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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 her. 8And 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.

Do you want to get deeper into God’s Word? If so, send a reply requesting the “Moments with My Master” email that is sent out to edify Christ’s body.

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Apostasy

Beware of “Private Interpretation” [podcast]


NO MAN GAVE THE TRUTH AND NO MAN CONTROLS IT

ANY person who doesn’t uphold God’s Word as final divine authority on all matters of faith, is 100% “NOT of God” according to the Son of God (John 8:47).

“Let God be true and EVERY man a liar.” Romans 3:4

Is God or are mere men confused?

“For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.” 1 Corinthians 14:33 

Beware of those who violate, who speak contradictory to other parts of God’s Word in order to sell you on their “revelation.” Known truth, biblically stated truth must never be contradicted. The LORD is not confused and so we conclude that anyone upholding what they believe to be truth that contradicts known biblical truth, is confused at best. Beware of what the Holy Spirit calls “private interpretation.” (2 Peter 1:19-21) More in a moment on this.

Many seek to use commentaries, historians and the like to paint the picture, the outcome they desire because they do not love the LORD and therefore His truth. If God wanted us to have more it’d be in His Word…. I am not opposed to background information but that’s not divinely inspired Holy Scripture and many people try to change the outcome of biblical truth by using extra-biblical sources. Beware. They attempt to create a path to an unbiblical conclusion because they are “not valiant for the truth.” (Jeremiah 9:3)

It’s convoluted theology to speak against, contrary to the whole of the Word of God which among other things says “ALL scripture is given by inspiration of God.” (2 Timothy 3:16) Ignoring known, clearly stated Bible truth to perpetrate a certain view is bearing false witness against the LORD, is confusion, and is violence against the Holy Scriptures and the picture painted by the WHOLE of God’s Word. This is also a refusal to rightly divide the Word of truth but instead a deliberate, subjective ignoring of divine truth in order to perpetrate an agenda (1 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Timothy 2:15).

Many today interpret the Bible for their own self-serving purpose or liking, based on being predisposed to certain traditions, philosophies, and clichés. This is exactly what Jesus cited the false religionists of His day for doing (Mark 7:6-9).

God gave His Word to us and will reveal Himself and His will to each of His saints as they seek Him, studying His words thoroughly, diligently, daily. 

“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

God gave us the Holy Scriptures to reveal to us who He is and yet, the individual must come to Jesus personally to know Him and understand His Precepts, His kingdom truths. Like the religionists Jesus is addressing above, many who think they know God are not known of God at all because they refuse to truly repent and seek His holy face.

Exactly as Jesus warned, there are “many false prophets” today to accommodate counterfeits, tares (Matthew 7:15; 24:11).

Many times we hear men stand up to speak, claiming they’ve been studying a topic in the Bible extensively – and insinuating that on the basis of THEIR study, you should just buy wholesale everything they’re about the say. There are “many deceivers” operating today (2 John 7-11). Out of the pride of their hearts we hear men preface their message this way, boasting of their study, to set up and snare the unlearned, the gullible when in reality many of them have simply borrowed the errors of other men. Yet we must judge all that is taught against our own personal, diligent study of the whole of God’s Word and never buy the subjective claims of mere men. This is the very reason so many are deceived today. Following man’s supposed revelation, interpretations, instead of getting God’s revelation for ourselves, firsthand, is the recipe to be deceived. There are no shortcuts to personally, thoroughly studying the whole counsel of God’s Word for ourselves. | The Importance of Personal, Organic Bible Study 

This scenario often plays out when someone is teaching on the end times, claiming or insinuating that they have come up with special revelation. At times they will claim to definitely know and have figured out who the antichrist is, the specifics and timing of end time events, and secrets about these last days. Yet, at least some of those things they claim to have special knowledge of are not specifically, expressly written in the Bible. Beware of the “private interpretation” of mere men.

“We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Peter 1:19-21

God’s Word, the words of God recorded in Holy Writ, were inspired by the Holy Spirit and were not written from any mere man’s “private interpretation”, nor are the words of God to be twisted and done violence to by anyone today for their own “private interpretation” to promulgate their own view, doctrine, or agenda.

