“Give me neither Poverty nor Riches” [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]

Are We asking God for Prosperity, Poverty, or our Sufficient Portion?

What was Agur’s prayer? What does that mean to us?

As we look over the annals, the record of, the chronicles of history we will see what preceded the downfall of all cultures of all civilizations which ended, which saw their last glory days.

The Only Prayer in the Book of Proverbs – Prayed by Agur

“Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither POVERTY nor RICHES; feed me with food convenient for me: 9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.” Proverbs 30:8-9

“30:7-9 These verses contain the only prayer in the book of Proverbs. The prayer is short and to the point. It contains two petitions, one covering the spiritual life and the other covering the physical life.

First Agur wanted his life to be worthwhile and honest. He didn’t want it to be wasted on trivia. He didn’t want to major on minors, and he didn’t want to deceive others or to be deceived.

As to the physical, he asked to be delivered from the extremes of poverty and riches. He would be satisfied with the provision of His daily needs. He was saying, in effect, “Give me this day my daily bread.”

He gives reasons for wanting to avoid the twin extremes of affluence and poverty. If he were full, he might become independent of the Lord and deny Him by not feeling any great need for Him. He might be emboldened to say, “Who is the LORD?”—that is, who is He that I should look to Him for what I need or want?
The peril of poverty would be that he might steal, and then, to cover up, he might deny under oath that he had done it.” Believer’s Bible Commentary

One man wisely observed:

“The richer we have become materially, the poorer we have become morally and spiritually.”

“Money can make people feel powerful and secure but it’s a false security. They cannot take with them into eternity.” Susan Harrison

YOUR PRAYER: Father, please make my life count for You! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

What was Jesus’ warning ….about earthly riches?

“And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 24 And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” Mark 10:23-25

“[eye of a needle] A Jewish proverb commonly used to express great difficulty or impossibility. In the large gates in the city walls were small narrow ones, each called the needle’s eye, through which a camel might enter kneeling down if he were unloaded.” Dake

“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, (a proverbial expression,) than for a rich man to go through the strait gate: that is, humanly speaking, it is an absolute impossibility. Rich man! tremble! feel this impossibility; else thou art lost for ever!” John Wesley

“10:23-25 As He saw the rich man fade into the crowd, Jesus remarked on the difficulty of rich people entering the kingdom of God. The disciples were amazed by this remark; they linked riches with the blessing of God. So Jesus repeated, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!” “In fact,” He continued, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Believer’s Bible Commentary

“Earthly riches: the flesh magnified over the care of the soul which quenched the Spirit.” Jon Crane

“Have you ever wondered where the Israelites got enough gold to make the golden calf in Exodus? Because up until that point they had been slaves for 430 years. And if you read in Exodus, towards the beginning in chapter three, when Moses encounters the Lord as the burning bush, the Lord gives Moses a message to bring to the Israelites. And in that message there’s instructions for the Israelite women to go to their neighbors and ask them for gold and silver jewelry and for clothing. And the Lord says I’ll give you favor in their sight and I won’t send you out empty handed and so you keep reading in Exodus then you get to chapter twelve and in it we see the same thing again. It says that the Israelites did what Moses commanded them to do and so the Israelites leave Egypt wealthy. And the Lord intended for the wealth to be a blessing and what happened is because they were unaware of just how good God is and just and how much He loves them, they elevated the goodness of the gift above the goodness of the gift giver. And they took what was meant to be a blessing and they made an idol out if it and they worshipped it. For the rest of our life God is going to give you good things and they will be intended as a blessing, but we need to remember that the goodness of the things that God will give us will never exceed the goodness of God Himself.” unknown

“Quench not the Spirit.” 1 Thessalonians 5:19

WAS it poverty or was it prosperity that destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah? (Ezekiel 16:49-50)

“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. 19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly (poor), than to divide the spoil (riches) with the proud.” Proverbs 16:18-19

In Ezekiel 16:49, God states that the sin of Sodom was “pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. They were haughty, and did abominable things before me; therefore I removed them when I saw it.”

Here’s a more detailed breakdown:

Pride and Excess:
Sodom was characterized by arrogance and a focus on material wealth and comfort, rather than humility and compassion.
Lack of Charity:
The city’s inhabitants failed to help those in need, demonstrating a lack of empathy and social responsibility.

What was the cause of the downfall of Laodicea? (Revelation 3:14-22)

We see from Jesus’ letter to the Laodicean church that they were financially prosperous…. and they were deceived into thinking that their earthly wealth made them better than others. Luke 12:15

The church of the Laodiceans: Laodicea was an important, wealthy city. Laodicea was also a noted commercial center, and some of its goods were exported all over the world.

