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Excerpt from the book I Die Daily

The Cross and the Wolf

“There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof. Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shown difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.” Ezekiel 22:25-27

Make no mistake: there is a literal “conspiracy” of the false prophets against the God they claim to be serving. In their rebellion “they have devoured souls.” They have removed the “treasure and precious things” of God’s Word by replacing His precious precepts with the use of fad books, human philosophy, psychologies, and traditions. In doing so they have spoiled many souls, a fate of which Paul warned us to “Beware” (Col. 2:8). This they do to “get dishonest gain”—to gain their own fame, man’s approval, and earthly riches.

At the center of the “precious things” stolen by today’s wolves is the biblical message of the cross of Christ—that Christ laid down His life on the altar of the cross for our redemption, and then commands those who will be His to lay down their own lives to follow Him (Matt. 16:24-25; Luke 9:23-24).

The false teacher conveys to people what they want to hear in order to become popular. He meticulously picks and chooses the Scriptures he uses in order to entice and allure his audience to be endeared to him—in order “to get dishonest gain” (Ezek. 22:27). He refuses to teach the things that would jeopardize his standing with people. He fears men and not God (Gal. 1:10). This method of only teaching soft and dainty things works due to the obvious fact that there are so many who want to be told that going to Heaven and Christianity are easy. But that is simply a misrepresentation. That’s not what Jesus and His apostles taught.

“Strive (agonize) to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” Luke 13:24

Does that sound easy?

“Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” 2 Timothy 3:12

How many times are you hearing these divinely inspired words communicated by your leader(s)?

What about the following words of Christ? Have you heard this preached lately?

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” Matthew 7:13-15

Notice in the above passage what Jesus is telling us. There is a narrow way that leads to Heaven and a wide road that leads to hell. Many are going down that wide road that leads to damnation and only a few are going down the narrow road that leads to eternal life. “False prophets” who are disguised in “sheep’s clothing” are, by their refusal to teach what Jesus taught, making the road to Heaven appear wider than He said it is.

The wolf leader is a hireling who is using his position in the ministry as a business to promote himself, so he does not want God’s Word getting in the way of such “success.” He certainly does not want God’s pure and circumcising Word of the cross doing its convicting work, because that won’t garner to him masses of people to fulfill his personal, self-serving dream.

The counterfeit leader would rather be relevant, relative, and seeker sensitive in order to reach a much larger segment of society. He markets his cross-less wares to the vast majority of people who are self-seeking instead of Savior seeking (Matt. 7:13-14; 2 Tim. 3:1-7). The beguiling author or leader targets this rebellious audience because they are much more plentiful and don’t read and heed the Bible, and therefore are easy to deceive and employ for the accomplishment of his goal.

Those who serve the lusts of the flesh instead of Christ, desire to be told that they are doing well in their current spiritual state, as they indulge in the lusts of the sinful nature, all the while believing they are saved and going to Heaven. But the Bible tells us that all those who love this world and the things in it are not of the Father (1 John 2:15-17). They shun the light of truth coming from the true God-fearing remnant of God’s people. They come to the defense of their false leaders when watchmen seek to uncover their evil teachings that are contrary to the clear message of God’s Word.

“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” John 3:19-21

Of the “evil workers” who “mind earthly things,” the Holy Spirit warns:

“(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)” Philippians 3:18-19

The wolf entices people to act on their sinful lusts—covetousness, greed, spiritual adultery, and idolatry. Instead of preaching the cross—that we must die that He might live, they “mind earthly things.” They tend to teach and talk about the things of this world. The false prophet completely ignores such an essential truth—he is an enemy “of the cross of Christ” (Php. 3:18). He himself does not bear the cross so he naturally doesn’t teach others to deny the self-life, take up the cross, and follow Jesus.

In neglecting to teach the cross, he teaches “another gospel” which is “any other gospel” that is not the original Gospel given to us by Christ and His holy apostles (2 Cor. 11:2-4; Gal. 1:6-9; Jude 3-4). The false gospel message of the wolf leader is void of the cross, and any cross-less gospel is a counterfeit gospel. The cross-less leader actually cheats his audience out of hearing the vital message of death-to-self; if they could but learn to die to self for the Savior, it would facilitate for them rich spiritual fellowship with Him (Php. 3:10).

