Abiding

The Myth of Elevation without the Cross [podcast]

Paula White Exposed [video]

THAT’s My King! Pastor Lockridge [video]

Powerful Prayers from Children-This Will Shake You [video]

The Fear of the LORD is to Hate Evil: Pride, and Arrogancy #shorts [video]

THE CROSS: Know it. Live it. Preach it.

God will never lift up those who stand in their pride but only those who bow before Him in humility (Psalms 145:14; James 4:6-10, etc.).

Running to a “revival” is not the answer. The reason people run to a “revival” is due to their refusal to deny self, take up the cross daily, and thereby be re-vived (filled with life!) daily – experiencing the resurrection of Christ each day in their personal lives as God has ordained (Luke 9:23-24; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12). A cross-less life is a life of defeat. A life in the cross is a life of victory! God is calling us to settle down humbly in repentance and adhere to His cross prescription. It’s only then that His victory is going to manifest in our lives, and not before. Going to a revival is usually for a feeling and not going to result in a solid forged foundation.

It’s important to not just share promises but also the divinely stated conditions God gives us in His Word. The cross message is nearly never heard in the modern church world and Jesus says it’s essential to following Him (Luke 9:23-24).

Grab this: Having difficulty overcoming? Let’s get a fresh dose of dying – of death and burial – and Christ will raise us upward into His victory! Read Romans 6. God will not raise us upward until we submit afresh downward – to His prescription of the crucified life! Romans 6 and 2 Corinthians 4:10-12, Galatians 2:20.

“Until I embraced the cross, I had no lasting victory! No seed-bearing fruit, like clouds without rain, all promise but dry bones within. Christ will only indwell a vessel emptied of self and only he can give complete salvation to overcome all sin to be enjoyed at the marriage supper of the LAMB. Til then we press in abiding in Jesus, so that he may work in us his great salvation. (John 15; Rom 6; Php. 2; Col. 3; etc.) I die -> He raises me up.” Jon Crane

Beware of the many counterfeits today who want to be raised up, resurrected, elevated and yet are not willing to lay down their lives in this fleeting world – to die. They want the crown without the cross but that’s not how Christ’s kingdom works.

Those who evade (do not camp around the cross message of Christ and His apostles) are not following the original Gospel and prove they are “enemies of the cross of Christ” and only seek to satisfy their carnal lusts.

“(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)” Philippians 3:18-19

In contrast to these “enemies of the cross of Christ … whose god is their belly (carnal appetites),“ those who will remain in the cross life will be mightily used of God (2 Corinthians 4:10-12).

Personal observation … I never so preach the cross message as when I am actually taking up that cross as Jesus instructed and as He enables by His grace (divine enablement). Also, there’s never such a fresh and powerful anointing from Heaven present as when this disciple is truly, presently submitted to our LORD in His cross (the death and burial He calls us to) so that He can raise us upward in His divine strength which is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). Oh that God would make this constant in the lives of His beloved! Seek Him for this beloved.

Cross-less Liars

You not preaching the cross – the necessity of being crucified with Christ? Friend, are you perpetuating falsehoods? Are you regurgitating promises without their divinely stated conditions?

“And he said to them all, 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

Jesus placed the cross at the center of His kingdom and our walk with Him. In the above passage He clearly conveys that the cross is essential to following Him. Yet we hear little or nothing of this cross in the modern church message. AND, we hear SO much about elevation, the hope of victory, “God’s going to turn your situation around,” “your blessing is just around the corner,” etc. Yet no cross – no requirement to die, to lay down your life.

“For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:3

In Christ’s kingdom there must be first a humble downward descent before there will be a divine ascent.

The depth you allow God to bury you determines the height of His resurrection, His raising up in your life! (2 Corinthians 4:10-12).

The only way up is down in Christ’s kingdom economy.

“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12

Those not willing to humble themselves before the Almighty and die to self, will not be raised up by Him – here and now and forever.

Believing God’s blessing will be upon our lives without doing things His way – the cross – is a “lying” vanity.

