EO Responds To
Emails 02-15-09
(EMAIL) Greetings to you in the almighty name of Jesus Christ our Lord. I must thank you very much for your web site from where I am learning much. I want to know some thing about wine, is it alright for us who believe in the Lord to drink wine and another thing is, there is a brother who left his first wife because they could not agree, although I did everything I could for them to be reconciled, but they did not listen, now this brother has gone and got married again and I told him that it is not right, but he said that Paul said in the 1st book of Corinthians that he could get married, because he said he has divorced his first wife. Well I do not really know if he has done the right thing. Please let me know if he has done the right thing by remarrying.
(RESPONSE) Greetings in Jesus’ name. Sorry for the delay in emailing you. Thanks for the kind words. The issue about drinking any form of alcohol, including wine, seems best answered in the following verse:
It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall. (Rom 14:21)
To add to the problem of drinking wine is the ever present danger of getting drunk. The Bible says drunkards will NOT inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9,10; etc.). Why play with anything which is DANGEROUS TO THE SOUL? It doesn’t make sense. The man you referred to who divorced his wife because they couldn’t get along is in ADULTERY. He is not really married to his new “wife.” He is on the road to hell. In our dark day with the so-called churches being filled with divorced people, often including the minister himself, people think nothing of divorce. Along with once saved always saved, the devil has gotten a major victory with divorce and remarriage over incompatibility. Please tell your friends about our internet church. GOD BLESS YOU.
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(EMAIL) William Miller was sick and in poor health, and some people who were against his teachings were trying to change his mind.
Have you read Nov. 18, 2008- where the Pope wants the European Union to force every citizen to work 46 hours ... and rest on Sunday. The Pope said, without Sunday we can not live. The article says, The enforcement of Sunday worship will be a mark of a powerful, Vatican-allied, European superpower.
The Catholic church says, are mark is Sunday ...The enforcement starts in the U.S., that is why it did not pass... prophecy... says it will be here.
Just remember everyone who goes against a prophet... that is the lesser light... goes against God the Father, the grater light. You will be held accountable for everyone you come in contact with. You will be judge for what you do, do not do, what you except and what you reject, what you know and what you choose not to know... the crises we are having is nothing more than paving the way for the Sunday Law... just around the corner.
Your decision, God lets you choose... but you have to pay the price for disobeying Him. You have the time to change your web site. If you are under conviction, please help us warn about the Sunday Law to the world.. before it is to late. Blood is on your hands... if not. Ellen wrote about this 140 some years ago. God Bless you,
(RESPONSE) Greetings in Jesus’ name. Why are you trying to make excuses for false prophets, including Ellen G. White? Remember the Pope has nothing to do with anything. What he does or doesn’t do means nothing. It is what the Bible says that counts.
The mark of the beast has nothing to do with any day of the week, including Sunday. The SDA people are obsessed with attacking Sunday and trying to say Saturday should be keep as God gave it to Israel when Moses was alive. Unfortunately, you have been misled. To compound the problem, you do not seem teachable. Hence, you will just repel truth like many Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons and Catholics we have shared with. If by chance I’m wrong, please examine the following http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/sabbath.htm
Please consider signing up for our weekly email teachings, updates, etc. If interested, you can do that here http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/contact.htm
GOD BLESS YOU.
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(EMAIL) Hello. We [Catholics] don’t worship a communion wafer... we worship Jesus.
(RESPONSE) Greetings in Jesus’ name. Please read this http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/official.htm
It is some of the official doctrines of Roman Catholicism. Toward the bottom you will read of “the worship of latria” which Catholics give to the communion wafer! Sadly, there are too few who are actually aware of what Catholics really believe. The worst part is the message on salvation is far from the truth as stated in Scripture. GOD BLESS YOU.
