Articles

Freedom to Grow in His Grace [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]

The LORD is Exceedingly Holy and Infinitely Surpasses Finite Mankind

God is perfecting that which concerns His below people!!! (Psalms 138:8; Philippians 2:12-13, etc.)

YOU are a new creature in Christ! You are no longer who you once were!

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;” 2 Corinthians 5:17-18

When we take this following Bible truth seriously, perhaps today, and sever our past identity before and after salvation, reaching forth into Christ and our life with Him, deliverance will arise in our hearts.

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14

God is going to be working in the hearts and lives of His people till we are home with Him forever (John 15; Philippians 2:12-13; Psalms 138:8).

I love to pray these Bible verses regularly!

His disciples asked Jesus to increase their faith!

“And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.” Luke 17:5

Love it. Jesus did not rebuke them. Did you notice that detail?

Neither did Jesus rebuke John the Baptist for wavering, for lapsing for a moment in his faith (Luke 7:18-23). Our LORD spoke graciously to John the Baptist in his time of weakness.

“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

God is perfect in all His ways. We aren’t and He understands that. He always requires that we seek Him diligently and with faith.

“Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; 16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.” 1 Timothy 6:15-16

Sinless perfectionism or expecting someone, anyone to reach the pefection of the law all by themself, which only Christ could do, is heresy.

“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. 21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” Galatians 2:20-21

Preaching holiness without the cross leaves us to make ourselves holy.

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:2-4

It’s through the power of the Holy Ghost that the abiding saint is divinely enabled to overcome, to live in Christ’s victory.

“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” Romans 8:13

Jesus’ solution for sin, His prescription for holiness, is the cross – the crucified life (Luke 9:23-24; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12; Galatians 2:20-21; Colossians 3:3, etc.).

Isn’t it just better to admit when we are wrong, to openly admit we are not sinless perfection but rather utterly, perpetually in need of God’s grace?

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

We are definitely to confess and forsake all sin and prayerfully via the daily crucified life to “perfect(ing) holiness” and yet it’s by God’s grace and His Holy Spirit raising us upward in His power that we are enabled to please God (Proverbs 28:13; 2 Corinthians 7:1, etc.). Preaching holiness without the cross – the crucified life – is a complete imbalance that will always lead to hell and foster self-righteousness. Romans 8:13 and Galatians 2:20.

Job 9:20 and Proverbs 20:9 crush sinless perfectionism.

“Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” 2 Corinthians 7:1

The true disciple cannot justify sin (Romans 6:1-2, 15, etc.). Yes Jesus says “be ye therefore perfect” and yet in that context, was He speaking of absolute moral perfection, or maturity? (See Matthew 5:44-48.) Yes, moral perfection is the goal, and holiness is essential (2 Corinthians 7:1; Hebrews 12:14, etc.), and yet the context of which Jesus speaks at the end of Matthew 5 is dealing with possessing a mature perspective, one that loves all men for whom He came and bled.

“Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.” Hebrews 13:9

Perhaps the sooner we acknowledge that He alone is perfection and we are totally in need of His present, Christ-conforming grace, we shall be free to be molded by Him who is our Potter (Jeremiah 18:1-6; Romans 8:29). It’s important to get this out in the open, and perhaps God will be able to do a more natural work in us due to our open admission and surrender.

“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.” Romans 7:18

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! See Romans 7:18, 24. The Cross!

Paul is speaking of the fact that no good except Christ dwells in him and that there is a constant war to be won by the power of the Holy Spirit and includes our participation in the daily cross – where we resign our will and lives over to Christ (Romans 8:12-14, etc.).

“O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Romans 7:24

Paul says he was presently a “wretched man” – “O wretched man that I AM (not was; but presently).” And what does that mean? That simply establishes the reason Jesus says we must deny self, be crucified with Him, and take up the cross to truly walk with Him (Luke 9:23-24; Galatians 2:20). There is still the sinful nature in each of us whom He has saved and it must be crucified daily so Christ can reign (Romans 6-7). Paul announced that he had to “KEEP under” (an ongoing task, a personal responsibility) or he would be cast away from or out of God’s presence in the end (1 Corinthians 9:27).

See also Psalms 39:4-5, Proverbs 20:9, Job 9:20, and 1 John 1:6-10.

God is able to establish our hearts in His grace and to multiply His grace to us (Hebrews 13:9; 2 Peter 3:18).

It seems biblical to announce that our LORD alone is perfect and is perfecting that which concerns our life. “The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands” (Psalms 138:8). Praise the LORD that He is working in us “both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). No, this is not the notion of our reveling in sin without any responsibility for how we live, but rather the acknowledgement of His finding, saving, and sanctifying our lives as we participate in an honest, abiding, obedient, faith-filled relationship with Him.

“But I simply can’t overcome” is something we hear. Yet, through Christ alone, we’ve been given “Grace (divine enablement) to help in time of need” …

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

“But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57

We have His overwhelming, absolute victory as we abide in Christ. No sin can or will dominate those who live that divinely-prescribed, crucified life so often read about in the pages of the New Testament Scriptures. Read Romans 6 prayerfully – every day this week.

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” Romans 6:14

Tragically, grace is often presented and peddled as a license to live free from all personal responsibility, independent of God. Is that what Scripture teaches about God’s grace? Study closely Jude 3-4 and Titus 2:11-14.

