Church Membership, Manipulation, and Money [podcast]
Is there a connection between church membership and money?
“Her princes (leaders) in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.” Ezekiel 22:27
There is no evidence in the New Testament of what we see today perpetrated as “church membership.” Church membership is merely a tool in the arsenal of modern pastors to capture the souls and the money of those ensnared by it.
“Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.” 2 Corinthians 1:24
In the above verse, we see how Jesus’ apostle Paul expressly states that His calling from God is to help the joy, to bless the saints of Christ and never to control or manipulate them – as we see being done through the wolves who operate the church system today.
Church membership today is nothing more than a device of wolves to corral and exploit the people! There’s no biblical justification for it.
Corralling people using weekly “services” in a physical building doesn’t make any man a true prophet unto the LORD. The only thing this ascertains is that such a man is a real estate manager who is conducting a business.
Those with an agenda prove they are not “crucified with Christ” and will only use you! Beware. This is 99% of those in ministry today! Run.
Men who are truly serving the LORD do not seek to control or exploit GOD’s people (2 Corinthians 1:24).
Jesus Christ didn’t come and die for you so that you could be somebody’s good church member. Jesus saved you to be His disciple, His ambassador – to follow Him! (2 Corinthians 5:17-20)
Yes God ordained that there be elders in His body to feed and equip His the members of the one church and yet, not as is many times positioned and performed in the modern church world (1 Peter 5:1-6).
CHECK THE FRUIT: What have the local churches with their church membership corralling ever produced other than a bunch of church goers who are part of a church club? Where are the voices for Jesus is the market places? Look at the fruit of today’s modern churches. It is not reconcilable with the authentic New Testament disciples we see on the pages of the New Testament canon. Acts 1:8; 4:29-31, and 8:4 anyone?
Church membership is a tool to run a scam on the people – to number them as Satan led David to do (1 Chronicles 21). The LORD judged David for doing this and is judging the wolves today who coercively promulgate their church membership scam. God’s people belong to HIM and no other (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 7:23, etc.). They’ve discovered that “membership” into something causes people to believe they belong and therefore they are more willing to pay due$.
THINK: Let’s follow the money for a moment. In many cases, seminaries are connected to church denominations, right? Okay, so this incentivizes those seminaries to teach “church membership” to the future pastors because that sets the flow of money in motion. When the pastors teach, coerce, and obtain church membership, the money follows. Members feel obligated to give and support what they join, signed up for, and are participating in. There are now part of the club. Real simple business plan.
“Listening to your podcast about church membership. Really good message and I have left my church membership as I think it’s not biblical. The reason I went to this was because I was lonely and it was all for the wrong reasons. I find churches today are like a social club and lack of teaching. Thank you Todd and God bless you.” Penny
Can anyone find church membership in God’s Word among the earliest followers of Jesus? No. If someone is concerned about you becoming a member of their church, that’s a red flag. WHY can’t they just love you as a member of the one blood bought body of Christ? Church membership as it’s done by the 501(C)(3) government churches is against Holy Scripture. Run.
These church membership beguilers know that if they get the member$, the money follows! It’s a busine$$ to them!
CHURCH MEMBERSHIP SCAM BUSTED! Regrettably, millions have signed up to serve and fund a “church”, a false ministry which has as its initiation rite, the scam of “church membership” – something never taught nor enacted by Christ and His apostles. Once you agree to it, an evil spirit follows. This is the deeds and the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which Jesus says He hated! (Revelation 2:6, 15) Nico-Lains; Nico means to conquer and laitans means the people. Nicolaitans means – conquer the people. Beware. Anyone who wishes to debate me on this topic public, come forward. email Todd at: info@safeguardyoursoul.com
Church membership is for nobody’s good except those peddling it. Church membership is designed to make you loyal to their church club, not Christ.
THINK: Let’s follow the money for a moment. In many cases, seminaries are connected to church denominations, right? Okay, so this incentivizes those seminaries to teach “church membership” to the future pastors because that sets the flow of money in motion. When the pastors teach, coerce, and obtain church membership, the money follows. Real simple business plan.
“They want you to become members so you will be obligated to give to tithe to pay the pastor’s mortgage.” Darrel Moore
Many of today’s pastors are con men, marketers, salesmen. Seminaries today are heavy on marketing classes. These greed-driven nicolatain wolves use flattery to set the trap, to spread a net under the feet of their prey in order to snare them. They flatter their prey in order to get them to sign up for their church club where they are expected to participate by giving to fund the club.
