Abiding

LIE OF THE AGES: From the Garden to Glory [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]

Excerpt from the book Lie of the Ages

The First Lie and the Fall of Man

“Now the serpent was more subtle 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? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” ~ Genesis 3:1-5

Have you ever wondered what the first lie ever told was? Who told it? Why was it told? What was the result of it? Can the fruit be seen and felt today? Can its effects be traced throughout history and even into the future?

According to the Genesis account, the Garden of Eden was the sanctuary of the Most High, where He communed with the first man and woman He had made in His very own image. The Garden was a sinless, guiltless sanctuary of unimaginable relational bliss between the LORD Almighty and the man and woman. The Garden of Eden was the place of pure truth and love—a place where lies were not even suspected.

Enter Satan.

Enter the lie.

Enter the seduction.

Enter no fear of God.

Enter stolen restraint.

Enter sin.

Enter the fall of man.

Enter alienation from the Creator.

Garden Scene—The First Lie

Do you think this first lie may hold some insight into the work of Satan and his war against God and His treasured people today?

“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 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…(Now here’s what the woman said:) But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. (Now here’s what Satan said:) And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.” ~ Genesis 2:16-17; 3:3-4

In the book of origins (Genesis) where every major biblical doctrine is rooted (has its beginning), there can be found the keys and answers to life. Mankind’s Maker, his beginning, his ultimate enemy, temptation, sin, the resulting fall, and the redemption of man are revealed in the first chapters of this all-important first book of the Holy Bible.

Perhaps there could be no greater occupation than for the student of Scripture to undertake, pour over, pray over, and dismantle the first three chapters of the book of Genesis. In this endeavor, he will gain insight into the origins and purpose of creation, pitfalls facing mankind, divine restoration, and the keys to living a victorious life in harmony with his Creator.

Sin entered the human experience through the temptation and fall of the first man (Rom. 5). By this the enemy gained a foothold and has warred with that sole creation made in the image of the Maker Himself. But it is sin that is man’s problem, not circumstance or self-esteem nor any other diagnosis. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (See Jer. 17:9.)

Someone has wisely stated: “The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart.”

From the very beginning, Satan has tempted man to believe that breaking the commandment of His Maker was not to be feared or avoided and could not harm him. The temptation for man is if he is going to determine truth on his own terms and how it fits his own lifestyle, or repent and humbly accept and obey what God says.

Cain was a religionist. He refused relationship with the LORD because he chose to do things his own way instead of God’s (Gen. 4:1-7). In his pride, Cain wanted to make up his own rules – he was lawless. Religion is where men have created a god in their own image and follow those teachings which render obedience to that false god. The most deceptive and evil form of religion is that which is close to the truth and uses Bible Scriptures out of context to make up that doctrine which circumvents obedience to the plain truth of God. (See Jesus rebuke the Pharisees in Matt. 23.)

Who are we going to believe and trust? Whose report will you believe? Since the LORD and the devil stated something in direct opposition to each other, we know that one of them is a liar. As He gave the first man and woman the option, so the LORD gives us the choice to trust and obey Him or not to obey Him. Each of us will decide who it is that is going to be a liar in our hearts—the Almighty, or Satan.

God said (Gen. 2:17): “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.”

Satan said (Gen. 3:4): “And the serpent said unto the woman, YE SHALL NOT SURELY DIE.”

The lie of the ages began in the very cradle of creation. The aim of the enemy of all souls was the first man and woman who were uniquely created in the image of the One who made all things. Adam and Eve were the subjects of Satan’s deadly lie—the first lie ever told. Apparently, this cunning enemy understood that if he could cause the man and woman to take things into their own hands and violate the instruction of their Maker, they would be ushered out of His Garden (presence) and forfeit their place with Him.

Mankind’s enemy led him to believe that he could violate the instruction of his holy Maker and still remain within His approval. Like Adam and Eve, it is readily observed that men naturally internalize this philosophy as “I can sin with no fear of consequences.” Is it possible that this lie is still leading men and women to believe that they “shall not surely die” if they live in direct opposition to the LORD?