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(EMAIL) Hello, after reading your page on papal infallibility, I respectably disagree. As a Roman Catholic (a convert from Protestantism), and teacher of catechesis, I believe you have seriously misunderstand papal infallibility. There is a difference between when a Pope speaks to gives his opinion on a matter, and when he speaks EX CATHEDRA. His personal opinion means little in the scheme of salvation in the Catholic Church. When he speaks ex cathedra, however, we are meant to believe in this truth (this is the power given to him by Jesus himself [“whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” see Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 16]. As well, ex cathedra teachings are not those which the Pope has decided to make up because they simply make him happy, but are teachings that have been taught throughout the history of the Church, but not yet made dogmatic.
You mentioned on your page many seemingly “contradictory” statements made ex cathedra by the church. However, NONE of these statements were made ex cathedra. In Church history, the Pope has only ever spoken ex cathedra twice (and when he did so, it was after the prayerful consultation with the entire church [the Magisterium]). The first ex cathedra statement was on the Immaculate Conception, and second on the Assumption. Both beliefs, yes, denied by Protestants, however both beliefs were historically believed by Christians.
The teachings of the Catholic Church are pure and true. The Catholic Church teaches the truth and fullness of the Christian Gospel. It most certainly does not put the Bible on the back burner. The Catholic Church teaches that you MUST have Jesus Christ at the centre of your life, and this can only happen when you have let Him take residence in your heart (contrary to what you site implied Catholics believed).
In fact, I would go even further to argue that, not only is Jesus Christ the centre of Catholicism (and should be the centre of all our lives) but devout Catholics receive Jesus in the centre of their lives even more so than any Protestant ever will.
As Catholics we receive Jesus both in our heart (through our faith and living) AND in our bodies when we receive him in the Eucharist (through faith and living).
As a former Protestant, I understand your objections, because I once held to them myself. Then I realized that all my objections were mere misunderstandings about what the Church ACTUALLY taught.
The late bishop Fulton Sheen once said “there is not 100 people in the United States who hate the Catholic Church, but millions who hate what thy think it is.”
My entire family is Protestant, and I love Protestants. I view them as Christians, many of them love Christ, and have much passion for Him. The Catholic Church actually teaches that NOT ONLY can Catholics be saved, but non-Catholics too. The Catholic Church teaches that the sanctifying and saving grace of Jesus Christ is present in Protestantism, as well as Catholicism. Therefore, the Church recognizes that although non-Catholic Christians may deny the truth of the Catholic Church (established by Jesus Christ himself, of which HE [yes Jesus, not the Pope] is the head), they still believe in the saving power of Jesus.
To conclude, the Catholic Church teaches that non-Catholic Christians (Protestants) can be saved as well. The beautiful thing about the Catholic Church is, unlike some other Christian denominations, she recognizes that men cannot damn anyone to hell. God is the ONLY judge of humanity. Therefore, the Catholic Church does not have any dogmatic pronouncement on who will go to heaven and who will go to hell, because such judgements are reserved for God alone. God is the only one who knows what is in the hearts of men.
Brother/Sister in Christ, I thank you for listening. I pray you continue your journey and walk with Jesus Christ in utmost love and devotion. I pray that all men and women’s ears and hearts may be open to hearing and receiving the Gospel message and the saving power of Christ Jesus. God Bless you and your family, and I look forward to hearing back from you. Amen.
(RESPONSE) Greetings in Jesus’ name. You did a semi-sound job representing what the Roman Catholic church teaches others about itself today .... since Vatican Council II, which is vastly different than it was before, even though you don’t know this. I was raised a Catholic and was taught one must be in subjection to the Roman Pontiff to have salvation. The priest himself taught us that and he probably got it from the Pope we quote on our web site. That is, in fact, what millions believed for many years, but now it is denied. It is denied, at times, to help lure misinformed people into the Catholic church through the ecumenical movement and the false unity of our day. How current are you with Pope Benedict? Read this http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/PopeBenedictXVI.htm He is starting slowly to reveal some of the things we were taught decades ago.