Notice in this passage above that through Peter, the Holy Spirit puts the personal responsibility upon the individual disciple to “take heed” to the Word of God, to study it daily, diligently as the revelation of Christ and His will rises in our hearts, dawns on us – “ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.”

God expects His people to study thoroughly and to know His Word for themselves.

“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

No man controls the truth nor does he control the interpretation of divine truth which is self-evident and to be first and foremost studied and understood by individual disciples. Yes, God calls elders out to teach HIS Word, to let God’s Word dwell richly among His people, and yet the LORD alone teaches the individual believers heart His truth (Colossians 3:16). This is the individual priesthood of each and every blood bought saint of Christ. Jesus saves the individual sinner first and foremost who is then and only then an individual member of His one body (Ephesians 4; 1 Corinthians 12).

“But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. 21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. …26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. 27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.” 1 John 2:20-27

Ultimately, and most importantly, God teaches each and every one of His individual saints – “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” (John 10:27)

Those who aren’t objective with the whole counsel of Scripture clearly prove their hearts are not honest, not authentic, and sincere before the LORD (Luke 8:15; John 7:16; 2 Corinthians 2:17; 2 Peter 3:16, etc.).

Beware of Being a “Back it Up” Bubba

Personally studying God’s Word from Genesis to Revelation, organically, is ultra-important. | The Importance of Personal, Organic Bible Study 

To “back up” a belief with Scripture seems to really mean: “I believe ABC doctrine and I’m hell bent on finding Bible verses to prove it!” In other words someone like this doesn’t really care what the whole of Scripture teaches as much as they care to hold on to some pet doctrine (it’s usually something to justify their sin such as the falsehood of eternal security).

Some put forth their subjective beliefs and defend those beliefs by saying “I can back everything up with scripture.” Satan can too as we see him do when tempting Jesus (Luke 4). The devil used Scripture out of context as many today do. Are we merely backing up what WE say and what WE currently believe with Scripture or are we simply reading and diligently studying the whole counsel of Holy Scripture and letting GOD speak for Himself as we “compare spiritual things (Scripture, known truth) with spiritual things”? (1 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Timothy 2:15) Big difference. Think about that. Men and devils can deceitfully make the Bible say anything THEY want it to say but that doesn’t make it biblically sound and true. We must beware of our own tendency to espouse and hold on to philosophies, notions, and doctrines that do not line up with the whole counsel of God’s Word and we must be corrected (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

“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 disciple of Jesus, without exception, will be ever more rooted and grounded in the final divine authority of the written Word of God.

Jesus told us exactly who is “of God” and who is “NOT of God.”

“He that is OF GOD heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are NOT OF GOD.” John 8:47

ALL who are “of God” uphold His Word as final divine authority, with no exception.

When discussing any matter, specifically spiritually, the main issue is what God’s Word says, which is His “truth” and when one is valiant for His truth, such a man will not rely on anything except God’s Word (Jeremiah 9:3; John 17:17). God says we can be CERTAIN about what He says concerning any topic revealed in His Word – “Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge, 21 That I might make thee KNOW the CERTAINTY of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?” (Proverbs 22:20-21)

We must honestly examine our own selves to see WHY we believe WHAT we currently believe. Discernment, “rightly dividing the word of truth” seem to be concretely connected to searching the Scriptures as we see with the Bereans who tested Paul and all that he taught, right? (2 Timothy 2:15; Acts 17:10-11) Lots of people who talk about discernment trust their own subjective discernment instead of letting the written WORD be their two edged sword of discernment (Hebrews 4:12). Many believe they are discerning correctly and yet aren’t daily, diligently being grounded in the written Word, which God will never contradict (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21).

The Berean Saints are a Great Example to us Today

“And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” Acts 17:10-11

May the reader be exhorted to become intimately familiar with the above passage, noticing that the Bereans didn’t even take Christ’s apostle Paul at his word. No, they “searched the scriptures daily” for themselves to see “whether those thing were so” that Paul was preaching.

As was the case with the Berean disciples who listened to Paul preach, God intends for us to partake in, to hear preaching and yet, all must be cross examined against our own personal searching of His Word for ourselves (2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16-17). On that note, do you remember when the LORD Jesus spoke to the woman at the well and how when He revealed Himself to her as the Messiah she ran out and told everyone? Yet, those men didn’t fully embrace Christ till they personally went to see Him for themselves.

