Reality Check:
IF you didn’t get into God’s Word FIRST thing this morning it’s because He’s not your “first love” – you are backslidden (Revelation 2:4-5). “Repent” now and confess your sins to Him. RETURN to Christ! NOW do we understand when Jesus says only a “few” will enter through the narrow gate? (Matthew 7:13-14)
We do well to ask God that our love for Him be supreme and spontaneous.
“You’ll want nothing more when you want to follow the LORD.” Liza Young
IS your life and are your words all about JESUS?
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;” 2 Corinthians 5:17-18
If all things have not changed at some point in your life, you are not yet the LORD’s. The good news is that you are reading this now and can meet Jesus. Go here: Making Peace with God
Charles Pray writes:
“God does not want a people who like Him! He’s looking for people who LOVE Him and Worship Him in Spirit and Truth. If you look up to fleshly men more than you do to God, you’re living in a false worship, and God will have no part of that. God does not share His Glory with anyone. Have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying and stop following the cults of this world. You are precious to God.”
Does God Know You?
“But if any man love God, the same is known of him.” 1 Corinthians 8:3
Notice “IF any man LOVE God”… “the same is known of him.”
WE are either full of self or we’re full of the Savior today. Which will it be?
EVER been in a relationship where you didn’t feel wanted or special to that person by the way they neglected you? HOW do we think God feels by the way we are treating Him? Is Jesus truly your “FIRST love” or a second class citizen? (See Revelation 2:4-5.) IF we don’t like being neglected, WHY would we neglect the LORD Jesus?
In this late hour, Jesus chides and beckons –
“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works (evangelism); or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” (Revelation 2:4-5)
When we genuinely “repent” and return to our “first love,” our hearts will be filled with the desire to help others know the only Savior.
Did you catch that Jesus said that if we do not love Him as our “first love” that “thou art fallen”? “Fallen” means departed, backslidden, apostate. Then Christ says we must “repent” to be restored to Him.
“Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?” Ezekiel 14:3
Those who pretend to serve God, those who read His Word and fellowship in prayer with Him only when they feel like it, when it’s convenient to their own self-serving, self-worshiping, self-idolatrous life, are backslidden and hell bound. Repent now, lay down your life and obey God. The fires of eternal damnation are going to forever feed upon your helpless, conscious soul if you don’t repent and return to Jesus as the “first love” of your life (Revelation 2:4-5).
If you have ONE idol in your life, that will damn your unrepentant wicked soul to hell irrevocably just exactly as a million idols will. Either you’ve truly repented and Jesus Christ is the MASTER of your life or you are as sure for hell as if you were already there. Any wolf posing as a pastor who isn’t preaching this to you is an agent of Satan. Repent, make Jesus your “FIRST love” for yourself and when you do, you will cease promoting and supporting Satan’s “ministers” and begin exposing them! (Read Revelation 2:4-5; 2 Corinthians 11:12-15; 2 John 7-11.)
One disciple writes:
“If I start the day without seeking Him first, getting His agenda for me, I’m serving the god of self. Who I give my first waking moments to shows who is Lord of my life. If I’m happily married, and in love, the first thing I wish to do when I wake is to say good morning to my love…. Shouldn’t it be this way with JESUS our divine Husband? Shouldn’t my love for the One who bled to redeem me burn hotter than any other earthly love?”
SO your thoughts are more focused on obtaining some new material possession than ministering Christ to others serving His body? Wow! Repent now and return to Jesus as “FIRST love” (Revelation 2:4-5).
There is a whole movement emphasizing good works and obedience, which are both VERY important and yet, loving Him in a real relationship is the divine priority! What did Jesus tell us was the whole purpose/chief reason He came? In John 17:3 we read: “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”
Beware of those who emphasize obedience with no mention of grace and our own need to LOVE Jesus and the Father. He created us for relationship.
“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment.” Matthew 22:37-38
Have begun by faith in our relationship with Jesus and now have no semblance of intimacy with Him?
“Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” Galatians 3:3
Do you remember Mary and Martha? Which of the two did Jesus say chose the better part? Was it the sister who was working or the sister who was worshiping? Read this passage afresh beloved. See Mark 10:38-42.
FIRST LOVE FIRST WORKS … ACCORDING TO JESUS, ALL THOSE WHO “REPENT” AND RETURN TO HIM AS THEIR “FIRST LOVE” WILL, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, GET BACK TO THE “FIRST WORKS” WHICH WOULD INCLUDE EDIFYING THE BODY OF CHRIST AND WINNING LOST SOULS (REVELATION 2:4-5). WHEN JESUS SAVED YOU, IF YOU WERE TRULY BORN AGAIN, YOUR WHOLE DESIRE WAS TO HELP OTHERS BE SAVED. RIGHT?