“It is frequently noted that Laodicea prided itself on three things: financial wealth, an extensive textile industry, and a popular eye-salve which was exported around the world.” (Mounce)

Laodicea was known for its:

financial wealth
clothing, fashion industry
eye-salve sold across the known world

These 3 things are ….

“3:15-17 The church at Laodicea was neither cold nor hot. It was sickeningly lukewarm. The Lord would have preferred it to have been extreme in its indifference or its zeal. But no—it was lukewarm enough to deceive people into thinking that it was a church of God, and so disgustingly lukewarm about divine things as to nauseate the Most High. Furthermore, the church was characterized by pride, ignorance, self-sufficiency, and complacency.
3:18 The people were counseled to buy from the Lord gold refined in the fire. This may mean divine righteousness, which is bought without money or price (Isa_55:1) but received as a gift through faith in the Lord Jesus. Or it may mean genuine faith, which when tested in the fire, results in praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1Pe_1:7).
Also the people were counseled to buy white garments, that is, practical righteousness in everyday life. And they should anoint their eyes with eye salve, that is, gain true spiritual vision through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. This counsel was especially appropriate, since Laodicea was known as a center for banking, textiles, and medicines—especially eye salve.” Believer’s Bible Commentary

“Revelation 3:17

a [I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing] Threefold Laodicean estimate of themselves:

I am rich.
I am increased with goods.
I have need of nothing.

b [thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked]

Christ’s Sevenfold Estimate of the Laodiceans

Neither cold nor hot (Rev_3:15).
Lukewarm, sickening (Rev_3:16).
Wretched. Greek: talaiporos (G5005), enduring toil; suffering hardship, as the most abject slave (Rev_3:17; Rom_7:24).
Miserable. Greek: eleeinos (G1652), pitiable, (Rev_3:17; 1Co_15:19).
Poor. Greek: ptochos (G4434), one who crouches, cringes; a beggar. Translated “poor” (Rev_3:17; Rev_13:16; Mat_5:3; Mat_11:5; Mat_19:21; Mat_26:9, Mat_26:11; Mrk_10:21; Mrk_12:42-43; Mrk_14:5-7; Luk_4:18; Luk_6:20; Luk_7:22; Luk_14:13, Luk_14:21; Luk_18:22; Luk_19:8; Luk_21:3; Jhn_12:5-8; Jhn_13:29; Rom_15:26; 2Co_6:10; Gal_2:10; Jas_2:3-6); “poor man” (Jas_2:2); “beggarly” (Gal_4:9); and “beggar” (Luk_16:20, Luk_16:22).
Blind. Greek: tuphlos (G5185), blind in ears, mind, and eyes. Used of spiritual darkness (Rev_3:17; Rom_2:19; 2Pe_1:9; Mat_15:14), as well as physical blindness (Jhn_9:1-41; etc.).
Naked. Greek: gumnos (G1131), naked; unclad; stripped of arms; defenseless. Translated “naked” (Rev_3:17; Rev_16:15; Rev_17:16; Mat_25:36-44; Mrk_14:51-52; Jhn_21:7; Act_19:16; 2Co_5:3; Heb_4:13; Jas_2:15) and “bare” (1Co_15:37).” Dake

What was the downfall of the man whose earthly dividends began to multiply? Luke 12:15-21

“Covetousness: the desire for this world’s riches that led to their souls ruin in the bowels of hell.” Jon Crane

What was the downfall of the once “rich man” in Luke 16?

1 Timothy 6

3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Fight the Good Fight of Faith
11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
13 I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;
14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

YOUR PRAYER: In Jesus’ name, Father please purge this vessel of all wickedness and sin – of self-idolatry, and pride, and fill me with Your holy compassion to be a blessing to You and others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Jesus Sat Over Against The Treasury [podcast]

WHAT is Jesus Looking at in Your Life? GOD sees what you leave behind, what you keep in store for your “safety”, what percentage you keep, the waste. Read Luke 12, 16. WHAT did Jesus mean when He said that the woman who gave all, a mere two mites, gave the most? HOW could she possibly have given more than those who gave thousands when all she gave was a mere two mites which equal less than a penny in today’s economy? Jesus Never Changes because He is Divine and Eternal Perfection Read this account carefully: “And Jesus sat over […]

Dollar Dialogue [podcast]

