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“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

“[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.

The Asbury Triptych Series

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Articles

Faith in Resurrection [podcast]


When we die downward and are dead and buried with Christ, we can be assured that God is going to raise us upward.

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

Romans 6:1-14

“1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 

2  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 

3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 

4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 

5  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 

6  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed (brought to naught, nullified), that henceforth we should not serve sin. 

7  For he that is dead is freed from sin. 

8  Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 

9  Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 

10  For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 

11  Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

12  Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 

13  Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 

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

The Crucified Life | Travis Bryan III

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Apostasy

“The Certainty of the Words of Truth” [podcast]


Nicholas, the Apostate Deceiver

Historians say that Nicholas (Acts 6:5), a deacon in the first century church, backslid, and led his followers to believe that living in sin would not affect one’s relationship with Christ. The term Nicolaitans is said to come from those who followed Nicholas. Nico-laitans is a compound Greek word. Nico means “to conquer,” and laitans means “the laity.” Satan used Nicholas to conquer his followers through the lie of lawlessness. The evil spirit of Nicholas lives on today through many lawless leaders who operate in the church world in this late hour.

Nicholas taught free love. He and his followers taught that the deeds of believers could not affect their relationship with God. This is antinomianism, which means lawlessness. The Bible clearly refutes such a lie as we will witness in our walk through the Holy Scriptures.

“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” 2 Timothy 2:19

“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

The Bible states here, that those who “profess that they know God” and yet “deny him…in works,” are “abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”

By this lie of lawlessness, the enemy of souls conquered the people.

“But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans (means “conquer the laity”), which I also hate…So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.” Revelation 2:6, 15

Here is some modern terminology for this age-old doctrine:

  • Once Saved, Always Saved
  • Eternal security (unconditional)
  • Calvinism, perseverance of the saints doctrine

In Revelation 2, Jesus Christ tells us that He “hates” two things — “the deeds” and “doctrine of the Nicolaitans.” The Son of God despises the doctrine that teaches that the deeds of men have no effect upon their relationship with Him.

The Scriptures continuously reveal the divine hatred for the acceptance, and even doctrinal authorization, for living in the sins which the LORD tells us violate His holiness, reveal a wicked heart, and will prevent one from entering into the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21; Revelation 21:8, 27).

The word “lasciviousness” appears six times in the Bible and means “lack of restraint (from sinning); license for sin; licentiousness.”

To underscore the utter, divine hatred against this lie of lawlessness, it should be noted that this is the only place in Scripture where Jesus Christ, Himself, states that He hates something.

Though they may vary in packaging, these are all kin to the same lawless “ye shall not surely die” lie, which is the lie of the ages.

“Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments  of the Lord your God which I command you.” Deuteronomy 4:2

“For ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the Lord of hosts our God.” Jeremiah 23:36b

“Thus saith the Lord; Stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord’s house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word.” Jeremiah 26:2

For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” Revelation 22:18-19

“Hath God said” ?

Always remember that whenever you have someone casting doubt on God’s Word, words, you are dealing with a person who is under Satan’s control, is a rejecter of the LORD, and therefore His truth, and is a child of the devil. Every time.

Notice what we see Satan doing in the Garden of Eden just before he changed, altered, added one word to God’s words:

“Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” Genesis 3:1

Then, in verse 4 we read how Satan added just one three-letter word which changed the meaning of what God said and changed world history.

“And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:” Genesis 3:4

“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Genesis 2:17

“Thou shalt surely die” from God was then changed by Satan to “Ye shall NOT surely die.”

This is the first time we see what’s known as the “eternal security” lie. It’s also known as “once saved always saved” or “perseverance of the saints” heresy. Any person teaching or believeing this lie has partnered with Satan himself.

Knowing the certainty of the words of truth”

Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
19 That thy trust may be in the Lord, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.
20 Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
21 that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?  Proverbs 22:17-21

that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth” – and how can we “know the certainty of the words of truth” if we aren’t even reading them – if we are not reading the preserved Word of God but rather a cheap counterfeit?

Bible Versions Category

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Abiding

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 22:1).

Memory truth:

“A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary.” Jeremiah 17:12

Heaven is where God is and He’s your headquarters. The LORD Himself is “the place of our sanctuary.”