Getting saved is the entrance point into God’s kingdom and not the ending point. That one which will be an overcomer and “endure to the end” must obey Jesus in abstaining from serving himself so that he can please the LORD (Matt. 10:22; Luke 9:23-24; Rev. 2-3). This is what it means to deny ourselves and take up our crosses to follow Him. Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matt. 16:24).

The wolf leader is identified by the personal carnality he walks in (Jude 3-19). He is self-indulgent (Isa. 56:10-12; Php. 3:18-19; 2 Pet. 2:19). He spends more time on self-interests and minding earthly things than he does giving himself “continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4). He is not prepared to be empowered and led by the Holy Spirit in order to preach God’s Word to feed His sheep. Being entangled in the things of this world has precluded him from having time to watch over the souls of the sheep of Christ’s pasture (Prov. 27:23; Jer. 23:1-2; 1 Pet. 5:1-6). By definition, this kind of leader is a hireling and not a true shepherd. Therefore, Jesus’ followers today should not submit to him according to Hebrews 13:7, 17.

Paul, a known true servant, and apostle of Christ, said:

For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. Philippians 3:20-21

God is going to do His will in the life of the one who seeks Him with a whole heart daily (Jer. 29:13). The true disciple cleanses his heart daily, putting aside his own will so that the LORD’s perfect will can prevail (Jer. 4:14; Matt. 5:8; 2 Cor. 7:1; 2 Tim. 2:21). Cry out to Him now in utter desperation, announcing to Him what He has told us—that you have no hope without Him and can do nothing of eternal value without Him (John 15:5). We have nothing, can do nothing, and are nothing without Jesus Christ— “For of him (Christ), and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen” (Rom. 11:36).

The beloved late A. W. Tozer stated: “There must be a work of God in destruction before we are free. We must invite the cross to do its deadly work within us. We must bring our self-sins to the cross of judgment.”

The Word of God instructs us to “examine” and “judge” ourselves so that we will be in check with God, and not ultimately found guilty of serving self and not the Savior (1 Cor. 11:31-32; 2 Cor. 13:5). “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world” (1 Corinthians 11:31-32).

There will be many surprised on Judgment Day (Matt. 7:22-23). They will be those who refused to build their lives on the Word—hearing and obeying it (Matt. 7:21-29; James 1:22).

Those who don’t want to die to the self-life have made many wolves very popular. This demonstrates several things, including the sad truth that most people aren’t willing to put themselves aside that Jesus might reign (2 Cor. 4:10-12). These are those whom He told us have a mere “form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.”  To the remnant He says, “from such turn away” (2 Tim. 3:5).

Paul instructed his understudy, Timothy, to “Preach the word.” He then said that “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. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Tim. 4:2-4).

To “endure sound doctrine” is to take God at His Word and never dodge biblical truth that is not flattering to the flesh and requires death to self. Those who “will not endure sound doctrine” in this fleeting life will forever regret their short-lived self-indulgence. Remember Esau, who traded his eternal birthright for a quick fix bowl of soup?

“And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.” Hebrews 12:13-17

The cross and the wolf are mutually exclusive. Though good at feigning adherence to the Gospel the wolf does not honor Christ’s death and the “blood of his cross,” nor does he take up the cross daily, denying his own self-serving and sinful nature (Col. 1:20). Due to his own personal disobedience, he naturally can’t lead others down the narrow road that leads to life.

The wicked one and his accomplices have targeted the very people of God. They have stricken at the heart of the Gospel—the cross.

“The enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary. Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs…They have cast fire into thy sanctuary, they have defiled by casting down the dwellingplace of thy name to the ground.” Psalms 74:3-4, 7

The enemy has attacked the very “sanctuary” of the LORD by setting up his own ensigns or name in place of Christ and has cast into our midst the strange fire doctrines of a cross-less gospel which is no gospel at all.

On the merit of “the blood of his cross” the believer is “complete in him” (Col. 1:20; 2:9). The wolf is the child of the enemy, who has come to steal, kill, and destroy (Jn. 10:10). In the midst of the sanctuary, the wolf has stolen the place and position due only to Christ, who alone is worthy to reign as LORD over His people, which He purchased “by himself” with His very own blood (Heb. 1:3). In doing so, he has cut off the flow of nourishment from Christ—the “Head” of the Church— to His body (Col. 2:18-19). This is what being spoiled is—when the very “reward” Christ died to purchase for us is stolen by those who would “beguile you with enticing words” (Col. 2:3, 18). We are only complete in Christ and partake of the treasures of His wisdom as we worship Him in Spirit and in truth, upholding Him alone as our object of worship (Jn. 4:23-24; Col. 2:3-19).

