John Wesley on Justification

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]

“My writing of Asbury’s early ministry in England gave me the privilege of interacting with several individuals who hold the Wesley team in high esteem. Even got one of them to laugh with joy when I told him that all that is good in America has a connection to the old man of Oxford (John Wesley) and his amazing friends. Blessings my friend and brother.” Al DeFilippo The Asbury Triptych Series

“Every one, though born of God in an instant, yea and sanctified in an instant, yet undoubtedly grows by slow degrees…” -Letter, 27 June 1760

“We allow, it is the work of God alone to justify, to sanctify, and to glorify; which three comprehend the whole of salvation.” -Predestination Calmly Considered

“By a Christian I mean one who so believes in Christ as that sin hath no more dominion over him; and in this obvious sense of the word I was not a Christian till May the 24th last past.” -Letter to Samuel, 30 October 1738

“God would first, by this inspiration of His Spirit, have wrought in our hearts that holy love without which none can enter into glory” -Letter to John Smith, 30 December 1745

“And by this token you may surely know whether you seek it by faith or by works. If by works, you want something to be done first, before you are sanctified. You think, I must first be or do thus or thus. Then you are seeking it by works unto this day. If you seek it by faith, you may expect it as you are; and expect it now.” -The Scripture Way of Salvation

“And at the same time that we are justified, yea, in that very moment, sanctification begins.” -The Scripture Way of Salvation

“And is it not incumbent on all that are justified to be ‘zealous of good works?’” -The Scripture Way of Salvation

“By justification we are saved from the guilt of sin, and restored to the favour of God; by sanctification we are saved from the power and root of sin, and restored to the image of God.” -On Working Out Our Own Salvation, 1785

“I believe justification by faith alone, as much as I believe there is a God…I have never varied from it, no, not a hair’s breadth from 1738 to this day.” -Journal, 1766

On Sanctification and the Christian Life

“…none shall live with God but he that lives to God…” -Christ Stabbed in the House of Friends

“One design you are to pursue to the end of time, — the enjoyment of God in time and in eternity. Desire other things, so far as they tend to this.” -The Circumcision of the Heart

“May we all thus experience what it is to be, not almost only; but altogether Christians.” – The Almost Christian

“Beware, lastly, of imagining you shall obtain the end without using the means conducive to it.” -The Nature of Enthusiasm

Our gospel, as it knows no other foundation of good works than faith, or of faith than Christ, so it clearly informs us, we are not his disciples while we either deny him to be the Author, or his Spirit to be the Inspirer and Perfecter, both of our faith and works.” -The Circumcision of the Heart

“Having, first, gained all you can, and, secondly saved all you can, then give all you can.” -The Use of Money

“We abhor the doctrine of ‘justification by works,’ as a most perilous and abominable doctrine…our works have no part in meriting or purchasing our justification, from first to last, either in whole or in part.” John Welsey

“I answer, some sin of omission, at least, must necessarily precede the loss of faith; some inward sin: But the loss of faith must precede the committing outward sin.” -The Great Privilege of Those That Are Born of God

“Every one, though born of God in an instant, yea and sanctified in an instant, yet undoubtedly grows by slow degrees…” -Letter, 27 June, 1760

“The more any believer examines his own heart, the more will he be convinced of this: That faith working by love excludes both inward and outward sin from a soul watching unto prayer…” -The Great Privilege of Those That Are Born of God

This is “sanctification;” which is, indeed, in some degree, the immediate fruit of justification, but, nevertheless, is a distinct gift of God, and of a totally different nature. The one implies what God does for us through his Son; the other, what he works in us by his Spirit. -Justification by Faith

“It is incumbent on all that are justified to be zealous of good works.” -The Scripture Way of Salvation

“…all who preach among them declare…’by grace we are saved through faith;’ saved both from the guilt and from the power of sin.” -A Short History of Methodism, 1765

