I was recently approached by someone on Twitter who wanted to interview me about my seven plus years as a street evangelist. He had seen some of my posts asking for prayer for homeless people or those who requested Bibles, and knew that I had been an attorney for many years before I became a street evangelist. I agreed and, thankfully, even though I talk fast, I believe that I was able to communicate why I do what I do in as clear a manner as is possible. I hope you will consider listening and will be encouraged. The photos below are a small sample of the precious souls to whom I have been able to minister and give Bibles, tracts and when necessary, food, socks and water(provided by my church).

Click on the link below for the interview:

Podcast interview on street evangelism

My Evangelism Journey to Key West, Florida

Desiderius Erasmus, a Dutch scholar, philosopher and priest, was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands, on October 28, 1466. Despite being illegitimate, he received an excellent education in a series of catholic schools, which at the time, were the most prestigious pre-university academic institutions in Europe. He ultimately entered the catholic priesthood as a means to provide for himself, but there is little evidence that he was active in the church outside of his scholarly pursuits. He was a staunch critic of ecclesiastical abuses and pushed hard for reform inside the catholic system from his earliest days as a priest.

Erasmus is, without dispute, the father of the modem Greek biblical text used by Martin Luther’s German Bible; and the Tyndale, Geneva and King James Bibles. He was considered to be one of the most brilliant scholars of his age, and he was sought after by kings and intellectuals around Western Europe. He is frequently attacked for being Catholic, but his multitude of written works prove him to be the least Catholic Catholic of the 16th century, outside of Martin Luther, whom he influenced greatly, as I will discuss in detail.

Erasmus was a “humanist” but in the classical sense, meaning that he was a student of history, literature and languages in the tradition of Ancient Greece and Rome. He was NOT a secular humanist, as the term implies today. He is intentionally labeled a “Catholic humanist” in order to slander him and mislead the masses about who he truly was as THE major force behind the biblical Greek text we call the Textus Receptus today. He truly was the match that lit the fuse of the Reformation.

As proof of his discontentment with Rome, Erasmus publicly criticized a recently deceased Pope (Julius II) in 1514, and constantly attacked the corruption of the Catholic Church publicly and through thinly veiled anonymous tracts. He despised indulgences and any type of “pay for pray” scheme, and most importantly, he rejected and exposed as a fraud, Jerome’s fabled Latin vulgate. Few realize that Jerome stole the name vulgate from the Vetus Latina, the original Latin vulgate, circa 147 AD-420 AD, which used the Textus Receptus Greek and was (along with its progeny), wildly popular outside of Catholic circles for 1000 years. Over 10,000 of still exist today.

Erasmus was indeed the spark that ignited the Reformation via his 2nd edition Greek text(and corresponding Latin Biblical text across the page),which proved that Rome had intentionally mistranslated the Greek word “metanoia” as “doing penance” rather then what it truly means: “to repent.” I will discuss this error and others, further along.

Luther, while reading Erasmuses 2nd edition Greek New Testament(which he privately referred to as his “wife,” due to his devotion to it), in direct violation of papal decrees, came across the line in Romans 1:17, “The just shall live by faith.” He immediately realized that everything he had learned about salvation via the Catholic machine, was a lie. He knew that, in order to be true to the God of Scripture he must vigorously oppose his Catholic masters. He did…and the Reformation was born. A popular saying of the era was that Erasmus laid the eggs and Luther hatched the chickens of the Reformation. Luther even used Erasmuses Greek New Testament biblical text as the foundation for his 1522 German New Testament, commonly known as the Luther Bible.

Erasmus ultimately authored 5 editions of his Greek New Testament text between 1516-1535. His 1519 2nd edition (the one used by Luther) is the one that consisted of a Greek translation on one side of the page with a corresponding Latin translation on the page next to it(side by side). Erasmus made his Greek and Latin texts using the Antiochan Greek manuscripts that came to the west after the fall of the Byzantine empire to the Ottomans in 1435. These manuscripts, and other similar manuscripts that had also originated from Antioch, Syria, were appropriately labeled the “Byzantine text.” (Today this manuscript family is also referred to as the Traditional Text, the Majority Text, the Syrian text or the Textus Receptus)

The 1519 Greek/Latin New Testament of Erasmus was designed to prove that the Catholic Latin vulgate was full of intentional doctrinal errors in favor of Rome. I previously noted the outrageous change in meaning given to metanoia, the Greek word for repentance.