“A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.” Proverbs 29:5
If you’ve seen what I’ve repeatedly witnessed, you have observed in some instances, that after the honeymoon period, after they’ve gotten you to sign up for their club, to become a member, the flattery subsides, unless they are dealing with the rich of this world.
The church system, including church membership, has produced horrible fruit, counterfeits, backsliders. Where are the soul winners? No where to be found in the modern church. Satan has succeeded through our rebellion. Fellowship and seeking God is limited to their so-called “church attendance.” Instead of being the church (people of God), they replace it with “going to church” or “service.” It becomes what people trust in. Their “worship” is simply going to church. This is completely un-scriptural. Jesus says “This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” (Matthew 7:6) Modern Church Exposed
Church membership produces church members with no good fruit. Being truly born again and humbly abiding obedient in Christ produces the good fruit that clearly proves one is in truly Christ (John 15).
“Church” attendance was never ordained by God to displace, to replace the personal study of His Word and the natural, daily, organic fellowship of individual saints. Church membership endears the people, the prey, to the organization and it’s leaders and members and not to the LORD Himself. This has displaced the individual priesthood and fellowship God ordained for each and every individual believer. Lots of people replace personally diligently seeking the LORD with going to “church.” They either merely dabble with or don’t even personally study God’s Word for themselves and yet are members in good standing at these local entertainment centers many call “church.” The pastors have sold them on this lifestyle by promoting and emphasizing church membership and not discipleship.
“Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.” 1 Peter 5:3
If the members of Christ’s body are “GOD’s heritage”, what can be added? What did Jesus leave undone? Why do some insist upon getting them to sign up for something else, some club? Is this not a clear example of lording it over “God’s heritage”? Perhaps much evil can be traced back to this trap, this cursed root, practice.
You are bought by the blood of Jesus and the property of God, not man! Get off the roll call of church membership now! Sever the yoke of bondage! By doing this you are denouncing trust in the flesh, in mere men, and declaring that you are Christ’s! You belong to He who bought You with His blood on the cross!
“Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.” 1 Corinthians 7:23
“No more membership of man’s fellowship club.
God is the Savior of all men, especially
those who believe.
God has ushered in by holy blood fellowship
in the Spirit and there is only one way to enter.
John 14:6” David Taylor, pastor
Do God’s People Need to Join a “Church” in Order to “Love One Another”?
“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John 13:35
Have these words of our LORD and Savior been hi-jacked? Recently I read the subtitle of a pro-church membership pastor’s book which read: “How the world knows who represents Jesus.” These words seem designed to convince people that they must join his or a local church organization to walk in God’s love toward His people. Nonsense.
It’s interesting that some of the proponents of formal church membership to their local “church” are now teaching that the world knows God’s people by their connection to what they call “church”, local church membership. Being knowing of Christ, purchased by His precious blood and therefore in His one church isn’t enough so they say. Loving one another doesn’t seem to apply to those who aren’t signed up on their church roll call.
In the above verse, did Jesus say anything the the blood-bought members of His body about signing up to be a member of a local church? Did you read that in John 13:35 or anywhere in the New Testament? No. It’s not there.
In the teaching, the theology of these enterprising wolves, somehow being purchased by the very blood of Jesus is not enough if one doesn’t join a local “church.” They take what Jesus plainly taught a step further by adding to what He taught. Where is church membership as the false church promotes found in John 13:35 or any part of the Scriptures? Nowhere. They say that church membership is required in order to show the world how much love Christians have “one to another.” (John 13:34-35) This is clearly an example of adding to the Word of God (Revelation 22:18-19). Dangerous. Erroneous. Since when was Jesus’ cross not enough to save then unite His people who are full of His love for Him and each other? I’d ask them to use Scripture to demonstrate that Christ’s cross wasn’t enough and how being a part, a formal member of their “church” club is somehow even important, much less necessary. This is trickery being used by greedy, self-serving wolves who are making merchandise of God’s people for their own self-serving purposes (2 Peter 2:1-3). Are these pastors not using the name of the LORD in vain by using His holy name, His holy Word in vain, to coercively manipulate people to believe they have to join their local church?
