Pastors According to Mine Heart

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]

“And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.” Jeremiah 3:15

PASTORING is not occupying a physical building as a real estate manager! By biblical definition and under the anointing of “the Great Shepherd of the sheep”, PASTORING involves feeding, tending to, exhorting, correcting, encouraging, teaching, equipping, warning, comforting, and nourishing the sheep of Christ for whom He died and rose again from the dead (John 21:15-17; Hebrews 13:7, 17, 20). Pastoring involves instruction and perpetual preparation in light of the soon return of the Savior (Ephesians 5:25-27; Colossians 1:28; 1 John 3:3; Revelation 2-3, etc.). Hiding away in a physical building actually hinders a man from going out and about to the people who must be reached, you know like Jesus and His apostles did (Matthew 9:35-38; Acts 8:4, etc.).

The biblical qualifications for being an elder, a servant of God to oversee His flock are found in 1 Timothy 3. Go read it and notice that no where do we see that a pastor must be cool, be eloquent of speech, a good entertainer, wear fancy clothes, have a piece of real estate he calls “church,” run a choir, etc.

As we read in the passage below, Jesus, “the Great Shepherd of the sheep” (Hebrews 13:20), was slandered by the religious devils of His day, but that didn’t phase Him. He kept marching, fulfilling His Father’s calling – reaching out in compassion to and feeding those scattered abroad without a shepherd.

“But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils. 35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” Matthew 9:34-38

Today most modern pastors are mere hirelings who are lukewarm if they are even saved and do very little true Gospel work as we see Jesus and His apostles doing. This would mean that they are not “worthy of their hire.” Seems it would be different if they would “LABOUR in the word and doctrine” and therefore “worthy of double honour (compensation)“. See 1 Timothy 5:17-18; 1 Corinthians 9:1-14, etc…..

Do we have a heart after the LORD? Are we filled with tender mercies and loving kindness toward His people and the lost who He came “to seek and to save”? (Luke 19:10)

Are we, as did Jesus and His holy apostles, going about preaching the Word of God, reproving, rebuking, and exhorting His sheep with all longsuffering and pure biblical doctrine?

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:2-5

In the above passage of Holy Scripture, the true disciple of Jesus can be seen …

Preaching the word instant in season, out of season,
reproving,
rebuking,
exhorting with all longsuffering and doctrine
watching thou in all things,
endure afflictions,
doing the work of an evangelist,
making full proof of thy ministry

Jesus Christ is “that great shepherd of the sheep.” He instructed us to follow Him and, in doing so, to “FEED my sheep” which includes more than just exposing false teaching.

Every single disciple of Christ is to be pastoral in heart and life. We are each to tend to our fellowship with Christ daily and to His people.

“Feed the flock of God which is among you.” 1 Peter 5:2

In order to become a balanced, fully-equipped, and mature disciple (1 Cor. 4:15), we must tend to feeding, nourishing, and also warning (Colossians 1:28). The apostolic PWT model is seen in Colossians 1:28 – Preach, Warn, Teach Christ’s body.

Some of us have learned to warn and that is so very important. We must also feed and nourish in order to “seal the law among my disciples”, says the LORD (Isaiah 8:16). There are those who are aware of wolves operating on the internet and only seek to expose them and warn us. These individuals bear fruit of rage and anger as they do nothing except tear at other ministries and people. They never take the time to feed the sheep. This alone reveals them to be wolves. They pose as watchmen and yet are wolves. Because they pose as watchmen, they can catch you off guard. Beware saints. If you don’t see kindness, mercy, grace, God’s love, and true concern for others, run!

“Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.” Isaiah 8:16

With no exception, Christ’s servants will always get YOU into HIS Word for yourself. They desire you to be faithful, loyal to GOD, not themselves!