You also have the idea the Catholic church condemns no one. That is a glaring error. Please teach the truth or stop misrepresenting Catholicism. Read the Council of Trent. That is important. At Trent, Catholicism condemned to hell all non-Catholics by all of their anathema statements — over 100 of them. That alone should burst this bubble you are in about Catholicism. Furthermore, Trent was reaffirmed at Vatican Council II. Make a note of that!
To say that the immaculate conception (of Mary) and the bodily assumption (of Mary into heaven) has always been taught throughout the history of the church is gross error. The Catholic Church has fabricated this Mary that does not even come close in resembling the real Mary of the Lord Jesus. To think that Mary was “sinless” is anti-scripture, but that is only a small part of how this fabricated Mary is presented and relied upon. She is supposed to be “our life, sweetness and hope” as well as “the mediatrix and dispenser of all graces.” Ponder that! In other words, Catholicism teaches Mary has a role on our salvation today, which will damn all people who believe this. Fatima teaches that Mary is “the way” to God. Do you realize the heresy of that? Again, that is poison as well as glaring error when compared to John 14:6. Though this may sound harsh it is the truth. Poison is poison. To call poison, something less won’t help people.
The Catholic church teaches we must have Jesus at the center of our life and we are saved by grace, but they interpret that occurs through the Catholic sacraments, especially baptism and penance! Do NOT be deceived. Their plan of salvation is NOT the same as what Jesus and his apostles taught as found in the Bible. Please carefully ponder this http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/rcdeception.htm Catholics do not really “receive Christ” at communion. They are only taught that. (One “receives” Jesus when they believe in him, John 1:12.) All they receive at communion is a cracker-like substance! It was NOT changed into the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ, as they claim. To bow before that wafer is to commit idolatry. Did you know the Catholic church teaches you are to “worship” as God the consecrated communion wafer (the Eucharist)? Have you worshiped their communion wafer lately? Hopefully not. If so, you committed idolatry.
The statement by Fulton Sheen is only propaganda. People who know their Bibles and know what Catholicism really teaches are repulsed by the difference. The contrast is as with day to night. I was raised a Catholic and wanted to stay a Catholic. What changed me was reading the Bible. If you are a lover of truth, you will swallow your pride, admit your error and get out of that religious system and its many errors and idolatries. Your SOUL is in the greatest danger. Please read this over about Biblical salvation http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/salvationps.htm GOD BLESS YOU.
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(EMAIL) Hello, thank you so much for sending me and updating me with so many topics. I am so glad that you have found some time to send me biblical, and other denominational topics that has been a great help to me in my ministry here in B______. I have been using whatever research and topic you are sending me, and it has blessed and touch so many lives here in our place with the help of our Almighty Father. May you continue to be a blessing to me.
(RESPONSE) Greetings in Jesus’ name. We rejoice with you that our materials have helped people in your part of the world. To God be the glory. Also, I must not forget to say that the people who support Evangelical Outreach are also responsible for this good fruit for without them, we couldn’t do it alone. They share in this too. Remember: you are battling for eternity and for the precious SOULS of people. Take 1 Tim. 4:16 to heart. GOD BLESS YOU.
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(EMAIL) It is my prayer that this email finds you well, deep in the Spirit and on the battlefield serving our soon coming King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
...wonderful day when we all stand before Him and the dust has settled after this present evil world has passed away and we are with Him forever more, He will wipe those tears away. Our joy will be unspeakable and truly full of glory. I cannot wait for that day. Although I treasure every chance to serve Him here, I do indeed look forward to the day He calls me home. There is nothing here in this life that attracts or entertains or provides that satisfaction of the relationship with Christ my Lord and my God. So few, so very few have come to know that and as His Spirit is withdrawn out of this world and the days grow more and more evil there is less and less reason to look in the world for anything other than to serve Him.
