by E.M. Bounds
“Study universal holiness of life. Your whole usefulness depends on this, for your sermons last but an hour or two; your life preaches all the week. If Satan can only make a covetous minister a lover of praise, of pleasure, of good eating, he has ruined your ministry. Give yourself to prayer, and get your texts, your thoughts, your words from God. Luther spent his best three hours in prayer.” – Robert Murray McCheyne
WE are constantly on a stretch, if not on a strain, to devise new methods, new plans, new organizations to advance the Church and secure enlargement and efficiency for the gospel. This trend of the day has a tendency to lose sight of the man or sink the man in the plan or organization. God’s plan is to make much of the man, far more of him than of anything else. Men are God’s method. The Church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men. “There was a man sent from God whose name was John.” The dispensation that heralded and prepared the way for Christ was bound up in that man John. “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.” The world’s salvation comes out of that cradled Son. When Paul appeals to the personal character of the men who rooted the gospel in the world, he solves the mystery of their success. The glory and efficiency of the gospel is staked on the men who proclaim it. When God declares that “the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him,” he declares the necessity of men and his dependence on them as a channel through which to exert his power upon the world. This vital, urgent truth is one that this age of machinery is apt to forget. The forgetting of it is as baneful on the work of God as would be the striking of the sun from his sphere. Darkness, confusion, and death would ensue.
What the Church needs to-day is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use — men of prayer, men mighty in prayer. The Holy Ghost does not flow through methods, but through men. He does not come on machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men — men of prayer.
An eminent historian has said that the accidents of personal character have more to do with the revolutions of nations than either philosophic historians or democratic politicians will allow. This truth has its application in full to the gospel of Christ, the character and conduct of the followers of Christ — Christianize the world, transfigure nations and individuals. Of the preachers of the gospel it is eminently true.
The character as well as the fortunes of the gospel is committed to the preacher. He makes or mars the message from God to man. The preacher is the golden pipe through which the divine oil flows. The pipe must not only be golden, but open and flawless, that the oil may have a full, unhindered, unwasted flow.
The man makes the preacher. God must make the man. The messenger is, if possible, more than the message. The preacher is more than the sermon. The preacher makes the sermon. As the life-giving milk from the mother’s bosom is but the mother’s life, so all the preacher says is tinctured, impregnated by what the preacher is. The treasure is in earthen vessels, and the taste of the vessel impregnates and may discolor. The man, the whole man, lies behind the sermon. Preaching is not the performance of an hour. It is the outflow of a life. It takes twenty years to make a sermon, because it takes twenty years to make the man. The true sermon is a thing of life. The sermon grows because the man grows. The sermon is forceful because the man is forceful. The sermon is holy because the man is holy. The sermon is full of the divine unction because the man is full of the divine unction.
Paul termed it “My gospel;” not that he had degraded it by his personal eccentricities or diverted it by selfish appropriation, but the gospel was put into the heart and lifeblood of the man Paul, as a personal trust to be executed by his Pauline traits, to be set aflame and empowered by the fiery energy of his fiery soul. Paul’s sermons — what were they? Where are they? Skeletons, scattered fragments, afloat on the sea of inspiration! But the man Paul, greater than his sermons, lives forever, in full form, feature and stature, with his molding hand on the Church. The preaching is but a voice. The voice in silence dies, the text is forgotten, the sermon fades from memory; the preacher lives.
