyone suffers.

Even if he is faithful to his devotions, his prayer life will tend to become dry and lifeless. Just when he needs God’s strength

the most, he discovers that he has allowed busyness to leave him spiritually barren.

Even worse, some ministers become so persistent in their prayers for God to bless their work that the Lord will eventually give them what they are demanding: what can be a curse of a granted prayer. “He gave them their request,” wrote the Psalmist, “but sent leanness into their soul.” (PSALM 106:15 KJV)

Solomon completed the task of building the Temple but immediately threw himself into other projects: “I enlarged my works,” he would later write. “I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself; I made gardens and parks for myself… Then I became great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me. All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my

o n H e l l ’s H I T L I S T

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heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor.” (ECCLESIASTES 2:4-10) Did you notice how many times he used the words “myself ” and “I”?

How many of us can testify to the powerful temptation to use ministry to gain a sense of personal accomplishment?

It is common knowledge that men derive much of their fulfillment in life from their work. There is nothing wrong with that up to a point. However, ministers are held to a different standard. As servants of God, we must be exceedingly careful that we don’t stray into doing work that is ostensibly for the Lord when, in reality, it is actually for Self. Solomon apparently forgot the words he had penned during better times: “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.” (PSALM 127:1) NO REPRESENTATIONS MADE OF INDIVIDUALS DEPICTED.

In the midst of his driving lust to achieve more and more, he began accumulating wives “and the pleasures of men—many concubines.” (ECCLESIASTES 2:8) I’m sure that sexual lust played a part in this. It’s nearly impossible to curb sexual passion when you are also being driven by a lust for other things. However, I tend to think that his accumulation of 700 wives had more to do with pride (acquiring the most horses, chariots, gold, etc.) and business pragmatism (making political connections) than simply a desire for variety in his sex life.

In a similar way, pastors who become spiritually depleted through overwork and the lack of a meaningful prayer life are terribly vulnerable to being set up by the enemy. A spiritually weakened minister in our day faces an overwhelming temptation FOR INFORMATION

to investigate, dabble in or even to immerse himself in Internet pornography (or some other form of sexual sin). It only takes a lust-driven man a few short nights of surfing the ‘Net to experience the undressed bodies of hundreds of women.

The enemy is always happy to destroy the reputation of anyone who has put himself in the position of representing God. However, when he is able to weaken and topple a truly godly man, all Hell rejoices.

Just as Heaven has her trophies of grace, so too Hell has its trophies of disgrace.

Let us all serve the Lord with all our hearts, zealously working and fervently praying, that we might be made dangerous weapons in the hands of a mighty God! But as we do so, let us take great care to keep ourselves on the doorstep of Heaven, out of reach of our cruel enemy.

888.254.2884 // www.purelifeministries.org

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PURE LIFE MINISTRIES

A Whirlwind of

The following incident occurred a number of years ago—as many such things begin— with a simple suggestion to my wife, Kathy: “Maybe we should consider getting a car that would give us better gas mileage.” Our Honda van was five-years-old at the time, averaging a gas-slurping 20 m.p.g. “The Honda CRV gets almost 30 miles to the gallon,” she informed me.

place I could while away my time studying CRV reviews, pouring through owner’s comments and on and on. As I was fully engrossed in this process, Kathy reminded me that our van had 80,000 miles on it.

“I’m afraid things are going to start going wrong with it,” she said, furnishing another solid “raison d’être” for making such a transaction.

“Maybe I’ll check it out, just for the heck of it,” said I.

Before long, we were huddled up to the computer, going through the “Build your own CRV” process on the Honda website.

The trick is to get the features you most desire while, at the same time, keeping

And so it was that I entered the vast world of information provided by the internet; a

D ESI

the price within reason. Each option was weighed, discussed and then either accepted or discarded. “I like the blue,” she announced when we got to the point of choosing colors. “Yeah, but that black one sure looks nice,” I retorted.

We eventually submitted the application for our new blue CRV and were informed that, with the allowed trade-in value for our van, we would only need a $9,000 loan to make the purchase. It was clearly an open-and-shut case. All that seemed to matter was that we were convinced we needed it and could make it happen.

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RE

BY STEVE GALL AGHER

What should have been a calculated and prayerful decision—had been hijacked by a virtual tempest of desire.

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NO REPRESENTATIONS MADE OF INDIVIDUALS DEPICTED.

A W H I R LW I N D O F D E S I R E CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 >>

At this point, I must step into the middle of my little tale to interject a vital question: “How was it that a simple thought about gas mileage could, in a matter of minutes, lead to the decision to make such a major purchase?” What should have been a calculated and prayerful decision—had been hijacked by a virtual tempest of desire.

The more we focused on the object of our desire, the stronger the gale thundered within us.

There is a region in the U.S. called “Tornado Alley” because the environmental factors needed for a tornado to form occur there on a regular basis. In the same way, the human heart is the perfect breeding ground for winds of lust to form, gain velocity and create the sort of chaotic conditions that can drive a person into making poor decisions.

Kathy and I could have easily driven right down to the local Honda dealer and made our purchase but for one thing: we have learned through many painful mistakes over the years to never, ever make a major decision impulsively.

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Before I share the outcome of our big decision, I would like to use this little story to point out a few principles we have learned over the years that help us find our way when these storms encompass us.

The first thing I should mention is that where there’s smoke, there’s fire—hellfire in this case. Anytime a desire for some experience or possession starts to take on a life of its own, you can bet there’s probably some devil fanning its flames.

