Books and eBooks by the Director
Dear Gary: It has been a pleasure to receive Darkness to Light ever since "The Shield" closed down, and I would definitely like to keep receiving Darkness to Light. This newsletter has been a great help in ministry to the cults and in equipping saints for that purpose....
God's richest blessing,
Jim;
Denver, CO
Dear Gary F. Zeolla: Greetings in His precious name. We serve a mighty and loving Savior in Jesus Christ. Please tell me a little about your ministry and your periodical. And yes, please place me on your mailing list. I am always interested in good Bible literature and teaching.
Thank you for your time and efforts. May God bless and continue to use you in His service.
By His Grace alone,
J.P.;
Pittsburgh, PA
Dear brother Zeolla: Greetings in our mighty Savior's name and, we certainly do serve a mighty Savior - mighty loving, mighty understanding, mighty longsuffering and mighty long reaching - from a Holy Heaven to a sin-filled earth.
I just last evening received your most recent copy of D.T.L. (my second), and thoroughly enjoyed it. I must say that I am quite delighted, and surprised by your little jewel. So many supposed "ministries" put forth all kinds of mish-mash and call it teaching. You're on the money. May God bless your ministry....
Hopefully in the middle of the month I'll be able to send you $5.00. This may not sound like much, but I only make 28½ an hour. This is Western Penitentiary. I pray this fact does not make any difference to you.
If it is possible to do so, I would like to place two people on your mailing list. One is my brother-in-law and the other is my cousin. Both are good Christians and free-world (a prison term) people.
You had previously sent me a resource list of materials you have. Is there a up-front cost for these materials? I would like a few to use as tracts to pass out here at the prison....
Please let my family know I gave you their address. God bless and work through you.
In his service,
J.P.;
Pittsburgh, PA
Dear Gary: Thanks for the latest excellent issue of Darkness to Light. I especially liked your article, "But I Was Born This Way." Enclosed is a check for to help with your ministry....
May God continue to bless your ministry and grant you good health. You and your ministry are a part of my daily prayers.
Caring in Christ,
Larry;
Aurora, CO
Dear Gary: Thank you so much for complying with my request to send my friends your wonderful newsletter. Enclosed please accept my contribution in appreciation for Darkness to Light and the positive effect I am sure it will have on my friends. All of these individuals are incarcerated penpals of mine, so you can be sure that your words of Truth are venturing into darks regions where they can do the most good....
God bless and take care!
In His service,
Linda;
Pittsburgh, PA
Dear Mr. Zeolla: I am in prison, serving Jesus as my Savior. Thank you for accepting me on your mailing list....
E.S.;
Keen Mountain, VA
Dear Mr. Zeolla: Greetings in the greatest name ever. That of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Thanking God for giving us eternal life....
I received your package of literature. Thank you so much. I have been reading and studying them since they arrived. I pray that when I am finished with these I may order others. I will also pass them around to the other Christian Brothers here.
Thank you again. May God continue to bless and add increase to your ministry. Pray for me and I'll pray for you. Maranatha. Hebrews 6:10; 1Corinthians 15:58
In His service,
E.S.;
Keen Mountain, VA
Dear Mr. Zeolla: Maranatha! I trust the Lord is blessing you, as well as your ministry daily. I also hope your pain in the ear and jaw has lessened. I received your newsletter this week and I am still in awe of what a blessing it has been to me. In this environment, most Christian materials are aimed at getting one saved (which is important) but in areas of Christian growth we are desperately lacking.... I would like to share a poem I completed this morning with you and your staff. It is just the perspective of a prisoner....
My Kind of Guy
There was a Son
of virgin birth. A game, the world; but real was He.
With caring love His heart was pure. A character of mystery.
A drifter making way on foot. A servant of the Masters plan.
He healed the sick, filled hearts with life. His Father: not your
normal man.
From town to town He roamed the land. For Man's salvation He so
cared.
Religious leaders formed a pact. For of this drifter they were
scared.
A trouble-maker to them all. To bust Him they would need a hitch.
The plan: a frame; a purse of coins. Beloved follower: the
snitch.
The guards had beat Him brutally. The public watched a puppet
show.
The court: a circus - judgment: death. The doomed to die had hit
the row.
He knew it had to be that way. He said, it's written in the
Books.
For sins of all He'd tote the cross. His life to end with two
know crooks.
The world absolved for carnal ways. He took our burdens as He
died.
The first man taken home: a thief. Christ Jesus; He's my kind
guy.
