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
Dancing on Hell’s Grave: Why We Need not Fear Death: Resurrection Joy – Fearless in Death [podcast]
Resurrection Joy – Fearless in Death
– Dancing on Hell’s Grave
“But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.” Proverbs 1:33
Dancing on Fear’s Grave!
“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” 1 Corinthians 15:55
Those who are ready to die and be with Jesus do not fear death (1 John 4:16-18).
Eternal perspective. Hope for eternal rest, glory with Christ and the Father.
In Christ, when we close our eyes in death, we awake to the resurrection bliss of eternal joy with Him who is “the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25).
“For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.” 1 Corinthians 15:16-21
We are fully confident that the moment we pass, we breathe our last, we shall “be present with the Lord.”
“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
The death of a Christian is not a tragedy.
Death is our passport to glory.
Death without Jesus Christ is the tragedy.
What have we to fear other than the long wait till we meet Him?!
“I think it’s sad to see so many who claim to be Christians
acting all worried about dying… I get excited more each day
about getting to be with the Lord.
The good ole days are just ahead!
Happy New Years!” Kirk
“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21
For the one who is truly in Christ, “to die is gain.”
“For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.” Hebrews 13:14
Jesus Christ is “the resurrection and the life” and will soon raise up into eternal glory all who truly know Him.
“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” John 11:25
Jesus Christ is the “Exceeding Great Reward” of every true believer (Genesis 15:1). They seek nothing more than Him! He is truly their “first love” and all consuming passion (Revelation 2:4-5). He’s coming back soon and He promised that He’s going to reward every man according to his work which is the reflection of of what’s in a man’s heart.
“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Revelation 22:12
Because Jesus rose again, all who are born again in Him are raised up spiritually in this life to overcome all sin, satan, and the world and will be soon raised up into eternal glory with Him.
“And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” Romans 1:4
“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”
Where O Where is it! Now, say these blessed, divinely-inspired words of our LORD Jesus Christ aloud prayerfully –“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55)
GOT FEAR? – “I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” (Psalms 34:4) So, what is the divine prescription for being delivered from all fear? Read the verse again and you will notice that seeking the face of the LORD is your deliverance.
Seeking the LORD is always the answer. Getting delivered from “ALL” fear:
“I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” Psalms 34:4
Notice here that one must seek the LORD for deliverance from fear.
Why do we fear?
“People fear because their faith is in self, not in God. Therefore they try and meet their own needs. Matt. 6:33 says when we make God’s kingdom and His righteousness a priority He will meet our needs.” Karen Cochran
All fear shall be dispelled as the regenerated disciple diligently seeks the LORD – the only One who “is love.”
“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:16-18
When someone close to us passes on to the next life, dies, we need not fear, namely if they were known of God (Isaiah 57:1-2).
Jesus Again Foretells Death, Resurrection
Remember how Jesus’ disciples were “exceeding sorry” when He foretold of His own death, burial, and resurrection?
“And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men: 23 And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.” Matthew 17:22-23
Of this passage, Shadrack Rotich notes: “They were saddened and forgot to be encouraged by the Word of Jesus that in 3 days He was raising again.”
Because our LORD Jesus was raised from the dead, so we have full hope and confidence that so shall all who are known of Him. We need not therefore fear or sorrow.
“But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken (raise up, make alive) your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” Romans 8:11
“The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. 2 He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.” Isaiah 57:1-2
Pray this: Father thank You so very much for sending Your only begotten Son for me! Thank You that the Son of God died and You raised Him again to justify me and that Your resurrection life and power indwells me today as I abide identified with and in the death and burial of Jesus! Glory to God Most High! Thank You LORD Jesus for Your resurrection power to victoriously overcome all sin, Satan, and this sinful world and to be fruitful in helping others know You. I now look for Your soon return LORD Jesus. Amen Jesus!
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Articles
Young’s Literal Translation YLT Exposed
by Will Kinney
Anyone who tries to pawn off Young’s “literal” translation as being the infallible words of God simply does not know what he is talking about. It is not even a good translation. It is little more than a passing footnote in the ever changing panorama of perverted bible versions that have come and gone over the years.
There is only one Bible that has stood the test of time and its critics. There is only one Bible that is believed and defended by thousands of Bible believers today as being the true “book of the LORD”- the Authorized King James Holy Bible – celebrating over 400 years of being THE Bible of the English speaking people.
Let’s compare a bit:
One that made me laugh out loud when I first saw it was 1 Kings 18:21.
Here we read in the KJB: “And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long HALT YE BETWEEN TWO OPINIONS? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.”
But Youngs “literal” has: “and Elijah cometh nigh unto all the people, and saith, `TILL WHEN ARE YE LEAPING ON THE TWO BRANCHES? — if Jehovah [is] God, go after Him; and if Baal, go after him;’ and the people have not answered him a word.”
—————
Here is the YLT telling us Jesus had to be saved which would mean He was a sinner:
Zechariah 9:9 KJB – “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, AND HAVING SALVATION; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.”
Youngs – “Rejoice exceedingly, O daughter of Zion, Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem, Lo, thy King doth come to thee, Righteous — AND SAVED IS HE, Afflicted — and riding on an ass, And on a colt — a son of she-asses.”
—————
Acts 11:26 KJB – “And the disciples WERE CALLED Christians first in Antioch.”
Young’s 1898 – “the disciples also WERE DIVINELY CALLED first in Antioch Christians.”