The sermon cannot rise in its life-giving forces above the man. Dead men give out dead sermons, and dead sermons kill. Everything depends on the spiritual character of the preacher. Under the Jewish dispensation the high priest had inscribed in jeweled letters on a golden frontlet: “Holiness to the Lord.” So every preacher in Christ’s ministry must be molded into and mastered by this same holy motto. It is a crying shame for the Christian ministry to fall lower in holiness of character and holiness of aim than the Jewish priesthood. Jonathan Edwards said: “I went on with my eager pursuit after more holiness and conformity to Christ. The heaven I desired was a heaven of holiness.” The gospel of Christ does not move by popular waves. It has no self-propagating power. It moves as the men who have charge of it move. The preacher must impersonate the gospel. Its divine, most distinctive features must be embodied in him. The constraining power of love must be in the preacher as a projecting, eccentric, an all-commanding, self-oblivious force. The energy of self-denial must be his being, his heart and blood and bones. He must go forth as a man among men, clothed with humility, abiding in meekness, wise as a serpent, harmless as a dove; the bonds of a servant with the spirit of a king, a king in high, royal, in dependent bearing, with the simplicity and sweetness of a child. The preacher must throw himself, with all the abandon of a perfect, self-emptying faith and a self-consuming zeal, into his work for the salvation of men. Hearty, heroic, compassionate, fearless martyrs must the men be who take hold of and shape a generation for God. If they be timid time servers, place seekers, if they be men pleasers or men fearers, if their faith has a weak hold on God or his Word, if their denial be broken by any phase of self or the world, they cannot take hold of the Church nor the world for God.
The preacher’s sharpest and strongest preaching should be to himself. His most difficult, delicate, laborious, and thorough work must be with himself. The training of the twelve was the great, difficult, and enduring work of Christ. Preachers are not sermon makers, but men makers and saint makers, and he only is well-trained for this business who has made himself a man and a saint. It is not great talents nor great learning nor great preachers that God needs, but men great in holiness, great in faith, great in love, great in fidelity, great for God — men always preaching by holy sermons in the pulpit, by holy lives out of it. These can mold a generation for God.
After this order, the early Christians were formed. Men they were of solid mold, preachers after the heavenly type — heroic, stalwart, soldierly, saintly. Preaching with them meant self-denying, self-crucifying, serious, toilsome, martyr business. They applied themselves to it in a way that told on their generation, and formed in its womb a generation yet unborn for God. The preaching man is to be the praying man. Prayer is the preacher’s mightiest weapon. An almighty force in itself, it gives life and force to all.
The real sermon is made in the closet. The man — God’s man — is made in the closet. His life and his profoundest convictions were born in his secret communion with God. The burdened and tearful agony of his spirit, his weightiest and sweetest messages were got when alone with God. Prayer makes the man; prayer makes the preacher; prayer makes the pastor.
The pulpit of this day is weak in praying. The pride of learning is against the dependent humility of prayer. Prayer is with the pulpit too often only official — a performance for the routine of service. Prayer is not to the modern pulpit the mighty force it was in Paul’s life or Paul’s ministry. Every preacher who does not make prayer a mighty factor in his own life and ministry is weak as a factor in God’s work and is powerless to project God’s cause in this world.
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Articles
Gospel Action Mexico Part 39

“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 24:14
This is our sister in Christ, Maria. Will soon drop a new video on how the LORD is using her and you to reach many. Maria is now passing out 80-100 JESUS tracts daily! More on that soon. When initially meeting with her, after she was given about 50 JESUS tracts she asked for more. 24 hours later she called back and asked for more. She had passed all of them out. So she was replenished with hundreds more. Saints, this is 100 fold kingdom opportunity. Please pray for the fruitfulness and supply of this outreach, and for more support/supporters. We are Christ’s and your feet on the ground here and it’s getting out of hand is a bless-ed way! Miracles of fruitfulness via Jesus, via the Holy Ghost!
“And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.” Mark 16:20
I have encountered and ministered to this beloved woman, Maria. And now I realize why she has an eternal, a perpetual smile—as in it’s the joy of the LORD. She shared last night that she is born again and we rejoiced. Maria asked for a supply of the JESUS tracts and was given about 80-100 tracts. I gave her a stack and she asked for more after we were fellowshipping in Jesus more. Boom. This all spells kingdom momentum to the glory of the nail scarred risen Savior and LORD!
“WE are labourers TOGETHER with God”—that’s us, saints (1 Corinthians 3:9).
Saints, the supply tracts is running low and we are going to have the bless-ed opportunity to replenish the supply of JESUS tracts to brother Juan and this sister, Maria. Both of them are consistently, daily ministering God’s love and Word.
So, should we go with the $270 option which is thicker paper, better quality printing OR the $120 option with thinner paper and lesser quality ink?
