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“What a powerful message! Life changing for sure. It truly blessed me. Every believer should listen to this video! But God! Two little words that I missed. And found this phrase used at least 44 times in the KJB. Those little words takes the focus off us! If it wasn’t for God coming to save our wicked souls we would be doomed forever to burn in hell. Psalm 49:15 “But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for He shall receive me. Selah.” We are saved by the grace of God and kept by the power and grace of God. To which none of us can boost! (Ephesians 2:8, 1 Peter 1:5).” Karen Cochran | Grounded in Grace [podcast]

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) :  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:4-10

Satan continues to pick off people with the same exact law-keeping deception he snared the Galatians with. They become in unbelief about Christ’s perfect sacrifice and begin to add law to salvation’s equation. This is deadly. Having begun in faith, in the Spirit, they fall away from the faith by trying to help God save them through self-effort, law-keeping (Galatians 3:3; 5:4). Many of those snared are seduced into this by way of the sabbath keeping deception, foolishness.

Being established in the saving grace of God is the only defense against the many deceptions creeping in among God’s people.

When the self-righteous legalist hears someone preach that Christians are saved by grace and not under the old testament law, they react – because they are still trusting self and have not truly repented/surrendered and putting their whole faith in christ. Law and grace don’t mix! You MUST choose! (John 1:17) Either you are saved by Jesus or your own law keeping works. There’s no in-between! It’s time to get into God’s Word, asking Him to give you a NEW Testament clue!

Especially with the upsurge of Judaizers and the law-keeping doctrines they perpetrate, every true born-again believer should pray, seek out, and study to be grounded in God’s saving grace in Christ.

SAINTS, we are saved by the LORD Himself, by His grace and not our own works. People who are still self-righteous, thinking THEY are earning their own justification, get very uneasy when the saving grace of God is preached. They are not yet students of NEW Testament truth. WE MUST have an ever-deepening biblical revelation of God’s justification by grace and faith! Please begin by memorizing Romans 5:1-2. AND, please read Romans chapters 3-5 prayerfully and over and over, this week.

To the Galatians, when Paul said “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump”, he was saying that trying to mix even “a little” law keeping into the equation of salvation Christ alone 100% earned for us, ruins your whole relationship with God (Galatians 5:9). In fact, you don’t have one if you don’t 100% trust Jesus Christ!

Remember when Jesus saved you? He found and saved our wretched soul alllll by Himself!!!!! Right? Please pause and let that soak in. …. In light of this reality, this sheer mercy, how is it that we still strive in the flesh, thinking we are going to earn divine forgiveness, merit His blessings, etc. – “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” (Romans 4:4-5)

“But God”

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,” Ephesians 2:4

After hanging the backdrop (vv. 1-3), reviewing our alienation, our past life of trespasses and sin, how we are now found and rescued—brought back to life from our dead state—by the LORD, the writer now transitions upward.

Of Ephesians 2:4, William MacDonald writes:

“The words, But God, form one of the most significant, eloquent, and inspiring transitions in all literature. They indicate that a stupendous (astonishing, stunning) change has taken place. It is a change from the doom and despair of the valley of death to the unspeakable delights of the kingdom of the Son of God’s love.

The Author of the change is God Himself. No one else could have done it, and no one else would have done it.

“One characteristic of this blessed One is that He is rich in mercy. He shows mercy to us by not treating us the way we deserved to be treated (Psalm 103:10). ‘Though it has been expended by Him for six millennia, and myriads and myriads have been partakers of it, it is still an unexhausted mine of wealth, as Eadie remarks.’

The reason for His intervention is given in the words, for his great love wherewith he loved us. His love is great because He is its source. Just as the greatness of a giver casts an aura of greatness on his gift, so the surpassing excellence of God adds superlative luster to His love. It is greater to be loved by the mighty Sovereign of the universe, for instance, than by a fellow human being. God’s love is great because of the price He paid. Love sent the Lord Jesus, God’s only begotten Son, to die for us in agony at Calvary. God’s love is great because of the unsearchable riches it showers on its object.” William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary, p. 1917

Satan attempts to make God out to be an unloving Father. Only mankind is created in God’s image, and He loves us beyond words (Ephesians 2:4-9). He loves us so much so that He gave His only begotten Son to die a horrible yet redeeming death on the cross, raising Him from the dead three days later to fully, completely justify us (John 3:16). God still has a remnant who trust Him and not self (Romans 5:6-8).

