This newsletter finds me giving thanks for each of you. We appreciate each card and letter that comes, and although some of you don�t have time to write, you are praying and that�s important. We are truly living in a time when prayer, encouragement and rebuke are needed for the family of God. I have a sister in the Lord in Jamestown, KY, that is truly led of the Spirit. When she writes it�s direct from the throne of God. Her letters at times have rebuke in them, but it�s with a Godly love and all given for encouragement, to push me on. I pray that everyone in the body of Christ would be like that to one another. It doesn�t matter what office we are called into in the ministry, each of us has an obligation to the other. That is to serve one another in love. The battles, the temptations, the afflictions and persecutions are sent to strengthen, to prepare you.
Well praise the Lord! This isn�t at all the message I was going to put down for you today. That�s the thing about God � if we�ll remain in a place of obedience and service, then a message will come that will touch somebody. Each of you as you go out to witness, whether it be in person, by letter, radio or phone - always remain open to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Don�t make plans so unchangeable that you�ve pushed God out. Every battle that I�ve passed through is for a purpose. Not just to make me stronger, but so I can feel what some of you feel. Oh my brothers and sisters, I may at times seem discouraged or low! At times my words seem harsh and the rebuke too strong. When God called and I said, �Here am I, send me�, I accepted a responsi-bility. Not just to God, but to every man, woman, boy and girl I come in contact with. In II Timothy 4:2 my job description was laid out, �Preach the Word; be instant in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.� Every man and woman called of God has that same job description. Being a minister of the Gospel is more than a title � it must be a way of the heart, a heart that loves God and wants to take everyone to Heaven that will CHOOSE to go. People once close to God are becoming disheartened and turning back. Adulterous affairs slipping into church offices and often deacons and ministers won�t speak against it. It�s time for the called of God to fill their job position, and it�s a labor of love. By the leading of the Holy Spirit we must get people�s attention. It�s time for the called of God to cause some shaking to take place. If we EXHORT, we urge by strong appeal. It�s time to appeal to people about their souls that are headed for eternal torment. It�s time to cast the devils out of the church so the sinner, the babes won�t be discouraged from coming in. Our churches are for the sinner, that they might see the �Love of Christ�, that they might see examples of that love in the pulpit and in the pews, in the street, in the alley, anywhere God�s people might go seeking the lost! It�s time for us to be accountable. In II Timothy 4:7 Paul said, �I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.� Paul kept on fighting with terrible things coming against him. He was planted in Christ through faith. He knew, �If You Quit Fighting You�ll Die�.
My spirit is very much troubled that so many that wear the name of Christ, �Christian�, seem to just cruise through life in their own little protected circle without concern for all the souls that are doomed without Christ. I know the Gospel is preached day and night, but it is an ongoing need. You don�t just offer the Word once and then take it back to the camp when people rejected it! Did Christ do you that way? We must keep on, and on, and on, until Jesus comes! God loves every liar, murderer, thief, adulterer, fornicator, homosexual � every sinner. He loves them right up into hell. His offer is extended to all and we must continue to take it to ALL. There�s a lot of false doctrine in the land. A lot of people in the pulpit that believe the lie they are preaching, something they were taught in school, or a message passed on by someone else. A doctrine of �If it feels good, do it � God will understand�. God didn�t call any man to tickle itching ears. Somebody�s wallet, benefit package and retirement plan may have called them for that, but God didn�t. God called for fighters like Paul, who loved the sinner but never failed to preach a no-tolerance and hate for sin. In II Timothy 4:3-4 he said, �For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.� There are a lot of fairy tales in pulpits today and many messengers that are not of God. Most of them dropping dollar signs on the path to hell, leading a multitude! This has gone on throughout history but now in these last days it has super-accelerated! It will continue to grow worse. A lot of churches will be full of them that profess Christianity, they�ll appear to reverence God, but will not tolerate the original New Testament Apostolic faith, that Biblically demanded separation from unrighteousness. (II Timothy 3:5) Most churches today don�t want the Word that a true man of God has for them, a truly Holy Spirit-given Word. Many will want a sweet soft pat-on-the-back sermon that is tolerant of sin. They want sermons that are less than the truth! The Holy Spirit doesn�t lie. If you are sitting under a leader or teacher who is preaching to you something other than repentance, sin and damnation, and the necessity of holiness with separation from the world (II Timothy 3:15-17) then you better come out from among them. It�s time to examine where you are at and where you are headed. Some have just sat down and quit fighting because someone told them they could. Have you chosen a leader with some great speaking ability, using big and enticing words? Someone who is able to entertain you? Someone who gives a message saying you can live a sinful worldly lifestyle, sitting and following the flesh while still going to Heaven? (Romans 8:4-13, II Peter 2) It�s a lie and trick of the devil � have you believed it? The fight goes on daily. �If You Quit Fighting You�ll Die�.
My beloved family in Christ, for all of us who have chosen sound doctrine, to remain faithful, to submit to His Word � He warns us what to expect. Persecution, suffering for righteousness sake. (II Timothy 3:10-12, Matthew 5:10-12) We must continue to preach the Word, rebuke, exhort and separate ourselves from churches, people and situations that compromise the Word of God. A compromising no-fight gospel won�t do! (II Timothy 3:5, Galatians 1:9, I Timothy 4:1-2, II Peter 2:1) Always be found loyal to the Gospel of Christ and His apostles, the Word given by the unction of the Holy Spirit to true faithful God-sent ministers. If you remain in that place, that place of close fellowship with Christ (Revelation 3:20-22) and enjoy times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord (Acts 3:19-20), then you will continue to fight! You won�t think it strange when persecutions come - you won�t lay down and quit. �IF YOU QUIT FIGHTING,
YOU DIE!�
I want each of you to think carefully about Paul�s words as he faced death. Words of confidence � he had fought the only fight ever worth fighting. Paul fought against satan and all the devices used by him, Jewish and pagan devices, false teachings, immorality, the distortion of the Gospel. Paul had lived totally dependent on God, in the truth of His Word. II Timothy 4:6-7, �For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.� He had finished his course through trials and difficulties. He remained faithful to Christ in times of severe testing, great discouragement, forsaken by friends, and much opposition from false teachers. Paul never compromised the Gospel! He didn�t quit fighting. Suppose you faced death knowingly at daybreak, or next week � what would your examination of your life be like? What would be your dying testimony?
In closing let me share this � many of you know me, some have never met me but you know me. I open my life, my afflictions, my trials and tribulations up to you. I don�t try to hide that I�m often tried in battle. In times of trouble you know our situations. I do this because I want my life, my experiences to be an open teaching to you. I want you to understand that there are intense battles, and I will not present myself as some high up, always walking in the clouds preacher. I don�t want you to think that serving Christ is all mountains, and then fall flat on your face when the trials come to you. Let me tell you, there is a price to be paid if you are truly preaching the Gospel. Although hard times come, those times in the valley with God are special � that�s where we learn dependence on Him. Then we can learn to so appreciate those times in the green pastures, lying next to the still waters. Pastures made green by God! Waters made still by God! It�s a fight and God has given us our weapons of warfare. It�s up to us to learn them, to be familiar with them, and use them. I want you to think about this and examine yourself. I�m closer today than yesterday. I was closer yesterday than the day before. I�ll be closer tomorrow than I was today. We must continue on. If we become satisfied with where we are and stop, laying down our armament, then we are backsliding. The fight doesn�t stop until we close our eyes in death or Jesus comes for us. We have not arrived yet. Consider and pray about all of this. I want to worship with many of you soon � if not here
then in Heaven.
You Are Loved, Bro. Don George
