Abiding

The Rest of God: Resting to Build [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]

“The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. 4 Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul. 5 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful. 6 The LORD preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me. 7 Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee. 8 For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. 9 I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.” Psalms 116:3-9

With all the turbulence, all the unrest going on, at times, I’ve found myself losing my place of rest in the LORD. Like Peter, when I look away from the Savior, my life begins to sink down into depression, lack of love, joy, and peace, descending instead of ascending, and dismally dark. Yet, the Holy Spirit ever draws my heart to Christ, to repentance, back to faith and rest. This Bible verse is on the wall in my restroom:

“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalms 46:10

Didn’t our LORD Jesus foretell us that this would be the case in the final days before He returns?

“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” Luke 21:25-28

I’m also remind of this amazing Bible verse:

“There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” Hebrew 4:9-11

If we don’t return to our LORD as the very “first love” of our lives, there is the danger of falling into a state of “unbelief” would could mean nothing but the loss of saving faith and impending eternal doom.

“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” Revelation 2:4-5

“There is neither adversary nor evil occurrent”

“But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.” 1 Kings 5:4

King David had just died and his son Solomon was commissioned to build the temple of worship to the LORD, something David desired to do but was unable. God didn’t allow him to because he was a man of war (1 Chronicles 22).

FB Meyer on the succession of Solomon from his father David:

“David, before his death, had made great preparations for building the Temple, but had not been permitted to proceed with its construction. “Thou didst well that it was in thy heart,” 2Ch_6:8. God credits us with what we would have done, had it been in our power. But now war on every side had been exchanged for peace, and the time for temple-building had come. A great principle is here involved which has many applications.”

Preparations for Building the Temple

“And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David. 2 And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying, 3 Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the LORD his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet. 4 But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent. 5 And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.” 1 Kings 5:1-5

There was rest. There was a season where no “adversary nor evil occurrent” was attacking God’s people. “Occurrent” meaning “occurrence,” or “plague”, i.e; “rebellion, famine, pestilence, or other suffering”. David had had many such “occurrences” (2 Samuel 15:14; 2 Samuel 20:1; 2 Samuel 21:1; 2 Samuel 24:15). This is what the millennial reign of Christ and His people will be like where no “adversary nor evil occurrent” will be allowed to be present or tempt them in the temple of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21-22).

As we gaze at the transition between David and his son Solomon and how God disallowed David from building the temple and assigned/ordained Solomon to do so in a time of peace, we should perhaps ask of the LORD to show us the significance in this (1 Kings 5:4).

“And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies; 2 That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.” 2 Samuel 7:1-2

It bothered David that he was dwelling in a palatial estate (palace) while the ark of God was sitting in a tent. See 1 Chronicles for details of this transition and why God forbid David and commissioned his son Solomon to build the temple. David was a man of war (beginning with slaying Goliath) and Solomon a man of peace.

Perhaps we can observe that in our own lives there are times, seasons of conflict which give way to seasons of peace and great fruitfulness.

Adam Clarke on 1 Kings 5:4:

“There is neither adversary – אין שטן eyn satan, there is no satan – no opposer, nor any kind of evil; all is peace and quiet, both without and within. God has given me this quiet that I may build his temple.”

Just as much conflict came in the days of king David and then rest ensued with Solomon, so after much persecution was leveled against the early church, rest and fruitfulness followed. Saul had wreaked havoc on the church but was now saved into it. Surely this accounted for much of the terror being vanquished which gave way to this time of peace and edification and comfort as the disciples walking 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

“REST ROUND ABOUT” is a Welcome Phrase we find 4 times in God’s Word:

“And the LORD gave them REST ROUND ABOUT, according to all that he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand.” Joshua 21:44

“And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him REST ROUND ABOUT from all his enemies;” 2 Samuel 7:1

“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

“So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him REST ROUND ABOUT.” 2 Chronicles 20:30

Being “hid with Christ in God” speaks of the rest of God or “rest round about.”

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

The rest of disciple comes via the cross – where he is dead and buried, resting in the LORD and following this comes the resurrection, the raising upward into fruitfulness, fruitful seasons. The great apostle speaks of this paradox where the crucified life brings a rest from trusting ourselves and a giving way to the great power of God laboring in and through us!

“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” 1 Corinthians 15:10

“A Rest to the People of God”

Perhaps our laboring to enter into His rests refers to remaining dead and buried so that He is raising our lives upward as they are propelled by divine grace and not mere human effort.