Justification

ARE YOU justified by sinful self or the Savior? Good luck flashing those “filthy rags” at the Throne of the Almighty who sent His only begotten Son to die for you! (Isaiah 64:6) You have called Him a liar! (Galatians 2:21) Righteousness comes from knowing and trusting the only One to ever keep the law perfectly and not from trying to keep the law (Galatians 2:16). Though the law be righteous, there is NO righteousness in the law other than repenting of your own efforts and putting your full trust in the only One who ever kept the law! (Romans 10:4) You deserve judgment and hell. You have nothing to offer God except a deeply repentant, honest, contrite, humble heart! (Psalms 34:18; 51:17; Matthew 5:3) You are a guilty sinner and must trash your stupid, ridiculous, laughable religious fig leaves which are a sham at best! True NEW Testament saints are dead to the law (Romans 7:1-4). Law keepers, do-gooders, and moralists are completely self-righteous antichrists who’ve put themselves in place of Jesus Christ as their own savior – denying Christ that place while vainly believing they can earn their own justification before a holy God and Judge of their eternal soul (James 2:10). Anti in the biblical word “antichrist” means “in place of.” Selah (meditate on that) God doesn’t want His children trying to keep the old law but rather to choose to worship, love, trust, and obey Him who is the only One to keep it and then nailed it to the cross and took it out of the way!

Revelation 2:8 “I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.”

Revelation 3:9  “Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.”

William MacDonald writes:

“His kindness toward us (2:7)

“His grace in His kindness toward us (2:7)

“The riches of His grace in His kindness toward us

“The exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us

“Now it follows that if God will be disclosing this throughout eternity, then we will be learning throughout eternity, then we will be learning forever and ever. Heaven will be our school. God will be our Teacher. His grace will be the subject. We will be the students. And the school term will be eternity.

“This should deliver us from the idea that we will know everything when we get to Heaven. Only God knows everything, and we will never be equal with Him.

“It also raises the interesting question: How much will we know when we get to Heaven? And it suggests the possibility that we can prepare for the heavenly university by majoring in the Bible right now.

“2:8 The next three verses present as clear a statement of the simple plan of salvation as we can find in the Bible.

“It all originates with the grace of God; He takes the initiative in providing it. Salvation is given to those who are utterly unworthy of it, on the basis of the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

“It is given as a present possession. Those who are saved can know it. Writing to the Ephesians, Paul said, ‘are ye saved.’ He knew it, and they knew it.

“The way we receive the gift of eternal life is through faith. Faith means that man takes his place as a lost, guilty sinner, and receives the Lord Jesus as his only hope of salvation. True saving faith is the commitment of a person to a Person (Christ).

“Any idea that man can earn or deserve salvation is forever exploded by the words, ‘and that not of yourselves.’ (2:9) Dead people can do nothing, and sinners deserve nothing but punishment.

“‘It is the gift of God.’ A gift, of course, is free …. The gift of God is salvation by grace and through faith. It is offered to all people everywhere.

“2:9 It is not of works, that is, it is not something a person can earn through supposedly meritorious deeds. It cannot be earned, for instance, by:

Confirmation

Baptism

Church membership

Church attendance

Holy communion

Trying to keep the Ten Commandments

Living by the Sermon on the Mount

Giving to charity

Being a good neighbor

Living a moral, respectable life

“People are not saved by works. And they are not saved by faith plus works. They are saved through faith alone. The minute you add works of any kind or in any amount as a means of gaining eternal life, salvation is no longer by grace (Rom. 11:6). One reason that works are positively excluded is to prevent human boasting. If anyone could be saved by his works, then he would have reason to boast before God. This is impossible (Rom 3:27).

