King Asa: Tragic end of an otherwise obedient, fruitful, God-glorifying life….
Are you blessed or cursed?
“Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.” Jeremiah 17:5
King Asa trusted the physicians and not the LORD and he paid dearly.
“And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.” 2 Chronicles 16:12
Feet speak of foundation. Without feet, physically we cannot stand. Without a sound foundation of truth, of God’s Word in our lives, we shall not stand. Read Matthew 7:19-29.
One writes notes the following about the meaning of feet in God’s Word:
“Why Are Feet Important in the Bible? Just as men and women stand upon their feet as the foundation of upright posture, Bible verses also use feet as a euphemism to represent a strong foundation in various circumstances. Feet are not referenced as we see them today, but they are used as symbols to represent greater metaphorical concepts, such as guidance or direction.
The feet represented something that was common to all people but used differently. For example, one of the most noted scripture texts involving feet is Psalm 119:105, ‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.’ This emphasizes how the feet are used to travel and traverse. Yet, without the word, the traveler is left walking in the dark without a known path.
Essentially, the feet are referenced as a critical part of life as walking was commonplace. We naturally travel where our feet lead us and the Bible verses use feet to represent a means of traveling through life itself. If we walk down a dark path, we are likely to stumble. If we walk down a holy path, we are sure to please God. All of this is facilitated symbolically by the feet.”
The foundation truth we learn in God’s Word and obedience to it determines the direction of our lives.
“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:6-7
Becoming Rooted and Grounded in Christ
Like Asa, many today trust the counsel of mere men, such as doctors and not God. This doesn’t mean going to a doctor is a sin and yet, the true disciple will primarily trust and obey and be led of the LORD, not men.
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6
Read Hebrews 3-4 prayerfully for the eternal danger of having “an evil heart of unbelief” AFTER being saved. Repentance required.
“They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.” Psalms 12:2
Got depression? Are you seeking the LORD in true repentance whereby He will grant you great joy? (Psalms 51; 2 Timothy 1:7) Or, are you seeking out and trusting the mere human, the finite pundits of this fleeting world?
“But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.” Job 13:4
Those who trust human physicians and not the Great Physician, are cursed, not blessed. Their faith in mere men reveals their utter rebellion.
“See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.” Jeremiah 1:10
2 Chronicles 15:17 – Upon becoming king in Judah, Asa, having inherited an idolatrous, lukewarm people, system… he began to command that…
- The people do that which is right in God’s eyes (2 Chronicles 14:2)
- That all idolatrous altars we torn down (2 Chronicles 14:3)
- That God’s people seek His face (2 Chronicles 14:4)
- That idol altars in the cities of Judah be removed – “and the kingdom was quiet before him” (2 Chronicles 14:5) ….. Proverbs 1:33
- Fenced cities be built …. so the land could be at rest, at peace, and not fear the enemy (2 Chronicles 14:6)
- The people be involved in building fenced, walled, protected cities – “Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have sought the LORD our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.” (2 Chronicles 14:7) …… 1 Chron 16:11
- Great military be built (2 Chronicles 14:8)
“The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and IFFFF ye seek him, he will be found of you; but IF ye forsake him, he will forsake you.” 2 Chronicles 15:2
“But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.” 2 Chronicles 15:17
“Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” Hebrews 11:20-22
“The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” Psalms 9:17
“Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.” Psalms 50:22
“Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.” 2 Chronicles 20:20
God blesses those who trust Him and curses, removes His blessings from those who once trusted Him and yet now have forgotten Him. When we willingly offer ourselves as living sacrifices to the LORD our God, He avenges us of all our enemies (Judges 5:2) …. “But IF thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.” (Exodus 23:22)
“WHEN” does God avenge us of our enemies? “WHEN” does God judge our enemies?
“Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, WHEN the people willingly offered themselves.” Judges 5:2
When we offer our lives a living sacrifice unto the LORD – that is, we simply surrender this life to Him – the subduing of our enemies begins.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:1-2
Asa reigned as king in Judah for 39 years (2 Chronicles 14-16).
In his final days, after obeying God and bringing much needed reform to the people of God, Asa forgot the LORD, and had grown cold in his faith and was therefore cursed with a divided heart.
