Abiding

“Cry Aloud, Spare Not, Lift Up Thy Voice Like a Trumpet” [podcast]

Paula White Exposed [video]

THAT’s My King! Pastor Lockridge [video]

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

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

“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

4 Commands here:

1. Cry aloud
2. Spare not
3. Lift up thy voice like a trumpet
4. Show my people their transgressions

Like today’s false leaders, in Isaiah’s day the priesthood of false prophets were backslidden by choice and therefore unable to offer even a faint bark to warn God’s people of coming judgment.

“His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. 11 Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. 12 Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.” Isaiah 56:10-12

Today’s “pastors” are never heard calling men to repentance! This alone reveals they are totally false! Satan’s seminaries and fake news “bibles” have removed this essential command and word to “repent.”

Paul did 3 things to prepare Christ’s body to meet the LORD: PWT = Preach, WARN, Teach (Colossians 1:28). Any leader not warning against false teachers and false doctrine is 100% a false leader himself and part of the “conspiracy” of false prophets who oppose the LORD and will burn forever in the fires of hell. See Ezekiel 22:25-27.

The LORD never called anyone to produce a movie for people to know His……

Today we have a never-ending string of staged “revivals” coming at us. If sin, repentance, hell, and holiness aren’t being preached, what are they actually being won to? God has not and never will changed (Malachi 3:6). The Bible foretells a great falling away, not a revival (2 Thessalonians 2). And, especially with one where the leadership is promoting the abomination of sodomy openly (Leviticus 18:22)…. Dare we take the name of the LORD our God in vain and attach it to this abomination? I refuse personally.

The Bible is full of warnings from Genesis to Revelation. If you have a problem with warnings, you have a problem with God. Warning is for protection. If you don’t like warnings, you simply give away your Bible to someone who is an authentic, honest a truth seeker.

Give the devil no rest saints! Expose his agents! Ephesians 5:11

Christ’s apostle Paul warned God’s people day and night for 3 years with tears – in order to protect them from vile wolves operating within the professing body of Christ (Acts 20:27:32). What does that reveal about the devils we call pastors today who refuse to ever warn? -They are Satan’s agents (2 Corinthians 11:12-15).

WARNING IS WHAT JESUS AND HIS APOSTLES DID AND IS FOR YOUR PROTECTION. Yet if you refuse to yield to the LORD’s warnings via His Word and saints, you are walking right into destruction.

You want to see who the false preachers are among us? Here you go!
The man who isn’t warning isn’t loving and isn’t protecting Christ’s sheep. Run from such a devil for he is part of the antichrist “conspiracy” against Christ! (Ezekiel 22:25-27) Such a man is completely unlike Christ and His prophets and apostles who repeatedly warned of false prophets and their heresies!

Table-Flipping Savior! You going to call the Son of God unloving? Repent devil. Telling the truth to religious counterfeits, sin-darkened hearts, is as loving, as Christ-like as it could possibly be. Matthew 23 anyone?

ARE YOU preaching the absolute Gospel essential of repentance beloved of God? Jesus commanded that we do just that.

IF he’s not preaching repentance and remission of sins he’s a fraud! No excuse! “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:47)

“Preaching repentance for the remission of sin to the entire world is the last thing the Lord Jesus Christ commanded before He ascended into heaven.” Brian Craig

WHEN a man repents, all his sins are remitted! Removed!

False leaders today CODDLE men in sin instead of CALLING them out of it – so that they can be spared eternal judgment/damnation! Comforting people in their sin is the work of wolves (Jeremiah 23:17; Lamentation 2:14).

Was the message of the original Gospel always soft? Did Jesus and His holy apostles pander to the sinful sentiments and whims of sinful men? No! Read God’s Word for yourself as He commanded you to do – and cease now to be misled by the soft-peddling pansies of today’s apostate modern church world! Repent now. Follow Jesus! Then you won’t live by your sinful emotions but will rather be an authentic disciple of Jesus who loves His truth – NO MATTER WHO IT OFFENDS. But first it must offend YOU unto repentance – to drive you to real repentance and a real, a crucified walk with Jesus (Galatians 2:20). “Let God be true and EVERY man a liar.” (Romans 3:4) “You preach this Gospel JUST LIKE it’s written young man, you understand me!” | YOU Preach this Gospel Just Like it’s Written Son!

THOSE who don’t warn do not have God’s love and are suspect as hiding something! Jesus and His apostles WARNED.

WHOSE blood do you have on your hands for not warning them?

“So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.” Ezekiel 33:7

The reason many condone the evil wolves posing as Christ’s ministers is that they do not know Jesus but are rather self-serving devils, full of self, refusing to repent for real.

