No Pentecost, No Power! [podcast]

Paula White Exposed [video]

THAT’s My King! Pastor Lockridge [video]

Powerful Prayers from Children-This Will Shake You [video]

The Fear of the LORD is to Hate Evil: Pride, and Arrogancy #shorts [video]

The Baptism with the Holy Spirit [podcast]

Powerless Modern Hirelings who Pose as Christ’s Representatives!

THE BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY GHOST AND THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD ARE VITAL, NON-NEGOTIABLE COMPONENTS OF OUR LORD’S NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH. ARE YOU BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT? DARE WE TAKE AWAY FROM THE LORD’S STATED, NEW TESTAMENT PROGRAM? See REVELATION 22:18-19

GOD wants you to be anointed with His Holy Ghost so He can use you to preach sinners and backsliders into His eternal kingdom! (See Acts 1:8; 2:38.) If you are going to follow Christ fully, you must do things HIS way. If you will be used mightily of Him you must ask Him to baptize with His Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8).

We must be empowered by our LORD to do HIS work (Acts 1:8).

Jesus came and died and rose again for you and that wasn’t so you could steep yourself in this fleeting world but rather to be His ambassador to participate in pouring forth His Word into the hearts of saints and lost souls alike (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-20). Are you walking in the Great Commission beloved of the LORD? Do you desire to walk in Christ’s will?

HOW many people know that you and I have never once had the “problem” of having too much of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our personal lives?

Are you ready to be used to shake hell’s foundation in the power of the Most High?

It all begins at the foot of the cross, bowed down low in repentance and then Jesus’ command in Luke 24:49 and at Acts 1:8. As a Christian, you have the Holy Spirit, you are His temple. Yet, the LORD desires to give you the full measure of his spirit to be Christ’s witness. He’s calling you to tarry before Him till baptized with the Holy Ghost (Matthew 3:11-12; Luke 24:49). Are you willing to do things His way? That is, are you willing to humble yourself, forget the teachings you may have learned against this, and simply listen to Jesus speak to your heart from His own Word? That is, to learn the way prescribed by the unchanging LORD and Savior you claim to be serving? (See Hebrews 13:8.) Do you truly desire all that God has for you? Will you allow anything to stand in your way?

Just after Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon God’s people in the earliest days of Christianity, the LORD’s children were bold, divinely-empowered witnesses of Christ (Acts 1:8; 4:33). The lame man at the Gate Beautiful was healed of a lifelong ailment and the city of Jerusalem was in total pandemonium. The religious establishment was losing the control they had wielded over the people. Their Nicolaitan witchcraft was being broken, and why? Because the name and power of Jesus Christ were present in God’s people. In fact, of those who were instrumental in turning the world upside down, the Bible records something interesting of them – “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).

Has God changed? Is Jesus Christ no longer “the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever”? See Hebrews 13:8.

LOTS of people attempt in vain to do God’s work without God’s power (Acts 1:8).

Jesus is always the same – divinely supreme and divine perfection. His Gospel program has not changed. It’s those pretending to be representing Him who are not enacting His pure Word and the instructions thereof. They are robbing Him and His people by their lives. Instead of humbling themselves in repentance and begging Him to break them to the core of their being, these hireling wolves go to seminary and learn all kinds of techniques as to farm (fleece) their communities and building their church business.

The Jewish leaders sought to stop the Holy Ghost-empowered ministry when He was poured out on Jesus’ disciples. Jesus had foretold that “the promise of the Father” would be given to His disciples, which is the baptism with the Holy Spirit that John had spoken of (Matthew 3:11-12; Luke 24:49; Acts 1-2).

The children of God were filled and began to have the boldness Jesus promised would come upon them “AFTER that the Holy Ghost” was “come upon” them (Acts 1:8). As Jesus foretold, they were endued or clothed upon with the power of God (Acts 24:49). THIS is exactly how and why so much divine power was in that city and Jesus has not changed one bit.

What’s the difference?