Wolf leaders do not like the cross, which dictates that they must truly repent and die to all self-ambition and allow Christ alone to be glorified in their own lives and in the midst of His people. They desire to use people to make themselves look good to others, so they compel their prey to do things outwardly to accomplish this. They do this to escape “persecution for the cross of Christ.” “As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain (compel) you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ” (Gal. 6:12).

At all cost the counterfeit will seek to evade and avoid the suffering associated with “persecution for the cross of Christ.” He therefore creates a church environment where he makes people feel good about themselves, but he refuses to live and preach the cross to prepare them to meet Christ as His bride (Matt. 25:1-13; Eph. 5:25-27; Rev. 19:7).

Of these leaders, Paul writes in the very next verse:

“For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. 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 6:13-14

There are many modern-day forms of circumcision (outward religion that is void of repentance, regeneration, vital relationship, and a life that glorifies God in the spirit first). The wolf leaders who glory in self and in religion, are glad to have people patronizing their church businesses and making them feel good about themselves as they look out from their ivory pulpits and see people approving them by their presence and/or participation. But they don’t care for their soul— “What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:37). What will the devoured souls say in eternity? What will be the cry of those who were destroyed by the wolves? Will they say like Psalms 142:4, “No man cared for my soul”? It will be too late then. The root reason they followed mere men and were ensnared by wolves and damned irrevocably, was that they refused to truly repent and follow Jesus alone.

That’s what a wolf is—someone who is in ministry in order to get personal gain and not to love Christ and diligently watch for the souls of His precious flock. Therefore, he builds his own ministry instead of being used by the LORD to build His Church (Matt. 16:18; 2 Cor. 4:10-12).

Of many who hold positions of spiritual leadership, Jesus says: “For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:43).

The religion taught by these beguilers is not genuine Christianity. Jesus promised persecution to those who would follow Him (Matt. 5:10-12). Exchanging identity with Christ Himself, and Him alone, for some other religious affinity insulates people from persecution. In turn, being kept from persecution insulates people from crucially identifying with the Person, Jesus Christ. People are taught to glory in the fleshly things like “I’m Baptist,” “I’m Charismatic,” or “I’m Methodist.” This idolatrous identification intercepts the affections of their hearts from Christ, the One they should be looking to and upon whom they should be setting their heart affections (Col. 3:1-4).

“Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? … 18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:12-13, 18

Even those in the church world who have leadership positions are seen here to be perishing. They count “the preaching of the cross” as “foolishness.” If they didn’t, they would preach the cross of which Paul said, “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” (Gal. 6:14).

Paul understood that there could be no raising up until there was first a laying down of the life in death and burial (Jn. 12:24; 1 Cor. 15:36).

The Pharisees lived in the flesh. They sought the praises of men and not God (Matt. 23; Jn. 12:43). The fleshly nature loves this type of identification—the praises of mere men—because being a Methodist or Baptist doesn’t offend people and keeps life smooth. However, being a follower of Jesus Christ does convict others and brings persecution upon the true disciple (2 Tim. 3:12). The name of Jesus Christ is powerful, and those who love Him confess Him and receive persecution as He promised (Matt. 10:22; Lk. 12:8-9; 2 Tim. 3:12).

The false gospel that is preached by so many today is obviously counterfeit to those who read their Bibles daily. This fairytale gospel of today tells us that God wants us to prosper in all ways while escaping all trials, tribulation, hardships, and suffering of any kind. Instead of God’s Word being their theology, they say in their mythology that the LORD is only on His holy throne to help us get a good parking spot and make us happy so we can have our best life now.

The Bible truth is that God is interested in our best life then and not now, and this comes from laying down our lives—decreasing daily—that Jesus might increase (John 3:30). Eternal blessings are just that—forever, and knowing Christ guarantees them. Not knowing Him guarantees eternal conscious suffering. Those who genuinely know the LORD are busy laying down their lives, learning to love Him more, and being a blessing to others.

