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“This podcast (So You Want to be Used of God? [podcast]) spoke to my heart today. As I was meditating on Ecclesiastes 1:8. ‘For in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.’ In other words God’s light illuminates into our hearts and reveals truth that you can no longer deny. As the Lord was shining His light into my heart, I wasn’t liking what He was showing me. I asked Him to please pull the blinds because it was getting hard to look, but that was only a fleeting thought. I knew I needed to thank the Lord even though I didn’t like it. This podcast was an encouragement to me to say to the Lord. Job 13:5. Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I maintain mine own ways before Him.” Karen Cochran | So You Want to be Used of God? [podcast]

“Your most effective ministry will come out of your deepest wounds.” unknown

WHO is the LORD going to be using mightily in this last hour? – Those who are prepared of Him! Are you submitting to His prep?

“but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” Daniel 11:32 

WANT the LORD to use you? …. Hint: Just ask Him – “ASK and ye shall receive.” (Matthew 7:7).

“The counsel (Word) of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.” Psalms 33:11

Remember that God is who HE says He is and not who you or others think He is.

Let that sink in. Read it again. And, realize a bit deeper today that this is why you need to read, know, understand, and live by HIS Word – because that’s what HE said and who He is! The record of His written Word is literally the “thoughts of HIS heart.” (Psalms 33:11)

Firstly, is it not an astounding blessing that we have the very “thoughts of his heart,” the thoughts of God on record, recorded in His written Word? Whew!

“Don’t judge the gold until the KING fashions it into a crown.” unknown

If you think God can’t use you, you haven’t truly heard from Him on the matter. Let me inform you, that you are highly mistaken!

“It’s doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply.” A.W. Tozer

Been through a lot? Ditto beloved.

“The strongest swords are forged in the hottest fires.” unknown

“Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:” 1 Peter 1:5-8 

The Law of Genesis 1

God will never use us to lead anyone where we ourselves refuse to go.

God made His creation to produce “after their kind.” 

“And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:11-12 

10 times in Genesis chapter 1, we see the word “kind” being used by God of His creation and how each plant, each animal He created has its own special seed and produces after its own kind. The same is true for us – we produce after our own kind. That’s why our children resemble us. The physical part of this divine principle is a fixed reality. Yet, spiritually, there is choice to be exercised. Who we choose to be, how we walk with Christ or not, determines what seed we are and therefore what will be produced in others. It’s all rooted in our relationship with Christ or lack thereof. What we choose to be with God, is what determines who we are and therefore what type of spiritual offspring will be produced through our lives in the lives of others. What type seed are you presently?

An apple seed, when planted, will bring forth an apple tree and not an orange or fig tree.

The Authority of Jesus

Since we now realize that everything produces after its own kind, we must realize that we can’t lead anyone to a place in Christ that we are not willing to first go ourselves. We should meditate upon this as we examine what kind of fruit we are producing in others. “The root of the matter is in me.” (Job 19:28)  God can’t use me to produce results in the lives of others if I myself haven’t first chosen to be .  The deeper my life is vanquished (dead and buried) and raised up in Christ, the greater the resurrection power that will be produced in the hands of the LORD through my life.

There was a marked difference between Christ, His ministry, and that of the Pharisees (false leaders) of His day. Nothing has changed. The following passage reveals, speaks to the significant difference between the ministry of our LORD and the modern church of His day.

“And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: 29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” Matthew 7:28-29

Jesus was perfectly rooted in His Father and so when He spoke, there was divine power in His words (John 6:63). The presence and power of the Holy Spirit permeated His life and ministry (Acts 10:38). Because He was wholly submitted to His Father, Christ walked in unlimited divine authority (John 5:30).

“For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.” John 3:34

In contrast, most ministries today are nothing more than stage shows to make money, to make merchandise of the people (2 Peter 2:1-3).

God doesn’t anoint people who have the correct concepts. He only anoints and powerfully uses those who are truly, in deed, crucified with Christ – dead and buried so that He is raising them up in His divine power. Because He is their “first love”, because they are choosing to seek the face of and love the LORD with a whole heart, Christ’s true disciples sentence themselves to death to give preference to their LORD to reign in their personal lives (2 Corinthians 1:9; Revelation 2:4-5; 1 Chronicles 16:11; Psalms 27:4, 8, etc.).

“Joy unspeakable and full of glory.” 1 Peter 1:8 

WHO WANTS to walk around smiling, bursting with glorious divine joy, every day? Only those few who choose, who decide to be anchored, nourished in the holy presence of our LORD will certainly, without fail, be filled full with His great joy! The light of Christ fills and shines powerfully through those who commune with Him, He who is “the light of the world.” (John 8:12) Pour over Matthew 6:6 and Psalms 16:11.

DO you desire to minister for Christ more effectively? 1. Learn more Scripture, 2. Seek God in intimate prayer, 3. Learn, live His cross!

Talking to God in prayer is more important than our speaking to men about God (ministering). The greatest temptation we face is rejecting Christ, denying Him the “first love” place in our lives which includes time, our hearts, our lives in the temporal world (Revelation 2:4-5). Those who do not commune with the LORD in prayer, simply will not be imbued with His divine anointing to effectively, powerfully minister to others.

“Jesus never taught His disciples how to preach, only how to pray. To know how to speak to God is more important 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, p. xxiii-xxiv The disciples asked Jesus “Teach us to pray” and not “teach us to preach.”

“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

What kind of vessel are you?

“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.” 2 Timothy 2:20-21

What kind of vessel are you?