“If anyone could be saved by his own good works, then the death of Christ was unnecessary (Gal 2:21). But we know that the reason He died was because there was no other way by which guilty sinners could be saved.

“If anyone could be saved by his own good works, then he would be his own savior, and could worship himself. But this would be idolatry, and God forbid it (Exod. 20:3).

“Even if someone could be saved through faith in Christ plus his own good works you would have the impossible situation of two saviors – Jesus and the sinner. Christ would then have to share the saviorhood with another, and this He will not do (Is. 42:8).

“Finally, if anyone could contribute to his salvation by works, then God would owe it to him. This, too, is impossible. God cannot be indebted to anyone (Rom 11:35).

“In contrast to works, faith excludes boasting (Rom 3:27), because it is non-meritorious. A man has no reason to be proud that he has trusted the Lord. Faith in Him is the most sane, rational, sensible thing a person can do. To trust one’s Creator and Redeemer is only logical and reasonable. If we cannot trust Him, whom can we trust?

“2:10 The result of salvation is that we are His workmanship – the handiwork of God, not of ourselves. A born again believer is a masterpiece of God.  When we think of the raw materials He has to work with, His achievement is all the more remarkable. Indeed, this masterpiece is nothing less than an new creation through union with Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passes away; behold, all things have become new (2 Cor 5:17).

“And the object of this new creation is found in the phrase, for good works. While it is true that we are not saved by good works, it is equally true that we are saved for good works. Good works are not the root but the fruit. We do not work in order to be saved, but because we are saved.

“This is the aspect of the truth that is emphasized in James 2:14-26. When James says that ‘faith without works is dead,’ he does not mean that we are saved by faith plus works, but by the kind of faith that results in a life of good works. Works prove the reality of our faith. Paul heartedly agrees: ‘we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.’ (2:10)

“God’s order then is this:

“Faith->Salvation->Good Works->Reward

“Faith leads to salvation. Salvation results in good works. Good works will be rewarded by Him.

“But the question arises: What kind of good works am I expected to do? Paul answers, Good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. In other words, God has a blueprint for every life. Before our conversion He mapped out a spiritual career for us. Our responsibility is to find His will for us and then obey it. We do not have to work out a plan for our lives, but only accept the plan which He has drawn up for us. This delivers us from fret and frenzy, and insures that our lives will be of maximum glory to Him, of most blessing to others, and of greatest reward to ourselves.

“In order to find out the good works He has planned for our individual lives, we should: (1) Confess and forsake sin as soon as we are conscious of it in our lives; (2) be continually and unconditionally yielded to him; (3) study the Word of God to discern His will, and then do whatever He tells us to do; (4) spend time in prayer each day; (5) seize opportunities of service as they arise; (6) cultivate the fellowship and counsel of other Christians. God prepares us for good works. He prepares good works for us to perform. Then He rewards us when we perform them. Such is His grace!” William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary, p. 1918

“Riches” appears five times in Ephesians

Ephesians 1:7 – “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;”

Ephesians 1:18 – “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,”

Ephesians 2:7  – “That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”

Ephesians 3:8  – “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;”

Ephesians 3:16  – “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;”

Ephesians 2:1-10
WHAT GRACE HAS DONE by FB Meyer

“Evidently dead men may walk; that is, they may be dead to the eternal world but alive to this world, which is moving past like the films of a moving picture. The death of the spirit is compatible with much active interest in the course of this world. Behind the shifting scenes of the material is the great enemy of souls. As the Spirit of God works in the obedient, so does the evil spirit work in the disobedient. Note this trinity of evil-the course of this world, the lusts of our flesh, and the prince of the power of the air. If we desire to save men, we must be in living union with the all-conquering Spirit of Christ.

Notice, also, the past tense which describes the finality of Christ’s work, Eph_2:5-6. In the purpose of God we have been raised from the grave of sin and are seated with the risen Lord in the place of acceptance and victory. We were one with Christ when He lay in the grave and arose. In God’s thought we have already taken our seat with the glorified Christ upon the throne; only the pity is that we do not believe this or act as if we had done so. All this is the gift of God’s unmerited love. By grace have we been brought into this position, and by grace are we maintained in it. We are of God’s “making;” such is the Greek word for workmanship, Eph_2:10. We have been created for good works; they have been planned for us and we have only to walk in them.”