Few people of the day, outside of the most educated scholars, could read Greek, but they could read Latin, and thus, were limited by Rome to Jerome’s vulgate. Due to Erasmuses Latin translation, all literate laymen were finally able to see, first hand, the corruption of the Jerome’s Catholic vulgate by Rome. “Vulgate” means “common” thus, all early Latin translations which were made for the general public (like the Vetus Latina, circa 147 AD)were called “Vulgates” since they were used by the common people. They ALL used the Antiochan family of Greek manuscripts(the Byzantine Text) as their foundation, which Rome despised since there were many verses and passages which directly convicted Rome of high treason against God.

** Please See the links at the end, which address the textual differences

As a result, Rome cleverly stole the term and created their own common Latin text, often called Jerome’s Catholic vulgate, which contained much doctrinal error since it was built on the foundation of very few, highly corrupt, heavily edited(by gnostics Origen, Philo or Marcion) Alexanderian Greek texts. Rome called it “vulgate” so that your average reader would assume it was from the same source text as the original Latin vulgates. Interestingly, few seminaries even mention the real Latin vulgate(even though 10,000 exist today!), and quickly skip to their beloved catholic fraud.

Several examples of intentional, pro Catholic, doctrinal errors contained in Jerome’s Latin vulgate are: the Greek word “metanoia” should be translated “repentance” but Rome translated it “penance.” “Repentance”from a heart belief in what Jesus did on the cross to pay for our sins, is what saves our souls. “Penance” is a catholic “work” assigned to the people by priests, in order for them to pay for their sins themselves, under the supervision of Rome,since the blood of Christ wasn’t good enough. It was often free labor for the church, or money paid by the sinner to the church for absolution. They obviously changed it to maintain control over the people,rather then have them go directly to Jesus, our high priest and savior, for absolution.

Also, in Luke 1, Jerome’s faux Latin Vulgate says “Mary full of grace,”thereby, making her a source of God’s grace, and justifying prayer to her. Erasmus translated that same passage, “hail one who has found God’s grace.” Once again, the goal is to get the peoples eyes off of Jesus and into a Catholic fable. Bible believers should know, without doubt, that Jesus alone is full of grace and truth. As we know, Mary even calls God her Savior in Luke 1:47, proving that she too was a sinner.

Jerome’s Latin Vulgate also claims that Jesus went to purgatory to help pay for our sins. Erasmus proved that the verse in question should say that Jesus “purged” our sins. That…is an outrageous heresy, minimizing His work on the cross, and ignoring three of the greatest words ever spoken on earth: “It…Is…Finished.”

The catholic priest, martyr and brave Bible warrior William Tyndale, used Erasmuses 1522 Greek New Testament text to create his legendary English bible. 83% of the KIng James Bible lines up with Tyndale’s text, proving Erasmuses monumental influence on English Bibles even today. The Matthews and Geneva Bibles also relied heavily on his work.

Later in life Erasmus made it clear that he rejected many key Catholic doctrines such as infant baptism, baptismal regeneration, transubstantiation, and he, like Wycliffe and Tyndale, strongly believed that all Christians should have direct access to the scriptures. He was a bitter critic of the inquisition, and as previously noted, he despised the sale of indulgences.

As obvious as it sounds, Erasmus was also a strong proponent of freewill and ended up in a long and bitter feud with Luther over doctrine. He died in Basel Switzerland (a stronghold of the reformation) with his anabaptist friends in 1536. To further prove his disconnection with Rome,The council of Trent banned all of his writings (that ban is still in effect today!), and he was not permitted to be buried in a Catholic cemetery. Any claim that he was a lifelong catholic ignores the reality of his life. Some, like Luther, attempt to create change from the outside. Erasmus believed that he could be a more effective agent of change inside the catholic machine.

