Crossless Counterfeits

Paula White Exposed [video]

THAT’s My King! Pastor Lockridge [video]

Powerful Prayers from Children-This Will Shake You [video]

The Fear of the LORD is to Hate Evil: Pride, and Arrogancy #shorts [video]

EXCUSE ME, what did Jesus say you MUST do “DAILY” to “follow” Him? “Enemies of the Cross of Christ” Exposed

“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. … 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Romans 7:18, 24

Lots of “fulfill your destiny” type themes in the modern church world to lure in the gullible… but it’s all self-centered and not Christ-centered. If it were according to the original Gospel, the destiny would be recognized as living a crucified life – consenting to death and burial so Christ alone can reign! Just another cross-less heresy peddled by what Paul calls “enemies of the cross of Christ.” (Philippians 3:18-19)

“(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: ¹⁹Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)” Philippians 3:18-19

Read Romans 7:18, 24. Beware of the epidemic man-centered false gospel message which dethrones and denies Christ while enthroning sinful men. Scarcely can a message be heard today that truly glorifies Jesus Christ, beginning and ending with Him – and His cross! (Philippians 3:17-19; Revelation 1:8)

The modern gospel is cross-less and therefore not the Gospel of Christ!

EXCUSE ME, what did Jesus say you MUST do “DAILY” to “follow” Him? -deny self, take up the cross, lay down your life in this world (Luke 9:23-24; 14:33; 17:33; John 12:23-25).

The minister who is not calling you to die – to lay down your life – is a fraud! Run!

ANY man not telling you to die to self is 100% a fraud! He’s preaching “another gospel” and is “accursed.” (Galatians 1:6-9) He’s talking about blessing, favor, and resurrection without death and burial which MUST precede! Dying must be first or there will be no resurrection blessing of God (2 Corinthians 4:10-12). He’s hiding this truth from you because he’s selling you down the river as a agent of Satan himself! Run. Jesus says you must die to self, you must lose your life, you must lay down your life: so who’s lying?

I am not a good person, neither are you – “There is none righteous, no, not one:” (Romans 3:10) Admit it. The sooner we become HONEST with that which is more than obvious, announcing freely and transparently – that there is “NOOOO good thing” in us except CHRIST, the sooner God will begin a new, deeper work in us! (Romans 7:18, 24)

MANY times people quote verse 11 yet want no part of verse 13. WHY? – “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end…. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:11, 13)

CLUE: If he’s not calling you to the crucified life it’s because he’s not living it and is therefore a cross-less counterfeit! RUN!

Though it’s clearly God’s will to give “all men” the “expected end” of eternal life with Him, Jesus says only a “few” will enter the gates of eternal glory while “many” will enter hell through the “wide … gate” which is the entrance into the domain of the tormented damned (Matthew 7:13-14).

Many are those who want Heaven, but want no part of rending their heart to the LORD (Joel 2:13).

Counterfeits want creature comforts, but not the crucifying cross. They want Heaven but not the hassle of having to die to self.

There are many who want the promises of God for their earthly lives and eternity. HOWEVER, they want nothing to do with the daily cross that the Savior who bled mandated each of those He saves to take up (Luke 9:23-24). How else can we know Him unless we get ourselves out of the way? They want the Cadillac and the crown but not the cross. They want to dine, but refuse to die. They relish trinkets, but don’t want to be tried and tested. They want to chase the dollar, but refuse to be chastened by the One they claim has saved them. They want ease, comfort, and cotton candy “Christianity,” while denying Christ by not taking up that cross. They do not confess Christ but rather deny Him and Jesus will deny them before His Father (Luke 12:8-9). They want to be politically patriotic, but refuse to make Christ their sole identity and be persecuted for His holy name. They want the promise of eternal life while living carelessly in Laodicea (Revelation 3:15-16). They want the fable they have built up in their minds, but refuse to fear God. In fact, that’s why so many in this prophesied self-worshiping generation like the smooth talking wolves that they have made so popular (2 Tim. 3:1-7). – You know, those mega-star false prophets who refuse to preach the original Gospel – They never mention sin, repentance, the holy fear of God, the essential of personal holiness, the cross, the severity of God, and judgment to come. These who migrate to such ravening wolves are the counterfeits who vainly believe they are going to use Jesus to get what THEY want – to not go to hell for eternity. “Be not deceived, God is not mocked.” (Galatians 6:7-8) You see, they want Jesus to save them from hell, but they purposely ignore the “daily” cross that Jesus said MUST be taken up in order to follow Him to that Heavenly safety.

