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“My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.  … 7  But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.” Psalms 5:3, 7

We can do nothing to glorify our God outside of doing it in Christ, with His resurrection power raising us up out of our own death and burial (Romans 6; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12).

“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:5

Maturity in Christ is seen in those who unrelentingly seek His face! (1 Chronicles 16:11) They are obeying the LORD, abiding in Christ, and bearing the fruit that glorifies Him (John 15).

ARE you crying out to the LORD today, OR are you backsliding? 1 Chron 16:11; Ps 57:7

“Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.” 1 Chronicles 16:11

“Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.” Psalms 55:17 

They have tasted and seen that that LORD is good…

“O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” Psalms 34:8

Let personal revival occur in your life today beloved of God, and let it begin right now. Let Him have you—all of you. Cry out to Jesus! Tell Him you love Him. Let Him hear from you…. “Jesus I love You! I cry out to You LORD. I honor and worship You my LORD Jesus. Please take all of me, now. I am all Yours and I know You are all mine. Have Your perfect will in this life, this vessel You created, You found, You saved to be Your Own. I love You LORD Jesus!”

Everything with God begins with a simple prayer—asking Him, praying, crying out to the LORD.

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

“How does God know we love Him if we don’t give Him our hearts? All of our hearts! Pouring it out like David did all through the Psalms! David opened his heart completely to the Lord . God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). This was why David was a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22)! He was different because of His heart! When God looked at the heart of David he saw a man who loved Him, obeyed and was willing to follow all His ways.” Karen Cochran

YOU KNOW how rich you are in God’s Word by how you pray. You are either praying GOD’s Word, the Holy Scriptures, or you are shooting in the dark, you are grasping for straws—and utterly in need of getting buried in God’s Word, to pour over the Holy Scriptures and be full of them.

Get into God’s Word so it can and will get into you.

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

Worship is not going to a “church” facility, singing songs with uplifted hands. Here’s how worship looks, biblically, practically, daily.

“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

Here’s the person the Father and Son manifest Their life to:

“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” John 14:21-23

Aquila and Priscilla took aside beloved, God-gifted Apollos and “expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.”

Acts 18:24-28

“And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. 25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. 26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. 27 And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace: 28 For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.” 

PRAYER: Father, I come to You in Jesus’ name. I want to know You. I want to be Yours. Without You LORD Jesus, You said I could do nothing. Please wash away my sins afresh right now and make me to be Thy disciple. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Abiding

“I Desire Fruit that May Abound to Your Account” [podcast]


“Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.” Philippians 4:17

Did you realize that as a born again disciple of Jesus, that you have an “account” in Heaven?

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.”  Matthew 6:19-21

Laying up treasure in Heaven and not wasting it on this fleeting life, is the command and the wisdom of God.

“But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.”  1 Chronicles 29:14

To some I would say:

“So let me get this straight…. you attributed your own earnings for your whole life to yourself and so now, how dare someone suggest you allow other saints to help fund God’s work, to lay up treasure in Heaven …..”

“But as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike.” 1 Samuel 30:24 

Some seem to take offense to anyone receiving help from God’s people… which is 100% selfish and pride filled…. in more than one way:

1. The work is expanded with greater funding;

2. God’s people are laying up treasure in Heaven when they choose to give.

This all seems to indicate that you are far too involved in the “ministry” you are doing. It’s all about you, not Christ.

Think about how Jesus and Paul and John had numerous “fellowhelpers to the truth.” Every member was free and able to function fully in our LORD’s work.

“We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.” 3 John 8

Apparently some bogusly believe, pretend to be more righteous than Jesus and the apostle Paul by denying love offerings to do the work of God.

These men are actually preventing God’s people from laying up treasure in heaven and acting self-righteous about it.

Apparently you seek to be the hero who serves yourself in many ways instead of Christ and others and therefore you wish all of your labor be attributed to your own account in Heaven. Philippians 4:17 says:  “Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.”

We give the Gospel “without charge”…. and yet that does not in any way negate all that the Bible says about giving and laying up treasure in Heaven: “What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:18). This would mean that he doesn’t ask for money and yet that doesn’t mean he didn’t receive such help nor that what he taught in verses 1-14 are negated.

Regrettably, there are men doing ministry who are babes in understanding this Bible 101 doctrine of giving, of stewardship.