“Thy prophets (false leaders in Israel) have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity (exposed your sin), to turn away thy captivity (bondage); but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment.” Lamentations 2:14

True ministers of Christ, without fail, call men to Christ and out of sin – They call men to repent! (Isaiah 58:1; Ezekiel 18:30; 2 Corinthians 5:11, etc.)

THERE is nothing good in us except Christ. We are not featured but JESUS. “We preach CHRIST crucified.” (1 Corinthians 1:23) Our righteousnesses are as filthy rags and HE is the one and only righteous Redeemer whom we share (Isaiah 64:6; 1 Corinthians 9:16; Romans 7:18, etc).

Jesus’ true disciples are crucified vessels who preach with His authority, unlike the lame leaders we have today (Matthew 7:28-29). True Gospel preaching rocks the world of those who hear it – it never coddles people in their sin. That’s the work of wolves! Beware!

True Ministers of Christ

Most in “ministry” today are building their own empire, not Christ’s kingdom! Beware. Matthew 16:18; 1 Corinthians 1:29-2:5; 2 Corinthians 4:5; Philippians 3:18-19

GOD bless the truly God-fearing men who warn the flock of God as did Jesus and His apostles – in order to protect them. Moral coward counterfeits only warn when they are warning someone not to warn. Pitiful Pansies!

When Jesus preached the counterfeit religionists were made livid and scattered at the rebuke of His truth, spoken in divine authority (Matthew 7:28-29). Are you scattering the tares in your audience or are you coddling these rebels in their sin?

The Missing “R” in the Modern Gospel

Is it any wonder we seldom hear the word, the divine command to “repent” in the modern church world? These modern pansies we call pastors are blind guides who use new “bible” versions which are all corrupt. Here’s a sampling:

The NKJV removes “repent” 44 times

Matthew 9:13

KING JAMES BIBLE – “for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners TO REPENTANCE.” Matthew 9:13

NASB – “For I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” …“TO REPENTANCE” Removed!

NIV – “For I have not come to call the righeous but sinners.” …“TO REPENTANCE” Removed!

THE MESSAGE – “I’m after mercy, not religion. I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders.” …“TO REPENTANCE” Removed!

IF your preaching doesn’t include the divine command to REPENT, you are preaching another gospel – and are “accused.” (Galatians 1:6-9) Repent now! Oh and ditch the sissy “bible” (all new versions) which removed this essential command. Get a real Bible – King James Bible. More on Bible Versions Here.

Think about that and how few today are doing such! Wow! Any man not preaching that ALL men everywhere must repent, is an “accursed” false teacher! (galatians 1:6-9)

IS IT any wonder repentance is seldom heard? WHEN you realize that the “pastors” we have in the pulpits today are vatican trained by jesuit infiltrated seminaries which falsely promote the catholic “bibles” these pastors now read and get their message from. And, the people they preach to are reading those vatican “bibles” and so don’t know repentance is an essential, vital biblical doctrine. They have no excuse! King James Bible readers are much sharper, more astute Bible students due to reading the real, preserved Word of our God (Psalms 12:6-7).

John the Baptist Preached Repentance!

“And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 3:2

Jesus Preached Repentance!

“From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17

Christ’s Apostle Peter Preached Repentance!

“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:38

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;” Acts 3:19

The Apostle Paul Preached Repentance!

“And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:” Acts 17:30

Repentance is not only essential initially but also on an ongoing basis.

REPENTANCE – initially and ongoing is cardinal in Christ’s kingdom.

“He that covereth (hides) his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13

Notice below as Paul writes to the Corinthian believers how he is concerned only about those among them who had not repented. The ones who had already repented were safe. This is a key kingdom truth saints. Let’s face it, we all have need to repent and confess sin on a regular basis, right? (1 John 1:6-2:2, etc.). Now watch this closely: Those who haven’t repented are the ones Paul’s concerned about-not the ones who’ve repented.

“And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and HAVE NOT REPENTED of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.” 2 Corinthians 12:21

When there is no repentance, there is impending doom/wrath. When there is repentance, there is a complete clearing, refreshing, a removal of all sin to infinity!

“He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west (infinity), so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalms 103:10-12

“If thou, Lord , shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?” Psalms 130:3

When we repent, God refreshes!

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;” Acts 3:19

The reason we see so many frustrated people who’ve been saved is in this verse above! Read it again and meditate on this beloved.