Concerning this most insidious and destructive lie of the serpent, the Life in the Spirit Study Bible states:

“‘YE SHALL NOT SURELY DIE’…The first lie proposed by Satan was a form of antinomianism (lawlessness), denying the judgment of death for sin and apostasy. One of the basic sins of humankind is unbelief in God’s word. It is believing that somehow God does not really mean what He says about salvation, righteousness, sin, judgment, and death. Satan’s most persistent lie is that unrepentant, deliberate sin and rebellion against God will not necessarily bring separation from God and eternal condemnation.”

As he did with the first man and woman, the adversary tells us “Ye shall not surely die” (Gen. 3:4).

Escaping the judgment of a holy God has long been the vain imagination of depraved men, fueled by the enemy of all righteousness who has come “to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (Jn. 10:10).

“Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” ~ Ecclesiastes 8:11

“Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.” ~ Psalms 10:13

Question: “Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God?

Answer: “He hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.”

The hearts of those who are not in fellowship with the LORD say “The LORD will not ‘require it’ of me. He will not bring me into accountability for my life in this world. After all, He has not done anything to me for my wrongdoing thus far. I am okay in my sins; God will just overlook them.”

Lucifer’s lure capitalizes on the sinful nature of men, preying upon his desire to be his own god, controlling his own destiny. Somehow, according to this revelation and others, it is within man’s makeup to believe that because his Creator is not presently executing tangible judgment for his sin, he believes that God is not going to judge him at all. So, unregenerate man goes on sinning with reckless abandon, not realizing that that Great and Terrible Day of Judgment lies just ahead.

The first man and woman bought into the first lie that claims there is no consequence for violating the command of the one true God. Such self-deception is no new thing. Since the first man and woman, people have sought to define right and wrong on their own terms instead of simply acknowledging what the LORD says. As the first couple found out, it is a losing endeavor to determine truth by how it fits one’s lifestyle instead of by God’s non-negotiable counsel given us in His Word (Jn. 17:17; Rom. 3:3-4; 2 Tim. 3:16). Defining truth on one’s own terms is buying into the lie of the ages presented to every man by the evil one who “walketh about seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8).

When men seek to redefine truth on their own terms, they unwittingly create a god in their own image—one who accepts them in their sins with no judgment. They then migrate to pastors and teachers who will tickle their itching ears with smooth messages void of the full-counsel revelation of Holy Scripture (Jer. 5:30-31; 2 Tim. 4:2-4).

After Adam and Eve, it was their son Cain who sought to make up his own way to God on his own terms. He failed. To Cain and to all who seek through religion, whether self-styled or organized, the Almighty would ask: “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door” (Gen. 4:7).

The LORD says to Cain “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?” This simply means “If you will do things the way I prescribed, will I not fully accept you as I did your brother Abel?” Cain hardened his heart and refused to do things God’s way by offering the type of sacrifice God requires. Due to his own choice to rebel against the Most High he became so filled with the enemy that he killed his own brother (Gen. 4).

This is a classic example of how the enemy led this man Cain to believe that he could make up his own rules, violating the holy Creator and still escape His just judgment. Like Cain, millions of faithful religionists today have a mere formula of godliness while denying the power of a truly surrendered life to the one true God who sent His only begotten Son as the only sacrifice for the sins of men (2 Timothy 3:5).

When he was able to successfully persuade the first man to violate the command of the LORD, Satan gained access to authority over the man by the sin of the man (Isaiah 59:1-2; Ephesians 4:27; James 4:7). Jesus re-gained that authority for His highest and prized creation and all those who come into relationship with Him experience the abundant blessings that come along with being saved by His precious blood (Jn. 10:10; Rom. 5:17; 1 Pet. 1:18-19).

“For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)” Romans 5:17

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” ~ John 3:16-17

PRAYER: Father in Heaven, please unite my heart to fear Thy name and keep it from falling prey to this same lie that led to Adam and Eve’s fall. Quicken my heart in the fear of the LORD. Please teach me that there are many harsh consequences for disobeying You, by not doing what You say, by sinning against You. Convict my heart of sin, and I beg You to make my conscience extremely sensitive to Your conviction and leading. Change my heart, O LORD. Grant me a heart of flesh that delights to live in Your presence and do Your perfect will. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Abiding

The Blessing of Being Born of God, Born Again [podcast]

QUESTION:

“What does it mean to be ‘born again’?”