Oh how I wish you had been at the ______ Mall with us this past Saturday morning, I Teach a Bible study there almost every Saturday morning lasting two and a half hours. My little ministry buys breakfast for anybody who shows up and it is open to all. We do it in the food court. It is a good size regional mall and the foot traffic that passes by us gets a glimpse of what we are doing and we often get a chance to witness of our Savior’s love and the great salvation He offers to all. We got onto the topic of eternal security, which is one of the main cornerstones of my ministry which I teach against and have for almost thirteen years now. You would have enjoyed it immensely. I had a chance to teach on Charles Stanley as well, with whom I had spoken twice and corresponded numerous times on the topic a number of years ago. I boldly teach that although he is a brilliant man, a very charismatic person and very sincere, he is sincerely wrong! That he teaches another Gospel and that he is accursed, according to scripture. His teaching on eternal security permeates all else he teaches and therefore he leads many thousands, perhaps millions astray. I teach that I would not want to be in his shoes (were he to be wearing any) when he stands before Jesus....
Oh what a powerful time we had exposing the Truth of God’s Word and the Spirit changing the understanding of a number of people to His Truth! It is always thrilling to see the Spirit at work in men’s hearts. Even if one soul is turned from folly to life eternal, from ignorance to Truth, it is well worth the investment of time and effort. I live for this. I am willing to march right up to the gates of hell itself if need be and stare Satan down, stare him right in the eye, toe to toe, in order to do business in the reclaiming of a soul from the edge of destruction. That is exactly how precious this all is. Out of a thousand preachers, pastors, ministers and teachers around these parts, there is hardly one that is willing to take that same stand. Brother, there are few, very, very few. The scripture tells us there are few that find it. AND, if there are few that find it, there are even fewer that are willing to teach it and preach it and live it and lead it. Amen.
Well, I’ll get off the soap box. Sorry to run on like that. You keep up the good fight....In His service, in His love and in the hope of His soon coming,
(RESPONSE) Greetings in Jesus’ name.
Thanks for your kind words. Your prayers are precious to us.... Your zeal is wonderful to read about. Keep spreading the word. We are on the same page with the eternal security teachers like Stanley. Jude made it clear that they are NOT saved. Teaching others this is only part of the problem. Another major problem is getting people who reject eternal security to stop spreading it through sending money to Stanley’s ministry.
If we knew how “few” are real Christians we’d all be shocked, especially with the rampancy of eternal security in our day. It is a terrible day. Heb. 3:14. GOD BLESS YOU.
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(EMAIL) Greetings in the Name of Jesus, Thank you for your web site. I enjoyed reading it, and found it quite interesting.
I do not believe in conditional security, per say, but I don’t like being grouped in the OSAS category. I believe that the immoral will not inherit the Kingdom of God, but rather Hell. This is clear from the scriptures.
We know that Christ said “many will cry “Lord, Lord”... and He will respond “I never knew you.” Because Christ used the term NEVER, I believe that those individuals were NEVER redeemed, though they thought they were.
I concur that a HUGE number of professing Christians are in fact, not redeemed at all. The scripture is clear, you will know them by their fruit.
As you can see, I don’t fit into the typical OSAS group. If we think we are true believers, we need to examine and see if there is any evidence as such. If not, the problem is not our actions, but our heart.
Keep growing in the faith. Spread the Word to the lost. In Christ,
(RESPONSE) Greetings in Jesus’ name.
From your email it becomes apparent that you deny a truly saved person can backslide as the following did: King David, Solomon, Peter, etc. Hence, you are only using some of the Bible for your belief and ignoring these facts.
Without question, David had salvation BEFORE he turned to adultery and murder. Did he lose his salvation or retain it? That is the issue. He lost his salvation. To teach otherwise is to teach a license for immorality. Again, David died spiritually. Read this http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/spiritualdeath.htm
To reject one can have salvation and be in wickedness at the same time shows you are getting close to the truth. May God help you come the rest of the way.
GOD BLESS YOU.
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(EMAIL) OSAS says more about Gods sovereignty while other positions center on man\’s ability not to sin; If this is not true then how can He who began a good work in you carry it to completion to the day of Christ Jesus? It’s a sovereignty issue, and which deserves more weight- -God\’s sovereignty or man\’s ability?
(RESPONSE) Greetings in Jesus’ name.
