Abiding

“Give us this DAY, our DAILY bread” [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]

“Man what a great podcast – Daily Bread. I agree with you based off Scripture 100%.” Will | Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread

QUESTION ASKED:

“Please provide scripture to support your statement that ‘if you aren’t in the word daily you are backslidden and not ready to meet Jesus’?”

I am a follower of Christ and have extensively studied the Word. Please provide specific scripture that says if you don’t read the Bible every day you are backslidden and not ready to meet Jesus.”

REPLY:

The word “daily” appears 7 times in the Gospels directly spoken by or speaking of our LORD Jesus. “Daily” is found 63 times in God’s Word.

You are fooling no one except yourself to say that seeking, walking with God isn’t “daily.” And, that seeking the LORD doesn’t integrally involve reading, pouring prayerfully over, searching, studying, meditating up, and memorizing His Word.

Does God’s Word save us? Are we saved by God’s Word?

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.” 1 Peter 1:23-25

“18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. … 21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” James 1:18, 22-25

The mere act of being in God’s Word daily, in and of itself, doesn’t save us and yet, being daily in His Word proves we, who are born again, are remaining in Christ – continuing in “the perfect law of liberty” – both in reading and doing it (James 1:22). The abiding disciple is continuing in the words of Christ – seeking, desiring, worshipping, and obeying Him. Our obedience to God is our expression of love to Him – that is, if we truly love Him (John 14:15).

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalms 119:105). How often does the disciple, the wise virgin believer need his path lit? Weekly? Monthly? Daily?

Do you seriously believe that the 5 wise virgins who made it into the eternal bridal chamber, who endured to the end of their espousal period, casually got around to keeping their vessels full? Or, did they fervently, worshipfully, daily, diligently, obediently, and vigilantly keep their lamps, their lives, under the spout where the glory comes out? Have you read that parable of the 10 virgins recently? (Matthew 25:1-13)

The feeding of Christ’s flock would integrally involve exhorting them to diligently study and walk in God’s Word themselves, daily (John 21:15-17). Isn’t this exactly what the apostle Paul told Timothy to do? Yes. He told his understudy to “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).

One of the ways we know who the false ministers are, is that they want people dependent on THEM, not God. So, they don’t constantly exhort the people to get into God’s Word, the Holy Scriptures, for themselves. Run.

3 Daily Essential Basics for Every Believer

1. Daily Bible study (Job 23:12; Jer 15:16; 1 Pet 2:2)
2. Daily life of prayer (1 Thess 5:17)
3. Daily fellowship with other true believers (Acts 2:42-47; Heb 3:13; 10:25)

How does divine light enter into, get into the hearts and minds of God’s people? – “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” (Psalms 119:130). The light of the LORD enters our hearts and minds as the words of God enter our eye gates, minds, hearts. How often do we need God’s light in our darkened hearts, in this dark, fallen world? Every once in a while? When we get around to it? Or, daily, at all times, perpetually?

“Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called DAILY upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.” Psalms 88:9

Was David, the very one the LORD said was “a man after mine own heart,” a man who sought God, who tended to his relationship with the LORD seriously, was consumed in his love for God? Or, does that convey that David casually attended to the LORD?

What timeframe is the psalmist speaking of when he writes the following? The psalmist, David, the man after the heart of God, wrote: “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice”? Daily (Psalms 55:17).

3 times daily …

Beloved David is the only man we find in the record of Holy Writ whom the LORD said is “a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will” (Acts 13:22). As we just read, David sought God daily – “Evening, and morning, and at noon.”

It is a fact that each and every person reading these words serves self daily. So, if we serve self DAILY and yet aren’t seeking the face of the LORD daily, what does that reveal? Does that reveal that Jesus is our “first love” or a mere hobby? See Revelation 2:4-5.

The counsel of God is the very “thoughts of his heart” and are recorded in the Bible, His Word.

“The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.” Psalms 33:11

God is not available to the casual seeker (Jeremiah 29:11-14).

“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein DAY and NIGHT, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” Joshua 1:8

“Day and night” is clearly referring to each and every DAY – and not only in the day but also in the night, God’s Word is to rule in our lives!

In Psalm 1, we see the contrast between the righteous and the ungodly:

“But his (the righteous man) delight is in the law (Word) of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. … the ungodly are not so…” Psalms 1:2, 4

Jesus says to those He has saved that we must “abide” (continue, remain) in and with Him to the end or be cast into the fire (John 15:6). Would you like to explain how that’s possible without the divine fuel of God’s Word?

God’s Word gloriously gets into us – as we get into it, daily. Make the beautiful, quality decision today, right now, that from tomorrow morning forward, you will awake to seek the LORD your God, to get into His holy Word, to give Him thanks for all He’s done and doing, and quality moments in prayer communion.

“It is written, Man shall not live (have life with God) by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4

The LORD expects each of those He saves, to remain “nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine”…

“If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.” 1 Timothy 4:6

Again, a statement I’ve often made is “Any person who was saved in the past and yet isn’t presently in God’s Word daily, is already backslidden.”

It’s interesting that the people who occasionally balk at such a statement, seem to prove they are in darkness and defending their own rebellion, instead of hearkening to the truth in repentance. Anyone who can get up daily and feed their face natural food, fill their mind with the world’s news, etc., and not desire and devour God’s Word, is clearly lukewarm at best, and ready to be spued (rejected) from Christ’s body as He promised to do (Revelation 3:15-16).

If a person who was saved by Christ doesn’t follow Him on HIS stated terms – they are backslidden, period.

Did Jesus say His true disciples follow Him and receive His bread (Word) weekly, monthly, or daily? See Matthew 6:11; Luke 9:23-24. Any person not walking with Jesus on HIS terms, is backslidden. And Christ’s stated terms include “daily.”