The OSAS beguilers will tell you there’s a difference between Jesus being your Savior, as opposes to your LORD, and that the latter is not required. They say that if you have been saved, you will go to Heaven no matter what and that you may just not have as many rewards. That’s a fable! Yet, the Bible teaches us that if He’s not your LORD, He’s not your Savior. The Son of God whom so many claim to know said: “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46) He also said “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)

Teaching and believing OSAS is purely self-serving and here’s why:

Those who believe this unbiblical false doctrine which does not take the whole of Scripture into account, want salvation to go to Heaven, but not salvation from that which displeases God (sin).

Those who teach un-conditional eternal security desire to keep everything smooth and this makes it much easier for them to run their church business. They are obeying the evil desire of the people by tickling their ears and giving them what they want and not what God said – “That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord: Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits.” (Isaiah 30:9-10). These OSAS hirelings do not want the people to be convicted by the Holy Spirit and the written Word of God for their sins, but just to be quiet and believe they are still secure in their sins. This is exactly what the false prophets were condemned for doing in the Old Testament.

In the following verse, false leaders are identified as those who tell people that they shall still “have peace” or security with the LORD even if they “walketh after the imagination of his own heart.” False leaders do not expose sin and call their audiences to repentance, but rather tell people the same thing Satan told Eve in the Garden – “No evil (no divine judgment, no consequence) shall come upon you.”

“They (false leaders) say still unto them that despise me, The Lord hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil (judgment) shall come upon you.” Jeremiah 23:17

According to the following verse of Scripture, false leaders do not deal with the essential Bible doctrines of the holiness of God, sin, and repentance. They therefore keep people in bondage to sin and on their way to the lake of fire.

“Thy prophets (false leaders) have seen vain and foolish things for thee (dealt with surface issues): and they have not discovered (shown you) thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment.” Lamentations 2:14

God-fearing leaders (who are few) give people God’s pure Word. They call and turn them from evil so they can be saved into eternal life with Jesus, instead of eternal damnation in the lake of fire with the devil and his fallen angels:

“But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.” Jeremiah 23:22

“Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.” Isaiah 58:1

God Knows and Sees All and Will not be Mocked – No One Every Has or Ever Will Deceive the LORD Almighty

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. ⁸For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” Galatians 6:7-8

Every single person who is a counterfeit – seeking to use Jesus to get to Heaven – will be found out soon:

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. ²²Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? ²³And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:21-23

Using Jesus is the essence of violating what the LORD meant when He said “Thou shalt have no other gods before me …. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.” (Exodus 20)

This is why so many love the “eternal security” message so prevalent today that promises eternal glory even if they are living in a spiritual gutter. This false message, the very same lie the serpent told Eve, promises Heaven while people live like hell – as long as they had one true profession of faith in their past.

But God says that He does give assurance to His own when He saves, AND THEN HE WARNS them that if they turn from Him back to sin (don’t abide/remain in Christ) that they will be damned.

“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. ¹³When 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 33:12-13

Is God now forced to bring to Heaven those He saved and yet, like the 5 foolish virgins, refused to keep Him as their “first love” in their lives? (Matthew 25:1-13; Revelation 2:4-5) That, my friend, is a falsehood. The LORD plainly told His own people that any person among them who is living in certain sins, will not inherit eternal glory.

“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are THESE; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things SHALL NOT inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21

Is Overcoming by Real, Enduring Faith and Trust in Jesus Essential?

“He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. ⁸But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Revelation 21:7-8

Deceivers have created a false god in their own image and in their own liking – That is, they have refused to hear the whole of God’s Word so that they can twist certain isolated verses to make up this fairytale false Christ who will receive them even though they live contrary to what He clearly stated. This is exactly what the eternal security, OSAS mongers have done. Was this exact thing not foretold?

If a teaching doesn’t like up with what God says in His Word we then make a choice as to who we will follow. Our eternity hinges (2 John 9-10).

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

So many teach overtly or subtly that no matter what un-confessed sin a person lives in after being saved, they will still go to Heaven. But God’s Word is clear.

Sins that Defile a Man

“And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.” Mark 7:20-23

“Defile” refers to being unclean in the eyes of God. Jesus was speaking of all men here – Those whom He saves are included. He made no distinction. Those whom Jesus saves have no license to live in sin but rather have been granted saving grace to live holy as He is holy and if they don’t, they will spend eternity in hell with all those who die in sin (Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:15-16; Revelation 21:8, 27). The proof-less, fairy tale myth of “once saved always saved” is designed to damn the souls of men and it is doing its epidemic work today. If God is “Holy, holy, holy” and He tells us that certain sins “defile the man,” it should be more than obvious that no defiled man is ready to meet Him who is Holy (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8). In fact, the Bible tells us exactly why Jesus came to the earth the first time and the exact people that Christ will return for.

