Abiding

The Correlation of Grace and Good Works [podcast]

Paula White Exposed [video]

THAT’s My King! Pastor Lockridge [video]

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

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

Confused about how grace, faith, and works correlate?

“We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.” Ephesians 2:10

We are saved by God through Christ’s perfect sacrifice, by grace through faith, and yet true saving faith ALWAYS produces the fruit of an obedient, holy life. Obedience saves no one and yet is the fruit, the proof one truly knows and is known of God. Anyone teaching otherwise is fulfilling the grace-perverting prophesy of Jude 4. Read James 2; 1 John 2:3-6, chapter 3, etc.

“Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” John 14:23

“Amen brother, this is such a beautiful and powerful verse. Jesus shows here that true love for Him is not merely words or emotions, but a life that treasures and obeys His teachings. Loving Christ and obeying Him are deeply connected. If ye love me, keep my commandments. John 14:15 What amazes me most is the promise that follows obedience and love. Jesus says that the Father and the Son will make their abode with the believer. What an incredible picture of fellowship, communion, and nearness with God. The Christian life is not simply following rules, but walking in relationship with the living God daily. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. James 4:8 I also think this verse reminds us that obedience flows from love, not from fear or empty religion. When our hearts truly love Christ, we desire to follow Him, hear His voice, and walk in His truth. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27 Thank you for sharing this brother. It is such a beautiful reminder that God desires not distant religion, but a close abiding relationship with those who love Him sincerely.” Raju sambattula

FALSE GRACE ALERT. JUDE WARNED US!

“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness (license to sin), and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jude 3-4

IF your definition of grace is that God saves into Heaven those who die in sin, you are a false teacher. Repent now wicked one (Ezekiel 18:4; 33:12-13; 2 Peter 2:20-21, etc.).

We are doing God’s Word empowered by our LORD’s Holy Ghost and grace through the cross life, and having our hearts established in His grace and not so much just do’s and don’ts….. 2 Corinthians 4:10-12 and Hebrews 13:9.

Understanding the salvation of our God in Christ does wonders to envelope us in His love, to forge sonship in our heart as “we cry, Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:15)

Jesus alone can save and He does that when the recipient repents and receives Him by faith (Acts 20:21, etc.). Only then, after one is truly born again, will there be the fruit of good works, that is, if they truly were genuinely saved (Titus 3:5-7). Yet the good fruit saves no one…. it only testifies to where that person’s heart is. Good fruit is only produced in the lives of those who are truly saved (Matthew 12:33; Galatians 5:22-23, etc.).

Repentance and faith required for salvation – initially and ongoing (Acts 20:21). Abide/remain/continue – or burn (John 15:6). The fruit that proves one is truly saved is that they obey Christ. John 14:15; Matt 3:7-10; 7:21; 1 John 2:4; Titus 1:16, 1 John 3, etc.

If a person is not obeying the LORD, they prove not to be trusting Him by faith (James 2; 1 John 2:3-6; ). So it’s about the authenticity of faith – whether one’s faith is real or fake.

God requires us to admit we are evil sinners and repent, turn to Him, putting our faith in His Son’s perfect finished work …. that’s where it all begins.

And as we do, as we abide in Christ to the end, the fruit of good works WILL be born and perpetually manifesting in our lives (John 15).

Daily immersion in God’s Word is where His “great peace” is (Psalms 119:165).

Good works are not the way to Jesus. Jesus is the way to God-glorifying good works. Without being genuinely born again and presently abiding in Christ, in His stated terms, our works are on vain.

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

Those who know the LORD, are known of Him, WILL absolutely bring forth the good and corresponding fruit that glorifies Christ (Galatians 5:22-24, etc.).

Salvation is all about knowing Jesus and the Father and being known of Him, right? Memorize John 17:3 now. Also, read Philippians 3:10. Notice Paul speaks of “NOT having mine own righteousness.” See Philippians 3:6-10.

Verses like Hebrews 13:9 and 2 Peter 3:18 though should be in our daily prayers. Salvation is God’s gift to us earned by Christ alone (Romans 6:23). Reading the end of Romans 3 over and over, prayerfully, helped me much. Only the ardent student of the LORD, and therefore of Holy Scripture, will be blessed with a deep peace in the balance of the divine salvation plan of God (Psalms 119:165). This comes over time and deep study and therefore not overnight.

