Knee-mail: Dear Vinny
From: Kent Hovind
Sent: Sent April 23, 2009
To: Vinny
First Read: Mt. 21:33-41; Jn. 15:1-11
KH: Good morning, Lord!
God: Good morning, Son.
KH: Thanks for the new day, Lord. What would You like me to do today?
God: Thanks for asking, Son. Let’s go for a walk. I’ve got a child of mine in Italy named Vinny; he can explain it to you…
That’s Vinny, Son, Go talk with him and listen carefully to his answers.
You’ll get your question answered.
KH: Okay Lord…. Good morning, Vinny. This is a beautiful vineyard you have here! Can you tell me about it?
Vinny (VI): I’d be glad to. I love everything about this place! It’s been my life for 40 years now. Let’s have a seat in the shade over here, and I’ll get you a glass of fresh squeezed grape juice. There is no taste like it in the world…
KH: Thanks… Wow! This is awesome! I don’t think I’ve ever tasted anything like it in my life!
VI: None. This vineyard belongs to Luigi Abruzzo. We all call him Lu for short. He hired me when I was just a kid and taught me all about raising grapes. After a few years, he made me manager. Now he lives way up in Bolzano near the Alps.
KH: How often does he come see the place?
VI: In the early days he came several times a year, but not as often now.
KH: Why not?
VI: No need to. I know what he wants done and how to do it. He doesn’t need to tell me again everyday. I just send him the profits every year. He trusts me to run the place and get the job done.
KH: So, what do you have to do every day to run a place like this?
VI: Oh my! Lots of things! It varies greatly from day to day. I’m totally free to run my own schedule. Let’s see: I plant new vines as needed, tend to the young ones, put up wires to guide them to grow right, prune off branches that don’t bear fruit (Jn.15), pull weeds, check for holes in the fence, harvest the ripe grapes, maintain all the equipment, hire and train new help, keep the processing equipment sanitized, watch the weather, watch the market, keep contact with buyers, be prepared for thieves, be ready for frost, and watch carefully for diseases getting to the grapes or vines.
That’s just the short list. I’m sure there a thousand other things I do each day out of habit.
KH: Wow! You must have a long TO DO checklist everyday to go through. How do you remember it all?
VI: In the early days I had to keep a list so I wouldn’t miss anything, but now, it’s pretty much habit. I don’t need to think about most of it. Excuse me, Kent. Hey, Joe! That first vine in row 7 has stopped producing. Dig around it and fertilize it, would you please?
Joe: Sure, boss. I’ll get to it right away. I think I know what it needs to bring it back.
KH: So, is working here a hard job?
VI: Oh no! It’s hard work alright, but I love it. I feel like I get paid to do what I love all day long. It’s not a job to me at all. I love every moment of it.
KH: That’s great! When Lu comes down, what do you talk about?
VI: I love it when he comes. We are great friends! Sometimes we walk around the vineyard to just admire the beauty of it all. God made an amazing plant when He made the grape vine. They live for centuries! Sometimes we just sit and talk. We may talk about production, but mostly just stuff friends talk about. He lets me have complete freedom to run my days, the staff, and the vineyard any way I want, just so it produces fruit honestly. On some visits we go to the beach or play golf. We’re just friends, that’s all.
KH: Thanks Vinny. I think you have answered my questions. And thanks for the awesome grape juice! Keep producing for the master.
VI: You are welcome, and I will.
God: Let’s go home, Son. ….
KH: Thanks Lord. I think I get it now. You don’t need me to ask you every detail of every day, just produce fruit and enjoy doing it. Is that the lesson from Vinny?
God: That’s right, Son. A lot of My children are wrapped up in their TO DO list to try to please Me. Cain tried the same thing. Some think I will love them more if they do more. Some count how many chapters in My Word they read each day and how many minutes they spend fasting or praying and think it gets them special points with Me. How sad! Produce fruit and enjoy doing it, Son. Some even brag to others about all they do, how many times they have read the Bible, how many days they fasted, how much money they give, or how many good deeds they do. They measure their worth or spirituality by those things.
The Pharisees tried the same thing. I wasn’t impressed then, and I’m not now.
You have read My Word, Son. You know what I want done and how to do it. Go into all the world and preach and teach My word. Win souls, and train the new converts to grow right and produce fruit for Me. Feed my sheep. You also know from My word the things I do not want My children to do.
Read My instruction manual, help people who are hurting, just be like I was when I was there in the flesh – go about doing good (Acts 10:38).
When you sin, confess it and keep clean (I Jn. 1). If serving Me is a burden, Son, you are doing it all wrong (Mt. 11:29).