“Let me have the pleasure of making him a whole Christian.” -Journal, January, 1727

“By justification we are saved from the guilt of sin…by sanctification we are saved from the power and root of sin…” -On Working Out Our Own Salvation, 1785

“We allow, it is the work of God alone to justify, to sanctify, and to glorify; which three comprehend the whole of salvation.” -Predestination Calmly Considered

“All who preach among them declare,…by grace we are saved through faith; saved both from the guilt and from the power of sin.” -A Short History of Methodism, 1765

“He may be almost as orthodox as the devil . . . and may, all the while be as great a stranger as he to the religion of the heart.” -The Way to the Kingdom

“But beware you be not swallowed up in books! An ounce of love is worth a pound of knowledge.” -Letter to Joseph Benson, November 7, 1768

“The gospel of Christ knows of no religion, but social; no holiness but social holiness.” -Preface to “Hymns and Sacred Poems,” 1739

“What the Scripture promises, I enjoy. Come and see what Christianity has done here; and acknowledge it is of God.” -Letter to Rev. Dr. Middleton, January 4, 1749.

“[Full sanctification] is the grand depositum which God has lodged with the people called Methodists; and for the sake of propagating this chiefly God appeared to have raised us up.” -Letter to Robert Carr Brackenbury, September 15th, 1790.

On Salvation and Grace

“We allow, it is the work of God alone to justify, to sanctify, and to glorify; which three comprehend the whole of salvation.” -Predestination Calmly Considered

“All the blessings which God hath bestowed upon man are of his mere grace, bounty, or favour.” -Salvation by Faith

“And by this token may you surely know whether you seek it by faith or by works. If by works, you want something to be done first, before you are sanctified. You think, ‘I must first be or do thus or thus.’ Then you are seeking it by works unto this day. If you seek it by faith, you may expect it as you are: and if as you are, then expect it now.” -The Scripture Way of Salvation

“Allow that Humanity is wholly fallen and you are so far a Christian. Deny it and you are but a heathen still.” -Original Sin

“And first let us inquire, What is salvation? The salvation which is here spoken of is not what is frequently understood by that word, the going to heaven, eternal happiness. It is not the soul’s going to paradise, termed by our Lord, ‘Abraham’s bosom.’ It is not a blessing which lies on the other side death, or (as we usually speak) in the other world. The very words of the text itself put this beyond all question. ‘Ye are saved.’ It is not something at a distance: it is a present thing, a blessing which, through the free mercy of God, ye are now in possession of. Nay, the words may be rendered, and that with equal propriety, ‘Ye have been saved.’ So that the salvation which is here spoken of might be extended to the entire work of God, from the first dawning of grace in the soul till it is consummated in glory.” -The Scripture Way of Salvation

“And at the same time that we are justified, yea, in that very moment, sanctification begins.” -The Scripture Way of Salvation

“Taking the word in a more particular sense, faith is a divine evidence and conviction, not only that ‘God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself,’ but also that Christ ‘loved me, and gave himself for me.’” -The Scripture Way of Salvation

“Beware you are not a fiery, persecuting enthusiast. Do not imagine that God has called you (just contrary to the spirit of Him you style your Master) to destroy men’s lives, and not to save them. Never dream of forcing men into the ways of God. Think yourself, and let think. Use no constraint in matters of religion. Even those who are farthest out of the way never compel to come in by any other means than reason, truth, and love.” -The Nature of Enthusiasm

“And I saw more than ever that the Gospel is in truth but one great promise from the beginning of it to the end.” -Journal, June 4, 1738

“But if we do not then love him who first loved us; if we will not hearken to his voice; if we turn our eye away from him, and will not attend to the light which he pours upon us; his Spirit will not always strive: He will gradually withdraw, and leave us to the darkness of our own hearts. He will not continue to breathe into our soul, unless our soul breathes toward him again; unless our love, and prayer, and thanksgiving return to him, a sacrifice wherewith he is well pleased.” -The Great Privilege of Those That Are Born of God