Holes in Your Money Bags? [podcast] Curing the Dilemma of Diminishing Returns. If we want to see Heaven’s floodgates opened, we must examine what compliance, what agreement, what obedience the LORD may be leading us to render. The Reason Your Bag has Holes in it [podcast] (below) YOUR own bank statement tells you exactly who you are. Matt 6:21 A financial investor takes your money and multiplies it for your last few years in this temporal life, right? In contrast, laborers for Christ take your support and multiply it for Christ and themselves for all eternity. In Christ’s eternal kingdom […]

Stewardship Quotes [podcast]

“This is an excellent sermon on God’s view of stewardship.” Barbara “Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: 10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.” Proverbs 3:9-10 The World’s Economy vs Christ’s Kingdom Economy? “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 How much and with what heart posture we give is what the LORD looks at. Our giving to the LORD proves how much He means to us. It is […]

Articles

A Word of Encouragement on Ministering to Others

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” 1 Peter 1:23

It’s God’s Word, the “incorruptible seed” of the truth of God that shatters that which stands between Him and sinners. Listen closely and grasp these divinely inspired Word through the prophet Jeremiah:

“Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?” Jeremiah 23:29

The rock of unbelief is broken by the words of God entering the hearts of men. The light of divine truth pierces the darkness:

“The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” Psalms 119:130

When the very words of God enter the human heart, by its nature – light – darkness is exposed for what it is.

“The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.” Psalms 19:7

YOUR PRAYER: Father, please make me a consummate soul winner, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Many times, due to a lack of the cross in our lives, are we not rather in the flesh instead of the Spirit and therefore do we not attempt to force or coerce the truth of God on others?

“Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.” Zechariah 4:6

EVER BEEN THERE? There are times when we are to “earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints” and other times when the enemy is trying to get us to take the bait, to bite on something minor and not be quiet, listen, and meekly minister the Word and love of God (Jude 3-4; Ephesians 4:15; 2 Timothy 2:24-26). May God bless each of His children to be led by His Holy Spirit in each instant and glorify Him, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Preaching AT someone and ministering TO someone are mutually exclusive. Are we preaching in our own self-righteous wrath and don’t yet realize it? The words of James are stinging and should be memorized:

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

May God fill us with His love and bless each of us to edify (build up) the members of His body.

Both rebuking and ministering are certainly Scriptural and yet, personally, I can look back in regret and see that when God wanting me MINISTERING TO someone, I was instead preaching AT the intended target/person. They are not a target but an eternal soul heading to Heaven or hell. And at times, God will mercifully lead His people to send forth a strong rebuke in order to turn the sinner to Himself.

There are many instances in Scripture where unrepentant rebels are dealt a hard blow with strong preaching, strong rebuke – the call to repent (Matthew 23; Acts 13:10; Revelation 3:19, etc.).

I wonder if it would help up today if we paused to consider the process that transpired in our own lives. Though salvation is instantaneously imparted upon repentance, it most likely took a few people sowing the seed of God’s Word in our hearts before we repented and received Christ, right? Is that what happened in your life? It sure is in mine. I didn’t stop and get saved the first time some bless-ed disciple ministered to me. Did you?

When we put a seed in the ground to get a crop, it has to first be planted and then it begins to germinate, right? Then comes the crop and the fruit. This is a process and Paul speaks of it when he writes:

“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

Here below is a passage the LORD quickens my heart to pour prayerfully over on a regular basis:

“And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” 2 Timothy 2:24-26

PEOPLE go public about a lot of things. It’s time for God’s people to GO PUBLIC about JESUS!

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

Like everything in Christ’s kingdom, nothing works outside of the cross – the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ happening in our lives daily.

Evangelism | The Cross in Ministering

Preach the Word [podcast]

“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 man who is truly faithful to God will search out, diligently study, devour, and learn the words of God and be used of Him to communicate them to others. “So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” Nehemiah 8:8 They read the Word itself. They gave the sense to help the people understand it. Phillip was able to give the sense […]

Getting Gospel Grounded [podcast]

Explosive Podcast Featuring Expose’ of the prophesied end times wolves and rich Christology! Refusing to sit under the false gospel, false doctrines, false teachers, and wolves is not forsaking the assembling of the saints. It’s obedience to the LORD! See 2 Corinthians 6:17-18) There is a “difference” between the true and the false leaders today. True disciples will always warn and help God’s people distinguish the false teachers and “discern between the unclean and the clean”: “And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.” Ezekiel […]

Articles

Recovering Biblical Womanhood [podcast]

by Lindsey Griffin

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 ‘𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱’ 𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝘂𝗽𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗱?

The more I think about this, the more I wonder whether we have been taught to look at male responsibility through the eyes of a child watching someone else get something she didn’t get.