“They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.” Jonah 2:8

Adding to the simplicity of the Gospel? No. – Those who truly have saving faith delight to obey their Master Jesus (Matthew 7:21-29; Luke 6:46; 19:27; John 14:15, 21; Titus 1:16; James 2; 1 John 2:4, etc.).

Jesus conquered sin by dying and we follow Him by dying to self, self-will, the self-life so that He might reign supreme in us. This is the way sin is conquered. Read this closely:

“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;” Hebrews 2:14

Here’s how our lives in Christ work beloved:

“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

It’s hard not to get super excited at the thought of His resurrection and the one He wants to bring in our lives – and will bring as we lay them down!

A “gospel” that doesn’t include at its center the cross, is “another gospel” (Galatians 1:6-9).

If it’s not elevation by God, by way of death and the burial of self, it’s a false and a demonic self-elevation. Beware!

“Elevation” is the new self-promoting buzz word and yet there will be no elevation, divine raising up until there is a death and burial. Listen closely – there is no cross in their message. They are “enemies of the cross of Christ” (Philippians 3:18-19).

Those who do not preach this cross of the original Gospel of Jesus, are “enemies of the cross of Christ” and have chosen the flesh, self-promotion instead of the promotion that comes from the LORD alone, above.

Karen Cochran writes:

“The cross message is Christ’s truth! I heard a pastor say that Jesus died for us because we were worth it! What? This is the stuff that is being preached in the churches! No death to self! People are being elevated to believe they are great people! Not the message of Jesus at all. The way of the cross is hard with tribulations and dying to self. Paul said oh wretched man that I am. That applies to all of us! Everyday I see how much I am not like Jesus and the prayer of my heart is ‘more of Jesus less of me.’ I am certainly a work in progress. This cross message of Christ and His apostles is not very popular in modern day churches.”

God will only promote those who do things HIS non-negotiable way and no other.

“For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. 7 But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.” Psalms 75:6-7

Unless you are obediently going downward, deep into the death of Christ, GOD is not raising you upward and you are relegated to your own futile self-promotion.

God doesn’t raise up those who are propelled by and alive under their own strength and will power. He only raises upward those who are bowed down in the crucified life. The LORD leaves “alone,” leaves to themselves those who are no doing things His way which is the way of the cross.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn (grain, seed) of wheat fall into the ground and die (death and burial), it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit (resurrection).” John 12:24

Those who don’t die will abide “alone” – without the resurrection grace of He who is “the resurrection and the life” – because they are not walking in faith in His resurrecting power of Christ but rather according to the flesh, to do their own promotion.

“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:” John 11:25

Elevation that’s not preceded by the cross – death and burial – is luciferian self-promotion. Check this out:

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.” Isaiah 14:12-15

Self-promotion is a work of the flesh, part of the old man, part of Satan’s kingdom. Self-promotion is usurpish, conceited, and arrogant, foolishly pretending to be in charge, to be able to independent of the Almighty do as it pleases. Like Satan, all who operate this way “shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit (of hell)“ (Isaiah 14:12-15).

“And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” Luke 10:18

Satan was cast out of Heaven – violently ejected from the presence of the Almighty – for His pride. And, so shall all who follow in his steps, refusing to truly repent and humble themselves under the mighty hand of God – in being crucified with Christ.

Those who walk with Jesus, walk in the faith of knowing HE is going to raise them up as they bow down in humility before Him.

“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” James 4:6-10

The Crucified Life

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Steven Furtick False Christ Busted and Exposed

TD Jakes, Steven Furtick, Levi Lusko Exposed

The Sensual Seduction and Solicitation of the Modern Church!

Beware of the BUZZ WORD Bandits [podcast]

Abiding

WHAT’S On Jesus’ Prayer List? [podcast]

What Did Jesus Pray for His People?

John 17 – knowing Him. Being one with Him and the Father and one another.

Jesus prayed the highest priorities of the Father for His people as is recorded in John 17.

Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer – John 17

“Jesus’ prayer in John 17, often called the “High Priestly Prayer,” is a profound discourse to God before His crucifixion, focusing on His own glorification, the protection and unity of His disciples, and the future unity of all believers, emphasizing eternal life through knowing God and Christ, and asking for believers to be set apart in truth and one, just as He and the Father are one.

Having offered His precious, sinless blood to the Father for the redemption of the fallen race, Jesus Christ is now seated at the right hand of the Father making intercession for all of His saints.”

“But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;” Hebrews 7:24-26

Due to His perfect sacrifice and redemption of fallen mankind, we who are His, are invited to “come boldly…”

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16

As we “come boldly unto the throne of grace” the LORD is going to fill us with His grace and love.

Those most powerfully used by God to help others, are those who are set apart to Him, crying out to the LORD to be filled with His gracious Holy Spirit and to be made more and more one with Him.

Debbie Lord writes:

“GOD is our sustaining force via prayer:

The Holy Spirit praying for us from within,

Jesus, our risen Savior and High Priest praying for us at the right hand of God, Brothers and Sisters in Christ praying for us on this earth, and us praying for believers everywhere,

even those we’ve never met. Ephesians 6:18

Each member of Christ’s body should be assured of the constant prayer of other believers as well as lifting up in prayer other believers themselves.”

Memory Truth:

“For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” James 1:20

We grow in Christ’s grace to realize that our own misguided, unwarranted, self-righteous attitudes and actions of wrath on sinners, is not of God.

Pray to “grow in grace” (2 Peter 3:18). When we are growing in His grace in that abiding oneness, His ministry of grace will flow through us. It has been wisely stated that “We can never lead someone else to a place we aren’t ourselves walking in.”

“For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace…” Hebrews 13:9

WHEN we see something in God’s Word, such as the verse above, let us pray it – pray He will bring it fully into our lives.

WHO has God Used to Truly Minister to Us?

Did God use vessels of self-righteous wrath?

Or, has the LORD used crucified vessels who were full of His love?

Can we not reflect back on how God used others to minister to us? Who did He use? It wasn’t the harsh self-righteous ones He used but rather the vessels of His love – who when they spoke His truth, did it out of His concern and desire for us to truly come to Him… right?

There is so much evil in this fallen world. We are bombarded with words, attitudes, and images daily with the iniquity of fallen mankind. That will not change till Jesus returns. For now, we must abide in Christ, to seek Him to make us one with Him and the Father who are one in agreement, unison, etc. It’s only in being made one with the Father and Jesus that God’s love will fill and flow from us. May God settle us at His feet, truly.

YOUR PRAYER: Holy Father in Heaven, I come to You in the name of my LORD Jesus Christ. Please teach me Your ways and make me, and Your body, one with You. In Jesus’ holy Name, amen.

Pouring prayerfully over the prayer of our LORD Jesus recorded in John 17 would greatly benefit us saints.

John 17: Jesus’ Prayer, the Real “LORD’s Prayer”

The High Priestly Prayer of Our Savior: Beholding the Highest Divine Priorities in the Prayer of Jesus

“1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.

8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.

9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.

11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.

26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

The Gospel key to walking in God’s love is the cross. The Bible teaches us that “God is love” and it’s only the crucified vessel that will be full of God’s love and used effectively by the LORD.

“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:16-18

All ungodly fear is cast out when we are full of the love of God. Being full of the love of God requires that we seek His face and become one with him (John 17). Fear is ejected when God’s love permeates our hearts via fellowship with Him (1 John 4:16-18).

Ministry from Heaven can only come out of a crucified vessel.

Love is at the top of the divine list of priorities and can only come out of the oneness our Father desires us to have with Him (1 Corinthians 13). Are we asking Him to be made one with Him? (See John 17.)

“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” 1 John 4:7-8

Sister Debbie Lord offers us the opportunity to pray this Scriptural prayer: “Lord, I pray for your saints world over, that You would draw us closer and closer (increasingly) to Yourself as time grows short. Please help us give up and let go so that You can live in us fully and minister to us, in us and THROUGH us. I ask this in Jesus’ Name. Amen.”