Demons flourish and operate within the realm of desire. Once a believer sets his heart on something, it gives the enemy the opportunity to try to whip it up into a frenzy of passion. This is the “spirit of the world.” (1 CORINTHIANS 2:12) It is important to remember this when facing such situations.

The second thing I want to suggest is that God is interested in every detail of our lives.

Not only does He know what’s best for our lives spiritually, financially and emotionally, but He also has a will in such matters and expects us to discover it and obey it. We call Him “Lord” as an affirmation of His right to direct the affairs of our lives. (MATTHEW 7:21) The believer who is actually submitted

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to the Lord in life goes into such decisions with the mindset that he will not move forward on it—no matter how much he wants it or how reasonable it seems—until he has a definite sense that it is God’s will. The Lord has a mind and it is our responsibility to keep after Him until He makes it known to us.

That leads me to my next point: when storms of desire sweep through the soul, it is wiser to wait out the storm. The time to make a major decision is not when the sky is black, the wind is howling and the rain is pouring. There is a saying in Kentucky that would be appropriate here: “If you don’t like the weather, just wait a few minutes because it’s sure to change.” This is certainly true spiritually as well. One sure sign of spiritual immaturity is when a person makes important decisions on a whim. If we will but wait, the storm will soon pass.

(PSALM 37:4, 7)

The last and most important thing I want to stress is that spending time in God’s presence is the best way to gain a proper perspective on such situations. Some of the fiercest onslaughts from the enemy dissipate when we fix our minds upon the Word of God. Spending time studying and meditating on Scripture brings a person into the Lord’s economy: His value system, His perspectives, His ways of making such decisions. (PSALM 119:97-104) The enemy finds it hard going when he attempts to keep his tempest whipped up in the calm and peaceful environs of the Eternal throne.

When the enemy’s “bag of wind” is deflated, the believer will find it much easier to make a solid decision.

“And what did the Gallagher’s decide?” you ask. Once we stepped out of the whirlwind, we could see that it would be foolhardy to spend thousands of dollars just to save a few bucks on gas every month. More importantly, the Lord gave us a strong conviction that He did not want us to do it.

That was good enough for us.

And, as it turned out, a couple of years later the Lord led us into a situation where we were able to purchase a new Subaru Outback—a clear upgrade over that CRV— at a great price! But the best part of the story is that we were able to do it confident that we had God’s blessings.

PURE LIFE MINISTRIES

the

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LITE CHURCH

Go into any supermarket these days and you will find a vast variety of ‘lite foods’ which offer less fat and fewer calories.

While this may constitute smart marketing on the part of food producers, it should not be carried over to the Church.

Some years ago I saw a cartoon in a Christian magazine that showed a sign in front of a church with the following statement: LITE CHURCH 1 service weekly 13 minutes of worship 10 minute message No repentance 7 commandments 8% tithe While I don’t recall the entire sign, this was the gist of its message. I chuckled to myself when I first saw it but have since come to see that this cartoon has now become a reality in many churches.

There is a rapidly growing trend throughout Christendom to be culturally relevant. While I have no problem with using new methodology, I deplore the new message that shuns any mention of sin,

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repentance, judgment or hell.

I recently spoke with a pastor friend who moved to a major southern city to plant a new congregation. Desiring to sense the spiritual pulse of the city, he spent a few months visiting various congregations. The successful pastor of a growing church told him, “I have several lesbians passing out bulletins. I also have a number of unsaved people in the worship team.” This pastor believed that these people would eventually be converted as they became exposed to the gospel.

I assume that these people had been attending for some time prior to being asked to serve. Consequently, I must also assume that in his preaching there was no mention of sin or the need for repentance.

Apparently there was no conviction from the Holy Spirit to cause these people to feel uncomfortable in their sin.

As I’m writing this commentary, I’ve just returned from ministering at the Pure Life Ministries Annual Conference.

What an incredible experience to see dozens of men—who had previously been involved in every imaginable type of sexual perversion—testifying to God’s amazing grace. These men knew the power of sin,

B Y DAV I D R AV E N H I L L

but they had also come to know the greater power of God’s deliverance. To hear them sing about their mighty Redeemer and Emancipator brought tears to my eyes; no professional choir could compare with the genuine gratitude with which they sang.

Since the advent of the seekersensitive church movement, we have seen less and less mention of sin. This, in turn, has led to an overemphasis on the acceptance of people just the way they are—sin and all. Some of our leading theologians have already eliminated the doctrine of hell, leaving people nothing to fear. If we also eliminate sin from our preaching, then there is nothing to repent of or to be saved from. The end result of all this is that we will no longer feel a need for a Savior. This devilish doctrine will surely lead to the eternal destruction of many souls. The very foundation of the Church is being undermined and its very existence is being threatened.

If this is the path we are going to take, then we should change the word Church (ecclesia, which means “the called out ones”) to Arab (the Hebrew word meaning “to mingle or braid or mix”). May God have mercy upon us all.

Pastor,

what is theValue to your Congregation of a Transformed Life and a Restored Family?

Our 9-month Residential Program is for men who are desperate for freedom and real answers to their sexual addictions.

Why is this program is so effective?

• • • • • •

The presence of God that brings a man into deep repentance Complete separation from old sources of temptation Regular biblical counseling by men who have overcome sexual sin themselves Structured environment where a sexual addict can learn a life of discipline Local employment covers low-cost weekly fees Two-phase program with emphasis on readjusting to life afterward

We also provide phone counseling options: Overcomers At-Home (OCAH) ~ for men, women, or mature teens At-Home Program for WIVES ~ for hurting wives NO REPRESENTATIONS MADE OF INDIVIDUALS DEPICTED.

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