Why so many lame, powerless leaders?

Why so many pansies behind pulpits?

You see, many modern organizations draw upon the desire of Christians and well-meaning people. They seduce souls to join in while sacrificing the Savior for self – to make self feel and look good. However, those who truly serve the Savior, obey the Savior. Jesus Christ is the unchanging and only Savior from sin and hell, and He commanded His people to “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

The Apostolic New Testament Program

“Apostolic” simply refers to Christ’s apostles who were carrying forward His Gospel. After Jesus rose from the dead and had returned to His seat at the right hand of the Father, Christ’s apostles made sure when Jesus saved souls, that those newly saved saints had the opportunity to receive the full measure of the Holy Ghost – an integral part of New Testament Christianity and without which the believer cannot and will not be powerfully used of God:

“Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God (got saved), they sent unto them Peter and John: 15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: 16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) 17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.” Acts 8:14-17

Here is Paul, the apostle of Christ in Ephesus:

“And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. 3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. 4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.” Acts 19:1-6

These last days are littered with feel-good, politically correct messages and organizations that cater to the whims of sinful, unregenerate mere men while defying Christ. Some of them do so while claiming or feigning to be Christian. This is absurd hypocrisy and deceit.

“We must line up with the Word and stop attempting to relax or ignore the scriptures that we find ‘offensive’ so to speak.” Carol Zingale

Pentecostal Power is New Testament Christianity!

In the hours that ensued Pentecost, Jesus was being magnified and 8,000 souls were saved! (See Acts 2:41; 4:4.) Oh, and they were truly saved! They didn’t “make a decision” or “accept Christ” as so many false leaders speak of today concerning their altar calls. No, these souls were moved by God to genuinely repent and put their faith in Christ alone. This also happened because repentance, the very first word of the Gospel, was preached (Matthew 3:2; 4:17; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 17:30). Repentance is nearly never heard today and anyone not preaching it is false. Osteen and seeker friendly emergent church wolves refuse to preach on sin and the necessity of repentance. Rick Warren wrote a book entitled “Purpose Driven Life” which sold tens of millions of copies and never calls men to repent. This alone makes Warren and anyone not preaching the imperative of repentance “accursed” for preaching another or false gospel (Galatians 1:6-9).

What’s the Difference?

In this first hour of the Gospel and New Testament church of Jesus, the religious pressure, persecutions, and attack were largely from without (from the Jewish religion). Now, perhaps much more subtly, the insidious persecution and desecration of oracles of God, are largely from within as we were warned of later in Acts 20:29-31 and Psalms 74:4, 7.

Because they were truly in a relationship with Jesus and full of the Holy Spirit as He ordained, in the pressure cooker of severe persecution, the earliest believers stood boldly. Today, many who claim to be Christ’s cower to Satan’s whims to stop the incorruptible, soul-saving Word of God from going forth. No Word, no salvation! (See James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23).

Modern attempts to stifle true Christians from communicating the Law of God and Gospel truth include terms such as:

-Bible Basher
-Proselytize
-etc.

This is the enemy’s attempt to hinder the transmission of God’s Word into the hearts of those He holds captive in their sins and has dominion over until such a time as they hear God’s Word and repent.

“In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” 2 Corinthians 4:4

It’s the Son of God alone who makes men free as they obey His truth and yet, if they don’t hear it from God’s people, they will not hear it and will perish (John 8:31-32, 36; Book of Acts; 1 Thessalonians 1:8).

Today we have lame, cowardly denominations and organizations which deceitfully claim to be Christian and yet refuse to follow and obey Christ. For example Compassion International refuses to give the soul-saving message of the Gospel of Jesus. Habitat for Humanity claims to be Christian and builds houses for people while making a home in hell for them by not preaching the Gospel to those very same people (Proverbs 24:10-12). The blood of guilt is upon their hands (Ezekiel 33). God will judge His people for such an atrocity. Jesus came and bled and we refuse to tell those we claim to be helping? Really?

