Heavenly Worship and Obedience

“Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.” Luke 17:33

The night is falling. The dawn of a new day is upon us but not before great apostasy, spiritual darkness, natural calamities, starvation, suffering, many falling away, and death. Yet, just as was foretold concerning this end time hour, so many who once served Christ have fallen away and are not ready to meet the soon to return Master (Matthew 24-25). Their lives are now spent in consumerism. They do little more than pursue their next trinket. Those who’ve departed from Christ love this present world and have thereby forfeited their love for Christ and their place in His eternal kingdom.

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” 1 John 2:15-17

“Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: 10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.” Proverbs 3:9-10

People who aren’t rich and consistent in their giving simply do not value Christ. Idolaters value the god of self and therefore embellish that false god with their monies. Jesus teaches:

“19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 
20  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 
21  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 
22  The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 
23  But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! 
24  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:19-24

Jesus says “GIVE” so that greed is not your god. Giving is the only way to keep greed from being your false god that cannot save you from eternal fire (Matthew 6:19-24; Luke 6:38; Acts 20:35; 1 Timothy 6:6-19). Make no mistake: If you are not a generous giver it’s because greed is your god.

“So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:33

“They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” Titus 1:16

Going to Heaven but not Obeying?

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21

There are many today who do not wish to deal in honesty with these words of Christ. They scoff at some who preach what they call “Lordship salvation.” This could be due to their lack of understanding and refusal to include the whole counsel of God in their theology. The fact is, that if someone truly repents and believes on Christ, they give their lives over to Him and are therefore obedient to their new Master.

“And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” 1 John 2:3-6

If you aren’t a giver it’s because you are a greedy, self-serving, and God-less counterfeit. Your life is not laid down. You have not repented or have since taken back your surrender (recanted and now are in denial of Christ).

“He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.” John 12:25

Most who claim to be serving Christ (He gave all), don’t want this level of accountability and view such as bondage. Why? It’s simple – they have not truly laid down their lives (repented). So, they do not wish to be bothered, convicted, or inconvenienced. They simply want a get-out-of-hell card and yet have no interest in getting to know the Savior. He’s going to say to them “depart from me.”  In Luke 13:27 the Son of God warns us by giving a glimpse into the coming judgment: “But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.”

“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous (to those who have truly repented and love Him).” 1 John 5:3

Those who truly know and love Jesus Christ delight to serve Him. Out of the overflow of His life and grace in their lives, they pour out to others. Their cups run over with His goodness and truth (Psalms 23:5).

To those who are not rich toward God and therefore not rich in their giving: All of Scripture clearly reveals that your money will perish with you. Like the rich man in Luke 16, you are as sure for hell and the lake of fire as if you were already there.

“15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. 
16  And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 
17  And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 
18  And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 
19  And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 
20  But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 
21  So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” ~ The Son of God, Luke 12:15-21

YOUR financial status (either rich or poor) is NOT a measure of your spiritual status. It’s not your identity – CHRIST is your core identity. To the rich in this fleeting world that is a rebuke and to the poor that is a comfort.

Will You Join This Man?

The once “certain rich man” went straight to hell for his refusal to help others in need and was and is and forever will be “tormented in this flame.” Read the words of warning from Jesus in Luke 16:19-31. | Why Did Jesus Say the Rich Man went to Hell?

You will have all eternity in hell to regret and suffer anguish and remorse over your wickedness and rebellion in this brief life. Your comforts and waste will not be remembered. Your style and fashion and expensive vehicles, coffees and other things you wasted those resources on will be of no value then and forever. You waste due to not laying down your life. Those whose lives are laid down are saved and they care for and live to further Christ’s Gospel – not to further embellish their fat faces and stomachs with more trash. The money you once had in your possession will not buy your way out of the incarceration of the damned – eternal damnation in hell and the lake of fire (Matthew 25:40-46; Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 20:15).

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mark 8:36-37

 Let’s Face the Facts:

• You said a prayer but you didn’t truly repent – lay down your life (truly repent).
• You go to church but you don’t know Jesus.
• You do not settle daily that Christ is going to reign in your life (Luke 9:23-24; 14:33; 17:33).
• You have either never truly been born again or have since backslidden and are cold and calloused in your heart toward the LORD and therefore His people and lost souls.
• You could care less about anyone except yourself.
• You have a mere no-change-required “form (formula) of godliness” and yet deny the authority or power of Christ to reign in your daily, personal life (2 Timothy 3:5).
• You feign to serve God inasmuch as it’s convenient to your lazy, self-serving lifestyle – which means you are serving the false god of self.

“For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. 4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings. … O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?”  Jeremiah 4:3-4, 14

“Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.” Hosea 10:12

“But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for (consistent with) repentance: 9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” Matthew 3:7-10

*Read what Christ taught in Luke 12:15-21.

Don’t like this biblical preaching? Leave.  There will be no condemnation or mention at all. Easy come, easy go. We are here to feed the true remnant who repent when they see their sin and the consequent fruit of humility, holiness, and obedience follows (Matthew 3:7-10).

1 Timothy 6

“6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

13 I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;

14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:

15 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.

17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Psalms 49

“1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:

2 Both low and high, rich and poor, together.

3 My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

4 I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.

5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?

6 They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;

7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:

8 (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)

9 That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.

10 For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

11 Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.

12 Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.

13 This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.

14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.

15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.

16 Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;

17 For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.

18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.

19 He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.

20 Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.”

WASTE | Filthy Rich (audios)

Principal Hindrance to the Gospel

Lordship Salvation Examined [podcast]

Principal Hindrance to the Gospel

Attend to My Words [podcast]

Gold Grabbing Ministers who Manipulate

TODAY is Your Day [podcast]