Fellowship with the people of God is commanded and a necessity for every born again saint. Yet, such doesn’t require being a roll call member of a local church club. There’s no end to the number of ways many pastors manipulate the minds of the people, convincing them that going to their church club is a necessity and that fellowship is defined as being a part of that group. Utter nonsense.
The salesmen we call “pastors” today have to sell you on the notion that you need them. But the Bible informs us that we need 1. Jesus, and, 2. His true body, not those who are practicing the witchcraft of making you a member of their “church” instead of honoring the truth that when God saved you, through the blood of Jesus, He already made you a member of His one true body/church (Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 2, 4). 11 times the New Testament uses the term “one body.” And, the apostle Paul severely rebuked the Corinthians for sectarianism – “For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. 13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?” (1 Corinthians 1:11-13)
FLASH POINT: You were purchased at the highest price – the very precious blood of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19). You are first and foremost the servant of the Most High, who paid the highest price to purchase you to Himself. You are accountable to Your Maker, Your Redeemer, not mere men who deceitfully pose as His elders and yet act outside of His stated will, His Word. Church membership into a local body, becoming a member, is not of God, period. There is not one instance of Jesus or His apostles practicing church membership into a local church group as is done today.
PLEASE SHARE THIS POST: Church membership in a local gathering is a huge sacred cow that must be exposed for the tyrannical device that it is. It’s Satan whom Jesus says has come “to steal, to kill, and to destroy.” (John 10:10)
Church membership is nothing more or less than a device to control, manipulate, and exploit people.
Modern church leaders claim to be the LORD’s elders and yet they’re doing something Christ and His apostles, the original New Testament elders, never once did – church membership tyranny.
Modern wolves often use Hebrews 13:7, 17 to convince their prey to submit to them. Yet, a close reading of those verses, when you see the conditions, disqualifies most would-be elders as frauds. Why? Because they’re not truly leading you in the Word nor honestly overseeing your soul. If they were, they wouldn’t be practicing church membership to exploit you.
Modern church leaders sell people on how they have to have their membership into the church club in order to give them (the people) the benefits of THEIR leadership, to train them, to oversee them, to teach them. But did Jesus or His apostles practice “church membership”? No. What further price needs to be paid on top of the already shed precious blood of Jesus for God’s people to be His church and to function as His church? Are you beginning to smell a rat? There’s more….
SEEMS to me that God wants His people, first and foremost, to operate as individual disciples of HIS …. read this closely saints….
“For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant. 23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. 24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.” 1 Corinthians 7:22-24
WHY can’t they just let you be your own person? WHY do they feel the need to bring you under their leadership? Did the LORD address this in His Word? He sure did. Take a close look at this verse and capture it for your knowledge, safety, and liberty in Christ:
“While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.” 2 Peter 2:19
It’s through the lie that they teach you that you need to become a member of their church that they bring you into bondage. This is how they operate. The lie is the bait to get you to take it, to join, and then the hook is set. They throw the net to catch your feet as they set the hook in you to bring you into their boat.
Memorize this, meditate on this nugget of divine truth. The LORD told on His enemies by showing how they operate: “of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.” 2 Peter 2:19
How are people “overcome”, that is, how are they brought under the rulership of other mere men? How are they brought into servitude to other men? Via church membership, initiation and indoctrination into a system that is not the kingdom and doesn’t come with the blessing of Jesus Christ, the only “Head” of the true church.
Greek for “Overcome” in 2 Peter 2:19:
to make worse, that is, vanquish (literally or figuratively); by implication to rate lower: – be inferior, overcome.
QUESTION: Why do cattle ranchers capture, corral, and brand their cattle?
ANSWER: To exercise control over them. To make money off of them. Right? Yes.
QUESTION: Are you cattle, an animal or are you created in the very image of God? Why then do you allow yourself to be under the bondage of sinful men instead of directly submitted to the only “Head” of the true church?
Wolf Lies Leads to Wasted Lives
Also, have you ever stood back and wondered by the modern church system is not producing true disciples? What is the issue? There’s lots of church-membership, church attendance transpiring. So why so little kingdom fruit is being produced?
Case in point:
How many people do you know who are good church members and also astute biblical students who can earnestly defend and contend for the faith?