“The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, 29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? 30 Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. … 42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.” Acts 4:28-30, 42 

No Greek or Hebrew is needed and is certainly not the main rule of interpretation. We must take God’s preserved Word for what it clearly states in our own language, as we compile, compound, put together Scripture with Scripture (Isaiah 28:16; 1 Corinthians 2:13). This is the method of priority in apprehending truth, the highest, stated rule of interpreting truth. A thorough gathering of all Scripture pertaining to the given study, is essential.

“TAUGHT OF GOD”

“It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all TAUGHT OF GOD. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.” John 6:45

“But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are TAUGHT OF GOD to love one another.” 1 Thessalonians 4:9

The LORD alone is “the truth”, gave us His truth – His written Word – and presides over it, teaching it to His people (John 14:6; Psalms 146:6, etc.). His written Word is final divine authority and taught by Him to His people in abiding relationship (John 14:26; 16:13-14).

Beware of “Private Interpretation”

Being crucified with Christ means one is emptied of self, self-will, self-agenda, and abandoned to God’s will. This means that such a person searches out and embraces the biblical truth, no matter where it leads. He never bends the truth to try to fit a tradition or doctrine but rather reject any previous believed notion when the Word says differently (Romans 3:4; 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:15-17, etc.).

Those who engage in the sinful activity of privately interpreting Scripture, do so because …

  1. They themselves are un-repentant, not denying self, taking up the cross, and following Jesus (Luke 9:23-24; 2 Timothy 4:2-4)
  2. They refuse to let God be true and every man a liar – beginning with their own wicked hearts (Romans 3:4)
  3. They value tradition about divine truth (Mark 7:6-9)
  4. They do no hold God’s Word as final divine authority though they claim to (John 8:47)
  5. They refuse to be honest with the whole counsel of Holy Scripture (2 Timothy 2:15; 3:15-17)

Beware of those who seek to control the interpretation of God’s Word – those who impose their own notions and doctrine onto God’s truth. There are many who read things into Scripture which are not in the Scriptures. Let’s read again our central passage:

“We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20 Knowing this first, that NO PROPHECY OF THE SCRIPTURE IS OF ANY PRIVATE INTERPRETATION. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Peter 1:19-21

“Private interpretation” seems to point to the agenda and act of self application based on tradition or preconceived notions. Not allowing God to speak for Himself via a thorough study of the whole counsel of His written Word. Application or interpretation based on self desires or that which conforms to some extra-biblical notion or doctrine of men.

Here’s the Greek word for “private”

G2398
ἴδιος
idios
id’-ee-os
Of uncertain affinity; pertaining to self, that is, one’s own (agenda); by implication private or separate: – X his acquaintance, when they were alone, apart, aside, due, his (own, proper, several), home, (her, our, thine, your) own (business), private (-ly), proper, severally, their (own).

Greek word for “interpretation”

G1955
ἐπίλυσις
epilusis
ep-il’-oo-sis
From G1956; explanation, that is, application: – interpretation.
Total KJV occurrences: 1

Not only did the Holy Ghost give us God’s written Word, but also it’s the Holy Ghost that teaches individual saints. Here’s how:

“Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which THE HOLY GHOST TEACHETH; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” 1 Corinthians 2:13

Believers are “taught of God” as they study and collate Scripture. This is never to be infringed upon or controlled by elders. That’s one reason for the plurality of elders in the local expressions, the gatherings of Christ’s body. There’s safety in a plurality of elders who should thereby be held accountable and rebuked when needed (Titus 1:5, etc.).

As Christ’s saints continue “stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers”, they compare, put together, collate line upon line, Bible verse upon Bible verse, in ordain to be “taught of God” His truth (Acts 2:42; Colossians 3:16). 

“Reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine”

RED FLAG: When you witness a man, an elder, who dodges or doesn’t want certain BIBLE verses read, due to that truth contradicting his tradition/heresy, you know you have a man who is in need of repentance (Mark 7:6-9). Such a man’s heart is not captive to the Word of God. He has his own evil agenda. Such a wolf will seek to impose his doctrine of men and devils on others and must be rebuked.

“Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. 20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.” 1 Timothy 5:19-20

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” 2 Timothy 4:2

The root reason people choose the lie of OSAS is that they simply refuse to truly repent and lay down their lives in this fleeting world. So they are willing to wax over and avoid mountains of biblical truths and warnings. They have their own agenda they hold in reserve. They are not given over to Christ. They believed and were saved and yet didn’t continue in the truth – which Jesus says is essential.

Many times, the ones who cry “context, context, context” are those taking God’s Word out of context in order to perpetrate their heresy. They don’t want the real context because though they pose as Christians, they are not men of truth and so don’t honestly follow the Word of God honestly, no matter where it may lead. They don’t like the context of Holy Scripture – because it simply doesn’t say what they want it to say. They have a predetermined outcome, a doctrinal goal they want to reach and are willing to bait and switch, do acrobats, and ignore Scripture that doesn’t agree with their heresy. These are not honest people. Their goal is to reach their predetermined conclusion.

The Bible reveals that un-repentant people migrate to false teachers, false doctrines (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

“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 4:3-4

Counterfeits invent ways to excuse themselves from accountability to Scripture. Though they regularly and selectively refer to and read the Old Testament Scriptures, when you quote or read them Holy Scripture from the Old Testament to expose OSAS, they will scream “but that’s Old Testament!” Nice try. But “ALL scripture” is given to New Testament saints and we are told that we are taught by those very Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:17; Romans 15;4; 1 Corinthians 10:11). Also, this same truth as is taught in the passage below, is also taught and confirmed all over the New Testament and from Genesis to Revelation.

“Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? 12 Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth. 13 When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.” Ezekiel 33:11-13

Eternal Security is a Lie from Hell.

The Ultimate Teacher is Divine

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” John 14:26

“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” John 16:13-14

GOD alone “keepeth truth”, is the Divine Source and Steward of His Truth

“…the LORD his God: 6 Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:” Psalms 146:6

Notice the Hebrew word for “keepeth” here….

H8104

שָׁמַר

shâmar

shaw-mar’

A primitive root; properly to hedge about (as with thorns), that is, guard; generally to protect, attend to, etc.: – beware, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep (-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch (-man).

Total KJV occurrences: 468

Discipleship | Taught of God

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Abiding

The Benefits of Knowing and Delighting in the LORD [podcast]


Delighting ourselves in Him

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

Loving God with a Whole Heart, our Whole Being

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40

Abiding in Christ, Asking

“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” John 15:7

Jesus Must Be Our “First love”

“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

“That Your Joy May be Full”

“And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.” John 16:23-24

“That is the only place I want to be at the feet of Jesus drinking in His word. Soaking up all He has to say to me! I do not ever want to be arrogant enough to believe I can make it without Jesus. Everyday I tell Him how much I need Him. I am nothing without Jesus!! Oh how I long to be with Him! Yearning for the day when I shall see Him in the clouds. Coming to take us home! Hallelujah!” Karen Cochran

Truly Delighting in the LORD

“Many take this verse out of context (Psalm 37:4). For many years all I would hear Christians say was, ‘He will give you the desires of your heart.’ This then becomes all about you. They would leave out the first part, which says you must delight yourself in the Lord. I came to realize that when you delight in Him, He changes your heart, and you begin to desire what He desires. He aligns your heart with His heart!” Karen Cochran

The subject matter of your prayers reveals if you are about you, or about Jesus.

To illustrate our relationship with Christ, one write of old noted:

“The life of self is death.

The death of self is life.”

There cannot and will not be a resurrection until there is a death. Death and burial must precede raising up. Read Romans 6 each morning this week and ask God to help you life a doornail dead life!

Am I delighting in the LORD? If not, how can He possibly grant the desires of my heart?

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

When we delight in the LORD, our lives are crucified with Christ, we are one with Him and He is filling our hearts with His desires – to worship, love, and obey Him. What we ask Him for in prayer will change. Instead of “LORD, please give me this or that fleeting trinket,” it will be “LORD, please let this life be crucified with Thee. Help me to love You more. Use me to edify Your people and minister Your bless-ed Gospel to the lost souls You died and raise against to save.”

“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 8:29

Run from any wolf who is not squaring you up regularly to inform you that the LORD mandates your death so that He can fill and raise your life upward, Heavenward, for His eternal glory.