All those who trust mere men, just because they have a white coat on and are called “doctor”, are going to die as did king Asa who trusted in earthly physicians, instead of the Great Physician! Repent now sinner.
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” Proverbs 3:5-7
Are you a pessimistic pansy or an optimistic overcomer? Are you like the 10 spies or the 2 who entered the promised land while the 10 sad sack whiners were shut out? “The righteous are bold as a lion.” (Proverbs 28:1) Jesus asks “WHERE is your faith?” (Luke 8:25) Repenting for real and putting all your trust in the LORD is essential – and no one will be in the promise land of Heaven without sound, solid faith in God. “Without faith it is impossible to please him.” (Hebrews 11:6). “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.” (Jeremiah 17:5)
Read Revelation 2-3.
Remember the woman Jesus, the Great Divine Physician made whole of her issue who had previously spent all she had on human physicians?
“And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, 26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, 27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. 28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. 29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him (accessed by faith in Him), turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? 31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. 33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith (in God not men) hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.” Mark 5:25-34
You claim to be trusting God but you take a mood drug? I don’t think so. MOOD DRUGS ARE FOR THE WICKED UNBELIEVERS. PERIOD. REPENT.
When a person resorts to using a drug to uplift their mood, they are loving and believing the world more than God, forfeiting the blessing of God for a cheap substitute, and manifesting their contempt for the LORD, their unbelief. A born again, presently abiding 
disciple of Jesus has all the fruit of the Holy Spirit which include, “Love, joy, peace…” (Galatians 5:22-23) God gives His people “power… love, and a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7) God’s Word has the answer to “ALL things that pertain unto life and godliness” and that specifically includes a “sound mind.” (2 Peter 1:3-4) Holy Scripture specifically uses the terms “sound mind” and “sound heart” which come only from learning and adhering to “sound doctrine.”
We live in a fallen world and were born in sin. Via the things that have happened to us and that we ourselves have perpetrated on others, fragmentation of our hearts has occurred. Only One can make us whole.
“And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” Luke 4:17-19
“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
“He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” Psalms 147:3
Counting it all Joy
“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” James 1:2-8
Through the trials we face in this life, we must learn to “count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations”, trust God not men, ask for and rely on His wisdom and not waver, but rather finished our course trusting and walking with Christ to the end of our lives.
“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:” 2 Timothy 4:7
“For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: 12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Hebrews 6:10-12
The Whole Heart
“And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about.” 2 Chronicles 15:15
The result of seeking the LORD with a whole heart is that He gives us “rest round about.”
“But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.” Proverbs 1:33
9 Times in the book of Psalms the words “Whole Heart” appear. Here’s the first 3 of that collection:
“I will praise thee, O LORD, with my WHOLE HEART; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.” Psalms 9:1
“Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my WHOLE HEART, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.” Psalms 111:1
“Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the WHOLE HEART.” Psalms 119:2
PRAYER: Dear heavenly Father, I have sinned against You by not wholly trusting You nor sought You with my whole heart. Here and now I confess this for the evil sin of unbelief and rebellion that it is and ask You to please forgive me now in the name of Jesus. Please wash me afresh from all my sins with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Also please make my heart whole and increase and fill me with Your faith Father, and cause me to trust You will all of my heart, no matter what. I love You my dear LORD. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
In Jesus
todd
Abiding
What Church is Jesus Coming Back for? [podcast]
ETERNAL SECURITY DEATH NAIL. CASE CLOSED!
Are you personally, intimately familiar with the words of Holy Scripture found in Ephesians 5:25-27?
“Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. 22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:21-27
Jesus is coming back for a church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing but one that is “holy and without blemish.” So this speaks of those who were His and yet presently have spotted garments, sin they haven’t repented of (Ephesians 5:25-27).
“Be ye holy”
“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16
“NO MAN shall see the Lord” without “holiness”
“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” Hebrews 12:14
Regrettably, most preachers today are so busy making excuse for sin that they refuse to disclose this preeminent, self-evident New Testament truth.