KH: Thanks, Lord. I guess I do get all up tight wondering if I have done enough to please you each day, don’t I?
God: Sometimes you do, Son. Jesus pleased Me 100%. His righteousness has been imputed to your account – on account of your not having any (Rom. 4; James 2). Go get a tan, Son. Meditate on My Word and My creation. I’ve got your back.
10 Responses to “Knee-mail: Dear Vinny”
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Joshua Joscelyn
Said this on September 1st, 2009 at 10:31am:Dr. Kent E. Hovind is currently at the Edgefield Federal Correctional Institution in South Carolina. Please send postcards and letters to:
Kent E. Hovind #06452-017
FPC Edgefield D-2
P.O. BOX 725
Edgefield, SC 29824
Feel free to send Dr. Hovind a letter or postcard. Please understand he is not able to answer every letter he receives, but he certainly appreciates any support and encouragement. He can also receive new books, but only directly from bookstores. And no hardcover books are allowed. No DVDs, CDs, or anything hard or sharp such as staples, etc (no tracts with staples in them). Do not send more than one tract at a time, as all gifts containing more than one tract will not be allowed. Do not put “Dr.” on his name, or it may be discarded by the guards. They do not always return postal items that are not delivered to inmates, so you may want to save a copy before mailing, so that you might try again in the event that he was recently moved for example.
Mrs. Hovind is currently at the Federal Correctional Institution in Marianna, FL. Because of prison regulations, Mrs. Hovind can only receive letters. Please refrain from sending stickers, stamps, books, or media of any kind. If you would like to write her letters of encouragement, please send them to:
Jo D. Hovind #06453-017
FCI Marianna, Satellite Camp
P.O. Box 7006
Marianna, FL 32447
Please write with the understanding that whatever you write could be subject to monitoring by the guards. Please do not write politically-charged or tax-related comments, etc. In the event that Dr. or Mrs. Hovind is moved to another facility, one can always check for current addresses by using the Inmate Locator on the Bureau of Prisons website:
http://www.bop.gov/
Encouraging comments on this blog are greatly appreciated, and Dr. Hovind does read all approved comments.
From the CSE team,
Thank you for your continued support.
Teo
Said this on September 1st, 2009 at 3:09pm:Waw… Just waw…
This message was from the Lord for me.
It’s amazing… I find myself perfectly in that one. Thank you allot Mr. Kent. Thank you for all your great teachings.
God bless you. I pray for you each day.
tommy
Said this on September 1st, 2009 at 6:35pm:I cant say much else but thank God for Kent Hovind, this man is in my thoughts and prayers everyday. May God guide him through a difficult time in his life. Thanks to this Blog now i can keep up with Kent Hovinds newest messages and will continue to read his blogs thank you so very much. And thank you Kent Hovind may God bless you, in the name of Jesus Christ Saviour amen
Petgra
Said this on September 2nd, 2009 at 1:21am:I would like to encourage you Dr. Hovind. Your ministry has been inspirational and a tower of strength (standing on the word of God) to myself, my family and church family. Thank you for the enormous amount of energy you obviously have invested into your ministry. What an encouragement your family must be to you also. I pray that the Father of lights (James 1:17-20) would continue to do His wonderful work in you and your family Dr. Hovind. I know how pivotal your creation science presentations have been for my eldest sons’ edification and establishment as he continues to run the gauntlet of university education (geology degree).
We are especially blessed to live in a beautiful part of the world, New Zealand. We have a parliamentary democracy and are part of a humanistic society that wholly embraces the right of the individual to self determination, at the expense of the defenceless members of our society. Women and children rule over us. I pray that one day you will be able to visit this part of the world – physically it is truly stunning, spiritually we are ragged, hungry and truly needy of Jesus and His saving grace. Please pray for New Zealand Dr. Hovind.
I pray that you will draw sufficient strength for each day from the limitless well of living water Dr. Hovind. Know that vengence belongeth to The Lord and that people around the world are prepared to offer financial support for your cause.
May you and yours be truly blessed with every spiritual blessing under heaven.
Petgra
Poorman
Said this on September 3rd, 2009 at 6:15pm:Brother Kent, You called me several years ago because I had something for your dino world. It was as I described a petrified “primitive” saddle sort of thing. I’m not sure if you recall, but I live in Springfield Illinois. I was very thankful for you call, as it showed that you are truely a person that would reach out to anyone. I respect that greatly. I’m sorry things have happened as they have. I have deep questions that your crew could not answer like you I know you would have been able to. I suppose that this is not the place to ask and recieve answers, tho I would like to be in contact with you. I will try to send a letter to your address, and perhaps we can talk that way.
My heart goes out to you and yours. Truely. You and your family are frequently in my thoughts and prayers. God keep you close.