The determining issue if eternal security is true or false is NOT if it leans more one way or the another! There is NO Scripture that says that. Besides who would decide which way it is leaning?
Eternal security is clearly FALSE. It is a heresy that has many thinking they are on the road to heaven when they are really on the road to hell. We believe that we are saved by grace (Eph. 2:8,9) but we can fall from grace (Gal. 5:2-4). We are justified by faith (Rom. 5:1) but our faith can become shipwrecked (1 Tim. 1:19,20) and cease to exist (Lk. 8:13; Rom. 11:19-23). We are not under the law (Rom. 6:14,15) but if you live according to the sinful nature you will die (Rom. 8:13). Paul taught against legalism (Gal. 5:3,4) but he also taught that no immoral, impure or greedy person has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God (Eph. 5:5-7). We are not saved by works (Eph. 2:8,9) but to reap eternal life and not destruction you must sow to please the Spirit and not the sinful nature (Gal. 6:8,9). God is faithful to us (1 Jn. 1:9; 1 Cor. 10:13) but we must be faithful to him to the very end of our lives to escape the lake of fire or second death (Rev. 2:10,11). God surely loves us (Jn. 3:16; Mk. 10:21; Rom. 8:35-39) but those who inherit the kingdom of God love God (Jam 2:5; 1 Cor. 2:9) and to love God means to obey his commands (Jn. 14:15; 1 Jn. 5:3). We have freedom in Christ (Gal. 5:1) but this freedom is not to indulge the sinful nature (Gal. 5:13; 1 Pet 2:16).
Read this for a better understanding of Phil. 1:6 http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/phil1130.htm
Please consider getting our 801 page book refuting eternal security entitled, “The Believer’s Conditional Security.” There is MUCH in it that can help you better understand this salvation related subject. http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/whatsnew.htm This book is the most exhaustive and comprehensive refutation to eternal security ever written.
Please consider signing up for our weekly email teachings, updates, etc. If interested, you can do that here http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/contact.htm
Remember Gal. 6:8,9 is a SALVATION passage not a rewards passage. GOD BLESS YOU.
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(EMAIL) Thank you for the reply and I expect you are a busy man, so no hurry for a reply to this. I will get a copy of your book, looks very interesting and I see you put a lot of effort into it.
I became a believer at the age of __ and had no Christianity in my upbringing. I soon start attending __________. I recently relocated to __ and God led my wife and I to a wonderful, Bible preaching church - none of this prosperity nonsense. I soon discovered ES in the messages (I had never been exposed to this doctrine before) and had misgivings about joining the church following this. Our pastor recommended Charles Stanley’s book on the subject which I purchased and read. I am a serious Christian and know the Word. I found his arguments totally unconvincing. I believe they were the result of his own insecurity in his faith (fear and trembling is a good thing!), and he sought to find the answer he did, despite having to argue against many verses which clearly state the contrary (Heb. 6 of course)....
Again, I agree that this doctrine is false, which should be made known to those willingly living a sinful life without fear of judgment based on this erroneous teaching. With that said, I know my pastor to be a man who loves God and knows Him. I believe the same for Dave Hunt, Charles Stanley, and others on the opposing side of this debate. The point is, would you consider and proclaim them to be heretics as described in Jude 3, 4? Despite their error. I know they do not fit this description.
Jude 3 and 4:
This is the word of God. “3 Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. 4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”
...Although this doctrine is erroneous, I do not believe those who believe it are guilty of a deadly sin. For instance, my sister died two days ago and she was a believer, although she committed suicide (overdose on prescription drugs). She had attended church the previous Sunday and told her son, who is very strong in his faith, what a blessing the service was _______. She had many struggles in her life (her daughter committed suicide) and was lately hanging around the wrong person (she was with that person when she died). So, what message do I give at the funeral - ES or the contrary? We all want to believe that she is with the Lord, but wanting it doesn’t make it true. If she is with the Lord, then all the admonishments not give up and to endure to the end becomes meaningless to the rest of us - right? It is a difficult debate and there is no black and white answer for any particular believer (my sister for instance), although we know it is possible to fall away from the faith - some shortly after receiving and some later down the road.