“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?” 2 Peter 3:10-12
As this fallen world system and its inhabitants spiral unalterably downward in darkness and disarray, it becomes even more essential for the wise virgin saint to be anchored in the LORD in private prayer, praise, thanksgiving, and Bible reading. No man shall withstand the darkness of this late hour who is not seeking the LORD diligently, daily, relentlessly – demonstrating perpetually that they love the LORD supremely more than self or any other (Matthew 24:10-13, 22). Memorize 1 Chronicles 16:11; Psalms 57:7; 63:8.
IF he’s not hastening you to the holiness of God, he’s playing you for your allegiance to him, and perhaps your money! are you a gullible pawn? Read 2 Peter 2 and 3.
SO, the sinful seminarian wolf you call your “pastor” isn’t preaching the return of Christ, the cross, the necessity of personal holiness, hell, the essential of repentance, or Christ, the Messiah….. and you still sit under that darkness? Repent.
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” 2 Timothy 4:2-4
SO MANY have more faith, more confidence in SIN than they do in the SAVIOR who came and died to make us free from ALL SIN! That’s a cross-less false gospel! Just as Jude foretold, these deceivers – “ungodly men” – cover their sins with a false grace message (Jude 3-4). With no exception, the saving grace of God – IFFFF you really have it – delivers you from sin and never justifies you in sin! Time to repent and be changed today! …. These grace abusing tares want to relish a false grace message that erroneously says that God is going to save them IN their sin but the Bible says Jesus came to save us “FROM” our sin – not in our sins (Matthew 1:21; John 1:29; Titus 2:11-4, etc.). SO, God’s grace isn’t sufficient to deliver you from sin? If you believe that you don’t know Him.
Some among us are so enthralled in listening to modern end times teachers as they seek to figure everything out, that they are not abiding in Christ. These are among the foolish virgins.
ARE YOU spending more time engrossed in some supposed end times scenario than you are obeying God by doing the Great Commission mandate? If so, you are not ready to meet Jesus and in big trouble. Isn’t it time to let God be God and to get about the Father’s business?
The Return of Christ | The Book of Revelation Narrated [podcast] | Support | STORE | Podcasts | Top 12 Missing Essential Doctrines in the Modern Church World! [podcast] | Repentance and Fruit | Loving not our Lives unto the Death [podcast]
Abiding
How we walk in “Strong Confidence” [podcast]
“In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.” Proverbs 14:26
“Strong confidence” is only found in fearing God, in walking in the fear of the LORD.
“The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.” Proverbs 14:27
We are instructed to “forget not all his benefits” (Psalms 103:2) …… In this passage, we are promised benefits from our LORD:
- “strong confidence”
- “a place of refuge”
- “depart from the snares of death”
Our part is to walk in the fear of the LORD.
“Strong Confidence” that glorifies God and not man, comes from walking in the fear of the LORD, which means we are obeying Him.
Like the psalmist, we should pray to God to “unite my heart to fear they name.”
The psalmist prayed:
“Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.” Psalms 86:11
To “unite” in this verse means to combine, to become one…. permeate our innermost being.
When we truly walk in the fear of God, we fear nothing else.
Fearing God means we fear no man.
“The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?” Psalms 118:6
“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” Romans 8:31-32
David and Paul walked in the fear of the LORD, and thereby were possessed with “strong confidence” and consequently feared no man or devil.
We can fear God without walking “In the fear of the LORD.” We should pray and endeavor to live in the fear of the LORD.
“Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.” Proverbs 23:17
So there seems to be the desire of God for His children to be permeated with His fear, to live in the fear of the LORD.
“Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.” Acts 9:31
The members of the early church were “edified” ….
- “walking in the fear of the Lord,
- and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost,
- were multiplied.”
Let us always be grounded in the foundational essential biblical truth of knowing God—that He created us to know Him (John 17:3).
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10
The life of the disciple of Jesus is learning to let God have His way in us, to lay our own will…. to let God be in control.
How many of us are realizing just how much sinful chaos and calamity transpires when we are in control instead of God?
Is this not part of the reason John the Baptist could so readily cry out “He must increase but I must decrease”? (John 3:30)
Are you reading Romans 6 each morning beloved of God?
Are you learning the cross life?