Poorman
jbible
Said this on September 4th, 2009 at 2:48pm:This is a great post! It is the same idea I preached upon just last Sunday. Isn’t it wonderful how we all our conformed to his image when we study God’s inspired words. (Rom 8:29)
Our service to God is not measured by the quantity but the quality. 1 Corinthians 3:13 says the believer’s judgment of our service works to God is a judgment based on “what sort it is” not “how much”. There have been many people who have devoted their lives and many hours to serving God and yet they do it with unsound doctrine. Their service will be burned as hay and stubble and not of worth. They will be “ashamed” for their lack of approved work (2 Tim 2:15).
Even a lowly day laborer on a remote island may receive a greater reward than someone in error if he spent only a few minutes with someone navigating to their soul the golden words of sound doctrine. For the truth fitly spoken stands for ever, while error is not worth the first day of eternity. There are many religious workman, but what is valued by God are “unashamed workman” who “hold fast the form of sound words” (2 Tim 1:13, 2 Tim 2:15). These are men God can trust to leave alone, the rest are still babes who need much instruction (Gal 3:24-25).
Surely those who have compromised on their belief of the Creator and taught an accidental origin cannot produce the gold and silver work for the Lord no matter how many hours they spend.
The tree is not corrupt because there are only a few fruits, but because it did not produce “good” fruit (Mat 12:33).
Sometimes it becomes a heavy burden for ministers to want to spend every waking moment in front line warfare. The truth is that even the Lord slept, ate, drank, laughed, wept, and spent time alone. God manifest in the flesh actually walked away from some people in order to be alone with the Father!(Mark 6:45) Didn’t he realize the good that he could do if only he would come down off that mountain?! (John 6:15)
We know the mission. We are on the mission field, but doing the work is a slow arduous process that takes day in and day out commitment with very little recognition except the satisfaction of doing God’s will.
Adoniram Judson spent years in near poverty, disease, having lost two children, and being separated from his wife before preaching his first message to the Burmese. We need faithful men who will endure long hardness, for little pay, but are disciplined to produce fine gold.
Thank you for your hard work and consistent stand for the truth of creation. Your sort of work is very appreciated.
Pastor Justin
for Jesus' name: Phillip-George (c)1974
Said this on September 4th, 2009 at 6:04pm:Brother Kent, can the church employ Satan? Is Satan a lawyer without equals?
I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus [1cor5.5]
One seminar I attended largely built the case for common law, and the basis of most law in the Western World, around two scripture passages/ texts.
1. For he that is not against us is on our part. [mark 9.40]
ie. in the absence of any evidence to the contrary consent is implied. ie, tacit approval contractually obligates one.
2. Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. [matt 18.15]
Brother Kent, As best I can tell you are being held unlawfully for “What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate” [matt 19.6] Perhaps it is time to employ Satan, but first the process above must be followed.
First, “Give Notice”, and that on a one on one basis. A private letter to individual men concerned is sufficient. Secondly, send a coauthored letter/ double witness or triple witness signed. Thirdly, publish the matter to the church. From what I can gather a church of ten or more men is sufficient. They thus collectively hand the transgressor over to Satan. If anyone steps forward to take their place in the transgression the process is repeated.
The God mentioned in Matt. 19.6 above is the same One I suggest who is mentioned on the most widely circulated legal document in all of human history. The American One dollar note says “In God we trust”. It is signed by two representatives of the Treasury. If this is not the God of the Christian Gospel’s I believe the Treasury has a duty of care obligation to specify which God they refer to.
As a first class lawyer I suggest Satan is effective and can be trusted to complete the task assigned to him. I believe he is good at what God has given him to do.
I humbly suggest you start the process.
Susan - Jane
Said this on September 6th, 2009 at 10:08am:Dr Hovind this is a brilliant thought. So helpful to me. And just what I needed. The devil thought he had the victory when you got sent into prison, but I guess he realizes how wrong he was – your knee-mails have been so helpful to lots of people. Justin also made a good point”Our service to God is not measured by the quantity but the quality” – how true. We can’t do better than to obey God. And when He is in control of our life nothing can happen by accident!!
Keeping you and Jo in my prayers
Susan – Jane
Sade Tennyson
Said this on September 9th, 2009 at 4:14am:Thanks a lot Dr Hovind for this posting.
I will send the message to so many other friends & converts to help all of us in our walk with the Lord.
The Lord’s hand & grace remain upon you & yours in Jesus name.
God is on the throne & He will never forget you. All things work together for good to hem that love the Lord.
It is very well in Jesus name.
Sade Tennyson
know
Said this on September 13th, 2009 at 9:02pm:What an inspiration!