One reason for this evil omission is the refusal to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Such leaves even true believers powerless to make Christ known as they war against the evil spirits who oppose Jesus and His blessed Gospel. If the twelve disciples, who literally walked with Jesus and heard His teaching and saw His miracles first-hand, were not fit to minister before being filled with His Spirit, why would anyone today be? That’s right, Jesus told them to “tarry” or wait till they were baptized with the Holy Ghost before they attempted to go forth (Luke 24:49). This Bible truth is covered up by Satan’s false ministers in today’s false church system (2 Corinthians 11:12-15). Satan loves this attack!

Why were the earliest Christians successful in serving their LORD? Due to obeying Him and refusing to lean on their own feeble, depraved understanding (Proverbs 3:5-7). They simply sought, served, and obeyed what their Savior said. They tarried or waited until He poured out His Holy Ghost on them. They didn’t seek some other way like the beguilers today who circumvent Christ for seminary sickness.

Watch this and wonder why not today?

Acts 4

“But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.

18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

21So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.

…29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,

30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.

31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.”

The earliest believers were full of the presence and power of God and therefore refused to cower to Satan’s plea. They refused to compromise and be traitors. They used the persecutions as springboards for more boldness, forged by their conviction to worship and obey their LORD and Master, Jesus. They cried out for more of the Holy Ghost and more of His power to give witness to the risen Savior!

If we refuse to obey the LORD’s New Testament program, which includes the baptism with the Holy Spirit, there will be feeble results at best. Look at the modern, so-called “evangelical” church world and you will see a powerless, lame, social club that entertains its members.

Now, read Acts chapters 1-4. Submit your life to Jesus unreservedly and seek His face for the baptism with His Holy Spirit.

Now, if you go to a church that isn’t preaching repentance and the baptism with the Holy Ghost, you are not going to a New Testament church. Run for your life!

Do things God’s way or suffer defeat as a rebel. There will never be breakthrough in your life until you reckon with and obey divine truth.

“Buy the truth and sell it not.” Proverbs 23:23

“Let God be true and EVERY man a liar.” Romans 3:4

Make no mistake: The withholding of this essential truth (the baptism with the Holy Spirit) is a conspiracy of Satan and his false leaders who pose as and hold positions as “Christian” leaders (Ezekiel 22:25-27; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 11:12-15). Satan’s most effective ministers are operating within the professing church. This is exactly why that which calls itself “evangelical Christianity” displays no resemblance to that Christianity seen in Acts and on the pages of the New Testament Scriptures. There is no holy boldness or power in the modern church which alone shows its apostasy (Proverbs 28:1; Acts 1:8, etc.). Church members today are not disciples – because those leading them aren’t disciples (Isaiah 9:16).

Jesus says simply: “Follow me.”

Who are you following?

“And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Mark 8:34

We need the divine Person of the Holy Ghost to make us holy as Jesus is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16). We must have more of Him!

Are you ready to be baptized with the Holy Spirit? Holy Ghost Baptism (thorough study guide for individual or group use) | Holy Ghost Baptism (audio)

MESSAGE RECEIVED:

“All modern day pentecostalism is witchcraft.”

REPLY:

So Peter and all of Christ’s apostles and the whole 120 on the Day of Pentecost were under witchcraft? Repent sinner. Jesus hasn’t changed (Hebrews 13:8) and the promise of the Holy Ghost is to ALL under the New Testament era (Acts 2:38-39).

