Articles

Grace and the Great Commission [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]

Fellowship that Fuels

Yesterday was a day of our LORD showing just how much HIS grace is sufficient and working in His people, His body, to bring forth His good fruit (1 Corinthians 15:10) …

“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet NOT I, BUT THE GRACE OF GOD which was with me.” 1 Corinthians 15:10

Did you see that? Do we realize that God’s grace—His divine influence upon our hearts and empowerment in our lives—is working in us, in you, as you are seeking and obeying God? Read that verse above again, real closely. Mega divine revelation.

When we have exerted labor, when we are tired, are worn out, Jesus Christ our LORD, the very “Almighty” God of all that is, is still working mightily! (Revelation 1:8)

God always fuels, works in and through His saints as they worshipfully abide in Him, obey Him.

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Okay. Wait. If the power of God works mightily in and through us when we are “weak” …. perhaps a biblical prayer could be:

Holy Father, please make me weak the way You define it – that the power of Christ might reign in this Your vessel, for Your eternal glory. Please do it dear LORD. Make me weak that Your grace in Christ might overpower this Your vessel. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

It was obvious that brother Daniel was greatly edified after the fellowship he and I enjoyed last week, which included an unplanned call from brother Bill Wegener and lengthy conversation between Bill and Daniel.

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16

When we honor God by letting HIS Word dwell richly, abundantly among us, as His people, great things happen, every time.

In addition to the Word being shared together, brother Daniel was inspired by brother Bill’s phone call (JesusFedMe.com ministry). Daniel told me that reading the Scriptures and praying the prayer each morning through the Moments with Our Master book has truly bolstered his life in Christ, fueling him into daily Gospel action.

(Keep in mind that the Moments book states in the very front that NOTHING takes the place of Bible reading.)

The goal of the vast majority of “pastors” operating out of official church buildings in the modern church world is not the feeding, the equipping of Christ’s saints but rather to build their church business. This is unlike what we see amongst the earliest followers of Jesus (John 21:15-17; Acts 4:11-16; 1 Peter 5:1-6; Hebrews 13:7, 17).

Any person not living a Great Commission life, is living a wasted life.
They are out of the will of God.
Read that again.

MAY God grant repentance to any who claim to be Christ’s and aren’t executing HIS Great Commission mandate – they prove to be cross-less, to have reject Jesus as their “first love” in this brief life, and to be all about their own life, business, and not the “Father’s business” (Luke 2:49; Revelation 2:4-5). Repentance needed or irrevocable damnation awaits.

Anyone claiming to be saved and not participating in Christ’s Great Commission is deceived (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-20).

We know those who have truly repented and are truly right with God, ready for Heaven …. by those obeying the cross and Great Commission commands Jesus gave us. ALL other professing “Christians” are lukewarm at best and ready to be spued, vomited, rejected (Revelation 3:15-16).

The true fellowship of the early church consisted of four things. Can you find them here in the first verse of this amazing passage?

“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” Acts 2:42-47

True fellowship, and Christian living (lifestyle) does not increase allegiance to a certain church or pastor but rather to Christ Himself—“In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:1-19).

In the end of Acts 2 we see that these new saints in Christ “continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). It was immediately after the birth of our LORD’s church at Pentecost and so there was no time to yet have a pastoral bureaucracy. Paul feared, and warned us of such with tears (Acts 20:20-32). There is no mention of a “head pastor” controlling the gold and the bureaucracy. The fellowship was clean and simple—so that Christ could be magnified. It consisted of:

“the apostles’ doctrine” (Word)
“fellowship”
“breaking of bread”
“prayers”

As we see in the ensuing chapters of the Book of Acts, that such Christ-glorifying fellowship fueled the saints to do great exploits.

“Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.” Acts 8:4

Speaking of religious bureaucracy, recently I was made aware of a local church, pastor in the Dallas area, who is raising 16 million dollars to build a pickle ball court. And to think just how dark and lost such a congregation is to even put up with much less fund such a fraud. A basketball or pickle ball court will lead ZERO people to Christ, ever. No such thing as a disciple of Jesus participating or even fellowship with such abomination.

Let me get this straight ….
the wolf you call “pastor” is collecting money to build a new building, to build a basketball court, to increase his real estate portfolio, etc. ….. and you still don’t see he’s a fraud?

WHERE did Jesus or His holy apostles collect one penny to build any building to further Christ’s kingdom? Chapters and verses please.

