Here is your weekly newsletter created for listeners and friends of
Paul Heil's "The Gospel Greats" syndicated radio program.


Published January 31, 2012

In This Edition...

Paul's Epistle...
"Liar, Liar"*

"Jesus Christ is a liar!"

Who says so?

Sit down for this. According to findings from a Pew Forum survey on Religion and Public Life, 57 percent of evangelical church attenders said they believe many religions can lead to eternal life. Not just Christianity, but "many" religions. Yes, these are "attenders" of churches categorized as Christian "evangelical" churches!

In so saying, these "evangelical Christians" — and I use that term only because those who conducted the survey apparently did — fall right in line with 70 percent of Americans who claim some sort of religious affiliation and who believe that way. Not surprisingly, 68 percent said there is more than one way to interpret the teachings of their own religion.

There is nothing — absolutely nothing — more fundamental to the Christian faith than the belief that Christ is the only way to eternal life. In fact, He said so quite clearly: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). There it is. That's pretty clear. No disambiguation is required. "Except through Me" is about as clear as you can get. No other way. None. Zip. Nada.

But, for the very reason that this truth is so absolutely fundamental to the Christian faith, it is one truth that Satan delights in ridiculing. And he has a great number of accomplices in this.

Oprah Winfrey, who some call one of most powerful and influential women in America, told a television audience, "One of the mistakes that human beings make is believing that there is only one way to live and we don't accept that there are diverse ways... many paths to what you call God... Her path might be something else, and when she gets there she could call it the Light. But her loving and kindness and generosity... If it brings her to the same point that it brings you, it doesn't matter if she called it God along the way or not. How could there possibly be just one way?"

Although surely realizing that she was greatly outnumbered in that studio (humanly speaking), one amazingly brave member of Oprah's studio audience stood up and said, "What about Jesus? There is only one way. And that is through Jesus!"

Oprah derisively and condescendingly shouted back, "There couldn't possibly be just one way!!!"

Now before you accuse me of getting that quote wrong, I assure you I transcribed it myself from a video of this exchange. Unfortunately, Oprah is having a startling impact. Cky Carrigan, an evangelism professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, calls Winfrey the "most influential preacher of New Age ideas," winning "converts every day in staggering numbers, many from Baptist churches."

But she is far from alone among high-profile adherents to this belief. Barak Obama told the Chicago Sun-Times, speaking of this very issue, "I believe there are many paths to the same place..." At another time he told an interviewer that he believes non-Christians who live "moral lives" are just as much "children of God" as he is, citing his late mother, who wasn't a Christian, but he's "sure she's in heaven."

Obama's former pastor of twenty years, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, was asked by a reporter at the National Press Club about Jesus' statement that "no one comes to the Father but by me." The questioner asked pointedly, "Is Islam another way to heaven?" Wright smugly replied with Jesus' out-of-context words, "Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold," and refused to be more specific.

Unfortunately, much of this anti-Scriptural nonsense is being spouted from today's pulpits. John Killinger, theologian in residence at Marble Collegiate Church in New York City, says Jesus was not necessarily deity and that this belief is a "more advanced" understanding. He said "doctrine is a thing of the past now religiously." And he said he found many preachers dismissing John's accounts of Christ's deity — some ignoring the book of John altogether because Christ was "not necessarily the preexistent one that we find in John."

Lord have mercy. Speaking of the end of the age, Jesus said, "Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many" (Matthew 24:11). Paul warned the Corinthians that many would claim Christianity for worldly power: "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works" (2 Cor. 11:13-15).

I absolutely shudder to consider the end these popular misleaders have coming to them. They surely will, as Peter euphemistically put it, "receive the wages of unrighteousness" (2 Peter 2:13).

Jonathan Falwell, who inherited the pulpit of his late father, Jerry Falwell, but who is an impressive preacher in his own right, put it this way: "Jesus asserted that He was the only way to heaven. If we preach or teach otherwise, we are saying that He is as a liar. Further, if we believe that the Bible is the infallible and inerrant Word of God, we must take Jesus at His Word. This is the basis of our faith."

Please don't let anyone you encounter — any friend, any family member, anyone you hear on TV or the radio, or even anyone you hear in the pulpit — tell you otherwise. Jesus Christ IS the only way.

- Paul

*This column first appeared here June 24, 2008 but is even more timely today.

Comments on this? paul@thegospelgreats.com

Hear last weekend's Headline Update report about your favorite artists by clicking here.

Coming on the broadcast the weekend of
February 4th & 5th, 2012:

Featured Artists:  Our Featured Artists on this program will be one of today's most popular groups, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound. They'll be debuting some songs from their soon-to-be-released CD entitled "Here We Are Again." You'll hear that title song plus their current radio hit, "I've Been Here Before," and several other songs. We'll talk with Ernie, Doug, Devin, Ian and Wayne about their songs. Ernie will explain why he had a hand in writing most of the songs on this CD. Please join us for our special visit with Ernie Haase & Signature Sound!

Other Guests:  Nick & Eli Akins (of The Akins); Dell & Richard Hyssong (of the Hyssongs); Ronnie Booth; Gerald Williams (about retirement plans); more.

TGG Anniversary:  This edition will mark the 32nd anniversary of The Gospel Greats program!

Who can YOU invite to listen this weekend?