Isn’t it time we get out of the way and let those sitting on the bench get on the field, participate, lay up treasure in Heaven?

Do we not understand how Christ told us His kingdom works…. that when we give, it connects our hearts closer to Christ and His work? See Matthew 6:21.

Following our heretical beliefs instead of the Bible on this topic of stewardship would have thus far resulted in the deprivation of so very many beloved needy people here in Mexico. It would have cheated them out of many blessings…. food and the Word, salvation, etc.

Remember, such as was the case with the few loaves and fishes. Jesus takes what we give to Him, to His work, and multiplies it. Do the math. John 6. Five thousand men were fed out of 5 loaves and 2 fishes and yet there was much food (more than they began with) left over, surplus (2 Corinthians 9:8; Ephesians 3:20).

“Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.” John 6:13

Regrettably, we have novices who are abandoning the truth of God due to others perverting it….(2 Corinthians 2:17).

Are they making excuse for not giving?

The LORD “giveth us richly all things to enjoy.”

Every good and every perfect gift on this earth is from God and is a mere foretaste of glory divine!

“The living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.” 1 Timothy 6:17

Does God’s Word not warn us that God’s people are to “behold” both “the goodness and the SEVERITY of God” lest we be “cut off”?

“Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” Romans 11:22

LORD, we thank You now for EVERY good and perfect blessing You alone have provided—beginning with the ultimate, the unspeakable, the unfathomable gift of Your only begotten Son who died, was buried, and raised again from the dead to justify us (Romans 4:25)! We love You LORD Jesus!

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17

Support | STORE | Podcasts | Jail/Prison MinistryMexico Mission here | All Ministry Updates |The Return of ChristStewardshipWhere to Give and Where Not to Give | Fruit Abounding to Your Account! | Consider Your Ways [podcast] | Consider and Build [podcast] | Holes in Your Money Bags? [podcast] | Dollar DialogueJesus Sat Over Against The Treasury [podcast] | Escaping Sodom!Waste | Stewardship | Giving | Fellowship | Haggai | 100’s of Christ-centered, Scripture-rich Podcasts

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Abiding

Hostile Watching vs Grounded Readiness for Christ’s Return [podcast]


So let me get this straight…. we are frantic about the timing of the most anticipated event in human history, the return of Heaven’s King …. yet we don’t love that coming King enough to diligently seek His face and be preoccupied, consumed with serving Him – as we obey Him by daily denying self, taking up the cross, worshipping and executing His Great Commission mandate that He gave us? If this is the case, does it not prove that we are all about ourselves and not the LORD we feign to follow – as in we don’t truly love Him but rather seek to self-preservingly keep ourselves out of hell?

“And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, WHEN the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation (hostile watching): 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:20-21

Are we frantic about the WHEN and not fervent about seeking, knowing, worshipping, and obeying the WHO? Should we be crying “WHEN?!” OR “WHAT do You want me to do LORD, HOW do You want to use me?!”

The Coming of the Kingdom

“And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, WHEN the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

21  Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

22  And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.

23  And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.

24  For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.”

In this passage it seems to fit that “observation” refers to hostile, anxious watching. Notice the setting. The Pharisee enemies are demanding “WHEN the kingdom of God should come.” Jesus then answers them and seems to communicate that we are not to seek to determine by physical evidence “WHEN” He’s returning and that “the kingdom of God is within you.” (v21)

Of Jesus’s words in Luke 17:20, the Pulpit commentary notes:

“The kingdom of God cometh not with observation. This answer of our Lord’s may be paraphrased: “The kingdom of God cometh not in conjunction with such observation and watching for external glorious things as now exist among you here. Lo, it will burst upon you suddenly, unawares.” The English word “observation” answers to the signification of the Greek as meaning a singularly anxious watching.”

Our preoccupation should not be with the timing, the exact day or hour of His coming but rather in knowing Him, being rooted and grounded in our abiding relationship with the Savior. Living in readiness (Luke 12:40; 21:34-36). Our relationship with Him, moment by moment is what is most important and determines our present abiding fruitfulness (John 15:1-16) and future place with our coming King.

“Help me Jesus to keep my eye on the prize. You are my exceedingly great reward! And there is none upon the earth I desire more than thee. Those that are yours are preparing their hearts to be with you in glory for ever and ever! Behold Lord you are the God of our salvation!” Karen Cochran

Jesus came and died to give us a relationship with the Father and Himself.