On a regular basis and for years now, people I know and who I don’t know, approach and say things like, “I’d like to write a book” or “I’ve been having an idea for a book for a long time.” Then they ask “How do you do it”? Now, while putting a message in the format of a book so people can read it is a good thing, not a bad thing, let’s be clear about something: GOD is not leading anyone to pen any writing at all about Him, much less a book, unless such a person is so buried in His Word, Holy Scripture, that his every thought and meditation is the Word and when he opens his mouth it’s Holy Writ verbatim.

“It has been said that no great work in literature or in science was ever wrought by a man who did not love solitude. We may lay it down as an elemental principle of religion, that no large growth in holiness was ever gained by one who did not take time to be often long alone with God.” Austin Phelps

Jeremiah 1:10 destruct (strip) then construct.

God wants to build a deep foundation so He begins at the root. He doesn’t do band aids, patch jobs…. Do you understand how God works with us as is revealed in Jeremiah 1:10? Check this out:

“See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.” Jeremiah 1:10

WHEN God is getting stuff OUT of our lives… it’s kind of like when you were a child and you got a splinter in your finger. Remember that? BUT you were deathly afraid of your dad removing it with tweezers, right? Yes but then soon as it was removed, you felt elated and ran back outside to play!!! Well, when God removes foreign objects from our lives, great joy will fill our hearts and a spring will be in our step!
 
As His joy fills us, the joy of His salvation will teem in our hearts and lives, overflowing on others! (Psalms 51:10-13)

Psalm 51 beloved!

Let us cry out to the LORD as did beloved David in his psalm of repentance! Beloved David sinned grossly during a season of his life and yet, David could be convicted, drawn in, and repentant. Can you? Do you have a heart after God like the beloved David? May it be so, in the name of Jesus. Because God is good and David responded to His drawing him back to Himself, the Bible later records that the beloved “sweet psalmist of Israel” was “a man after” the heart of the LORD.

“I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.” Acts 13:22 

Like Paul, David finished strong and so can we! (2 Timothy 4:7-8).

It is utterly priceless that David, Israel’s greatest human king, was called by our LORD “the sweet psalmist of Israel.”

“Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said.” 2 Samuel 23:1

Getting into God’s Word will assure that God’s Word will get into you.

God’s Word, the truth, will not permeate your life unless you come away with Jesus, you make the quality decision to obey God and set yourself apart unto Him.

“Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.” Proverbs 18:1

Memorize this verse. As usual, always in the King James Bible.

Notice the first words….

“Through desire” and then

“a man, having separated himself” …

“seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.”

Proverbs 18:1

Where is your desire? Are you more interested in being an author than you are of knowing Jesus, becoming daily more rooted in Him, in His truth?

Those who truly desire more of the LORD and to be thereafter used by Him, will separate themselves unto Him. He will do His work in these true disciples and use them mightily. There are no shortcuts.

Any person naming the name of Christ who is not learning to yield in the crucified life daily and isn’t full of God’s Word, has no business attempting to do any kind of ministry, including writing a book for a God they don’t even love enough to seek and obey. Such a person is not right with God themselves much less to attempt to speak for the LORD.

Flimsy, fake “Christian” books fill “Christian” bookstores everywhere today. As you flip through most “Christian” books written over the last few decades, immediately you notice the lack of Holy Scripture which clearly tells you that that author is completely arrogant and self-centered, not Savior centered. Such books are not Scripture-rich. Why? Simple: You see, he thinks more highly of himself than Christ. He’s all about telling you what he knows, his take, his philosophy on things. Such books are a total waste of time and the counterfeits who publish them will give full account to a holy God for misleading others. The second blaring error you will notice about today’s “Christian” books as you flip through them, is that if and when they use a Bible verse, it’s from a fake “bible” version. Laughable. Thirdly, in today’s “Christian” books, there is no cross, no judgment, no repentance, no Heaven, no hell, no personal holiness, nothing about Jesus Christ, etc. The cardinal, foundational, essential doctrines of the Christian faith are no where to be found.

Speaking of this, please make the quality decision now that you are going to study the real Bible, the King James Bible, and not some lame, cheap counterfeit. The last thing we need is yet another “Christian” book or person speaking using verses from counterfeit “bibles.” Godly people are full of holy conviction and cannot possibly remain with Satan’s corruptions of God’s Word. | Fake Bible Versions Exposed | 4 Bible Verses Compared: Game Changer!

It may be God Himself who has put it in your heart to write for Him. Yet He will not use you if you refuse to lay down your life in this world, to repent for real, and get into His Word and count it as the highest and final divine authority, never looking back.

“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

Intermeddling with all wisdom involves becoming engrossed, enthralled, and enveloped in the Word of the kingdom of Christ. This involves desiring the LORD so much that you turn off and tune out all the distractions of this world and dive into ever deepening fellowship with Him in His Word and the life of prayer.

Those who are content to be shallow, shallow rooted, are a dime a dozen.

Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.” Psalms 42:7

Memorizing Joshua 1:8 and 2 Timothy 2:15 will forever change your life.

Deep is calling unto deep. Will you answer that call?

“Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge. 18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips. 19 That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee. 20 Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge, 21 That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?” Proverbs 22:17-21

Are you “ready, are you loaded up with God’s words so that you can readily communicate them to others?

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” 1 Peter 3:15

“Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.” Proverbs 23:23

Regardless of the platform, the format, the medium of communication, if God is going to be glorified in your labor, He must be first glorified in your personal, daily life. The cross.

God will use publicly those who choose to be set apart to Him privately.

“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

Those who are known of God will be used of Him. They will strictly preach His Word and nothing else. Such disciples have never been more needed than they are today in this day of great apostasy – departing from the truth.