The eternal security heretics teach that Jesus’ salvation wasn’t enough to give us victory over what He came to die to save us from – sin. Nonsense. Romans 6. This is how they justify living in sin.

IF YOU WERE ACCUSED OF BEING A DISCIPLE OF JESUS, WOULD THERE BE EVIDENCE ENOUGH TO PROVE IT?

Good works are commanded in the New Testament (Titus 3:8, etc.) and always present where saving grace is found (Ephesians 2:8-10). Good fruit and good works do not save and yet, they are the proof one is truly saved (Matthew 7:15, 20; Titus 1:16; James 2:14-26; 1 John 2:4-5, etc.).

There are lots of believers in need of a more complete knowledge and understanding of biblical salvation. There are many half-baked believers who have a partial knowledge of what the Bible teaches about Christ’s salvation.

Righteousness is first imparted to us from God – imputed to us when we stop, repent, and believe upon Christ (Romans 4). Then, we let our, His light shine through us via good works. Jesus says: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

Those saved by grace truly, without exception, bring forth the fruit of good works. Got fruit? The fruit of good works saves no one – yet it’s always the evidence of true saving grace in a person’s life.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10

Just because Jesus paid it all does not mean that Jesus doesn’t have stated conditions for receiving His gift of salvation. Repentance and faith are those conditions and true repentance and faith will be demonstrated, proved by who we love which is who we obey! (Matthew 3:7-10; Luke 9:23-24; 14:27, 33; 17:33; John 14:15; 15:14; Romans 6; James 2; 1 John 2:3-6, etc.). – “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works…” (Ephesians 2:8-10)

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;” Titus 2:11-12

“The understanding is, if I am truly abiding in Christ, the Vine (John 15:4-5), my first love, then the fruit will come from Him, and not of my own making — but through me. Again, it’s relationship with Christ that is the root of the matter, and not just outwardly keeping a list of rules (living under the law).” Debbie Lord

Jesus is 100% the One who saves us.

“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. … We love him, because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:9-10, 19

Jesus saves us we meet HIS stated conditions – repentance, saving faith which always produces good works.

“Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” Acts 20:21

Jesus saves us, not our faith and obedience which simply appropriate His salvation. Saving faith and obedience to Him are always found in each of those who are His. Repentance and faith are the conditions – to the end of ones life on earth (Acts 20:21; Revelation 2:26).

Jesus alone can save. No one saves themself. Jesus “by himself purged our sins.” (Hebrews 1:3) Yes God requires your repentance and faith and yet it’s still Christ that saves you.

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:5-7

One disciple writes:

“How can we stop sinning without the convicting power of the Holy Spirit in us? We can’t! It was after I became born again that sin became a problem. I needed the Holy Spirit to help me get sanctified! And it is ongoing until my last earthly breath. We get more and more Holy as we submit to His way.”

Saving faith in ones heart will always result in good fruit, good works…. a changed life (2 Cor 5:17-18; Eph 2:8-10; James 2, etc.).

Response to the now blocked heretic who posted a link titled “James was wrong”:

No heretick, phony Bible corrector… you simply do not understand how to synthesize the whole of Scripture. Repent for denying Christ by denying what HE chose to be in His Word.

Paul taught how to be saved (by faith) while James shows us exactly what saving faith looks like – it’s full of good works because those saved are “his workmanship” and the LORD is working in them (Ephesians 2:8-10).

QUESTION RECEIVED:

“Hi My brother. I need some godly counsel. If we are saved by grace through faith why are we judged by our works? Is this faith through works because faith without works is dead? If it is a free gift why does it cost us our lives? If it is the finished work on the cross what does that exactly mean? Please answer these questions because I am struggling with this.” Cat

REPLY:

Hi Cat. “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations” (Revelation 2:26).

Keeping His works – obeying Him – proves one is truly in Him, knows Him.

Because what you do is the clear indication, the fruit of your real knowledge of Jesus. The fruit of good works can only come out of intimacy (John 15, 17).

It would be impossible to find someone who is truly saved by His grace who does not have the fruit of good works (Ephesians 2:8-10).

Because works are the fruit that you know and are abiding in Christ

The fruit of good works will always be found in a truly rooted, grounded and abiding saint.

Read John 15:1-16 prayerfully, closely.

Good fruit, good works save no one and yet, they are always the produce of a life that is truly in Christ.

