LESS than the Least! Filthy Rags Fellowship! [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]

The cross reveals your sin, and God’s love, not how wonderful you are! Repent!

FACT: NO ONE, not one person on this earth needs Jesus more than this fool, this pauper who is nothing without Christ! (Romans 7:18; Ephesians 3:8; 1 Timothy 1:15)

Jesus died, was buried, and raised again from the dead to forgive, regenerate, redeem, and grant complete victory in this life to every one of His people. Yet, we must do things God’s way and no other way.

JESUS JUDGED SIN ON THE CROSS SO WE DON’T HAVE TO BE JUDGED FOR OUR SIN AND SO WE CAN EXPERIENCE “THE EXCEEDING RICHES OF HIS GRACE” BOTH NOW AND FOREVER (JOHN 12:31-32; EPHESIANS 1:7; 2:7).

What do we truly deserve in and of ourselves, being that “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags”? (Isaiah 64:6) The term “filthy rags” expresses the image, the reality of utter impurity, putridity.

“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Isaiah 64:6

No. No. No. Born again believers into Christ are no longer walking in their own righteousness which is as “filthy rags” and yet, they are ever aware of the fact that outside of Christ, if they dare tread, means they are again as “filthy rags” in the sight of a Holy God (Isaiah 64:6; Ezekiel 33:12-13; 2 Peter 2:20-22)..

“And be found in him, NOT HAVING MINE OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS (“filthy rags”), 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

Saints, we cannot possibly begin to appreciate this “so great salvation” that is Christ until we understand how lost, helpless, and alienated we were in our sin (Ephesians 2:1-10; Hebrews 2:3). We must study to understand the biblical doctrine of inherent sin, fallen mankind, and the holiness of God …. in order to begin to be able to appreciate the redemption that is in Jesus Christ.

“It is then, we say, in the successive stages of his experience, that the believer sees more distinctly, and adores more profoundly, and grasps more firmly, the finished righteousness of Christ. And what is the school in which he learns his nothingness, his poverty, his utter destitution? The school of deep and sanctified affliction. In no other school is it learned, and under no other teacher but God. Here his high thoughts are brought low, and the Lord alone is exalted.” Octavius Winslow

The true disciple sees himself as absolutely undeserving of and infinitely blessed to have been found, forgiven, and saved by the LORD Jesus Christ! He sees himself like Paul – “LESS than the least of all saints.” (Ephesians 3:8)

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” 1 Timothy 1:15

Like Paul, we should always see ourselves as the one most in need of the great mercy of God given us through Christ our LORD! Pour over Titus 3:5-7 daily this week beloved of God.

We cannot die for our own sins. Jesus alone did that – perfectly paying for them (John 19:30). He lived a sinless life under the law – to keep it perfectly as no sinful man had or could ever do (Genesis 6:5, 12; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3; James 2:10, etc.). Christ then nailed the law to the cross and “took it out of the way,” removing us from under it – from under its impossible weight (Colossians 2:14-19, etc.). Memorize Romans 10:4 and James 2:10 and Galatians 2:16 brother.

Paul’s flesh was and our flesh is a constant reminder of the ever momentary need for the grace of Jesus – which works in us via the cross life. Romans chapters 6-7.

All I have to do to find the man most in need of God’s saving grace and mercy, is to look in the mirror (Romans 7:18, 24; James 1:23-24). As long as we neglect to look in the mirror, honestly, we will continue to be self-righteous as were Jesus’ most evil enemies, the religious frauds, the pharisees of His day (Matthew 23). Are we pharisees or humble, broken, honest disciples of Christ? (Matthew 18:3-4)

“Hell is full of people who think they deserve heaven. Heaven is full of people who know they deserve Hell.” Unknown

All self-righteous religious hypocrites are going to hell (Matthew 21:31). May God save, forgive, and cause us, to bless us to be His authentic disciples. In Jesus’ name, amen.

If we vainly imagine that someone else’s sin is more vile than our own in the eyes of a holy God, this is a tell tale indicator that we still don’t have a Gospel clue – as to our own utter unworthiness, wretchedness, and depravity outside of Christ! (Genesis 32:10; Jeremiah 17:9; James 2:10, 13; Titus 3:3-7, etc.)