YOUR PRAYER: Holy Father, thank You so very much for sending Your only begotten Son to find, rescue, forgive, and save me into Your glorious eternal kingdom. Please help me to know and love You more. Sanctify my life and conform me to the image of Christ. Please wash me afresh with Your precious blood LORD Jesus. Use me to help others know You dear LORD. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Abiding

Cons and Crooks who Do Not Preach the Cross [podcast]


“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18

Those who do not preach the cross prove that they believe the cross is “foolishness.”

The know that many will leave if they were to preach the crucified life. And they are in it for the money, the acceptance of mere men, not Christ. Make no mistake, the Holy Ghost through Paul warned us specifically about this generation of counterfeits, these “evil men and seducers” who “wax worse and worse.” (2 Timothy 3:13)  They’ve raised up a generation of self-love counterfeits who have a mere “form of godliness” and are “denying the power (authority of Jesus) thereof: from such turn away.” (2 Timothy 3:1-13)

The con men who commandeer today’s apostate church world want you “in church” so they get paid and yet where did the apostle Paul or any of the apostles instruct anyone to go find a good church or “attend church every Sunday”? Chapters and verses please

Why is lack of attending a local fellowship listed as a sin in the New Testament canon?

What qualifies a man to be an elder? certainly not seminary which are wolf factories invaded by the jesuits in 50’s and 60’s. All seminarians are vatican indoctrinated. The first they the jesuits did was replace the real Bible, the KJB with fake vatican corrupted new version “bibles.”

In His Great Commission command, did Jesus ever command “Go ye into all the world and find a church and be a fruitless, lukewarm, good church member?” OR …. Go teach and preach my Word? (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15)

In the early days of the Gospel, when persecution hit Jerusalem, God’s Word records this: “Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.” (Acts 8:4) This clearly reveals that they were equipped by the apostles “for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:” (Ephesians 4:11-12) Jesus and apostles never trained anyone to become good church members or attenders.

IF YOU ARE ARGUING TO PUSH THE IDEA THAT ALL DISCIPLES OF JESUS MUST GO TO A SUPPOSED “OFFICIAL” CHURCH BUILDING ON SUNDAY MORNINGS AND YET YOUR OWN PASTOR ISN’T CONSTANTLY PREACHING THE CRUCIFIED LIFE AS AN ABSOLUTE ORIGINAL GOSPEL ESSENTIAL….. THIS IS CLEAR PROOF YOU ARE SITTING UNDER WOLVES AND NOW DEFENDING THEM AND WILL BE JUDGED WITH THEM (2 John 9-11).

Isn’t it interesting that those who push the “go to church” agenda are the ones who stand to profit from such? Are you being made merchandise of? (2 Peter 2:1-3)

Christ’s true disciples do what HE did – direct you to the cross, the crucified life – and not some apostate modern church run by a fake pastor, using a fake “bible”, and preaching a fake “Jesus.” WHAT did Jesus teach was necessary to follow Him – going to church or taking up the cross, living the crucified life, daily?

“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” Luke 9:23-24

“Many try to crucify their flesh in their own strength. This is impossible. It takes a complete and total surrender to Jesus first. Then the Holy Spirit will show you all the ways you are not like God. Then it is not a struggle. You let Jesus have control. Your job is to obey and take your flesh to the cross to be nailed there. Dead and buried. This is how the fruits of the Spirit are born in us! If we are saved by the blood of Jesus, we will not let sin reign in our mortal bodies. We now have the power of Christ to resist sin. It should never have dominion over us. We are now servants of righteousness and holiness. We are to walk in the newness of life that we have in Christ. Do not serve sin! Serve Jesus!” Karen Cochran

Is the cross, the crucified daily life essential to following Jesus? Yes or no?

“And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:27 

Memorize Galatians 2:20 today. Meditate upon and live it daily.

“But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.” Luke 19:27

“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:” Amos 8:11

Fellowship with other saints is vital and yet we have to navigate these times of apostasy.


MESSAGE RECEIVED:

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” is a Biblical command (Hebrews 10:24-25). It was also demonstrated and practiced in the early church (Acts 4:31, Acts 11:26, Acts 15:25, Acts 20:7, Romans 12:3-8, 1 Corinthians 11:17-34, 1 Corinthians 14:23-26, 1 Corinthians 16:1-2) . Missionaries may not always be able to attend the local church that sent them out but their heart is there and a big part of the mission should be establishing new local churches, like Paul did. All believers should desire to meet with fellow like minded Scriptural believers for fellowship, labor, and worship together unto God. Those without a body mentality are self centered.”

