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Why Are Catholics Unable To Admit That, Yes, They Do Pray To Mary As Official Vatican Teaching Commands Them To Do?

Statues of Mary were everywhere you looked, we were taught about the many apparitions of Mary around the world, celebrated Mary on May Day, and give her the top spot in our thoughts and devotions. St. Mary’s school and Roman Catholic Church taught us these things by order of the Vatican

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Statues of Mary were everywhere you looked, we were taught about the many apparitions of Mary around the world, celebrated Mary on May Day, and gave her the top spot in our thoughts and devotions. St. Mary’s school and Roman Catholic Church taught us these things by order of the Vatican

In the interest of full disclosure, I was a Catholic for the first 30 years of my life. I was baptized as a baby, received “first holy communion”, was “confirmed”, spent 3 years as an altar boy in St. Mary’s Church in Pompton Lakes, NJ, and in total was educated in the Catholic school system for 12 long years. Part of our Catholic training was learning how to pray to the Virgin Mary. Statues of Mary were everywhere you looked, we were taught about the many apparitions of Mary around the world, celebrated Mary on May Day, and gave her the top spot in our thoughts and devotions. St. Mary’s school and Roman Catholic Church taught us these things by order of the Vatican. Every other Catholic school or church I ever visited in 30 years did likewise. So with all that being said, why am I constantly hearing Catholics denying that they pray to Mary?

“Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:10-12 (KJV)

One reason for this, I suppose, is because prayer to anyone who is not God, who is not part of the Godhead – Father, Son and Holy Spirit –  is blasphemy. So Catholics are taught to play “word games”, ala Bill Clinton, and get you debating the difference between praying to someone and simply “venerating” them. But as you will see below, this is nothing more than linguistic hogwash. Catholics absolutely do pray to Mary, and worst of all, they look to her for salvation!

“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” Colossians 2:8,9 (KJB)

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CLICK TO READ ABOUT THE DAY THAT MARY WORSHIP BECAME OFFICIAL CHURCH DOCTRINE

But we shall let the words of some of the official, Vatican-approved Catholic prayers to Mary speak for themselves. There are hundreds of Catholic prayers to Mary, I just simply did a search and picked the first 4 at random. Read and decide for yourself:

  • The Memorare To Mary: “REMEMBER, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.” source
  • Prayer to Our Lady of Perpetual Help: O Mother of Perpetual Help, grant me ever to be able to call upon thy powerful name, since thy name is the help of the living and the salvation of the dying. Ah, Mary most pure, Mary most sweet, grant that thy name from this day forth may be to me the very breath of life. Dear Lady, delay not to come to my assistance whenever I call upon thee; for in all the temptations that assail me, in all the necessities that befall me, I will never leave off calling upon thee, ever repeating: Mary, Mary. What comfort, what sweetness, what confidence, what tenderness fills my soul at the sound of thy name, at the very thought of thee! I give thanks to our Lord, who for my sake hath given thee a name so sweet, so lovable, so mighty. But I am not content merely to speak thy name; I would utter it for very love of thee; it is my desire that love should ever remind me to name thee, Mother of Perpetual Help.” source
  • Hail, Holy Queen: “Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.” source
  • Prayer To Our Lady, Help Of Christians: Most Holy Virgin Mary, Help of Christians, how sweet it is to come to your feet imploring your perpetual help. If earthly mothers cease not to remember their children, how can you, the most loving of all mothers forget me? Grant then to me, I implore you,  your perpetual help in all my necessities, in every sorrow, and especially in all my temptations. I ask for your unceasing help for all who are now suffering. Help the weak, cure the sick, convert sinners. Grant through your intercessions many vocations to the religious life.  Obtain for us, O Mary, Help of Christians, that having invoked you on earth we may love and eternally thank you in heaven.” source

On January 1, 2014, during the Roman Catholic Feast of the Mother of God, Pope Francis declared the following to be true about Mary:

“The Mother of the Redeemer precedes us continually and confirms us in the faith, in the vocation and in the mission. With her example of humility and of availability to the will of God, she helps us to translate our faith in a joyful announcement of the gospel without frontiers. In this way our mission will be fruitful, because it is modelled on the maternity of Mary. To her we entrust our itinerary of faith, the desires of our heart, our necessities, the needs of the whole world, especially the hunger and the thirst for justice and peace; and we invoke her all together.”