“…Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:25-27

Make no mistake: Only the LORD can make a man holy and He only makes holy (sets apart) those who truly trust in Him and obey Him. All others do not possess saving faith (1 Jn. 2:3-5; James 2; Heb. 12:14).

The Bible clearly tells us that the LORD Jesus is coming back for His “little flock,” a pure and spotless Bride, one washed in His holy blood according to His holy Word (Lk. 12:32; Eph. 5:25-27; Tit. 2:13-14; 1 Jn. 3:3; Rev. 2-3).

After being washed initially (born again), the recipient of Christ must continue to walk with Him in the light of His holy truth in order to continue to be made clean in His holy eyes and not defiled:

“But IF we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7

Any honest Bible student knows that the LORD is “Holy, holy, holy,” and therefore washings, holiness, and purification are of the utmost importance in the divine economy. All those who will be with Him eternally must be made holy by His grace which requires their own faith and participation – both initially and to the end of their lives in this sinful world (Num. 19; Matt. 5:8; 10:22; 24:13; 2 Cor. 7:1; Eph. 5:26-27; Tit. 1:15; Rev. 6:11; 7:9, 13).

The Reign of Christ! [podcast]

Resurrection Grace [podcast]

Jesus Conquered Sin, Satan, and Death by Dying [podcast]

Abiding

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

Breakdown of Jesus’ Teaching in Matthew 6

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

Matthew 6

Giving to the Needy

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

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

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

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

The Disciple’s Prayer

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

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

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

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

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

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

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

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

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

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

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

Fasting

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

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

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

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fear Not

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Putting God First [podcast]

If God’s Word isn’t important to you, it’s because He isn’t important to you. If anything comes before the LORD in your day, you are an idolater. “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3 GOD’s WORD cannot get into you if you aren’t into it. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 Jesus commanded: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33 As you seek God, […]

The Simplicity of Real Fellowship [podcast]

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

SATAN'S SEMINARIANS [podcast]

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

Abiding

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

Lots of occultic symbolism in the art below.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Truth about Tradition and Church Membership [podcast]

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

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

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

Abiding

Mary hath Chosen that Good Part [podcast]

Luke 10:38-42

Mary = loving relationship with Jesus, not just being busy with doing, with labor, with performing works such as what Martha was doing. First and foremost, Jesus saved us for relationship with Him and the Father (John 17:3). And here our Savior expresses that knowing, loving, adoring, and listening to Him are at a divine premium, they are most important to God. That’s what God desires – for us to delight ourselves in Him (Psalms 37:4).

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

David’s brothers looked the part but they couldn’t and wouldn’t even face Goliath, much less slay him. David though, was spending time alone with the LORD, listening to His voice and tending to the sheep. He who is the only man God ever said was “a man after mine own heart,” was used mightily of God to slay the giant (Acts 13:22; 1 Samuel 17).

Isn’t this how we are with our children? Wouldn’t every parent rather their precious children sit in their mom or dad’s lap telling their parent how much they (the child) loves them (the parent)? That’s the biggest heart melt we know, right?

Like David, the most powerfully used warriors are first worshippers.

Our real, our genuine relationship with the LORD is that place out of which His power and grace (divine enablement) will flow. Like David, we must be primarily, and first and foremost worshippers. Out of that rich communion with the Savior will flow the warrior anointing of the LORD who is “a man of war” (Exodus 15:3).

Many who sense the call of God on their lives to minister go to seminary. Sad. We must go to God ourselves – in prayer, a life of prayer, relentlessly seeking His holy face in His Word for ourselves.

“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” Matthew 6:6

Private prayer with the LORD precedes God using us. Those who seek God in “secret” will be “openly” rewarded by Him.

“The little estimate we put on prayer is evidence from the little time we give to it.” EM Bounds

“A sinning man stops praying. A praying man stops sinning.” – Leonard Ravenhill

Luke 10

38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

“Mary hath Chosen that Good Part”

The “good part” Mary chose consists of…

Mary made the only wise choice “Mary hath chosen.”
Mary put Jesus first. She put the Savior first, not herself or her idea of what it meant to serve Him.
Jesus says here that choosing to put and keep Him first is the “one thing [that] is needful” or most necessary (v39, 42).
Sitting before Jesus Himself and not searching for God outside of God Himself, primarily that is. All other learning is supplemental and subservient to that which the LORD tells us specifically, in His Word.

Worshippers become the most powerful workers God uses!

Like many today who are shallow rooted, Martha was a worker but not first and foremost a worshipper. Mary was a worshipper who loved to spend time with Jesus. Therefore she was empowered by God Himself via that fellowship with Him to walk in His holy compassion and to do His works with His power and for His glory (1 Corinthians 15:10).