How can we possibly begin to understand and appreciate why Jesus came to the earth to die if we still see ourselves as anything except “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” before a holy God? (Isaiah 6:3; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 7:18; Revelation 4:8)

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9

The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart.

The apostle Paul had his personal testimony of being saved by the grace of Christ and considered himself to be, not the least, but rather “LESS than the least” of all saints in Christ. In my opinion, this should be the only thing you and I should disagree with Paul concerning. Paul didn’t know us when he said that, right? 😉 Get the point? -you and I, as we see the truth about our own utter iniquitous depravity (Romans 7), we should view ourselves as “LESS than the least of all saints.” (Ephesians 3:8) We should also agree with the divine truth, uttered from the great apostle of Christ and recorded below:

“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” Romans 7:18

Do you realize that outside of Christ, “NO GOOD THING” dwells in you?

“O WRETCHed man that I am! (presently) who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Romans 7:24

It really is true that Jesus “saved a wretch like me” when He mercifully saved me.

“And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. … And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.” Genesis 6:5, 12

Now, do we begin to see why we must be “crucified with Christ”? (Galatians 2:20)

Every believer grapples with the downward gravitational pull of the flesh (Galatians 5:17; Hebrews 12:4). Obeying God is the only way victory will erupt, manifest in our personal lives (2 Corinthians 4:10-12). Death and burial will be followed by resurrection! And, when Christ is truly reigning is us, victory will be sure! Time to get down low and watch the devil and sin go! (James 4:6-10)

“GOD is able” saith the LORD! (Ephesians 3:20)

“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” Ephesians 3:20

Defusing the iniquity of self-righteousness increases exponentially when we begin learning the biblical doctrine of fallen mankind (Genesis 6:5, 12; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 7:18; Psalms 39:4-5).

We should see ourselves as the most undeserving of the saving grace of Christ. We should say before our God, with the man who hung his head low as he prayed and said “God be merciful to me a sinner.” (Luke 18:13)

God calls those whom He saves to relish the great love, forgiveness, grace, and mercy He has shown upon us – “WHILE we were yet sinners.” (Romans 5:6-8) This is the disposition of the true disciple. In fact, He calls us to lift up and prefer others actually ABOVE ourselves.

“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” Philippians 2:3-5

The above passage is a great way to begin our day, every morning.

Those who truly seek and love the LORD, love also all men. Having freely received it, they desire to pour out the message of Christ’s saving mercy on others. Memorize the words of our LORD recorded in Matthew 22:37-40.

Saved by Divine Mercy

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:5-7

Do we still think we were worthy to be forgiven, saved? …. Not! God did it out of His sheer love! Can we examine that idea?

“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags…” Isaiah 64:6

“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” Romans 3:10

“I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant.” Genesis 32:10

Foundations: JESUS came to save man from his SIN, first and foremost and not just to comfort, remove stress, and solve all the other problems that emanate from sin. Seldom is this foundational Bible truth ever heard in the apostate modern church world where it’s all about “what’s in it for me”? Total self-serving, un-repentant counterfeits! Memorize Matthew 1:29; John 1:29; and 1 Timothy 1:15. The essential doctrine of fallen mankind is ignored by modern wolves. | The Sinful Depravity of Fallen Mankind – Man Outside of the Present Saving Mercy of God

How do you see yourself?

Some among us recklessly pretend to be sinless. This seems apparent in the way they harshly, mercilessly judge others. Yet, God’s Word warns each of us:

“be sure your sin will find you out.” Numbers 32:23

Instead of covering our sins, denying we’ve committed them, we must admit them honestly and forsake them:

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” 1 John 1:8-10

If we don’t see things from God’s perspective, through the eyes of Holy Scripture, we are completely deceived and in need of repentance and true obedience to the only LORD and Savior.

ALL sin is public to God. He knows every sin we’ve ever committed. Just because you didn’t get caught by mere men, doesn’t negate the fact.

“Some men’s sins are open beforehand (public, known to men), going before to judgment; and some men they follow after (unknown to men).” 1 Timothy 5:24

Some men’s sins are public while others are hidden for now and yet God sees and will bring them all to the light after death. Nothing is hidden from His eyes (Proverbs 15:3; Hebrews 4:13).