“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.” 2 Timothy 4:2-4

Being immersed in the Word of God is required for being used of God to speak forth, to communicate His holy oracles.

“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:10-11

It’s one thing to say “the Bible says” and yet another thing to actually quote the Bible itself, allowing God to speak for Himself, letting His people learn HIS truth for themselves, and not just take your word for it. Let us facilitate people taking God’s Word for things, not ours.

Those who are truly of God, let God speak for Himself – by quoting, stating His words, not their own!

In the book Predators in Our Pulpits, the first chapter details how God has ordained that ministry be conducted. The mere servant of God gives the Word of God directly and then, simply gives “the sense” of the words of God. So, he simply teaches God’s Word unwaveringly and nothing else.

“So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” Nehemiah 8:8

True servants of Jesus uphold His Word as absolute final divine authority. These are the ones God is using.

The divine law of Genesis 1 is that every seed produces after its own kind. An apple seed can only produce another apple tree and not an orange tree. In the same way, we cannot possibly lead others where we ourselves are not first willing to go.

Will you become just another false prophet or will you be used mightily of the LORD?

“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.” Colossians 2:8

Never mind sharing YOUR thoughts and foolish philosophies. That’s exactly what false prophets do. Now it’s time to repent, to get right with God, and to walk with Jesus, immersing yourself in prayer and the diligent, daily, deep study of God’s Word in the King James Bible. This is the only way the LORD is going to circumcise your heart, cutting away all the evil thoughts and false imaginations – and to instill His holy truth in you so that His Word is what you communicate. The cross – you must die, you must lay down your life door nail dead. Only then will Jesus raise you up – and if you don’t, you will be propelled by Satan as one of his agents to deceive people.

How grounded are you in God’s Word? Can you say with beloved Job? …

“Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.” Job 23:12

How can we expect God to use us if we don’t honor Him enough to honor His Word?

You Can Forget it …

GOD is not going to use anyone unless they die – to self, to self-will, to all that is self. Galatians 2:20; John 3:30; Luke 9:23-24; Colossians 3:3, etc.

If you will not lay down your life to the LORD, you can forget being used of Him.

One thing is certain, that God is not calling you to pen a book or do any ministry at all at this time, if you are not learning to die. It’s only out of the cross life – where you are dead and buried – that Jesus is going to raise you upward and use you for His glory.

“Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.” 2 Corinthians 4:10-12

The cross of Christ and the cross He commanded you to take up daily, is central to the Christian faith. There are no shortcuts and only a counterfeit would seek one.

The vast majority of those who lead in the professing, apostate modern church world, are utterly false. And, if you don’t stop, repent for real, lay down your life, and move forward taking up the cross, you will also in word, deed, and inaction be yet another peddler of a false gospel and “accursed” (Galatians 1:6-9).

Is that what you want? Do you desire to be just another self-promoting charlatan who makes merchandise of and misleads others for your own self-serving good? (Romans 16:18; 2 Peter 2:1-3; Philippians 3:18-19, etc.).

Becoming beholden to, immersed in the cross life assures that the LORD will raise you up and use you mightily. The deeper the death, the higher the resurrection.

It’s time to go down deep into the death of Christ. There will be NO raising up to those who don’t. Be not deceived.

Today, we look for a DEMOTION, not a promotion. The cross: John 3:30. If you are not dead and buried today, it’s not Christ who’s raising you up (2 Corinthians 4:10-12). Whatever goes up must come down – unless it’s Christ who’s bringing you upward in His resurrection grace as you are dead and buried. The cross is central to Jesus’ kingdom (Romans 6).

The way of Christ is the way of the cross. The way of the cross is the way of Christ. Non-negotiably. John 3:30

Prayer: Precious heavenly Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus Christ my LORD. Here and now, if never before, I admit my own foolishness, my sinfulness, my self-will, and how I have sinfully done things my way and not Yours. It’s total rebellion, idolatry, and spiritual adultery. LORD, please forgive my gross sins against You and anoint me to the death and burial of self, that You alone might reign in glory in this life. Forgive me for seeking to do things my way instead of Yours. I love You LORD. Have Your perfect way in this life. I’m all Yours and I know You are all mine. Use me dear LORD, please. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Do You Seriously Think God Can’t Use You? [podcast]

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God and His People Know Your Heart by Your Fruit

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Apostasy

“THE GREAT DRAGON” [podcast]


Excerpt from the book Lie of the Ages

Origin of Evil

“And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” ~ Revelation 12:9

Like it or not, you have a sworn enemy. He has drawn a line in the sand. You are in a war for your eternal soul and you must fight or you will be destroyed.

The introduction to the God of all creation and lover of His highest creation—mankind, is of supreme importance. And so is realizing and understanding the existence of the most wicked and iniquitous being in this universe. He is one of the major themes and realities in this record of mankind’s beginning. The Word of our God unveils creation’s account, leading to our present day and into the eternal future. What is set forth in the book of Genesis would set the stage and affect all of the history that would follow.

This book of origins is about that fatal falsehood which emanates from the Garden where it all began—a garden that was sinless bliss and perfection until the lie was introduced and acted upon by the first two people.

Of this very archenemy of the Most-High, from whom all lies originate, the Word states: “Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God” (Ezek. 28:13). The serpent, animated by the vilest of all beings, was allowed to slither into the innocence and purity that originally existed in the sanctuary of creation. This was due to the fact that perfect divine wisdom has seen fit to allow His creation to have the opportunity of choice between good and evil (Deut. 30:19; Josh. 24:15; Job 12:16; 1 Cor. 11:19).