Any person claiming to be a child of God and yet is not involved in the “Fathers business” of the Great Commission, is a counterfeit. Such a person proves they are not saved, do not care about Jesus and the Father who sent His “little flock” to preach and teach the Word of the Gospel (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 2:49; 23:12; 24:27; Book of Acts; 2 Timothy 4:2, etc.).

Brother Daniel was calling all excited, etc., and I couldn’t answer his calls till later…. only to see how God was using him later as we spoke. He took it upon himself to hear and be fueled by, and answer God’s call to go minister. And he did just that – just him and Jesus! Imagine that! This type of Gospel action and fruit doesn’t happen when people are told by other Christians, by religious dupes, to “go find a church” or “come to our church” (country club). We all know people who have been “in church” life and are leading no one to Jesus, don’t even have enough fear of God to get up each morning and seek the face of the LORD in the Word and prayer, etc. They aren’t even lukewarm, they are “trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots.”

“These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;” Jude 12

Years ago, I ceased to even hint of “going to find a church” to any born again saints, especially new ones. No. Such is a trap and we’ve all seen the fruit it’s produced. Stop. Step back. WHY do you think America, on the brink of destruction has progressively become so apostate, departed from the truth, from decency, from that which is right in the eyes of God? It’s happened at the hands of a perverted priesthood of seminarian and greedy frauds perpetrating a false Jesus, a false gospel, fueled by “another spirit” (2 Corinthians 11:2-5; Galatians 1:6-9).

Recently I was blessed to meet and have now fellowshipped with a dear man named Jorge. During our time of fellowship together, brother Jorge informed me that he’s never been part of a local church gathering for the last 42 years after Jesus saved him. He fellowships daily with Jesus and the Father and other of His saints. Jorge told me that he was saved one night 42 years ago on the streets of Mexico at the bless-ed preaching of a disciple of Jesus who was from America and had come down to preach in Mexico. What a beautiful story.

God teaches us “fellowship” is His stated will and that doesn’t mean, that doesn’t equal joining a man’s “church” club to become a member and incubated into hell bound lukewarmness (Revelation 3:14-22).

Haven’t we stopped to see that something is amiss in the waiting till Sunday to “fellowship”? That is, but one day per week, to “fellowship” (if you can call it that)?

The fellowship of the earliest followers of Jesus was “daily” and was not limited to a “temple” but was done everywhere, “in every house,” etc.

“And DAILY in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” Acts 5:42

Our walk and fellowship with Christ and His people is “daily” and not weekly (Luke 9:23-24).

See if you can find a “church building” in the following verse:

“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

This kind of teaching, from God’s Word, helps enlighten His saints and defund the wolves Jesus and His holy apostles so often warned us about (Matthew 7:15; 24:11; 2 Peter 2:1-3; 1 John 4:1, etc.).

Here we have a modern witness of a man, a new disciple of Jesus, Daniel, having never once attended an official church meeting. Here he is, shortly after Jesus saving him, seeking the face of our LORD daily, evangelizing, spreading Christ’s Gospel on the streets – bringing the Good News to the people. Sound like the Book of Acts? Yes.

Now, how many “good church goers/attenders” do you personally know who have ever witnessed to a sinner, much less early after being saved? In so many cases, they are told to “go find a church” and their lives, time, God-given talents, energy, presence, and finances, are being wasted, exploited. And they shall give full account to God for serving men and not God (Galatians 1:10).

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

To put it lightly, they are in big trouble unless they repent.

“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.” 2 Peter 2:1-3

Challenge: Stop. Think about what you have personally witnessed in this matter. Honestly, how many “good church attenders/members” do you know who daily seek the LORD and are fruitful in making Christ known, ministering to the lost and edifying the members of body of Christ.

Honestly, I doubt many of us know 3-5 people who are truly following Jesus, true disciples, who daily worship and serve Him.

Is it any wonder that Jesus calls His flock, a “little flock”? (Luke 12:32)

All who truly Love Jesus Labor for His Eternal Glory

Those who labor for Christ prove they love Him. They are about the “Father’s business” and not their own. Jesus said:

“Wist (knew) ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” Luke 2:49

With these truths in mind, read Matthew 9:35-38 and the Book of Acts.