TODAY I ordered 1,000 more JESUS tracts at the cost of $120. Anyone wish to cover this opportunity? We are hoping to be able to order a larger quantity, like as in 5,000. It’s more cost effective that way and also the tracts are not flowing out to the people in a more rapid manner. | Give here.
This beloved man walked by, as God would have it, and he was given our LORD’s Word, in God’s love. He stopped and turned to me as if he could not believe he was hearing the Word of God. Tears filled his eyes. Obviously he is going through something and sin had just worn him down, severely as it has all of us (Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 3, 7).
“I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.” Psalms 142:4
He continued to receive ministry, including John 8:36. A friend was near and she began interpreting and she broke down and is getting saved. She is also in awe. God is moving saints. He’s answering your prayers. The neighbor, Nayeli, was shocked at how God was touching this man Cesar. She can’t shut up. She was a Jew and is now reading John 8 tonight. She read it to Cesar and is still talking about Jesus and John 8.
“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:44
You saints who know John 8 know exactly what’s going on! And it’s JESUS! The LORD is moving on the wings of your prayers. Both of these precious souls are shocked in a heavenly way!
“For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,” Philippians 1:19
Cesar was instructed to go home, repent, receive Jesus by faith, and receive new life in Christ. He was showed the prayer on the back panel of the JESUS tract and told to pray it to God and be forgiven, to be saved.
Please pause and lift up these two precious souls !
“Wow! I stand in awe of God whenever you share these divine encounters! And in this picture, it is obvious this man is ready to receive, as his hands are lifted up in surrender! Psalm 143:6 “I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.” And he is obviously thirsty! Praying for them all to harken unto Jesus who is the only One who can save their souls from death! So they can experience His freedom from the bondage of sin! And become servants of righteousness. Earnestly, and tenderly Jesus is calling!” Karen Cochran | Mission Mexico
Let’s Roll Saints!
Mission Mexico | Give support Mission Mexico here. Many options:
Think the food in Mexico might be top shelf?
“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10
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Download. Read. Print out your supply of the JESUS tract – English and Spanish.

Apostasy
Is Karma Biblical? [podcast]

The Karma Concept is a Diabolical Con Job and a counterfeit for God’s system of sowing and reaping: No disciple of Jesus should ever use the word/term “karma” unless exposing it for the lie that it is.
First off, the concept of karma is antichrist in that it teaches that people, sinners, can earn their own way into a better eternity by living good or kindly in this life. Lie.
The concept of karma is based on the lie that men will be reincarnated and that sinners, based on their own performance on earth in their first life, will be rewarded accordingly in their next life. Well the Bible teaches that mankind is hopelessly sinful and cannot forgive or save himself (Genesis 6:5,12; Isaiah 59:16; Jeremiah 17:9; Ezekiel 22:30; Romans 3:9-29; Galatians 2:21, etc.). The Word of God informs us that our next destination will be either Heaven or hell, not coming back to the earth for a new life or do-over. The Bible teaches us that “ALL have sinned” against our Maker and our eternal, irrevocable destination will be based on whether or not we receive or reject His gift of salvation granted solely on the basis of the perfect and precious blood of the Son of God who died on the cross and was raised again to take away our sins (Romans 3:21-25; 5:1-2; 6:23; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 3:18, etc.).
The shed blood of Jesus Christ is the only payment that could have ever and did fully satisfy the claims of the Father’s justice to redeem fallen mankind back from sin.
“He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied (paid in full – “It is finished”): by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.” Isaiah 53:11
1 Peter 1
“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. 22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” 1 Peter 1:18-23
Karma is a lie.
David Taylor writes:
“Sowing and reaping: is always a true biblical principle, and for those who heap up judgement for themselves.”
“God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.” Psalm 7:11
“The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.” Proverbs 3:33
“ALL men” have sinned against our Maker and are thereby guilty and separated from Him because He is “Holy, holy, holy” (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 8:4).
“…they are all under sin; 10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one … 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:9-10, 23
God’s Word declares all men to be sinners, who have all broken His holy commandments, and who will reap eternal death which is irrevocable separation from God, if they die unforgiven by God through Christ (Romans 1-6, etc.).