Obedience and good works are the outflow of relationship with Jesus. Being rooted in an abiding fellowship with Christ is of utmost importance to our Father.
You are expecting God’s blessings and yet aren’t putting Him “first”? Not. Matt 6:33
“That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1:3
First and foremost, the LORD created us for worship and not just work.
One of the few who support this particular Gospel outreach has had trouble seeing how what she does really counts for Christ. She has no idea or clue how much her help has contributed and for this she will be equally and eternally rewarded (John 4:36, etc.). We have no fuel without such participation nor do the other ministries of Christ – known by their obedience to His unaltered Great Commission command. Jesus says Go. Now.
“Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. 35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. 36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. 37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. 38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.” John 4:34-38
— ONLY God Himself determines and has told us what is right and wrong … period. Fallen mankind does not determine such. Check this …. “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination” Leviticus 18:22. All un-redeemed men are sinners … it doesn’t matter the flavor of their sin. They need Jesus and only one entity in the earth is qualified to give them the Healing Balm. His holy Name is Jesus Christ and He came to the earth “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Will you personally participate with the true remnant of Christ in His Great Commission campaign? If so, what part are you playing? What is your contribution today? What are you doing to further this mission Christ sent His people to accomplish and for which He is holding us accountable?
The line has been drawn for certain and yet, the Great Commission is what Christ left us to do. We are to be about this our “Father’s business” (Luke 2:49). Why were some not about it already? The good news is that that one can repent and return to Christ as first love and when true repentance for doing our own thing happens, Jesus will restore this desire and direction to the heart of the repentant. Folks, God has not changed. He grants you no right to do your own thing – anything other than His work of saving and teaching souls for whom Christ bled. So many have been swept up and away from this Great Commission. They’ve been misled by wolves who pose as Christ’s representatives but are proven to be false by their refusal to preach the full counsel of His Word in order to equip the saints to do His Great Commission (Ephesians 4:11-12). They have monopolized, intercepted, and stolen the heart affections and resources of those who claim to be serving Christ. Read Jeremiah 23 and Ezekiel 34 to get a clue.
Many are caught up in and preoccupied with all kinds of other religious activities such as an emphasis on giftings, callings, movements, counseling, coping, psycho-babble, music, songs, church activities, chasing the elusive supposed and self-serving “revival,” etc. Any local church or movement that is not about the “Father’s business” of reconciling the lost is apostate, period. They are doing their own thing and perpetuating their own existence and anyone who supports such is also to blame and will receive the same judgment in the end (2 Peter 2:1-3; 2 John 7-11, etc.). Any ministry or minister who isn’t about the “Father’s business” of the Great Commission, is false. Jesus gave us His Great Commission and expects and requires that we fulfill such. He’s watching. He shall bring us into account for such. He shed His blood to reconcile mankind and told us that if we are truly new creatures in Him, we are His very “ambassadors” and been given “the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:17-20).
Long ago, our LORD warned us of false leaders and how they would exploit His people.
“Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment.” Lamentations 2:14
Goers and Senders
Want to examine yourself to see if you are truly in God’s will? If so, reconcile honestly what you are doing in obedience to Christ by furthering the cause of His Great Commission command. Are you going and/or sending? Romans 10:14-15 tells us – “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? (goer) 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? (sender) as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”
Those who are not about the “Father’s business” are simply consumed with self-interest. Without exception, those who are given over to the LORD are filled with His desire to help those separated from Him by their sin.
Robotic Obedience or Spontaneous Worship?
World Vision’s Homosexual Affinity
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Abiding
Jesus will Judge Us by Our Works
By Glenn and Dezi Langohr
JESUS — JUDGED BY WORKS
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father… Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied…? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:21–23
Our works clearly reveal what is in our hearts! Fruit.
“For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” Matthew 16:27
“…all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” John 5:28–29
“He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: *the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” John 12:48
PAUL — CONTINUE IN GOOD WORKS
“Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life.” Romans 2:6–7
“For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.” Romans 2:13
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10
“…they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works.” Titus 3:8
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10
“…for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing…” Galatians 6:7–9
JAMES — FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD
“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” James 2:17
“Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.” James 2:24
“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” James 2:26
PETER — BE HOLY, DO GOOD WORKS
“And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.” 1 Peter 1:17
“Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.” 1 Peter 2:12
“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” 2 Peter 1:10
SUMMARY
Jesus said He will judge every man by their works (Matthew 16:27, John 5:29).
