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“We pray earnestly, O God, that we may not be found among those with hardened hearts, no longer able to hear Thy voice.” AW Tozer

WHEN we choose to condemn another unwisely we should remember that we are not going to stand in the Supreme Court of the Universe before God to give account for anyone else’s sins except our own. We are not going to stand before the Almighty to be judged for someone else’s sins but only our own.

We must have mercy on others as we ourselves are utterly in need of divine mercy.

Truth: Any person who dies in the sin of un-forgiveness will burn in hell irrevocably, eternally (Matthew 18:21-35; Mark 9:43-49; 11:25-26; James 2:13). Memorize Ephesians 4:32 today. KJB.

Leveling with God…. Dear heavenly Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus Christ, and ask You to wash afresh the most unworthy person alive on the earth, me. No one needs You more than I do LORD. There is no good thing that dwells in me except You LORD Jesus. Please have mercy upon me afresh and make me one with You dear LORD and fill my heart and life afresh with Your love, mercy, and compassion. Grant that this heart be an heart of flesh. Please take away the stony places. I love You LORD Jesus. I love You Father. In Jesus’ name.

If you don’t believe in forgiving all others, God doesn’t believe in and will not forgive you.

WHAT are the 3 commands/instructions in this verse?

“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32

Commands found in Ephesians 4:32:

1. Be “kind” to others knowing God has and is showing you mercy based only on Christ’s merit, not your own.

2. Be “tenderhearted” for the same reason as above. You and I merit nothing but divine wrath outside of Jesus – period – so get off that high horse beloved before God knocks you off of it.

3. Be “Forgiving” of others based on the truth that God has forgiven you but only on the basis of Christ and His perfect sacrifice.

Here’s our Bible verse again: “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32 

It becomes easy to forgive when we truly realize the gravity of our own sins against God that He freely forgave!

Adam Clarke on Ephesians 4:32

“Be ye kind one to another – Γινεσθε – χρηστοι· Be kind and obliging to each other; study good breeding and gentleness of manners. A Christian cannot be a savage, and he need not be a boor. Never put any person to needless pain.

Tender-hearted – Ευσπλαγχνοι· Compassionate; having the bowels easily moved (as the word implies) to commiserate the state of the wretched and distressed.

Forgiving one another – Should you receive any injury from a brother, or from any man, be as ready to forgive him, on his repentance and acknowledgment, as God was, for Christ’s sake, to forgive you when you repented of your sins, and took refuge in his mercy.”

WHY are we to Forgive?

“…even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32

Your own forgiveness from God came on behalf of the perfect sacrifice of Christ on the cross! Now read that portion of Ephesians 4:32 above again with this in mind.

We must show mercy as you and I have been shown mercy by God through Christ Jesus and not due to any merit of our own because we only merit His holy wrath for our sin (Isaiah 64:6). God is not willing that ANY perish and so while we/they are still alive and have breath, there is hope and the privilege of repenting and confessing sins and receiving His forgiveness. Meditate on the thief on the cross and how Jesus so mercifully dealt with Him, receiving him into His eternal abode.

The LORD has been abundantly merciful to us through Jesus Christ and He requires that we show mercy to others in our attitudes and actions. Is this work of grace and of a heart of flesh being done in your life? Memorize Ephesians 4:32.  Live it. If you don’t what’s going to happen?

IF you don’t forgive all, Jesus says that you will not be forgiven and are going to hell.

“And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.” Mark 11:25-26

Like it or not, your own forgiveness is contingent upon your forgiving others.

IF you will not forgive as you’ve been freely forgiven, you are no longer forgiven! Nothing could be clearer from Scripture. Hell is full of tormented souls who have all eternity to regret their refusal to forgive as God provided the ultimate sacrifice of His Son to forgive them. Un-forgiveness will damn your soul and hell is an irrevocable sentence. There are no do-overs.

“And forgive us our debts, AS we forgive our debtors.” Matthew 6:12

Someone may be saying…. “Wow, you have no idea what that person did to me! I simply can’t find it in myself to forgive them!”

It’s only when Christ is truly reigning in our hearts that His divine love will fill us to forgive. And, Christ will reign in no life where there is no cross. Forgiveness is found in God for us and all others (1 John 4:7-8, 16-18).

All of the divine instructions given in Holy Scripture will be fulfilled in us through the cross life – where Christ is raising us upward in His resurrection grace as we consent to daily dying, the crucified life (2 Corinthians 4:10-12).

