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Preparation and Prayer to be Used of God

“Hell and destruction are before the LORD: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?” Proverbs 15:11

The eternal souls of men for whom Christ died lie in the balance between Heaven and hell. God the Father sent Christ for us and for them and Christ has sent us to reach them. This is what we call the Great Commission.

“As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” John 20:21

Just what is the Great Commission? The Great Commission is a co-mission between our LORD Jesus Christ and His people — on a mission to win sinners to His eternal kingdom. Christ’s Great Commission includes not only the winning of lost souls but thereafter also to teach the Word of God to all men, especially to those Christ saves into His kingdom (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-20).

Someone, to some extent, obeyed Christ’s commission and this is how you and I were saved. “But just what was Christ’s mission in the first place?” someone might rightly ask.

“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” 1 Timothy 1:15

It would be utterly impossible to truly know and follow Jesus and not want to see other souls saved. It’s impossible to know Christ and not reach out to others to know Him. With this in mind, how many today do we see who claim to know Him and yet have no heart for participation in reaching lost souls for whom He bled to save?

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 31 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. 16 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.” John 15:13-16

If I truly possess saving faith, I will be actively seeking to save the lost for whom my Master died, and commanded me to “Go” reach (Mark 16:15).

What Excuse Shall Stand?

“A converter has to be alive to convert others. Dead people don’t have the chance to convert others!” Samina Lloyd

At the root, it is due to the wicked, soul-damning sin of self-idolatry that Christ and His work are neglected today. Such is the fruit of a Hell bound life of idolatry (Revelation 21:8).

Some complain of not having enough money to win souls.

“I can be rich without money.” David Livingstone

Some complain and excuse themselves from preaching Christ’s Gospel.

“Fever seems to forbid; but I shall work for the glory of
Christ’s kingdom—fever or no fever.” David Livingstone

Some in this wicked generation balk and murmur at what they consider a sacrifice—such as giving up a futile pleasure.

“People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa . . . It is emphatically no sacrifice. Say rather it is a privilege.” David Livingstone

Ask Yourself

Is the extent of my “Christianity” attending church services two to three times weekly? Is this what Jesus commanded of His people, of me in the Gospels? Is this God’s purpose for me on earth? Is this what we see in the book of Acts where the history of the early New Testament Church is recorded? A fresh reading of this book will reveal that the so-called “Christianity” we see today in America has little resemblance to that of the early believers.

Want to see just how many frauds, wolves in sheep’s clothing we have today in the modern church world? Here you go:

Think about how many times in churches the pastor is heard repeatedly instructing the people to ….

  1. Join the church.
  2. Go to a new members class.
  3. Join the choir.
  4. Be an usher.
  5. Give to a building fund or some other frivolous project.
  6. Attend “church” every Sunday.
  7. etc.

Yet let’s compare. How many times do we hear pastors say:

  1. Follow Jesus. In order to follow Christ, He commands you to deny self, take up the cross, and follow Him daily (Luke 9:23-24; 14:27).
  2. Repentance is an absolute original Gospel essential (Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30).
  3. Jesus warns that if you are ashamed of Him, He will be ashamed of you (Luke 12:8-9).

I am merely stating this so that we can reevaluate our lives according to the command and pattern recorded in Scripture which is what we will all be judged by in the end (John12:48; Romans 2:16). We should recognize, as most Christians already do, that men tend to wane from the truth as they go on in traditions and in building their own kingdoms and lose sight of the LORD Himself and His precious precepts. Their organizations, their church business, their books, their programs, and their agendas take precedence over our LORD’s simple instructions to preach the Gospel. Were we not warned of this, especially concerning this final hour?

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” 1 Timothy 4:1

Those saved today must be taught what God’s Word says or they will very likely be swept away in the strong current of the false church and waste their lives feeding that beast and miss the call of God to participate in evangelizing lost souls, and helping believers learn His Word.

Did not our LORD tell us that traditions make His Word void? See Mark 7:13; Colossians. 2:8). The true disciple of Jesus must follow Him and He told us He is “the truth.” (John 14:6). To follow the truth is to reject following mere man’s religious tradition.

The Church revealed in the book of Acts obeyed God by being baptized in the Holy Ghost, preaching Christ, and they saw our LORD save multitudes (Mark 16:15-20). They cast out devils, went from house to house fellowshipping with each other, turned the world upside down, openly upbraided sinners when the Holy Spirit quickened, had dreams and visions, prayed in tongues as the Holy Spirit gave them utterance, prayed constantly and consequently walked in the power of God, etc. Is this not the fulfillment of what our LORD
sent us, His people, to do?