All we have to see the person most in need of divine mercy is to look in the mirror.

The sin that should concern us the most is our own.

Mercy! Back up the dump truck and unload it on others AS YOU DESPERATELY need it from God! He requires this! Hell is full of self-righteous, merciless hypocrites. Jesus says the harlots will be in Heaven before they will !

“Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.” Matthew 21:31

One commentary on this passage states:

“Christ forces from the unwilling hearers an answer which, at the moment, they do not see will condemn themselves. Unaccustomed to be criticized and put to the question, wrapped in a self-complacent righteousness, which was generally undisturbed, they missed the bearing of the parable on their own case, and answered without hesitation, as any unprejudiced person would have decided. The first; i.e. the son who first refused, but afterwards repented and went. Verily I say unto you. Jesus drives the moral home to the hearts of these hypocrites. The publicans and the harlots. He specifies these excommunicated sinners as examples of those represented by the first son. Go into the kingdom of God before you; προαìγουσιν ὑμας: are preceding you. This was the fact which Jesus saw and declared, he does not cut off all hope that the Pharisees might follow, if they willed to do so; he only shows that they have lost the position which they ought to have occupied, and that those whom they despised and spurned have accepted the offered salvation, and shall have their reward. We must remark that the Lord has no censure for those who sometime were disobedient, but afterwards repented; his rebuke falls on the professors and self-righteous, who ought to have been leaders and guides, and were in truth impious and irreligious.” Pulpit Commentary

In this statement and much more of what we see in Holy Scripture, God expresses to us that the filthiest of sinners He detests are the self-righteous religionists.

“As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalms 103:12

THINK of the worst sin you have ever committed: Now, if you want all your sins removed “as far as the east is from the west,” God requires that you repent, cease your self-righteous attitudes and words condemnations on others, and relish His mercy that you never deserved but that God proved through the blood of the cross of His only begotten Son. Get your hands from around the neck of others or hell will be your forever abode – not matter what security you vainly believe you have with the LORD (Matthew 18:21-35).

THE WICKED AND THE WONDERFUL: Does the Bible say that You are Wonderful? [podcast]

Attention: Jesus didn’t come to die because you are wonderful. No He came because you are wicked (Genesis 6:5, 12; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3, etc.). The testimony of Holy Scripture is that JESUS is “Wonderful” (Isaiah 9:6-7)…. and we are “desperately wicked” without Him (Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 7:18, 24). Each of His children, bought by His blood, merely stand as unworthy beggars, shoulder to shoulder in honor of our KING, Jesus! The only righteousness we have is that which our LORD Jesus mercifully, graciously provided for us by the one-time shedding of HIS precious blood for our sin – to […]

The Exceeding Riches of His Grace

Excerpt from the book Lie of the Ages Ephesians 2:7 “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:4-8 Here are […]

Abiding

“Rend Your Heart, and Not Your Garments” [podcast]

Who Does God Look to? Who Does God Dwell in?

Beware of any man pretending to represent Christ who isn’t praying and preaching for you to be possessed by a humble and contrite heart.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3

“‘Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven’ (Matthew 5:3). A low condition. ‘Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted’ (Matthew 5:4). To mourn over our sin and our utter wickedness before a holy and righteous God. Those are the ones who will receive the comfort and ‘joy in the Holy Ghost’ (Romans 14:17).” Karen Cochran

Abandoning Our Own Sin, Our Own Way, for God and His Better Way!

To “rend your heart” is a biblical phrase meaning to tear open your heart in radical sincerity, true humility, and genuine repentance.

The phrase comes from Joel 2:13 in the Bible: “Rend your heart and not your garments and return to the Lord your God.”

One source notes the following:

“Context and Deeper Meaning:

Cultural Background: In ancient times, the Jewish people would tear (rend) their clothes as a public, highly visible display of grief or repentance.
The Spiritual Message: God is warning that outward rituals (like ripping clothing) are meaningless if the heart remains unchanged. Rending your heart implies breaking through your pride, letting go of excuses, and being completely vulnerable and authentic before God.
The Reward: The verse goes on to say that God is “gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.” Tearing open your heart allows you to experience His forgiveness and restore your relationship with Him.”