Holiness and Happiness

“As the more holy we are upon earth the more happy we must be.” -God’s Love to Fallen Man

Suffering

“How innumerable are the benefits which God conveys to the children of men through the channel of sufferings!” -God’s Love to Fallen Man

Prayer and Devotion

“O God, ‘in the midst of wrath, remember mercy!’ Be glorified in our reformation, not in our destruction!” -Awake, Thou That Sleepest

“Without love, nothing can make death comfortable.” -On Love

“The best of all is, God is with us.” -John Wesley’s final words

“And now run the race which is set before thee, in the royal way of universal love.” -Catholic Spirit

“Keep an even pace, rooted in the faith once delivered to the saints, and grounded in love, in true catholic love, till thou art swallowed up in love for ever and ever!” -Catholic Spirit

Ministry and Travel

“Leisure and I have taken leave of one another.” -Letter to Samuel, December 5, 1726

“I look on all the world as my parish; thus far I mean, that, in whatever part of it I am, I judge it meet, right, and my bounden duty, to declare unto all that are willing to hear, the glad tidings of salvation.” -Journal, June 11, 1739.

“Think then what you say, before you say you cannot live up to what is required of constant communicants. This is no more than is required of any communicants; yea, of everyone that has a soul to be saved.” -The Duty of Constant Communion

“I am always in haste, but never in a hurry.” -Letter, 1777

“In the evening another storm began. In the morning it increased so that they were forced to let the ship drive. I could not but say to myself, ‘How is it that thou hast no faith?’ being still unwilling to die.” -Journal, Friday 23, 1736

“I went to America, to convert the Indians; but oh! who shall convert me?” -Journal, January 24, 1738

“It is God alone who can cast out Satan. But he is generally pleased to do this by man as an instrument in his hand.” -A Caution Against Bigotry

“About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.” -Journal, May 24, 1738

“I should have thought the saving of souls almost a sin, if it had not been done in a church.” -Journal, March 29, 1739

“At four in the afternoon, I submitted to be more vile and proclaimed in the highways the glad tidings of salvation.” -Journal, April 2, 1739

“God would first, by this inspiration of his Spirit, have wrought in our hearts that holy love without which none can enter into glory.” -Letter to John Smith, 1745

“Secondly, all works of mercy, whether they relate to the bodies or souls of men; such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, entertaining the stranger, visiting those that are in prison, or sick, or variously afflicted… or contribute in any manner to the saving of souls from death. This is the repentance, and these the fruits meet for repentance, which are necessary to full sanctification. This is the way wherein God hath appointed his children to wait for complete salvation.” -The Scripture Way of Salvation

“The longer I live, the larger allowances I make for human infirmities.” -Letter to Samuel Furley, 21 February, 1756

“Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be clergymen or laymen, such alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the kingdom of heaven on earth.” -Letter to Alexander Mather, August 6, 1777

“You have nothing to do but to save souls. Therefore spend and be spent in this work. And go not only to those that need you, but to those that need you most. It is not your business to preach so many times, and to take care of this or that society; but to save as many souls as you can; to bring as many sinners as you possibly can to repentance.” -Conversation with Francis Asbury, Thomas Coke, and others, 1784

“Be diligent. Never be unemployed a moment. Never be triflingly employed. Never while away time; neither spend any more time at any place than is strictly necessary.” -12 Rules for Preachers

Charity

“All worldly joys are less than that one joy of doing kindnesses.” -God’s Love to Fallen Man

Christian & Doctrinal Unity

“A man of a truly catholic spirit has not now his religion to seek. He is fixed as the sun in his judgment concerning the main branches of Christian doctrines.” -A Catholic Spirit

“As to all opinions which do not strike at the root of Christianity, we think and let think.” -The Character of a Methodist

“Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike? May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion? Without all doubt, we may. Herein all the children of God may unite, notwithstanding these smaller differences.” -Catholic Spirit

“Think not the bigotry of another is any excuse for your own.” -A Caution Against Bigotry

“His heart is enlarged toward all mankind, those he knows and those he does not; he embraces with strong and cordial affection neighbours and strangers, friends and enemies. This is catholic or universal love. And he that has this is of a catholic spirit. For love alone gives the title to this character: catholic love is a catholic spirit.” -Catholic Spirit

“I dare not, therefore, presume to impose my mode of worship on any other. I believe it is truly primitive and apostolical: but my belief is no rule for another.” -Catholic Spirit

“A catholic spirit is not indifference to all congregations. This is another sort of latitudinarianism, no less absurd and unscriptural than the former.” -Catholic Spirit

“Speak evil of no one; else your word especially would eat as doth a canker. Keep your thoughts within your own breast, till you come to the person concerned.” -12 Rules for Preachers

Education

“Read the most useful books, and that regularly and constantly.” -Circulation of Books

“But beware you be not swallowed up in books! An ounce of love is worth a pound of knowledge.” -Letter to Joseph Benson, November 7, 1768

“But as sickness and diseases have created the necessity of medicines and physicians, so the disorders of our rational nature have introduced the necessity of education and tutors.” -On the Education of Children

Creation Care

“But truly affectionate parents will not indulge them in any kind or degree of unmercifulness. They will not suffer them to vex their brothers or sisters, either by word or deed. They will not allow them to hurt, or give pain to, anything that has life. They will not permit them to rob birds’ nests; much less to kill anything without necessity, — not even snakes, which are as innocent as worms, or toads, which, notwithstanding their ugliness, and the ill name they lie under, have been proved over and over to be as harmless as flies. Let them extend in its measure the rule of doing as they would be done by, to every animal whatsoever.” -On the Education of Children.

On Methodism

“Our main doctrines, which include all the rest, are three,—that of repentance, of faith, and of holiness.” -The Principles of a Methodist Farther Explained

The Asbury Triptych Series

The Love Walk

The Holiness of God [podcast]

History and Purpose of the Pulpit [book]

Abiding

Mary hath Chosen that Good Part [podcast]

Luke 10:38-42

Mary = loving relationship with Jesus, not just being busy with doing, with labor, with performing works such as what Martha was doing. First and foremost, Jesus saved us for relationship with Him and the Father (John 17:3). And here our Savior expresses that knowing, loving, adoring, and listening to Him are at a divine premium, they are most important to God. That’s what God desires – for us to delight ourselves in Him (Psalms 37:4).

“Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” Psalms 37:4

David’s brothers looked the part but they couldn’t and wouldn’t even face Goliath, much less slay him. David though, was spending time alone with the LORD, listening to His voice and tending to the sheep. He who is the only man God ever said was “a man after mine own heart,” was used mightily of God to slay the giant (Acts 13:22; 1 Samuel 17).

Isn’t this how we are with our children? Wouldn’t every parent rather their precious children sit in their mom or dad’s lap telling their parent how much they (the child) loves them (the parent)? That’s the biggest heart melt we know, right?

Like David, the most powerfully used warriors are first worshippers.

Our real, our genuine relationship with the LORD is that place out of which His power and grace (divine enablement) will flow. Like David, we must be primarily, and first and foremost worshippers. Out of that rich communion with the Savior will flow the warrior anointing of the LORD who is “a man of war” (Exodus 15:3).

Many who sense the call of God on their lives to minister go to seminary. Sad. We must go to God ourselves – in prayer, a life of prayer, relentlessly seeking His holy face in His Word for ourselves.

“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” Matthew 6:6

Private prayer with the LORD precedes God using us. Those who seek God in “secret” will be “openly” rewarded by Him.