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. 20 And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.” Mark 16:15-20

As Satan himself would have it, most of the new versions of the Bible, which come from corrupt manuscripts and were concocted by greedy, God-less men and women, either cast doubt upon or altogether remove this explosive Great Commission passage spoken by the Son of God in commissioning His people. Should we be surprised that the enemy of Christ and all souls would strategically attack this passage? Read it again in light of this question.
Many today sit back and wish for a “move of God” and they wait in vain. The LORD is waiting on them to render simple obedience, beginning with the obedience of humbly asking Him to use them. Those who are doing so are experiencing exploits being done by Christ through the simple obedience of His people just as He promised here in giving His Great Commission command to His Church.

Beware: A fresh reading of the book of Acts could change your life, especially if you will acknowledge that the same God – there’s only one – who moved then, is alive and well today, working among His people (Mark16:15-20; Hebrews 13:8). This may result in putting you on fire for Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, and living a true New Testament life – an adventure like no other! As an individual who will soon stand before the Almighty to be judged for what I did and did not do in my earthly life, I must remove myself from every trace of modern day religion, lukewarmness, and apostasy. I must reject all that does not resemble the New Testament Christianity recorded in Scripture. New Testament Christianity was all about loving God and preaching Christ and the Law in obeying the Great Commission – to edify the saints and reach the lost.

Here’s a taste:

“Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word.” Acts 8:4

Notice here that there was a Church-wide effort to evangelize the unsaved – “they.” Persecution had hit Jerusalem and many of the believers were “scattered abroad” which means dispersed throughout the world, out from Jerusalem. Jesus foresaw this. Just before Pentecost when He filled His people with the Holy Ghost, Jesus said:

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8

“Yes Jesus! Prepare me to be sanitary, holy, sanctified, cleansed and purified! Breaking and stripping anything out of me that is not of you! There is no other way to become a vessel of honor fit for the Master’s use!” Karen Cochran

YOUR PRAYER: Holy Father, thank You for finding and saving me into Your eternal family. Please wash my sins away afresh in the precious blood of Jesus here and now and please fill me with Your Holy Ghost. Prepare and use me dear LORD. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

JESUS Tract Print-Ready PDF Free here.

Support | STORE | Podcasts | Jail/Prison MinistryMexico Mission here | All Ministry Updates | Evangelism | Jesus, Light of the WordCompassion in Light of Christ’s Soon ReturnStriving Together for the Faith of the Gospel [podcast] | Prepared to be Used of God | The Return of ChristChrist’s Compassion Audio | Our Approach to the LostKindness is a Soul Winning Weapon Stop Sinning? Really? How? | Angry Street Preacher Warning

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Abiding

Mary hath Chosen that Good Part [podcast]


Luke 10:38-42

Mary = loving relationship with Jesus, not just being busy with doing, with labor, with performing works such as what Martha was doing. First and foremost, Jesus saved us for relationship with Him and the Father (John 17:3). And here our Savior expresses that knowing, loving, adoring, and listening to Him are at a divine premium, they are most important to God. That’s what God desires – for us to delight ourselves in Him (Psalms 37:4).

“Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” Psalms 37:4

David’s brothers looked the part but they couldn’t and wouldn’t even face Goliath, much less slay him. David though, was spending time alone with the LORD, listening to His voice and tending to the sheep. He who is the only man God ever said was “a man after mine own heart,” was used mightily of God to slay the giant (Acts 13:22; 1 Samuel 17).

Isn’t this how we are with our children? Wouldn’t every parent rather their precious children sit in their mom or dad’s lap telling their parent how much they (the child) loves them (the parent)? That’s the biggest heart melt we know, right?

Like David, the most powerfully used warriors are first worshippers.

Our real, our genuine relationship with the LORD is that place out of which His power and grace (divine enablement) will flow. Like David, we must be primarily, and first and foremost worshippers. Out of that rich communion with the Savior will flow the warrior anointing of the LORD who is “a man of war” (Exodus 15:3).

Many who sense the call of God on their lives to minister go to seminary. Sad. We must go to God ourselves – in prayer, a life of prayer, relentlessly seeking His holy face in His Word for ourselves.

“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” Matthew 6:6 

Mary hath

Private prayer with the LORD precedes God using us. Those who seek God in “secret” will be “openly” rewarded by Him.