With regards to those that may hear our message and become concerned that they may lose their salvation, my wife is a good example. Prior to my voicing my concern of this issue in our new church, she had not considered the possibility of losing her salvation. She is an extremely dedicated follower of Christ, but nevertheless she was concerned at the idea she could lose her salvation - since we are all prone to fall at times. Frankly in my early days, despite many struggles with sin, I never considered this either, I just simply repented when I sinned. I did however, have a serious fall in ____ and it was only the fear of the Lord that kept me from giving up during the cleansing trials that ensued (Jesus was selling me His gold). Eternity damnation is a great deterrent to sin!
I believe it is important that we do not let this doctrine divide those of us who share the Blood of the Lamb and of the Holy Spirit. My pastor is a great example - we have many great conversations about God and he is very sound in the faith, with this one exception. Charles Stanley and Dave Hunt are also brothers, which is evident in their teachings, again with this exception. We need to put this in God’s hands - only he can correct them - we for our part must love them, despite our strong objections to ES. May God unify us all in the Truth! Your brother in Christ,
(RESPONSE) Greetings in Jesus’ name.
I’m very sorry to read about your sister. May her death help people who knew her come to salvation or become more fruitful.
All Christians are perfectly safe as long, as they continue to follow Jesus (John 10:27,28). There are various safeguards mentioned in Scripture, which if acted upon, will prevent one from falling away. Consider what Peter wrote in 2 Peter 1:5-11.
To think that Hunt, Stanley and others are Christians is a nice thought, but is it Biblical? Just because they are popular doesn’t mean they are Christians! The Pope is even more popular! If we examine Jude, the Holy Spirit had him write that the “grace” changers are ungodly people, etc. He did NOT declare them Christians. Furthermore, Stanley, Hunt, etc. connect once saved always saved to the “gospel” itself. Hence, they are preaching a false gospel, especially since 1 Cor. 15:2 is the opposite of their “gospel.” Gal. 1:8,9 says they will be condemned just for preaching a wrong gospel. We have to stand with these Scriptures, regardless how few might stand with us.
Please consider signing up for our weekly email teachings, updates, etc. If interested, you can do that here http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/contact.htm
GOD BLESS YOU. Rev. 21:4.
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(EMAIL) I recently heard your debate with Dave Hunt, who I respect as a result of reading several of his books. I am confounded that there are so many believing this doctrine of Eternal Security, which is clearly refuted in the scriptures (Heb. 6, etc.). Actually some of the best scriptures for refuting this are the letters to the Churches in Revelation. These are the direct words of Christ to BELIEVERS - to him who overcomes I will....Why debate it though? Do you think any believer living a sinful life can really rest in the idea of this doctrine? I believe the Holy Spirit will convict them of this falsehood and they will know this is a lie. Falling, in reality is a very serious situation and none of us all unaware or by accident.... So, do you think we must debate this? I would be interested in your thoughts. Finally, I agree that we are saved by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our of testimony, but it is the blood that makes salvation possible period. Thanks for listening - keep preaching the truth!
(RESPONSE) Greetings in Jesus’ name.
...He [Hunt] has deceived MANY by his OSAS messages. Sadly, he is certainly not alone with this heresy teaching.
This doctrine does need to be debated. It is a sleeping issue with most just thinking OSAS is a sound and sure doctrine related to grace and the gospel. We are all commanded to “contend” against eternal security (Jude 3,4). As you mentioned, Rev. 2 and 3 are excellent is destroying this snare. This doctrine has people thinking they are still believers in their wickedness: theft, lying, hatred, jealousy, drunkenness, sexual sin, etc. Even though they may get convicted they are not repenting and don’t think they have to for salvation because of this heresy....
Have you signed up for our internet church http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/contact.htm
Hope your family is coming around. May God help us all. Heb. 3:14.
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