To see an example of rending one’s physical garment in representation of rending their heart, see Acts 14:11-18.

Where is the LORD Looking?

“But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

“Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the Lord your God” Joel 2:12-14

“What a gracious invitation is contained in these words. How tenderly the Lord reasons with his people. And what an encouraging assurance it folds up with. Reader! do not fail to observe that this call of the Lord, the accompanying grace to incline the heart to the observance of it is implied. It is most blessed ever to remember that when the Lord thus comes forth in his endearing invitations, he is secretly inclining the heart to accept them. Grace must first enter the heart, or there will be no inclination to obey.” Robert Hawker

“Jeremiah’s message was never meant to leave the heart in despair. Every warning from God carried an invitation to return. The Lord does not expose empty religion to shame His people, but to heal them. Repentance is not the loss of hope, it is the beginning of hope. Christ still receives every soul that comes with humility, and He gives living faith where there was only habit, peace where there was only fear, and joy where there was only emptiness. The call remains the same today, to draw near to Him with a sincere heart, trusting that His mercy is always greater than our weakness.” Dan Blincoe

A Fresh Start with God Always Begins with Humility and True Repentance

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19

Concerning rending our hearts before the LORD, one source notes:

The classic Bible passage on this concept is Joel 2:13, where God commands: “Rend your heart and not your garments”. In ancient biblical culture, tearing (or “rending”) one’s physical clothing was a customary, visible display of extreme grief, despair, or repentance. Through the prophet Joel, God is essentially telling His people: Stop doing the empty, outward religious ritual of tearing your clothes to show everyone how sorry you are. Instead, let me see true, inward brokenness over your sins.

Examples of Rending Physical Garments

In the Bible, the physical act of tearing clothes was used as a dramatic expression of deep emotion in several well-known narratives:

Joseph’s Brothers (Genesis 37:29, 34): When Reuben realized Joseph was not in the pit, and later when the brothers brought Joseph’s blood-stained coat to Jacob, they tore their clothes in grief and despair.
Job (Job 1:20): After hearing that he had lost all his wealth and his children, Job stood up and tore his robe as an outward sign of his overwhelming sorrow.
King David (2 Samuel 1:11-12): When David received news of the deaths of King Saul and Jonathan, he and his men tore their clothes to mourn.
The High Priest (Matthew 26:65): In a dramatic display of hypocritical outrage, the high priest tore his own garments when Jesus declared He was the Son of God, falsely accusing Him of blasphemy.

The Spiritual Meaning of “Rending the Heart”

The concept of “rending the heart” contrasts an outward show with inward reality.

Genuine Repentance: Tearing your heart means being vulnerable, acknowledging your brokenness, and deeply repenting of sin before God.
Prioritizing Relationships over Rituals: God desires a sincere heart—true sorrow and a desire to change—more than he desires traditional religious pageantry or dramatic, public displays of grief.
The Promise of Forgiveness: In Joel 2:13, the command to rend the heart is immediately followed by the promise of grace: “Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love”.

God sees beyond our external habits and religious actions, requiring instead a humble, contrite heart to fully experience His mercy.”

God’s Mercy

“Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?” Joel 2:12-14

In God’s Word, where we see men who tear open their garments…. This holds the illustration of rending our hearts before the LORD.

Don’t render outward tearing, no, rather, tear open your inner man, your heart—be honest, sincere, exposed, and vulnerable to the LORD whom you trust.

Let’s attempt to get at, to ascertain what God is commanding of His beloved people to do in this “rend your heart” passage.

“Joel 2:13: Rend your heart—Let it not be merely a rending of your garments, but let your hearts be truly contrite. Merely external worship and hypocritical pretensions will only increase the evil, and cause God to meet you with heavier judgments.

For he is gracious—Good and benevolent in his own nature.

Merciful—Pitying and forgiving, as the effect of goodness and benevolence.

Slow to anger —He is not easily provoked to punish, because he is gracious and merciful.

Of great kindness—Exuberant goodness to all them that return to him.