“He gets to be in charge? That’s not fair! I want a turn.😠”

But what if what we have been calling a privilege was actually a responsibility?

The more I study the responsibilities Scripture places primarily upon men, the less I find myself coveting them. Headship sounds wonderful if all you see is the seat at the head of the table. It looks very different when you realize that the man sitting there is supposed to answer for what happens at that table.

Biblical authority isn’t simply getting your way. It comes with responsibility, sacrifice, service, provision, protection, difficult decisions, and ultimately accountability before God. Scripture repeatedly connects greater authority with greater accountability. “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” (Luke 12:48). James even warns that not many should become teachers because teachers “shall receive the greater condemnation” (James 3:1).

“My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.” James 3:1

And that has made me rethink the entire way women have been encouraged to view male leadership.

Maybe instead of asking, “Why does he get to have that authority?” we should have been asking, “What does God require from the person to whom He gives that authority?”

Because I don’t think we can demand all of the authority traditionally associated with men while simultaneously asking society to make allowances for us whenever the realities of being women become inconvenient. We cannot insist, “Don’t treat me differently because I’m a woman. I can do anything a man can do,” and then turn around and argue, when accountability becomes painful, that our hormones, emotions, reproductive stage, or sex should substantially change what is expected of us.

If we want identical authority, then logically we are also asking for identical accountability.

The Bible never says that men are more valuable and women are less valuable. God gave men and women DIFFERENT RESPONSIBILITIES, with DIFFERENT BURDENS attached to them, and neither sex needs to covet what God entrusted primarily to the other.

I’m increasingly grateful that I don’t have to occupy every position a man occupies simply to prove that I am his equal in value.

I have a seat at the table. I don’t need to usurp his seat in order for mine to matter.”

“I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.” 1 Timothy 5:14

Abiding

Either Crucify the Flesh or it will Crucify Christ out of Your Life [podcast]

Fight the temptation or die the death?

Where’s the victory come from?

The Cross – something counterfeits intentionally evade (Philippians 3:18-19). The cross is how we know who is real and who is fake. Refusing to take up the cross means one has denied Christ. This would account for the vast majority of men in ministry today. They are cross-less.

The only people who are truly following Christ are those who are doing it HIS way – and His stated way is the cross, the crucified life (Luke 9:23-24). There is no other way to follow Jesus.

If we don’t crucify the flesh, the evil deeds of the body, the flesh will crucify Christ out of our lives. Pray and read Romans 6 each morning this week.

Jesus conquered sin, death, and Satan by dying and not by first rising up (Hebrews 2:14). This is how we also are brought forth into His victory by Him – through our own weakness. Let’s give our ear to hear Christ’s apostle Paul:

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

It’s interesting that the vast majority of pastors today insist that it’s impossible to stop sinning and be delivered – as if Jesus failed, didn’t provide a perfect redemption that dealt with past, present, and future sin and complete victory through it all (1 Corinthians 15:57-58; Titus 2:11-14).

“If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. … 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:31-32, 36

Victory and our place with Christ are contingent upon our continuing in His truth, abiding, remaining in Christ after He saves us (John 15:1-6).

They have no faith in the overcoming grace of Christ but instead treat it like a license to justify their sin, as they pretend to be trusting God by grace and faith… yet they never make the connection that Jesus came to redeem us and establish us with Him in His holiness as we look with joy for His soon return (Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:15-16, etc). | Walking in the Full Victory of Christ!

The cross is surrendering. Don’t try harder, just die deeper!

The reason so many don’t take sin seriously and sit under sin-justifying wolves in sheep’s clothing, is because they do not fear nor take God seriously. Then they attack the true messengers of Christ who are declaring that God is holy and His requirement is non-negotiable: that anyone who will know and be with Him eternally cut off occasion for all sin as Jesus commanded in Mark 9:43-49 KJB. They talk about grace but only in the respect that their sins were initially forgiven, yet never in respect to divine grace being the divine influence and enablement in their daily lives to overcome all that displeases Him – as they worshipfully with great gratitude deny self, take up the cross and follow, abide in Jesus (Titus 2:11-14; Luke 9:23-24; John 15:1-6, etc.).

Death, Burial, Resurrection – You go down and God raises you up, daily. That’s the Gospel re-enacted in your daily life. There’s no other way to walk with, to follow Jesus (Luke 9:23-24).

“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

Once He shows you this cross revelation it’s over for your sin and Satan! This is the way we “Taste and see that the LORD is good” beloved (Psalms 34:8). The divine economy is a cross economy which cannot be short circuited. There are no shortcuts.