“The little estimate we put on prayer is evidence from the little time we give to it.” EM Bounds

“A sinning man stops praying. A praying man stops sinning.” – Leonard Ravenhill

Luke 10

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. 

“Mary hath Chosen that Good Part” 

The “good part” Mary chose consists of…

  • Mary made the only wise choice “Mary hath chosen.”
  • Mary put Jesus first. She put the Savior first, not herself or her idea of what it meant to serve Him.
  • Jesus says here that choosing to put and keep Him first is the “one thing [that] is needful” or most necessary (v39, 42).
  • Sitting before Jesus Himself and not searching for God outside of God Himself, primarily that is. All other learning is supplemental and subservient to that which the LORD tells us specifically, in His Word.

Worshippers become the most powerful workers God uses!

Like many today who are shallow rooted, Martha was a worker but not first and foremost a worshipper. Mary was a worshipper who loved to spend time with Jesus. Therefore she was empowered by God Himself via that fellowship with Him to walk in His holy compassion and to do His works with His power and for His glory (1 Corinthians 15:10).

When our works are not fruitful as they should be, perhaps it can be traced back to our lack of fellowship with our LORD. As we fellowship with Him, putting Him first and not ourselves, our vessel, our cup will run over with His goodness…. it will spill over onto others! (See Psalms 23:5.) That’s when our labor will carry His eternal weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:17).

“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.” Psalms 23:5

When Jesus came, it was God bringing Heaven to the people – to forgive their sins and make them whole (Matthew 9:6). This was the foretold fulfillment of His kingdom coming on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).

When Jesus came, He went to the people, to heal, to save, to make whole (Matthew 9:35-38; Acts 10:38, etc.).

As we go, Jesus is with us, “even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:20).

Daily, our LORD is using His people to bring Heaven to the people. As the Holy Spirit fills our lives, His blessed presence and fruit in our lives is going to over overflow onto others.

A sister in Christ once told me that “The best Marthas are first Marys.” Think about that one in light of what we read in this passage when Jesus visited the home of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42). Those who sit at Jesus’ feet to hear His holy counsel, are changed into His image and become reservoirs for His blessed glory. Their cups run over onto others!

“Prayer is of transcendent importance. Prayer is the mightiest agent to advance God’s work. Praying hearts and hands only can do God’s work. Prayer succeeds when all else fails.” E.M. Bounds

When worshiping Jesus is our first priority, the work He uses us to do WILL carry His unction and bring fruit to bear for His eternal glory.

Rote obedience to minister to others, while not anchored in intimacy with our LORD, will not yield an abundant harvest, fruit. In contrast, we can be blessed to have God’s power and grace to do His work and that happens as we are truly communing, fellowshipping in the construct of that oneness relationship He made us for (John 15; 17).

Knowing God’s Word and obeying Him is not an automatic progression (John 8:31-36). One can know the Bible and not its Author. Or, one can know the Bible well and not know the Author well (Job 22:21-28). Obeying God’s Word requires knowing Him, abiding in an intimate fellowship with Him, thereby enabling that saint the grace (divine enablement) to obey Him (John 5:39-40; 7:17; 14:21-23; 15:1-16, etc.).

Martha “received him.” Many of us have “received” Jesus, have been saved by Him (John 1:12), yet like Martha we aren’t sitting at His holy feet, listening to Him speak through His Word. Like Martha, we also are “cumbered about much serving.”

It should be understood that our work can exceed our worship, our hospitality can exceed our holiness, our serving can exceed our sanctification, etc.  That would be defined as imbalance (Proverbs 11:1).

In Luke 10:38-42, notice that Mary sat directly at Jesus’ feet and no other. When we arise in the morning to commune with the LORD, such is to be direct communication between you and Him, alone (Matthew 6:6). That would mean perhaps that when you arise in the morning you aren’t reading some other book about God or turning on a podcast or TV program to find and commune with the LORD. No, those things involve others. We must directly commune with the LORD in prayer and in HIS Word. How else shall we be able to discern the “MANY false prophets” Jesus warned us “shall deceive many”? (Read Matthew 24:11; 1 John 4:1.) How can we know the counterfeit if we don’t know the real? We can’t.

In principle, Martha is a person like Cain, a person who chose to do things their own way, not God’s – because they are not truly submitted to God. Does that describe your life friend? Jesus calls us home to Himself (Matthew 11:28-30).