REPLY:

Great question. I am praying for you now. Born again is the same as regeneration we see in Titus 3:5-7. When the sinner (ALL of us) comes to God humbly, in repentance, turning his life to the LORD, and putting all of his faith now in Jesus Christ alone, God does a miracle in the person’s life—a change on the inside that is unmistakable and transforms that persons nature and life forever. From that moment onward, Christ reigns in that person’s life, filling him with love, joy, peace, etc. (Galatians 5:22-23). The LORD works from the inside out. First He saves, washes our sins away, and then dwells in that newly saved, born again temple (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

To be born again you have to go to God directly…. admitting you have sinned against Him, and receive Jesus into your life. It has to be personal. Religions are designed to keep you from God while claiming to be the way to God. Beware.

“Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3

“Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again (2nd birth).” John 3:7

“The birth for which Christ contends is from above—by the agency of the Holy Spirit. Every man must have two births, one from heaven, the other from earth—one of his body, the other of his soul: without the first he cannot see nor enjoy this world, without the last he can not see nor enjoy the kingdom of God. As there is an absolute necessity that a child should be born into the world, that he may see its light, contemplate its glories, and enjoy its good, so there is an absolute necessity that the soul should be brought out of its state of darkness and sin, through the light and power of the grace of Christ, that it may be able to see, or to discern, the glories and excellencies of the kingdom of Christ here, and be prepared for the enjoyment of the kingdom of glory hereafter. The Jews had some general notion of the new birth; but, like many among Christians, they put the acts of proselytism, baptism, etc., in the place of the Holy Spirit and his influence: they acknowledged that a man must be born again; but they made that new birth to consist in profession, confession, and external washing.

The new birth which is here spoken of comprehends, not only what is termed justification or pardon, but also sanctification or holiness. Sin must be pardoned, and the impurity of the heart washed away before any soul can possibly enter into the kingdom of God. As this new birth implies the renewing of the whole soul in righteousness and true holiness, it is not a matter that may be dispensed with: heaven is a place of holiness, and nothing but what is like itself can ever enter into it.” Adam Clarke

“I can remember after getting saved my friends and my family immediately saying What happened to her?’ There was an immediate and complete change in me. God cleaned me from the inside out. I was made brand new and people noticed. My family asked ‘What has happened to her?’ Does anyone know? Yes! Jesus happened to me! Alleluia!” Karen Cochran

YOUR PRAYER TO GOD TO BE SAVED, TO BE FORGIVEN

Are You Ready to be Saved? Okay here’s a prayer to be God’s child. You have to admit the obvious, that you have sinned against God and turn to Him fully, turn your life over to Him who made you, and confess Jesus Christ as the new LORD and Savior of your life. Pray this …

Your Prayer to God … You must honestly admit your sins and receive Christ… Apply His holy blood to your life so that you may be saved, forgiven, and live eternally with Him. You must completely turn your life over to Him in repentance and faith. Now, pray the following prayer to God with all that is within you, from your heart and out loud:….

Dear heavenly Father, right now, if never before, I come to You as a broken and sinful person. Thank You for sending Your only begotten Son to die in my place for my sins. Thank You Jesus for coming to this earth to die and rise again to rescue me from sin and eternal hell and to save me for Your eternal glory. Right this moment, if never before, I receive You LORD Jesus. Come in and take over my whole life. I am all Yours and You are all mine. I love You Jesus and I will follow You from this moment forward till I am with You in Heaven forever! Please use me to help others know You dear LORD. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

How do we know someone is “born of God”?

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; … Now then we are ambassadors for Christ…” 2 Corinthians 5:17-18, 20

First off, if you are born again you are changed from the inside out … you desire to do God’s will now…. and are learning the need for the cross, the daily crucified life (Luke 9:23-25).

Let us remember that the biblical words “born again” (John 3:3, 7), “born of God” (1 John 4:7), “regeneration,” and being a “new creature” in Christ go hand in hand or we can say, are synonymous.