Along the path in this life, we too will be blessed, but not to the fulfillment of our depraved self-serving flesh that is here today and gone tomorrow (James 4:14). The Bible tells us to lay up our treasure in Heaven not on earthly things. We need to get that in our spirits and understand the amazing plan that God has for our eternal future, while not being seduced by leaders to “mind earthly things” (Php. 3:19).

Religion and those wolves who perpetrate it upon people, provides a comfortable place for the deceitful heart, never calling it to repent and bring forth “fruits meet for (consistent with) repentance” (Matt. 3:2, 7-8, 10). Doing good works and following an outward form of godliness cloaks the sinful heart, because it does not demand full repentance like the original Gospel does (Mk. 6:12; Luke 13:3, 5; 24:47; Acts 3:19).

These things are not being pointed out to merely identify the many wolves operating in our midst, but more importantly to warn the individual reader who would desire to follow Christ. Many warnings are found in Scripture concerning being aware of and escaping the lure of the evil one, who uses men to lead astray “many.”

PRAYER:  Father, please grant me eye salve to see Your holy truth and the many wolves that now are disguised in sheep’s clothing and leading many to hell. Help me, Jesus! I this moment turn afresh to You fully, asking You to have mercy on me and wash away all my sins. Grant the eyes of my heart discernment as only You can, as I walk closely with You. I choose this day to deny my own self-will and desires and ask You to consume me with Your wisdom, power, and grace. LORD Jesus, please bless me to know You intimately. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Abiding

“Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith” [podcast]


Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of our faith and He requires our personal participation both initially and ongoing, as we “endure to the end”, abiding in Him (Matthew 10:22; 24:13; John 15, etc.).

“From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?” John 6:66-67 

WHERE O WHERE are we going to go if we depart from Jesus? …. does He, the eternal God and Creator of all things not hold the future of every living soul in His holy hand?

FB Meyer on John 6:60-71

“THE SIFTING OF JESUS’ FOLLOWERS
Christ’s pathetic question-Will ye also go away?-elicited from Peter a reply which proved that the inner meaning of His words had already broken upon their souls. ‘Thy words give us and nourish within us the eternal life.'”

“Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?” John 6:66-67

There are many today, who like the 5,000 who departed from Christ, leave when they hear the cross message – the divine command to be crucified with Christ. Jesus asks us today: “Will you allow He who authored your faith to finish it?”

“Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Ezekiel 18:4 

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2 

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” Colossians 3:1-4

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:   knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness”? Romans 6:1-16


“In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” Colossians 2:3-10

The Gospel, the Resurrection of Christ

1 Corinthians 15

1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

Christology | The Cross

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Abiding

“My Sheep Hear My Voice, and I Know them, and they Follow Me” [podcast]


There are 7 portraits of Jesus in the Gospel of John. One of those seven portraits is Jesus our “the good shepherd.” (John 10)

The first thing the good shepherd of the sheep did was give His life to purchase the sheep with His own blood.

“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” John 10:11

Jesus who created us, then came to die to buy up back to the Father and Himself.

The Bible, God’s Word, is full of illustrations of who God is, and who He is to us. He is our shepherd….the shepherd of His true sheep. How do we know who His remnant saints, sheep truly are? How do we know if we individually are truly His?

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” John 10:27-29

“John 10:27
My sheep hear my voice – But ye will not hear: – my sheep follow me; but ye will neither follow nor acknowledge me. Any person who reads without prejudice may easily see, that our Lord does not at all insinuate that these persons could not believe, because God had made it impossible to them; but simply because they did not hear and follow Christ, which the whole of our blessed Lord’s discourse proves that they might have done. The sheep of Christ are not those who are included in any eternal decree, to the exclusion of others from the yearnings of the bowels of eternal mercy; but they are those who hear, believe in, follow, and obey the Savior of the world.” Adam Clarke

We know He is our shepherd if we are reading, listening for, and walking out the voice of His Word. That’s why He gave us His Word. The voice of His Word is His voice. This is why God gave us the Bible, His Word, the “voice” of His Word. Jesus says “My sheep hear my voice” and the “voice” of Jesus is with us, is God’s written Word. We have the “voice”, the very words of our LORD on record. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

The primary way God’s voice is heard by His sheep is the Holy Scriptures….. reading God’s Word is hearing the voice of God.

