The “More Blessed” Life
“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35
The “more blessed” life is the cross life our LORD calls us to.
“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
These are the words of the Messiah – who gave His life to purchase His church. And dare we say the eternal Word was “more blessed” as a result, as He brought back His alienated fallen race? (2 Corinthians 5:19-21)
“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11
To lose our lives, to abandon them to Christ, is to gain them everlasting. Those living the more blessed life, are giving their lives over to the LORD daily, as Jesus instructed and in preference to Christ, their “first love.” (Revelation 2:4-5) They choose Him over themselves as Romans 12:1 declares to us to “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1)
“He is no fool who gives up that which he cannot keep to gain that which he can never lose.” Jim Elliott
Lose, forsake it all to gain it all.
Our lives are not our own. We’ve been bought with the highest price. – “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:” (1 Peter 1:18-19)
Do we begin to realize, to understand the Gospel? – to understand the price God chose to pay to buy us back to Himself out of the world, out of a life of sin, out of separation from Him?
“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
The way we “glorify God in our body” is to “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1) This is how we are to be crucified with Christ our LORD and thereby raised up into new life, the life of “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 14:17)
Let’s look at and memorize our theme verse again:
“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35
Perhaps many times we view the above statement in terms of giving money or aid to someone in need or to the work of Christ. Yet it seems that more important than giving some thing or some money, etc., is the giving over of our lives to the LORD. And, when our lives are given over to our Maker, our Savior, all we have will be His and giving will be the result of this crucified, raised up disposition (1 Chronicles 29:14; Matthew 6:19-21; 2 Corinthians 9:6-11).
Those who give their life over to the One who gave them life are “more blessed” than what they could ever otherwise be.
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
In fact the cross life is the “more blessed” life Jesus is speaking of – the life that is dead, buried, and raised up with Christ (Luke 9:23-24; Romans 8:11; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12; Galatians 2:20, etc.). The resurrection is the healing, the wholeness! The life that isn’t “crucified with Christ” doesn’t get blessed with resurrection life and power. Only when the self-life is “crucified with Christ” can the blessing of the resurrection life of God be realized.
Of this, one writer notes:
“Healing is the resurrection. Wholeness, holiness, completeness, entireness, perfectness, undividedness are all words that describe those that are dying and RISING again with Christ.
The religious person, the legalist, humanly moral person are all divided. They are not whole or holy. They cannot be holy even if they, like the Pharisees, are strictly moral. They do not know undivided unconditional love. Even the tax collectors can do conditional love said Jesus in Matt 5:38-48. They are moral hypocrites. ‘Depart from Me. I never knew you.’ And they never knew Him.
The law says if you sow good deeds you will reap blessing. Grace says if you sow your old self into death you will reap the resurrection life and power of Christ. Thus, the Bible has redefined the meaning of sowing and reaping in the New Testament.”
The resurrection healing, wholeness, comes to those who are truly “crucified with Christ.” (Galatians 2:20; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12)
The LORD our Creator has designed/set things up so that we ourselves can only personally be fulfilled if and when we are walking in His perfect will and meeting the needs and desires of others.
It is the “mind of Christ” to give our lives over to the LORD Jesus and others. This disposition runs counter to all the self-centered notions and philosophies taught among sinful men, including the recovery-addicted false church world.
“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” Philippians 2:3-5
The above passage is a great one to read every morning this whole week. If you do so in sincere prayer to the LORD, your life will never be the same.
We cannot and will not be fulfilled by worldly riches or pursuits but only by obeying God and fulfilling the needs of others
“But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.” Matthew 10:6-8
The LORD requires that all who will follow Him (and go to Heaven), must lay aside their own will. Jesus cried “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”(Luke 22:42) The daily cross is some Jesus mandates and all who truly know and are following Him are learning that daily cross by simple submitted obedience and the enablement of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:12-14).
True repentance means laying our lives down at His feet and being dead to self which means we have NO personal agenda! (Romans 6)
“I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” John 5:30
Regrettably, most who claim to be saved have not the slightest desire or clue as to what truly following Christ really is. This is because they are trusting what their pastor has told them instead of searching the Holy Scriptures to see what the Judge of their eternal souls says.
“And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” 2 Corinthians 5:15
Today, write Philippians 2:3-5 on an index card and begin to read it daily, to meditate upon it, and assimilate into your mind, thoughts, actions, and life.
Your life is going to change now. God is going to begin undergirding your thoughts and life, orchestrating His perfect will as He conforms you to the image of Jesus Christ.