“The little estimate we put on prayer is evidence from the little time we give to it.” EM Bounds

“A sinning man stops praying. A praying man stops sinning.” – Leonard Ravenhill

Luke 10

38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

“Mary hath Chosen that Good Part”

The “good part” Mary chose consists of…

Mary made the only wise choice “Mary hath chosen.”
Mary put Jesus first. She put the Savior first, not herself or her idea of what it meant to serve Him.
Jesus says here that choosing to put and keep Him first is the “one thing [that] is needful” or most necessary (v39, 42).
Sitting before Jesus Himself and not searching for God outside of God Himself, primarily that is. All other learning is supplemental and subservient to that which the LORD tells us specifically, in His Word.

Worshippers become the most powerful workers God uses!

Like many today who are shallow rooted, Martha was a worker but not first and foremost a worshipper. Mary was a worshipper who loved to spend time with Jesus. Therefore she was empowered by God Himself via that fellowship with Him to walk in His holy compassion and to do His works with His power and for His glory (1 Corinthians 15:10).

When our works are not fruitful as they should be, perhaps it can be traced back to our lack of fellowship with our LORD. As we fellowship with Him, putting Him first and not ourselves, our vessel, our cup will run over with His goodness…. it will spill over onto others! (See Psalms 23:5.) That’s when our labor will carry His eternal weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:17).

“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.” Psalms 23:5

When Jesus came, it was God bringing Heaven to the people – to forgive their sins and make them whole (Matthew 9:6). This was the foretold fulfillment of His kingdom coming on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).

When Jesus came, He went to the people, to heal, to save, to make whole (Matthew 9:35-38; Acts 10:38, etc.).

As we go, Jesus is with us, “even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:20).

Daily, our LORD is using His people to bring Heaven to the people. As the Holy Spirit fills our lives, His blessed presence and fruit in our lives is going to over overflow onto others.

A sister in Christ once told me that “The best Marthas are first Marys.” Think about that one in light of what we read in this passage when Jesus visited the home of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42). Those who sit at Jesus’ feet to hear His holy counsel, are changed into His image and become reservoirs for His blessed glory. Their cups run over onto others!

“Prayer is of transcendent importance. Prayer is the mightiest agent to advance God’s work. Praying hearts and hands only can do God’s work. Prayer succeeds when all else fails.” E.M. Bounds

When worshiping Jesus is our first priority, the work He uses us to do WILL carry His unction and bring fruit to bear for His eternal glory.

Rote obedience to minister to others, while not anchored in intimacy with our LORD, will not yield an abundant harvest, fruit. In contrast, we can be blessed to have God’s power and grace to do His work and that happens as we are truly communing, fellowshipping in the construct of that oneness relationship He made us for (John 15; 17).

Knowing God’s Word and obeying Him is not an automatic progression (John 8:31-36). One can know the Bible and not its Author. Or, one can know the Bible well and not know the Author well (Job 22:21-28). Obeying God’s Word requires knowing Him, abiding in an intimate fellowship with Him, thereby enabling that saint the grace (divine enablement) to obey Him (John 5:39-40; 7:17; 14:21-23; 15:1-16, etc.).

Martha “received him.” Many of us have “received” Jesus, have been saved by Him (John 1:12), yet like Martha we aren’t sitting at His holy feet, listening to Him speak through His Word. Like Martha, we also are “cumbered about much serving.”

It should be understood that our work can exceed our worship, our hospitality can exceed our holiness, our serving can exceed our sanctification, etc. That would be defined as imbalance (Proverbs 11:1).

In Luke 10:38-42, notice that Mary sat directly at Jesus’ feet and no other. When we arise in the morning to commune with the LORD, such is to be direct communication between you and Him, alone (Matthew 6:6). That would mean perhaps that when you arise in the morning you aren’t reading some other book about God or turning on a podcast or TV program to find and commune with the LORD. No, those things involve others. We must directly commune with the LORD in prayer and in HIS Word. How else shall we be able to discern the “MANY false prophets” Jesus warned us “shall deceive many”? (Read Matthew 24:11; 1 John 4:1.) How can we know the counterfeit if we don’t know the real? We can’t.