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalms 119:105

“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14  He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” John 16:13-14

Our LORD, the good shepherd of our souls, told us that His sheep are those who hear His voice, the voice of His Word. Those not in the Word are not hearing the voice of God.

“He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.” John 8:47 

Those who are “of the truth” hear the voice, the words of Jesus Christ.

“To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” John 18:37 

Jesus made it clear who His true sheep are ….

“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” John 14:21

Jesus’ sheep hear His voice, He knows them, they follow Him. They don’t listen to nor follow their own feelings, human reasoning, their own wicked heart, nor any mere men … “follow your heart”? No.  That’s a lie from hell. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)  Jesus died to save you so you would be His, and that you would follow Him, His voice and none other.

Jesus, on record in John 10:27-29, is telling us that it’s only those who are hearing His voice, the voice of His Word, and following Him, who are going to be kept in His holy hand. After being saved, only those who abide in Christ to the end will be kept by Him and with Him eternally. Read John 15:1-6 where you will see that any whom Jesus saves and yet then they don’t “abide” (remain, continue) in Him will be cast into the fire of hell (v6).

Take a closer look at John 10:27-29. Anchor the promise in verses 28-29 on verse 27 where Jesus identifies who His sheep are—those who hear and continue to hear His voice and continue to follow Him (present tense). The divine promise here to be kept is a conditional
promise requiring the individual recipient of the gift of God to continue to hear His voice and follow Him (John 10:27-29). If you are born again, a sheep of Christ’ pasture, and you cease hearing His voice and following Him, you are no long His.

Many today detach, separate our LORD’s words in verse 27 from verses 28-29 of John 10. In doing so, they perpetrate their “eternal security” mythology which is Satan’s first lie (Genesis 2:17; 3:4). Beware as this was the first lie Satan told mankind, which led to the fall (Genesis 2:17; 3:4).

The LORD saved you to be His – to hear the voice of His Word and to follow Him, to walk with Him.

“Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1:5

To be kept you must live “through faith” – to hear and believe the voice of His Word, and walk with Him accordingly.

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

“Eternal security”, otherwise known as “once saved always saved”, is a lie from hell. Run from any and all wolves peddling this, Satan’s first lie (Genesis 2:17; 3:4).

To be “kept” by Jesus, the saved sheep must live his life “through faith.”

“And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.”   Luke 17:5

The recipient of salvation must “through faith” be “kept.” God never removes man’s free will and requires not only initial but also continued faith. Jesus foretold that some would be saved and then not continue with Him and “fall away” (Luke 8:12-13).

“Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:9

Prayer: Father, I know You are holy and require my faith to the end of this life. Make sensitive my conscience, quicken my spirit to repentance and to be holy as You are holy. In Jesus’ name.

Jesus Christ our LORD is “that great shepherd of the sheep.”

“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21  Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21 

“For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,” Psalms 95:7

“Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.” Psalms 100:3

“To hear His voice, we submit to the pruning of the Holy Ghost in our heart. The fruit of righteousness can only be produced in an ABIDING relationship with Jesus and cultivated by the Holy Spirit given to them that OBEY him. (John 15:3-5; 14:15-17)” Jon Crane

Moments with Our Master [book] 365 Day Devotional book available at  and amazon. English and Spanish.

See what others are saying about this devotional book.

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Apostasy

The Truth about Yoga [podcast]


Yoga brings demon possession which keeps the person captive to the lie – that they have to do their little séance breathing technique. They have to keep doing their little witchcraft drill. That’s just it – it doesn’t work.

Your silly little yoga pose won’t forgive your sins, give you peace, or save you from going to hell.

“Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. 22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?” 1 Corinthians 10:21-22 

WHAT kind of absolute pansy of a “man” feels like a man after doing yoga? Get a clue. NO ONE needs yoga to stretch and work out. That’s what gyms are for. Delusional. God is calling you to repent and get a spine.

DABBLE WITH YOGA AND YOU’VE GOT DEMONS!

The devil is slick…and sick…. yet can only fool those who are outside God’s will (James 4:7). Example: WHO ever said one needs yoga for relaxation or exercise? Delusional. Repent and break all bonds with this demonically-yoking practice.

There’s no such thing as a Christian who does yoga.