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 8:28-29
Get out of your own world disciple of Jesus. Embark on this cross journey. You are Jesus’ servant and student. Look around you. Anticipate the needs and legitimate desires of your mate, your children, your family, your friends, and those you don’t yet know. If you will help with the business of others, God will take care of yours.
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33
Crying out with John the Baptist….
“He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30
Jesus came and empty Himself (Philippians 2). The Son of God withheld nothing. Christ gave all. He poured out His whole heart and life to please His Father and to bless fallen mankind (Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Acts 3:26). God bankrupted Heaven to redeem us.
The measure of your spiritual maturity and state can clearly be seen in how you are given over with reckless abandon to the LORD and to serving others.
Why would God raise up someone who is already alive, alive to self, in self? He will not. It takes the cross to liquidate the old man – a laying down of our own lives, our will, our agenda, our way. God only raises up, resurrects those who are willingly dead and buried with Christ. Those live in the dead and buried posture, are being raised up in the power of God, blessed, and mightily used of Him! There is no other way for us – just as there was no other way for Jesus to redeem the world without the cross and buried. He defeated sin, Satan, and death by dying and being raised up! (Romans 8:11; Hebrews 2:14-15, etc.).
Here’s the “remnant” of Christ described:
“And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward: 32 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.” Isaiah 37:31-32
Note in the passage above that the remnant escaped from that which claims to represent the LORD while subverting His truth – “enemies of the cross of Christ.” (Philippians 3:18-19) God is calling out His remnant to lay down our lives and in doing so there will be a separation, a coming out of the cross-less apostate modern church world (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). If it’s a cross-less gospel, it’s a false gospel. The redemptive cross of Christ and the one He commanded we take up, are at the center of the original Gospel message. This is how we know who is true and false.
Being Jesus’ Disciple
“So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:33
Jesus instructed us to “Remember Lot’s wife.” Genesis 19 records the escape from Sodom, from divine judgment upon the inhabitants. As she was obeying the command of the angels not to look back, while she was escaping judgment, Lot’s wife looked back and perished. She was judged with the wicked and make no mistake, this is exactly was our LORD wants us to “remember.” Many today, like Lot’s wife, were saved and yet then they turned back to the old, to the evil, to the fires of eternal judgment that were once behind them. Now they face those same fires of damnation and the torment will be even “worse with them than the beginning.” (2 Peter 2:20-22) They’ve turned back to what they were delivered from and are perishing.
“Remember Lot’s wife. 33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.” Luke 17:32-33
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I come to You in Jesus’ name and ask You to forgive me for my self-idolatry, my heart rebellion, my uncleanness, and ever other sin I’ve committed against You. LORD, I know You are holy and ask You to make me holy as You are holy. Please set me apart unto Yourself and grace a broken, contrite heart of flesh. Here and now I lay my life in Your hands. I am crucified with Christ. I am dead and my life is hid with Christ in God. Thank You this moment Jesus for washing me clean of all sin in Your precious blood LORD Jesus. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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Articles
A PLACE CALLED HELL [podcast]

How does God’s Word describe hell?
A PLACE CALLED HELL ….. Below is a detailed list of the unending realities of eternal damnation!
Hell is the ultimately judgment of God upon all who refuse to repent and receive Christ and therefore die in sin.
“Let death seize upon them, and let them GO DOWN quick (alive) into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.” Psalms 55:15
Details about hell revealed in God’s Word, the Bible:
- A place of complete consciousness (all feelings)…..Lk. 16:25
- Torment with fire and brimstone…………………………Rev. 14:10
- Weeping and gnashing of teeth……………………….…..Matt. 8:12
- A place of eternal remorse (devastating regret)…..Luke 16:25
- A place of torments…………………………………………..…Luke 16:23
- No rest day or night forever (eternal misery)……….Rev. 14:11
- A furnace of fire with wailing…………………………..….Matt. 13:42
- A place of everlasting burnings…………….…………..Isaiah 33:14
- A lake (ocean) of fire……………………………………..…….Rev. 20:15
- Unquenchable fire (ferocious flames)………..…….……Mark 9:45
- Outer darkness (blinding loneliness)………………….Matt. 22:13
- No 2nd chance to escape (utter hopelessness)……Luke 16:26
- A place of sorrows (seething remorse and despair)….Ps. 18:5
- A place of everlasting destruction……………………..2 Thess. 1:9
Even though sinful man is still looking for life on mars and the moon….. there’s only 3 places, locations that men exist:
“And no man in HEAVEN, nor in EARTH, neither UNDER THE EARTH, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.” Revelation 5:3
1. “in heaven”
2. “in earth”
3. “under the earth” which is where hell is (Matthew 12:40).