The safest place in His Universe is for us to be “HID with Christ in God.” How does such occur? (Colossians 3:1-4)

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

The more His Word runs rich in your spirit, soul, and mind, the richer, the more cutting and divinely blessed your praying is going to become.

We are crucified with Christ today saints. Christ alone is reigning supreme in us, raising us up out of that death and burial posture. In Jesus’ Name, the “old man” is dead and buried and Christ now lives and reigns in His resurrection power in our lives through us! (See Ephesians 4:22-24.)

Say, pray, memorize Galatians 2:20 beginning right now. Let it be the original Gospel anthem of your life from this day forward.

“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

Becoming prayerfully and steadily saturated in the cross message, concept, and application, is the only thing that brought a consistent victory over sin to this disciple.

In the divine economy, the death and burial guarantees the resurrection!

When we His people are dead and buried, His resurrection power is guaranteed. Nothing could stop the resurrection of Jesus Christ when the stone was rolled away! And nothing can stop the resurrection power of Christ working in His saints as they lay down their lives in this fleeting world!

“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

Must Take a Ruthless Stand

Concerning the necessity of a ruthless perspective toward the flesh via the cross, we must recognize that the flesh is a terrorist which means it cannot be negotiated with.

Yet there must be forged in us a ruthless perspective, toward our perception of the “never-going-to-die” flesh, a veritable terrorist with which you cannot negotiate or give place to. It will not die until forced, therefore the disciple must take a ruthless posture toward it – showing no mercy to the enemy of God! See Romans 6, 8; Galatians 5.

Never ever underestimate the depth of the deceit that is in the fallen human heart, human nature 1 (Corinthians 10:12; Hebrews 3:12-14; Genesis 6:5, 12; Jeremiah 17:9).

We must allow no mercy for what God calls sin…the iniquities, the relentless evil within. It must be honestly dealt with, and perhaps we can observe that there are onion-type layers of evil, of deceit that we are buried in from which only God calls us and brings us forth (Proverbs 8:13; Psalms 97:10; Mark 9:43-49).

While Satan and his masquerading ministers seek to diminish the violation and penalty of sin, Jesus exponentially heightens our awareness of sin’s offense against a holy God when He warns us to cut off the hand and pluck out the eye that cause us to offend Him (Mark 9:43-49).

There is nothing in existence more important to stay safe from than HELL. That’s exactly what Jesus Christ taught. Read Mark 9:43-50 in the King James Bible (new versions have butchered that passage).

Rom 7. The cross must be applied with no respect to the evil desires, the sinful dictates of the flesh.

Our outlook toward the flesh should be “kill or be killed.”

“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.” Romans 8:13

Kill or be killed – picture yourself being put in a room, locked in with just one opponent. Only one of you will be exiting.

A showdown – conquer or be conquered.

Life or death.

Sink or swim.

“But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” 1 Corinthians 9:27

Either the cross will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from the cross.

“The Cross = The Signature of Jesus.” A disciple

“WHEN THOU WAS LITTLE IN THINE OWN SIGHT”

The LORD removed Saul from his place of kingship due to the pride found in his heart that previously was not there. We must remain humble before our God and the only way this can happen is the daily cross.

“And Samuel said, WHEN THOU WAS LITTLE IN THINE OWN SIGHT, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?” 1 Samuel 15:17

The Bible clearly teaches us that if we do not obey the LORD, He will replace us. We are not irreplaceable and only pride in the heart of a person would convince him of such a lie.

When Esther was called upon by the LORD to go before her husband, the king of Persia, and intercede for the people of God, she was warned that if she chose not to obey God, she’d be replaced and her father’s house destroyed.

“For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14

Ruthless simply and only applies to the PERSPECTIVE the believer must take toward the terrorist, the flesh.

There can be no concession, no compromise, no negotiating with the flesh. It must die and that only happens as we submit to the LORD.

The flesh will never be reformed, it is inherently evil, and must be crucified.

Those who’ve been saved and aren’t learning the daily cross, the crucified life, will never grow in Christ. The cross life is at the center of the kingdom economy of Christ. There are no shortcuts. Jesus taught that in order to follow Him, we must “deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23-24). Any person whom Jesus has saved and isn’t learning the daily cross, is not truly following Jesus. Listen to the Lamb:

“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

PRAYER: Holy Father, in Jesus’ Name, please do Your deeper work in me. Bless this life You died for to be truly crucified with Christ. Please make me Your authentic disciple. Cut away, circumcise every falsity, fakery, deceitful thing from my heart – everything that defiles me in Your holy eyes. Use me LORD, please. I love You. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Cross Cache, Cross Saturation

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