Satan has a purpose. Since love is volitional by its very nature, our Creator has seen fit to permit this evil and beguiling villain to remain present amidst those professing sanctuary in the LORD. Life on earth is a test for all—all humans are on probation. Love is a choice and so is rebellion. The Maker of all made man with free will so that the choice could be made to love or not to love Him. Among volumes of other Scriptures found in Holy Writ which demonstrate this, the following words from on high make plain that the LORD made Man with free will: “Choose you this day whom ye will serve” (Josh. 24:15).

Such a statement would not have been spoken by the LORD if He had not made man with the ability of choice. Man was created with the ability to “choose” every “day” whom he will serve, and this choice is ongoing while men are upon the earth in this temporal life.

It would be remiss to attempt discussing the very lie of the ages without opening the grand subject of the one whom Christ said was the father (originator) of all lies. Of Satan, the Son of God informed us, as He spoke to the rebellious religionists of His day:

“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” ~ John 8:44

All men are born in sin and are “by nature” the “children of disobedience.”

“Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” ~ Ephesians 2:2-3

There are, at this moment only two classes of people in the earth—those who have relationship with the One who made us all, and those who don’t. According to this passage (Ephesians 2), all those who have not been brought into the kingdom of God through Christ, have as their father, the devil. The reason the Son of God came to the earth was to sever the ties and claim of Satan from mankind. He came to deliver men from this relationship of fear, domination and bondage that is only enabled by sin.

“To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” ~ Acts 26:18

“Who (God the Father) hath delivered us from the power of darkness (Satan), and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” ~ Colossians 1:13-14

The mission of Christ was to reconcile or restore the relationship that had been severed by the sin of the first man and woman which caused death (separation) to fall upon all men, the whole race (Romans 5:12). He fully accomplished His mission and is now seated at His Father’s right hand, enforcing this victory (Heb. 4:14-16; 7:25-26).

From the dawn of the creation and fall of mankind, all evil, tragedy and pain in history has been caused by Satan and enabled by man’s sin (Prov. 26:2). Only the LORD, the One whose holiness is violated when sin is committed, can save, restore and heal (Jer. 17:14; 1 Cor. 15:57; Rev. 21:4).

Victory was obtained through the precious blood of Jesus (1 Pet. 1:18-19). Being forgiven and released from all sin and its evil effects and the dominion of Satan, comes through Christ alone. Jesus utterly conquered His enemy on the cross (Col. 2:13-15; 1 Jn. 3:8). Blessed forgiveness and spiritual power enables the individual disciple to serve the LORD without fear and bondage to sin. Sin enables Satan’s rule and only those who are free from it by Jesus Christ can rule over His enemies (Ps. 8:6; 17:4; Jn. 8:31-36; 1 Jn. 4:4). Christ triumphed over the enemy of all souls with His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead. Read the following passage for all it’s worth:

“For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 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 1:19-23

The Son of God accomplished complete victory in bringing God and men back into perfect union by “the blood of His cross” (Col. 1:20).

“And you, being dead (separated) in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened (made alive) together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show (sport; spectacle) of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” ~ Colossians 2:13-15

The “serpent” who was in the Garden of creation and still “walketh about” in the midst of the earth, is specifically identified as Satan and the devil (1 Pet. 5:8; Rev. 12:9; 20:2). This ultimate enemy of all that is good took control of the serpent in his attack against man. The serpent, animated by the enemy of souls himself, was used as the instrument that led to the fall of mankind and the righteous retribution of the holy Creator. Yet, Jesus Christ accomplished mankind’s redemption through “the blood of His cross” (Col. 1:20).

Know Your Enemy

Allow me to parenthetically say here that if one does not personally believe in a literal devil (Satan) and his insidious work of evil among men, then perhaps that person will do well to begin to search God’s Word for the volumes of Scripture which identify and describe him along with unveiling his wicked purposes. The LORD inspired the Scriptures and has much to say about His enemy—our enemy. It is interesting to discover that the word “devil” appears 57 times in the Bible. The word “Satan” appears 50 times. These are the most utilized terms to describe this darkest of fallen beings, and yet there are several more which identify this enemy of all souls who is the personification of evil, such as “serpent,” and “adversary” (1 Pet. 5:8; Rev. 12:9).

“And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” ~ Revelation 12:9

His goal may be summed up this way: Satan’s complete and total purpose that underlies all that he does is to cause men to fall from grace just as he himself did and was banished from fellowship with the life-giving God. There is a horrible prison of fire which will be the eternal home of all who leave this earth apart from a personal and intimate relationship with the One who died for sinners.

On Judgment Day, that Great and Terrible Day of separation between the righteous and the unrighteous will include these horrible words “from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away”:

“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” ~ Revelation 20:11-15

To those whose existence in this temporal life ends disconnected from the only Savior, the following will be the verdict delivered to them in Judgment: “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt. 25:41).

Hell is a place of indescribably horrid eternal punishment and was created by the LORD for his archenemy and all those who are not His.

Back to the enemy, the one who wants you dead and in hell: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8).

One may find great intrigue in uncovering this iniquitous fallen foe and gain much insight into the dark world of demons and deception along with gaining perception into the real battle in the spirit realm that rages over mankind.

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” ~ Ephesians 6:11-12

By the volume of information about His enemy included in His Word, we know that the LORD intended for us to know our enemy—His enemy.

Believers are to give him no place: “Neither give place to the devil” (Eph. 4:27).

Believers are to set themselves against him: “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (Jas. 4:7); “Stand against the wiles of the devil” (Eph. 6:11).

Believers are to know his scheming goals and ways and avoid them lest he gain advantage of us: “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Cor. 2:11).

