Articles

Should Christians be in the Military? Is Being in the Military a Sin?

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]

Written by a disciple who is a Marine veteran, with full respect to the final divine authority of the Word of God (Romans 3:4; 2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Imagine a World without Law and Order

Third world countries are full of anarchy, unbridled crime, and danger. This is due to the lack of proper God-ordained civil government (Romans 13; 1 Peter 2:14-15).

Recently I listened to a video from a preacher who is saying that it’s a sin for a Christian to go into the military. Is that true?

” … work out YOUR OWN salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12-13

May God bless us to work out our own salvation and cease attempting to meddle in the affairs of others, their own God-given liberty, lest He call us a “busybodies.” (2 Thessalonians 3:11; 1 Timothy 5:13)

If a house is broken into, it is the duty of the husband, the father, the man, to defend his family and estate. And, there will be no guilt in the eyes of God for doing so! Read Exodus 22:1-3; Luke 22:36. In fact, what kind of a “man” wouldn’t defend his own family?

If a nation is attacked by another nation, namely on its own homeland, it is the duty of that civil government to protect its people and for the men of that nation to be involved in that defensive effort.

Did you realize that the police are the domestic MILITARY of our nation? They certainly are and what is their God-given purpose as “God’s ministers”? – “the punishment of evildoers.” (Romans 13:6; 1 Peter 2:13-14)

To say that joining the military for mainly foreign purposes is evil, is to say that being a policeman is in sin. Both have the divine purpose of protection of its people by punishing “evildoers” because God’s stated desire for society is that it be “quiet and peaceable” in contrast to anarchy (1 Peter 2:13-14;1 Timothy 2:1-3).

Serving God or mammon is the context of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6:19-24, not being in the military. This has nothing to do with being a civilian or being in the military. It applies to all men – military or civilian. So evil minions have used war to make money BUT so have civilian, non-military minions. Think about that in light of this video message.

Keep in mind that there is a proper use of force, of military – for the divinely ordained purpose – “For the punishment of evildoers.”

“Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; 14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him FOR THE PUNISHMENT OF EVILDOERS, and for the praise of them that do well.” 1 Peter 2:13-14

God Himself ordained family, the church, and civil government. Civil government is specifically ordained “for the punishment of evildoers.” (1 Peter 2:13-14; Romans 13). “Evildoers” are to be punished and such a duty is assigned by God to civil authorities. The civil government, as the LORD has ordained it, is “For the punishment of evildoers,” namely within the jurisdiction of an individual country….to protect the citizens from foreign and domestic enemies, “evildoers.”

Didn’t God send His people into foreign lands to destroy, to kill? Yes? Why? It was for His protective purposes because of His love for His beloved people. In this video, the presenter is meddling, talking out of turn, and out of context, instead of letting each individual believer work out HIS OWN salvation with fear and trembling before the LORD (Philippians 2:12-13).

Notice the bookshelf positioning of his (the video presenter’s) stage. Be not deceived: books make no one wise. Only GOD can do that. Having knowledge does not make one wise. Only God can instill wisdom in a man.

To say that a Christian should not be in the military due to ungodliness would mean that no Christian should leave home, definitely not work for a secular company.

Should we not allow GOD to work in the individual lives of HIS people – that He bought with HIS precious blood – and not meddle with non-essentials, with God-given liberties afforded to each individual saint of Christ? (Romans 14) | Liberty in Non-Essentials

“Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.” Romans 14:4

Example of the foolishness: In his video, he uses the idea that military men will have to submit to women military leaders and so for that reason no Christian man would ever join the military. Apparently, and sadly, this man doesn’t yet realize that the civil military is not the church. Very novice. Let cross examine: Just as there are women in leadership in the military, so there are even many more times the women in leadership in the secular world. So, should every Christian who has a female boss in the civilian world quit? Are they in sin? No. They just need to have a mature biblical perspective and realize that the whole world – weather civilian or military – is presently under the dominion of Satan and so it doesn’t matter if your boss is male or female (2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:1-3, etc.). The Bible is speaking of THE CHURCH environment when it says to “suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurp authority over the man.” (1 Timothy 2:11-12) That doesn’t apply to the secular work world or a military environment. Rightly divide please. The whole world is a kingdom of sinners and not under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. So, being that they are not the body of Christ, they live according to the god of this world (Satan) and we are there to reach them with the Gospel. Salt and light must “GO ye INTO ALLLLL (that includes the military) the world” to “preach the gospel to EVERY creature,” right? (Mark 16:15)