Have you ever look to see the references to the Queen of Heaven in the Bible?

So as you can clearly see, not only does the Vatican teach it’s followers to pray to Mary, they have put her in place of Jesus Christ, to provide as they say “the needs of the whole world”. They call her the “advocate”, the “redeemer”, they call her “holy”, they call her the “intercessor”, and many other titles that belong to God alone. When you read the Bible you see that Mary was “blessed among woman”, but she was not blessed above women. The Bible in no way says or implies that she was “sinless”, and in fact, she goes to the Temple to make a sin offering. Lastly, no where in the Bible does it say or imply that she can now hear prayers or answer prayers. None of that is in the Bible. But you do find this reference to the Queen of Heaven that’s pretty interesting:

“The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.” Jeremiah 7:18 (KJV)

Yikes! That’s not good…

Do Catholics pray to Mary? Absolutely. They just don’t have the guts to admit they do.

 

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CAMP MEETING PREVIEW!! We Are Partnering With Missionaries The Burtons To Open A Bible And Gospel Tract Printing Company In The Philippines

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NTEB and For His Glory Ministries Are Partnering To Open A Bible And Gospel Tract Printing And Distribution Center In The Philippines

The 8th NTEB Old-Fashioned Camp Meeting is officially one month away, and we are soooo excited to see everyone. As you know, our theme this is missions – local and foreign -and will be present a roster of speakers who are actively engaged in missions in these last days. Over the past several months, we have gotten to know and spend time with newlywed couple Mike and Michelle Burton, and we bring you the good news of their surrendering to be boots-on-the-ground missionaires to Angeles City in the Philippines. Not only that, NTEB will be partnering with them and their For His Glory Ministries, to open up a Bible printing facility and evangelization outpost! We just wrapped up a podcast with them, and you can watch it below. We have prayed a long time for the Lord to give us an opening in the Philippines, and now He has in a mighty and incredible way.

“And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. ” Acts 16:9 (KJB)

Ever since we started our Free Bible Program, it has been our hearts desire to establish an NTEB base in the Philippines for the distrubution of Bibles in English and Tagalog, as well as gospel tracts and scripture portions. We get thousands of requests per year, and have always wanted to have a facility there. But try as we might, as we prayed for this over the years, the Lord never opened up that door for us, until now that is. Mike and Michelle, along with Philippine national Edgardo Gatchalian, have secured a location in Angeles City where they will not only be living, but will also serve as base of operations for printing Bibles and tracts, as well as a distrubution center. NTEB will be providing them with Bibles and tracts, as well as helping to cover some of the costs of getting their new facility up and running. Please pray about helping us to do this bold and mighty work for the Lord, and if God has prospered you, please click on the donate link to help us. We are going to need to raise right around $25,000 to launch the printing company and help with work on the facility. Come help us!!

HOW TO DONATE: Click here to view our WayGiver Funding page

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When you contribute to this fundraising effort, you are helping us to do what the Lord called us to do. The money you send in goes primarily to the overall daily operations of this site. When people ask for Bibles, we send them out at no charge. When people write in and say how much they would like gospel tracts but cannot afford them, we send them a box at no cost to them for either the tracts or the shipping, no matter where they are in the world. We have a Gospel Billboard program. We are now broadcasting Bible studies, Podcasts and a Sunday Service 5 times a week, thanks to your generous donations. All this is possible because YOU pray for us, YOU support us, and YOU give so we can continue growing.

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But whatever you do, don’t do nothing. Time is short and we need your help right now. The Lord has given us an open door with a tremendous ‘course’ for us to fulfill that will create an excellent experience at the Judgement Seat of Christ. Please pray for our efforts, and if the Lord leads you to donate, be as generous as possible. The war is REAL, the battle HOT and the time is SHORTTO THE FIGHT!!!

