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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Getting Gospel Grounded [podcast]
Explosive Podcast Featuring Expose’ of the prophesied end times wolves and rich Christology!
Refusing to sit under the false gospel, false doctrines, false teachers, and wolves is not forsaking the assembling of the saints. It’s obedience to the LORD! See 2 Corinthians 6:17-18)
There is a “difference” between the true and the false leaders today. True disciples will always warn and help God’s people distinguish the false teachers and “discern between the unclean and the clean”:
“And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.” Ezekiel 44:23
False leaders are to be marked, to be scoped out and labeled in order to protect God’s people.
“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly (self-serving carnal appetites); and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.” Romans 16:17-18
Beware of the Band aid Bandit Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing!
There are no shortcuts in serving the LORD. One must deny self and take up the cross daily to follow Jesus.
“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
This is what gets to the root of that old man, that iniquitous evil bent, the flesh in us. Read Romans 6 each day this week prayerfully.
Lots of people, lots of fake pastors offering cross-less coping hacks, surface level “solutions” that have done nothing but perpetuate sinners in their sin. This is the same thing the greed-driven false prophets of old did…. in order to gain notice, to gain nickels, noses, and numbers for their own self-serving fleeting agenda to make merchandise of the people (2 Peter 2:1-3). A message without the cross is not the Gospel (Galatians 2:20; 6:14. etc.).
“They (the false leaders of Israel) have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.” Jeremiah 6:14; 8:11
They operate by the principle of “coddling them in their sin while you confiscate their cash.”
“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily (stealthily) shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.” 2 Peter 2:1-3
False Prophets Promise Eternal Security to those Living in Sin. False Prophets give False Promises.
There are conditions to appropriating the promises of God. | Conditional Divine Promises
“They (the false leaders) say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace (with God); and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.” Jeremiah 23:17
In other words, false prophets lead people to believe that they will continue to have peace with God while they are living in sin and that they are judgment proof. Same lie Satan told the man and woman in the Garden which led to their fall into sin (Genesis 2:17; 3:4). Satan told Adam and Eve they would still be eternally secure if they sinned against God! Lie! Read Genesis 2:17 and 3:4 now. | Satan’s First Lie that He is Still Telling Today! [podcast]
What was Satan’s first teaching? Is he really still teaching that same lie?
Like the “many false prophets” of our day, the prophets in Israel were promising “Peace, peace” to the people – peace between them and God – when judgment loomed on the horizon (Jeremiah 23:17; Matthew 24:11). This is exactly what the eternal security wolves do when they promise, they give assurance to those are living in sin. Promising peace to people living in sin and under divine condemnation is criminal and could only be the work of the enemies of Christ. Promising peace to sinful people is a money maker for now and yet will land the liars and their prey in hell. Nothing could be more clear from Holy Scripture. The vast majority of pastors today are wolves who do just this. The wages of sin is still death and all who die in sin will perish….. Wolves entertain goats and condone their temporary trinkets at the costs of their eternal souls….
No one is going to walk in peace and assurance just because they speak of it, claim it, or because they desire to have peace and assurance. No, it’s only when we obey the Word of God that His peace and assurance flood our being. There’s no short cut to obedience (1 John 3:16-18).
Of this, Adam Clarke writes:
“Peace, peace – Ye shall have prosperity – when there was none, and when God had determined that there should be none. Here the prophets prophesied falsely; and the people continued in sin, being deceived by the priests and the prophets.”
The wolves among us stick a band aid on a wound that needs surgery. Surgery would involve painfully cleaning out the infection, the deep cut sin had caused. This would be the only way to bring healing, wholeness. In contrast, false leaders deal only at the surface level…. in fear of losing their audience and money, they withhold the divine truth from the people – because they aren’t concerned about the people but rather themselves (Philippians 3:18-19).
“Jehovah directs him (Jeremiah) to pour . . . out the message of impending doom because of their covetousness, the falsehood of the prophets and priests, and their shamelessness. It is characteristic of false prophets to promise prosperity in a time of spiritual declension… They were covetous and deceitful, and dealt with problems superficially. For their shamelessness they would share in the coming time of punishment.” William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary
Only obedience to Christ, to His cross message, will yield the fruit of freedom from sin.
“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, IF ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31-32
The truth sets no one free from sin – until they obey Him, the Truth.