Full of The Holy Ghost [podcast]

We must be empowered by our LORD to do HIS work (Acts 1:8). When we are born again the Holy Spirit is in us (1 Jn 3:24; Rom 8:9,16)…. yet there is a baptismal measure, the full measure God wants to give us as a gift….. to empower His people (Acts 1:8; 2:38-39, etc.). In order to have divine “power” to be Christ’s witness, one must be baptized with the Holy Ghost (Acts 1:8). ****WE MUST not only preach the original Gospel, we MUST be divinely empowered by the Author of that original Gospel! Acts 1:8 …. Are you born again and […]

"Have ye Received the Holy Ghost since ye Believed?" [podcast]

John the Baptist Foretold: “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me (Christ) is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:” Matthew 3:11 Jesus promised the Baptism, the Endument with His Holy Ghost: “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient (better) for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” John 16:7 Jesus instructed His disciples: […]

Abiding

How to Give Alms, Pray, Forgive Others, Fast, and Lay Up Treasure in Heaven [podcast]

Breakdown of Jesus’ Teaching in Matthew 6

How to Give Alms.
How to Pray.
The essential of forgiving others.
How to Fast and how not to fast.
The importance of laying up treasure in Heaven.

Matthew 6

Giving to the Needy

1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

The Disciple’s Prayer

5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Fasting

16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;

18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Fear Not

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Putting God First [podcast]

If God’s Word isn’t important to you, it’s because He isn’t important to you. If anything comes before the LORD in your day, you are an idolater. “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3 GOD’s WORD cannot get into you if you aren’t into it. “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 Jesus commanded: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33 As you seek God, […]

The Simplicity of Real Fellowship [podcast]

Satan thinks he has Stolen the Fellowship of the Saints “Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” Revelation 12:12 Exhorting God’s People “Daily” “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 3:13 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in […]

SATAN'S SEMINARIANS [podcast]

Seminaries are the Invention of Satan If you are born again and abiding in Christ and can’t find a biblical local church, it’s because you love Jesus and His truth, His Word. The epidemic apostasy we are witnessing at the local church level is the prophesied and intended outcome of Satan’s long term plan commandeered largely through seminarian wolves (Matthew 24:1-13; 1 Timothy 4:1-2; 1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:12). In earlier centuries, beginning at Pentecost, Satan couldn’t slow or stop the spread of the Gospel through faithful witnesses, so he devised a plan to replace those Gospel disciples with the […]

Abiding

The Core Values of the Modern Church Agenda Exposed [podcast]

Lots of occultic symbolism in the art below.

The “church growth” industry is a multi-million dollar enterprise with books, seminars, selling sermons, etc., on how to build a large church, how to grow the nickels, noses, and numbers. Is this what Jesus had in mind when He stated “I will build my church”? (Matthew 16:18)

“Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.” 1 Corinthians 7:23

Do you spend more time in “church” than in the Bible itself? Wow! Red flags flying!

“Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.” 2 Peter 3:17

So you are listening to some slick talker preach and yet he’s not using the BIBLE essential words like hell, repentance, holiness, the cross, the blood of Jesus, the return of Christ, etc? Repent and RUN!

The vast majority of so-called pastors today are more interested in getting you to join their church club, to become a member of their church, than they are about truly feeding the flock of God with the whole counsel of Scripture, equipping you for ministry, and winning souls to Jesus (John 21:15-17; Acts 20:20-32; Ephesians 4:11-12; 1 Peter 5:1-6, etc.). Prove it wrong.

Church Membership Exposed | The 501(C)(3) Deception | The Modern Church

501(C)(3) Churches Exposed [video]

HERE’S 100% PROOF THAT THE 501(C)(3) SO-CALLED “CHURCH” YOU GO TO IS NOT OF GOD – BUT RATHER IS COMMANDEERED BY A WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING (2 Peter 2:1-3). The 501(C)(3) scam is a deal with the devil that silenced the self-serving greedy devils many call “pastors” today in America (Isaiah 56:8-12; Philippians 3:18-19). “And why does the church want to make you a member? I guarantee that there is a $nickel attached to these 501c’s from the state. And, just remember that Planned Parenthood is a 501c, as well as the church of Satan, should we be in confederacy […]

The Truth about Tradition and Church Membership [podcast]