The devil seeks to trip up, war against, wear out and devour the sheep of the LORD’s pasture. He has come to wreak havoc among the Lord’s highest creation: “The thief (devil) cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

Power Over All the Power of the Enemy

Believers are warned to live in obedience to the Word of God in order to escape falling into “the condemnation of the devil” and being caught in “the snare of the devil” or giving an “advantage” to him (1 Tim. 3:6-7; 2 Tim. 2:26; 2 Cor. 2:11).

The enemy of our souls prospers through the ignorance of God’s people—he is shut out and his work nullified by the knowledge and obedience of God’s people.

“By the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.” ~ Psalms 17:4

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” ~ Psalms 91:1

Disciples of Jesus are kept from being destroyed by the enemy in obeying the Word of God. Holy Writ informs us that Jesus came to successfully “destroy the works of the devil” and that “greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 Jn. 3:8; 4:4).

Christ promised power to those who are truly His:

“And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.” ~ Luke 10:17-20

Jesus Christ, the eternal Word, became flesh so that He might destroy the works of the enemy of our souls:

“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.” ~ Hebrews 2:14

Believers are told to be of a sober mind and diligent in light of the proactive and evil plans of Satan to destroy them:

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world”. ~ 1 Peter 5:8-9

Here’s what the Bible says about Satan’s work in the last days:

“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

As foretold here, the work of the evil one is accelerating in this late hour before the destruction of all rebellion and return of our LORD Jesus Christ.

The Alpha and Omega is coming back, and His enemy’s end is sure:

“And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.” ~ Romans 16:20

“And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.” ~ Revelation 20:2-3

“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” ~ Revelation 20:10

Surrounded and Outnumbered

Elisha’s servant was brought to the understanding that there are more angels of God with God’s children than there are fallen angels who rebelled:

“And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he (the prophet Elisha) answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” ~ 2 Kings 6:15-17

The one who is following Christ need not fear. LORD Jesus open our eyes! Nothing has changed—there are “more” angels of the LORD “with us…than they that be with them (the enemy). The saints of the Most High are promised protection and His angels are part of that plan.

“Are they (God’s angels) not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation.” ~ Hebrews 1:14

“The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.” ~ Psalms 34:7

In Heaven and in eternity past, two-thirds of the then-angelic beings remained under the command and blessing of the Almighty, while a third chose to depart with Lucifer and are forever alienated from the Most High. Let’s take a glimpse into a war that took place in Heaven in eternity past, a war that has great impact today:

“And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 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 12:7-12

It would remain difficult to understand this life and present world system, and the world to come if one were to pass lightly over this war of wars that occurred (took place) in Heaven. When we begin to delve into the data given in this matter, understanding comes of our great God and His arch adversary. Enlightenment and understanding into the 6,000 years of mankind’s history open to us when we know what preceded this time period. Knowledge into what we are told prophetically is transpiring before our very eyes. As we are seeing, the Holy Scriptures reveal much about that dark and sinister being called “Satan” and the “devil” who is and will have a large part to play in the fulfillment of prophecy. Although his rebellion against the Almighty began in eternity past, the serpent’s workings among men began in the Garden of Eden. He crept in to accomplish his wicked agenda. He has seemingly succeeded for this moment, yet the divine promise is that his time is running short. “The devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time” (Rev. 12:12).

The First Fall-Out: Eternal Termination

We all understand what it means when someone says, “John and Mark had a falling-out.” This means they were friends or business partners, and then because of some disagreement, they parted company and are no longer friends. Well, the first falling-out occurred between the Almighty and Lucifer. The angel Lucifer fell out of the favor of God and consequently fell out of Heaven. Of Lucifer’s ejection from Heaven, the Son of God stated: “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven” (Lk. 10:18).

The evil one was evicted from Heaven when he turned against God. Originally, he was a good angel, “the anointed cherub,” who led the worship of the Almighty, until the day that “iniquity was found” in him (Ezek. 28:14-15). Lucifer, who became Satan and the devil, led a third of the angels of the Most-High God in rebellion against Him. “And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth” (Rev. 12:4).

Ultimately, all deception and all lies have their origin in this greatest of all enemies who brought about the sin and fall of mankind and wages war today against the Almighty’s highest creation (mankind). Of Satan, the Son of God said: “for he is a liar, and the father of it” (Jn. 8:44). He also informed us that this supreme adversary has come to do three things— “to steal, to kill, and to destroy” (Jn. 10:10). He wages war against God and His people. He is defined as and called “the accuser of our brethren” (Rev. 12:10).

Satan is a real being. He is not a figment of someone’s imagination. In fact, anyone who is convinced of such has already been conquered by his deception. He is forever the sworn enemy of the LORD, and will ultimately be put away for good, never again to tempt another soul to rebel against the Maker of all that is. “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Rev. 20:10).

The one who studies the Word of God will gain priceless insight into the reasons for the current condition of the world, and, into the future blessedness of all those who know and follow the One who bled to save us from God’s holy wrath against sin and Satan (Rom. 5:9). In fact, a divine blessing is pronounced upon all who read and obey the words of Holy Scripture: “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand” (Rev. 1:3).