The fires of eternal damnation will forever feed upon the hopeless, helpless rebels who refuse to repent and “Bring forth therefore fruits meet (fitting) for repentance.” (Matthew 3:8) Any man who does not have the fruit of sound doctrine – PURE BIBLE – has not repented and is in ministry for some other reason than Christ’s glory! Run for your life!

“They say still unto them that despise me (those who live in sin), The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace (promise rebels eternal security); and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you. 18 For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it?” Jeremiah 23:17-18

If you see a man who refuses to preach what the Bible says about sin and to preach the absolute necessity to repent, you are witnessing a wolf!

These are those Ezekiel shows us are part of the “conspiracy” of false leaders who are misrepresenting Christ by preaching another, any other message than the unchanging original Gospel and all of it’s doctrinal components!

“There is a conspiracy of her prophets (false leaders) in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof. 26 Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. 27 Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.” Ezekiel 22:25-27

True Ministers of Christ

Colossians 1:28 PWT Preach Warn Teach [video]

PWT = Preach, WARN, Teach “Whom we PREACH, WARNING every man, and TEACHING every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:” Colossians 1:28 Did you catch what the apostle Paul did to prepare the church to meet Christ? Preach WARN Teach Jesus and His holy apostles often rebuked and exposed false leaders and false doctrine (Matthew 23; Acts 13:10; 20:29-31; Galatians 5:11-12; 2 Timothy 4:2-4; 2 Peter 2; 2 John 7-11; Revelation 2:6, 15, etc.). Therefore we know that part of following Jesus includes doing the same. In fact, the body of Christ […]

"Be Diligent that ye May be Found of Him in Peace, without Spot, and Blameless" [podcast]

“Them that look for him” “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Hebrews 9:28 WHO will Jesus return for? – “Them that look for him” Jesus is not coming back for everyone. He’s only coming back for “Them that look for him.” Am I in love with Jesus? Or, am I just religious? Am I an authentic disciple of Jesus or a self-serving counterfeit? The grace-enabled purifying of ourselves in light of His soon return: “And every man that […]

Teach the Bible [podcast]

JESUS IS COMING AND THE TRUE BODY OF CHRIST IS “HOLDING FORTH (BOLDLY DECLARING) THE WORD OF LIFE” “Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.” Philippians 2:16 WHEN you speak God’s Word, you are speaking divine authority. “These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.” Titus 2:15 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, […]

Abiding

The Death before the Death [podcast]

Gethsemane Preceded Calvary

“And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, 42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. 43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Luke 22:42-44

“He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30

“Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.” 2 Corinthians 4:10-12

“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?” Luke 9:23-25

Shall We Freshly Declare the Cross to be Front and Center in our Personal Lives?

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

5 Aspects of the Mind of Christ [podcast]

5 Components of the Mind of Christ from Philippians 2 Jesus Christ made Himself of no reputation. He took upon Him the form of a servant. He was made in the likeness of men. He humbled Himself. He became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:2-10 “Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but […]

The Cross and the Throne of Grace [podcast]

“Hid with Christ in God” “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” Colossians 3:1-4 The safest place in the universe is in the cross of Christ: “your life is hid with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). Our place of protection is […]

Raised Up in Christ [podcast]

3 Resurrections to Celebrate 1. Christ’s resurrection (Matthew 27:64; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, etc.). 2. Your resurrection at the moment of regeneration and daily resurrection (Romans 1:4; 4:25; 6:3-14; 8:11; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12; Ephesians 2:6). 3. Final resurrection into glory or damnation (John 5:28; 29; 1 Corinthians 15). Christ’s resurrection guarantees ours and that we need not fear death. Dancing on hell’s grace. Read 1 Corinthians 15 serveral times. “But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and […]

The Only Way Up is Down [podcast]

Chapter 8 from the book Raised Up (narration) “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18 The Down and Up Principle of God’s Kingdom “And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root DOWNWARD, and bear fruit UPWARD.” Isaiah 37:31 The Scriptures follow a pattern of death and resurrection, a downward death and upward life. See if you can observe such a truth in the following verses: “The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth UP all those that be bowed DOWN.” Psalms 145:14 Do you possess the blessed desire to be raised up by […]

Abiding

“Rend Your Heart, and Not Your Garments” [podcast]

Who Does God Look to? Who Does God Dwell in?

Beware of any man pretending to represent Christ who isn’t praying and preaching for you to be possessed by a humble and contrite heart.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3

“‘Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven’ (Matthew 5:3). A low condition. ‘Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted’ (Matthew 5:4). To mourn over our sin and our utter wickedness before a holy and righteous God. Those are the ones who will receive the comfort and ‘joy in the Holy Ghost’ (Romans 14:17).” Karen Cochran

Abandoning Our Own Sin, Our Own Way, for God and His Better Way!