Dishing it Out to Others Exactly as You Want it Coming Back to You

“Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete (give out), it shall be measured to you again. 3And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:1-5

OVER THE LAST YEARS IN PARTICULAR, I HAVE WITNESSED SOME RENEGADE “WATCHMEN” WHO GOT A BIT TOO BIG FOR THEIR BRITCHES, WERE FILLED WITH PRIDE, AND WENT ABOUT SLANDERING OTHER CHRISTIANS, SOWING DISCORD AMONG THE BRETHREN (PROVERBS 6:19). GOD HAS AND IS JUDGING THEM HARSHLY ACCORDING TO THE MERCILESS MEASURE OF RULE THEY METED OR GAVE OUT TO OTHERS. IN THESE PARTICULAR CASES, THESE MEN WILLINGLY REFUSED TO FOLLOW CHRIST’S COMMANDS ON CORRECTING OTHERS IN THE BODY OF CHRIST AND THEREFORE CAUSED DIVISIONS CONTRARY TO THOSE TEACHINGS (MATTHEW 18:15-17; ROMANS 16:17-18; GALATIANS 6:1-2). GOD IS REWARDING US ACCORDING TO HOW WE TREAT OTHERS, BEGINNING WITH OUR ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS TOWARD THEM.

As we remain in God’s Word, the divine mirror, we continue to see just how sinful we are outside of Christ’s present saving grace (James 1:19-25; Romans 7:18). In this posture of heart, we shall never put our filthy hands of judgment around the necks of others who’ve wronged us (Matthew 18:21-35). Instead we will freely forgive them as we’ve been freely forgiven (Matthew 5:7; 10:8; Ephesians 4:32).

“For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass (mirror): 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” James 1:19-25 

Do We Desire Mercy from God? If So We Must Show it to Others

“For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.” James 2:13

Years ago, one particular fellow who maligned and attacked me for something I didn’t even do, rendered a judgment upon me. He said that my ministry is over. I sent him packing due to his continual, unprovoked, unwarranted attacks (which was also the consensus of several other mutual friends in Christ). Then, I went home and got in prayer with our Father and said “LORD, if You want my ‘ministry’ to be over, I praise You for it and for whatever You want to do with this life (mine) that You have given.” In other words, I was saying, “LORD, I don’t want to do so-called ‘ministry’ if you aren’t in it all the way anyway. I have no ministry – You do Father, and if You want to use me in whatever way You see fit, praise You for whatever way that might be. I am but Your mere servant and just want to be in Your perfect will. So, if I ever really had been used in ministry that glorified You, it was only due to YOU and nothing of me, for I am ‘altogether vanity’ according to Your Word, even in my very ‘best state.’” (Psalms 139:4-5)

Well, I’ve personally seen wicked imposters, counterfeits try to end the work of God in others only to be ruined, to be turn over to Satan themselves (Psalms 7, 9, 35; Matthew 7:2-5, etc.). Those they condemn usually go on to prosper!

You see, those who wrongly judge and condemn us make the deliberate choice to refuse to render aid (the mercy needed to restore) even as they have received aid from God (Galatians 6:1-2; Ephesians 4:32; 2 Timothy 2:24-26, etc.). In the blindness of their own heart due to their own sin and refusal to truly repent, they project that guilt on others in their condemnations (Romans 2:1-3; Hebrews 3:12-14). Unlike the Good Samaritan, they, like the merciless, hell bound religionists, pass by mercy and take hold of a judgment that belongs only to the Judge of all of our souls. Read afresh Luke 10:25-37.

The sins that should concern us most are our own sins!

Why then do we wrongly judge others in our attitudes when the one who needs Jesus most is us?

“But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?” Job 19:28 

When we truly humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, we will be bowed down low before Him and have nothing in us to wrongly cast stones at others. No, instead, we will be so smitten with our own darkness and the infinite, present need we ourselves have for His present mercy, that we will have no stone in our hand to throw at anyone. If we do, that person we would stone or chasten would be we ourselves!

What sin is not forgivable by God (other than the blasphemy of the Holy Ghost)? Name it please. Go ahead and tell us all exactly what sin you are condemning another for that can’t be forgiven by the blood of Jesus. …. Waiting…..

Woman Taken in the Act of Adultery Forgiven!

“So when they (the self-righteous) continued asking him (Jesus), he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her8And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” John 8:7-11

First Jesus forgives this woman and then tells her to “go, and sin no more.” The order is essential here in this transaction. Jesus came to heal, bless, deliver, forgive, and restore and not to condemn (Luke 4:18; 9:56; John 3:17).