“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

THE BEAUTY AND THE LOVE OF OUR LORD AND HIS MINISTERING

“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. 24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. 25 And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.” Matthew 4:23-25

As our memories glance across the record of the 4 glorious Gospels, we see among many things that the ministry of our LORD was perfect. He is the Model of perfection in all things, including ministering to others. As we read the Holy Scriptures, we observe the perfectly balanced wisdom He used in feeding, rebuking, warning, showing mercy, and admonishing. Jesus knew the hearts of all men and He taught appropriately and justly to all whom He ministered to (John 2:24). Due to there being no sin in Him, Christ did not get moody or have mood swings. He did not minister according to how He was feeling, but rather according to as His Father led Him and according to the hearts of those He ministered to – “he knew all men.” (John 2:24) Remember how He was “moved with compassion” upon and so merciful to sinners, lambasted the rich and the religious, healed the lame and blind, raised the dead, opened blinded eyes, cast out devils to deliver souls, and preached His good tidings of great joy, calling all men to repent and believe His Gospel? (Luke 4:18)

Being “Nourished Up in the Words of Faith and Good Doctrine” and Feeding the Saints

“If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.” 1 Timothy 4:6

It all begins with taking personal responsibility over our own souls – “Take heed unto THYSELF.”

“Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” 1 Timothy 4:16

The disciple whom God uses is the disciple who truly puts Him first – “daily.” (Luke 9:23-24) The LORD is not a second class citizen in the life of the Heaven bound true disciple of Jesus. Like Mary, this disciple chooses that good part of worshiping, seeking, and loving on Jesus (Luke 10:38-42). Out of the overflow of that abundant and rich fellowship and communion with our LORD, this disciple receives an outpouring of His Holy Spirit, which is then used to bless others. Truly, this disciple’s cup is running over and blessing many.

In order to be used of God to feed and tend to His blessed sheep for whom He bled, one must qualify. All bitterness, self-promotion, selfishness, must be laid aside. The girdle of servant hood must be taken up. Ministry that pleases our LORD is Christ is others-centered, not self-centered. It all begins with recognizing and seeking Him as LORD, Savior, and Master of our lives.

Jesus told Peter three times to “feed” His beloved people and coupled this essential duty to Peter’s love for Him. Without fail, those who love Christ will feed His sheep and care for them with a genuinely concerned and compassionate heart. Notice here in this platinum passage that it all begins with dining or fellowshipping – intimate communing with the Savior.

Loving Jesus and feeding His beloved sheep are connected. Check this out:

“So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. ¹⁶He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. ¹⁷He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.” John 21:15-17

Those who love Jesus will pour His love on others. They serve Christ first, then people, and then themselves (Matthew 22:37-40). Wicked wolves serve themselves first and foremost. This is why they possess no true concern for others.

“Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. ¹⁴If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. ¹⁶Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. ¹⁷If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” John 13:13-17

Most of us have seen the many hirelings abounding in that which calls itself the church in this late hour. Their self-promotion is sickening and many times it is subtle, so beware. Most of us are learning to discern between the true and the false (Ezekiel 44:23-24). Watch out for those who have no compassion towards others. In other words, they are hard-hearted. The sin of selfishness and pride always brings a hardened apostate heart (Hebrews 3:12-14). These wolves in sheep’s clothing are more interested in being heard than actually being used of the LORD to bless the people.

We can follow the Apostle Paul’s example and also His warning about wolves among us who “mind” or tend to “earthly things”, such as their own ministries, so-called “church buildings,” and other temporal trinkets. These savage wolves are so busy serving the god of self that they have no true concern for Christ and the precious sheep He bled to redeem.

“Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. ¹⁸(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: ¹⁹Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) ²⁰For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: ²¹Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” Philippians 3:16-21

What is a pastor? Is it someone who merely holds a title or position? Many today hold the title and have no clue as to the heart of “that great shepherd of the sheep” and what He desires of them. Pastor is a calling to help bring God’s people to (Ephesians 4:11-13).

Ra ah is the Hebrew word for “pastor.” To pastor means to tend to a flock or person, to feed as a friend, and to shepherd. Now, as usual, the definition of anything in God’s economy, is best defined by what the whole of Scripture says about that word or topic. Here’s is the apostle Peter’s instructions to overseers.