Failure to assimilate and rightly divide the whole of Scripture: Notice that the presenter in this video is saying that the military is full of sinners and under evil leadership. SO is the whole world, the non-military, the civilian people in this fallen world! And what did Paul say of such? He said in order to get away from all the sinners, we would have to leave this world. But we are to be the salt of the earth, the light of Christ to shine to them, to lead them to Jesus. Running and hiding from everything and everyone is cowardly and not Christlike or according to His instructions, His Great Commission mandate.

“Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16

Believers are to judge those within the professing body of Christ – NOT those outside of it – whom GOD will judge.

“For what have I to do to judge them also that are WITHOUT (the unsaved)? do not ye judge them that are within? 13 But them that are without (the lost) God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.” 1 Corinthians 5:12-13

Did you catch that? Read it again. Paul is saying that Christ’s disciples are not to judge “them … that are without” or outside Christ’s kingdom. Let’s wake up.

When Scripture speaks of coming out from among them, it is speaking mainly of the way we live, not necessary always physically removing oneself. If you are weak, immature in Christ, the LORD is not going to send you on a mission that requires a mature man in Christ. If you are that rare mature man in Christ, He may send you on such missions as require maturity.

Whether in the civilian world or in the military, just because others around us sin, in no way means we are forced to sin just because others are sinning. “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” (1 John 3:9) Those who are weak in the faith will be influenced to sin and so should stay clear – because they are not ready for such a mission.

If the military is evil in and of itself, WHY did Paul use it as an illustration for the life of a disciple of Jesus? – “endure hardness, as A GOOD SOLDIER OF JESUS CHRIST.” (2 Timothy 2:3) See also 1 Corinthians 9 “No man that WARRETH….”

“The LORD is a man of WAR.” Exodus 15:3

Can and does God only move and work among civilians and not those in the military?

Thank God for the Christian brother who in Marine Corp boot camp planted the Word of God into my heart, the seed of the Gospel, in word and deed (the way he lived), which led to my being saved. Jesus be praised that this man didn’t have this flimsy, run for the hills, hide in a bunker, “Touch not; taste not; handle not” cop out perspective (Colossians 2:21). Instead, he went boldly into the midst of the military to make Christ know! The LORD used him mightily!

Jesus warns us of the deceivers among us posing as being godly while being devouring wolves who are the most dangerous, not the rank heathen who need to be saved in the military or the secular world. When Jesus walked the earth, Jerusalem and many of the places He ministered were under Roman military occupation and it was the religious Jews (professing believers) who had the greater sin when they delivered Jesus into the hands of the Romans to be killed. – “Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath THE GREATER SIN. “ (John 19:11)

Did Jesus ever condemn the military? Not once. In fact, He healed the ear of a military man named Malchus whose ear Peter cut off, right? (Luke 22:50-51; John 18:10-11) What about Cornelius, a military soldier who was of the Italian band? Didn’t Jesus send Peter to get him saved? Yes (Acts 10-11).

If the military is all about money, and much of it has been, SO IS THE REST OF THIS WHOLE FALLEN WORLD. So the point of this video message is a ridiculous conflation.

The unsaved cannot possibly serve God and so until they are saved, they WILL serve mammon. That’s why the body of Christ is here – to bring them to Christ. The reality is that anyone reading these words who works for a company in this world, unless the ownership is truly Christian, is working for a company that is all about money. Let’s be wise in our assessments and not just believe something because someone staged a video about a topic.

In this video, he’s conflating things out of proper context, not taking in the whole of the matter (Proverbs 18:13). Think about it: Just because some in the military do evil, doesn’t mean all military personnel are that way or agree to that evil. If, according to this man, Jesus’ disciples aren’t to go into the military they also shouldn’t go out into this secular, sinful world. Being a civilian is just as evil according to him, because there are even more wicked non-military, civilian personnel. So, since there are many, even more wicked non-military personnel, then do people now need to denounce that they are civilian, stop being a civilian? See the point?