For many, going to “church” seems to take the place of diligently seeking and knowing, loving, and obeying the LORD. The foundation of such a person will not sustain them in this last hour (Matthew 7:19-29; 24; Luke 21; Hebrews 12:24-28).

The LORD speaks much of the importance of foundations (Psalms 11:3). Those who base their life in Christ on a certain ministry or church gathering or organization, do not have the sure, divine foundation to sustain them in this late hour. Everything is going to be shaken and only that which is truly and soundly grounded in Christ will be left standing.

Like Abel, who chose to do things God’s way and no other way, those who do the same, will be established in Christ the Rock and not be moved.

“And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 25  See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: 26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29 For our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:24-29

Regrettably, so many, who have simply gotten lost in the church crowd, have not established that intimate, individual place in the sanctuary of the LORD. The coming storms will inevitably uproot them if there is no change, no repentance, and seeking the face of the LORD for themselves. Jesus saves us to establish us.

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 8 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. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” Colossians 2:6-10

False churches today seek to sell families on the need to join their country club where’s there’s fun for the whole family. These beguilers cater to the urban family to build their church business, with no intention of preaching the whole counsel of God’s Word, the cardinal doctrines of the original Gospel (Jude 3-4). Their goal is to entertain and to grow their church enterpri$e and not to ground their prey in Christ (Colossians, etc.). It’s all surface level, cosmetic. There is no blood of Jesus, no King James Bible, no cross – no crucified life, no Holy Ghost baptism, no repentance, no holiness, no Christology, no readiness for the soon return of Christ, etc.

If you memorize this Bible verse below and speak it, often, your heart, your direction, your life will be divinely moved upward to the LORD! Memorize 1 Chronicles 16:11 beginning now.

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

Those who delight in the LORD, delight to do His will.

“I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.” Psalms 40:8

“STAY UPON THE LORD”

This is a Recurring Theme in Isaiah and Throughout Holy Writ

“And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall STAY UPON the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.” Isaiah 10:20

“For they call themselves of the holy city, and STAY THEMSELVES UPON the God of Israel; The LORD of hosts is his name.” Isaiah 48:2

“Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and STAY UPON his God.” Isaiah 50:10

The LORD is NOT available to the casual seeker. Think about that.

“He is a rewarder of THEM THAT DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM.” Hebrews 11:6

Our LORD rewards those who “diligently seek him.”

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.” Jeremiah 29:11-14

In the ensuing verses (Jeremiah 29:15-19), God pronounces a judgment on His people for following those false leaders who sit upon the seat of David yet didn’t have an obedient heart after the LORD. Today is no different where you have people following false leaders who pretend to be representing Christ and yet, are compromised with false doctrine and worldliness.

Shannon Cook writes:

“Delight yourself in the LORD (Jesus) and He will give you the desires of thine heart. Jesus Christ IS in fact, the greatest desire of the heart of man. ‘Delight yourself in Me (Jesus), and I will give Me to you.’ Makes perfect sense!”

May God bless us with a John 17 and John 15 oneness abiding relationship with Him, possessed with a poor in spirit disposition, and pure heart after the LORD (Matthew 5:3, 6, 8). In Jesus’ Name.

We have nothing outside of what we have in Christ! Read Colossians 1 and 2.

So love Jesus and aren’t seeking His holy face daily, diligently? Not. Turn back to God in repentance, now.  

The bless-ed word “delight” appears several times in God’s Word.

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

TODAY, THERE’s nothing more important for me to be doing than seeking the face of the LORD Almighty – to be “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-3)
 
“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” Luke 21:28
 

Having a heart after God is something that is a daily, a moment to moment choice, a decision, which must be cultivated in us.

David, the man after the heart of the LORD, is a glorious example to us.

“I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.” Acts 13:22

“One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. … When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.” Psalms 27:4, 8

“My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.” Psalms 57:7

“My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.” Psalms 63:8

As can be seen in the following verse, legal or religious mindset causes obedience, serving God to the LORD to seem like drudgery.

“To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.” Jeremiah 6:10

Those living under grace operate in grace, in their heart of hearts, delight to obey their Savior.