Godly and Ungodly Tradition and True and False Church Membership “Prove (test) all things; hold fast (keep and do) that which is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21 Of the 13 times we find the word “tradition(s)” in Scripture, only twice is it used positively. The other 11 times it is used negatively because men put their foolish traditions above Christ. History of Church Membership: The history of church membership in Protestant and Evangelical churches begins with the Catholic Church, which implements its discipline over all the baptized (christened, water sprinkled), through a tradition-based sacramental system, governing the lives of their captors from cradle […]

Nick's Salvation: "Don't Let a Building Confine Your Faith" [podcast]

Nick’s Salvation: “Don’t Let a Building Confine Your Faith” [podcast] Please pause to lift Nick in prayer. He’s a new believer. As you will hear on this brief podcast, Nick told me that a handful of Christians had been recently ministering the Gospel to him. He also said that a handful of disciples told him to make sure he’s read the King James Bible. Nick received a copy of the new Authentic book. Nick is a special young man. The beginning of the conversation was about working out, sports, athletics, etc. He’s been working out and was telling me […]

Abiding

Mary hath Chosen that Good Part [podcast]

Luke 10:38-42

Mary = loving relationship with Jesus, not just being busy with doing, with labor, with performing works such as what Martha was doing. First and foremost, Jesus saved us for relationship with Him and the Father (John 17:3). And here our Savior expresses that knowing, loving, adoring, and listening to Him are at a divine premium, they are most important to God. That’s what God desires – for us to delight ourselves in Him (Psalms 37:4).

“Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” Psalms 37:4

David’s brothers looked the part but they couldn’t and wouldn’t even face Goliath, much less slay him. David though, was spending time alone with the LORD, listening to His voice and tending to the sheep. He who is the only man God ever said was “a man after mine own heart,” was used mightily of God to slay the giant (Acts 13:22; 1 Samuel 17).

Isn’t this how we are with our children? Wouldn’t every parent rather their precious children sit in their mom or dad’s lap telling their parent how much they (the child) loves them (the parent)? That’s the biggest heart melt we know, right?

Like David, the most powerfully used warriors are first worshippers.

Our real, our genuine relationship with the LORD is that place out of which His power and grace (divine enablement) will flow. Like David, we must be primarily, and first and foremost worshippers. Out of that rich communion with the Savior will flow the warrior anointing of the LORD who is “a man of war” (Exodus 15:3).

Many who sense the call of God on their lives to minister go to seminary. Sad. We must go to God ourselves – in prayer, a life of prayer, relentlessly seeking His holy face in His Word for ourselves.

“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” Matthew 6:6

Private prayer with the LORD precedes God using us. Those who seek God in “secret” will be “openly” rewarded by Him.

“The little estimate we put on prayer is evidence from the little time we give to it.” EM Bounds

“A sinning man stops praying. A praying man stops sinning.” – Leonard Ravenhill

Luke 10

38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

“Mary hath Chosen that Good Part”

The “good part” Mary chose consists of…

Mary made the only wise choice “Mary hath chosen.”
Mary put Jesus first. She put the Savior first, not herself or her idea of what it meant to serve Him.
Jesus says here that choosing to put and keep Him first is the “one thing [that] is needful” or most necessary (v39, 42).
Sitting before Jesus Himself and not searching for God outside of God Himself, primarily that is. All other learning is supplemental and subservient to that which the LORD tells us specifically, in His Word.

Worshippers become the most powerful workers God uses!

Like many today who are shallow rooted, Martha was a worker but not first and foremost a worshipper. Mary was a worshipper who loved to spend time with Jesus. Therefore she was empowered by God Himself via that fellowship with Him to walk in His holy compassion and to do His works with His power and for His glory (1 Corinthians 15:10).

When our works are not fruitful as they should be, perhaps it can be traced back to our lack of fellowship with our LORD. As we fellowship with Him, putting Him first and not ourselves, our vessel, our cup will run over with His goodness…. it will spill over onto others! (See Psalms 23:5.) That’s when our labor will carry His eternal weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:17).

“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.” Psalms 23:5

When Jesus came, it was God bringing Heaven to the people – to forgive their sins and make them whole (Matthew 9:6). This was the foretold fulfillment of His kingdom coming on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).