Jesus used the words “eternal damnation” to reveal to us that hell if forever, unending (Mark 3:29). The fires of eternal damnation shall feed upon the eternally conscious helpless souls of all who die in sin (Mark 9:43-49).
The reason people preach hell fire and brimstone is because they’re trying to save your eternal soul from hell fire and brimstone. Love!
PREACHING the biblical doctrine of hell, which is the eternal judgment of God, puts a fire behind believers, convicting them to forsake their lives in this world, to deny self, take up the cross and to follow Jesus, to press toward the mark for the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2) Are YOU preaching hell – the eternal judgment of God in the domain of the damned reserved for all who die in sin? Please hit share. | Hell
“The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.” Proverbs 15:24
Heavenly Father, please grant to Your children an eternal perspective, in Jesus’ name. Amen dear LORD.
If you don’t think hell is divinely designed to be a loving deterent (motivator) from a merciful God, go read the words of the only Savior recorded in Mark 9:43-49 in the King James Bible. Satan’s new “bibles” removed this all-important passage.
ALL who don’t slow down, take the time to seek and listen to God’s Word, to hear His voice, will have all eternity in hell to burn in conscious misery, in utter fury and remorse to sulk on how they sinned away their day of grace. Going to hell is a choice. It’s irrevocable. There are no do-overs. If you sinned your whole life away, sinned away your day of grace, you will pay for your own sins in hell forever. If you reject the only sacrifice for your many sins – the blood of the LORD and Savior Jesus Christ – the domain of the damned will be your eternal abode. If you aren’t washed in the blood of Jesus and presently serving God, abiding in Christ, you are going straight to hell if you die today. …Don’t you dare share this, unless you want people to be saved…. from eternal hell.
“And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.” Luke 16:23
“And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” Revelation 14:11
“And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” Matthew 25:46
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish (in hell), but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9
You soul is eternal and will be conscious for all eternity – either in the bliss and comfort of Heaven or in hell.
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mark 8:36-37
What’s more important to you than the LORD? Who? What? What organization? What affiliation? What religion, religious affiliation? What family member? What friend? Is it really worth your eternal soul? Is Your Sin Really Worth Going to Hell for?
“So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:33
Denying that hell exists changes nothing….
MESSAGE RECEIVED:
“Rational and educated people realize that our sun will not last for ever and will self destruct at the end of it life. When that happens it will most likely also destroy all of the planets in our solar system. Sense Hell has always been considered to be located deep within the bowels of the Earth….yeah, right…. it too will be destroyed. So Hell really isn’t for ever. And you’re just making stuff up.”
REPLY:
Hell is forever. Jesus died for our sins. Rational and educated people know basic science reveals that a molten mass is in the middle of the earth which only confirms that God’s Word is truth. God’s Word repeatedly speaks of this reality.
How to be forgiven and saved:
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:9-10
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13
ALL who seek to hide/cover their sins instead of repenting and forsaking them, will perish. (Proverbs 28:13).
“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13
There are no “secrets” with God because He sees all.
“In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” Romans 2:16
“The secrets of men” are hidden from other men and yet nothing is hidden from God.
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Abiding
Following the Faith of Abraham [podcast]

“There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; ALL came to pass.” Joshua 21:45
The LORD Keeps His Promises to His People
God could trust Abraham:
“For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.” Genesis 18:19
Of Abraham who lived by faith, the LORD says “For I know him” and if we love God, like Abraham, we are known of the LORD also.
“But if any man love God, the same is known of him.” 1 Corinthians 8:3
Does the unchanging God ever tell His people to leave where they are and go to another place? Yes.
“Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. 4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him…” Genesis 12:1-4
Abraham met the condition and God fulfilled His promise. Could the LORD have blessed Abraham had Abraham not trusted and obeyed Him?
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6
“The key is to say ‘Here I am.’ Abraham responded 3 times to God in Gen 22, when God called His name. It was an immediate response of obedience. Did he know exactly why God was calling him? No! It was the posture of his heart. Because of his faithful obedience the Lord knew Abraham was a God fearing man, who only cared about doing God’s will.” Karen Cochran
“And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” Genesis 15:6
“And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.” James 2:23
“I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.” 1 Corinthians 3:6-9
“By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.” Hebrews 11:8
“And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.” Luke 17:5
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, please forgive my unbelief, which is a sin. Please wash this heart afresh in Your precious blood dear LORD Jesus. Fill my heart with faith, with love, joy, and peace. Please order my every step and be glorified in this life You gave. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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Abiding
The Flesh will Never be Reformed it Must be Crucified [podcast]

The Divine Prescription is Clear and there are No Shortcuts
“And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” Galatians 5:24
The law brings repentance, salvation while thereafter the crucified life, the cross keeps us from that sin which once separated us from the LORD, who now has saved us (Psalms 19:7; Romans 6).