And repenteth him of the evil—Is ever ready to change his purpose to destroy, when he finds the culprit willing to be saved. See the notes on Exo_34:6, Exo_34:7.” Adam Clarke

“Joel 2:12-14: III. DIVINE APPEAL TO JUDAH TO REPENT (2:12-14)
Even now, the LORD calls the people to repentance. It is not too late to return to Him. But it must be more than outward ritual. Their turning was to be with all their heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” Believer’s Bible Commentary

To rend our hearts is the consistent message, mandate of God to His people of all ages and eras.

“The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” Psalms 34:18

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” Psalms 51:17

In Joel 2 the LORD reminds those who are backslidden that He “is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God? …”

They must meet His stated conditions to receive His blessings ….

He promises that He will forgive them as they…..

“Joel 2:12-27: THE AVERTING OF JUDGMENT
To rend the garment is easy, but a broken and contrite heart can be imparted only by the grace of the Holy Spirit. The love of God should bring us to repentance. He takes no pleasure in our miseries and if men repent and turn from their sin they find an immediate and loving welcome to the Father’s heart and home. Joel had called for the trumpet to announce war; he now directs the trumpet blast to summon the people, from the highest to the lowest, to plead for help. Prayer and true repentance and faith bring an immediate answer. As the husband yearns over his erring but repentant wife, and is indignant with those who have maltreated her, so will Jehovah remove from us, when we turn to Him, those who have cruelly oppressed us.
The great things Jehovah did against Egypt and Babylon are an earnest of what He will do again. The earth (and all the creation of God) … have good reason to rejoice in what awaits them. God promises not only to forgive sin, but to make us happy and well provided as if the locust and cankerworm had never settled upon our lives.” FB Meyer

Religious hypocrites, counterfeits, emphasize the outward to cover their inner darkness, rebellion.

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. 25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Matthew 23:23-25

“He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” Mark 7:6

"Blessed are the Poor In Spirit" [podcast]

Jesus’ longest recorded message to His people stands on the foundation of the very first words our Savior uttered in this sermon on the mount. The foundational truth of the entire sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7) is found in the very first words of our LORD when unveiling this elaborate, far-reaching, and profound message to His disciples of all ages. Here are His first words: “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3 Note, “poor in spirit.” Not poor financially or religiously. The two should be mutually exclusive. The Greek word translated into English as “poor” is PTOCHOS. It […]

"I will have Mercy, and not Sacrifice": What does this really Mean? [podcast]

“But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Matthew 9:13 Jesus specifically instructs us to “go ye and learn what that meaneth.” UNTIL, as an individual, you begin to realize just how wicked you really are, you will never begin to appreciate what our KING and Savior did on that cross! Matthew 9:9-13 – Jesus calls Matthew 9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith […]

How to Walk in the Certainty, the Assurance of Salvation [podcast]

Real, actual assurance only comes from possessing authentic salvation – which begins with humility and true repentance, an original Gospel essential (Matthew 3:2; 4:17; Luke 13:3; 24:47; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 20:21, etc.). Heretical calvinists and eternal security frauds rob people of true assurance which ONLY comes from having a faith that works, is obedient to Christ. Read 1 John chapter 3 and embrace what the LORD is saying. Here’s a taste – “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 19 And hereby we know that we are of the […]

The Importance of Pureness of Heart [podcast]

“He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.” Proverbs 22:11 With pureness of heart, our words shall issue forth with grace and seasoning and be more readily received by those who hear. “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” Colossians 4:6 David’s Prayer “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” Psalms 19:14 “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they […]

Articles

God and His Word are Unchanging [podcast]

Because God is Unchanging, So is His Word

“For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” Malachi 3:6

“Which keepeth truth for ever” – Is the Bible “Archaic”? No. Divine truth is everlasting. Has no expiration date. You cannot escape accountability to it, to Him. It’s an open book test. The Savior says “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away” (Mark 13:31). Divine truth is eternal, unchanging, and binding upon all men (Psalms 146:6; Malachi 3:6, etc.).

Every time you open God’s Word and begin reading, you are hearing the voice of God.

“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

“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 (the devil questions God’s Word, questions what God says in His Word.)