When Jesus came, He went to the people, to heal, to save, to make whole (Matthew 9:35-38; Acts 10:38, etc.).

As we go, Jesus is with us, “even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:20).

Daily, our LORD is using His people to bring Heaven to the people. As the Holy Spirit fills our lives, His blessed presence and fruit in our lives is going to over overflow onto others.

A sister in Christ once told me that “The best Marthas are first Marys.” Think about that one in light of what we read in this passage when Jesus visited the home of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42). Those who sit at Jesus’ feet to hear His holy counsel, are changed into His image and become reservoirs for His blessed glory. Their cups run over onto others!

“Prayer is of transcendent importance. Prayer is the mightiest agent to advance God’s work. Praying hearts and hands only can do God’s work. Prayer succeeds when all else fails.” E.M. Bounds

When worshiping Jesus is our first priority, the work He uses us to do WILL carry His unction and bring fruit to bear for His eternal glory.

Rote obedience to minister to others, while not anchored in intimacy with our LORD, will not yield an abundant harvest, fruit. In contrast, we can be blessed to have God’s power and grace to do His work and that happens as we are truly communing, fellowshipping in the construct of that oneness relationship He made us for (John 15; 17).

Knowing God’s Word and obeying Him is not an automatic progression (John 8:31-36). One can know the Bible and not its Author. Or, one can know the Bible well and not know the Author well (Job 22:21-28). Obeying God’s Word requires knowing Him, abiding in an intimate fellowship with Him, thereby enabling that saint the grace (divine enablement) to obey Him (John 5:39-40; 7:17; 14:21-23; 15:1-16, etc.).

Martha “received him.” Many of us have “received” Jesus, have been saved by Him (John 1:12), yet like Martha we aren’t sitting at His holy feet, listening to Him speak through His Word. Like Martha, we also are “cumbered about much serving.”

It should be understood that our work can exceed our worship, our hospitality can exceed our holiness, our serving can exceed our sanctification, etc. That would be defined as imbalance (Proverbs 11:1).

In Luke 10:38-42, notice that Mary sat directly at Jesus’ feet and no other. When we arise in the morning to commune with the LORD, such is to be direct communication between you and Him, alone (Matthew 6:6). That would mean perhaps that when you arise in the morning you aren’t reading some other book about God or turning on a podcast or TV program to find and commune with the LORD. No, those things involve others. We must directly commune with the LORD in prayer and in HIS Word. How else shall we be able to discern the “MANY false prophets” Jesus warned us “shall deceive many”? (Read Matthew 24:11; 1 John 4:1.) How can we know the counterfeit if we don’t know the real? We can’t.

In principle, Martha is a person like Cain, a person who chose to do things their own way, not God’s – because they are not truly submitted to God. Does that describe your life friend? Jesus calls us home to Himself (Matthew 11:28-30).

Are we attempting to serve the LORD on our own terms or are we sitting before Him, hearing His voice as we are worshipfully, joyfully submitted to Him on His stated terms?

“The men who have done mighty things for God have always been mighty in prayer, have well understood the possibilities of prayer, and made the most of these possibilities. The Son of God, the first of all and the mightiest of all, has shown us the all-potent and far reaching possibilities of prayer. Paul was mighty for because he knew, how to use, and how to get others to use, the mighty spiritual forces of prayer.” EM Bounds, The Complete Works of E.M. Bounds on Prayer, P. 341

When we are brought to the point of true repentance it will be obvious in that we will do things God’s way and no longer our own. Like Mary, we will be settled at His feet, hearing His Word, His voice. The Mary person is in love with and submitted to the LORD and Savior she so joyfully worships.

“Jesus never taught His disciples how to preach, only how to pray. To know how to speak to God is more than knowing how to speak to people. Power with God is the first thing, not power with people. Christ loves to teach us how to pray.” –Andrew Murray, With Christ in the School of Prayer, pp. xxiii-xxiv

At His Feet [podcast]

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