The KJB and almost every other Bible reads: “And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples WERE CALLED Christians first in Antioch.
—————
Youngs’ “literal” has many examples of mind-boggling, ridiculous readings as well.
In Psalms 141:7 we read: “Our bones are scattered at the grave’s mouth, as when ONE CUTTETH AND CLEAVETH WOOD upon the earth.
But in Youngs we see: Psalm 141:7 “As ONE TILLING AND RIPPING UP THE LAND, Have our bones been scattered AT THE COMMAND OF SAUL.” (Say What?)
—————
1 Samuel 25:22 “So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that PISSETH AGAINST THE WALL.” (Green – “urinates against the wall.”)
But Young has: “thus doth God do to the enemies of David, and thus He doth add, if I leave of all that he hath till the light of the morning — of THOSE SITTING ON THE WALL.”
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Apostasy
Jacked Up Jezebel Rebuked [podcast]
“Jezebel is a widely rampant spirit of rebellion that is hard to get rid of, rooted in pride, self-will, and self-sufficiency. Only the LORD can deliver but only if the individual truly repents and submits to Him, to His Word.” Anita Villarreal
Any person defending this jezebel heresy that women can be pastors, elders over men, is under the control of Satan, period. And in need of true repentance (James 4:7).
—-There are NO female apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, or teachers under the New Testament (Ephesians 4:8, 11-12). Jesus gave these “gifts unto MEN.” (Ephesians 4:8) There is not even one woman mentioned in 27 books as an elder over Christ’s flock. Such is clearly forbidden (1 Timothy 2:11-12). In Acts 21:9 we read of Phillip’s daughters which “did prophesy” which is a gift of the Spirit (one of the nine-1 Corinthians 12:7-10). The office gifts are eldership functions for men called to be overseers over Christ’s flock, which is completely different than the gifts of the Spirit which every believer can function in and certainly women are seen doing such as Phillip’s daughters and how women are mentioned concerning operating in the gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 14.
Classic case of a jezebel lashing out when the Word of GOD corrects her (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Her rebellion is against God. Jezebel is utterly rebellious. She hates what God’s Word says and so the demons that control jezebels will lash out in personal attacks against the men who stand on the truth unwaveringly (such as did Elijah whom Jezebel sought to kill).
“Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. 12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.” 1 Timothy 2:11-14
“As I look around America I ask myself who can find a virtuous woman? Whose whole life is surrendered to God. And centered in the fear of the Lord. No woman will submit to their husbands unless they first submit to God. Ephesians 5:22 says women are to submit to their husbands, “as unto the Lord.” That must come first. And what is a great price in the sight of God? A woman who has a meek and quiet spirit (1 Peter 3:4). This is true beauty to God. But Jezebels are the complete opposite. Full of rebellion, pride and hatred! God says throw her down!” Karen Cochran
From the divine perspective, this is not about oppression but rather about protect. See Revelation 2:20-24 to see what Jesus warns when a woman is allowed to lead as an elder in the body of Christ. He uses the words “The depths of Satan” and speaks of the death and destruction that will result when the men allow a woman to lead in a manner that is outside of the stated role God ordained for the woman.
Yes the LORD said He will pour out His Spirit on all flesh, sons and daughter, but not to anoint a woman to do something HE forbids. Women are to teach women yes but not the general body of believers (Titus 2:1-5). There are NO female elders in the New Testament. God forbids it. Eldership is reserved for men – to humbly teach, lead and protect and cherish women and children.
“There’s a crazy role reversal across the land and men should always lead. Even our women’s prayer group was led by the pastor because that’s what he believed. Women are more emotional and men more logical. Both have their designated roles . God meant them to compliment each other rather than to compete.” John Umlauf
When people don’t like what God’s Word states, they will attack the mere messenger as if that changes the truth. Not. And, they heap judgment on themselves by doing so (Matthew 7:1-5; James 2:13). Persecution
“For we are not as many, which corrupt (twist, adulterate) 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
“He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.” John 8:47
“Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.” Proverbs 13:13
Jesus Addresses the Ahabs and Self-Appointed Jezebel at the Church at Thyatira
Revelation 2:20-24
Revelation 2:20-24 is about a certain self-appointed woman who was allowed by the spineless men in Thyatira to operate out of the biblically-stated order for women in the church setting.
Rev 2:20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
Rev 2:21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
Rev 2:22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
Rev 2:23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
Rev 2:24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.
Family | Godly Manhood | Women
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Jezebel Unmasked! Invasion of the Warrior Princess Jezebels [podcast]
Dancing on Hell’s Grave: Why We Need not Fear Death: Resurrection Joy – Fearless in Death [podcast]
Young’s Literal Translation YLT Exposed
Jacked Up Jezebel Rebuked [podcast]
Gospel Action in Mexico Part 36 [video]
Racism: Nation Rising Against Nation [radio]
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Summary of Tom Wadsworth’s teaching on modern worship as compared to the New Testament church [video]
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What’s Wrong with the Modern Church World? [podcast]
The Curse of the Judaizers [podcast]
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Dancing on Hell’s Grave: Why We Need not Fear Death: Resurrection Joy – Fearless in Death [podcast]
Young’s Literal Translation YLT Exposed
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Dancing on Hell’s Grave: Why We Need not Fear Death: Resurrection Joy – Fearless in Death [podcast]
Young’s Literal Translation YLT Exposed
Jacked Up Jezebel Rebuked [podcast]
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