To “rend your heart” is a biblical phrase meaning to tear open your heart in radical sincerity, true humility, and genuine repentance.

The phrase comes from Joel 2:13 in the Bible: “Rend your heart and not your garments and return to the Lord your God.”

One source notes the following:

“Context and Deeper Meaning:

Cultural Background: In ancient times, the Jewish people would tear (rend) their clothes as a public, highly visible display of grief or repentance.
The Spiritual Message: God is warning that outward rituals (like ripping clothing) are meaningless if the heart remains unchanged. Rending your heart implies breaking through your pride, letting go of excuses, and being completely vulnerable and authentic before God.
The Reward: The verse goes on to say that God is “gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.” Tearing open your heart allows you to experience His forgiveness and restore your relationship with Him.”

To see an example of rending one’s physical garment in representation of rending their heart, see Acts 14:11-18.

Where is the LORD Looking?

“But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

“Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the Lord your God” Joel 2:12-14

“What a gracious invitation is contained in these words. How tenderly the Lord reasons with his people. And what an encouraging assurance it folds up with. Reader! do not fail to observe that this call of the Lord, the accompanying grace to incline the heart to the observance of it is implied. It is most blessed ever to remember that when the Lord thus comes forth in his endearing invitations, he is secretly inclining the heart to accept them. Grace must first enter the heart, or there will be no inclination to obey.” Robert Hawker

“Jeremiah’s message was never meant to leave the heart in despair. Every warning from God carried an invitation to return. The Lord does not expose empty religion to shame His people, but to heal them. Repentance is not the loss of hope, it is the beginning of hope. Christ still receives every soul that comes with humility, and He gives living faith where there was only habit, peace where there was only fear, and joy where there was only emptiness. The call remains the same today, to draw near to Him with a sincere heart, trusting that His mercy is always greater than our weakness.” Dan Blincoe

A Fresh Start with God Always Begins with Humility and True Repentance

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19

Concerning rending our hearts before the LORD, one source notes:

The classic Bible passage on this concept is Joel 2:13, where God commands: “Rend your heart and not your garments”. In ancient biblical culture, tearing (or “rending”) one’s physical clothing was a customary, visible display of extreme grief, despair, or repentance. Through the prophet Joel, God is essentially telling His people: Stop doing the empty, outward religious ritual of tearing your clothes to show everyone how sorry you are. Instead, let me see true, inward brokenness over your sins.

Examples of Rending Physical Garments

In the Bible, the physical act of tearing clothes was used as a dramatic expression of deep emotion in several well-known narratives:

Joseph’s Brothers (Genesis 37:29, 34): When Reuben realized Joseph was not in the pit, and later when the brothers brought Joseph’s blood-stained coat to Jacob, they tore their clothes in grief and despair.
Job (Job 1:20): After hearing that he had lost all his wealth and his children, Job stood up and tore his robe as an outward sign of his overwhelming sorrow.
King David (2 Samuel 1:11-12): When David received news of the deaths of King Saul and Jonathan, he and his men tore their clothes to mourn.
The High Priest (Matthew 26:65): In a dramatic display of hypocritical outrage, the high priest tore his own garments when Jesus declared He was the Son of God, falsely accusing Him of blasphemy.

The Spiritual Meaning of “Rending the Heart”

The concept of “rending the heart” contrasts an outward show with inward reality.

Genuine Repentance: Tearing your heart means being vulnerable, acknowledging your brokenness, and deeply repenting of sin before God.
Prioritizing Relationships over Rituals: God desires a sincere heart—true sorrow and a desire to change—more than he desires traditional religious pageantry or dramatic, public displays of grief.
The Promise of Forgiveness: In Joel 2:13, the command to rend the heart is immediately followed by the promise of grace: “Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love”.

God sees beyond our external habits and religious actions, requiring instead a humble, contrite heart to fully experience His mercy.”

God’s Mercy

“Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?” Joel 2:12-14

In God’s Word, where we see men who tear open their garments…. This holds the illustration of rending our hearts before the LORD.

Don’t render outward tearing, no, rather, tear open your inner man, your heart—be honest, sincere, exposed, and vulnerable to the LORD whom you trust.

Let’s attempt to get at, to ascertain what God is commanding of His beloved people to do in this “rend your heart” passage.

“Joel 2:13: Rend your heart—Let it not be merely a rending of your garments, but let your hearts be truly contrite. Merely external worship and hypocritical pretensions will only increase the evil, and cause God to meet you with heavier judgments.