In principle, Martha is a person like Cain, a person who chose to do things their own way, not God’s – because they are not truly submitted to God. Does that describe your life friend? Jesus calls us home to Himself (Matthew 11:28-30).

Are we attempting to serve the LORD on our own terms or are we sitting before Him, hearing His voice as we are worshipfully, joyfully submitted to Him on His stated terms?

“The men who have done mighty things for God have always been mighty in prayer, have well understood the possibilities of prayer, and made the most of these possibilities. The Son of God, the first of all and the mightiest of all, has shown us the all-potent and far reaching possibilities of prayer. Paul was mighty for because he knew, how to use, and how to get others to use, the mighty spiritual forces of prayer.” EM Bounds, The Complete Works of E.M. Bounds on Prayer, P. 341

When we are brought to the point of true repentance it will be obvious in that we will do things God’s way and no longer our own. Like Mary, we will be settled at His feet, hearing His Word, His voice. The Mary person is in love with and submitted to the LORD and Savior she so joyfully worships.

“Jesus never taught His disciples how to preach, only how to pray. To know how to speak to God is more than knowing how to speak to people. Power with God is the first thing, not power with people. Christ loves to teach us how to pray.” –Andrew Murray, With Christ in the School of Prayer, pp. xxiii-xxiv

At His Feet [podcast]

“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.” Job 13:15 Job had just lost all of his children and yet held fast his integrity toward the LORD. He would not allow his wife, his friends, or any other circumstance or entity sway his thoughts. This was a man with a real relationship with the living God – one not based on circumstance. First, foremost, and separate from all else, Job loved and worshipped the LORD with his whole heart. We must come to the place where our LORD alone […]

The First Love of the True Disciple [podcast]

The words “disciple”/“disciples” are found 273 times in the Bible, all in the New Testament canon with the exception of 1 appearance in the Old Testament (Isaiah 8:16). “Disciple” is married to the word discipline. An un-disciplined life reveals a gross lack of respect and rooting in the Person, the Word, and the cause of Christ and is an un-fruitful life. “And have NO ROOT in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.” Mark 4:17 “They on the rock are they, which, when they […]

Our Sin Should Lay us at His Feet [podcast]

“Sin lieth at the door.” Genesis 4:7 One writer takes a shot at this in the following words: “Jesus died for our sins. He is the sin offering for all humanity: past, present, and future. So the offerings in the Old Testament represent the Cross. So in short, if you reject the offering, meaning Christ and the Cross, ‘then sin lieth at the door.’ This means sin will DOMINATE you if any other method is used.” “Sin lieth at the door” – Temptation to sin presents itself perpetually and this is why prayer, abiding communion, perpetual communication with the Savior, command central, is […]

Apostasy

Modern Day Frauds and How They Operate [RADIO]

THIS is so very important! Please listen and share to help others (Ezekiel 44:23).

“And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.” Ezekiel 44:23

The Conquering Cross of Christ [podcast]

The LORD is Holy. He will not compete or coexist with any idol – beginning with the idol of self. “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” Isaiah 42:8 The LORD Almighty is above all and greater than any idol. “God, the mighty Creator, now addresses the Messiah and tells what He proposes to accomplish through this One whom He has called . . . in righteousness. God will not share His glory with another, and least of all with carved images.” Believer’s […]

Sin: Man’s Core Problem [podcast]

People don’t have a “mental health” problem, they have a SIN problem and sin is what gives way, gives full access to Satan! “When people hear voices telling them to harm themselves or others, that’s not a chemical imbalance, it’s demon possession.” Rachel Gould “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9 Jesus taught us that man’s sin comes out of his “desperately wicked” heart (Jeremiah 17:9). “And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed […]

Dominating the Devil! [podcast]

Dominating sin and satan only comes to those willing to die and be buried “with Christ.” (Romans 6; Galatians 2:20) The result is His glorious resurrection in their lives and consequent victory over sin and satan! IS JESUS not the Answer? Yes He is….. let’s give the world around us that answer to man’s core dilemma – sin! Jesus is the only Solution! It’s the stated will of God that we walk in His victory – in the victory He provided through Christ. “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians […]

Abiding

Putting God First [podcast]

If God’s Word isn’t important to you, it’s because He isn’t important to you.