Jesus calls His people to come to Him and to rest in Him and as we do, there will be great fruitfulness.

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

It would be impossible to come to Jesus, on His stated terms, and not be at peace, at rest.

“Through God we shall do valiantly”

GOD will tread down, run over, and destroy His enemies…. who are also your enemies.

“Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. 12 Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.” Psalms 60:11-12

The LORD is today giving His people “rest round about” as He did in the days of Solomon to build the temple. His people must be about His business, doing His Great Commission work of building up His temple which is His body.

In the scope of past, present, and future history – HIS-story – nothing is over till Jesus wins! He has nor evil will lose. “Rest round about”, peace from the “Prince of peace” is coming soon and forever to His beloved people! (Isaiah 9:6-7)

Soon Heaven’s KING will return to set up His reign, His “government” which will begin with destructive judgment upon the heads of His enemies (Isaiah 9:6-7; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10).

The first time He came, our LORD said He will “send forth judgment unto victory” and is getting ready to finish it at His return (Matthew 12:20).

“For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. … 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:25-26, 57

After the beloved Joseph had suffered unjustly and greatly for many years, he entered into a season of great fruitfulness, blessed to forget the toil he’d been through. In fact, this is reflected in the naming of his two sons

“And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famin e came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him. 51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh (means to forget): For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house. 52 And the name of the second called he Ephraim (means fruitfulness): For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.” Genesis 41:50-52

After suffering greatly and much due to a wicked woman who falsely accused him, Joseph was lifted from the prison pit to the palace. By God’s grace he endured the long season of death and burial to be elevated into a resurrection season where he named his first child forgetfulness due to God blessing him to forget all the unjust toil he suffered. He then named his second son after the fruitfulness of the new season he was enjoying. God allows these seasons of stripping to put ourselves aside and allow Him to truly reign. Job’s sufferings and Paul’s thorn is another example of such (2 Corinthians 12:7-12).

“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, AFTER that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” 1 Peter 5:10

“I Will Give You Rest”

EVERY soul on earth desires peace. The “peace OF God” only comes through “peace WITH God.” Consider: “And the peace OF God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace WITH God through our Lord Jesus Christ:” Romans 5:1 Making Peace with God Jesus beckons… “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. […]

"Fear hath Torment" - 100% Deliverance from all Fear! [podcast]

Perfect Love Casteth Out Fear [podcast] Fear Stifles and Stains our Lives – “Fear hath Torment” “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” Psalms 23:4 Fear, hides, it lurks, and it controls us until it is dealt with. It seems to me that we have little knowledge yet of how fear has controlled us the whole of our lives. Today is the day of salvation, deliverance from the evil of fear. “How very little can be done […]

Peace, Protection, and Provision [podcast]

Divine Comfort, Care, and Protection “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalms 91:1 In this chapter God paints the picture of His oversight, His divine watch care, His provision and His protection over His beloved people. Each verse is this amazing chapter is inseparable connected to and anchored in the very first verse – which is the divine thesis statement for the whole chapter. As is the divine case made throughout Holy Scripture, it’s all about relationship! See also Jeremiah 17:12, John 17:3, and Philippians 3:10. Read […]

Getting BETTER not BITTER! [video]

Are You Getting BETTER or BITTER? “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23 Some get bitter rather than better as they age and perhaps experience hardships. This does not have to be. This is a choice, either way. Warning against becoming bitter: “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 17 For ye […]

Abiding

How to Give Alms, Pray, Forgive Others, Fast, and Lay Up Treasure in Heaven [podcast]

Breakdown of Jesus’ Teaching in Matthew 6

How to Give Alms.
How to Pray.
The essential of forgiving others.
How to Fast and how not to fast.
The importance of laying up treasure in Heaven.

Matthew 6

Giving to the Needy

1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

The Disciple’s Prayer

5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

6 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.

7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Fasting

16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;

18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Fear Not

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

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

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

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, […]

The Simplicity of Real Fellowship [podcast]

Satan thinks he has Stolen the Fellowship of the Saints “Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” Revelation 12:12 Exhorting God’s People “Daily” “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 3:13 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in […]

SATAN'S SEMINARIANS [podcast]

Seminaries are the Invention of Satan If you are born again and abiding in Christ and can’t find a biblical local church, it’s because you love Jesus and His truth, His Word. The epidemic apostasy we are witnessing at the local church level is the prophesied and intended outcome of Satan’s long term plan commandeered largely through seminarian wolves (Matthew 24:1-13; 1 Timothy 4:1-2; 1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:12). In earlier centuries, beginning at Pentecost, Satan couldn’t slow or stop the spread of the Gospel through faithful witnesses, so he devised a plan to replace those Gospel disciples with the […]

Abiding

The Core Values of the Modern Church Agenda Exposed [podcast]

Lots of occultic symbolism in the art below.