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)

“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB

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THE PROPHECY NEWS PODCAST: Trump’s War Against Iran Turns To Strategic Defeat As Washington Retreats From ‘Operation Epic Fury’ To An ‘Economic D-Day’

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We Went From ‘Operation Epic Fury’ To An ‘Economic D-Day’ As Donald Trump Desperately Searches For A Victory His War Against Iran Failed To Deliver

The headlines coming out of the Iran war today confirm that Donald Trump’s promised victory has become a strategic defeat unfolding before the entire world. What began in hubris as Operation Epic Fury has sadly morphed into Economic D-Day as Trump’s dreams of an easy victory has turned to dust. After nearly six months of American bombing, Iran is now threatening 46 commercial ships with detention or confiscation, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has collapsed from more than 130 daily passages to approximately 16, and Tehran is negotiating with Oman over shipping lanes and the collection of transit fees. Trump entered this war promising to obliterate Iran’s nuclear program, dismantle its missile forces, reopen Hormuz and bring the Islamic Republic to its knees. Instead, the regime remains standing, its missiles remain operational, its nuclear ambitions remain unresolved and its control over the world’s most important energy chokepoint is stronger than it was before the first American bomb fell. Iran did not need to defeat the United States on the battlefield; it only needed to survive long enough to expose the limits of American power. Donald Trump has made this war all about him, and that’s exactly how history will remember it. They will say “Trump did this”, and they’ll be right.

“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18 (KJB)

On this episode of the Prophecy News Podcast, Donald Trump has abandoned the language of imminent military victory and replaced it with Scott Bessent’s ridiculous promise of an “Economic D-Day,” an admission that the bombs never produced the surrender Washington demanded. Iran’s currency is collapsing and its people are suffering terribly, but economic misery is not the decisive American triumph Trump promised. Meanwhile, the Pentagon is diverting so many forces into this expanding Middle East quagmire that a major military exercise with South Korea has reportedly been canceled, weakening American readiness against China and North Korea. The self-proclaimed “president of peace” has spent tens of billions of dollars, wounded hundreds of American service members and killing 18, disrupted the global economy and reduced American military flexibility—only to leave Iran standing defiantly at the gates of Hormuz. Trump may call it maximum pressure, economic warfare or “D-Day,” but the world sees exactly what it is: a desperate attempt to manufacture victory after his war failed to deliver one.

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Every Sunday morning, from 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM EST, we invite you to join us live and in-person at the Bible Believers Church here inside the Bible Believers Bookstore in Palatka where we lift up the Lord Jesus Christ in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, and preach a message from the pages of the King James Authorized Version Holy Bible. If you’ve been looking for a First Century house church, you’ve found it.

OUR MOST RECENT SUNDAY SERVICE VIDEO: Paul The Apostle, The Ambassador In Bonds


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Every Monday Wednesday and Friday afternoons from Noon to 1:30 PM EST, we examine breaking news and current events  in light of bible prophecy. 

  • The Prophecy News Podcast: Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at Noon EST, we review all the latest news and events related to bible prophecy, and examine what is happening in light of what is written. If you miss the live show, all of our Prophecy News Podcast programs are archived here.