“Born of God” appears 6 times in God’s Word and are all found in the book of 1 John:

1 John 3:9
Whosoever is BORN OF GOD doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is BORN OF GOD.

Those who are “born of God” do not live in sin. They repent or return (turn back) to the LORD, confessing all sin. If not they will “fall away” and be outside of Christ (Luke 8:13). See Can a Born Again Man be Un-Born Again? [podcast]

1 John 4:7
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is BORN OF GOD, and knoweth God.

Those who are “born of God” walk in His love toward others.

1 John 5:1
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is BORN OF GOD: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

Those who repent and believe upon Christ are “born of God” and they love all other of Christ’s saints.

1 John 5:4
For whatsoever is BORN OF GOD overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Those who are “born of God” overcome this fallen world. By present and perpetual faith, they “overcometh the world.”

1 John 5:18
We know that whosoever is BORN OF GOD sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

Those “born of God” do not live in sin. Rather, they “keepeth” themselves from sin and therefore Satan. This is accomplished by what we read in 1 John 1 and 2—which spells out the walk of the true disciple of Jesus.

MAY GOD bless each disciple of Jesus today to abide in Christ by walking crucified and raised up by Him today (2 Corinthians 4:10-12). May “the fruit of the Spirit”—the “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance” be abundantly produced in the life of every saint of Jesus! May it be 100 fold LORD! Read John 15. If you have been drawn in by Christ (John 6:44; 12:32), have repented (Luke 13:3), have received Christ (John 1:12), and are born again (John 3:3), you are bought by the precious blood of the LORD Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:17-18).

YOUR PRAYER: Heavenly Father, You found and saved me into Your eternal kingdom by way of the precious blood of Your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. I stop this life here and now, and I give You praise. I love You LORD Jesus. I am no longer my own but Yours. I am crucified with Christ. Please work in me both to will and to do of Your good pleasure. I am all Yours LORD and I know You are all mine! Please fill this vessel with Your Holy Ghost afresh, and please use me. In Jesus’ name, amen Master Jesus!

Your Life Will Never be the Same [podcast]

The “More Blessed” Life “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35 The “more blessed” life is the cross life our LORD calls us to. “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” Luke 9:23-24 These are the words of the Messiah – who gave His life to purchase His church. And dare we say […]

Born Again: What Does That Mean?

Understanding and Communicating the Born Again Experience No man merits, works, or earns his way into the salvation, the family of God, the body of Christ. The only entrance is to be born into Christ’s kingdom, to be “born again,” to be “born of God,” a work done by God Himself as the sinner is drawn in by Him and bows in repentance and faith (John 3:3, 7; Acts 20:21; Titus 3:5-6; 1 John 5:4, etc.). ATTN: Religion and being good enough are a farce. If you are not born again, you are not in God’s family. But you can […]

Born Again Podcast

Send us a text Order the BORN AGAIN book here or on amazon: https://safeguardyoursoul.com/store/ Support | STORE | Podcasts | H.O.T. Bible Study [podcast] | Divine Blessings | Exhort One Another Daily | The Return of Christ | The Joy of Fulfilling the Great Commission | The Love of Many Shall Wax Cold | Lie of the Ages (book) | Soul Damning Sins (small book) | Why We Need not Fear Death | Revelation Bombshell! HOMEPAGE: https://safeguardyoursoul.com/ MAKE PEACE WITH GOD NOW: https://safeguardyoursoul.com/peace-with-god/ SUPPORT: https://safeguardyoursoul.com/support/ STORE: https://safeguardyoursoul.com/store/ ABOUT: https://safeguardyoursoul.com/about/ email Todd: info@safeguardyoursoul.com Background Music by: Thad Fiscella https://www.thadfiscella.com/ […]

Water Baptism: Understanding It [study guide]

“Repent and be baptized.” Acts 2:38 Water Baptism (PDF) (Duplication encouraged. An open King James Bible should accompany your study of this topic. Carefully, prayerfully study each verse given in order to answer each question correctly. Print this document out and pencil in the answers in the blanks provided. It may be best to cut and paste it to your word processing software and then print it out. Your life in Christ will be enriched forever as you embrace and put into practice His Word.) Water baptism is important. Every believer should understand and be water baptized. Yet water baptism […]

"Buried with Him by Baptism into Death" [podcast]