ANY person doing yoga has demons! Any company or organization promoting or allowing it, is demonic. 100%. Repent now sinner.

Yoga is a diabolical placebo, a cheap substitute for what you truly need. You need Jesus to forgive your sins, sinner. Turn to Him in humility and in full repentance.

It doesn’t matter how widespread the advertising push is for yoga, it’s still witchcraft. Why add the witchcraft? What’s Revelation 12:12 say?

“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

by Debbie Lord

DID YOU KNOW?

The serpent (Satan) described in Genesis 3 as the most subtle of all beasts of the field, has deceptively presented yoga to the world as “innocent” exercise and “a positive” experience just as he did when he approached Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, challenging God’s words, in essence calling Him a liar: “Hath God said?”… and thus begins the elevating of the creation over the Creator.

All around us, the name of our most holy God is taken in vain, while the popularity of yoga (the worship of beasts, nature, Hindu gods etc.) increases. A shift like this doesn’t just happen casually or by coincidence. The Enemy of our souls is at work 24/7 scheming his way into our societies by dethroning The One True God (the Creator of the universe and everything in it) by deceiving us into physically paying homage and bowing down to other gods by elevating the creation above the Creator through the practice of yoga.

The practice of yoga has become so common in the U.S. and the western world that we see the motions and concepts all around us on TV, in commercials, movies, all forms of entertainment media and in our every-day lives. It is common to see someone strike a yoga pose or put the palms of their hands together and make a bowing gesture. It appears so kind, gentle and gracious … innocent, right? Here is the real meaning and the root from which this position is derived:

Namaste”—the word spoken in conjunction with the bow—”translated roughly, means ‘I bow to the God within you,’ or ‘The Spirit within me salutes the Spirit in you’—a knowing that we are all made from the same One Divine Consciousness.“ Urban Dictionary

Yoga means “to yoke with.” Just exactly who or what are you “yoking with”?

Portions of article by Julie Roys:

The word yoga is problematic. Yoga means “to yoke.”… using the word begs the question, “Yoked to whom?” …the postures and techniques of yoga were designed to be offerings to the millions of Hindu gods. But ultimately, yoga was intended to yoke a person to the so-called “Lord of Yoga” – Shiva, the destroyer. …these realities make yoga, regardless of how it’s packaged, incompatible with Christianity.

Quotes from The Chopra Center:

When you bow your head and say namasté at the end of a yoga practice, you have the chance to do more than simply mark the ending of the session. In fact, a spiritual revelation is on the other side of a truly felt namaste.”

“One of the most common translations of namasté is ‘The divine light in me bows to the divine light within you,’ and ‘I honor the place in you where the entire universe dwells.'”

All of the above fly in the face of the Truth of God as Creator of the universe and everything in it, and that we humans are God’s creation (not the Creator) as told to us in His holy Word—the Bible. God is holy “set apart” and  “other than.”

“Hinduism is pantheistic and teaches that god is in everything ­— its 330 million gods, plants, animals, and every human being. So, to salute the divine in another person makes total sense to a Hindu.

“Christianity, however, teaches that God is transcendent and distinct from His creation. Though it’s true that the Holy Spirit resides in each believer, the Holy Spirit does not bow to himself in other believers saying, … ‘That light in me honors that light in you.’ According to Scripture, the Holy Spirit honors the Father and the Son. And a Christian’s worship, though emerging from within him, should always be directed upward and outward. So, the Psalmist says, ‘I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations.’ In Christianity, we, the creature, direct our worship to the Creator.” Author Unknown

The yoga fad that is exploding in popularity world-wide is more than a passing fad, it is one more step toward the slippery slope of the Christ-denying apostasy of the church.

You may say: “Yoga exercises help my body. It works for me.”  But by what power is it working? Satan is setting the stage for the great deception of the world and the church for false miracles in the end times.

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil;” Isaiah 5:20

Quote from John Edmiston: “The end-times religion will be both idolatrous and magical. Idolatry is the substitution of the creature for the Creator. Magic is any system that claims to give people access to God’s power without having to accept God’s will.” John Edmiston, False Miracles in The End Times

Yes, there are many professing Christians who fail to understand the origins and power at the root of the practice of yoga. And yes, there are several different kinds of yoga, however, they all have the same origin and root.