Christ did His work perfectly on the cross, accomplishing redemption for fallen man. Yet we must never negate anything Jesus taught. He gave us conditions and we either choose to love Him more than self or deny Him for the idolatry of self.

Meditate now and forever on what He says in Matthew 22:37-39; Luke 9:23-24; John 12:23-25.

Repentance and Fruit

The Essential of Repentance “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 God’s not willing that any should perish and yet we see that some will not, choose not to repent and will be damned irrevocably . “And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet REPENTED NOT of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and […]

Grace and Good Works [podcast]

We who are Saved by Grace through Faith are “His Workmanship” “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10 The born again believer is “justified by faith,” sanctified by faith, set apart to the LORD (Psalms 4:3). God deals with the sin and the sinner. He makes us new creatures in Christ upon […]

WHO Do You Love? [podcast]

We must all examine ourselves by asking: WHO is the supreme love of my life? When we truly repent, all our ways will be changed and we will fear or honor no man or woman above God. King Asa is a great example. Notice here in the verse below how we are informed by the record of Holy Writ that Asa violently removed his mother from being queen and publicly destroyed her sinful works of idolatry! “And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an idol in […]

Abiding

The Death before the Death [podcast]

Gethsemane Preceded Calvary

“And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, 42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. 43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Luke 22:42-44

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

“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

“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. 25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?” Luke 9:23-25

Shall We Freshly Declare the Cross to be Front and Center in our Personal Lives?

“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

5 Aspects of the Mind of Christ [podcast]

5 Components of the Mind of Christ from Philippians 2 Jesus Christ made Himself of no reputation. He took upon Him the form of a servant. He was made in the likeness of men. He humbled Himself. He became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:2-10 “Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 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 […]

The Cross and the Throne of Grace [podcast]

“Hid with Christ in God” “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” Colossians 3:1-4 The safest place in the universe is in the cross of Christ: “your life is hid with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). Our place of protection is […]

Raised Up in Christ [podcast]

3 Resurrections to Celebrate 1. Christ’s resurrection (Matthew 27:64; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, etc.). 2. Your resurrection at the moment of regeneration and daily resurrection (Romans 1:4; 4:25; 6:3-14; 8:11; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12; Ephesians 2:6). 3. Final resurrection into glory or damnation (John 5:28; 29; 1 Corinthians 15). Christ’s resurrection guarantees ours and that we need not fear death. Dancing on hell’s grace. Read 1 Corinthians 15 serveral times. “But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and […]

The Only Way Up is Down [podcast]

Chapter 8 from the book Raised Up (narration) “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18 The Down and Up Principle of God’s Kingdom “And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root DOWNWARD, and bear fruit UPWARD.” Isaiah 37:31 The Scriptures follow a pattern of death and resurrection, a downward death and upward life. See if you can observe such a truth in the following verses: “The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth UP all those that be bowed DOWN.” Psalms 145:14 Do you possess the blessed desire to be raised up by […]

Abiding

“Rend Your Heart, and Not Your Garments” [podcast]

Who Does God Look to? Who Does God Dwell in?

Beware of any man pretending to represent Christ who isn’t praying and preaching for you to be possessed by a humble and contrite heart.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3

“‘Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven’ (Matthew 5:3). A low condition. ‘Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted’ (Matthew 5:4). To mourn over our sin and our utter wickedness before a holy and righteous God. Those are the ones who will receive the comfort and ‘joy in the Holy Ghost’ (Romans 14:17).” Karen Cochran

Abandoning Our Own Sin, Our Own Way, for God and His Better Way!

To “rend your heart” is a biblical phrase meaning to tear open your heart in radical sincerity, true humility, and genuine repentance.

The phrase comes from Joel 2:13 in the Bible: “Rend your heart and not your garments and return to the Lord your God.”

One source notes the following:

“Context and Deeper Meaning:

Cultural Background: In ancient times, the Jewish people would tear (rend) their clothes as a public, highly visible display of grief or repentance.
The Spiritual Message: God is warning that outward rituals (like ripping clothing) are meaningless if the heart remains unchanged. Rending your heart implies breaking through your pride, letting go of excuses, and being completely vulnerable and authentic before God.
The Reward: The verse goes on to say that God is “gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.” Tearing open your heart allows you to experience His forgiveness and restore your relationship with Him.”

To see an example of rending one’s physical garment in representation of rending their heart, see Acts 14:11-18.