REPLY:

As Jesus commanded, the earliest followers of Jesus cross-walked with Jesus “daily” and fellowshipped “daily.” (Luke 9:23-24; Acts 2:46; 5:42). Today we have people who are impressed with themselves for meeting weekly in a setting that is called “church” that is not even biblical. Churchianity vs Christianity.

Acts 2:42 – “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” This is the true model of simple, Christ-centered fellowship. Regrettably the bureaucracy mob of wolves infiltrated long ago. Most local “churches” are commandeered by seminarian wolves (Ezekiel 22:25-27). In the first decades after Christ was raised from the dead, the apostle Paul wept bitterly over the hoards of wolves who would come and make a busine$$ out of the church, who would devour the sheep of Christ, for whom He came and died (Acts 20:20-32). Jesus had already cleansed the temple in divine fury over this very thing (Matthew 21; John 2). They the apostle Peter warned us of those who would “make merchandise of you.” (2 Peter 2:1-3)

“Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse.” 2 Timothy 3:13

Missionaries and others who are truly born again and find Biblical fellowship even daily, instead of weekly, are no less assembling than those who meet in a designated building once weekly.

We still do not see Jesus or the apostles operating rigidly or perhaps much at all with a regimented Sunday morning meeting, nor their insistence that all Christians the world over do such. It was more of a lifestyle, not a Sunday morning visit to a country club as is mostly what we see today. Telling new Christians to go “find a church” in their area is a dangerous proposition especially in this late hour where Jesus promised, foretold that “MANY false prophets shall arise and shall deceive MANY.” (Matthew 24:11) Most “church” organizations are 501(C)(3) which alone means they sold out to the state, rejecting the rulership of the Savior…. and now the state dictates what, when, and where they can preach. The covid scamdemic exposed this – how over 90% of these state owned “churches” are utterly false. Those wolves took orders from the State, not the Savior who commands us to fellowship and if they have true fellowship, why didn’t they continue? They are compromised.

WHAT fruit has the modern church produced? Can we count on more than 1 hand the amount of people we know who are ardent church members (unbiblical) who are also in the Word daily, deny self and taking up the cross daily, and who are evangelizing. There are very few. Jesus says His people are a “little flock.” (Luke 12:32) The modern church wolves who pretend to represent Christ have produced a generation of counterfeits.

WHO did God tell us are His?

“And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” Galatians 5:24

When’s the last time you heard, outside of a “church” building. a faithful church goer laud and celebrate Jesus Christ, testifying of His precious blood and glorious resurrection? Churchianity isn’t Christianity. So many counterfeit modern church goers brag about and are proud of their church and pastor and yet few if any of those same people testify from their own mouths and lives the glories of the bless-ed nail scarred risen Savior. They are not upholding Christ, the Head (Colossians 2:18-19).

Many modern church assemblies do not equal true Bible fellowship, assembling which will always exalt Jesus Christ, not the elders, the organization, or the church.

YOUR PRAYER: Holy Father I come to You now in the name of Jesus, knowing what you said my life should be and yet not knowing how this is to come about. Please increase my faith. I love You LORD. Here and now I turn to You in repentance, asking You to forgive my many sins of not being thankful to You, of selfishness, self-idolatry, rebellion, and unbelief. Please wash me clean, afresh, in the precious blood of my LORD Jesus. Change me dear LORD. Conform me to the image of Christ. Please fill me with Your Holy Ghost and use me to win the lost and help Your people as we eagerly anticipate Your soon return. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Each of us is blessed with good ministries we are surrounded by. They feed us and they are winning souls (street preachers, God called Bible teachers, etc). Please pray for and support them saints (Galatians 6:6; Philippians 1:19, etc.). This way we are all, each member of Christ’s body, participating in the Great Commission mandate He gave us – and is coming back to take account of the stewardship of our lives – time, talent, treasure, etc. (Ephesians 4:11-16, etc.). Let’s roll saints. Jesus is coming.

The Daily Cross

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