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Abiding

Dirty Ox Stalls bring Dividends [podcast]


An intriguing proverb that applies directly to our daily lives and the stewardship of the time our LORD has afforded us in this brief life. Gaining traction via the wisdom of our great God and King Jesus Christ. How to avoid spending our lives “spinning our wheels.”

“Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.” Proverbs 14:4 

The blessing of a dirty ox stall…. What’s most important to God is productivity, not neatness, not tidy-ness, not a clean stall.

Here’s a proverb from the Holy Spirit and Solomon which breathe wisdom into our lives. Let’s read it again:

“Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.” Proverbs 14:4

The proverbs of the LORD we have in His Word hold hidden meaning which breathe wisdom into our lives. 

A proverb is a figure of speech, words that impart truth by using natural illustrations to convey spirit truths.

Jesus taught in parables. Parables are earthly stories with heavenly meaning, divine wisdom to establish us in our relationship with Him as we love, worship and obey the LORD.

This is exactly what we have in Proverbs 14:4, where an ox and his stall are featured in order to convey the divine truth that productivity is more important to God than the pettiness of cleanliness.

The proverbs often use simple images to convey a deeper moral or practical lesson.

Active, working oxen bring dirt and dividends. Clean ox stalls glitter but produce no gold.

When commenting on this proverb, one man said: “Don’t be deterred by the dung.”

Fruitful saints aren’t known by how clean their house is but rather how full, how abundant their treasure in in Heaven (Matthew 6:19-21). Their prayer and work is focused upon pleasing their LORD Jesus and not with how clean their temporal living space looks, by how sparkling clean their life looks to mere sinful men.

One pastor notes the following about the divine truth imparted to us in Proverbs 14:4:

“There are some proverbs that stick in our heads more than others and this is one of them for me.  The image is memorable and the lesson is unforgettable.  Solomon paints the picture of a barn without oxen and because of no oxen, the stalls are clean and pristine.  This is a barn that the perfectionist likes; a barn that can be organized, cleaned and maintained without interruption.  This is a barn that the neat freak and the clean freak crave; a barn that they can come into and know that everything is clean and tidy.  This is a barn that needs no work.  This is a barn that, after working in the field, demands no additional time or effort to clean.  This is a barn that needs no attending to after hours.  It demands no thought when heading out of town.  It never smells.  It doesn’t even make a sound.  There is no sickness in this barn nor does death ever visit its crib.  This is a barn that requires no food or water and as such, it doesn’t require any constant removal of dung.  It’s clean and pristine! …  While that sounds appealing to the average man or woman, the average farmer doesn’t pursue an empty crib.  He knows that the tradeoff is well worth it.  It’s the cost of doing business in agriculture.  He knows that he could farm his land on his own and that he could produce “some” increase on his own.  He knows that he doesn’t need oxen to till the ground, to sow the seed or to harvest the crops but if he’s going to have “MUCH” increase, he needs oxen and there are no oxen that clean up after themselves.”

The mess is worth the money.

The dirt is worth the dividends it brings. 

Dirty spaces bring special graces.

The progress and productivity are worth the pile of trash.

Men who are dirty from working all day will go home with fruitfulness for their family. They are satisfied and blessed to do so and so we wake up the next morning and gladly go do the same. The trade off that brings wages is worth it. 

This proverb also brings into mind the harvest that can being produced by you alone, in contrast with the harvest produced having others to labor with you to bring forth “much increase.”

Also, by not inviting others to join you in doing our LORD’s work, we deprive them from being blessed to lay up treasure in Heaven as our LORD commanded each of us who His children to do (Matthew 6:19-21).

The following is from Josh Denhart:

“In ministry we think, “If you want a job done right, do it yourself.” You may avoid messes, but you have just stepped into the “Trap of the Clean Stall”.