Each of us is blessed to be surrounded by good ministries. They feed us and they are winning souls (street preachers, God-called Bible teachers, etc). Please pray for and support them saints (Galatians 6:6; Philippians 1:19, etc.). This way we are all, each member of Christ’s body, participating in the Great Commission mandate He gave us—and is coming back to take account of the stewardship of our lives—time, talent, treasure, etc. (Ephesians 4:11-16, etc.). Let’s roll saints. Jesus is coming.

In this hour the vast majority of people alive on this earth waste their time and substance upon this fleeing world, upon obtaining more temporal trinkets. But God calls us—you and me—to pour our lives and resources into Him, into His Great Commission work. It will be forever rewarded. There will be no regrets.

“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.” Matthew 6:19-21

YOUR PRAYER: Holy Father, please forgive me for doing my own thing instead of Yours. Please convict me of all sin, of everything that defiles me in Your holy eyes. Cut off occasion from the enemy. Please don’t let this life You gave, my one life in this world, be wasted. Let it be used up daily for Your eternal glory. Bless me to live in vital abiding union with You LORD Jesus. Fill me afresh with Your Holy Ghost and use me dear LORD. Make me to become Your consummate edifier of Your saints and Your soul winner. In Jesus’ name.

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What is the Great Commission? [podcast]

What is the Great Commission? Who gave it? Who was the Great Commission given to? The Great Commission is simply the spreading of Jesus’ Word by teaching it to the world. Jesus gave it. He gave it to all of His people and holds each of them personally responsible for fulfilling it. Each of us will give full account to Him in this specific matter when we stand to be judged by Him. The Great Commission “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and […]

His Grace is Sufficient for Thee [podcast]

“WHEN HE HAD BY HIMSELF purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Hebrews 1:3 ALL “BY HIMSELF” Jesus redeemed us, bought, brought us back to God by the shedding of His precious blood on that cross. Jesus needed no help: He alone was sufficient to propitiate, expiate, atone for the sins of mankind. The grace of Christ which saved us through His perfect sacrifice is the same and only grace that keeps us and enables His perfect will in our lives! Here’s how that works in His kingdom economy: He who died, was buried, and raised […]

Top 12 Missing Essential Doctrines in the Modern Church World! [podcast]

DOES THIS SOUND LIKE YOUR “CHURCH” OR FAVORITE PREACHER? It’s real simple… if they are not preaching the cardinal doctrines of the original Gospel given to us in the New Testament, they are preaching “another gospel” and are “accursed.” (Galatians 1:6-9). “For MANY DECEIVERS ARE ENTERED INTO THE WORLD, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, […]

Apostasy

Spiritual Formation—A Dangerous Substitute for the Life of Christ [podcast]

Sometimes we think of spiritual formation as formation by the Holy Spirit. Once again. That’s essential. . . . But now I have to say something that may be challenging for you to think about: Spiritual formation is not all by the Holy Spirit. . . . We have to recognize that spiritual formation in us is something that is also done to us by those around us, by ourselves, and by activities which we voluntarily undertake . . .There has to be method.¹—Dallas Willard

Aside from the fact that Spiritual Formation incorporates mystical practices into its infrastructure (remove the contemplative aspect and you don’t have “Spiritual Formation” anymore), Spiritual Formation is a works-based substitute for biblical Christianity. Let us explain.

When one becomes born again (“that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9-10), having given his or her life and heart over to Christ as Savior, Jesus Christ says He will come in and live in that surrendered heart:

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: (Colossians 1:27)

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 your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. (Romans 8:11; emphasis added)

When God, through Jesus Christ, is living in us, He begins to do a transforming work in our hearts (2 Corinthians 3:18). Not only does He change us, He also communes with us. In other words, we have fellowship with Him, and He promises never to leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

This life of God in the believer’s heart is not something we need to conjure up through meditative practices. But if a person does not have this relationship with the Lord, he may seek out ways to feel close to God. This is where Spiritual Formation comes into play. Rather than a surrendered life to Christ (through repentance and faith), the seeking person begins practicing the spiritual disciplines (e.g., prayer, fasting, good works, etc.) with the promise that if he practices these disciplines, he will become more Christ-like.

But merely doing these acts fails to make one feel close to God—something is still missing. And thus, he begins practicing the discipline of silence (or solitude), and now in these altered states of silence, he finally feels connected to God. He now feels complete. What he does not understand is that he has substituted the indwelling of Christ in his heart for a works-based methodology that endangers his spiritual life. Dangerous because these mystical experiences he now engages in appear to be good because they make him feel close to God, but in reality he is being drawn into demonic realms no different than what happens to someone who is practicing transcendental meditation or eastern meditation. Even mystics themselves acknowledge that the contemplative realm is no different than the realm reached by occultists. To understand this more fully, please read Ray Yungen’s book A Time of Departing.