This speaker speaks as though we presently have wars being waged for money. Not so. God threw a monkey wrench into history named Donald Trump. So, this speaker fails to mention that under trump the military is in better hands than the previous puppet presidents who perpetuated endless wars for money and other evil NWO dealings. Since the beginning of his term, Trump has begun to bring home the military and continues to do so by the tens of thousands. Unlike the previous luciferian presidents, namely the last 4-5, Trump has started not 1 war nor been engaged in any conflict or war.

Much of modern war has been about money but that’s sin to the handlers, not the individual military men (Individual accountability: Deuteronomy 24:16; Ezekiel 18).

Being in the military doesn’t equal loving mammon. Keep in mind that military pay is minimal, very low. It would seem that most people can earn more money outside of the military.

Also keep in mind that there is a proper use of force, of military action, including killing someone if needed…. Romans 13; 1 Peter 2:13-14…. to punish evil doers, namely within the jurisdiction of an individual country….to protect the citizens from foreign and domestic enemies, “evildoers”. This is the stated divine purpose of civil governments (1 Peter 2:13-14).

Under trump the military is in better hands, is being pulled out of foreign wars, etc. The previous NWO (both Bush’s, Clinton, Obama, etc.) luciferian puppet presidents perpetuated endless wars for money and other evil NWO dealings. They were all satanists. Trump is not. I didn’t say he’s saved. I simply said he’s not an avowed satanist and seeks to do the right thing for this nation.

Just because someone stands up and preaches a message, does not mean that you have to believe it, to buy it without thoroughly comparing his points to the whole of Holy Scripture (Acts 17:10-11). It’s the mind of Christ on the matter that matters and such can only be apprehended by way of thoroughly studying, knowing, and understanding the whole of Scripture. Only then can we rightly divide the Word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16-17).

Many times, wrong assessments like this one addressed in this post come out of our own self-righteousness, namely that of novices (1 Timothy 3:6).

The Second Amendment | Trump Needs Prayer | Government | America

The Most High Ruleth in the Kingdom of Men: Last Days Encouragement! MAY we be encouraged in our LORD today and always be reminded that GOD is in control.

Apostasy

Spiritual Formation—A Dangerous Substitute for the Life of Christ [podcast]

Sometimes we think of spiritual formation as formation by the Holy Spirit. Once again. That’s essential. . . . But now I have to say something that may be challenging for you to think about: Spiritual formation is not all by the Holy Spirit. . . . We have to recognize that spiritual formation in us is something that is also done to us by those around us, by ourselves, and by activities which we voluntarily undertake . . .There has to be method.¹—Dallas Willard

Aside from the fact that Spiritual Formation incorporates mystical practices into its infrastructure (remove the contemplative aspect and you don’t have “Spiritual Formation” anymore), Spiritual Formation is a works-based substitute for biblical Christianity. Let us explain.

When one becomes born again (“that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9-10), having given his or her life and heart over to Christ as Savior, Jesus Christ says He will come in and live in that surrendered heart:

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: (Colossians 1:27)

If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. (Romans 8:11; emphasis added)

When God, through Jesus Christ, is living in us, He begins to do a transforming work in our hearts (2 Corinthians 3:18). Not only does He change us, He also communes with us. In other words, we have fellowship with Him, and He promises never to leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

This life of God in the believer’s heart is not something we need to conjure up through meditative practices. But if a person does not have this relationship with the Lord, he may seek out ways to feel close to God. This is where Spiritual Formation comes into play. Rather than a surrendered life to Christ (through repentance and faith), the seeking person begins practicing the spiritual disciplines (e.g., prayer, fasting, good works, etc.) with the promise that if he practices these disciplines, he will become more Christ-like.

But merely doing these acts fails to make one feel close to God—something is still missing. And thus, he begins practicing the discipline of silence (or solitude), and now in these altered states of silence, he finally feels connected to God. He now feels complete. What he does not understand is that he has substituted the indwelling of Christ in his heart for a works-based methodology that endangers his spiritual life. Dangerous because these mystical experiences he now engages in appear to be good because they make him feel close to God, but in reality he is being drawn into demonic realms no different than what happens to someone who is practicing transcendental meditation or eastern meditation. Even mystics themselves acknowledge that the contemplative realm is no different than the realm reached by occultists. To understand this more fully, please read Ray Yungen’s book A Time of Departing.

