Abiding

The Goal of Grace [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]

Reckoning with the Depravity of the Old Man

“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

Rightly assessing what the Bible informs us of concerning the old man is essential.

Nothing good exists in us except Christ Himself, His perfect righteousness!

“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. … 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Romans 7:18, 24

The only righteousness we have is that which our LORD Jesus lovingly, mercifully, graciously provided for us, bestowed upon us, by the one-time shedding of HIS precious blood for our sin – to pay the price in full, the exclusive redemption price which alone could and did satisfy the claims of the Father’s justice to redeem fallen mankind back to Him and the Father (Ezekiel 22:30; John 19:30; Romans 3:21-25; 1 Timothy 2:4-6; Titus 3:5-7, etc.).

“… sin that dwelleth in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” Romans 7:17-18

There is “no good thing” in us, except Christ (Romans 3:10; 7:18, etc.). This is God’s pronouncement upon fallen mankind, upon sinful man. The LORD requires that we agree with this declaration of the inability of fallen man to be anything but “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” (Jeremiah 17:9) Hence the need for the cross…. that the old man might be redeemed, liquidated….raised up…

Read Romans 6-8 this week.

The closer we walk with the LORD, the greater realization we have of our own utter depravity outside of Christ – and hence the need for the crucified life.

Those who don’t recognize their own depravity, prove they are not truly close to God at all. He is holy and all who draw nigh to Him will be made aware of their own utter iniquitous nature.

IF you presently view God as anything other than first and foremost “Holy, holy, holy”, you are working on a wrong level, you are utterly deceived, not realizing your own need to humble yourself before Him, to be “crucified with Christ” (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8). This is exactly why so many listen to false preachers preach a false gospel, “another gospel.” (Galatians 1:6-9) They are not aware of their own depravity. No, instead the false teachers build them up in their pride and wickedness. They affirm them in the state of sinful self. They preach affirmation without regeneration. False prophets are known by the reality that they tickle ears, they don’t preach the holiness of God, the essential of repentance, and overcoming all sin through the crucified life the Savior and His holy apostles commanded (Mark 9:43-50; Luke 9:23-24; 13:3; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 5:25-27; Hebrews 12:14-17, etc.).

“Created in Righteousness and True Holiness”

“That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Ephesians 4:22-24

Each of His children, bought by His blood, merely stand as unworthy beggars, shoulder to shoulder in honor of our KING, Jesus!

“I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant…” Genesis 32:10

The recognition of the old man, that inherent nature of iniquity in us (Romans 7) is the reason for the crucified life, the cross. The old man must die – must be dead and buried daily and God will raise him up. There are no shortcuts.

“Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and ALL THE WORLD MAY BECOME GUILTY BEFORE GOD.” Romans 3:19

Every man born after Adam has broken God’s law and is “guilty before God.”

Let’s read a larger portion of Romans 3 on this matter:

“for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. … 19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. … 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:8-12, 19, 23

When Adam sinned and fell, mankind because a fallen race, made in God’s image and yet, separated from Him in their sin. Hence the need for Christ to come and reconcile the world back to God (2 Corinthians 5:19-21).

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” Romans 5:12

“Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners …” Romans 5:18-19

The only way to reckon with the old man is with the cross. The crucified life is the only solution to victory given to us by our Savior.

One disciple stated the following:

“There is a tension always present with the believer who is still physically alive. He is a caught in “betwixt” (Philippians 1), a “concurrent working of deep opposites.” 2 Cor 4:8-11. He is both a vile sinner in his old man flesh but, at the same time, is a fully righteous new man saint in his spirit. He who is born of the Spirit is spirit. John 3. He is a sinner/saint. This is why Paul called the saved people in Corinth who were having a lot of vile problems, “saints.” 1 Cor 1:2.

This contradiction in the life of the believer is true as long as he remains physically alive on this earth. When he physically dies this tension between the opposites comes to an end. He is 100 % saint. The only way to resolve these opposites in us daily is to “take up the cross daily” dying to or unplugging from the old vile part of us and living out of the new man spirit.2 Cor 4:10-11.