PRAYER: Holy Father in Heaven, please bless me to know You more and to be kept from the evil one and his wicked schemes against Your people. Right this moment I ask You for and receive a fresh cleansing of all my sins by the blood of Jesus Christ my LORD and Savior, whereby I am blessed to overcome, along with the word of my testimony of how you have washed and delivered me. I declare afresh and aloud, right this second, if never before, that Jesus Christ is LORD of my life, and He alone will I worship and serve. Glory to His precious Name! In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

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Apostasy

The Deaths of Voddie Baucham vs Charlie Kirk [podcast]


Yes it’s an amazing impact and effect God is doing in the lives of so many through Charlie Kirk’s life and death. Undeniable. His life wasn’t perfect, neither was Abraham’s, Rahab’s, Noah’s, Moses, Samson, Peter…. etc God has each of them with Him now. Dare you pretend to self righteously pretend to be wiser and more just than the Almighty? You’ve been telling everyone else to repent and yet perhaps now it’s your time to obey the LORD’s command to repent (Acts 17:30).

Compare how people are reacting to Voddie Baucham vs how they are reacting to the death of Charlie Kirk.

Interestingly, some of the same people condemning Charlie Kirk listen to Voddie Baucham.

A simple search confirms Voddie Baucham’s calvinism. He died a heretic. He never renounced the false teachings of calvinism. In contrast Charlie Kirk denounced bribe money, catholicism. My inclination is to blast catholics but Charlie Kirk’s method was much wiser… and so he retained the ear and attention of the catholics which has and will continue to lead many to Christ. My own family member is now saved due to Charlie Kirk.

The error man can do does not negate the WORD of God, the truth that the same man may have spoken – because GOD’s Word shall “always accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11

Judas was sent by Jesus to preach the Gospel, heal the sick, raise the dead, etc. See Matthew 10:1-8. Then after that, Judas sinned and betrayed the Son of God. Should we believe that Judas’ sin thereafter somehow negates, does away with the work God accomplished through him previous to his rebellion?

Now I hear and heard Charlie saying he salutes the mormons due to their sending missionaries all over the world, etc. Not good. I don’t think Charlie knew the slightest bit about what mormons really believe. I remember after being saved that I thought mormons were just another Christian group, till I was pulled aside and enlightened by true disciples. Had Charlie been enlightened to what mormonism really is, he’d have denounced them as he did the catholic church, who he started out believing were true. He later found out what they believed and denounced it. Is it a sin to immature in the faith, to not understand everything? No. If that were the case why would God have ever address those immature in the faith? Heb 5:11-14; 1 John 2:14

Either way, even if CK is in hell, he certainly spoke truth that has turned many to God …. Who can use anyone He sees fit to use and has used many wicked men throughout HIS-story. Ps 75:6-7; Daniel 2:21 etc

Has God used you?

Does God use imperfect vessels?

Surely you wouldn’t claim sinless perfection, would you? (Job 9:20; Proverbs 20:9; 1 John 1:8-10)

Isn’t finishing strong, in faith, in Christ what is most important? Yes (2 Timothy 4:6-8).

What about Noah who got drunk? (Genesis 9:21)

How about Abraham who lied and even adulterated with his Egyptian handmaid? (Genesis 16)

What about Moses who killed a man and also struck the rock instead of speaking to it as God instructed him to do? (Numbers 20)

How about David who committed adultery with Bathsheba and then had her husband murdered and then sought a cover up? (2 Samuel 11-12).

No this does not justify sin and yet, God is just and holy and yet He’s merciful to His own, as they repent (Psalms 103:10-12)

Can you disprove the veracity of the above?

“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” 2 Timothy 2:19

Charlie Kirk vs Vodie Bauchum

Bauchum, like Washer, Piper, and MacArthur, spent his life pushing calvinism. Calvinism is a false system of theology. Every false teacher shall have eternal “damnation.” (2 Peter 2:1-3)

Voddie was close friends and calvinist ministry cohorts with the likes of Paul Washer, John Piper, and John MacAthur, all calvinist heretic false teachers. See Ezekiel 22:25-27.

The Idiocy of Calvinism

Some claim that Charlie Kirk pushed a false Christianity. Is that true?

In my opinion, Sam Adams seems to have no joy, the fruit of the Spirit…. (Galatians 5:22-23). He’s reading from a script in this video. Just because someone is exposing something doesn’t mean they are in the truth and giving a fair, thorough, just assessment of such. I’m not buying into Sam’s version of this. The facts seem to reveal something different. Sam is a hardshell baptist type and though he’s said some good things, he seems to be going dark. Remember, Sam Adams teaches the heresy of OSAS/eternal security, which was satan’s first lie and it led to the fall of mankind then and is now doing so (Gen 2:17; 3:4). The facts seem to indicate that Charlie finished in the faith. He rejected catholicism and other cultic persuasions. Where were the Sam Adam’s when the young man was being misled? Were they reaching out to help him as did Aquilla and Priscilla when they encountered the young man Apollos when he needed help in maturing in Christ? Acts 18. Be careful what you listen to saints. | Eternal Security is a Life from Hell

Wisdom sees beyond the surface. Charlie was a young man whose discernment was very shallow at best. In the end, he died in the faith, declaring that it’s all about Jesus and that Jesus died for our sins to give us eternal life. Like Samson his life was spotted as are all of our lives. He defended the Bible and faith against a mormon who was trying to convert him, literally seconds before he was assassination. A month before that he denounced catholicism as false. What many fail to understand is that every evil system of antichrists will come after those who have a platform, so that they can have that platform, they can seize that opportunity to get their evil message to the masses. The facts reveal that Charlie was gaining traction against these evil systems and that’s why they murdered him. He hard rejected, turned down $150 million to compromise with Israel. That’s the fair fruits we should see him by it seems (Matthew 7:16, 20).

Samson finished strong

“And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:” Hebrews 11:32

Reminder: The thief on the cross lived a whole life of sin. In his dying moment, he called on Jesus and was forgiven, pardoned, and promised paradise. He’s been there with Jesus and the saints for 2,000 years (Luke 23:42-43).

“Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6  Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” 1 Timothy 2:4-6

Are we underestimating the mercy of God for “all men”? Are we looking for ways to exclude eternal souls from His kingdom? If YOU died right now, would there be things you did that people could isolate and blow up into a huge issue and yet ignore that you died in faith, you died in the faith?

“For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.” James 2:13

Have you fought a good fight? Have you fought a perfect fight, a fight with no sinful set backs?

Who did Jesus say was seeking to sift the apostle Peter?

“And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, SATAN hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” Luke 22:31-32

This reveals to us that Satan who “walketh about seeking whom he may devour”, seeks to devour, to swallow up, to sift all who are in Christ – just as he did with Peter the apostle of Christ (1 Peter 5:8).

After being sifted by Satan and sinning, Peter was then restored to the LORD and soon after went forth to preach to 8,000 people who all repented and received Christ! See Acts 2-4.

As a recent example, do we think from the evidence that Satan sought to sift, to seduce, to devour Charlie Kirk? Yes he did and yet it seems that as it was with the case with Jesus and Peter, Charlie finished in faith.

Some choose to emphasize the things Charlie seemed to dabble in and yet ultimately openly forsook (catholicism, compromising for money, etc.). They are dead set on him being in hell. They just can’t seem to get past his vulnerableness to temptation and sin, so easily forgetting all the temptation and sin God has saved them from AFTER He saved them.

SOMEONE might say “they are a MASON”!!! Even when there is no real proof and fruit that says otherwise. Well I was worse, a CATHOLIC! Which is a worse system. I was farther from God but not unreachable by Him. Thank You Jesus for finding and saving this wretch!

Is there more proof that Charlie Kirk was a mason or a Christian?

There are only 2 type people on earth – saved and unsaved! Lost or found. Washed in the blood or not!

God is able.

None of us are the Savior. Luke 19:10

God is love. God is holy. God is merciful. God is just.

One of the final things Charlie Kirk stated before he was assassinated. He could have said ANYTHING and here’s what he chose to say. Matthew 12:34 anyone? Jesus says we know people “by their fruit” and not by what some others are saying (Matthew 7:16, 20). Sticking with the facts.

Solomon had 1000 women right?

What did he say of women?

“Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.” Proverbs 14:1

“Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.” Ecclesiastes 7:28

Have we seen anything of overt wickedness with Charlie Kirk? He was being courted, played, seduced by the enemy of souls and yet seemed to finish in faith as did Samson after a life of inconsistency. He did this while being surrounded by evil doers.

The fact that no one from TPUSA is calling for a real investigation is beyond suspicious in my opinion.

I don’t trust nor like Erika at the helm or any woman.

It appears possible that God blessed what Charlie did for HIM. The others were riding on God’s blessing upon Charlie. It’s all too typical to see that the pride of men leads them to believe they can do better, in this case, better than Charlie. We can count on this being a catastrophe as it always is. Perhaps they thought that getting rid of Charlie would be the best move (John 16:1-2). It seems now that these evil doers who surrounded Charlie will make a mess of TPusa. It will be controlled by Netanyahu and/or other evil interests. It seems plausible that they murdered him in order to take over his organization – just like Jezebel had her husband Ahab murder Naboth murdered to take over his land. They offered him a sum of money to purchase his vineyard, but Naboth refused the money and so they murdered him to get his land. See 1 Kings 21. In this case apparently Netanyahu offered $150 million to Charlie Kirk for influence over TPUSA. Charlie refused the money and many believe it was his Israeli security detail that killed him.

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Your Life Will Never be the Same [podcast]


The “More Blessed” Life

“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35

The “more blessed” life is the cross life our LORD calls us to.

“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” Luke 9:23-24

These are the words of the Messiah – who gave His life to purchase His church. And dare we say the eternal Word was “more blessed” as a result, as He brought back His alienated fallen race? (2 Corinthians 5:19-21)

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11 

To lose our lives, to abandon them to Christ, is to gain them everlasting. Those living the more blessed life, are giving their lives over to the LORD daily, as Jesus instructed and in preference to Christ, their “first love.” (Revelation 2:4-5) They choose Him over themselves as Romans 12:1 declares to us to “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1)

“He is no fool who gives up that which he cannot keep to gain that which he can never lose.” Jim Elliott

Lose, forsake it all to gain it all.

Our lives are not our own. We’ve been bought with the highest price. – “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:” (1 Peter 1:18-19)

Do we begin to realize, to understand the Gospel? – to understand the price God chose to pay to buy us back to Himself out of the world, out of a life of sin, out of separation from Him?

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 

The way we “glorify God in our body” is to “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1) This is how we are to be crucified with Christ our LORD and thereby raised up into new life, the life of “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 14:17)

Let’s look at and memorize our theme verse again:

“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35

Perhaps many times we view the above statement in terms of giving money or aid to someone in need or to the work of Christ. Yet it seems that more important than giving some thing or some money, etc., is the giving over of our lives to the LORD. And, when our lives are given over to our Maker, our Savior, all we have will be His and giving will be the result of this crucified, raised up disposition (1 Chronicles 29:14; Matthew 6:19-21; 2 Corinthians 9:6-11).

Those who give their life over to the One who gave them life are “more blessed” than what they could ever otherwise be.

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

In fact the cross life is the “more blessed” life Jesus is speaking of – the life that is dead, buried, and raised up with Christ (Luke 9:23-24; Romans 8:11; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12; Galatians 2:20, etc.). The resurrection is the healing, the wholeness! The life that isn’t “crucified with Christ” doesn’t get blessed with resurrection life and power. Only when the self-life is “crucified with Christ” can the blessing of the resurrection life of God be realized.