Do we really think that what we see, the wasted lives whose life is sucked out via the modern local church experience, is what God intended for His New Testament saints? What God had in mind when He sent His only begotten Son, looks much different than what the apostate modern church world is producing – which is basically perpetual church goers.
ARE you seeking to get people to your “church” or to JESUS?
What is the fruit of your life? Are you merely a church member who attends a so-called church “service” weekly? Are you truly a disciple who is bearing the fruit consistent with true repentance and kingdom living?
Churchianity vs Biblical Christianity-a real walk with Jesus. Which do you have?
Have you read the books of Acts lately? THAT’s God’s will for His New Testament church. It would do us well to studiously read and pour prayerfully over this great book of Acts. Among other things, the book of Acts is a historical record of the earliest followers of Christ after Pentecost which marks the beginning of the New Testament church.
Hint: The only reason someone would want you to sign up as their church member is because they have an agenda. Plain and simple.
Paul said he didn’t exercise dominion over the faith of others. So, why do nearly all local churches today seek to do so by conquering their prey via the right of passage, through church membership into their system? Let’s read again the words of Christ’s apostle Paul who insisted that individual saints be left autonomous:
“Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.” 2 Corinthians 1:24
It’s through church membership that the people are brought into the system so the wolves can exercise “dominion” over Christ’s sheep. Then it by the system that they exercise dominion over the people. The system is the oppression. This is why the earliest saints operated autonomously – outside of the system. They system we see in the New Testament Scripture were the worse enemies of our LORD and we know that because they received the hardest rebukes from Him (Matthew 23).
The initiation is the obtaining of membership. Then, under that deceiving spirit, people are fearful to go against the system, the church rules and regulations and the leaders. So, they’ve surrendered their rights if you will. They’ve surrendered to the system and dropped their God-given ability and responsibility of reasoning. Remember how the Berean believers took Paul to task as they weighed all he spoke against the final authority of the Scriptures? (Acts 17:10-11) Now, when the captor is under the system, he’s now a yes man, a man who won’t go against the grain and like every good cult, when someone questions the system, they have to be disciplined and excommunicated if necessary.
Further evidence of the cultic nature of this scenario where leaders indoctrinate and put a spell on the people, is that even good men who are biblical are prone to fall into this heresy, to be led into it, and say nothing as they simply go with the flow (Exodus 23:2). This is proof of an evil spirit at work, just as it happened to the Galatians who were “bewitched.” (Galatians 3:1)
“O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?” Galatians 3:1
Modern wolves who perpetrate the practice “church membership”, which is never seen in Holy Scripture, do so because they want you to check your discernment, your God-given reasoning faculties at the door. Why? They want to control you and they don’t want to be questioned or exposed.
Now, WHY do we think they call their meetings a “service”? The Bible never calls the gatherings, the assemblies of God’s people a “service.” WHO are the people really SERVING? Under whose servitude have they submitted? See 2 Peter 2:19.
Did the Early Church Practice Church Membership as it’s Practiced Today?
Nearly anything can be extrapolated using Scripture out of context and yet, the test is whether or not Jesus and His apostles and the early church practiced such. And, they didn’t practice it. Church membership, as we see it in the modern church world, began with the roman catholic church and is not biblical. Also, it causes sectarianism which Jesus rebuked (Luke 9:49-50). Church membership is all about corralling and controlling the sheep of Christ’s pasture.
Let’s not deceive ourselves – most churches, church organizations are a business and operate according to a busine$$ model:
- Membership = Money
- Connection = Coin
“Once all the apostles were killed off, this system, including church membership, was set up, denying the headship of Christ.” David Taylor (pastor)
Obtaining new members, church membership, new members classes are a part of the church busine$$ $ystem to corral, control, and con the members and most diabolically, to intercept their reasoning, their resources, and their rightful place with Christ, the only “Head” of His body (Colossians 1:18; 2:18-19).
“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.” 2 Peter 2:1-3
Most modern local churches are busine$$e$ for the profit of men, not God.
The church membership push is the push perpetrated by greed-driven beguilers to corral, to unduly leverage, to wield ungodly control over God’s people and their resources – time and money. Beware. Run.
Here’s a pitch I ran across on a church website:
“Being a member is your way of saying, ‘I’m all in with the _______ Church Family.’ Membership at _______ Church is a commitment to our family, and a commitment from our family to you.”