Bottom line, it is not possible to be truly Christ-like without having Christ inside of us because it is His righteousness that is able to change our hearts—we cannot do it without Him. It is His righteousness we need:

Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe. (Romans 3:22)

And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. (Philippians 3:9)

It is interesting to note that virtually every contemplative teacher has a common theme—they feel dry and empty and want to go “deeper” with God or “become more intimate” with God. But if we have Christ living in us, how can we go any deeper than that? How can we become more intimate than that? And if going deeper and becoming intimate were so important, why is it that none of the disciples or Jesus Himself ever told us to do this? As Larry DeBruyn states:

Why are Christians seeking a divine presence that Jesus promised would abundantly flow in them? . . . Why do they need another voice, another visitation, or another vision? Why are some people unthankfully desirous of “something more” than what God has already given to us? Why is it that some Christians, in the depth of their souls, are not seemingly at rest?²

Is There a “Good” Spiritual Formation?

One of the most common arguments we hear defending Spiritual Formation is that there is a “good” Spiritual Formation done without contemplative prayer. To that we say, we have never yet seen a Spiritual Formation program in a school or a church that doesn’t in some way point people to the contemplative mystics. It might be indirectly, but in every case, if you follow the trail, it will lead you right into the arms of Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, and other contemplative teachers.

Think about this common scenario: A Christian college decides to begin a Spiritual Formation course. The instructor has heard some negative things about Richard Foster, Henri Nouwen, and Brennan Manning, and he figures he will teach the class “good Spiritual Formation” and leave those teachers completely out. But he’s going to need a textbook. He turns to a respected institution, Dallas Theological Seminary, and finds a book written by Paul Pettit, Professor in Pastoral and Education Ministries. The book is titled Foundations of Spiritual Formation. The instructor who has found this book to use in his own class may never mention Richard Foster or Dallas Willard, but the textbook he is using does. Within the pages of Pettit’s book is Richard Foster, Philip Yancey, N.T. Wright, Dallas Willard, Thomas Aquinas, Lectio Divina, Ayn Rand, Parker Palmer, Eugene Peterson, J.P. Moreland, Klaus Issler, Bruce Demarerst, Jim Burns, Kenneth Boa and Brother Lawrence’s “practicing God’s presence.” You may not have heard of all these names, but they are all associated with the mystical contemplative prayer movement and the emerging church.

Another example of this is Donald Whitney’s book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. Whitney is former Associate Professor at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and currently at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. While his book does not promote contemplative mysticism, he says that Richard Foster has “done much good”³ in the area of Christian spirituality (which we believe is blatantly untrue).

Our point is that even if there is a sincere attempt to teach Spiritual Formation and stay away from the mystical side, we contend that it cannot be successfully accomplished because it will always lead back to the ones who have brought it to the church in the first place.

Spiritual formation is sweeping throughout Christianity today. It’s no wonder when the majority of Christian leaders have either endorsed the movement or given it a silent pass. For instance, in Chuck Swindoll’s book So You Want to Be Like Christ: 8 Essential Disciplines to Get You There, Swindoll favorably quotes Richard Foster and Dallas Willard. Swindoll calls Celebration of Discipline a “meaningful work”⁴ and Willard’s book The Spirit of the Disciplines “excellent work.”⁵ In chapter three, ”Silence and Solitude,” Swindoll talks about “digging for secrets . . . that will deepen our intimacy with God.”⁶ Quoting the contemplative poster-verse Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God,” Swindoll says the verse is a call to the “discipline of silence.”⁷ As other contemplative proponents have done, he has taken this verse very much out of context.

Roger Oakland sums it up:

The Spiritual Formation movement . . . teaches people that this is how they can become more intimate with God and truly hear His voice. Even Christian leaders with longstanding reputations of teaching God’s word seem to be succumbing. . . .

We are reconciled to God only through his “death” (the atonement for sin), and we are presented “holy and unblameable and unreproveable” when we belong to Him through rebirth. It has nothing to do with works, rituals, or mystical experiences. It is Christ’s life in the converted believer that transforms him.⁸

“For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” Romans 5:10

What Christians need is not a method or program or ritual or practice that will supposedly connect them to God. What we need is to be “in Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:30) and Christ in us. And He has promised His Spirit “will guide [us] into all truth” (John 16:13).