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

“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. 6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” Proverbs 30:5-6

“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

“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 we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.” 2 Corinthians 2:17

“Ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the LORD of hosts our God.” Jeremiah 23:36

“all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word:” Jeremiah 26:2

H.O.T. BIBLE STUDY [podcast]

“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 Memorize 2 Timothy 2:15 today. Index card perhaps. Read it aloud over and over. YOU cannot personally know the ORIGINAL Gospel if you don’t study the naked truth of it for yourself beloved. KJB So very many today are deceived due to not studying God’s Word for themselves. They live for years with erroneous notions men told them. Instead of repenting and getting into the Word for themselves, many of them go to their graves having […]

"Feed My Sheep" [podcast]

The Paramount Divine Importance of Nourishing the Saints of Christ “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” 1 Timothy 4:16 Nourishing Christ’s Sheep “Feed the Flock of God.” 1 Peter 5:2 First, it’s God’s flock, paid for with the very blood of Jesus Christ (Acts 20:28). Jesus Christ is “that great shepherd of the sheep” (Hebrews 13:20). He instructed us to follow Him and, in doing so, to “FEED my sheep” (John 21:15-17). Tending to the sheep of Christ’s pasture involves nourishing […]

Teach the Bible [podcast]

JESUS IS COMING AND THE TRUE BODY OF CHRIST IS “HOLDING FORTH (BOLDLY DECLARING) THE WORD OF LIFE” “Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.” Philippians 2:16 WHEN you speak God’s Word, you are speaking divine authority. “These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.” Titus 2:15 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, […]

Articles

Soul Sleep Exposed: Where Do We Go When We Die? When do we Go there? [podcast]

Do you realize that upon death, immediately, each soul is instantly translated, transported to their new and eternal place of existence – comfort and joy or hell fire? Instantly each soul is already judged upon death and literally in hell or Heaven now (Luke 16:19-31; 2 Corinthians 5:6, 8; Philippians 1:21-23; Hebrews 9:27).

When the Bible speaks of “slept” or “sleep”, it’s speaking of the body, not the eternal soul. For example, the soul sleep cults use verses like 1 Kings 2:10 to attempt to “prove” soul sleep.

“So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.” 1 Kings 2:10

“For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,” Acts 2:34

Notice here in Acts 2:34 that it says “David is not ascended into the heavens.”

Primarily this is speaking of Jesus, the son of David and the prophecies Peter is speaking of in this message He’s preaching.

“Act_2:34: Ascended not for is not ascended, A.V. For David, etc. The ascension of Christ is inferred from the previous prophecy, “Thou wilt show me the path of life,” etc.; and is there distinctly proved from Psa_110:1, which Peter (remembering, probably, our Lord’s application of it as recorded in Mat_22:42-45, which he had doubtless heard) shows could not apply to David himself, but only to David’s Lord.” Pulpit

David’s eternal soul is in Heaven now.

“[David is not ascended into the heavens] This refers to David’s body in resurrection, not to his soul and spirit which are in heaven (Heb_12:23; Eph_4:8-10; 2Co_5:8; Php_1:21-24).” Dake

Hebrews 9:27; 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 and Philippians 1:21-23; Revelation 22:11 make it clear that when one dies he goes straight to his eternal destination. Any compromise on this doctrine is evil and constitutes that which seduces the believer towards lasciviousness Jude 3-4. There will be no second chance to repent. Death is final and as one dies so shall he be forever (Luke 16:19-31; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 22:11).

Fact: Only cults teach soul sleep.

Praying for someone who’s already dead is futile. At death, the soul goes to Heaven if the person is a born again Christ or eternally, irrevocably to hell. Read Luke 16:19-31 in the King James Bible. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” (Hebrews 9:27)

The Word of God tells us that anyone living in sin, upon death, is going to hell, immediately upon death. Luke 16:19-31; Hebrews 9:27; Ezekiel 33:12-13, etc Those who are born again and abiding in Christ will be with Him immediately upon death (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:21-23). You have to be born again to be in Christ.

“To Day Shalt Thou be with Me in Paradise”

“And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:42-43

“To day” this repentant former thief who hung next to Jesus was going to be “in paradise” and not asleep in the grave.