One man who recently discovered the divine power of the cross life shared:
“I’ve laid all my past sins at the feet of Jesus finally! Porn was 1 that I struggled with…it’s been gone 30 days now..1st time in 30 years…the pills are no more! Feels good to be truly saved my friend…thanks for all you do.”
Jesus forgives and sets free – as only He can do. Every other “source” is a lie.
Christ is Our Foundation
“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:11
“And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” 1 Corinthians 10:4
The Sound Doctrine of the Holy Scriptures is the Way God Ordained that We Know Him
“Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. 2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: 3 Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. 4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.” Deuteronomy 32:1-4
The link between sound “doctrine” and being grounded in, knowing and dwelling in the LORD, “the Rock,” are inseparable.
Getting Gospel Grounded = Getting Grounded in Christ
“In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. 5 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. 6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” Colossians 2:6-10
The Gospel is all about Jesus and anyone not becoming increasingly grounded in knowing and worshipping Him, is being led astray.
Getting Gospel Grounded is getting grounded in Christ, in studying and knowing Him, the reason He came… not following the latest global gimmick or “global revival gimmick” that some false prophet is pushing to bring attention to himself…. when you are becoming grounded in Christ you will not be lured in by the gimmicks.
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1
3 truths that will greatly increase your grounding in Christ…
1. John 10 – Knowing, following, and hearing the voice of the Great Shepherd of the sheep.
2. John 15 – Abiding in Christ and thereby bearing the fruit that He alone can produce and that glorifies Him.
3. John 17 – Being one with Christ and the Father – prayerfully being brought deeper into that interpenetrational union with the Lord.
Knowing God
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” John 17:3
Jesus Christ doesn’t need our acceptance, the acceptance of sinners – we are in utter need of His acceptance. We are all sinners and in desperate need of the acceptance of our Maker. Because we are separated from Him in our sin, God “commandeth all men every where to repent,” not to accept Him (Luke 13:3; John 1:12; Acts 17:30, etc.). When we admit we have sinned against Him and receive Jesus into our lives by faith, we are then and only then “accepted in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:6).
“Churching the Un-Churched” is the stated goal of the apostate modern local churches that litter America’s landscape.
False churches today seek to sell families on the need to join their country club where’s there’s fun for the whole family. These beguilers cater to the urban family to build their church business, with no intention of preaching the whole counsel of God’s Word, the cardinal doctrines of the original Gospel (Jude 3-4). Their goal is to entertain and to grow their church enterpri$e and not to ground their prey in Christ (Colossians, etc.). It’s all surface level, cosmetics. There is no repentance, no blood of Jesus, no King James Bible, no cross – no crucified life, no Holy Ghost baptism, no repentance, no personal holiness, no Christology, no readiness for the soon return of Christ, etc. The apostate modern church world exposed.
TODAY: A dear Christian young lady asked me why I am not part of a church group any longer. A gently-communicated litany of doctrines purposely not being taught in the modern churches ensued. Also the fact that that the King James Bible is no where to be found. They only use pitifully lame fake “bibles.” It’s a busine$$ to the modern pastors who refuse to preach cardinal biblical doctrines such as the divinity of Christ (Christology), hell, repentance, judgment to come, confessing and cleansing ourselves of all sin, the return of Christ and being ready for it at all times, the cross – crucified life, etc.
God is Calling Us to Follow Jesus – not Mere Men
Hebrews 6:17 speaks of “the immutability of his counsel.” Because of the immutability of the LORD Jesus Christ, the divine Author and Finisher of our faith, there is no muting His counsel, His Word. It is eternal and unchanging (Psalms 119:89; 146:6; Mark 13:1; John 10:35, etc.). God is eternal divine perfection and therefore His Word, His truth, His counsel cannot be muted, silenced, set aside, or changed.
So many looking for a word and not THE Word.
“God forbid”
“But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” Galatians 6:14
The Gospel centric disciple revels in, is immersed in the glory of the Savior. He understands that salvation is about Christ and not himself.
“To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. 3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. 4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5 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 3:2-7
Paul made a determination.
“For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:2
From the very foundation of the world and forever more, the Gospel, salvation has always been and will always be about Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God – the crucified, buried, and raised again Savior of the world.
“And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Revelation 13:8
Religion is perhaps Satan’s greatest tool to wedge itself between the “one Mediator” and the people – before and after one is saved.
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” 1 Timothy 2:5-6
Abiding Fruit. Light Shining.