Bottom line, it is not possible to be truly Christ-like without having Christ inside of us because it is His righteousness that is able to change our hearts—we cannot do it without Him. It is His righteousness we need:

Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe. (Romans 3:22)

And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. (Philippians 3:9)

It is interesting to note that virtually every contemplative teacher has a common theme—they feel dry and empty and want to go “deeper” with God or “become more intimate” with God. But if we have Christ living in us, how can we go any deeper than that? How can we become more intimate than that? And if going deeper and becoming intimate were so important, why is it that none of the disciples or Jesus Himself ever told us to do this? As Larry DeBruyn states:

Why are Christians seeking a divine presence that Jesus promised would abundantly flow in them? . . . Why do they need another voice, another visitation, or another vision? Why are some people unthankfully desirous of “something more” than what God has already given to us? Why is it that some Christians, in the depth of their souls, are not seemingly at rest?²

Is There a “Good” Spiritual Formation?

One of the most common arguments we hear defending Spiritual Formation is that there is a “good” Spiritual Formation done without contemplative prayer. To that we say, we have never yet seen a Spiritual Formation program in a school or a church that doesn’t in some way point people to the contemplative mystics. It might be indirectly, but in every case, if you follow the trail, it will lead you right into the arms of Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, and other contemplative teachers.

Think about this common scenario: A Christian college decides to begin a Spiritual Formation course. The instructor has heard some negative things about Richard Foster, Henri Nouwen, and Brennan Manning, and he figures he will teach the class “good Spiritual Formation” and leave those teachers completely out. But he’s going to need a textbook. He turns to a respected institution, Dallas Theological Seminary, and finds a book written by Paul Pettit, Professor in Pastoral and Education Ministries. The book is titled Foundations of Spiritual Formation. The instructor who has found this book to use in his own class may never mention Richard Foster or Dallas Willard, but the textbook he is using does. Within the pages of Pettit’s book is Richard Foster, Philip Yancey, N.T. Wright, Dallas Willard, Thomas Aquinas, Lectio Divina, Ayn Rand, Parker Palmer, Eugene Peterson, J.P. Moreland, Klaus Issler, Bruce Demarerst, Jim Burns, Kenneth Boa and Brother Lawrence’s “practicing God’s presence.” You may not have heard of all these names, but they are all associated with the mystical contemplative prayer movement and the emerging church.

Another example of this is Donald Whitney’s book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. Whitney is former Associate Professor at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and currently at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. While his book does not promote contemplative mysticism, he says that Richard Foster has “done much good”³ in the area of Christian spirituality (which we believe is blatantly untrue).

Our point is that even if there is a sincere attempt to teach Spiritual Formation and stay away from the mystical side, we contend that it cannot be successfully accomplished because it will always lead back to the ones who have brought it to the church in the first place.

Spiritual formation is sweeping throughout Christianity today. It’s no wonder when the majority of Christian leaders have either endorsed the movement or given it a silent pass. For instance, in Chuck Swindoll’s book So You Want to Be Like Christ: 8 Essential Disciplines to Get You There, Swindoll favorably quotes Richard Foster and Dallas Willard. Swindoll calls Celebration of Discipline a “meaningful work”⁴ and Willard’s book The Spirit of the Disciplines “excellent work.”⁵ In chapter three, ”Silence and Solitude,” Swindoll talks about “digging for secrets . . . that will deepen our intimacy with God.”⁶ Quoting the contemplative poster-verse Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God,” Swindoll says the verse is a call to the “discipline of silence.”⁷ As other contemplative proponents have done, he has taken this verse very much out of context.

Roger Oakland sums it up:

The Spiritual Formation movement . . . teaches people that this is how they can become more intimate with God and truly hear His voice. Even Christian leaders with longstanding reputations of teaching God’s word seem to be succumbing. . . .

We are reconciled to God only through his “death” (the atonement for sin), and we are presented “holy and unblameable and unreproveable” when we belong to Him through rebirth. It has nothing to do with works, rituals, or mystical experiences. It is Christ’s life in the converted believer that transforms him.⁸

“For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” Romans 5:10

What Christians need is not a method or program or ritual or practice that will supposedly connect them to God. What we need is to be “in Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:30) and Christ in us. And He has promised His Spirit “will guide [us] into all truth” (John 16:13).