Of this, one writer notes:

“Healing is the resurrection. Wholeness, holiness, completeness, entireness, perfectness, undividedness are all words that describe those that are dying and RISING again with Christ.

The religious person, the legalist, humanly moral person are all divided. They are not whole or holy. They cannot be holy even if they, like the Pharisees, are strictly moral.  They do not know undivided unconditional love. Even the tax collectors can do conditional love said Jesus in Matt 5:38-48. They are moral hypocrites. ‘Depart from Me. I never knew you.’ And they never knew Him.

The law says if you sow good deeds you will reap blessing.  Grace says if you sow your old self into death you will reap the resurrection life and power of Christ. Thus, the Bible has redefined the meaning of sowing and reaping in the New Testament.”

The resurrection healing, wholeness, comes to those who are truly “crucified with Christ.” (Galatians 2:20; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12)

The LORD our Creator has designed/set things up so that we ourselves can only personally be fulfilled if and when we are walking in His perfect will and meeting the needs and desires of others.

It is the “mind of Christ” to give our lives over to the LORD Jesus and others. This disposition runs counter to all the self-centered notions and philosophies taught among sinful men, including the recovery-addicted false church world.

“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” Philippians 2:3-5

The above passage is a great one to read every morning this whole week. If you do so in sincere prayer to the LORD, your life will never be the same.

We cannot and will not be fulfilled by worldly riches or pursuits but only by obeying God and fulfilling the needs of others

“But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.” Matthew 10:6-8

The LORD requires that all who will follow Him (and go to Heaven), must lay aside their own will. Jesus cried “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”(Luke 22:42) The daily cross is some Jesus mandates and all who truly know and are following Him are learning that daily cross by simple submitted obedience and the enablement of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:12-14).

True repentance means laying our lives down at His feet and being dead to self which means we have NO personal agenda! (Romans 6)

“I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” John 5:30

Regrettably, most who claim to be saved have not the slightest desire or clue as to what truly following Christ really is. This is because they are trusting what their pastor has told them instead of searching the Holy Scriptures to see what the Judge of their eternal souls says.

“And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” 2 Corinthians 5:15

Today, write Philippians 2:3-5 on an index card and begin to read it daily, to meditate upon it, and assimilate into your mind, thoughts, actions, and life.

Your life is going to change now. God is going to begin undergirding your thoughts and life, orchestrating His perfect will as He conforms you to the image of Jesus Christ.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 8:28-29

Get out of your own world disciple of Jesus. Embark on this cross journey. You are Jesus’ servant and student. Look around you. Anticipate the needs and legitimate desires of your mate, your children, your family, your friends, and those you don’t yet know. If you will help with the business of others, God will take care of yours.

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33

Crying out with John the Baptist….

“He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30 

Jesus came and empty Himself (Philippians 2). The Son of God withheld nothing. Christ gave all. He poured out His whole heart and life to please His Father and to bless fallen mankind (Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Acts 3:26). God bankrupted Heaven to redeem us.

The measure of your spiritual maturity and state can clearly be seen in how you are given over with reckless abandon to the LORD and to serving others.

Why would God raise up someone who is already alive, alive to self, in self? He will not. It takes the cross to liquidate the old man – a laying down of our own lives, our will, our agenda, our way. God only raises up, resurrects those who are willingly dead and buried with Christ. Those live in the dead and buried posture, are being raised up in the power of God, blessed, and mightily used of Him! There is no other way for us – just as there was no other way for Jesus to redeem the world without the cross and buried. He defeated sin, Satan, and death by dying and being raised up! (Romans 8:11; Hebrews 2:14-15, etc.).

Here’s the “remnant” of Christ described:

“And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward: 32 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.” Isaiah 37:31-32

Note in the passage above that the remnant escaped from that which claims to represent the LORD while subverting His truth – “enemies of the cross of Christ.” (Philippians 3:18-19) God is calling out His remnant to lay down our lives and in doing so there will be a separation, a coming out of the cross-less apostate modern church world (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). If it’s a cross-less gospel, it’s a false gospel. The redemptive cross of Christ and the one He commanded we take up, are at the center of the original Gospel message. This is how we know who is true and false.

Being Jesus’ Disciple

“So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:33 

Jesus instructed us to “Remember Lot’s wife.” Genesis 19 records the escape from Sodom, from divine judgment upon the inhabitants. As she was obeying the command of the angels not to look back, while she was escaping judgment, Lot’s wife looked back and perished. She was judged with the wicked and make no mistake, this is exactly was our LORD wants us to “remember.” Many today, like Lot’s wife, were saved and yet then they turned back to the old, to the evil, to the fires of eternal judgment that were once behind them. Now they face those same fires of damnation and the torment will be even “worse with them than the beginning.” (2 Peter 2:20-22) They’ve turned back to what they were delivered from and are perishing.

“Remember Lot’s wife. 33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.” Luke 17:32-33 

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I come to You in Jesus’ name and ask You to forgive me for my self-idolatry, my heart rebellion, my uncleanness, and ever other sin I’ve committed against You. LORD, I know You are holy and ask You to make me holy as You are holy. Please set me apart unto Yourself and grace a broken, contrite heart of flesh. Here and now I lay my life in Your hands. I am crucified with Christ. I am dead and my life is hid with Christ in God. Thank You this moment Jesus for washing me clean of all sin in Your precious blood LORD Jesus. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s learn God’s Word together, one truth at a time. Sign up here to receive the Moments with Our Master email which is sent out for your edification, learning, and discernment.

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