“For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:3 Every person “hid with Christ in God” is saved and under divine grace, saved by Christ. Everyone not “hid with Christ in God” is going away in judgment (Colossians 3:3; Romans 8:13; Galatians 5:19-21, 24). When we are “hid with Christ in God,” we are safe, secure, and under the blessings of His divine grace instead of His condemnation. “Of the doctrine of baptisms” Hebrews 6:2 Baptized into Jesus Christ and Baptized into His Death “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were […]

Abiding

“David Encouraged Himself in the LORD his God” [podcast]

“And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, … but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.” 1 Samuel 30:6

Gathering from several commentaries on this passage, one source notes the following:

“Faced with the devastating loss of Ziklag and a mutinous army threatening to stone him, David found supernatural resilience. Rather than yielding to panic or despair, he actively turned his focus away from the overwhelming crisis and strengthened his faith directly in God.

Key Context and Lessons

- The Crisis: Amalekite raiders had burned the city and captured all the women and children, including David’s own wives.
- The Breaking Point: His loyal men were now grieving and broken, turning their deep anguish into violent anger against their leader.
- The Shift: David did not look to his men, his own strength, or his circumstances for hope. He preached truth to his own soul, drawing on his past history with God’s faithfulness and inquiring of the Lord for his next steps.

Practical Takeaways

- Self-Talk: When no one else is around to lift you up, you must learn to speak God’s promises to your own heart.
- Refocusing: Encouraging yourself in the Lord means anchoring your identity and security in His unchanging character rather than shifting public opinion.
- Actionable Faith: David’s inward strengthening immediately led to outward action—he sought God’s direction and pursued the enemy, resulting in complete victory and restoration.”

“Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22

“In the world ye shall have tribulation”

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

During seasons of great stress, this man after God’s own heart sought the LORD. This time only served as a blessing, hastening David to the feet of Christ. Beloved David gave us the most amazing Scriptures concerning seeking God.

“My soul followeth hard after thee.” Psalms 63:8

“As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. 2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?” Psalms 42:1-2

“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.” Psalms 27:4

“When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.” Psalms 27:8

Prayer: Father in Heaven, in the name of Jesus, please grant me, Your mere servant, to be possessed with a heart after You dear LORD. I love You Jesus. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Having a Pure Heart Requires the Cross Life [podcast]

“Great Podcast. Thank you. When I think about Matthew 5:8 I think of Psalm 24:3-4, ‘Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.’ Who is worthy to stand in God’s holy presence? Only those who are living holy and righteous lives! Those disciples who are free from pride and sin and are maintaining inner purity. With no idolatry, hypocrisy and deceit in their hearts! They are hungry and thirst […]

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 […]

Purifying Ourselves even as He is Pure [podcast]

Ready or Not – Jesus is Coming “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” 1 John 3:3 Here’s how you know if you are ready to meet Jesus—whether by dying or His soon return. The context of the Bible verse above is the return of Jesus and being ready for it (1 John 2:24-3:3). Those who live for Christ long to see Him and look expectantly for His soon return. This world is not their home. “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all […]

Abiding

10 Clues Your Love for God has Waxed Cold [podcast]

The wise virgin saints are keeping their lamps full of divine oil, they are taking personal responsibility for their own spiritual state with Christ the great and soon coming Bridegroom. Read Matthew 25:1-13.

“The Love of Many Shall Wax Cold”

“And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” Matthew 24:10-14

Did you notice in verse 14 that those who hot for Jesus are participating in the preaching of His Word to the end of the earth (Mark 16:15).

Anyone not devouring God’s Word daily is falling away, is not enduring to the end, is choosing the let their love for Jesus wax cold, and on the wrong, the losing end of this prophecy Jesus gave here on record in Matthew 24:10-14.

“I will spue (vomit, reject) thee out of my mouth”

“So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” Revelation 3:16-17

Praying God will help you love Him more (Matthew 22:37-40). It really all boils down to WHO we love most. THAT is exactly who we are serving (Romans 6:16).

Loving God is everything as far as what’s in our control – because it’s a choice, daily, and will determine if one remains in Christ to the end.