Proverbs 14:4 reads, “Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox. “

In the ancient agrarian world, animals brought a massive advantage. To have an animal meant you could accomplish so much more. Today we refer to a car as having a certain amount of “horse power”. In times past, an animal brought with it a certain amount of power. Power to increase the harvest and get the job done. Here, the writer of Proverbs is referring to “Ox Power”. The power and advantage is brought through the strength of an ox.

The writer of Proverbs says that it is really a trade off. On one hand you get a significant increase through the strength of an ox, yet with it you get, poop. Yes, good, ol’ fashioned ox poop.

Goal: Huge Harvest

Let’s compare the alternative. You have no oxen, but you have an amazingly clean manger stall.

More harvest with a poopy stall vs. a perfectly clean stall and a diminished harvest.

Our goal is not a clean stall. Our goal is a huge harvest. A natural side effect of a huge harvests are messes. What do you want? Do you crave a super clean stall over a bountiful harvest? Listen, a tidy stall in and of itself is a bad trade for a compromised harvest.

Let me shoot straight with you. I have a well-managed case of OCD. I crave order. If you serve in children’s ministry, you probably do too. I hate disorder. Yet the calling of the harvest trumps our neurotic desire for order.

Do not fall into the trap of the clean stall.

You Can’t Do It Alone

We must define our goal for the harvest over and over! Our goal is reaching the lost through equipping the fold. Our ultimate goal is not order for order sake. Our goal is the good news of Jesus going deep into the hearts and heads of kids, which brings messes. Get used to it. And get over it.

the-trap-of-the-clean-stall

We can have order as we achieve a large harvest, but uncomfort with messes can short circuit great harvests.

Let’s take this proverbial analogy a step further. You as a ministry leader are essentially the farmer. You can’t and don’t want to do it alone. You need help. Those willing to help you from a staff or a volunteer perspective can bring great strength and accomplish more for the harvest than you by yourself. And, yes, I am equating associates and volunteers to oxen.

The Harvest is Plentiful

Oxen and people are living beings. Both bring messes. Farming, like ministry, is just messy. Jesus said He came not for the healthy but for the sick. Sick people vomit physically and emotionally, have issues and need attention. That is our job. Years ago, someone sarcastically said, “Ministry would be great were it not for all these people!”

Listen, if you want order more than you want the harvest, you may find yourself doing it alone. Doing it alone equals to a field white for harvest with no one to get the job done. The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. More workers means more messes. We as farmers must manage the messes and rise above the stall to see the harvest.

Do you want a harvest more than you want order? Absolutely. Therefore, we had better embrace the reality of a poopy stall.  Do not fall into the trap of the clean stall.”

One has to roll up his sleeves and get dirty to produce dividends to the glory of the divine.

Ever see construction works at the end of a work day? They are dirty and yet earned dollars, dividends. They will do it the next day also. Why? – because the trade off is productivity, earning that which is desirable.

Lots of work brings movement and a mess.

Lot’s of dirt when you much to diligently do and bring dividends.

A clean workspace brings no coin.

Do you want to work and get dirty, cause a mess, and yet make a profit? Or do you want to keep your place clean with the outcome being no coin?

The blessing of “much increase” comes at the expense of a clean crib, work space. It’s a bless-ed trade-off, right?

Personally, I could care less about a disheveled work place. My goal is to be fruitful, fruit-filled for Christ, bearing – “fruit … more fruit … much fruit.” (John 15)

In your business life, would you rather a disheveled work space and work to do, or a clean work space with no work?

It is better to have dirt to clean up with work that brings wages than to have a clean work place with no work.

Increase in material prosperity, productivity, fruitfulness comes by utilizing the oxen for labor and as a result there will be a mess made. The fruit produced far outweighs having to clean the stall, the work place.

“A barn can be kept cleanly swept where there are no oxen, but isn’t it better to have some dust and dirt around, knowing that the labor of an ox will lead to a bountiful harvest? The rewards of toil more than compensate for its disagreeable aspects.

This proverb is not intended to encourage homes or chapels that look like disaster areas. But it does discourage that passion for order and dustlessness that puts the brakes on progress and productiveness.” Believer’s Bible Commentary

Dust and dirt bring dividends.

Productivity makes for progress.