Where is the LORD Looking?

“But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

“Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the Lord your God” Joel 2:12-14

“What a gracious invitation is contained in these words. How tenderly the Lord reasons with his people. And what an encouraging assurance it folds up with. Reader! do not fail to observe that this call of the Lord, the accompanying grace to incline the heart to the observance of it is implied. It is most blessed ever to remember that when the Lord thus comes forth in his endearing invitations, he is secretly inclining the heart to accept them. Grace must first enter the heart, or there will be no inclination to obey.” Robert Hawker

“Jeremiah’s message was never meant to leave the heart in despair. Every warning from God carried an invitation to return. The Lord does not expose empty religion to shame His people, but to heal them. Repentance is not the loss of hope, it is the beginning of hope. Christ still receives every soul that comes with humility, and He gives living faith where there was only habit, peace where there was only fear, and joy where there was only emptiness. The call remains the same today, to draw near to Him with a sincere heart, trusting that His mercy is always greater than our weakness.” Dan Blincoe

A Fresh Start with God Always Begins with Humility and True Repentance

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19

Concerning rending our hearts before the LORD, one source notes:

The classic Bible passage on this concept is Joel 2:13, where God commands: “Rend your heart and not your garments”. In ancient biblical culture, tearing (or “rending”) one’s physical clothing was a customary, visible display of extreme grief, despair, or repentance. Through the prophet Joel, God is essentially telling His people: Stop doing the empty, outward religious ritual of tearing your clothes to show everyone how sorry you are. Instead, let me see true, inward brokenness over your sins.

Examples of Rending Physical Garments

In the Bible, the physical act of tearing clothes was used as a dramatic expression of deep emotion in several well-known narratives:

Joseph’s Brothers (Genesis 37:29, 34): When Reuben realized Joseph was not in the pit, and later when the brothers brought Joseph’s blood-stained coat to Jacob, they tore their clothes in grief and despair.
Job (Job 1:20): After hearing that he had lost all his wealth and his children, Job stood up and tore his robe as an outward sign of his overwhelming sorrow.
King David (2 Samuel 1:11-12): When David received news of the deaths of King Saul and Jonathan, he and his men tore their clothes to mourn.
The High Priest (Matthew 26:65): In a dramatic display of hypocritical outrage, the high priest tore his own garments when Jesus declared He was the Son of God, falsely accusing Him of blasphemy.

The Spiritual Meaning of “Rending the Heart”

The concept of “rending the heart” contrasts an outward show with inward reality.

Genuine Repentance: Tearing your heart means being vulnerable, acknowledging your brokenness, and deeply repenting of sin before God.
Prioritizing Relationships over Rituals: God desires a sincere heart—true sorrow and a desire to change—more than he desires traditional religious pageantry or dramatic, public displays of grief.
The Promise of Forgiveness: In Joel 2:13, the command to rend the heart is immediately followed by the promise of grace: “Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love”.

God sees beyond our external habits and religious actions, requiring instead a humble, contrite heart to fully experience His mercy.”

God’s Mercy

“Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?” Joel 2:12-14

In God’s Word, where we see men who tear open their garments…. This holds the illustration of rending our hearts before the LORD.

Don’t render outward tearing, no, rather, tear open your inner man, your heart—be honest, sincere, exposed, and vulnerable to the LORD whom you trust.

Let’s attempt to get at, to ascertain what God is commanding of His beloved people to do in this “rend your heart” passage.

“Joel 2:13: Rend your heart—Let it not be merely a rending of your garments, but let your hearts be truly contrite. Merely external worship and hypocritical pretensions will only increase the evil, and cause God to meet you with heavier judgments.

For he is gracious—Good and benevolent in his own nature.

Merciful—Pitying and forgiving, as the effect of goodness and benevolence.

Slow to anger —He is not easily provoked to punish, because he is gracious and merciful.

Of great kindness—Exuberant goodness to all them that return to him.

And repenteth him of the evil—Is ever ready to change his purpose to destroy, when he finds the culprit willing to be saved. See the notes on Exo_34:6, Exo_34:7.” Adam Clarke

“Joel 2:12-14: III. DIVINE APPEAL TO JUDAH TO REPENT (2:12-14)
Even now, the LORD calls the people to repentance. It is not too late to return to Him. But it must be more than outward ritual. Their turning was to be with all their heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” Believer’s Bible Commentary

To rend our hearts is the consistent message, mandate of God to His people of all ages and eras.