Paul taught that eternal life is for those who continue in well doing (Romans 2:7, Titus 3:8).
James declared faith without works is dead (James 2:17, 24).
Peter warned God will judge every man’s work (1 Peter 1:17) and exhorted us to abound in good works.
God’s people are called to endure to the end with living faith proven by works of obedience, love, and holiness.
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Abiding
Another False Rapture Date [video]
by Glenn and Dezi Langohr
For months we’ve been warning that the Pretrib Rapture is a hive-mind delusion — just like the lies of “false trips to heaven” and the “false Trump prophets” . These movements feed each other, creating a spiritual frenzy not rooted in God’s Word. Sadly, the false Trump prophets already gave mainstream media plenty of material to mock. Remember Paula White calling for “angels from Africa” to come help Donald Trump win the election? The world laughed — and now the same is happening with failed rapture dates.
Jesus said to endure to the end as part of salvation by following Him and not falling away. He warned about children of the devil who cannot hear His words, and about the increase of false prophets and false anointed in the last days. Paul also warned that many will not endure (2 Timothy 4, 1 Timothy 4), so there is no difference between Paul’s letters and Jesus’s words — despite the claims of OSAS and Pretrib teachers. In fact, OSAS and Pretrib rapture come from people twisting Paul’s writings, exactly as 2 Peter 3 warned.
Now millions expected a rapture on the Feast of Trumpets. What will they do now? Move the goalposts a little further, chase the next “sign” or false prophet, or finally be corrected by God’s Word that leads us to finish the race? God’s Word gives us eyes to see. Jesus warned the lukewarm church was blind and naked, and another church that only a remnant had not defiled their garments. He condemned false apostles, false Jews, Nicolaitan deeds, Balaam’s greed for fame, and Jezebel’s demonic teaching. These are the very obstacles He said must be overcome for salvation — and Pretrib is just one of many deceptions.
And the world is watching. BET mocked the false date with the headline: “10 Things to Do to Prepare for the Rapture on September 23 — besides panic-buying white robes.”
Dallas Weekly wrote: “The prophecy stirred a mix of humor and skepticism across Black social media spaces, where many mocked the ‘Rapture trend’ as another internet fad.”
AP News reported: “A doomsday prediction about the Rapture is spreading on TikTok, with some followers saying they expect a ‘fast-track getaway’ before the world collapses.”
This is exactly what 2 Peter 2:1–2 foretold:
“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you … And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.”
Because of false rapture dates, adulterous pastors, and bad doctrines, the way of truth is mocked and blasphemed. But the Bible and early Church writings both warn: the last days will bring the greatest persecution ever seen — so of course the devil would love to bewitch millions into thinking they’ll escape. The truth remains: OBEY JESUS’S WORDS TO overcome IN SOUND DOCTRINE TO THE END OF YOUR SALVATION — for only the faithful will receive the crown of life.
A brother asked me: “Why focus on exposing Pre-Trib Rapture?”
- Because it blinds people .
- Because it causes shipwrecked faith .
- Because it rejects dozens of Scriptures .
- Because it preaches against Jesus Christ .
- Because it tells people you do not have to endure to the end .
- Because it preaches another Jesus, another gospel, another spirit (2 Cor 11:4) .
- And most of all… Because I love God and I love YOU enough to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3) .
Idolatry in Jeremiah was defined as worthless things, fetishes, and false worship — and that’s what false rapture dates have become. They fascinate people, make them feel chosen, but actually blind them to God’s plan. Like Israel trusting in idols, today’s church runs after “rapture prophets” instead of preparing to endure tribulation. Jesus told us clearly that Antichrist will make war with the saints (Daniel 7:21), that persecution will come, and that those who endure to the end will be saved (Matthew 24:13). There is no crown for quitting early — the crowns are for those who fight, finish, and overcome.
Paul said to run the race to win the incorruptible crown (1 Corinthians 9:24-25), to fight the good fight of faith and lay hold on eternal life (1 Timothy 6:12). He said works will follow us (Revelation 14:13), that confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:10), and that by our words we will be justified or condemned (Matthew 12:37). The 5 crowns of Scripture — life, righteousness, glory, rejoicing, and incorruptible — are all given to those who endure, labor, and keep the faith.