We cannot “unplug” by human effort. We unplug by denying SELF’s screams and letting them go, a surrender or a yielding to the voice of SOMEONE ELSE, Christ within. When that cursing voice within wants to retaliate and punish. I learn to deny that voice in the moment and choose the other voice within me which gently says love, bless, forgive and lay down your selfish retaliatory ways

This is an unplugging done by faith alone, faith in the loving voice, HIS voice within us that the world says is weak and will make me look like a fool. This is the way we handle the concurrent working of the opposites of the two voices within the sinner/saint.”

Jesus taught that while on earth, there’s no length we should not go to in order to miss hell (Mark 9:43-49). The cross He prescribed that we are to take up daily, is the only solution to sin.

The Cross

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Victory Over the Iniquities that Currently Drive You [podcast]

“For he that is dead is freed from sin.” Romans 6:7 “Too many Christians blame their flesh on Satan and try casting it out. Never works. That’s why they don’t grow! Must crucify the flesh!” Karen Cochran Recently, a brother in Christ was pushing the fact that Genesis 6:5, 12, use the phrase “only evil continually” pertaining to mankind, all men. REPLY: Ask for yourself the important question: WHY did Jesus come to the earth? And from this moment forward, allow the Bible to answer that question …. Look for the Bible answer…… Why Jesus came to die for us […]

The Heart of the Human Problem is the Problem of the Human Heart

video – around 2:13 remove coughing All too often people become enamored unduly by mere men who have a public platform. “Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?” Isaiah 2:22 Jesus didn’t come and die, be buried, and raised again for His people to trust mere men “above that which is written” of mere men (1 Corinthians 4:6). And just WHAT is written about fallen mankind? Some biblical exhortation: “For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.” Ecclesiastes 7:20 ” Who […]

THE WICKED AND THE WONDERFUL: Does the Bible say that You are Wonderful? [podcast]

Attention: Jesus didn’t come to die because you are wonderful. No He came because you are wicked (Genesis 6:5, 12; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3, etc.). The testimony of Holy Scripture is that JESUS is “Wonderful” (Isaiah 9:6-7)…. and we are “desperately wicked” without Him (Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 7:18, 24). Each of His children, bought by His blood, merely stand as unworthy beggars, shoulder to shoulder in honor of our KING, Jesus! The only righteousness we have is that which our LORD Jesus mercifully, graciously provided for us by the one-time shedding of HIS precious blood for our sin – to […]

Abiding

Hostile Watching vs Grounded Readiness for Christ’s Return [podcast]

So let me get this straight…. we are frantic about the timing of the most anticipated event in human history, the return of Heaven’s King …. yet we don’t love that coming King enough to diligently seek His face and be preoccupied, consumed with serving Him – as we obey Him by daily denying self, taking up the cross, worshipping and executing His Great Commission mandate that He gave us? If this is the case, does it not prove that we are all about ourselves and not the LORD we feign to follow – as in we don’t truly love Him but rather seek to self-preservingly keep ourselves out of hell?

“And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, WHEN the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation (hostile watching): 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:20-21

Are we frantic about the WHEN and not fervent about seeking, knowing, worshipping, and obeying the WHO? Should we be crying “WHEN?!” OR “WHAT do You want me to do LORD, HOW do You want to use me?!”

The Coming of the Kingdom

“And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, WHEN the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

22 And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.

23 And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.

24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.”

In this passage it seems to fit that “observation” refers to hostile, anxious watching. Notice the setting. The Pharisee enemies are demanding “WHEN the kingdom of God should come.” Jesus then answers them and seems to communicate that we are not to seek to determine by physical evidence “WHEN” He’s returning and that “the kingdom of God is within you.” (v21)

Of Jesus’s words in Luke 17:20, the Pulpit commentary notes:

“The kingdom of God cometh not with observation. This answer of our Lord’s may be paraphrased: “The kingdom of God cometh not in conjunction with such observation and watching for external glorious things as now exist among you here. Lo, it will burst upon you suddenly, unawares.” The English word “observation” answers to the signification of the Greek as meaning a singularly anxious watching.”