“The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” Psalms 34:18

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” Psalms 51:17

In Joel 2 the LORD reminds those who are backslidden that He “is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God? …”

They must meet His stated conditions to receive His blessings ….

He promises that He will forgive them as they…..

“Joel 2:12-27: THE AVERTING OF JUDGMENT
To rend the garment is easy, but a broken and contrite heart can be imparted only by the grace of the Holy Spirit. The love of God should bring us to repentance. He takes no pleasure in our miseries and if men repent and turn from their sin they find an immediate and loving welcome to the Father’s heart and home. Joel had called for the trumpet to announce war; he now directs the trumpet blast to summon the people, from the highest to the lowest, to plead for help. Prayer and true repentance and faith bring an immediate answer. As the husband yearns over his erring but repentant wife, and is indignant with those who have maltreated her, so will Jehovah remove from us, when we turn to Him, those who have cruelly oppressed us.
The great things Jehovah did against Egypt and Babylon are an earnest of what He will do again. The earth (and all the creation of God) … have good reason to rejoice in what awaits them. God promises not only to forgive sin, but to make us happy and well provided as if the locust and cankerworm had never settled upon our lives.” FB Meyer

Religious hypocrites, counterfeits, emphasize the outward to cover their inner darkness, rebellion.

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. 25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Matthew 23:23-25

“He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” Mark 7:6

"Blessed are the Poor In Spirit" [podcast]

Jesus’ longest recorded message to His people stands on the foundation of the very first words our Savior uttered in this sermon on the mount. The foundational truth of the entire sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7) is found in the very first words of our LORD when unveiling this elaborate, far-reaching, and profound message to His disciples of all ages. Here are His first words: “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3 Note, “poor in spirit.” Not poor financially or religiously. The two should be mutually exclusive. The Greek word translated into English as “poor” is PTOCHOS. It […]

"I will have Mercy, and not Sacrifice": What does this really Mean? [podcast]

“But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Matthew 9:13 Jesus specifically instructs us to “go ye and learn what that meaneth.” UNTIL, as an individual, you begin to realize just how wicked you really are, you will never begin to appreciate what our KING and Savior did on that cross! Matthew 9:9-13 – Jesus calls Matthew 9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith […]

How to Walk in the Certainty, the Assurance of Salvation [podcast]

Real, actual assurance only comes from possessing authentic salvation – which begins with humility and true repentance, an original Gospel essential (Matthew 3:2; 4:17; Luke 13:3; 24:47; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 20:21, etc.). Heretical calvinists and eternal security frauds rob people of true assurance which ONLY comes from having a faith that works, is obedient to Christ. Read 1 John chapter 3 and embrace what the LORD is saying. Here’s a taste – “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 19 And hereby we know that we are of the […]

The Importance of Pureness of Heart [podcast]

“He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.” Proverbs 22:11 With pureness of heart, our words shall issue forth with grace and seasoning and be more readily received by those who hear. “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” Colossians 4:6 David’s Prayer “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” Psalms 19:14 “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they […]

Abiding

Have We Misunderstood Why Christians Meet Together? [video]

“We’ve created a whole culture of Christians who are just known for going to church.” Dr Wadsworth!

“It is hard to convince a man (modern pastor) he is wrong when his livelihood ($) depends on not knowing he is wrong.” Unknown

The Simplicity of Real Fellowship [podcast]

Satan thinks he has Stolen the Fellowship of the Saints “Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” Revelation 12:12 Exhorting God’s People “Daily” – not weekly. “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 3:13 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing […]

Church Membership, Manipulation, and Money [podcast]

Is there a connection between church membership and money? “Her princes (leaders) in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.” Ezekiel 22:27 There is no evidence in the New Testament of what we see today perpetrated as “church membership.” Church membership is merely a tool in the arsenal of modern pastors to capture the souls and the money of those ensnared by it. “Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.” 2 Corinthians 1:24 In […]

Is Church Membership Biblical? [podcast]

Churchianity vs Christianity Many use the term “very involved in church” instead of deeply rooted and in love with Jesus Christ. See the difference? Beware. Christ Jesus is your identity. “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” Galatians 6:14 What is your identity? Why have you chosen such to be that with which you identify? Most pastors make a big deal out of belonging to some organization, church, or group—because this puts them in charge—instead of Jesus. Beware. […]