Note that the basis, the measure of being “all in” is being sold as joining that local church. And so it’s all about that church family and not the whole body of Christ. It’s about that so-called church “family” instead of “the whole family in heaven and earth is named.” (Ephesians 3:15)
The assembling of God’s people is to be for fellowshipping with God and His people (Acts 2:42). Since the early church, a whole system of antichrist interceptions has been perpetrated by a priesthood of wolves. Anti means in place of. Notice the origins of this system of pushing Christ out. ……. Colossians 3:1-4. Putting ANYTHING in place of Christ is antichrist.
Church membership = control. They want control of you so they can control your resources, your money. Satan has a much larger plan – to control your mind, to quench the work of the Holy Spirit of God in your life.
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 to grave. Essentially, in this way the Roman cult corrals and coerces the insistence of membership upon every initiated, water-sprinkled/christened catholic child. Without that cult-initiation rite, that membership to the Roman religion, that person is considered outside of salvation, outside of the “one true church.” Through church membership in the Catholic church, the completely un-biblical sacramental system is enforced. The Catholic sacramental system is the creation, the strategy of devils, designed to strengthen the piety of the Catholic faithful throughout their lives, guiding them safely into the bowels of eternal damnation. Jesus died and rose again that He alone might have preeminence over His true worldwide body. Church membership to a local church or church organization is perpetrated by cross-less wolves and is a direct affront to the Headship of the one, nail-scarred Savior (Colossians 1:18; 2:18-19, etc.).
Church membership, as Satan would have it, produces the fruit of wasted lives who bid Godspeed to the wolves Christ and His apostles often warned us about (2 John 7-11). So many “Christians” today are not kingdom disciples who are bearing fruit daily for the glory of God. They’ve pigeonhole themselves into a local so-called church and spend all our resources and energy on a self-perpetuating religious club. Some call it churchianity as opposed to biblical Christianity.
Church membership inevitably leads to idolatry, where the allegiance is to the local church which becomes an idol. The church organization begins to take precedence, preeminence.
When someone signs up to be a member of the “church” club, inevitably, they begin to trust the club, to rely on their leaders and the organization, and their attendance at its “services.” Their trust in God, their reliance, their desperate crying out to Him, their dependency upon the LORD wanes.
“My walk got even stronger with Christ when I stopped submitting to local churches, because I looked for HIM to give me the answers instead of going to a man.” Veronica
The gathering of the saints of Christ to worship Him together is never to be monetized – used for the self-serving purposes of wolves. This is exactly what we see in the modern church business, just as it was when Jesus cleared the temple (Matthew 21; John 2).
Everything becomes about the church activities, curriculum, people, and leaders, instead of Christ (Colossians 2:18-19; 3:1-4, etc.). The curriculum of weekly church services, a program, a system, causes people to trust in that and not in Christ, daily, moment by moment. Individual accountability and participation in an abiding oneness with Christ is the biblical mandate (Luke 21:34-36; John 15, etc.). Inevitably, church membership and participation in that groups activities becomes the thing people become enthralled in and not Christ. The spontaneity is lost.
“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” Acts 2:42-47
Only the LORD Himself can add to His blood-bought church in the earth. Notice “THE LORD ADDED TO THE CHURCH daily such as should be saved” in contrast to false leaders building their own nickels, noses, and numbers via church membership, etc. (Acts 2:47) Mere men who seek to “church the unchurched” are self-willed rebels operating under their own self-serving greedy agenda, using the name of the LORD in vain to build their own empires – void of essential biblical truths such as the virgin birth and divinity of Jesus Christ, hell, judgment to come, the imperative of repentance, holiness, etc. Only Christ, the Head of His body, can add to HIS church which He promised He would “build.” … “I will build MY church.” (Matthew 16:18) While enterprising antichrist’s build their own “churches”, Christ is building His one remnant body, organically!
Read Colossians chapters 1 and 2 closely. Ask God to open the eyes of your understanding as you begin.
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Abiding
The Curse of a Divided Heart and Blessing of a Whole Heart! [podcast]
Israel’s heart was divided. The solution.
“Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images … 12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.” Hosea 10:2, 12
King Asa: Tragic end of an otherwise obedient, fruitful, God-glorifying life….
Are you blessed or cursed?
“Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.” Jeremiah 17:5
King Asa trusted the physicians and not the LORD and he paid dearly.
“And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.” 2 Chronicles 16:12
Feet speak of foundation. Without feet, physically we cannot stand. Without a sound foundation of truth, of God’s Word in our lives, we shall not stand. Read Matthew 7:19-29.
One writes notes the following about the meaning of feet in God’s Word:
“Why Are Feet Important in the Bible? Just as men and women stand upon their feet as the foundation of upright posture, Bible verses also use feet as a euphemism to represent a strong foundation in various circumstances. Feet are not referenced as we see them today, but they are used as symbols to represent greater metaphorical concepts, such as guidance or direction.
The feet represented something that was common to all people but used differently. For example, one of the most noted scripture texts involving feet is Psalm 119:105, ‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.’ This emphasizes how the feet are used to travel and traverse. Yet, without the word, the traveler is left walking in the dark without a known path.
Essentially, the feet are referenced as a critical part of life as walking was commonplace. We naturally travel where our feet lead us and the Bible verses use feet to represent a means of traveling through life itself. If we walk down a dark path, we are likely to stumble. If we walk down a holy path, we are sure to please God. All of this is facilitated symbolically by the feet.”
The foundation truth we learn in God’s Word and obedience to it determines the direction of our lives.
“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:6-7
Becoming Rooted and Grounded in Christ
Like Asa, many today trust the counsel of mere men, such as doctors and not God. This doesn’t mean going to a doctor is a sin and yet, the true disciple will primarily trust and obey and be led of the LORD, not men.
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6
Read Hebrews 3-4 prayerfully for the eternal danger of having “an evil heart of unbelief” AFTER being saved. Repentance required.
“They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.” Psalms 12:2
Got depression? Are you seeking the LORD in true repentance whereby He will grant you great joy? (Psalms 51; 2 Timothy 1:7) Or, are you seeking out and trusting the mere human, the finite pundits of this fleeting world?
“But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.” Job 13:4
Those who trust human physicians and not the Great Physician, are cursed, not blessed. Their faith in mere men reveals their utter rebellion.
“See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.” Jeremiah 1:10
2 Chronicles 15:17 – Upon becoming king in Judah, Asa, having inherited an idolatrous, lukewarm people, system… he began to command that…
- The people do that which is right in God’s eyes (2 Chronicles 14:2)
- That all idolatrous altars we torn down (2 Chronicles 14:3)
- That God’s people seek His face (2 Chronicles 14:4)
- That idol altars in the cities of Judah be removed – “and the kingdom was quiet before him” (2 Chronicles 14:5) ….. Proverbs 1:33
- Fenced cities be built …. so the land could be at rest, at peace, and not fear the enemy (2 Chronicles 14:6)
- The people be involved in building fenced, walled, protected cities – “Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have sought the LORD our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.” (2 Chronicles 14:7) …… 1 Chron 16:11
- Great military be built (2 Chronicles 14:8)
“The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and IFFFF ye seek him, he will be found of you; but IF ye forsake him, he will forsake you.” 2 Chronicles 15:2
“But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.” 2 Chronicles 15:17
“Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” Hebrews 11:20-22
“The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” Psalms 9:17
“Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.” Psalms 50:22
“Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.” 2 Chronicles 20:20
God blesses those who trust Him and curses, removes His blessings from those who once trusted Him and yet now have forgotten Him. When we willingly offer ourselves as living sacrifices to the LORD our God, He avenges us of all our enemies (Judges 5:2) …. “But IF thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.” (Exodus 23:22)
“WHEN” does God avenge us of our enemies? “WHEN” does God judge our enemies?
“Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, WHEN the people willingly offered themselves.” Judges 5:2
When we offer our lives a living sacrifice unto the LORD – that is, we simply surrender this life to Him – the subduing of our enemies begins.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:1-2
Asa reigned as king in Judah for 39 years (2 Chronicles 14-16).
In his final days, after obeying God and bringing much needed reform to the people of God, Asa forgot the LORD, and had grown cold in his faith and was therefore cursed with a divided heart.
All those who trust mere men, just because they have a white coat on and are called “doctor”, are going to die as did king Asa who trusted in earthly physicians, instead of the Great Physician! Repent now sinner.