From the broadcast the weekend of
January 28th & 29th, 2012:

Our Featured Artists on this program were Wilburn & Wilburn. It's great to see Jonathan Wilburn (formerly with Gold City and before that with his family, the Wilburns) singing once again. And this time he's singing with his son, Jordan. They told the story on the air about how Jordan really had a lot to do with convincing his dad to get out there once again to sing — with him. Songs on this program were from their new "Family Ties" CD, including that title song and their current radio hit, "I Ain't Giving Up On Jesus." As they put it on their website, "Our purpose is to preach the word through song, so that the unsaved might come to know the awesome God we serve, and to encourage the saved during their time of trouble and struggle. Souls are dying, men and women are crying. Who will lead them to the cross? Win the lost at any cost!" More details can be found on their website.

The Wilburn & Wilburn CD featured on this program, "Family Ties," is available from our mailorder service, Springside. Just call 1-800-38-MUSIC to order. Call by Friday, February 3, 2012, ask for the "Featured Artist Discount," and get 20 percent off this item. You can order easily from our webstore by using this link to go directly to this item. Note, too, that our "Featured Artist Discount" applies to any other currently in-stock recordings by this artist. While ordering online, when you get to the "Checkout" page, find the "Special Instructions" lines near the bottom, type in "Featured Artist Discount - 20 percent" to get the discount. Note that the discounted price will not be reflected online or in your first confirmation e-mail, but it will be applied here when the order is processed and before it is charged or shipped. (Orders over $40 in the USA qualify for free shipping.)

This broadcast was our official Singing News Top 20 Countdown Edition, based on their monthly chart appearing in the magazine's February issue. I enjoyed the fact that the songs this time in the top 20 were of "normal" length so that we could include Featured Artist visits as is "normal" for us. We went through many months last year where there were so many lengthy songs in the top 20 that we just didn't have time for the Featured Artist visits. I really hope that we don't encounter that again — at least so often.

On the Headline Update, Phil Cross announced that he is returning to the road with his trio, Poet Voices. The group had been inactive for the past few years while Phil attended to other passions, including working to get more Southern Gospel music into churches. But now they're back. You can find out more on their website. They have a video there you can watch of the new trio singing "Grace and Glory."

February is Video Month at Springside! Buy four videos and get the fifth free. Free shipping, too (USA). Click here for details.

Shelia Shares....
"Ready Or Not..."

Children have played hide and seek for as long as I can remember. The person who is "it" covers his eyes and begins to count. Starting at 100, 99, 98, 97, he does a countdown. When he reaches 1, he says, "Ready or not, here I come" and opening his eyes, he begins to search for the other players.

A wise player is prepared and has already hidden before the "1" is spoken. As the person who is "it" says 100, the wise player is on his way to a great hiding place. Better safe than sorry is his motto. He searches for the hiding place as soon as the game starts. He doesn't wait for inspiration to hit with a good hiding place. He seeks one out. When "ready or not, here I come" is spoken, he is quiet and hidden.

Some players are not so wise. They think the time is never going to expire. They don't seem to understand that the countdown numbers are always the same. Not knowing where to hide, they just wait or they go this way and then that. When the "ready or not" call is given, they seem surprised and just freeze wherever they are at that time. Their secret spot often is not secret or hidden.

When it comes to Christ's return, how ready are you? The countdown is in progress. We've been told to watch for the signs and we've already seen many of them fulfilled. Christ has said, "And if I go...I will come again." (John 14:3) We've seen His faithfulness in the past, so why would this promise be any different? Why live like He isn't coming? Why go about daily life without thought for the future? Do we think eternity will take care of itself? Do we think God's promises of judgment and eternal separation from God are just stories?

Christ is coming, "Ready or Not." John 3:16 says He died for everyone. We need to confess our sins and accept His free gift of forgiveness and life while there is time. Please be ready. I'm waiting for the trumpet to sound and Christ to come with a great shout. (I Thessalonians 4:16) That shout might sound a lot like, "Ready or not, here I come."

- Shelia

Comments on this? shelia@thegospelgreats.com .

On the Lighter Side...

Animal Crackers

A mother walks into the kitchen and sees her daughter with the whole box of animal crackers spread on the counter top. Mother: "Why did you pour out the whole box?" Daughter: "The box says, 'Do not eat if the seal is broken.' I'm looking for the seal."

Coupon Heaven

While handing a 25 cents-off coupon to the supermarket clerk at the checkout counter, a woman inadvertently missed her hand, and the coupon slipped beneath the scale and was gone. The checker looked distressed so the woman said, "That's OK — it's in coupon heaven now." "Coupon heaven?" the checker said. "Yes," the woman said. "That's where coupons go when they die." "Only the redeemed ones!" said the checker.

Cute Baby

When we brought our new-born son to the pediatrician for his first checkup, the doctor said, "You have a cute baby." Smiling, I said, "I'll bet you say that to all the new parents." "No," he replied, "just to those whose babies are really good-looking." "So what do you say to the others?" I asked. "He looks just like you."

From Aaron Wilburn's newletter...

My three-year-old grandson just sat down on the bathroom scales and announced, "I'm gonna see how much my butt weighs!" Then he announced, "80 pounds!" Then he asked my wife, "Let's see how much your butt weighs." And she said, "I don't think so!!!!" LOL

Are You Ready?
1 Thess. 5:2-10; Matt. 24:44; Luke 21:34,36
Free Gift
Pray for the President!
Until next Week...Keep Looking Up!


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