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” Ecclesiastes 12:13
“And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.” Luke 12:4-5
“In the fear of the LORD” the born-again believer is “hid with Christ in God” and fully assured, full of divine confidence!
“For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:3
In being crucified with Christ, we are hid not only from the evil of others, but primarily and most importantly, we are hid from the evil of self, the self-life.
Beware of the often-peddled cheap counterfeit, where people are instructed to learn to love themselves. The Bible commands us to love and fear God and love others, not self. In fact, loving self is the root sin that brought the original fall of mankind and remains as that sin which keeps men from God—pride in self instead of fearing God!
Those who walk in the fear of the LORD, live a crucified life. They walk in the “strong confidence” of the LORD (Proverbs 14:26).
You are no longer your own, you’ve been bought with the price of the very and precious blood of Jesus.
“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Prayer: Father, in Jesus’ name, please forgive me for the sin of self-idolatry and not fearing You. I now repent. Please forgive and cleanse me of this sin. I here and now declare and choose to trust You with my life. I love You Jesus!
Support | STORE | Podcasts | Jail/Prison Ministry | Mexico Mission here | All Ministry Updates | The Return of Christ | Stewardship | Apostate Modern Church Exposed | Beware of the BUZZ WORD Bandits [podcast] | Preach the Word | Wolves Exposed | Church Membership Exposed | 100’s of Christ-centered, Scripture-rich Podcasts | Knowing God | The Cross Life | Christology = the Study of Christ
Abiding
Knowing the Word of God and also the God of the Word [podcast]
The highest priority of the true disciple is knowing God.
So many strive to know God’s will.
It’s only when you know God that you will know His will.
We all know people who are now away from God. They backslid. They no longer serve Him as they once did. Well, were they truly serving Him, or the church? They had some kind of a departure from the local church they were so fond of and consequently have no semblance of a life with Christ presently. Could this be due to them putting their energy and affections into the local church friends they met and the festivities? Yes. They were in love with the externals and not Christ.
“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” Revelation 4:11
“God’s greatest desire is for us to have a relationship with Him. We were created for His great pleasure. Revelation 4:11” Karen Cochran
“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.” Philippians 3:10
Kingdom Priority
KNOWING and LOVING, WORSHIPPING God. Read Matthew 4:10; 22:37-39; John 17:3.
Pinnacle Revelation
Knowing God is the paramount divine purpose for which He sent His only begotten ….. and for which He created, made us.
“And this is life eternal (the whole reason, purpose), that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” John 17:3
Knowing God is the reason He sent His only begotten Son—to bring us to Himself in a present and eternal relationship (Exodus 25:8;Psalms 27:4, 8; Philippians 3:10, etc). One of Satan’s tricks is to get the elders to intercept that heart affection worship.
“It has always been about Jesus. Before Christ came to save us from our sins, the Bible was pointing to Jesus. Now after Christ came, we still look to Jesus. It has always been about knowing and trusting in Jesus. Before He came people just did not know His name, but now we do!” Serena Wagner
It’s not about elders, bishops. or pastors—Christ’s eternal kingdom is all about Jesus and no other. Read John 1; Colossians 1-2; Hebrews 1; Revelation 1.
WHAT will you say to the nail scarred risen LORD on Judgment Day when you made it about something else other than Him?