If you have no need for divine mercy, stone those around you when they stumble. If you do realize your own infinite need for God’s mercy, throw God’s mercy at others! Restore! Bless! Love them with God’s love and help them – even your enemies! (Matthew 5:44; Romans 12:17-21; Galatians 6:1-2)

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” Matthew 5:44

WHEN you witness a brother or sister becoming weak, having a fault, or committing sin, GOD’s call for you is to help them be restored to Him and not to run them through with the rusty sword of your own self-righteous judgment (Galatians 6:1-2; James 1:20; Romans 8:33-34).

“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.  2Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:1-2

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

Message to those Condemned by Others

To those reading this who have been harshly condemned by other mere men for sins in your past or just false accusation, you should know that God has a place of refuge for you (Job 5:21; Psalms 31:20). Firstly, He alone is your judge and your sentence or state – your standing with Him – is in His holy hands ultimately (Psalms 17:2). He sees and knows you have confessed and repented.

“Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.  34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” Romans 8:33-34

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I come before You in and through Jesus Christ alone. I have no right or privilege to approach You outside of Him. Based on His precious blood, shed for my many sins and utter sinfulness, I come before Thee my God, broken and in desperate need of Your present and saving, sheer mercy. I now realize that it’s ME that needs to repent and I am the one in the greatest need of Your undeserved mercy. God, please forgive my sins, cleanse me now heavenly Father with Jesus’ blood. Forgive my hardened heart toward You and others. I beg You now to break me Father and make my heart very tender and restorative of others. Grant me the heart of flesh You ordained me to have. Father, in Jesus’ name, please use me to bring hurting, lost, fallen sheep back to Your bless-ed fold. I love You Jesus! LORD, please fill me with Your love today Jesus! According to Your parable of the prodigal son, I will rejoice with You and Your angels at the prospect of others being restored and brought home to You! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Abiding

“NEVER take a Vacation from God” [podcast]


God’s Word teaches us to be diligent in knowing and following Christ – even when the word diligent is not used.

Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually.” 1 Chronicles 16:11

Make the deliberate decision to “set…

“Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the Lord God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the Lord.”  1 Chronicles 22:19

“Don’t you EVER take a vacation from God!” said my first pastor.

This beloved  brother knew exactly what happens when the disciple relaxes in his seeking of the LORD. Think foolish virgins. The result can be deadly, irrevocably.

He was dead on in this warning. Give the flesh an inch and it will take a mile, right?

Have you ever slipped backward? If so, you know it started with just not reading God’s Word one day. That one day turned into two, three…. Right?

Never must this happen. The war is won in the now. You must “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

God requires that we “give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall” (2 Peter 1:10).

It’s only those who remain built up in Christ like the wise virgins of Jesus’ parable, who “keep” themselves “in the love of God” who are not going to fall away.

“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. … Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” Jude 20-25

Jesus warns:

“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41

How did this kind of wisdom get lost from us beloved of God?

The disciple must get out ahead of the flesh. He must be one step ahead – knowing by testimony of the Word and by personal experience that there is “NO good thing” in us other than Jesus (Romans 7:18). This is exactly why Paul also said things like:

“I die daily.” 1 Corinthians 15:31

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

Exhorting the sheep of Christ, one pastor said:

“Have fun this summer.  Enjoy the outdoors. Travel to see friends and family. Explore the world.  Just don’t take a vacation from God.  He loves you more than you can imagine and wants to keep refilling your sack with his awesome gifts so that you can keep sharing them with others in your life!”

“The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.” Proverbs 13:19

Various Quotes on the Importance of Diligence

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.”Calvin Coolidge

“But I never could have done what I have done, without the habits of punctuality, order, and diligence…”―Charles Dickens

“Prefer diligence before idleness, unless you esteem rust above brightness.”―Plato

“Diligence is the mother of good fortune.”Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

“Amateurs look for inspiration; the rest of us just get up and go to work.”―Chuck Close

“If he [Thomas Edison] had a needle to find in a haystack, he would not stop to reason where it was most likely to be, but would proceed at once with the feverish diligence of a bee, to examine straw after straw until he found the object of his search.”―Nikola Tesla

“Laziness looks at excuses as something to treasure while diligence always focuses on excuses as an inconvenience to be overcome.”Dr. Lucas D.  Shallua

“The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense.”―Thomas Alva Edison

“That which ordinary men are fit for, I am qualified in, and the best of me is diligence.”William Shakespeare

“Active valour may often be the present of nature; but such patient diligence can be the fruit only of habit and discipline.”―Edward Gibbon