The LORD desires to “multiply” his grace to your life today. Ask Him. Father, we come in Jesus’ Name and ask You to multiply Your grace to Your people today. | Grace

“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,” 2 Peter 1:2

“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18

Satan seeks to “spy out”, “frustrate”, and rob God’s people of the liberty wherewith they have been made free by Christ (Galatians 2:4-5; 5:1). It is His stated will that each of His children grow in His grace. And part of God growing us in His grace is offering other saints the space to grow in that same saving divine grace. The blessing of showing others that same grace as they grow in His grace. And we pray for them to grow in His grace, in Jesus’ name. Lording it over, brow beating other saints, looking down on them arrogantly, frustrates the grace of God among His people (Galatians 2:21; 5:1). Adding anything to the simple Gospel of Jesus is exactly what the Galatians did and consequently fell from saving grace – so not only did they not grow in grace, they fell from it (Galatians 3:1-3; 5:4). Selah.

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“Having No Part Dark” [podcast]

Grounded in Grace

Grace Abounding

Walking in Godly Integrity

Victory Comes Little by Little [podcast]

Articles

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 the Almighty? According to His divine wisdom given us in His precious Precepts, in order to be “raised up” we must first be “bowed down.” The LORD will not raise up any person who is still alive in his own power – He only raises up “those that be bowed down” in sincere humility before His majesty (Ps. 145:14; Jn. 12:23-25; Rom. 8:11).

“Those that be bowed down” will “take root downward” and be raised up in blessed fruitfulness (Isa. 37:31).

In order to “bear fruit upward,” one must first be planted in the house (kingdom) of the LORD and “take root downward” in the rich soil of His truth. The resurrection life of Jesus and ample fruitfulness will be the result.

Going deeper in God necessitates going down deeper into death and burial with Christ! Read Romans 6. There are no shortcuts (Galatians 5:24). Christ’s kingdom is a cross economy – one of utter humility and death to self that He might reign (John 12:23-25; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3, etc.).

“And whosoever shall exalt himself (upward) shall be abased (humbled); and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” Matthew 23:12

“He must INCREASE, but I must DECREASE.” John 3:30

“And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat FALL INTO THE GROUND (downward) and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit (upward). He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life (downward) in this world shall keep it unto life eternal (upward).” John 12:23-25

“Humble yourselves (downward heart posture) in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” James 4:10

The life of Christ will raise a man upward and this is after that man bows down his life or humbles himself under the mighty hand of God – first at initial salvation then in the consecrated life that brings God glory. Blessed resurrection life is the upward result of the life planted downward and this is the place from which ministry springs. Look at what the apostle Paul wrote in this regard:

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

Jesus declared to us that He came to make captives free from sin and Satan – “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (Lk. 4:18; Jn. 8:31-32, 36).There is chain-shattering, freeing power (liberty) in the redeeming blood of Christ and by the power of the Holy Ghost (Lk. 4:18; Jn. 8:36; Acts 26:18; Col. 1:12-14; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; Rev. 12:11). The divine promise is that when one bows down before the LORD, every yoke shall be broken by Him who is above all (Isa. 58). No stronghold or bond of Satan has power when Christ’s blood is applied in sincere repentance and by the power of the Holy Ghost! The saint who is raised up after being bowed down, will glorify God in rich fruitfulness being “changed into the same image (Christ’s) from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

“Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:17-18

It is the divine Person of the Holy Ghost who raised up the LORD who was bowed down before His Father in death in order to purchase His Church with His own sinless blood (Acts 20:28). In like manner, it is the Holy Spirit with His resurrection power who raises up those who be bowed down before His throne of grace.

“And he (Jesus) was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God… And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.” Luke 13:10-13, 16-17

There can be no resurrection until there is first a death. A seed is dead or dormant then is planted and then germinates and brings forth bud, then a stalk and ultimately fruit – but first it must be buried downward in order to bear life-giving fruit upward. The life buried with Christ will be lifted up by divine power and bear much fruit to God’s glory (Jn. 15:8).

“But if the Spirit of him that raised UP Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised UP Christ from the dead shall also quicken (make alive upward) your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” Romans 8:11

Our LORD had to first die and be buried “downward” in order to be raised “upward” by the Father in resurrection life to raise up and justify all those who would call upon Him in repentance (Rom. 1:4; 8:11; 10:13). In order for fruit to be borne “upward,” the disciple must first be planted “downward” in “the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Isa. 37:31; Phil. 3:10).

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.” Romans 6:3-5

“Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” Colossians 2:12

He created man with a choice (Josh. 24:15). In the end there will be “the resurrection of life” and also “the resurrection of damnation” (Jn. 5:28-29). Each of us will be in one of these resurrections – either everlasting life or eternal death (conscience separation from God in hell). The entrance into Heaven or termination into hell will hinge upon whom we served – God or self (Rom. 6:16).

Real promotion comes only from the Giver and Sustainer of all life – from the north (Heaven).

“For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.” Psalms 75:6-7

That person who freely chooses to believe God, taking Christ at His Word, bowing under His infinite Majestic glory, will be raised up both now and forever and eternally glorified with the Alpha and Omega (Phil. 2:5-11; 2 Thess. 2:13-14).

“The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing.” Psalms 92:12-14

PRAYER: Please draw me deeper into You LORD Jesus. Father in Heaven, You sent Your only begotten Son to die for me in order that I might be raised up in new life in this brief life and eternally. I love You Jesus and ask You to lead me to that crucified life that you lived when here on earth and as You gave Your life blood on the cross to save Your people. Please quicken me by Your Holy Spirit and fill me afresh O LORD, that this life You gave might be fully one with You and fruitful and pleasing to Thee. Lord, I am watching and praying in light of Your soon return. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

If you truly desire to know more about how to really know the LORD, go here okay: Born Again: What is It?

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PEACE with GOD

Feedback:

“Awesome message. Thank you for sharing it. I would like to encourage everyone to read this and to look at the scriptures in their own Bibles! Wonderful message.” Linda C.