At the very root of every kind of yoga, each physical posture is pointing toward, bringing attention to (worshiping) and is even named after an animal, an element of nature and false gods.

Yoga has its roots in Hinduism, which espouses that “God” is in every living thing and so the creation itself should be worshiped.

If you say:  “Well, to me it’s just stretching, concentration, balance and strengthening exercises” . . . then why is the class named “Yoga”?

Why would you choose to knowingly, intentionally engage in a practice that has at its core, denial of the supremacy of the very God you say you believe in, and by participation are giving your body over to worship other gods—even Satan himself?

Quote from wikipedia regarding one kind of yoga—Kundalini Yoga

“It was adopted as a technical term in Hatha yoga during the 15th century, and became widely used in the Yoga Upanishads by the 16th century. Eknath Easwaran has paraphrased the term as ‘the coiled power’, a force which ordinarily rests at the base of the spine, described as being ‘coiled there like a serpent.’”

“Coiled like a serpent.”

Again, just who or what are you “yoking with”?

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” 2 Corinthians 6:14

How many times have you heard “I just take the class for the exercise—I’m real careful to stay away from the spiritual part of it.”

How can that even be possible when the very positions (poses) themselves are based on positions that focus on/elevate an animal, nature or a Hindu god?

How can you separate one from the other?

“Choose you this day whom ye will serve” (Joshua 24:15).

“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? 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

If you are a Christian who participates in “harmless” yoga exercises, are you asking the Holy Ghost within you to worship a Hindu god or a creature rather than the Creator, the One True God? Do you think the Holy Ghost is going to stick around for that?

“And the very God of peace sanctify you WHOLLY, and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and BODY be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Are you willfully, not only limiting but actually rebelling against the Lord’s sanctification in your spirit, soul and body?

“I beseech ye therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye PRESENT YOUR BODIES A LIVING SACRIFICE, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And BE NOT CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD:  but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:1-2

How can you as a Christian do one thing in your spirit and do exactly the opposite with your body? Impossible.

“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the LordA double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” James 1:6-8

You may have heard the saying by Hudson Taylor: “Christ is either Lord of all or He is not Lord at all.”

“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.” Matthew 6:24

“Choose you this day whom you will serve.” See Joshua 24:14-16

Still some will say: “Well, still, in my spirit, I’m not serving the gods of Hinduism, I’m praying to the one true God all the time I’m doing yoga”

Read Romans 12:1 again (above).

So, is it important what you willfully choose for your body do?

The Apostle Paul said: “But I keep under my BODY and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (1 Corinthians 9:27).

What chances are you willing to take, how far are you willing to go even if the consequence of your choice may result in being cast away from God?

Are you willing to risk being cast away from God and His presence for eternity?

Even if you can’t bring yourself to think there’s a possibility that what is put forth in this article is true and should be applied to your life and exercise routine, are you really ready to gamble with your eternal destination by continuing to willfully, purposely engage in yoga exercise?

There are alternatives. There are classes out there that engage in stretching, cardio, balance and strengthening exercises that do not have their roots in the practice of yoga. Prayerfully seek them out.

Hint: The word “Yoga” will not be anywhere in the title of the class.

Yoga is Satanic | Kundalini Witchcraft in the Church

UPDATE FROM SISTER DEBBIE LORD:

Had good time of fellowship with the 2 ladies that came over this afternoon.

Conversation moved to the practice of yoga!

So, we had our first Bible study together and prayed

a prayer of repentance, deliverance and cleansing of its

effects. We included all of us in the prayer and it was

especially for one lady who expressed verbally her horror

at what she had done in participating in yoga in any way.

The Holy Spirit had already been preparing her heart.

This revelation re yoga triggered another question about “rock stacking” (Cairns) so we looked into it together and found that they have many meanings — one is simply for hiking trail directions so you don’t get lost, but have also been used for centuries for burial and other ritual ceremonies. Schools have used the practice of building Cairns inside the classroom so that their students can “reflect on themselves and realize what their priorities in life are, a form of meditation tool.” Idol worship and witchcraft.

This info caused us to pray for increased Holy Spirit discernment and awareness of what’s going on around us in this world — including the church world.

YOGA IS SATANIC: IF you’re doing yoga, you’ve got demons. Repent and denounce it now. 

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