“Diligence overcomes difficulties; sloth makes them.”―Benjamin Franklin

“The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.” Proverbs 26:13

In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.” Proverbs 14:23

“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;” 1 Peter 1:13

“Wherefore – Having such encouragement. Gird up the loins of your mind – As persons in the eastern countries were wont, in travelling or running, to gird up their long garments, so gather ye up all your thoughts and affections, and keep your mind always disencumbered and prepared to run the race which is set before you. Be watchful – As servants that wait for their Lord. And hope to the end – Maintain a full expectation of all the grace – The blessings flowing from the free favour of God. Which shall be brought to you at the final revelation of Jesus Christ – And which are now brought to you by the revelation of Christ in you.“―John Wesley

“Slothfulness (laziness, lack of diligence) casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.” Proverbs 19:15

Power Words Power our Lives!

Remember those power words your parents instilled in your growing up? Remember things like “readers are leaders”? How about “The early bird gets the worm”?

What are some of the good words your beloved parents instilled in you as a child that live on in your mind and heart daily?

My beloved father taught us five to “always be consistent.” Oh and these weren’t just words. Oh no. My brother and I are only 13 months apart and so when we started playing football at about 6 years old, my parents set us down and looked us in the eyes and said “If you start this football season, you WILL finish. We require it of you, so count the cost.”

Nothing replaces consistency. Say it out loud with me right now beloved of God – CONSISTENCY.

While we’re on this topic, I hope you won’t mind me saying that it is befuddling to see how people start doing something that works and then quit – from a work out program to a lifestyle change in eating and most devastatingly, serving God then quitting.

Wait a minute, you were doing _______ and it was working, was blessing you, and then you quit?

Hebrews 10:32-39

“But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;
33  Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.
34  For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.
35  Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.
36  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
37  For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
38  Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
39  But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”

Hebrews 6:9-12

“But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. 10 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.”

62 times the words “diligent,” “diligence,” and “diligently” appear in Holy Scripture.

Each time we read these words, they pertain specifically to serving God “diligently” with “diligence.”

“Diligent”

“He becometh poor (spiritually) that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich (spiritually).” Proverbs 10:4


“Diligence”

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


“Diligently”

appears 37 times in God’s Word

“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

“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;” Hebrews 12:15

“Keep your dukes up!”

Growing up boxing, from home training to being on a golden gloves team in high school, the command of the coaches was always and repeatedly “Keep your dukes up!”

Those who drop their dukes, their hands from covering their face, get hit, get knocked out.

Another sign on the wall of that boxing facility was: “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” unknown

We are going to go through what Jesus foretold:

“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” Matthew 24:21-22 

YOUR PRAYER: Holy Father, in the name of Jesus I come to You now. Please forgive my sins of self-idolatry, slothfulness, and spiritual adultery.


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Articles

How Do You Get Around the Idea That All Israel Shall be Saved? Steve Gregg [video]

“Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:” Romans 9:6

“The remnant shall be saved, not the race.” Steve Gregg

If one reads Romans Chapters 9-11, he will see that all the way through, it was only a remnant that would truly believe.” unknown

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Bearing the Precious Seed of God’s Word [podcast]


“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. 6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves (harvest) with him.” Psalms 126:5-6 

A harvest of blessed souls is going to be the result, the ministry produce, the fruit of all who bear and distribute, scatter the seed of the incorruptible Word of God into the hearts of men (1 Peter 1:23).

The LORD didn’t say “go explain who I am to other people.” No, He said “preach the word” and “preach the gospel” (2 Timothy 4:2; Mark 16:15).

Our cute little thoughts and sayings are not even within the same universe of power as the Word of God. Obey God. “Preach the word” (2 Timothy 4:2). We can’t explain someone into salvation. No, only God can draw and convict the lost soul and He instructed us to simply communicate His Word to them.

Instead of doing just another little video of yourself or posting a nice little saying, trying to entice people to Christ, why not just post HIS Word – the KJB? You and I have no power to save anyone, not even yourself (John 6:44; 12:32). Only Jesus can do that and He told you to go preach His Gospel and not try to entertain people into His kingdom (Mark 16:15).

“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it SHALL accomplish that which I please, and it SHALL prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11

When this revelation (recorded for us in Isaiah 55:11) truly hits and settles in your heart, you will never be the same.

People need to hear from God, not us. Have you memorized Isaiah 55:11?