For he is gracious—Good and benevolent in his own nature.

Merciful—Pitying and forgiving, as the effect of goodness and benevolence.

Slow to anger —He is not easily provoked to punish, because he is gracious and merciful.

Of great kindness—Exuberant goodness to all them that return to him.

And repenteth him of the evil—Is ever ready to change his purpose to destroy, when he finds the culprit willing to be saved. See the notes on Exo_34:6, Exo_34:7.” Adam Clarke

“Joel 2:12-14: III. DIVINE APPEAL TO JUDAH TO REPENT (2:12-14)
Even now, the LORD calls the people to repentance. It is not too late to return to Him. But it must be more than outward ritual. Their turning was to be with all their heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” Believer’s Bible Commentary

To rend our hearts is the consistent message, mandate of God to His people of all ages and eras.

“The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” Psalms 34:18

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” Psalms 51:17

In Joel 2 the LORD reminds those who are backslidden that He “is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God? …”

They must meet His stated conditions to receive His blessings ….

He promises that He will forgive them as they…..

“Joel 2:12-27: THE AVERTING OF JUDGMENT
To rend the garment is easy, but a broken and contrite heart can be imparted only by the grace of the Holy Spirit. The love of God should bring us to repentance. He takes no pleasure in our miseries and if men repent and turn from their sin they find an immediate and loving welcome to the Father’s heart and home. Joel had called for the trumpet to announce war; he now directs the trumpet blast to summon the people, from the highest to the lowest, to plead for help. Prayer and true repentance and faith bring an immediate answer. As the husband yearns over his erring but repentant wife, and is indignant with those who have maltreated her, so will Jehovah remove from us, when we turn to Him, those who have cruelly oppressed us.
The great things Jehovah did against Egypt and Babylon are an earnest of what He will do again. The earth (and all the creation of God) … have good reason to rejoice in what awaits them. God promises not only to forgive sin, but to make us happy and well provided as if the locust and cankerworm had never settled upon our lives.” FB Meyer

Religious hypocrites, counterfeits, emphasize the outward to cover their inner darkness, rebellion.

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. 25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Matthew 23:23-25

“He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” Mark 7:6

"Blessed are the Poor In Spirit" [podcast]

Jesus’ longest recorded message to His people stands on the foundation of the very first words our Savior uttered in this sermon on the mount. The foundational truth of the entire sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7) is found in the very first words of our LORD when unveiling this elaborate, far-reaching, and profound message to His disciples of all ages. Here are His first words: “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3 Note, “poor in spirit.” Not poor financially or religiously. The two should be mutually exclusive. The Greek word translated into English as “poor” is PTOCHOS. It […]

"I will have Mercy, and not Sacrifice": What does this really Mean? [podcast]

“But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Matthew 9:13 Jesus specifically instructs us to “go ye and learn what that meaneth.” UNTIL, as an individual, you begin to realize just how wicked you really are, you will never begin to appreciate what our KING and Savior did on that cross! Matthew 9:9-13 – Jesus calls Matthew 9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith […]

How to Walk in the Certainty, the Assurance of Salvation [podcast]

Real, actual assurance only comes from possessing authentic salvation – which begins with humility and true repentance, an original Gospel essential (Matthew 3:2; 4:17; Luke 13:3; 24:47; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 20:21, etc.). Heretical calvinists and eternal security frauds rob people of true assurance which ONLY comes from having a faith that works, is obedient to Christ. Read 1 John chapter 3 and embrace what the LORD is saying. Here’s a taste – “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 19 And hereby we know that we are of the […]

The Importance of Pureness of Heart [podcast]

“He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.” Proverbs 22:11 With pureness of heart, our words shall issue forth with grace and seasoning and be more readily received by those who hear. “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” Colossians 4:6 David’s Prayer “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” Psalms 19:14 “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they […]

Abiding

Have We Misunderstood Why Christians Meet Together? [video]

“We’ve created a whole culture of Christians who are just known for going to church.” Dr Wadsworth!

“It is hard to convince a man (modern pastor) he is wrong when his livelihood ($) depends on not knowing he is wrong.” Unknown

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” – not weekly. “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 […]

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 […]

Is Church Membership Biblical? [podcast]

Churchianity vs Christianity Many use the term “very involved in church” instead of deeply rooted and in love with Jesus Christ. See the difference? Beware. Christ Jesus is your identity. “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” Galatians 6:14 What is your identity? Why have you chosen such to be that with which you identify? Most pastors make a big deal out of belonging to some organization, church, or group—because this puts them in charge—instead of Jesus. Beware. […]