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” Proverbs 3:5-7
Are you a pessimistic pansy or an optimistic overcomer? Are you like the 10 spies or the 2 who entered the promised land while the 10 sad sack whiners were shut out? “The righteous are bold as a lion.” (Proverbs 28:1) Jesus asks “WHERE is your faith?” (Luke 8:25) Repenting for real and putting all your trust in the LORD is essential – and no one will be in the promise land of Heaven without sound, solid faith in God. “Without faith it is impossible to please him.” (Hebrews 11:6). “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.” (Jeremiah 17:5)
Read Revelation 2-3.
Remember the woman Jesus, the Great Divine Physician made whole of her issue who had previously spent all she had on human physicians?
“And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, 26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, 27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. 28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. 29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him (accessed by faith in Him), turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? 31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. 33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith (in God not men) hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.” Mark 5:25-34
You claim to be trusting God but you take a mood drug? I don’t think so. MOOD DRUGS ARE FOR THE WICKED UNBELIEVERS. PERIOD. REPENT.
When a person resorts to using a drug to uplift their mood, they are loving and believing the world more than God, forfeiting the blessing of God for a cheap substitute, and manifesting their contempt for the LORD, their unbelief. A born again, presently abiding 
disciple of Jesus has all the fruit of the Holy Spirit which include, “Love, joy, peace…” (Galatians 5:22-23) God gives His people “power… love, and a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7) God’s Word has the answer to “ALL things that pertain unto life and godliness” and that specifically includes a “sound mind.” (2 Peter 1:3-4) Holy Scripture specifically uses the terms “sound mind” and “sound heart” which come only from learning and adhering to “sound doctrine.”
We live in a fallen world and were born in sin. Via the things that have happened to us and that we ourselves have perpetrated on others, fragmentation of our hearts has occurred. Only One can make us whole.
“And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” Luke 4:17-19
“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
“He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” Psalms 147:3
Counting it all Joy
“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” James 1:2-8
Through the trials we face in this life, we must learn to “count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations”, trust God not men, ask for and rely on His wisdom and not waver, but rather finished our course trusting and walking with Christ to the end of our lives.
“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:” 2 Timothy 4:7
“For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: 12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Hebrews 6:10-12
The Whole Heart
“And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about.” 2 Chronicles 15:15
The result of seeking the LORD with a whole heart is that He gives us “rest round about.”
“But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.” Proverbs 1:33
9 Times in the book of Psalms the words “Whole Heart” appear. Here’s the first 3 of that collection:
“I will praise thee, O LORD, with my WHOLE HEART; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.” Psalms 9:1
“Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my WHOLE HEART, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.” Psalms 111:1
“Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the WHOLE HEART.” Psalms 119:2
PRAYER: Dear heavenly Father, I have sinned against You by not wholly trusting You. I have not sought You with my whole heart. Here and now I confess this for the evil sin of unbelief and rebellion that it is and ask You to please forgive me now in the name of Jesus. Please wash me afresh from all my sins with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Also please make my heart whole and increase and fill me with Your faith Father, and cause me to trust You with all of my heart, no matter what. I love You my dear LORD. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Lukewarm is Hell Bound | OSAS/eternal security is a lie from hell |
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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.”―
“Amateurs look for inspiration; the rest of us just get up and go to work.”
“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.”―
“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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Apostasy
“Simple Concerning Evil” [podcast]
Holy Scripture uses the phrase “simple concerning evil.”
“For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple (innocent) concerning evil.” Romans 16:19
“But I would have you – Not only obedient, but discreet also. Wise with regard to that which is good – As knowing in this as possible. And simple with regard to that which is evil – As ignorant of this as possible.” John Wesley
Concerning Romans 16:19 Donald Stamps writes:
“God wants believers to be innocent (Gk. akeraios) in what is evil; this word means ‘unmixed’ or ‘pure,’ i.e., innocent like a child whose mind has not yet been exposed to evil or mixed with the values of the world (cf.1 Cor. 14:20). (1) This biblical principle is in direct opposition to the idea advocated by some that children of Christians should be exposed to sin, immorality, ungodliness, and the things of Satan in order to learn to confront temptation. Some suggest that children need not be guarded from ungodliness. However, according to biblical revelation, the philosophy is not only against God’s will for the believer, but also represents Satan’s own desire that everyone be exposed to the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 3:5). (2) Knowledge of evil, along with continual exposure to Satan’s ways, will lead many from the path of faith and obedience. Lot found this out to his deep sorrow, losing his entire family for this reason (Gen. 13:12-13; 19:1-38). Scripture warns that ‘evil communications’ (i.e., company) corrupt good manners (1 Cor. 15:33), and that ‘Jesus Christ … gave himself … that he might deliver us from this present evil world’ (Gal. 1:3-4). Those who advocate exposing innocent children to an ungodly environment and/or influence are in danger of violating Jesus’ warning in Matthew 18:6. (3) Believers should do all within their means and power to guard their children from being exposed to the deceitfulness and sin and the perverseness of this generation. To refuse to protect our children in this respect disregards the Holy Spirit’s desire that they be innocent and babes regarding what is evil.” Donald Stamps, Life in the Spirit Study Bible, p. 1959
Spoil the innocence of a child or others and God will spoil, bring ruin to you.