The doctrine of soul sleep is taught by many cults including the Seventh Day Adventists and Jehovah’s Witnesses. The Roman Catholic version of this antichrist, diabolical lie is their teaching on purgatory (an in-between state where average Catholics supposedly get their sins burned off by fire because the blood of Christ was not good enough to cleanse away those sins). This false teaching (soul sleep) supposes that when people die they go into a state of sleep or nothingness. Yet, the Bible reveals something very different. These false teachings are a diabolical attempt to remove the severe reality of conscious, eternal torment (Mark 9:43-49).

The flames of eternal damnation shall forever feed upon the conscious souls of all rebels. Mark 9:43-49 KJB Are you born again? Go here now and make peace with God before its too late.

Recently I replied to a post that was pushing the soul sleep heresy. Here it is….

REPLY:

Soul sleep is another false teaching taught only by the cults. Beware of those peddling this lie. Luke 16:19-31 makes it more than clear that upon death, the eternal soul of the individual goes to Heaven or hell based upon the spiritual state at the moment of death. Upon death the soul goes straight to Heaven or hell. Heb 9:27; 2 Cor 5:6-8; Philippians 1:21-23

The righteous who have died, are “under the altar” in Heaven, right now.

“And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw UNDER THE ALTAR the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:” Revelation 6:9

No Sleep, Just Judgment at the Moment of Death

The grave is the “final resting place” of no one. Heaven or hell await – immediately upon drawing one’s last breath on earth. Read Luke 16:19-31 and Hebrews 9:27.

QUESTION RECEIVED:

“Todd where do you believe we go when we die? Why do some preach we go to the grave until Christ returns?”

REPLY:

The Bible tells us we go directly to glory or hell (2 Cor 5:6-8; Phil 1:21-23; Luke 16:19-31; 23:43). It’s false to teach we go to the grave only. Cults teach that. That’s a false teaching that gives us a clue that we are dealing with a cult.

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27

According to the full-counsel of God’s Word, when a person dies, that soul goes directly, immediately to the destination God has judged them to go.

When someone dies, they are immediately in the place they have merited with God – Heaven or hell. Then, the wicked will be dredged up and will be formerly sentenced. Those not found written in the book of life will be brought before the Throne of God to be terminated or “cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:11-15)

As a person dies – that is, in the spiritual state they die in – so shall they be for all eternity. There are no second chances.

“He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” Revelation 22:11

The apostle Paul taught us that immediately upon death he was going to “be with Christ”:

“For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better.” Philippians 1:23

“Philippians 1:23: To depart – Out of bonds, flesh, the world. And to be with Christ – In a nearer and fuller union. It is better to depart; it is far better to be with Christ.” John Wesley

“Notice that Paul did not believe in any theory of soul-sleep. He believed that the Christian goes to be with Christ at the time of death and that he is in the conscious enjoyment of the presence of the Lord. How ridiculous it would be for him to say, as some do today: “To live is Christ; to sleep is gain.” Or, “To depart and to sleep is far better.” “Sleep” is used in the NT of the believer’s body at the time of death (1Th_4:14), never of his soul. Soul-sleep is a myth. Notice, too, that death is not to be confused with the coming of the Savior. At the time of death, we go to be with Him. At the time of the Rapture, He comes to us.” Believer’s Bible Commentary

Remember how the rich man in Luke 16 died and immediately he was in hell?

“the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.” Luke 16:22-23

Read Luke 16:19-31 and you will see that immediately upon death, the wicked and the righteous go to their separate places and are fully conscious. No such thing as soul sleep.

“Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and TO BE PRESENT WITH THE LORD.” 2 Corinthians 5:6-8

We are fully confident that the moment we pass, we breathe our last, we shall “be present with the Lord.”