The “church growth” industry is a multi-million dollar enterprise with books, seminars, selling sermons, etc., on how to build a large church, how to grow the nickels, noses, and numbers. Is this what Jesus had in mind when He stated “I will build my church”? (Matthew 16:18)

“Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.” 1 Corinthians 7:23

Do you spend more time in “church” than in the Bible itself? Wow! Red flags flying!

“Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.” 2 Peter 3:17

So you are listening to some slick talker preach and yet he’s not using the BIBLE essential words like hell, repentance, holiness, the cross, the blood of Jesus, the return of Christ, etc? Repent and RUN!

The vast majority of so-called pastors today are more interested in getting you to join their church club, to become a member of their church, than they are about truly feeding the flock of God with the whole counsel of Scripture, equipping you for ministry, and winning souls to Jesus (John 21:15-17; Acts 20:20-32; Ephesians 4:11-12; 1 Peter 5:1-6, etc.). Prove it wrong.

Church Membership Exposed | The 501(C)(3) Deception | The Modern Church

501(C)(3) Churches Exposed [video]

HERE’S 100% PROOF THAT THE 501(C)(3) SO-CALLED “CHURCH” YOU GO TO IS NOT OF GOD – BUT RATHER IS COMMANDEERED BY A WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING (2 Peter 2:1-3). The 501(C)(3) scam is a deal with the devil that silenced the self-serving greedy devils many call “pastors” today in America (Isaiah 56:8-12; Philippians 3:18-19). “And why does the church want to make you a member? I guarantee that there is a $nickel attached to these 501c’s from the state. And, just remember that Planned Parenthood is a 501c, as well as the church of Satan, should we be in confederacy […]

The Truth about Tradition and Church Membership [podcast]

Godly and Ungodly Tradition and True and False Church Membership “Prove (test) all things; hold fast (keep and do) that which is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21 Of the 13 times we find the word “tradition(s)” in Scripture, only twice is it used positively. The other 11 times it is used negatively because men put their foolish traditions above Christ. History of Church Membership: The history of church membership in Protestant and Evangelical churches begins with the Catholic Church, which implements its discipline over all the baptized (christened, water sprinkled), through a tradition-based sacramental system, governing the lives of their captors from cradle […]

Nick's Salvation: "Don't Let a Building Confine Your Faith" [podcast]

Nick’s Salvation: “Don’t Let a Building Confine Your Faith” [podcast] Please pause to lift Nick in prayer. He’s a new believer. As you will hear on this brief podcast, Nick told me that a handful of Christians had been recently ministering the Gospel to him. He also said that a handful of disciples told him to make sure he’s read the King James Bible. Nick received a copy of the new Authentic book. Nick is a special young man. The beginning of the conversation was about working out, sports, athletics, etc. He’s been working out and was telling me […]

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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

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

At His Feet [podcast]

“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.” Job 13:15 Job had just lost all of his children and yet held fast his integrity toward the LORD. He would not allow his wife, his friends, or any other circumstance or entity sway his thoughts. This was a man with a real relationship with the living God – one not based on circumstance. First, foremost, and separate from all else, Job loved and worshipped the LORD with his whole heart. We must come to the place where our LORD alone […]

The First Love of the True Disciple [podcast]

The words “disciple”/“disciples” are found 273 times in the Bible, all in the New Testament canon with the exception of 1 appearance in the Old Testament (Isaiah 8:16). “Disciple” is married to the word discipline. An un-disciplined life reveals a gross lack of respect and rooting in the Person, the Word, and the cause of Christ and is an un-fruitful life. “And have NO ROOT in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.” Mark 4:17 “They on the rock are they, which, when they […]

Our Sin Should Lay us at His Feet [podcast]

“Sin lieth at the door.” Genesis 4:7 One writer takes a shot at this in the following words: “Jesus died for our sins. He is the sin offering for all humanity: past, present, and future. So the offerings in the Old Testament represent the Cross. So in short, if you reject the offering, meaning Christ and the Cross, ‘then sin lieth at the door.’ This means sin will DOMINATE you if any other method is used.” “Sin lieth at the door” – Temptation to sin presents itself perpetually and this is why prayer, abiding communion, perpetual communication with the Savior, command central, is […]