“And this is life eternal (the whole divine reason for it), that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” John 17:3

We must let God be God, letting Him determine the orchestrating and timing of His coming and rather be preoccupied with seeking, loving, knowing, and obeying our coming King.

“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;” Philippians 3:10

When lightening strikes “EVERY EYE” sees it (Revelation 1:7). Speaks of … He is coming with such force that lights of the whole sky escapes no one. So shall it be when the Author of lightening splits the eastern sky beloved! When Jesus Christ splits the eastern sky no one will miss it.

“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22  And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. 23  Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25  Behold, I have told you before. 26  Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. 27  For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matthew 24:21-27

God knows and is in control of the end of all things, the return of the Son of God.

“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” Matthew 24:36

We need not run around frantically looking for the coming of the KING and His kingdom because “the kingdom of God is within you.” The domain of the KING is in us—KING-dom! That’s what it means.

The preoccupation of the Heaven bound saint of Christ should be his relationship with King Jesus.

“Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.” Luke 12:40

Some people are so busy trying to figure out exactly when Jesus is coming back and how the end time events are going to unfold that they aren’t preparing themselves to meet Him! They live in unwarranted anxiety, in hostile watching instead of settling down to know Him and therefore they aren’t ready to meet Jesus nor helping others to be prepared for the soon return of Christ. Fruitfulness comes from an abiding relationship with Christ.

Living in hostility, anxiety and fear destroys present abiding and fruitfulness. Many today jump from one end times ministry to another, fueling their anxiety with speculations. They are perpetually incapacitated from the daily abiding and fruitfulness Jesus ordains (John 15:1-16).

I’ve seen many who spend more time worrying, monitoring and trying in vain to determine what month or day Jesus would return. It seems that those same people are not fervently seeking the face of the LORD, are not evangelizing, do not have their hand to the plow of the Great Commission work of Christ. Rather they are foolishly seeking to play God by frantically attempting to figure out the exact or approximate timing of Jesus’ second coming. And yet they don’t have an heart after God and are therefore not ready for when Jesus returns (Matthew 26:41; Luke 12:40; Ephesians 5:25-27).

God is calling us to settle down and seek His face.

“Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.” 1 Chronicles 16:11

“My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.” Psalms 63:8

God is calling us to be anchored in Christ, our “blessed hope.” Titus 2:13

Titus 2 seems to be speaking of our lives, our spiritual state in light of Jesus’ coming.

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. 15  These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.” Titus 2:11-15 

Hope in Christ, as we truly abide in Him, in the crucified life He ordained, is the “anchor of the soul” of the remnant disciple.

“Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;” Hebrews 6:19

“Love this podcast! And the word you used was hysteria. That is exactly what I am seeing. Many want to escape the tribulation out of fear! So if they can somehow figure out when Jesus is coming then maybe they will be able to escape the difficult times ahead! But we know the Bible says we must go through much tribulation to enter the kingdom of heaven. Acts 14:22. So there is no escape. Our job is to continue in the faith, eye on the prize which is Jesus! Always keeping in view the Kingdom of God. Like the 5 wise virgins.” Karen Cochran

The reason people live in fear is that they don’t have the love of God in them, through oneness with, through abiding relationship with Christ, which otherwise cast out all fear.

“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

Prayer: Father, please ground me in You, establish Your kingdom and fruitfulness in my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Abiding

“The Knowledge of the Holy is Understanding” [podcast]


“He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.”  John 8:47

A long time friend of mine, after realizing that….

“Thank you for the lambasting.”

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

A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:” Proverbs 1:5

“Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. 10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” Proverbs 9:9-10

“The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise. 32  He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding. 33  The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.” Proverbs 15:31-33

Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.”  Psalms 141:5

PRAYER: Father I want the knowledge of the holy. I want to know and serve You on Your terms and no other. Please forgive my sins which include being hardened in heart, being full of pride and rebellion, being therefore unteachable.  Break me dear LORD. Let the righteous, let Your people rebuke me as is needed. I want to know, love, worship, and be with You forever. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Support | STORE | Podcasts | Jail/Prison MinistryMexico Mission here | All Ministry Updates | Making Peace with God | It is Finished! | DiscipleshipThe Gospel Centers Upon Christ’s Blood | Christology | The Gospel: What is It?H.O.T. Bible Study [podcast]

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