“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 commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40

“Thou hast left thy first love”

“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” Revelation 2:4-5

1. When you are choosing not to spend quality time with God in prayer each and every morning… When you are choosing not to spend quality time with God in His Word each and every morning (Luke 9:23-24; 1 Chronicles 16:11).

2. When your love for God’s people is being reduced instead of increased (Philippians 2:12-13; 1 John 5:1) Marks of the True Christian …. “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;” (Romans 12:9-11) See John 13:35.

“And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee. 21 And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.” Luke 8:20-21

“We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.” 1 John 3:14

“Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.” 1 John 5:1

Reading 1 Corinthians 13 today will refresh your heart and mind on the divine importance placed upon LOVE.

3. You are not denying self and not taking up the cross daily (Luke 9:23-24; 19:27; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3, etc.).

4. You aren’t communicating the light of truth to others because you no longer seek or fear the LORD and so His divine virtue isn’t teeming in and flowing out of you. Your cup no longer runs over but instead is running empty (Psalms 23). You have a lampshade over the light and are not letting His light shine in and through your life and words… “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.” (Isaiah 58:1)

5. You live in fear instead of faith and the joy of being with Jesus (Luke 21:28; 1 John 4:16-18; Proverbs 28:1; Psalms 2:11).

6. You preach promises and not conditions…following the apostate modern church and you don’t preach the cardinal doctrines of the original Gospel which we are commanded to “earnest contend for.” (Jude 3) You begin meditating on and living by trends instead of truth (Jeremiah 9:3; 2 Timothy 4:2-4; Philippians 4:8; Romans 12:1-2).

7. You have little or no true fellowship with other born- again Bible believing disciples of Jesus as is defined in God’s Word and not by the modern church world (Acts 2:42).

The Word of God is to run rich, to be abundant among God’s people … “In all wisdom” and “all in the name of the Lord Jesus” … “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” (Colossians 3:16-17)

8. You know you are backsliding when your main thrust and identity become politics, not the work of the Gospel. YOU are a blood bought disciple of Jesus, not a conservative. You are a Bible believing follower of Christ (Luke 9:62; Galatians 6:14).

9. When you love this world…..When you spend more time and money on hobbies and the things of this fleeting world than you do on attending to knowing, walking with the LORD and preparing to be used of Him (Mark 4:17-19; 1 John 2:15; James 4:4).

10. When you spend more money on trash and trinkets then helping the work of the One you claim to love and the poor. You know you are backslidden when you are not obeying God with what He’s placing in your temporal possession. He shall bring you into full account for this.

Regrettably, people will give their money to any and every pleasure under the sun but make excuses when the opportunity to support the work of the One they claim to love and serve. The Holy Spirit foretold that in the final days before the return of Jesus, there would be those with a mere “form of godliness”, “men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous,” and “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.” (2 Timothy 3:1-7) According to the LORD, one of the main ways to measure our true love for Him or lack thereof, is by peering into our personal stewardship of the resources He’s placed into our temporary possession. Luke 12 and 16 offer a plethora of divine wisdom and warning concerning the judgment to come, the judgment we shall endure in giving account for our stewardship in this life.

The clear proof that God is working in our lives, that we are truly following Jesus, is that we are becoming less and less vested in this fleeting, fallen world (James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-17). And that we, our good works, our giving are more and more invested in eternity – in the eternal kingdom of Christ, laying up treasures in Heaven, sending them before us, relinquishing the things of this world for the glory of God – putting them to work for the eternal Gospel of Christ – for saints to be fed and equipped and the lost to hear the Word of God (Matt. 6:19-21).

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

To underscore the importance of stewardship, we should realize that 16 of our LORD’s 38 parables involved stewardship. Those who now do not wish to face and confront this truth, are apparently those who are in the most need of hearing it.

PRAYER: Father I come to You now in the name of Jesus Christ. Please cause my conscience to be super sensitive to Your conviction, Your leading, and to evade all that defiles me in Your holy eyes, sin. Here and now I submit my life afresh to You dear LORD. You must increase but I must decrease. I am crucified with Christ and thank You for conforming me to His holy image. I am all Yours LORD and thank You that You are all mine. I love You Jesus. Please make me one with You and the Father and with Your beloved body. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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