Thank you again for the subscription to Darkness to Light. I plan to place each new issue in my binder for resources in my future studies.
Yours in Christ Jesus,
K.M.; Valdosta, GA
Dear Editor: As a ministry, we are interested in The Watchtower's recent article (2/15/94) claiming they are not a cult. [The title of the article was, "Are Jehovah's Witnesses a Cult?" - ed.] We were particularly interested in the question on page 6. It is asked, "Of the millions of non-Witnesses who are studying the Bible with the Witnesses or have studied with them at one time or another, we ask, Were there any attempts to brainwash you? Did the Witnesses employ mind control techniques on you?"
It seems to us that the Watchtower [the organization Jehovah's Witnesses belong to - ed.] has left itself open to an avalanche of responses by thousands of former Witnesses and from people who have previously studied with them. I myself have recently studied with the Witnesses. As a born again Christian, concerned with reaching those in this cult, I submitted myself to one of their book studies. I went to the home of a so-called anointed sister, and we met with an Elder.
During the first meeting, the elder became so disturbed by my questions that he finally said, "From now on, just write down your questions when you think of them, and when we finish the last chapter of the book (30 chapters) you can ask them."
Of course, I refused to subject myself to this bold-faced attempt to gain control of my mind. In spite of this setback in the beginning, I managed to meet with them for about 5 weeks altogether, planting seeds of doubt in their minds by my questions, and by the power of the Holy Spirit.
We are sure that many former Witnesses have their own story of the mind control techniques employed on them. Their whole system of book studies (reading the book, then answering the questions at the bottom of the page that have been designed to be answered by the book) is a form of mind control! [When Jehovah's Witnesses say they are "studying the Bible," the above routine is followed! - ed.]
Please urge your readers to write in. Let's let the Watchtower know what they have done to millions of people! ...
Yours,
Joy, Ron, Stanley,
"Those Other Gospels" ministry;
Harrison, NJ
Dear Gary: Greetings in Jesus' name. THANK YOU for the materials you sent. You put out a nice looking and informative newsletter! Yes, place me on your mailing list.
Regarding unconditional eternal security, this teaching is a myth that needs to be boldly addressed and refuted as never before. To be an advocate of this false doctrine is to be part of the problem, not part of the solution! This myth does NOT stand with and for Biblical grace, but instead is a perversion of the real.... GOD BLESS YOU.
Following Jesus,
Dan of Evangelical Outreach,
Washington, PA
Response: Dan is responding to my article Eternal Security and Hebrews. The article argued that the Book of Hebrews does NOT teach true believers can loose their salvation. Obviously, he believes otherwise. But it is nice to know it is possible for someone to disagree with one aspect of my teachings yet still be appreciative of my work in general.
Dear Brother Zeolla: I have received a few of your newsletters and have found them very sound in doctrine as well as easy to read and understand.
I do not know where you stand in some issues, but I see you have Scripture worksheets and reading lists which mention the 5 Points of Calvinism, and predestination and the sovereignty of God; I would assume you are of Reformed beliefs. [A correct assumption - editor].
I am a Calvinist, even though I do not like to label myself rather than saying I'm a Christian. I understand what is meant to say that one is a Calvinist. I know it's not to label oneself as a follower of John Calvin, rather asserting that one agrees with the doctrinal stand of John Calvin.
I would like to say that I am glad for men like you who still believe in the need of sound doctrine rather than stressing to love and fellowship with one another despite our doctrinal position.
I do understand that some issues are non-essential and will and should not cause a breakage of love and fellowship. But what about truths which cannot be compromised, such as Christian Essentials (Christ's deity, the virgin birth, the Trinity etc.)? [An article accompanying this ministry's Confession of Faith addresses this issue. It is available upon request - editor].
There cannot be any true love in leaving someone in darkness. And if I fellowship with such men, I am showing that I approve of their beliefs which would be to compromise the truth.
I would like to tell you that I will pass along your address to the other prisoners so that they may benefit of sound doctrine, so they can grow in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Today, when so many attacks are made upon Christianity, specially on us of the Reformed faith, it is uplifting and encouraging to know that there are still a few men who God has raised for His honor and glory. Thank you for your support and may the Lord bless you and your ministry.
With love in Christ,
G.K.;
Arcadia, FL
Dear Brethren: Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Someone here at the prison received some of your materials recently and gave me the opportunity to look over it. I was blessed by the material and I am convinced that what I have read thus far is only the beginning.
I came to Christ about 2 1/2 years ago and ever since I have encountered many cult groups. For this reason I have a great desire to "earnestly contend for the faith" and I believe your ministry can be an enormous help in my doing so.