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  • “You are truly an end time ministry and I appreciate how our Precious Lord is using you to educate his very own flock. There is a lot of confusion , but your ministry is putting scripture in the right prospective. Thank-you so so much Geoffrey S Grider for standing firm and putting in a lot of hours of your time. God Bless You , also your Ministry and your family. IN JESUS MIGHT NAME.” T. Muto
  • “Jesus. I am now 64 years old and never in all the years I’ve been a Christian was I able to grow in the Lord as much as I have in the last past year. All because of our blessed brother’s work Geoffrey Grider who as the bravery of standing fast forward without fear of claiming the truth of God by the power of his love in Jesus Christ. May God bless you abundantly to the end my dear brother… ROMANS: 8: 36,37,38” Mireille Anderson
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  • I just want to thank you for the teachings you give every Sunday night on radio.  You are such a blessing to me. I absolutely love your way of teaching the scriptures.  I don’t have a church where I can have fellowship and teaching, so you have been my teacher for many months now. Thanks God you are there for all of us who have no church to go to.  I pray that the Lord will bless you abundantly in your ministry, and your loved ones too.  You are such a blessing to me, and many others, in these last days before the rapture.  Thank you so much Geoffrey, from the bottom of my heart. May the Lord keep you, until He comes back for us. You are in my prayers.” Donald Godin
  • “Thank you for the work  you are doing brother.  Your page and your testimony were a blessing to me this morning as I came across it for the first time.  Thank you for the reality of your testimony and what God has done for you in introducing you to Jesus our Lord.  God has brought me, in salvation, to Himself as well, through His love and mercy and grace in salvation.  How can we praise Him enough?  How can we not share this good news!?  I pray this day for God’s blessing on your ministry that He may save many souls through the work He has called you to.  Isaiah 40:31 (KJV)” Mark and Melissa
  • “Love the Sunday night bible study. I want to support someone who has the passion for the lost like Geoffrey does and rightly divides the word of God. God bless you.” Teresa Carey
  • “I give because not many news outlets are brave enough or Godly enough to tell these stories from a Christian’s point of view. I see stories here that will not be seen anywhere else.” William Grayshaw
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  • “I donate because you are reporting the truth about the increasing wickedness of our time, as God’s word foretold. In so doing we are reminded to “Keep looking up” as we wait in joyful hope for the Lord’s coming, Maranatha! ” Anthony Sloane
  • “Geoffrey has the best End Times News out there. I have been receiving his emails for years now and always enjoy his Sunday night messages although I don’t always think exactly as he thinks. We are all in this “boat of life” together and as I come to the end of my life’s journey here, I am more aware of Jesus’s call for us to be one as He and the Father are One.” Deborah Cleaveland

STREET-TESTED NTEB GOSPEL TRACTS:

This is the official gospel tract of NTEB, used here on the streets of Saint Augustine and sent around the world as they are purchased through our website. We ask you to prayerfully consider supporting the work of Now The End Begins by purchasing a box of these full-color, high-quality gospel tracts. Thank you in advance!

But whatever you do, don’t do nothing. Time is short and we need your help right now. The Lord has given us an open door with a tremendous ‘course’ for us to fulfill that will create an excellent experience at the Judgement Seat of Christ. Please pray for our efforts, and if the Lord leads you to donate, be as generous as possible. The war is REAL, the battle HOT and the time is SHORTTO THE FIGHT!!!

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)

“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB

 

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THE BIBLE BELIEVERS SUNDAY SERVICE: Paul The Prisoner, The Ambassador In Bonds

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The Ambassador In Bonds: Paul’s Roman Chains Became A Platform For Preaching The Gospel Of The Grace Of God To Gentiles, Jews And Kings

Paul did not call himself the prisoner of Rome, the prisoner of Caesar or the victim of an unjust legal system; he called himself “the prisoner of Jesus Christ” and an “ambassador in bonds.” Rome may have forged the chain, but God determined what the chain would accomplish. Paul’s imprisonment carried the gospel into palaces, courtrooms, military barracks and prison cells that might otherwise have remained closed to him. He did not ask the Church merely to pray that his chains would fall off; he asked for utterance and boldness so that he could continue preaching while wearing them. That is the testimony believers desperately need in 2026—a faith that does not collapse when it becomes uncomfortable, unpopular or costly. We do not seek persecution, but neither do we soften the gospel, conceal our convictions or surrender our testimony merely to escape the consequences of standing for Jesus Christ.