“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:” 1 Corinthians 1:30

In Colossians 1:9, the apostle Paul tells the saints that he was praying for them that they “might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” He was praying that they would have discernment (“spiritual understanding”). He said that God, the Father, has made us “partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light” (vs 12) and had “delivered us from the power of darkness [i.e., power of deception]” (vs. 13). But what was the key to having this wisdom and spiritual understanding and being delivered from the power of darkness? Paul tells us in that same chapter. He calls it “the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints” (vs. 26). What is that mystery? Verse 27 says: “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (emphasis added).

For those wanting to get involved with the Spiritual Formation movement (i.e., contemplative, spiritual direction), consider the “direction” you will actually be going.

And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel. (Colossians 1:21-23)

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power. (Colossians 2: 8-10)

This article is an extract from the Lighthouse Trails booklet, Is Your Church Doing Spiritual Formation? (Important Reasons Why They Shouldn’t). To order this booklet, click here.

Endnotes:
1. Dallas Willard, “Spiritual Formation: What it is, and How it is Done” (https://dwillard.org/resources/articles/spiritual-formation-what-it-is-and-how-it-is-done).

2. Larry DeBruyn, “God’s Present of His Presence” (https://www.guardinghisflock.org/gods-present-of-his-presence/ ).

3. Donald Whitney, “Doctrine and Devotion: A Reunion Devoutly to be Desired” (http://web.archive.org/web/20080828052145/http://biblicalspirituality.org/devotion.html).

4. Chuck Swindoll, So You Want to Be Like Christ: 8 Essential Disciplines to Get You There (Nashville, TN:W Publishing Group, a div. of Thomas Nelson, 2005), p. 15.

5. Ibid., p. 13.

6. Ibid., p. 55.

7. Ibid.

8. Roger Oakland, Faith Undone (Eureka, MT: Lighthouse Trails Publishing, 2007), pp. 91-92.

This has been an extract from our booklet Is Your Church Doing Spiritual Formation? (Important Reasons Why It Shouldn’t). To order this booklet, click here.

Spiritual Formation Exposed |

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The Dangers of Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Disciplines

The Dangers of Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Disciplines A Critique of Dallas Willard and The Spirit of the Disciplines by Bob DeWaayPractices called “spiritual disciplines” that are deemed necessary for “spiritual formation” have entered evangelicalism. Recent encounters with this teaching narrated to me by friends caused me to investigate these practices. The first experience involved my friend and co-worker Ryan Habbena who went back to seminary to finish his masters degree. Here is his experience in his own words: I recently took a seminary course on the book of Luke. It was a summer intensive and was one of only […]

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Articles

Mission Mexico Part 32

“So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.” Acts 19:20

See picture below.

I recently, “accidently” drove up this very narrow street only to realize that there was no turn around at the end. As God would have it, this man helped me back out of that street and received the spoken Word and a JESUS tract. Romans 8:28 right?

“Ephesians 3:20 was the very verse I prayed for you and the ministry this morning! And v16 as well. May the Spirit of God manifest His full grace and peace upon you today! And give you fruit, more fruit and much fruit! Amen.” Karen Cochran

(see picture below)

It dawns on me afresh today as it has since arriving here in Mexico, that these precious people so deeply hunger for Christ. Today, upon ministering to Victor and Juan and having Victor incessantly asking me about Christianity, Jesus, and being saved…. this was a fresh reminder of the great hunger and openness of the Mexican people. They want Jesus. Plain and simple. “HOW shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14)

These two men were excited to know that you would be lifting them in prayer.

Victor and I are now connected by phone. So he will now be fed the Word of our God and be introduced to Spanish speaking disciples of our LORD Jesus.

Being limited in Spanish, I preached the Gospel, the Bible truth I am able to in Spanish and that including exhorting them both, today to repent and receive Jesus and did this while pointing to the prayer (oracion) on the back of the JESUS tract.

Would you like to kindly pause to lift these 2 dear men in prayer to our LORD?