When our works are not fruitful as they should be, perhaps it can be traced back to our lack of fellowship with our LORD. As we fellowship with Him, putting Him first and not ourselves, our vessel, our cup will run over with His goodness…. it will spill over onto others! (See Psalms 23:5.) That’s when our labor will carry His eternal weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:17).

“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.” Psalms 23:5

When Jesus came, it was God bringing Heaven to the people – to forgive their sins and make them whole (Matthew 9:6). This was the foretold fulfillment of His kingdom coming on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).

When Jesus came, He went to the people, to heal, to save, to make whole (Matthew 9:35-38; Acts 10:38, etc.).

As we go, Jesus is with us, “even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:20).

Daily, our LORD is using His people to bring Heaven to the people. As the Holy Spirit fills our lives, His blessed presence and fruit in our lives is going to over overflow onto others.

A sister in Christ once told me that “The best Marthas are first Marys.” Think about that one in light of what we read in this passage when Jesus visited the home of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42). Those who sit at Jesus’ feet to hear His holy counsel, are changed into His image and become reservoirs for His blessed glory. Their cups run over onto others!

“Prayer is of transcendent importance. Prayer is the mightiest agent to advance God’s work. Praying hearts and hands only can do God’s work. Prayer succeeds when all else fails.” E.M. Bounds

When worshiping Jesus is our first priority, the work He uses us to do WILL carry His unction and bring fruit to bear for His eternal glory.

Rote obedience to minister to others, while not anchored in intimacy with our LORD, will not yield an abundant harvest, fruit. In contrast, we can be blessed to have God’s power and grace to do His work and that happens as we are truly communing, fellowshipping in the construct of that oneness relationship He made us for (John 15; 17).

Knowing God’s Word and obeying Him is not an automatic progression (John 8:31-36). One can know the Bible and not its Author. Or, one can know the Bible well and not know the Author well (Job 22:21-28). Obeying God’s Word requires knowing Him, abiding in an intimate fellowship with Him, thereby enabling that saint the grace (divine enablement) to obey Him (John 5:39-40; 7:17; 14:21-23; 15:1-16, etc.).

Martha “received him.” Many of us have “received” Jesus, have been saved by Him (John 1:12), yet like Martha we aren’t sitting at His holy feet, listening to Him speak through His Word. Like Martha, we also are “cumbered about much serving.”

It should be understood that our work can exceed our worship, our hospitality can exceed our holiness, our serving can exceed our sanctification, etc. That would be defined as imbalance (Proverbs 11:1).

In Luke 10:38-42, notice that Mary sat directly at Jesus’ feet and no other. When we arise in the morning to commune with the LORD, such is to be direct communication between you and Him, alone (Matthew 6:6). That would mean perhaps that when you arise in the morning you aren’t reading some other book about God or turning on a podcast or TV program to find and commune with the LORD. No, those things involve others. We must directly commune with the LORD in prayer and in HIS Word. How else shall we be able to discern the “MANY false prophets” Jesus warned us “shall deceive many”? (Read Matthew 24:11; 1 John 4:1.) How can we know the counterfeit if we don’t know the real? We can’t.

In principle, Martha is a person like Cain, a person who chose to do things their own way, not God’s – because they are not truly submitted to God. Does that describe your life friend? Jesus calls us home to Himself (Matthew 11:28-30).

Are we attempting to serve the LORD on our own terms or are we sitting before Him, hearing His voice as we are worshipfully, joyfully submitted to Him on His stated terms?

“The men who have done mighty things for God have always been mighty in prayer, have well understood the possibilities of prayer, and made the most of these possibilities. The Son of God, the first of all and the mightiest of all, has shown us the all-potent and far reaching possibilities of prayer. Paul was mighty for because he knew, how to use, and how to get others to use, the mighty spiritual forces of prayer.” EM Bounds, The Complete Works of E.M. Bounds on Prayer, P. 341

When we are brought to the point of true repentance it will be obvious in that we will do things God’s way and no longer our own. Like Mary, we will be settled at His feet, hearing His Word, His voice. The Mary person is in love with and submitted to the LORD and Savior she so joyfully worships.

“Jesus never taught His disciples how to preach, only how to pray. To know how to speak to God is more than knowing how to speak to people. Power with God is the first thing, not power with people. Christ loves to teach us how to pray.” –Andrew Murray, With Christ in the School of Prayer, pp. xxiii-xxiv

At His Feet [podcast]

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

The First Love of the True Disciple [podcast]

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

Our Sin Should Lay us at His Feet [podcast]

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