In my ten year study of the Bible version issue, I can think of no single person who has had more of a positive impact on proliferating the word of God in its purest form, unedited by gnostics or Rome, then Desiderius Erasmus. He is slandered, misrepresented and maligned by many, but I believe we will all understand his brave and under appreciated labor for the Lord when we cross over to the other side. I’ll see you there…hopefully, soon.

** Below is a link to my primary Bible version article establishing, with great clarity, why the Greek Text used by the: Luther, Tyndale, Great, Bishop’s, Matthew’s, Geneva and King James Bibles is vastly superior to the Greek text used by the ESV, NASB, NIV, and all other new version bibles:The Bible Version Controversy: The Tale of Two Greeks

Another article explaining why the version issue matters: Another Reason for the KJB: the tale of one man’s torment at the hands of the NASB

My Evangelization trip to Key West, Florida:Piercing the Darkness: Preaching the Gospel in Key West, Florida

“Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up YET unto this feast; for my time is not yet full come. When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee. But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.”
‭‭John‬ ‭7:8-10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“So Jesus said to them, “My time is not yet here, but your time is always opportune. The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil. Go up to the feast yourselves; **I DO NOT GO UP TO THIS FEAST**because My time has not yet fully come.””
‭‭John‬ ‭7:6-8‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

Almost every day, following street evangelism, if there aren’t any waves, I drive over to the Jupiter inlet in order to swim in the clear blue-green water, especially just before high tide as it fills in with the warm Gulf Stream current, which lies only 3 miles off shore. The inlet is full of sea turtles, manatees, spotted eagle rays, schools of Jack Crevalle and every manner of tropical fish – and of course, sharks. Swimming against the current one way….and then riding it back to my little beach the other way, is one of the great joys of my life. The swim out against the tide is a challenge, but the journey back, being gently pushed by the warm, clean Gulf Stream, is like quietly flying through a thick blue sky, but instead of birds, it’s full of brilliantly, and beautifully crafted marine life. I see the creativity, love and power of God every single swim.

A few weeks ago, as I was getting out of the water and stripping off my gear, (mask, snorkel, dive gloves, fins, and unnecessary but fun to carry dive knife) I noticed an older gentleman on my little beach. I greeted him with a warm smile and asked him if he knew that Jesus Christ loved him and paid the full price for his sin with His blood. He responded with an enthusiastic,”Yes!”

For some reason, it was on my heart to gently bring up the Bible version issue, so I mentioned to him that after decades of being an NIV lover and KJB hater, I decided to study the reason for all of the different Bible versions. (My article outlining that issue, in depth, can be found at the end of this post.)

I then made the point that one of the most egregious differences between the KJB and the new versions, is that Jesus actually lies to his brothers in John 7:8-10, in every single new version. Not only does scripture teach us that God cannot lie (Titus 1:2), but Revelation 22:15 states that liars go into the lake of fire. I would not want to be one of the men who assigned Jesus to hell by virtue of my translation decisions.

As soon as the words came out of my mouth, the man looked at me with disbelief and said,” Jesus really didn’t lie in the King James??” I said, “No. He only lies in bibles created by Rome. In the real Bible he tells the truth.” The man was absolutely shocked and told me that he had been tormented by that scripture for 25 years! Why did Jesus lie? How could he do that and be God – and truly be good? He found his answer, by the grace and mercy of Jesus on a small, remote beach on Jupiter island. He was reminded by the true word of God that God cannot and does not EVER lie.

Not coincidentally, Matthew 5:22, in the new versions, also condemns Jesus to hell since he gets angry with Peter for not respecting God’s plan of redemption. In the new versions, we are condemned to hell simply for being angry with our brother, while the KJB properly adds that we are only in danger of hell for being angry “without a cause.” The edits in the new versions by our friends in Rome, are of course, no accident. [The new versions also slander the character of Paul in Galatians 5:12. Check it in the KJB, and then in a new version of your choosing. Which version accurately captures the heart of Paul towards his enemies?]