Mission Mexico

JUST got a call from sister Teri in FL and had the opportunity to speak with brothers Scott and Jorge who were both recently saved by Jesus. Was also blessed to speak with a brother named Raymond who is a flourishing disciple of Jesus!

Thank you for your prayers and support which include our bless-ed opportunity of helping this group of disciples in FL.

Jesus is coming!

Recently…… Many received God’s Word today.

Brother Mark has recently joined in helping with our LORD’s Gospel in Mission Mexico and was amazed when he saw three grown men walking together who were ministered to and walk away, each of them with the JESUS tract open, as they walked read the message. They are that hungry.

The Mexico people deserve to hear our LORD’s glorious Gospel!

“I bet brother Mark is amazed at the response of the Mexican people when you guys go out and minister to them. To have so many hearts open and poor in spirit would be a shock at first. Total opposite of America—who say ‘I am rich, increased with goods have need of nothing!’ Revelation 3:17.

Praise God for the blessed ones who heard the engrafted word of our Lord, which is able to save their souls.” Karen

REPLY:

Yes He is amazing. They WANT it. They DESIRE it. They are like the woman who desires a man and so he marries her and they have a super blessed marriage for life. Instead of the wicked Jezebel woman who just wants to self-servingly shop for the man she can use to accomplish her selfish agenda.

“I was reading Mathew 21:23 this morning and it went through my mind that is what God said to America! ‘The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.’ And that nation is Mexico!“ Karen

“Truly amazing what God is doing in the hearts of the Mexican people. And now He is raising up disciples to bring into the harvest. He is LORD of the harvest. Have you heard of Chick Publications? I just read that they have sent 200,000 tracts to a Mexico missionary and more being ready to be sent. Southern Mexico. So God is sure flooding Mexico with His Word!” Karen Cochran

While walking over to get a haircut, I happened to spot a JESUS tract someone had placed on this vehicle. No it was not me. I didn’t put that tract there. Someone else did.

Then, 5 minutes later, after arriving at barber and sitting down in the chair, straight ahead in my line of sight, there’s a JESUS tract purposely set on display by the barber.

No matter how high prices get in Mexico, your cost of living will always be MUCH less than the USA. A raise awaits you, soon as you cross the border. Is God prompting you to “Go”? (Mark 16:15)

God is good all the time as you well know and thank you.

Your prayers to the Father in the name of our LORD Jesus are the heavenly fuel He uses to bless and empower and supply His people to do His work.

“For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,” Philippians 1:19

todd

Articles

Chosen for Holiness [podcast]

“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:” Ephesians 1:4

Holiness comes by the Savior in self denial (death and burial – the cross), not by self will or effort. Surrender is the cross – “NOT my will but thine be done” (Lk. 22:42) and “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46). We surrender to Christ by saying “Not my will but thine be done” dear Lord, by Your grace and the deliberate act of my own will I submit to the cross, the crucified life – where You alone reign supreme in this vessel (Luke 22:42; Galatians 2:20, etc.). I love You LORD Jesus! You must increase but I must decrease! (John 3:30)

Holiness, not happiness, is the divine command, the chief purpose and end of Christ’s salvation.

Of holiness, one disciple writes:

“Holiness speaks more to nature than it does conduct. Good conduct is the spontaneous byproduct of the new nature of the new creation man thru the cross and death to the old nature. We are new creatures in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17-18). To preach holiness as conduct without the new nature thru the cross understanding is legalism. Holiness is actually derived from ‘wholeness’ meaning the thorough transformation of the whole tripartite man (1 Thess 5:23). So many of these ‘holiness’ preachers are preaching nothing but conduct under law. Law arouses sinful passions and causes sin to increase and was given in order to provoke transgressions (Rom 7:5; 5:20; Gal 3:21). They are enemies of the cross!”

Holiness comes by way of the cross, not by way of the flesh. Just as sin was conquered by the cross of Christ, so sin in the life of the saint is conquered by the daily cross – the crucified life (Luke 9:23-24; Romans 6; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3, etc.). It’s time to stop trying harder and to simply die deeper.

NOTICE: When a believer or group of believers backslides, they no longer separate from the transgressors who are unrepentant:

Fornication Defiles

“It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have (Gr. possessed and wouldn’t repent) his father’s wife. 2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:1-2

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