“Christianity can quickly become ‘Do this and Don’t do that.’ Jesus is quickly forgotten. Instead, repent and fall in love with JESUS, and through the power of the Holy Spirit you will live a life that pleases Him. When You are filled with the Holy Spirit You will hate the sin you once loved.” Alan Brayshaw
WHO is “known of” God as opposed to those He will tell “I never knew you”? (Matthew 7:21)
“But if any man love God, the same is known of him.” 1 Corinthians 8:3
“Those are the most frightening and terrifying words anyone could ever hear! That is why I always ask Jesus, ‘Do you know me?’ I want to be with my Lord and Savior for eternity! But I do not want to be so arrogant and prideful as to believe that God doesn’t have every right to spue me out. Or I that I am safe! I deserve hell. The only reason I have been spared is because of Jesus’ saving work for me on the cross! He redeemed me! But there are many conditions to be eternally with Jesus. We are to have a healthy fear of God knowing He has the power to determine the fate of our very soul! Matthew 10:28 It means nothing to Jesus if all we have is head knowledge of the Bible without any heart. He told the Pharisees they knew scriptures but they didn’t know Him in their heart (John 5: 38-47). It’s not based on what we know it’s based on knowing Him in an abiding relationship (John 15). The cross is the way to a real intimate relationship with Jesus. Through the dying of self He becomes your first love. And you begin to love Him with your whole soul, heart and mind (Matthew 22:37). I ask God daily ‘increase my hunger for Your Word.’ I want the hunger and love for God’s Word that David had! Just read and study Psalm 119. He cried out for more understanding even in the midst of persecution! That was his whole priority in life! David loved God, therefore he loved God’s Word as evidenced in Psalm 119. Every word is filled with love, devotion, respect, rejoicing and delighting in God’s words, pleading with the Lord that He might learn His statues and he might not err from God’s judgements. Psalm 119 is a treasure chest of David’s love for God’s word! If you want to truly fall in love with all of God’s word read, study and memorize Psalm 119!” Karen Cochran
Knowing the Facts and the Father
Recently, in order “to provoke unto love and to good works” I posted the meme above this paragraph and as has happened before, was confronted about how the Pharisees knew God’s Word but rebelled against Jesus (Hebrews 10:24). Let’s cross examine this position against the counsel of Scripture.
While it’s clear that we must know not only the Word of God but the God of the Word, the God revealed in His Word, how does that negate the need for Bible knowledge? It simply doesn’t.
Just because the Pharisees of Christ’s day knew His Word but didn’t choose to turn their hearts to Him, how does that mean that believers today should neglect knowing His Word? Such logic is not only bad, it’s un-scriptural and evil.
“When you fall in love don’t you want to shout it from the rooftops? He, the man you are in love with, is all you talk about! Should be the same with Jesus! You want to tell everyone about this man, the Savior who saved your life! Just as the woman at the well did. She told the whole city ‘Come, and see a man, which told me all the things that ever I did: is this not the Christ’ John 4: 28-29.” Karen Cochran
Beware of anyone who discourages learning God’s Word in any form, including memorizing Scripture. This is a novice error and it could only be coming from the evil one. Because the Jews knew the Bible and rejected Jesus, novices reason that this means that New Testament saints, saved by grace, are not to intimately know or memorize God’s Word. Nonsense!
Is the primary responsibility of the disciple of Jesus to:
A. Follow the instructions of God’s Word? or
B. Don’t be like the Pharisees (false leaders)?
A. is the correct answer.
The fact that the LORD cited the false religionists of His day for not coming to Him, for not opening their hearts to Him, in no way communicates that those who are His should not learn His Word too well. That would be like saying that just because the false leaders of Jesus’ day knew His Word and yet didn’t turn their hearts to Jesus, anyone who learns His Word too well (as if that’s even possible) will automatically not turn their hearts to Jesus.
Let’s look at the passage that is being taken out of context:
“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” John 5:39-40
“And isn’t that just what Jesus told the Pharisees? You know scriptures but you don’t know me in your heart! John 5: 38-47. It means nothing to Jesus if we only know of Him. We must know Him in Spirit and in truth! John 4:24.” Karen Cochran
Did Jesus rebuke them for knowing His Word? No.
Notice, Jesus says that His people are to “Search the scriptures” and the Scriptures “are they which testify of” (reveal) Him.
“Even the Pharisees knew the scriptures and knew of Jesus, but they did not know Him. Jesus told them they did not have Him in their hearts and therefore did not have eternal life . John 5: 38-47. Head knowledge means nothing to Jesus. We need to know Him in our hearts in a relationship with Him. Digesting His words! Getting to know Him. We should be emulating the sweet savour of Christ. 2 Corinthians 2: 15. How can you be like someone that you don’t know?” Karen Cochran
The Gospel message is “the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16).
In fact, it’s the seed of God’s “incorruptible” Word that is the instrument of His regeneration in our lives.