What a blessing that the Lord led me to that precious soul at that exact moment in time. I asked him for his contact information, and sent him my full Bible version article so that he could understand what exactly happened to the word of God at the hands of Rome in 1881. Satan couldn’t destroy scripture, so he made clever, easy-read counterfeits…shrouded in pseudo scholarship and approved (and pushed) by the Laodicean church. If one puts a Phd or Thd behind their name, seemingly every Christian will trust them, whether they have a legitimate salvation testimony or not.

I will never EVER read (or recommend) a Bible where Jesus is condemned to hell not only for lying but also for being justifiably angry with his beloved brother Peter. Furthermore, there are hundreds of serious doctrinal edits and deletions in the new versions, all of which use the same corrupt family of manuscripts, while the editors simply grab a thesaurus to ensure that they change just enough words and phrases to get a copyright – and the cash that comes with it. That is patently outrageous and will not stand on the last day. I strongly urge all of my readers to review my articles linked at the end of this post, and place your new version Bible where it belongs – in the fire.

My full Bible version article:

The Bible Version Controversy: A Brief History of The War over God’s Eternal Written Word

Another article I wrote on a friend led astray by new version edits:

Repentance, Salvation and The New Bible Versions: Yes, it Really Does Matter

Tithing and the New Testament Church

The Supremacy and Certainty of Scripture: What Exactly we Have with the Written Word of God

Money and the Ministry: Teachers, Preachers and Mammon

I’m still surprised by how often scripture directly challenges my seemingly normal and appropriate beliefs and practices. Recently, I have been encouraged to examine how I (and the church) relate to our nation and it’s leaders. My only standard for testing the validity of my beliefs is scripture…the refining furnace of God’s eternal word. Fortunately, the issues of nationalism and politics are addressed clearly and directly by both Jesus and Paul, leaving no room for legitimate, biblical debate. If Jesus and Paul say it, I believe it, even if it goes against EVERYTHING I have been taught and practiced for decades. May God be true…and every man a liar. Romans 3:4

I adore the United States and would never want to live anywhere else (except maybe Costa Rica). I was a huge supporter of Republican presidents from Reagan to George W. Bush, and I greatly enjoyed studying and debating public policy. However, a few years back, as I was studying the Scriptures relentlessly, preparing to embark on my new career as a street minister, I began to notice clear and unambiguous statements about God’s perspective on this dying world versus the one to come, where we will rule and reign with Jesus Christ, in paradise…forever. While we are taught to fervently pray for our leaders, we are never taught, either directly or by example, to take part in politics or become entangled in governmental affairs.

When I examine the quotations of Jesus that can be applied to issues of nationalism and politics, one thing becomes clear – His kingdom is not of this world, therefore, neither is mine.

In the verse below, some of his followers wanted to make Jesus their king. His actions in response to this, speak as loud as his words:

¹⁵ When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone. John 6:15

While no explanation is given to us in John 6 (above) regarding why Jesus doesn’t want to reign as king on earth, the answer is provided for us later in the chapter:

³⁶ Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. John 18:36

Although we know that God is sovereign in all things, the gospels teach us exactly what our rebellion in the garden cost both us and him:

⁵ And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.⁶ And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.⁷ If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.⁸ And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Luke 4:5-8

Whether or not we want to accept the unambiguous truths stated above, this world is Satan’s due to our rebellion. We, through Adam, rejected the instructions of the God who made us and loved us, and instead chose to follow His enemy. Jesus can and does reach his hand down to help those that are His, but in terms of temporal authority, we see that, whomever is in charge, no matter what party, the doctrines of demons are propagated. For some it’s abortion, for others (like the current president) it is (among other things) the LBGTQ agenda, which he proudly and vigorously promotes. Many will ignore this fact, because the future of America is more important to them than the proliferation of the gospel, but the plain truth is, whether right, left or center, the Antichrist agenda is moving forward, and nothing can stop it. IT IS WRITTEN. His kingdom is not of this world….

When we examine Paul’s life, we do not see any attempt by him to influence or even be involved with any type of temporal power structure. He preached the gospel to them, but he wanted no part of the man-made systems they represented. Paul made it clear: he lived for an eternal kingdom, one whose builder and maker was God, and while he labored diligently for God while on earth, his hope, his treasure and his crown…were in heaven.