“But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” Matthew 18:6
“Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.” 1 Corinthians 14:20
Concerning the fact and principle of offering children to Satan on the altar of Moloch, one source notes the following:
“Based on historical and biblical accounts, child sacrifice to Moloch was a Canaanite and Phoenician ritual, often described as offering children to a deity in a “tophet” (place of burning). Scholars interpret this act as a desperate attempt to appease a god associated with the underworld or to ensure divine favor in exchange for the ultimate sacrifice.
Why Children Were Offered to Moloch:
Appeasement of a Deity: Moloch (or Mlk) is identified by some scholars as an underworld deity or a Phoenician god linked to the underworld, requiring the ultimate sacrifice to ensure favor or safety.”
“Lot … Pitched His Tent Toward Sodom”
“Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. 13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.” Genesis 13:12-13
Of the act of Lot pitching his tent toward Sodom, the late Donald Stamps wrote:
“PITCHED HIS TENT TOWARD SODOM. Lot’s great failure was that he loved personal gain more than he hated the wickedness of Sodom (v10-13). (1) If he had loved righteousness sufficiently (see Heb. 1:9), it would have caused him to remain separate from the wicked ways of sinful people. Instead he tolerated evil and chose to live in wicked Sodom (v13). Perhaps he reasoned that the material advantages, culture, and pleasures of Sodom outweighed the dangers, and that he was strong enough to remain faithful to God. Thus, he exposed himself and his family to the immorality, and ungodliness of Sodom, only to learn the bitter lesson that his family was not strong enough to resist its evil influences (Gen. 19:24-26; 30-38). (2) Parents must be careful not to place themselves or their children in a “Sodom,” lest they come to spiritual ruin as did the family of Lot.” Donald Stamps, Life in the Spirit Study Bible, p. 27
“Although Lot was distressed by the filthy deeds he saw and heard (2 Pet. 2:7-8), he still was willing to tolerate the wickeness of Sodom for social and material advantages (13:12 note). This compromise brought tragedy to his family (v24). Likewise, believers today who expose their families to ungodly environments and evil influences for social or material gain are setting themselves up for family tragedies.” Donald Stamps, Life in the Spirit Study Bible, p. 34
Gentlemen, if we lust for the things of this world, it will cause us to sacrifice God’s truth on the altar of our greed and cause needless destruction in our families.
Ephesians 5:1-17
“1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”
“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. 18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, 19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.” Mark 4:17-19
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” 1 John 2:15
“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8
Key to a pure, innocent heart…. is that the LORD Almighty is truly first in our lives, that we are truly one with Him—just as Jesus prayed in John 17. The futile god of self must be denounced, as well as the sin of spiritual adultery and idolatry.
“Keep thyself pure.” 1 Timothy 5:22
PRAYER: “LORD, right this moment, I release everything and everyone that I might be holding onto tighter than You….I will have no other god before You dear LORD…You Jesus Alone Are My LORD And Savior. In Jesus’ name. Amen.” Marlene Austin
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“The things which are not Seen are Eternal” [podcast]
The Curse of a Divided Heart and Blessing of a Whole Heart! [podcast]
“NEVER take a Vacation from God” [podcast]
How Do You Get Around the Idea That All Israel Shall be Saved? Steve Gregg [video]
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“Simple Concerning Evil” [podcast]
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The Core Values of the Modern Church Agenda Exposed [podcast]
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