If anything comes before the LORD in your day, you are an idolater.

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

GOD’s WORD cannot get into you if you aren’t into it.

“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

Jesus commanded:

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

As you seek God, putting Him first, you are not going to be able to prevent, to stop His blessings coming upon your life. 100%

Memorize this promise from your Savior, today.

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

What putting Christ first looks like:

Prayer.

“Early will I seek thee.” Psalms 63:1

Read. Study.

“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

The Bible is far from just amazing information (Psalms 119:98-100; 2 Peter 1:3-4, etc.). More important than vital information coming from our Maker, God’s Word is your spiritual food and without it, without daily ingesting it, you will famish, fall, and ultimately perish.

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

Read that again: The only way to “grow” is to “desire” and to devour the Word of your great God and King Jesus. He made you to know Him (John 17:3).

The only way to keep, to guard your heart before the LORD, is to keep it full of God’s Word.

“Keep (guard, till the soil of) thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23

In fact, like Job, we must make the spiritual food of God’s Word more important than the food that fuels and keeps healthy our physical body.

“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

“He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart RETAIN my words: keep my commandments, and live.” Proverbs 4:4

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” Psalms 1

Find. Eat. Rejoice.

“Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts.” Jeremiah 15:16

YOUR PRAYER: Father please unite my heart to fear Thy name. Forgive my sins of spiritual adultery, of self-idolatry. Here and now I renounce my own ownership on my life. It’s Your life LORD. Reign on the throne of this heart and cut away, circumcise any and everything of iniquity in my heart and life. You must increase but I must decrease, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

“Be Ready in the Morning" [podcast]

MUST-READ: IF YOU don’t wake up swinging, you’re going to get knocked out. You’re going to lose. As God’s child, YOU are in a FIGHT, A WAR – like it or not. A war is raging over your life, for your eternal soul. And you are losing if you don’t get up swinging, every day. Set your life up for success by hard-scheduling Christ into the first waking moments of your day – in prayer and His Word (Matthew 6:6; Mark 1:35; 2 Timothy 2:15). Build your days upon the Rock – the only immoveable platform, destined to victory! ANY […]

Nourished Up and Enduring to the End [podcast]

Recently a dear brother in Christ related this testimony to me of our LORD’s work in his life: “I had a ‘back to Jesus’ moment after the election. As I was horribly disappointed in our country and the dividing of even my own friends, I was praying: ‘I’ve lost faith in my country, I’ve lost faith in my friends…’ then it hit me… I had put my faith in the wrong things. It’s so easy to depend on others. But now I am trusting only in my Lord and Savior.” “For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose […]

Acquainted and Nourished [podcast]

“Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.” Job 22:21nourished 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, , whereunto thou hast attained.” 1 Timothy 4:6 Support | STORE | Podcasts | Because You Care Page | The Greatest of these is Charity | Be Ready in the Morning [podcast] | The Sure Mercies of David [podcast] | That Repentance and Remission of Sins should be Preached [podcast] | At His Feet | Prepared to be Used […]

Ready for the Return of Christ [podcast]

God Made and Redeemed Man for a Relationship “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” John 17:3 Jesus created you and came and died and rose again in order to procure a relationship with you. Your relationship with Him is predicated upon your own adherence to Him, to what He stated concerning that relationship. “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. 38 This is the first and great […]