IF Jesus taught something and we’re not teaching it – it’s because we are not following Him correctly – on HIS stated terms (Matthew 28:18-20; John 8:47; 2 Timothy 3:16; 4:2-4, etc.). Are you following Jesus Christ or mere man? Do you preach Christ and His doctrines from HIS Word or are you just regurgitating the pitiful poisons of mere men?

We are still very wise in our own conceits. May the LORD bless us to true repentance with the fruit of allowing God to speak for Himself by simply giving people His Word in His love and wisdom (Colossians 3:16; 2 Timothy 4:2, etc.).

Leveling endless explanations of the faith is futility if the person communicating is not speaking God’s very Word! God’s words are all-powerful because He spoke them and He alone is ALL-mighty. The Source of God’s words is God Himself and so inherent in His words are His power, His presence, His conviction (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Revelation 1:8, etc.).

The Word of God must become the emphasis and not us, not our wonderful, skillful explanations of who God is. After all, have we forgotten that He is infinite and we finite? Are we not but dust? See Psalms 103:14. Regrettably, many in our day have been elevated in the church world for being able to render endless explanations in their international apologetics ministries. Most of these same men used very little if any Scripture which means they helped no one. Many of those in the “Christian” audiences that elevated these men simply wanted to see the arguments of the enemy of souls defeated and not to be grounded deeply in God’s Word for themselves. One such man was the late Ravi Zacharias.

The Words of the Divine vs the Dust

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 “incorruptible seed” is the Word of God, it’s power packed with divine energy. If we are but “dust” before the Almighty, does that not convey just how futile it is to attempt to explain God and His will? Shall we choose to trust the divine or the mere dust created by the divine?

“Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. 14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. 16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.” Psalms 103:13-16

It’s not that we don’t speak our own words also in communicating to others in ministry, yet the substance of what we communicate in those moments is not our words but rather God’s words. He is divine and we are but dust.

In 1 Peter 1:23 Scripture informs us that people are “born again” by the “incorruptible seed” of the Word of God, not our explanation, not by our words.

“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11

It’s the Word that never returns back to God void, not our explanation. If you wish to be used of God powerfully, you must read, study, be resourceful with, and communicate HIS words.

When you encounter a person in darkness, don’t take it personally. No, rather, see it as an opportunity to kindly plant the seed of the Word of God in their heart – which never returns back to the LORD void but always accomplishes that which pleases Him (Isaiah 55:11). “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16).

The emphasis should not be on our ability to explain God but rather on his word and simply obeying him by preaching it. It’s the incorruptible seed that brings conviction of salvation not our words.

Did the LORD command His people to go explain to others who He is or to simply “preach the gospel”? Mark 16:15

“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

When you read, when you are daily studying God’s Word, do so with the truth in mind that God wants you learning of Him for your own relationship with Him and also to help others.

“That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.” Philemon 6

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” 1 Peter 3:15

Our LORD Jesus studied and knew the Word well. Notice how the Son of God readily navigated through the Holy Scriptures to find the exact Scripture He wanted to communicate:

“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

Notice another prominent biblical example of how true elders of Christ, as they stand before one or many people, put full emphasis on God’s Words and not their own. They concentrate and put full priority in God’s Word and not their own explanations:

“So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” Nehemiah 8:8

  1. read in the book in the law of God distinctly”
  2. gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.”

Note how these godly elders read God’s Word to the people and then gave the sense of it. This speaks for itself and reveals to us just who is a godly elder and who isn’t. Rare is the man today, in this late hour, who reads Scripture upon Scripture to the people. Many are so busy giving you their explanation that they have no concern that you are hearing the actual, literal words of the LORD. Sad.

Regrettably lots of people brag about their pastor and how he (supposedly) preaches the Word. In most cases it’s obvious that they’re telegraphing that they trust him, the mere man, the pastor and have no life with Christ in His Word daily for themselves – which the LORD commands (2 Timothy 2:15). Hell is full of people who took men at their word instead of loving God enough to find out what He said in HIS Word for themselves firsthand. Sad. If you don’t love God enough to pour over His words, His instructions, His promises, and His doctrines and warnings for yourself, you are in utter need of true repentance and to seek His holy face continually (1 Chronicles 16:11).

“But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15 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 3:13-17

Preach the Word

“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 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 4:1-4

The Parable of the Seed Growing

“And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; 27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. 28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. 29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.” Mark 4:26-29 

Getting in on the Gospel action begins with a simple prayer, perhaps something like this …. LORD, please prepare and use me for Your glory. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Support | STORE | PodcastsBecause 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 | Prepared to be Used of God  |

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