Revelation’s “7 Blesseds” show blessing not for escape, but for reading, hearing, keeping, dying in the Lord, watching, keeping garments, entering the first resurrection, and doing His commandments. Jesus warned the churches: repent, overcome, be faithful unto death. He promised the overcomers rulership, white garments, a crown of life, and the right to the tree of life. But He said the lukewarm, the fearful, the unbelieving, the idolaters, and liars will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8). That is why pre-trib and OSAS are damnable heresies — they blind people to endurance and holiness, which is the true gospel.
Glenn and Dezi Langohr
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Abiding
The Savior vs Self [podcast]
The Flesh vs the Spirit
“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.” Romans 8:5
This life is a daily test of who we truly love (Matthew 6:24; 22:37-40; John 14:15; 15:14; Romans 6:16).
You are not relegated to the flesh, to live after it, or be defeated by it.
“Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Romans 8:12-14
How does Christ’s victory work in our lives?
“I die daily (death) … But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (resurrection). 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. … But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” 1 Corinthians 15:31, 57-58 …10
Those who are crucified with Christ are walking in His victory – the victory He alone grants. And they are laboring by His grace in His work.
There was no other way to redeem fallen mankind but the cross. And there’s no other way to walk with the Savior who went to that cross for us – except by way of the cross He prescribed that we take up daily (Luke 9:23-24).
The War Within
“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Galatians 5:16-25
The Flesh or the Spirit: Which shall ye allow to reign?
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24
Agreeing with the divine declaration of condemnation on our fallen state is essential to victory, otherwise the temptation to compromise and have mercy on the old man will be present (Romans 1-3).
Adam is the father of the old man the fallen man. Jesus is the King of the new man the new creation. Romans 5
“And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. … 12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.” Genesis 6:5, 12
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9
“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. … 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Romans 7:18, 24
We are not good, not one of us (Romans 3:10). If we don’t understand and own what the Bible states concerning the universal fall of all men in Adam, that there’s “no good thing” in us, we will not recognize the need for the daily cross – to be truly crucified with Christ.
The “old man,” the flesh, can not and will not ever be reformed (Romans 6: Colossians 3). It must be daily crucified. There’s no hope of a chance or possibility that the flesh can be reformed. It’s a lost cause and that’s why Jesus came.
“The truth is that while Christ dwells in the believer’s new nature, He has strong competition from the believer’s old nature. The warfare between the old and the new goes on continually in most believers.” AW Tozer
You can’t negotiate with a terrorist.
Kill or be killed. Kill the flesh or be killed by it.
There is no negotiating with the flesh and there can be no mercy afforded to it.
Allowing the flesh a foot in the door is the inroad to total destruction.
“Either you will crucify sin out of your life or sin will crucify Christ out of your life.” Burt Clendendon
“But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” 1 Corinthians 9:27
The flesh must be sentenced to death.
2 Corinthians 1:9-11
“But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
11 Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.”
- v. 9 – Sentence the self life to the death of the self life.
- v. 10 – Past, present, and future deliverance, victory over sin, can only come by way of the cross.
- v. 11 – we must pray for each other in this regard – that we would be conformed to the crucified image of Christ our LORD.
Perhaps the best prayer we can pray for each other is that we’d be crucified with Christ…. because this guarantees the resurrection, the raising up of that life!
God is waiting for you to lay it all down – to be truly crucified with the Savior, to own it, to wear it, to embrace that your life is over in this world and now it’s all about Him, about King Jesus.
“And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:9-12
(v. 9) Being found in Christ and not outside of Him (and lost), not having our own filthy-rag righteousness “through the faith of Christ.” (v. 10) & (John 17:3) Knowing Him is the very reason we are created by Him – “That I may know him.” Experiencing “the power of his resurrection” is preceded by “being made conformable unto his death.” (vv. 10-11) Seems the apostle here is intimating that he is not perfect in taking up the cross, realizing the utter need for such.
The LORD is “Holy, holy, holy” and commands you to “be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8; 1 Peter 1:15-16)
Recently, had a conversation with a long time friend who is a dear brother in Christ. We mourned together over the sin he’d been walking in. And, we discussed the only solution – the cross. I was able to share with him that the only victory I have ever been able to walk in is via the cross life.
The life of the disciple is a crucified life and this is what our water baptism is supposed to depict and yet the follow up, the messages we hear in local churches, regrettably is anything but the cross (Romans 6; Colossians 2:12). Scarcely if ever can the message of the cross be heard or even mentioned, much less talked of continually by preachers today. This is the fulfillment of end times prophecy (Philippians 3:18-19; 1 Timothy 4:1-2; 2 Timothy 3:1-7; 2 Timothy 4:2-4, etc.).