“The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: ²Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; ³Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock. ⁴And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. ⁵Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. ⁶Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:” 1 Peter 5:1-6

So many today – most – who have the title of “pastor” have never learned to be pastored themselves by “that great shepherd of the sheep,” even Jesus (Hebrews 13:20). They could care less about the people other than to get those people to listen to them and give them their money. The apostate modern church priesthood today is made up of moral cowards who refuse to die to self and truly learn to walk with Jesus but rather trust in their flimsy certificates they paid good money to earn in seminary where they learned what mere sinful men said about God’s Word instead of learning God’s Word. They are too busy with their idols and loving this fleeting and sinful world and its pleasures than to bother with serving God and His people according to the biblical pattern (James 4:4; 1 John 2:15). Most people who are true Bible students can clearly see that the majority of those who hold the mere title of “pastor,” are not even saved. If they were, they would be loving and serving God and not themselves. See Philippians 3:18-19, Jeremiah 23, and Ezekiel 34.

Jesus commands us to “Feed my sheep” and yet we know that ultimately HE is “the Great Shepherd” and feeder of His beloved sheep (John 21:15-17; Hebrews 13:20).

God-fearing people who pastor others, feed the people and don’t exploit the people for their own self-serving purposes.

“Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord. ²Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord. … ⁴And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord.” Jeremiah 23:1-4

Ministers

Special Ops Spiritual Warfare [podcast]

The LORD, the Master Potter, continues to prepare each of His people. And as He does, He has ordained special missions for each to accomplish. Before our military men go to war, are sent on special ops, they must first be rigorously prepared, right? Before one of God’s people can be dropped behind enemy lines and used on special missions, he must be prepared by the Commander in Chief, Jesus Christ, who is “the Captain of their salvation.” (Hebrews 2:10) “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and […]

The Book of Romans Narrated [podcast]

“And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:” Romans 1:4 Chapter 1-16 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2 (which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 3 concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; 4 and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: 5 by whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to […]

“Be Ready in the Morning" [podcast]

MUST-READ: IF YOU don’t wake up swinging, you’re going to get knocked out. You’re going to lose. As God’s child, YOU are in a FIGHT, A WAR – like it or not. A war is raging over your life, for your eternal soul. And you are losing if you don’t get up swinging, every day. Set your life up for success by hard-scheduling Christ into the first waking moments of your day – in prayer and His Word (Matthew 6:6; Mark 1:35; 2 Timothy 2:15). Build your days upon the Rock – the only immoveable platform, destined to victory! ANY […]

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]

“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.” Job 13:15 Job had just lost all of his children and yet held fast his integrity toward the LORD. He would not allow his wife, his friends, or any other circumstance or entity sway his thoughts. This was a man with a real relationship with the living God – one not based on circumstance. First, foremost, and separate from all else, Job loved and worshipped the LORD with his whole heart. We must come to the place where our LORD alone […]

The First Love of the True Disciple [podcast]

The words “disciple”/“disciples” are found 273 times in the Bible, all in the New Testament canon with the exception of 1 appearance in the Old Testament (Isaiah 8:16). “Disciple” is married to the word discipline. An un-disciplined life reveals a gross lack of respect and rooting in the Person, the Word, and the cause of Christ and is an un-fruitful life. “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.” Mark 4:17 “They on the rock are they, which, when they […]

Our Sin Should Lay us at His Feet [podcast]

“Sin lieth at the door.” Genesis 4:7 One writer takes a shot at this in the following words: “Jesus died for our sins. He is the sin offering for all humanity: past, present, and future. So the offerings in the Old Testament represent the Cross. So in short, if you reject the offering, meaning Christ and the Cross, ‘then sin lieth at the door.’ This means sin will DOMINATE you if any other method is used.” “Sin lieth at the door” – Temptation to sin presents itself perpetually and this is why prayer, abiding communion, perpetual communication with the Savior, command central, is […]