“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:” 1 Corinthians 1:30

In Colossians 1:9, the apostle Paul tells the saints that he was praying for them that they “might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” He was praying that they would have discernment (“spiritual understanding”). He said that God, the Father, has made us “partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light” (vs 12) and had “delivered us from the power of darkness [i.e., power of deception]” (vs. 13). But what was the key to having this wisdom and spiritual understanding and being delivered from the power of darkness? Paul tells us in that same chapter. He calls it “the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints” (vs. 26). What is that mystery? Verse 27 says: “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (emphasis added).

For those wanting to get involved with the Spiritual Formation movement (i.e., contemplative, spiritual direction), consider the “direction” you will actually be going.

And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel. (Colossians 1:21-23)

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power. (Colossians 2: 8-10)

This article is an extract from the Lighthouse Trails booklet, Is Your Church Doing Spiritual Formation? (Important Reasons Why They Shouldn’t). To order this booklet, click here.

Endnotes:
1. Dallas Willard, “Spiritual Formation: What it is, and How it is Done” (https://dwillard.org/resources/articles/spiritual-formation-what-it-is-and-how-it-is-done).

2. Larry DeBruyn, “God’s Present of His Presence” (https://www.guardinghisflock.org/gods-present-of-his-presence/ ).

3. Donald Whitney, “Doctrine and Devotion: A Reunion Devoutly to be Desired” (http://web.archive.org/web/20080828052145/http://biblicalspirituality.org/devotion.html).

4. Chuck Swindoll, So You Want to Be Like Christ: 8 Essential Disciplines to Get You There (Nashville, TN:W Publishing Group, a div. of Thomas Nelson, 2005), p. 15.

5. Ibid., p. 13.

6. Ibid., p. 55.

7. Ibid.

8. Roger Oakland, Faith Undone (Eureka, MT: Lighthouse Trails Publishing, 2007), pp. 91-92.

This has been an extract from our booklet Is Your Church Doing Spiritual Formation? (Important Reasons Why It Shouldn’t). To order this booklet, click here.

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The Dangers of Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Disciplines

The Dangers of Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Disciplines A Critique of Dallas Willard and The Spirit of the Disciplines by Bob DeWaayPractices called “spiritual disciplines” that are deemed necessary for “spiritual formation” have entered evangelicalism. Recent encounters with this teaching narrated to me by friends caused me to investigate these practices. The first experience involved my friend and co-worker Ryan Habbena who went back to seminary to finish his masters degree. Here is his experience in his own words: I recently took a seminary course on the book of Luke. It was a summer intensive and was one of only […]

SHOCKING List of Spiritual Formation Ministries

More Catholic Witchcraft Infiltrating the Apostate Seminaries, Ministries, and Churches “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.” 1 Timothy 4:1-2 WHAT is spiritual formation / contemplative prayer or centering prayer? Spiritual formation/contemplative prayer/spirituality is just another self-centered, Christ-denying, self-righteous, works-based, occultic, pagan lie from hell! Seminaries teach it and now many churches today are practicing new age witchcraft called contemplative prayer, or centering Prayer which is part of spiritual formation. […]

Articles

Mission Mexico Part 32

“So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.” Acts 19:20

See picture below.

I recently, “accidently” drove up this very narrow street only to realize that there was no turn around at the end. As God would have it, this man helped me back out of that street and received the spoken Word and a JESUS tract. Romans 8:28 right?

“Ephesians 3:20 was the very verse I prayed for you and the ministry this morning! And v16 as well. May the Spirit of God manifest His full grace and peace upon you today! And give you fruit, more fruit and much fruit! Amen.” Karen Cochran

(see picture below)

It dawns on me afresh today as it has since arriving here in Mexico, that these precious people so deeply hunger for Christ. Today, upon ministering to Victor and Juan and having Victor incessantly asking me about Christianity, Jesus, and being saved…. this was a fresh reminder of the great hunger and openness of the Mexican people. They want Jesus. Plain and simple. “HOW shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14)

These two men were excited to know that you would be lifting them in prayer.

Victor and I are now connected by phone. So he will now be fed the Word of our God and be introduced to Spanish speaking disciples of our LORD Jesus.

Being limited in Spanish, I preached the Gospel, the Bible truth I am able to in Spanish and that including exhorting them both, today to repent and receive Jesus and did this while pointing to the prayer (oracion) on the back of the JESUS tract.