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16
Perhaps the greatest spiritual blessing teeming in and overflowing from the lives of believers that allows for powerfully moving evangelism, is the joy of the LORD. Moved men move men. Yes, men filled with the Holy Spirit’s fruit, the love, the joy, and the peace of God, are powerfully used of God to win men to Himself (Galatians 5:16-23). No sinner, no backslider has these treasures but every one of them desires them! The fruit produced by the Holy Spirit in Christ’s saints is a big part of that light Jesus instructed us to let “shine” before men.
Being is more important than doing. Abiding in Christ, rooted and grounded, assures that “fruit,” “more fruit,” and “much fruit” will be produced in our lives (John 15:1-16).
Emanating from the Jesus-worshiping Gospel-grounded disciple will be every dimension of Heaven’s fruit and glorious fragrance
“Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. 15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:” 2 Corinthians 2:14-15
Gospel Foundation
“If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Psalms 11:3
Is “the foundation of God” being laid in your personal life? (2 Timothy 2:19) If you are not diligently, daily, relentlessly, and perpetually in God’s Word, not only is His foundation not being built, you are backslidden and in utter need of repentance before it’s too late.
Those without the proper, the biblical foundation, will fall instead of flourish – with no exception (Psalm 1). Our LORD taught concerning the absolute necessity of being deeply rooted and grounded in Him.
“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? 47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: 48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. 49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.” Luke 6:46-49
Summation:
- Worshiping, trusting, and obeying God are essential.
- Abiding in Christ guarantees the fruitfulness that glorifies Him.
- Every life not carefully founded, soundly grounded in Christ, on His stated terms, His Word, will be washed away in the coming storms and judgment.
- Only those whose lives which are built upon the foundation of obedience to the Word of God will be left standing before the LORD for eternal blessing.
- Great shall be the irrevocable ruin in hell of all who refused to do things God’s way in their brief earthly life.
Read Psalm 1 and 92.
In these final days, you can get all scared, sulk, filled and paralyzed with fear, OR you can settle down and get deeper, as you “search the scriptures” (John 5:39-40; Psalms 119:165).
Jesus is washing and sanctifying the bride He’s returning for. Like the five wise virgins, Christ’s true bride is in love with Him, ever and eagerly looking for His soon return, the Marriage of the Lamb, the Great Bridegroom with His true bride and their dwelling place, the New Jerusalem (Matthew 25:1-13; Revelation 21). This remnant body is submitting to Christ (John 13:8; 15:3; Ephesians 5:25-27; Revelation 19:7-10).
“Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” John 15:3
Crisis Management Mode vs Perpetually Dwelling in His Word
The modern church world, run by lightweight seminarians, are perpetually in crisis management mode, never building “the foundation of God” in the lives of God’s people (2 Timothy 2:19).
Perpetual Blessings require perpetual fellowship with Heaven’s coming KING.
“Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.” 1 Chronicles 16:11
Continually seeking the LORD guarantees that you remain full of His strength, His joy, His divine peace.
Running to the LORD continually is essential. Instead of praying and the reading of God’s Word being simply a crisis management reaction, why not make it our meat, our lifestyle – that which we do daily, diligently, and fervently?
“The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.” Proverbs 18:10
Are you running to Jesus?
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2
If you are going to established in divine peace, if you are going to be “safe,” you must run to and remain grounded at the feet of Christ! Read Philippians 3:1-3.
Get filled, stay full, keep your lamp filled and overflowing (Matthew 25:1-13).
Matthew 7
“Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. 28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: 29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” Matthew 7:19-29
Hindrances to a sound, solid foundation.
“And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended. 18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, 19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.” Mark 4:16-19
Satan is the great distractor. His job, his work is to “steal, to kill, and to destroy” so as to cheat you out of the abundant life Jesus came to give you.
“The thief (Satan) cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” John 10:10-11
This is like eating trashy, no-nutritional-value snacks, filling up on them and then having no room, no appetite for the steak and potatoes. What happens then? In an hour or less, your body is craving real nutrition. Junk food is a cheap substitute for real food that fills and nourishes the body. In the same way, eating the steak and potatoes of God’s Word fills the mind, the heart, and the life of all who banquet at the table of sound doctrine.
There are so many, the majority of those doing ministry, who have their flashy lures they use to draw you in and yet the shallow content only leaves you remaining in the entanglements, the snares of sin and the world…
What’s the LORD convicting you of friend? Could it be that He’s drawing you aside to Himself, to tuck your feet under His infinitely bountiful table…. drawing you to come and dine, to feast with Him?