When I read Paul’s letters in the KJB, especially the pastoral epistles, it becomes clear that Paul is concerned about: sound doctrine, preaching the word, boldness, rebuking false teachers, and the blessed hope…the glorious return of Jesus Christ. What is glaringly absent, is any concern for the power structures of this world. In fact, when addressing Timothy, his beloved son in the faith, He says:

³ Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.⁴ No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 2 Timothy 2:3-4

Paul is making the point that we as Christians are to view ourselves, not as propagators of a political agenda but as soldiers for Jesus Christ. He even states, as clearly as possible, that we are NOT to become entangled in the affairs of this life. What this means, among other things, is that we are not to invest our labor in the short term machinations of politics and government. Instead we are to fix our eyes and hearts on eternity. Paul knew well that a concern for the things of Earth, which will ultimately be destroyed (2 Peter 3), would only serve to pull him away from the gospel and away from the realities of an eternal heaven, and an eternal hell.

Many believe that Paul wrote Hebrews, but regardless of the author, we are told exactly what we are to focus our minds and hearts on:

 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.³ For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Hebrews 12:1-3

It is important to note that Paul didn’t teach us to ignore government entirely. In fact, he made it clear that we have a duty to sincerely pray for our leaders:

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;² For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.³ For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;⁴ Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

Interestingly, the purpose of these prayers isn’t so that we can control, manipulate or even take over the government. Rather, the goal is to allow us to live quite, peaceable lives, doing what his letters so powerfully exhort us to do – preach the word boldly, while caring for the weak, the lonely and the poor.

America is my dwelling place, and I am extremely grateful for our Constitution and the freedoms it allows…but it is not now and never will be my home. I…we, are sojourners on the earth. We are, as Paul says, strangers and pilgrims, as we move ever so slowly to an eternal city, one whose builder and maker is God. May we lay aside the cares of this rotting, malignant world, and fix our eyes on Jesus, and HIS glorious kingdom, where we will dwell with Him in joy and peace…forever.

EPILOGUE

I chose not to vote for president in the last election, and it has borne great fruit for Jesus Christ in my vocation as a street minister. I have had many people scream at me, assuming that I am a Trump guy, and asking me why I don’t go tell HIM about Jesus. I calmly smile, and tell them that I never have and never will vote for Trump. As a result, I have had several people who would never otherwise even consider the message of the cross for one second, listen to what I have to say, and even take strong gospel tracts. THAT is what truly matters…contending for the eternal souls of precious men and women. I’d trade one atheist taking a tract for my vote any day. This place will burn. May we render unto Cesar what is Cesar’s, but otherwise may we all focus our eyes and hearts on Jesus and our families.

While the founders of America knew that the Bible and Judeo-Christian values were the only basis for a truly civilized society, few if any, expressed a sincere belief in the actual gospel of Jesus Christ. Consequently, while America has had unprecedented peace on our shores, and became an unparalleled venue for the creation and development of technology and luxuries, evil has also flourished. While the true gospel has been spread throughout the world by the numerous technological platforms developed in the US, the false gospel has also been spread worldwide by the likes of TBN and other false Christian media. Furthermore, the technology that will be necessary for the Antichrist’s economic and communications systems would not be anywhere close to what they are today without American ingenuity and cash. This government that we love so much (when our guys are in charge) uses our patriotism against us (Patriot act, etc.), by creating the type of surveillance that will be needed in the end to control the world’s population. Satan is brilliant, and he is always working. He plays every angle, and he plays them well – from handsome televangelist to violent murderer. So let us turn from this dying, world and it’s wicked ways, and focus on  the glorious reality of eternity.

***LIVE LINK:A discussion on the preservation of scripture, post resurrection*** 

A friend on Twitter recently asked me to do an interview with him in order to give a short testimony, to briefly discuss my street evangelism, and to explain what prompted me to turn from being an NIV advocate to a KJB warrior. I believe there is some solid content regarding the evidence for the Textus Receptus (KJB Greek) vs. the Critical Greek text(new version Greek). I hope you enjoy.

The Bible Version Controversy: A Brief History Of the War For God’s Eternal Word