The grind brings the goods.

Labor brings some loot.

Someone has wisely stated:

“Salons always have hair on the floor.
Garages always have oil on the floor.”

The oxen serve a good purpose and produce productivity.

What is it to have a clean work place? That just means you aren’t being productive, you don’t have work that is bring wages and blessings.

“Straining at a gnat”…. Swallowing a Camel

This idiom Jesus uses means over-emphasizing the minors while under-emphasizing the majors, “the weightier matters of the law.”

Matthew 23

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 

24  Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. 

25  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 

26  Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. 

27  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. 

28  Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. “

Martha and Mary – Mary had the Divine Priorities in their Rightful Place

“38  Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39  And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.
40  But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
41  And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
42  But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

At His Feet

No, it’s not a sin to keep things clean, to be organized. Yet, at the judgment, Jesus is not going to say “Oh wow, you kept your living and workspace clean! Enter thou into the joy of the LORD.” No, but rather….

“His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” Matthew 25:21

At the coming judgment what we did for His glory, in His holy name, will be rewarded.

Matthew 25

“And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 

34  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 

35  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 

36  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 

37  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 

38  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 

39  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 

40  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” 

Read John 15 and underline “fruit” and “more fruit” and “much fruit.” “Fruit” emanates from the life that is soundly grounded in an abiding relationship with Jesus Christ.

“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. 17  These things I command you, that ye love one another.” John 15:16-17

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Abiding

Top 12 Missing Essential Doctrines in the Modern Church World! [podcast]


DOES THIS SOUND LIKE YOUR “CHURCH” OR FAVORITE PREACHER? It’s real simple… if they are not preaching the cardinal doctrines of the original Gospel given to us in the New Testament, they are preaching “another gospel” and are “accursed.” (Galatians 1:6-9).

“For MANY DECEIVERS ARE ENTERED INTO THE WORLD, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” 2 John 1:7-11

Modern church wolves refuse to preach the original Gospel of Jesus Christ from the pages of Holy Scripture and in the power of the Holy Ghost. No, instead they preach sermonettes that cater to the self-worshiping idolaters they entertain and collect money from (2 Timothy 3:1-7). They don’t even use the King James Bible but rather some cheap counterfeit. Their ear-tickling topics range from healing damaged emotions, 5 love languages, best life now, recovery, learning to love yourSELF, coping platitudes, loneliness, psychobabble band aids, law of attraction, being a successful single, purpose driven delusionment, etc.

Fake “bibles” Exposed

LOTS of lying going on when we have counterfeits peddling affirmation without salvation, the “promise” of things “getting better” when their prey are heading straight to hell. Especially certain social media platforms are flooded with this false gospel coming out of “Christians.” There is no sin or repentance in their message which alone identifies it as a false gospel. You see, the things that are happening to the sinners around us are allowed by God in order to lead them to repentance and yet, the counterfeits among us are assuring those sinners it’s all going to get better and never giving them the 10 Commandments to show them they are sinners (Galatians 3:24) and then, leading them to Jesus (Romans 10:9-10, 13, etc.).  10 Commandments Evangelism

In the modern church world, there is …..

No cross. No Jesus. No blood. No judgment. No sin. No repentance. No hell. No readiness for the soon return of Jesus. No Heaven. No equipping preparation for ministry. No Scripture memory. No holiness. No Messianic prophecies and their fulfillment. No Christology. No fear of God. No repentance. etc., all of which are Bible doctrines essential to salvation and/or essential to sound foundation in Christ and are missing in the modern church world.

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

The only reason we, each of us has been deceived in the past is due to our own biblical ignorance (Proverbs 24:5; Hosea 4:6; 2 Timothy 2:15). Lacking the knowledge of the Word, we didn’t see what they were LEAVING OUT. We didn’t know to discern what they were teaching and what they were NOT teaching. Now, as we grow in the knowledge of the LORD through diligent daily study of His Word, we know to look for the cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith.

THE TOP ESSENTIAL BIBLICAL DOCTRINES NEVER HEARD IN THE APOSTATE MODERN CHURCH WORLD!