I am writing you in order to request to be placed on your mailing list. I have scanned through your list of resources and I love it.... can you please send me the following ....
It is a little difficult for me to send you any money right now but I know I'll be able to contribute soon. I will send a donation as soon as I am able. I know that your ministry is doing a great deal to "earnestly contend for the faith" and I know God will bless you all. I will lift your ministry up in prayer. Thank you.
In His holy name,
R.G.;
Keen Mountain, VA
Psalm 69:28: A reader wrote in asking, "Psalm 69:28 states, 'Let them be blotted out of the book of life.' Doesn't this mean you can loose your salvation?"
Response: A better translation of this verse is, "Let them be blotted out of the book of the living" (KJV, NKJV). This rendering is preferable since "living" in Hebrew is an adjective, not a noun.
Thus, David is not praying for his enemies to be eternally damned (a rather horrible prayer). Instead, he is asking for them to no longer be included among the "living [ones]" (i.e.. for them to die). An understandable plea when your life is in danger, as David's constantly was (see verses 1-4,14,25).
Dear Gary: I appreciated your book, Differences Between Bible Versions. It gives a good overview, especially of the modern versions. Few realize that the KJV is about the only Version that lets us distinguish if YOU is singular, or plural ["thee" and "thou" are singular and "ye" plural in the KJV - ed.]....
I am amazed at the acceptance that Taylor's Living Bible has received. I call it the LYING Bible. He takes great liberties with the text, and, of course, does not show that words have been added. He takes the prophecy of Christ, in Zech 13 and says that the pierced one is a false prophet. And you point out that Taylor destroys the significance of the TWO JEHOVAHS in Genesis 19.
I do not see the KJV as "inspired to correct errors in the Hebrew and Greek" as on man put it. But I do see it as better than the NIV and RSV. However, the CT [Critical Text] seems to me to shed some light on what we find before Nicea. Our view is that prejudice against Jewish Christians eventually branded all "Jewish beliefs" as heresy....
With best wishes,
"For the Truth's sake."
Bill;
Beach Lake, PA
Response: Mr. Lowe is the editor of "The Messianic Herald" - a newsletter focusing on Jewish Christianity. To be placed on his mailing list, write to: Scripture Truth Ministry RR1, Box 1520 Beach Lake, PA 18405.
Dear friends in Christ: Hello, my name is . I am incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison for the crime of theft which I committed when I was so called "free" but which in reality I was in captivity to drugs and alcohol.
This bondage has been my lot for over twenty years. However God in his infinite love and mercy has allowed his Holy Spirit of Truth to pierce through the darkness of my self induced drug haze, and I see before my eyes the beacon light which is Christ Jesus. Thank you Lord!
I was reading a Christian magazine and I came across your society's address. Could you please send me any books or other materials which would enable me and others to grow and mature as a Christian. As yet I have no money, but whatever you send will be greatly appreciated.
May God bless you, and sustain all your good works.
A.C.;
San Quentin, CA
Gary Zeolla: Thanks for the newsletter. The Quakers, John Wesley and Watchman Nee did quite a bit to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And I must not be well read because I have never heard of Guyon. Late 1600s? ...
I suppose one could do a newsletter on the faults of John Calvin? As did Fox, Wesley and Nee - Calvin spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Oh what if the Baptists loved the charismatics, pacifists loved Christians in the forces ... sure there is fundamentals - Jesus is Lord and God in the flesh, salvation by grace, heaven and hell, communication with God as you did a fine job of writing about.
I have disagreements with John Calvin. But he was not a false teacher. He was my brother. But the Quakers, Wesley and Nee have no place next to "false teachers."
You're obviously well versed in Scripture. You know the mechanics of prayer. Use them. Father God in Jesus' Name, I pray Gary Zeolla uses them. Fight falsehood, but do not cause division. Edify the Body.
By His Grace,
A.A.;
Muscatine, IA
Response: My article on "Christian" Mysticism was originally written for a seminary class. I decided to use for this ministry since, as indicated in the article, Guyon's ideas still influence the Church today, even if her name is not well known.
The letter writer is correct in indicating Christians should concentrate on the "fundamentals" of the faith (Jude 3). But other important issues cannot be ignored (Matt 28:20; Acts 20:27; Heb 5:12-6:3).
Books and eBooks by Gary F. Zeolla, the Director of Darkness to Light
The above letters originally appeared in Darkness to Light
newsletter in 1994.
They were posted on this Web site in July1996.
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