“For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,” Ephesians 3:1 (KJB)

Every born-again believer is an ambassador stationed inside a foreign and increasingly hostile world, and an ambassador has no authority to rewrite the message of his King. The pressure may presently come through ridicule, censorship, lost opportunities, broken relationships or accusations of hatred and extremism, but Paul’s example teaches us that the commission remains in force even when the ambassador is bound. Governments can imprison the preacher, corporations can remove the platform, and men can confiscate the Bible, but “the word of God is not bound.” The defining question for the Church in these last days is not whether we can preserve our comfort, popularity and safety; it is whether we will remain faithful when those things are threatened. We do not seek the chains, but neither will we abandon the testimony to avoid them, the ambassador may be bound, but the word of God remains forever free. On this Sunday Service, come meet Paul the prisoner, the ambassador in bonds.

The Bible Believers Sunday Service: Paul The Prisoner, The Ambassador In Bonds

Paul The Prisoner, The Ambassador In Bonds

The Lord Jesus began His earthly ministry with this Bible verse showing His connection with the captive and the prisoner:

“And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” Luke 4:16-20 (KJB)

I. The Position of the Ambassador

“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:20 (KJB)

  • An ambassador represents another ruler

An ambassador does not speak on his own authority. He delivers the message entrusted to him by his king.

Ambassador: “A minister of the highest rank employed by one prince or state, at the court of another, to manage the public concerns of his own prince or state, and representing the power and dignity of his sovereign” – Webster’s 1828

  • An ambassador lives in foreign territory

The Christian’s citizenship is in heaven, although he presently lives and serves in this world.

“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:” Philippians 3:20, (KJB)

  • An ambassador cannot rewrite the King’s message

The world may dislike the gospel, but we have no authority to alter it. Our message remains:

  • Christ died for our sins.
  • Christ was buried.
  • Christ rose again.
  • Lost sinners must be reconciled to God.
  • Salvation is by grace through faith, apart from works.

Application

We are not called to make the gospel acceptable to the world. We are called to make the gospel known to the world. We are called to reconcile lost sinners to Jesus Christ. Paul says we have been given the ministry of reconciliation, that’s the mandate for every born again believer.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 (KJB)

II. The Prisoner of Jesus Christ

“For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,” Ephesians 3:1 (KJB)

“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,” Ephesians 4:1 (KJB)

  • Rome supplied the prison

Human rulers arrested Paul, Roman soldiers guarded him, and earthly authorities placed him in chains.

  • Jesus Christ controlled the purpose

Paul did not primarily call himself Caesar’s prisoner. He called himself “the prisoner of Jesus Christ.”

Caesar controlled the prison door, but Jesus Christ controlled Paul’s ministry.

  • Paul saw the Hand of God inside his problems

Paul understood that nothing could enter his life without passing through the permissive will of God.

“But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;” Philippians 1:12, (KJB)

Application

Instead of asking only, “Lord, how can I escape this?” we should also ask, “Lord, how can Christ be magnified through me while I am here?”

III. The Bonds of the Gospel

“For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” Ephesians 6:20 (KJB)

  • Paul was bound because of the message

Paul was not imprisoned for committing crimes. He was imprisoned because he preached the truth concerning Jesus Christ.

“For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.” Acts 28:20 (KJB)

  • Paul’s chains identified him with Christ

Paul was willing to bear reproach because the Lord Jesus Christ had first suffered for him.

  • Paul’s chains proved the value he placed upon the testimony

Anyone can speak when speaking costs nothing. Paul continued speaking when the gospel cost him his liberty.

Application

The believer must decide what the testimony of Jesus Christ is worth before persecution comes. Convictions formed under pressure are usually convictions surrendered under pressure.

IV. The Boldness of the Prisoner

“And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,Ephesians 6:19 (KJB)

  • Paul did not ask primarily for release

Paul asked believers to pray for his preaching—not merely for his escape.

  • Paul did not ask for an easier message

He asked for boldness to deliver the message God had already given him.

  • Paul understood that courage comes from God

Even the apostle Paul requested prayer. Boldness is not natural personality, religious aggression or political bravado. Biblical boldness is the power to speak God’s truth clearly when silence would be easier.

Application

Our prayer in 2026 should not merely be, “Lord, keep me from trouble.” It should be, “Lord, give me utterance and boldness if, and when, the trouble comes.”