  1. The divinity of Jesus Christ (John 1:1-4, 14; 1 Timothy 3:16). | Jesus Christ is God
  2. The virgin birth of the only begotten Son of God (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23). | The Virgin Birth of Jesus
  3. The essential precious blood of Jesus Christ (Matthew 26:28; Hebrews 9:22; 1 Peter 1:18-19). | The Blood
  4. The inherent fallen nature of mankind (Genesis 6:5, 12; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 7:18). | Fallen, Sinful Man
  5. Worshipping God not idols (Exodus 20:3-5). | Idolatry
  6. The essential doctrine and necessity of repentance (Luke 13:3). | Repentance
  7. The Return of Christ and being ready for it (Luke 12:40; 21:34-36). | The Return
  8. Who Jesus is returning for and who will be shut out of His eternal kingdom (Matthew 25:1-13; Ephesians 5:25-27). | Ready for Christ’s Return
  9. The essential of enduring to the end to be with Christ eternally, initial and final salvation (Matthew 10:22; 24:13; Hebrews 3:6, 12-15; 10:26-30; Revelation 2:26). | Enduring to the End
  10. The essential daily cross, the crucified life, which Jesus required in following Him (Luke 9:23-24). | Living the Crucified Life
  11. Forgiving all others from the heart (Matthew 18:21-35). | Forgiveness
  12. Walking in God’s love (Ephesians 5:1). | The Love Walk
  13. Holiness – including the necessity of personal holiness (Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:15-16). | Holiness
  14. Judgment (Psalms 9:15-17). | Judgment
  15. Hell (Matthew 8:12; Mark 3:29; Luke 16:19-31). | Hell
  16. Fearing God (Psalms 2:11; Luke 12:4-5). | Fearing God

When’s the last time you heard verses like this in the modern church?

“So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:33

“Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.” Luke 17:33

The modern church is going down in flames into the flames of hell. It cannot be reformed. Come out from it.

“And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” Revelation 18:4

In 2 Timothy 4:3 to “endure sound doctrine” means to hold oneself accountable to it. WHAT’s at the root of those who refuse to “endure sound doctrine”? – They simply do not love Jesus like He commanded them to (Matthew 22:37-39). They profess Christ as Savior and yet love self supremely and therefore serve the god of self. The Holy Ghost through Paul told us this of those who have a mere “form of godliness” in the last day resumé found in 2 Timothy 3:1-7.

Notice by divine design the very first thing he reveals is that “men shall be lovers of their own selves.” All the following evil comes out of self love, refusal to love God supremely and therefore repent, deny self, take up the cross and follow Jesus:

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6  For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7  Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 2 Timothy 3:1-7

God is toppling all the heart idols (Ezekiel 14:3)… because He’s Jealous and wants us looking to Him and not these mere men, these vile wolves, these celebrity sinners posing as His representatives (Exodus 34:14).

“For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:” Exodus 34:14

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Fulfilling Your Calling [podcast]


“And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.” Colossians 4:17

MINISTRY which pleases God is simply helping people know and grow in Christ for themselves – by the cross life and getting into HIS Word for themselves so they can follow HIM, not you! True ministry fosters in the hearers faith in God, not the preacher or local church organization! Read 1 Corinthians 2:1-5; 2 Corinthians 1:9; 3:5; 4:5.

Your communications and ministry are fed and fueled by your personal daily study and knowledge of God’s Word (Proverbs 22:17-21; 2 Timothy 2:15).

Ephesians 4:1-14

“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12  For the perfecting (equipping, maturing) of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;” Ephesians 4:1-14

Ephesians | Galatians Outline | Grounded in Grace |  100’s of Christ-centered, Scripture-rich podcasts for your edification in Christ. |

Support | STORE | Podcasts | Colossians | Upholding Jesus | H.O.T. Bible Study [podcast] | Divine Blessings | Exhort One Another Daily | The Return of Christ | The Joy of Fulfilling the Great Commission | The Love of Many Shall Wax Cold | Lie of the Ages (book) | Soul Damning Sins (small book) | Why We Need not Fear Death | Revelation Bombshell!

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