There are lots of people peddling the lie of “self care” which is ultimately nothing more than absolute selfishness. Pure evil. We need SAVIOR care! Such “self-care” only perpetuates the prey, the victim, in their misery. The only way to deal with the wicked iniquitous nature, is to crucify it, not pamper it (Luke 9:23-24). It’s your time to get into God’s Word and follow Jesus (KJB). Repent, deny yourself, lay down your life and serve God and others, not yourself. Loving your wicked self IS your problem and so all “self care” is accomplishing is to make your problem bigger, to fortify the evil within (Galatians 5:16-24). Crucifying that evil by the power of the Holy Spirit who is then raising your upward in His grace, glory, and power, is the divine prescription (Romans 8:13; Colossians 3:3, etc.). Read Philippians 2:3-5 each morning this week. Jesus commands you to love God. Worship God. Obey God (Matthew 22:37-39).
All whom Jesus has saved make a decision every day, including this day. All who were initially saved and yet aren’t searching out and taking up the cross daily, prove they do not love Him, even though they may claim such. Each of us prove who we really love by who reigns in our lives, and by who dies. See Matthew 6:24.
“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” Romans 6:16
WHO we yield ourselves to today, proves who we truly love – either the Savior or self.
“But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:” 2 Corinthians 1:9
We must declare and establish “the sentence of death in ourselves” so that our trust is in God who raised Christ from the dead and raises up all of His saints as they are crucified with Christ.
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
Tired of sinful self and wanting it out of your way? Here’s the divine prescription: “But I keep under (subdue) 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 fact that Jesus is coming back for a church, a people who are holy, let us peer into what the Bible tells us concerning overcoming the flesh, sin (Romans 6-8).
Jesus never said to try or try harder. no, Jesus says you must die to follow Him (Luke 9:23-24; John 12:23-25, etc.).
Jesus is sanctifying and cleansing by His Word a people, a church “a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:25-27).
Times of fasting and prayer are doing yourself a favor and not God. Yes. You are crucifying self, getting self out of God’s way so that Christ is reigning in your life in place of sinful self! This should be viewed with absolute delight! (See Psalms 37:4; Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:13, etc..) You are crying, you are driving a stake in the ground and declaring: “LORD, You must increase but I must decrease!” (See John 3:30.) That’s the “daily” operation of the cross God has ordained to be transpiring in our lives (Luke 9:23-24; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12; Galatians 2:20, etc.).
What’s your plan for a special time of fasting and prayer this week? There’s no mystery – you will not overcome the flesh, sin, without being crucified with Christ and there’s no better way than fasting and prayer. It’s the most direct route to being dead, buried, and raised up in the victory Christ alone can grant. Lay it all down, now. Memorize Colossians 3:3 and walk it out.
We simply can’t know just how deep we are buried in pride until we begin to obey God in fasting and prayer. Isaiah 58
Overcoming the flesh, walking in victory requires continually delighting in the LORD, worshipping Him “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24).
“Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.” 1 Chronicles 16:11
HOW many of us know that the flesh is never going to behave itself, never going to be tamed …. until it’s slain by the cross, crucified?
The flesh IS going to rage, be bent toward and do evil. That’s a given (Romans 7). This is why the cross, the crucifying of the “old man” and putting on “the new man” are essential to God bringing the victory in our lives! (Romans 6-8; Ephesians 4:23-25; Colossians 3:5-10, etc.)
Doesn’t the fact that our flesh does not like the cross, only confirm the need for it? What are the “works of the flesh” that will separate a once saved Christian from God? (Galatians 5:16-21) Though it’s never heard in the apostate modern church world, Jesus commanded the cross in the life of each and every person who would follow Him (Luke 9:23-24). The fact that our flesh hates the cross in no way changes God and what He said concerning the severity in which we are to deal with the flesh, with sin – and the eternal damnation that awaits all who don’t crucify the deeds of the body (Mark 9:42-49; Romans 6; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Peter 1:15-16; Revelation 21:8, 27, etc.). When’s the last time you read the words of Jesus recorded in Mark 9:42-49 and took Jesus at His Word? IF you truly love Him, you will obey Him (John 14:15).