“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.” 1 Peter 1:23-25
The very way God ordained and orchestrated that we learn about and know Him, repent and believe upon Christ, is through the knowledge we get from “the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” Listen to the apostle Paul instruct Timothy:
“And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17
The man of God cannot be perfected, matured, “throughly furnished unto all good works” without a deep knowledge of the Scriptures which the apostle reveals here is “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”
So the first of the 4 stated reasons God gave us His Word, the Bible, are for…
“doctrine”
Must know the facts and the Father!
Must know the Word and the God of the Word.
How are God’s people going to learn His Word if they don’t study and memorize and meditate upon it? How are God’s people going to be sanctified by the truth and washed by the water of the Word if they’re not in that Word daily and engaged in learning and obeying God’s Word?
So if the Pharisees did not know God’s Word would they not have also rejected him? How can knowing God’s Word be negative in any way? It’s simply can’t.
Is trying not to be like a Pharisee more important than actually following Christ?
In John 5:39-40 Jesus said nothing negative about the Pharisees knowing His Word but rather about them refusing to come to Him. Let us rightly divide saints and correct those who bear false witness (2 Timothy 2:15). In fact, in another place Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for not knowing His Word: “Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God“ (Matthew 22:29). God’s people need to know “the scriptures” and walk in “the power of God.” Only Satan could be behind the attempt to hinder either!
“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” John 5:39-40
There will be those who come and go who know the words of God but not the God of the Word. Beware saints. Many times they know all the right things to say and yet have not truly repented and are living in sin, darkness, pride, and deep-seated rebellion.
On this note, sister Karen Cochran writes:
“Modern Pharisees know the Scriptures but like the Pharisees of old they don’t know Jesus. Just like Jesus told them in John 5:38- 42. They knew the Scriptures but they didn’t know Him. What good is it if we don’t know Jesus? We can know of Him but not know Him. We must love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Matthew 22:37- 38”
These counterfeits are saying that God’s people shouldn’t know God’s Word too well, we shouldn’t memorize it, because then we may become like the Pharisees and not come to Jesus. Foolishness at best.
To the contrary, the Bible teaches us to read, to “study,” to “retain,” and “meditate upon God’s Word ….
Did the apostle Paul correct the biblically astute Bereans for diligently, meticulously searching the scriptures to see if he was telling the truth? No! (Acts 17:10-11)
They are saying that knowing God’s Word in your God-given mind will keep you from knowing Him in your heart. Nonsense. By divine design, information is contacted, first enters our minds before it can be processed and received in our heart.
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17
“Most people in the churches of today prefer to follow and believe the men/pastors and their words over the Word of God at their peril. This is because they are too lazy to study and read the Bible for themselves, sadly. Biblical illiteracy is the norm and not the exception today.” B.
Concerning ruling over the masses that have been kept ignorant of God’s Word, one disciple writes:
“Lacking of knowing God’s Word, memorizing it, is the direct reason the catholic church grew to so much power in the middle ages, and others down the ages. It was only the ‘priest’ that could read the Bible. So it meant what they said it meant and not what God meant. RUN!”
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” Hosea 4:6
Checking your ignorance at the door!
Those who are ignorant of truth are so willingly (Hosea 4:6). They “willingly are ignorant” (2 Peter 3:5).
He gave us His truth, and those who reject His knowledge, His Word, will be “destroyed.”
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because THOU HAS REJECTED KNOWLEDGE, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law (Word) of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” Hosea 4:6
“There was a time when churches were teaching the whole counsel of God and most Bible believers in Bible teaching churches could carry on intelligent biblical conversations if they had been saved for five years or so. In the last ten years, I have found that most Christians today have become biblical illiterates. Due to the constant tendency toward all kinds of new experiences ( 2 Timothy 4:3-4), many are influenced to the extreme, and they settle for simply repeating various phrases that they hear without true, biblical understanding. That, then, becomes the focal point of their Christian life rather than conforming to the teachings of Scripture which they are not taught. It is getting harder and harder to find people in a local church who have even a very basic knowledge of Scripture, let alone any in-depth knowledge. The false teachers are going to have a lot to answer for in this area, but so will pastors who have encouraged this in their people rather than taking on the discipline of learning how to do a proper exegesis and expository teaching.” 1980 Dr. Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum
To a man who recently sought to discourage God’s people from memorizing His Word due to the fact that the Pharisees knew His Word and yet crucified Him.