Our preoccupation should not be with the timing, the exact day or hour of His coming but rather in knowing Him, being rooted and grounded in our abiding relationship with the Savior. Living in readiness (Luke 12:40; 21:34-36). Our relationship with Him, moment by moment is what is most important and determines our present abiding fruitfulness (John 15:1-16) and future place with our coming King.

“Help me Jesus to keep my eye on the prize. You are my exceedingly great reward! And there is none upon the earth I desire more than thee. Those that are yours are preparing their hearts to be with you in glory for ever and ever! Behold Lord you are the God of our salvation!” Karen Cochran

Jesus came and died to give us a relationship with the Father and Himself.

“And this is life eternal (the whole divine reason for it), that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” John 17:3

We must let God be God, letting Him determine the orchestrating and timing of His coming and rather be preoccupied with seeking, loving, knowing, and obeying our coming King.

“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;” Philippians 3:10

When lightening strikes “EVERY EYE” sees it (Revelation 1:7). Speaks of … He is coming with such force that lights of the whole sky escapes no one. So shall it be when the Author of lightening splits the eastern sky beloved! When Jesus Christ splits the eastern sky no one will miss it.

“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. 23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25 Behold, I have told you before. 26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. 27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matthew 24:21-27

God knows and is in control of the end of all things, the return of the Son of God.

“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” Matthew 24:36

We need not run around frantically looking for the coming of the KING and His kingdom because “the kingdom of God is within you.” The domain of the KING is in us—KING-dom! That’s what it means.

The preoccupation of the Heaven bound saint of Christ should be his relationship with King Jesus.

“Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.” Luke 12:40

Some people are so busy trying to figure out exactly when Jesus is coming back and how the end time events are going to unfold that they aren’t preparing themselves to meet Him! They live in unwarranted anxiety, in hostile watching instead of settling down to know Him and therefore they aren’t ready to meet Jesus nor helping others to be prepared for the soon return of Christ. Fruitfulness comes from an abiding relationship with Christ.

Living in hostility, anxiety and fear destroys present abiding and fruitfulness. Many today jump from one end times ministry to another, fueling their anxiety with speculations. They are perpetually incapacitated from the daily abiding and fruitfulness Jesus ordains (John 15:1-16).

I’ve seen many who spend more time worrying, monitoring and trying in vain to determine what month or day Jesus would return. It seems that those same people are not fervently seeking the face of the LORD, are not evangelizing, do not have their hand to the plow of the Great Commission work of Christ. Rather they are foolishly seeking to play God by frantically attempting to figure out the exact or approximate timing of Jesus’ second coming. And yet they don’t have an heart after God and are therefore not ready for when Jesus returns (Matthew 26:41; Luke 12:40; Ephesians 5:25-27).

God is calling us to settle down and seek His face.

“Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.” 1 Chronicles 16:11

“My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.” Psalms 63:8

God is calling us to be anchored in Christ, our “blessed hope.” Titus 2:13

Titus 2 seems to be speaking of our lives, our spiritual state in light of Jesus’ coming.

“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; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. 15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.” Titus 2:11-15

Hope in Christ, as we truly abide in Him, in the crucified life He ordained, is the “anchor of the soul” of the remnant disciple.

“Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;” Hebrews 6:19

“Love this podcast! And the word you used was hysteria. That is exactly what I am seeing. Many want to escape the tribulation out of fear! So if they can somehow figure out when Jesus is coming then maybe they will be able to escape the difficult times ahead! But we know the Bible says we must go through much tribulation to enter the kingdom of heaven. Acts 14:22. So there is no escape. Our job is to continue in the faith, eye on the prize which is Jesus! Always keeping in view the Kingdom of God. Like the 5 wise virgins.” Karen Cochran

The reason people live in fear is that they don’t have the love of God in them, through oneness with, through abiding relationship with Christ, which otherwise cast out all fear.

“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:16-18

Prayer: Father, please ground me in You, establish Your kingdom and fruitfulness in my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.