Jesus says His people are to pray “Give us this day, our DAILY bread” (Matthew 6:11). How do you suppose that spiritual “bread” is received, ingested, other than by reading God’s Word? Jesus quantified following Him as being “daily” (Luke 9:23-24). Anyone not following Jesus “daily” is not following Jesus.

“Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.” Job 23:12

How is God’s Word going to get into me if I am not getting into it?

“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” 1 Peter 2:2

How is the believer going to “grow” if he’s not desiring and devouring God’s Word? He’s not. In fact, he’s going to grow weary, weak, and faint.

Growing in the grace of Christ comes from desiring and ingesting His words. Anyone not growing in Christ is and has fallen away.

BE NOT DECEIVED: YOU CANNOT SUSTAIN A LIFE WITH CHRIST WITHOUT DAILY FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM!

YOU MUST “DESIRE THE SINCERE MILK OF THE WORD” AND FEED YOUR SPIRIT THE WORD OF GOD DAILY OR YOU WILL GROW WEAK VERY QUICKLY AND FALL AWAY (1 PETER 2:2). JESUS CALLS US TO BE “NOURISHED UP IN THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE” (1 TIMOTHY 4:6).

“Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.” 1 Chronicles 16:11

By definition, seeking “continually” would definitely be “daily”, and not casually as if He, the Son of God, were a mere hobby and not our “first love” (Revelation 2:4-5).

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” Matthew 22:37

Is it not more than obvious that we love self more than we love Christ when we tend to self, and serve self daily and not the Savior?

What does this say for the person who can do many things daily but chooses not to seek God daily? He eats food and drinks drink daily, right? Why? Because they are important to Him. What people do DAILY is what they count to be important.

The reason we eat physical food daily is because we count it important to nourish our physical body, right? Well, do you count feeding our spirit (which is eternal) daily? If not, why? – because we don’t count our spiritual life with Christ important which means He is not our “first love” and also that we are lukewarm (Revelation 2:4-5; 3:15-16).

Daniel sought and served God “continually” and not casually (Daniel 6:16, 20). By this example we know that this godly man truly knew, loved, worshipped, and obeyed the LORD. The LORD was not a second class citizen in his life but rather his “first love.”

“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.” Daniel 6:10

Beloved Daniel, in the face of the threat of his very life, sought God “continually,” as “he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God.” Oh, and notice it says “as he did aforetime” which means that Daniel, in peace time, before the present threat he faced, always sought the LORD. Simply put, Daniel, like every other true disciple of Christ, puts God “first” and not self.

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33

When a man loves a woman, does he think about and communicate with her weekly, monthly, or daily? Does he want to hear her voice once in a while or daily? The answers to these questions are more than obvious.

If I am not into God’s Word, how can God’s Word possibly be getting into me?

“Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” John 15:3

When God is speaking to His obedient disciple, through the ingestion of His words, there is a continual cleansing “with the washing of water by the word” (Ephesians 5:26). This is not happening unless one is truly continuing with Christ via His Word. Each and every abiding disciple of Jesus relishes, diligently devours, and lives by His words (John 8:31-32).

“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” John 17:17

Christ makes it clear here that sanctification occurs in every abiding disciple of Jesus “through thy truth” which is His Word. In the divine economy, the truth and the Word are synonymous.

“Continual Feast”

“All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.” Proverbs 15:15

According to Proverbs 15:15, let us ask: How is any follower of Jesus ever going to have a heart filled, full of His perpetual divine joy if that disciple isn’t filling His heart and mind with God’s Word daily? Not going to happen. Get into God’s Word and stay in it – every day with no exception – wake to seek His holy face each morning. Live by truth and never feeling. You are crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20).

“Searched the Scriptures DAILY”

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

Those who truly serve the LORD don’t casually get around to reading His Word. Instead, true followers of Christ deliberately put Him “first” (Matthew 6:33). He is their “first love” and not second or a hobby (Revelation 2:4-5).

Proverbs 4

“1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
3 For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
Pro 4:6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

Grace and Truth Bible School (free upon request)

If it's Not Daily, it's Not at All!

The bread of God must be ingested daily! Jesus instructed His disciples to pray for “DAILY bread.” (Matthew 6:9-12) “Give us this day our DAILYYYYYY bread…” Life Changer: This revelation will transform your life… look up and read each Bible verse with the word “daily” in the New Testament …. WITH NO EXCEPTION, ALL who are Heaven-ready, seek the LORD daily, diligently. Jesus is not your “first love” if you don’t spend time with Him daily (Revelation 2:4-5). If you argue this you are self-deceived and your rebellion only proves the point. Now simply repent, come to Jesus – before […]

The Truth about Holiness [podcast]

“Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” Exodus 15:11 As we just read, divine “holiness” is “glorious.” Holiness is not what most of us think it is. Holiness in the divine economy is something of great “beauty” and utterly refreshing (Psalms 96:9). It seems that holiness is not merely a divine attribute but rather the divine nature of the Almighty. Are we ready to allow our LORD, who alone is “Holy, holy, holy,” to define what holiness truly is and how He brings it […]

Delighting in the LORD [podcast]

Many have set up their altar to the false gods of church, church attendance, mere men in ministry, etc., and not at the feet, the throne of Jesus Christ. These are examples of some of the most insidious, the most subtle forms of damnable idolatry. “And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.” Revelation 22:1 Our lives in Christ must be built around His throne and not a certain church building or Sunday morning event (Jeremiah 17:12; Colossians 3:1-4; Hebrews 4:14-16; Revelation […]

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. […]