“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” 1 John 5:3

No matter what’s going on – good or bad – WE KNOW that the song is true …. that our “God is so good, God is soooo gooood, God is so good, He’s so good to me…..” … There’s NO way to sing this simple song of praise and not get happy in Jesus! Impossible.

The LORD our Maker alone can truly satisfy, all the way to the marrow of the bone, to the depth of the human heart!

“For I have satiated (fully satisfy) the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.” Jeremiah 31:25

All who are not full of Christ via knowing and seeking Him, delighting in and worshipping Him perpetually, are full of misery – from which they shall never escape, unless they repent and let Jesus be the King, the LORD, the Master of their lives.

The Bible is music to the ears of truth-seeking followers of Christ! They pour prayerfully of the words of Holy Scripture daily, as they seek the face of the LORD.

Times of fasting and prayer are doing yourself a favor and not God. Yes. You are crucifying self, getting self out of God’s way so that Christ is reigning in your life in place of sinful self! This should be viewed with absolute delight! (Psalms 37:4; Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:13, etc.). You are crying, you are driving a stake in the ground and declaring: “LORD, You must increase but I must decrease! (John 3:30) That’s the “daily” operation of the cross God has ordained to be transpiring in our lives (Luke 9:23-24; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12; Galatians 2:20, etc.).

“We would worry less if we praised more. THANKSGIVING is the enemy of discontentment and dissatisfaction.” Harry Ironside

Powerful resurrection life teeming in and through our lives requires a going down deep into the death the resurrection of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:10-12). There is no shortcut.

“WE WOULD SEE JESUS.” John 12:20-21 

Detox your inner man! Detox your spirit, soul, and body! How? Fasting and Prayer! Delighting in the LORD (Psalms 37:4). Fasting and prayer begins with being done, being fed up, being exhausted of the iniquitous nature that has driven us into darkness, into dismal ditches with guilt, shame, and forfeited blessings the result! Our desire now and henceforth is for Christ to reign supreme in our lives and not self! Self, sin must be dethroned. Serving self instead of the Savior has ushered in every single evil thing into our lives and we now stand forth and declare that Christ must increase but we must decrease! (John 3:30) We do this now with more than just words – also with a holy resolve, a driving of the stake deep into the ground, singly focused on the reign of Heaven’s coming KING, on the seat, the throne of our hearts. The reins of our lives are reserved for Him to reign, no longer us! 

“Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.” Isaiah 58:14

“It has been said that no great work in literature or in science was ever wrought by a man who did not love solitude. We may lay it down as an elemental principle of religion, that no large growth in holiness was ever gained by one who did not take time to be often long alone with God.” Austin Phelps

Anita Villarreal exhorts:

“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart…..do this and you will live.’ Luke 10:27-28

The death of Jesus. Christ on the Cross is what has drawn men to Himself. Christ did this out of Divine Love for humanity, and LOVE ALWAYS DRAWS. It is the LOVE that men and women need, and wherever they find it they want to come and rest in it’s warmth and tenderness. God’s love is the purest form of true, sincere and unselfish love. Of you haven’t received or known this kind of love, ask Jesus to show you this love and by faith receive it. Let Him cleanse your soul of all impurities and forgive you of all your sins.”

 We were created to know Him!

“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” John 17:3

“And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.” Exodus 25:8

Our union, our oneness with God is from which all else in His kingdom emanates….

“For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” Romans 14:17

“We are truly living in a time of great apostasy and I would urge each person to seek to know the Lord for yourself as Jesus said in John 17:3 that this is life eternal that we know the only true God and His Son Jesus Christ. In the book of 1 John 5:20 John states that Christ came to give us understanding of the one true God and His son Jesus Christ. David said in Psalms 27:4 that one thing he desired of the Lord and that he would seek after that He could dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of life to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord. I urge people to examine the scriptures and stop trusting in flesh (mere men) for the scripture states that curse is the man that trust in man and makes flesh his arm whose heart has depart from the Lord (Jerm 17:5). Any real man that God has called will only point you to Lord not himself. Wake-up Church those who have an ear to hear what Lord is speaking to His true body.” Matthew Washington

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