God fully expects for His people to induce, to participate in the crucifixion of our flesh, putting the self-life to death (Isaiah 58; Matthew 6:16; 1 Corinthians 9:27; Galatians 2:20, etc.).
Holiness is not the way to Christ but rather Christ is the way to holiness. Abiding in Christ IS abiding holy – in the divine definition of holy. The key is that holiness is NOT the way to God but rather Christ is the way to holiness, His way, His definition – which is the daily cross (Luke 9:23-24). Abiding fellowship with Christ, on HIS terms, is holiness – being set apart to the LORD, in the LORD (Psalms 4:3; John 15).
Sin is man’s master until Christ is man’s Master (Matthew 6:24).
No one overcomes by accident. Those who love the LORD, truly, not just in mere profession, will seek Him diligently and obey Him and therefore are brought into His victory by Him (Matthew 7:21; 22:37-39; Titus 1:16; 1 John 2:3-6; Revelation 2-3, etc.). The disciple must truly repent and cease all excuses for the sin that displeases God and walk as “MORE than conquerors through him that loved us” (Romans 8:1, 5-6, 13-14; 37, etc.).
Jesus came from Heaven to earth and successfully confronted evil, sin, death, and the devil by going to the cross and defeating them! Read Colossians 2:14-15; Hebrews 2:14-15 and 1 John 3:8. In Christ, with Christ, we defeat death by dying, laying down our lives (Hebrews 2:14-15). And Jesus, who conquered death, hell, sin, Satan, and the grave, sends us to the cross – co-death with Him to defeat all of our sin and Satan also (Luke 9:23-24; Romans 6; 8:29, 37; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12, etc.). His precious blood alone atoned for our sins positionally, and yet to enforce that victory in defeating sin and Satan in our daily lives, Jesus prescribed to us the cross life (the practical).
The only thing we can do about this reality – about the iniquitous fleshly nature – is to crucify it (Galatians 5:16-24). There can be no negotiation.
“Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:11
The one way to master sin is bow to Heaven’s Master and let Him master sin! The cross.
BECAUSE JESUS CHRIST ROSE AGAIN, ALL WHO ARE BORN AGAIN IN HIM ARE RAISED UP SPIRITUALLY IN THIS LIFE TO OVERCOME ALL SIN, SATAN, AND THE WORLD, AND WILL SOON be RAISED UP INTO ETERNAL GLORY WITH HEAVEN’S KING.
Rhetorical Question: What’s your fasting and prayer plan beloved? Your answer to this important, prompting question is before you and your LORD….
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:1-2
You are not serious about overcoming sin if you’re not yet setting apart regular times of fasting and prayer. The fact that you don’t want to fast is the clear proof that you need to fast. Currently, your flesh is in control! Once you are broken, you will delight in, you will look forward to those times of regular fasting! Read Isaiah 58. | The Amazing Benefits of Fasting and Prayer
Times of Fasting and prayer get YOU out of the way so Jesus can reign supreme! Isaiah 58
“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 8:13-14
“He must increase but I must decrease.” John 3:30
FASTING IS STARVING THE FLESH AND FEEDING THE SPIRIT IN ORDER TO BE BROUGHT BY THE LORD INTO FULL ONENESS WITH HIM AND THE FATHER, AND INTO THE COMPLETE VICTORY AND FRUITFULNESS HE’S ORDAINED YOU TO WALK IN (ISAIAH 58).
Read Romans 6-8.
I am not a good person. Neither are you. “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10). Admit it. The Bible and our own failing experience in this life clearly reveal such to be the case. The sooner we become HONEST with that which is more than obvious, announcing freely and transparently that there is “no good thing” in us except CHRIST, the sooner God will begin a fresh, deeper work in us! See Romans 7:18, 24—the cross!
“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.” Romans 7:18
“Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;” Colossians 3:9
The SINNER, the vile wretch I must first and foremost confront, is myself! See Job 19:28; Rom 7:18, 24; Ps 39:4-5 and Eccl 7:20. It’s essential to begin to understand the flesh, the fallen man, the iniquitous old man, in order to realize what we’ve been saved from and what must be crucified daily. The cross is God’s solution, His prescription to “put off the old man with his deeds.”
“That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;” Ephesians 4:22
The cross subdues the flesh, it separates us from being held captive to the dictates of the old man, the carnal fallen nature.
The Root of the Matter is in Me! | The Daily Cross
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