Are we attempting to serve the LORD on our own terms or are we sitting before Him, hearing His voice as we are worshipfully, joyfully submitted to Him on His stated terms?

“The men who have done mighty things for God have always been mighty in prayer, have well understood the possibilities of prayer, and made the most of these possibilities. The Son of God, the first of all and the mightiest of all, has shown us the all-potent and far reaching possibilities of prayer. Paul was mighty for because he knew, how to use, and how to get others to use, the mighty spiritual forces of prayer.” EM Bounds, The Complete Works of E.M. Bounds on Prayer, P. 341

When we are brought to the point of true repentance it will be obvious in that we will do things God’s way and no longer our own. Like Mary, we will be settled at His feet, hearing His Word, His voice. The Mary person is in love with and submitted to the LORD and Savior she so joyfully worships.

“Jesus never taught His disciples how to preach, only how to pray. To know how to speak to God is more than knowing how to speak to people. Power with God is the first thing, not power with people. Christ loves to teach us how to pray.”  –Andrew Murray, With Christ in the School of Prayer, pp.  xxiii-xxiv

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Abiding

Putting God First [podcast]


If God’s Word isn’t important to you, it’s because He isn’t important to you.

If anything comes before the LORD in your day, you are an idolater.

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3

GOD’s WORD cannot get into you if you aren’t into it.

“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

Jesus commanded:

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”  Matthew 6:33

As you seek God, putting Him first, you are not going to be able to prevent, to stop His blessings coming upon your life. 100%

Memorize this promise from your Savior, today.

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33

What putting Christ first looks like:

Prayer.

“Early will I seek thee.” Psalms 63:1

Read. Study.

Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.  Job 23:12

The Bible is far from just amazing information (Psalms 119:98-100; 2 Peter 1:3-4, etc.). More important than vital information coming from our Maker, God’s Word is your spiritual food and without it, without daily ingesting it, you will famish, fall, and ultimately perish.

“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” 1 Peter 2:2

Read that again: The only way to “grow” is to “desire” and to devour the Word of your great God and King Jesus. He made you to know Him (John 17:3).

The only way to keep, to guard your heart before the LORD, is to keep it full of God’s Word.

“Keep (guard, till the soil of) thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23

In fact, like Job, we must make the spiritual food of God’s Word more important than the food that fuels and keeps healthy our physical body.

“Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.” Job 23:12

“He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart RETAIN my words: keep my commandments, and live.” Proverbs 4:4

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” Psalms 1

Find. Eat. Rejoice.

Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts.” Jeremiah 15:16

YOUR PRAYER: Father please unite my heart to fear Thy name. Forgive my sins of spiritual adultery, of self-idolatry. Here and now I renounce my own ownership on my life. It’s Your life LORD. Reign on the throne of this heart and cut away, circumcise any and everything of iniquity in my heart and life. You must increase but I must decrease, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Abiding

Victory Over “Evil Concupiscence” and Every Sexual Sin [podcast]


“Flee fornication”

“Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. 16  What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. 17  But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 18  Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. 19  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 6:15-20

“Concupiscence” appears 3 times in God’s Word and speaking of having a secret desire for that which is forbidden, namely in sexual lust.

“But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.” Romans 7:8

“Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:” Colossians 3:5

“Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:” 1 Thessalonians 4:5

Revelation 19:7-9

“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9  And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.” 

Colossians 3:1-6

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 5  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6  For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:”  

Memorize Colossians 3:3

“Submerge yourself deeper and deeper into Jesus until you sink out of sight.”!! Unknown

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

“Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. 2  For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. 3  For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: 4  That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; 5  Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: 6  That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. 7  For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. 8  He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.” 

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23

Read Psalms 51 and Romans 6 each morning.

PRAYER: Holy Father, please forgive my many sins. Please touch this vessel all the way to the core of who You made me to be. Do Your work in this life You gave. Please unite my heart to fear Thy name and purify this heart O LORD. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Return of Jesus and Being Ready

Support | STORE | Podcasts | Jail/Prison MinistryMexico Mission here | All Ministry Updates | More on Assurance hereBecause You Care Page | The Greatest of these is CharityBe Ready in the Morning [podcast]The Sure Mercies of David [podcast]That Repentance and Remission of Sins should be Preached [podcast]At His Feet | Knowing God | The Cross Life | 100’s of Christ-centered Scripture-rich PodcastsChristology = the Study of Christ

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