I asked him if what the Pharisees did cancelled and negated the need for God’s people to know His Word in their minds and trust and love Him in their hearts? To this man I also wrote:
“Perhaps you should cease discouraging God’s people from learning and submitting to His Word…. there’s NO sense in which learning God’s Word is anything but a good thing…. and of course coming to Him in our hearts via His Word and Holy Spirit ….”
Our GOD-given brain is the passage way to the heart…. is it not? “Come now, and let us reason together…” (Isaiah 1:18).
God gave us a brain to “reason” with and a heart to believe upon Christ with (Romans 10:9-10). “COME now, and let us reason together” He said to His people (Isaiah 1:18).
Did Jesus memorize Scripture? Yes, beginning as a young boy. And this is how He grew in wisdom and stature (Luke 2:52). In fact, He knew where things were in the Bible—“He FOUND the place” in the Word He wanted to read—“And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written” (Luke 4:17).
ARE YOU “BLESSED”?
If you aren’t reading God’s Word daily, you are not “blessed.” Read Psalm 1.
“Blessed is he that readeth…” (Revelation 1:3).
See also Psalms 1:1-3.
Set it in your mind today that tomorrow, upon waking, you are diligently devouring God’s Word. Memorize and meditate upon 1 Chronicles 22:19. The message from Heaven is simple: FOLLOW JESUS via HIS WORD. The Bible is God’s truth and our safety. “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield (protection) unto them that put their trust in him. 6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
No way to know the Word Himself outside of His own Word. “They are they (His words) which testify of me” (John 5:39-40).
The written Word is like the tangible standard whereas at times, each of us as humans, can think we are being led by the Spirit but actually not being led by the LORD…. and so the standard is always the written Word, right?… To rightly divide His Word of truth. Right and amen Jesus (2 Timothy 2:15).
The only way we can “rightly” divide the truth from error is by personally, diligently studying God’s Word. Memorize 2 Timothy 2:15.
ALL ministries not getting you into God’s Word are fostering your faith in them!
Stacy Strother writes:
“The true Spirit of God will NEVER discard truth or lead people outside the parameter of the written word of God. The Spirit of God will search out ALL things and even the deep things, and if we are born again, have patience, we can be taught and be led to stay within harmony of His word. Read 1 Corinthians 2:6-16.”
Support | STORE | Podcasts | Jail/Prison Ministry | Mexico Mission here | All Ministry Updates | The Return of Christ | Stewardship | Apostate Modern Church Exposed | Beware of the BUZZ WORD Bandits [podcast] | Preach the Word | Wolves Exposed | Church Membership Exposed | 100’s of Christ-centered, Scripture-rich Podcasts | Knowing God | The Cross Life | Christology = the Study of Christ
Should God’s People be Allowed to Give? [podcast]
What Church is Jesus Coming Back for? [podcast]
How we walk in “Strong Confidence” [podcast]
Knowing the Word of God and also the God of the Word [podcast]
“Thou hast been in Eden the Garden of God.” ~ Ezekiel 28:13 [podcast]
Testing the Mettle of our Profession [podcast]
Mexico Mission Part 22
Conspiracy Among the False Prophets [podcast]
Man’s Problem – God’s Redemptive Solution [podcast]
Evangelism Adventures: Stories, Reports, and Testimonies of God’s Amazing Love [podcast]
The Way We Spend Our Money is a Direct Reflection of the Priorities of Our Heart [podcast]
10 Steps to Restoring a Brother [podcast]
The Only Solution to Man’s Sin [podcast]
THIS LIFE is about loving GOD and OTHERS [podcast]
The Seed of Salvation [podcast]
-
America5 months agoThe Drugging of America: The Pharmakeia Sorcery Deception [podcast]
-
Articles2 years ago
Children being Rescued in Tunnels: Happening Now – UPDATE!
-
Articles7 years ago
Self-Examination in Preparation for the Lord’s Return
-
Apostasy2 years ago
SHOCKING List of False Prophets Most Believe are True
Chinese (Traditional)
English
French
German
Hindi
Italian
Polish
Russian
Spanish