“2 Corinthians 5:8: Present with the Lord – This demonstrates that the happiness of the saints is not deferred till the resurrection.” John Wesley

“2 Corinthians 5:8: [to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord] To die and be absent from the body means we go to heaven to be with the Lord (Php_1:21-24; Heb_12:23; Jas_2:26; Rev_6:9-11). This is proof that the inner man does not go to the grave at death, but to heaven if one is righteous. If one is wicked he goes to hell awaiting the resurrection of his body (Luk_16:19-31, notes; Rev_20:11-15).” Dake

On this matter of where the human soul goes immediately upon death, refuting soul sleep, Donald Stamps wrote:

“Psalms 16:10 THOU WILL NOT LEAVE MY SOUL IN HELL. ‘Hell’ (Heb. Sheol) here means the grave. A personal relationship with God will give believers confidence in a future life with God and certainty that He will not abandon them to the grave (cf. 73:24-26). The apostles Peter and Paul both applied this verse to Christ and His resurrection (Acts 2:25-31; 13:34-37).

(1) Sheol, found sixty-five times in the O.T., is translated thirty-one times as ‘the grave,’ thirty-one times as ‘hell,’ and three times as ‘the pit.’ When the N.T. quotes these passages, it generally translates it with the Greek word Hades. Some scholars believe Sheol always means the grave, while others think it never has that meaning alone.

(2) In general, the O.T. views Sheol as a place associated with some sort of punishment. (a) When Jacob indicated that he would go to Sheol because of the loss of his son Joseph (Gen. 37:25), he felt he must be under the judgment of God; thus he refused to be comforted. There is no evidence that he sought God further until after he heard Joseph was still alive. (b) David clearly indicated that Sheol was the place where ‘the heathen’ would go (9:17), and Isaiah said that the heathen king Tiglath-Pileser of Assyria, upon his death, would meet in Sheol the kings he conquered (Is. 14:9-10). (c) There are several passages that indicate the Israelites did not expect to go to Sheol at all at death, but would instead go where they would enjoy the blessings of God’s presence. When David died, for example, he anticipated dwelling in the house of the Lord forever (23:6). Another psalmist believed that God would redeem him from the hand of Sheol and receive him to Himself in heaven (49:15; cf. 73:24-25). And Solomon testified that the wise, God-fearing man goes to the place above, ‘that he may depart from hell beneath’ (Prov. 15:24).” Donald Stamps, Life in the Spirit Study Bible, p. 820

Of this biblical doctrine, brother Charlie Anthony writes:

“Concerning the time between the believer’s death and his or her bodily resurrection, Scripture teaches the following. (a) At the time of death believers are brought into Christ’s presence. (2 Cor. 5:8 – Phil. 1:23). (b) Believers exist in full consciousness ( Luke 16:19-31) and experience joy at the kindness and love shown by God (Eph. 2:7). Amen!”

But the wicked go straight to the conscious torment of hell immediately upon death (Luke 16:19-31).

Soul sleep is a lie that only cults teach (Philippians 1:21-23; 2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Revelation 6:9).

Escaping the "Depart from Me" [podcast]

Each of us faces judgment. It’s inescapable. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” Hebrews 9:27 “As someone once wrote, ‘where death finds you, eternity will hold you.’ ~author unknown. In the spiritual state of your last breath, brethren; will be the eternal state of your soul. Rev. 22:11” Jon Crane God looks at where we are now – in our present state – not the past! Will you finish strong in Christ through the cross life – or will you lose all? “Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children […]

Dollar Dialogue [podcast]

Holes in Your Money Bags? [podcast] Curing the Dilemma of Diminishing Returns. If we want to see Heaven’s floodgates opened, we must examine what compliance, what agreement, what obedience the LORD may be leading us to render. The Reason Your Bag has Holes in it [podcast] (below) YOUR own bank statement tells you exactly who you are. Matt 6:21 A financial investor takes your money and multiplies it for your last few years in this temporal life, right? In contrast, laborers for Christ take your support and multiply it for Christ and themselves for all eternity. In Christ’s eternal kingdom […]

Well Done Thou Good And Faithful Servant [podcast]

Will You Hear ‘Well Done’ or ‘Depart from Me’? If I am truly following Jesus, I am learning to SERVE – and we know that because of what He taught and what He did while on earth. “But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. 26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your […]

MAKING PEACE WITH GOD [podcast]

MAKING PEACE WITH GOD Are you ready to Pass from Death to Life? God desires to pardon you – before it’s too late. Jesus beckons you to “Come unto me” — while you can (Matthew 11:28-30). “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 GOD sees all sin and will either forgive or […]