These novices issue forth constant promises of God blessing you, of His favor and blessing being upon your life. Yet there’s no mention of any of the divinely stated conditions. This leaves those empty who who are being preyed upon and led astray, wondering what’s missing. These who flash the shiny lures to catch your eye, perhaps do so to gain you as a follower. Yet, what has this ever done to root and ground your heart and life in Christ?
Ever heard the saying, “All that glitters is not gold”?
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The Evil Winds of Satan with Judge Travis Bryan III [podcast]
Acts 27
The Significance of the Shipwreck
39 And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship.
40 And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.
41 And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.
42 And the soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.
43 But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:
44 And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.
The cross message, as taught from the Bible via brother Travis Bryan III, is unsurpassed the world over. His understanding of the cross life, his understanding of the cross message, is a gift from God to us all. What a gift he has been granted to teach the cross. Many will be in glory as a result. The cross is essential to eternal glory (Luke 9:23-24; Romans 6, etc.).
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Warned and Safe [podcast]
“By the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.” Psalms 17:4
PWT = Preach, WARN, Teach
- Preach
- WARN
- Teach
Lynne Parker writes:
“I truly believe Christians will be tried by the Word in this hour. There is no more riding the fence or taking a neutral position. God Himself will place us all in a position to stand or fall according to the Word. “Deception” and its sister “delusion” are gripping the Body of Christ – like a dark cloud it is covering the land. The false dominion (NAR) theology and signs and wonders movement has effectively conditioned multitudes to forsake the authority of God’s Word and embrace their subjective feelings as guidance in discernment concerns. But in these latter days only those who divorce their feelings and trust only in God’s Word and have developed a love for the truth will overcome the devil’s schemes. Sadly many will be lost – it’s unfolding right before us.”
Support | STORE | Podcasts | Christology | Be Ready in the Morning [podcast] | The Sure Mercies of David [podcast] | That Repentance and Remission of Sins should be Preached [podcast] | At His Feet | The 7 Sayings of Jesus on the Cross | How We Know the Bible is the Only Holy Book | Prayer | Making Peace with God – Before it’s too late | The Return of Christ
Getting Gospel Grounded [podcast]
The Evil Winds of Satan with Judge Travis Bryan III [podcast]
Warned and Safe [podcast]
Teach the Bible [podcast]
Gospel Action Mission Mexico Update Video: There Was a Faint Knock at the Door … as I Opened the Door …
WHEN PARENTS GET OLD …
Gospel Action in Mexico Part 37
Seeking the Will of God [podcast]
Beware of the Manipulating Monsters: Spiritual Identity Theft [podcast]
“If any man speak, let him Speak as the Oracles of God” [podcast]
Beware of the “Intercessors” [podcast]
When Bible Burning Backfires [podcast]
“A Flattering Mouth Worketh Ruin”
PURGATORY: CATHOLIC FRAUD [podcast]
“Lord, Teach us to Pray” [podcast]
Dancing on Hell’s Grave: Why We Need not Fear Death: Resurrection Joy – Fearless in Death [podcast]
PURGATORY: CATHOLIC FRAUD [podcast]
Beware of the “Intercessors” [podcast]
Young’s Literal Translation YLT Exposed
Getting Gospel Grounded [podcast]
TORAH Keepers Slammed
Teach the Bible [podcast]
7 Questions on Justification [podcast]
Jesus Conquered Sin, Satan, and Death by Dying [podcast]
Beware of the Manipulating Monsters: Spiritual Identity Theft [podcast]
Christ’s Non-Negotiable Original Gospel Imperative [podcast]
“A Flattering Mouth Worketh Ruin”
Jacked Up Jezebel Rebuked [podcast]
“If any man speak, let him Speak as the Oracles of God” [podcast]
7 Ways to Forgive [podcast]
Getting Gospel Grounded [podcast]
The Evil Winds of Satan with Judge Travis Bryan III [podcast]
Warned and Safe [podcast]
America1 year agoThe Drugging of America: The Pharmakeia Sorcery Deception [podcast]
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Children being Rescued in Tunnels: Happening Now – UPDATE!
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Self-Examination in Preparation for the Lord’s Return
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SHOCKING List of False Prophets Most Believe are True
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