Would you like to kindly pause to lift these 2 dear men in prayer to our LORD?

Mission Mexico

JUST got a call from sister Teri in FL and had the opportunity to speak with brothers Scott and Jorge who were both recently saved by Jesus. Was also blessed to speak with a brother named Raymond who is a flourishing disciple of Jesus!

Thank you for your prayers and support which include our bless-ed opportunity of helping this group of disciples in FL.

Jesus is coming!

Recently…… Many received God’s Word today.

Brother Mark has recently joined in helping with our LORD’s Gospel in Mission Mexico and was amazed when he saw three grown men walking together who were ministered to and walk away, each of them with the JESUS tract open, as they walked read the message. They are that hungry.

The Mexico people deserve to hear our LORD’s glorious Gospel!

“I bet brother Mark is amazed at the response of the Mexican people when you guys go out and minister to them. To have so many hearts open and poor in spirit would be a shock at first. Total opposite of America—who say ‘I am rich, increased with goods have need of nothing!’ Revelation 3:17.

Praise God for the blessed ones who heard the engrafted word of our Lord, which is able to save their souls.” Karen

REPLY:

Yes He is amazing. They WANT it. They DESIRE it. They are like the woman who desires a man and so he marries her and they have a super blessed marriage for life. Instead of the wicked Jezebel woman who just wants to self-servingly shop for the man she can use to accomplish her selfish agenda.

“I was reading Mathew 21:23 this morning and it went through my mind that is what God said to America! ‘The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.’ And that nation is Mexico!“ Karen

“Truly amazing what God is doing in the hearts of the Mexican people. And now He is raising up disciples to bring into the harvest. He is LORD of the harvest. Have you heard of Chick Publications? I just read that they have sent 200,000 tracts to a Mexico missionary and more being ready to be sent. Southern Mexico. So God is sure flooding Mexico with His Word!” Karen Cochran

While walking over to get a haircut, I happened to spot a JESUS tract someone had placed on this vehicle. No it was not me. I didn’t put that tract there. Someone else did.

Then, 5 minutes later, after arriving at barber and sitting down in the chair, straight ahead in my line of sight, there’s a JESUS tract purposely set on display by the barber.

No matter how high prices get in Mexico, your cost of living will always be MUCH less than the USA. A raise awaits you, soon as you cross the border. Is God prompting you to “Go”? (Mark 16:15)

God is good all the time as you well know and thank you.

Your prayers to the Father in the name of our LORD Jesus are the heavenly fuel He uses to bless and empower and supply His people to do His work.

“For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,” Philippians 1:19

todd

Articles

Chosen for Holiness [podcast]

“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:” Ephesians 1:4

Holiness comes by the Savior in self denial (death and burial – the cross), not by self will or effort. Surrender is the cross – “NOT my will but thine be done” (Lk. 22:42) and “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46). We surrender to Christ by saying “Not my will but thine be done” dear Lord, by Your grace and the deliberate act of my own will I submit to the cross, the crucified life – where You alone reign supreme in this vessel (Luke 22:42; Galatians 2:20, etc.). I love You LORD Jesus! You must increase but I must decrease! (John 3:30)

Holiness, not happiness, is the divine command, the chief purpose and end of Christ’s salvation.

Of holiness, one disciple writes:

“Holiness speaks more to nature than it does conduct. Good conduct is the spontaneous byproduct of the new nature of the new creation man thru the cross and death to the old nature. We are new creatures in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17-18). To preach holiness as conduct without the new nature thru the cross understanding is legalism. Holiness is actually derived from ‘wholeness’ meaning the thorough transformation of the whole tripartite man (1 Thess 5:23). So many of these ‘holiness’ preachers are preaching nothing but conduct under law. Law arouses sinful passions and causes sin to increase and was given in order to provoke transgressions (Rom 7:5; 5:20; Gal 3:21). They are enemies of the cross!”

Holiness comes by way of the cross, not by way of the flesh. Just as sin was conquered by the cross of Christ, so sin in the life of the saint is conquered by the daily cross – the crucified life (Luke 9:23-24; Romans 6; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3, etc.). It’s time to stop trying harder and to simply die deeper.

NOTICE: When a believer or group of believers backslides, they no longer separate from the transgressors who are unrepentant:

Fornication Defiles

“It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have (Gr. possessed and wouldn’t repent) his father’s wife. 2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:1-2

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