V. The Furtherance of the Gospel

“So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;” Philippians 1:13 (KJB)

  • Paul’s imprisonment opened new doors

His chains carried the gospel into the Roman palace and before governors, rulers, soldiers and kings.

  • Paul’s courage strengthened other believers

“And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.” Philippians 1:14 (KJB)

Paul’s imprisonment did not silence the Church. His courage made other believers bolder.

  • Paul’s suffering produced lasting fruit

Some of the greatest books in the New Testament were written while Paul was imprisoned. Rome restricted Paul’s movements, but it could not stop his ministry.

Application

God can use one believer’s faithful suffering to strengthen an entire congregation. People are watching how we respond when obedience becomes costly.

VI. The Word That Cannot Be Bound

“Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:” 2 Timothy 2:8-11 (KJB)

  • The preacher can be imprisoned
  • The Bible can be confiscated
  • The meeting place can be closed
  • The believer can be censored
  • But the word of God cannot be bound

Governments may regulate preaching. Employers may threaten jobs. Technology companies may remove accounts. Families may reject faithful believers. Prisons may confiscate a man’s possessions. But once the word of God enters a heart, no earthly chain can stop its work. This is why our Bibles Behind Bars ministry is so very necessary and vital.

Application

We must never measure the power of the gospel by the freedom of its messenger. God’s word remains powerful even when His messenger is suffering.

“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” John 15:18 (KJB)

“But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:” Mark 10:38,39 (KJB)

VII. The Pattern Believers Must Follow

“Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.” 1 Corinthians 4:16 (KJB)

“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1 (KJB)

“Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.” Philippians 3:17 (KJB)

FUN FACT: In the King James Bible, we see Paul calling ALL believers to “follow him” as he walks out and lives out the Christian life. Next to Jesus Himself, Paul is the only apostle who commands believers to follow his example. But in all modern versions including the New King James Bible, that command is changed from “following” Paul to “imitating” Paul. That’s not right!

  • Therefore I urge you to imitate me. – NIV
  • I urge you, then, be imitators of me. – ESV
  • Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me. – LSB
  • Therefore I urge you, imitate me. – NKJV

Born again believers follow Paul as he follows Jesus, but it is the satanic counterfeits designed to deceive that call people to imitate Christ. The Antichrist is nothing more than an imitation, counterfeit Jesus. The modern version “bibles” are also a satanic counterfeit.

Following Paul does not mean that every Christian must deliberately seek imprisonment. Paul did not seek chains; he simply refused to abandon the truth in order to avoid them.

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.” 1 Timothy 1:15,16 (KJB)

We follow Paul by:

  1. Knowing Whom we represent, the Lord Jesus.
  2. Remaining faithful to the gospel committed to us.
  3. Refusing to be ashamed of Jesus Christ.
  4. Accepting the possible cost of biblical conviction.
  5. Using every circumstance to advance the gospel.
  6. Praying for boldness when opposition comes.
  7. Remembering that the word of God is not bound.

Practical Application for Believers in 2026

The pressure upon believers may begin with ridicule, censorship, social rejection, professional consequences and accusations of hatred or extremism. In some places, it may eventually become legal persecution or physical imprisonment.

We must distinguish between suffering for Christ and suffering for our own foolishness. Not every controversy is persecution, and not every arrest makes someone an “ambassador in bonds.” Paul suffered because he faithfully preached the gospel and refused to deny the truth.

“Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;” 2 Timothy 1:8 (KJB)

Closing Challenge

Paul’s testimony forces every believer to answer three questions:

  1. Do I understand that I am Christ’s ambassador in a foreign country?
  2. Is the testimony of Jesus Christ worth more to me than acceptance, comfort and personal security?
  3. Will I continue speaking if faithfulness brings consequences?

The ambassador does not determine the message. The foreign country does not determine the message. The King determines the message. We do not seek the chains, but neither do we surrender the testimony to avoid them. The ambassador may be bound, but the word of God is not bound.

Now The End Begins is your front line defense against the rising tide of darkness in the last Days before the Rapture of the Church

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“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)

“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB

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