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23
How have we sinned against God? To begin with, we’ve all lied and the Bible says: “Thou shalt not bear false witness.” We’ve all used the name of the LORD in vain – “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” We’ve all stolen something along the way – “Thou shalt not steal” (Exodus 20).
In and of ourselves, outside of Christ, here’s what all men look like to God:
“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
In short, karma denies our need for Christ and says we can earn or merit our own way into comfort and blessings without Jesus.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
“Reincarnation is taught by true believers in Karma. Reincarnation is the rebirth of the soul in a new body. Depending on the religion or the particular philosophy the soul can make an appearance as another person, animal or plant as it makes its way to an eventual escape from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.” owlcation
The Bible term and associated definition, truth, is sowing and reaping, and not karma.
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” Galatians 6:7-8
In the Hindu and Buddhist religions, karma is the concept, the teaching that depending on how a person lives their life on earth determines how they will be reincarnated in their next life. It is the idea that how you live your life, this one, will determine the quality of life you will have after reincarnation. In these false religions there is no savior and so you are earning your own way to God and His blessings. False..
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
Salvation is the gift of God purchased by the precious blood of His only begotten Son Jesus Christ.
“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.” John 3:16
Karma is a false teaching. No born again believer should ever use this word unless they are exposing it for what it is.
Reincarnation is a lie and therefore so is karma because karma is the mythical, erroneous idea that the way you live this life will determine your plight in the next life. But the Bible says:
“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” Hebrews 9:27
Also, what do Satan’s heresies of purgatory and karma have in common? – They both promise a second chance. But the Bible says when we die our eternal destination is final – Heaven or hell.
Judgment immediately follows death, not a second chance.
Satan wants people to think they have a second chance and not to take this one and only life seriously. The Bible tells us that immediately upon death we are judged to go to Heaven or hell (Luke 16:19-31). When we die we will stand before our Maker to be judged for our one life in this one body on the earth (Romans 14:10; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:11-15, etc.). There will be no second chance. We will not return as someone or something else.
“Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” Ecclesiastes 12:7
“And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” Matthew 25:46
“And he (thief on the cross next to Jesus) 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
The way you live this life – in Christ or out of Christ – will determine your eternal destination, as in Heaven or hell.
“The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.” Proverbs 15:24
World religions teach that man earns his own way to God. God’s Word teaches that all men, born after Adam, are insolvently sinful (unable to pay the debt) and in need of the saving grace of God which is exclusively found in the crucified and risen Savior, Jesus Christ.
More Verses Biblically Disproving Reincarnation:
“But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? 11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up: 12 so man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.” Job 14:10-12
“For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.” Psalm 78:39
“If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.” Job 14:14
“But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.” 2 Samuel 12:23
“When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.” Job 16:22
“As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more. 10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.” Job 7:9-10
“We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:8
“Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” John 5:28-29
“Such are the paths of all who forget God; the hope of the godless shall perish.” Job 8:12-13
“And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12:2
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10
“When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth.” Proverbs 11:7
“For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” 2 Corinthians 5:1
Summation: When you die, you will be immediately in Heaven or hell – in bliss or blistering, burning fire.
Making Peace with God – Now, before it’s too late. Go here.
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Abiding
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 shall see God.” Matthew 5:8
“O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Matthew 12:34
“A Clean Heart”
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.” Psalms 51:10-11
When we wisely join in fellowship, life with fellow truth seekers, such will assist the work of God who is quickening us to honestly admit, repent afresh and confess any sin God brings to light. Anyone else ever camped out on Psalms 51—the prayer of repentance and confession of the man after God’s own heart, David?
“Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. 13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.” Psalms 51:12-13
The New Testament believer is to ever examine himself to see whether or not he is in the faith.
“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” 2 Corinthians 13:5
“If”
“But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.” Deuteronomy 4:29
Prayer: Father, in Jesus’ name, here and now if never before, I submit my life to You—to Your Lordship. From this moment forth I will serve You. Jesus You are the Master of my life from now on. I love You Jesus. Please use me for Your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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