Read Romans 6 each morning this week. Pray and ask the LORD to teach you His way – the way of the cross. Ask Him sincerely to anoint your life to be dead and buried with Him and raised up by Christ – that you would be conformed to His holy image (Romans 8:29).
God’s way is the cross. No one will be in Heaven who didn’t walk His way – which is the way of the cross, the crucified life (Luke 9:23-24; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3, etc.).
Jesus taught diametrically opposite to Satan’s message of the world to love self.
So many people claiming Christ as LORD continue to peddle lies. Beware of them (Colossians 2:8-10). Their memes and messages say things like: “Love yourself,” “take care of yourself,” “treat yourself,” “forgive yourself,” etc. …. Hmmmm I don’t remember reading any such thing in the Bible. No, in fact, the Bible says we all already, innately love ourselves and THAT’s our biggest problem and where our sin is rooted – pride! – “The pride of life” (Ephesians 5:29; 1 John 2:15-17). We are never instructed to pamper our “desperately wicked” self but rather Jesus commands us to “deny” or die to self – to live the crucified life.
“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” Luke 9:23-24
People who are propagating these diabolical lies, encouraging others to love self instead of to crucify self, are clueless, walking in darkness, have no clue of who Christ is or His Gospel message – which begins with the essential command to “repent,” to lay down our lives in this world and obey Him – to follow Him, His example by preferring Him and others above ourselves (Philippians 2:3-5, etc.).
Recently a saint of Christ send this message:
“Never change Todd. Keep lifting JESUS up as you do. Keep dying, so you will not be cast away in the end. Keep increasing in humility and love. At any moment, you could jeopardize your place with Christ, when just a little pride slips in, self glory, lust… Keep that humble place until You see your Lord face to face. I want Todd to enter Heaven, my dear Todd, a wretched man, as I, who trusted Christ’s Sacrifice and lived, until the end, for His Name.”
“Jesus needs to Increase and I need to decrease. I am nothing without Jesus Amen.” David Reeves
“He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30
Do you desire and love God above self?
Get low.
Stay low.
“For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:3
Go down deep into death and burial and let the LORD Himself raise your life upward.
“Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.” 2 Corinthians 4:10-12
HOW will you finish? It’s really how you finish that matters most! (2 Timothy 4:7-8) Finish strong beloved – lay down your life (death and burial) so that the strength of your life is Christ’s resurrection grace!!!!! Read 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. Go down deep.
“And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward:” Isaiah 37:31
Read the verse above again, looking for the death, the burial, and raising up!
The context of Isaiah 37:31 concerns Assyria seeking to seize Judah and yet out of that evil attempt to conquer God’s people came a “remnant.” Yet it’s those who submitted to the LORD in death, those who took root downward (death and burial) who were reciprocally raised up out of that snare and destruction. Resurrection grace wins every time, with no exception! The cross is the divine prescription for absolute victory in every situation.
The depth you allow God to bury you determines the height of His resurrection, His raising up in you! (2 Corinthians 4:10-12).
As we submit to Him, to His way, God liquidates us, putting away our sin, our past, and weaknesses and raising us upward in His power while granting us a clear conscience.
“God salvages the individual by liquidating him and then raising him again to newness of life.” AW Tozer
The cross is always God’s way – the blood of Christ’s cross, His death, burial, and resurrection, and daily our own (2 Corinthians 4:10-12).
“And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” Romans 8:10-11
The raising up cannot and will not come before the laying down of one’s life.
God is not going to raise up the rebel but He is going to raise up the humble, the truly poor in spirit saint.
“The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.” Psalms 145:14
The soul, the spirit, the life of the true saint must be nourished in this essential cross message. A little dab will not do it – you must be saturated. You must be ever bowing downward in worship to the LORD. As your life is bowed down, the reciprocal divine raising will transpire!
If you are not learning the cross Jesus taught, you are fallen away.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I come to You now as a sinner. I am away from You and I do not want to remain alienated from You. Holy Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, I here and now ask You to take me back, to wash me clean in the blood of the Lamb, and to have Your way in my life. This moment, I lay my life into Your holy hands and rest in You, in Your love, by faith. Thank You for finding and saving me dear LORD. From this moment forward, I will follow You LORD Jesus till the end of my life on this earth. I pray all these things in the name above all names, the name of Jesus Christ! Sobeit dear LORD!
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