The Shack: Satan’s Shack Exposed

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]

“I am the only ‘god’ there is. I have to fix things, make sure things turn out right, try to get a handle on people and events… and frankly, I do a very poor job for it… this playing god thing.” William P. Young, Author of The Shack

First, it is interesting to see how many people who think they are genuine Christians run out and get the latest fad book and drink in its theology. These same people do not study the Word of God daily to show themselves approved unto God (2 Tim. 2:15). The true disciples of Christ, whose lamps are full, as they look for His soon return, live in His Word daily and so are not impressed with the latest celebrity wolf who writes a book. Wise virgin disciples are established in Jesus Christ and not moved about with “every wind of doctrine” that blows through the apostate church world (Eph. 4:14; Col. 2:4-10). These fear and look to the One who is above all others and gave His life for us. The LORD also gave to us the very “thoughts of His heart” in his Word (Ps. 33:11; Jn. 15:13).

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

One positive thing that is coming out of the expose’ of the evil doctrines in this diabolical book, is that the false teachers or hirelings who fill positions and pulpits today who endorsed this book, are now openly seen for who they really are. The remnant sheep of Christ can now more clearly see the wolves who endorsed this antichrist book called The Shack. Those who gave accolades to or endorsed Satan’s shack book are false prophets and will receive the very same judgment as the wolf who wrote this book – they bid god speed to a liar who has brazenly misrepresented the LORD. – “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” 2 John 1:10-11 (KJV)

Concerning this pagan book, The Shack, one believer notes:

“Makes me sad, to see how many people claim to like this book, yet with the same mouth, they claim to be followers of Christ. That’s like saying you love children, but then supporting abortion. You can’t love God, and like a book like that, whether it is ‘just a story’ or not, is nothing but heresy against God!”

Another disciple who read the books says:

“I read that book based on a recommendation from someone that I love and respect. This person was my former pastor. I read it two years ago and hated it. I didn’t realize the heresy in it at the time but in these 2 years, I’ve grown so much that I can now recognize a vast majority of the false teaching. It is full of new age stuff. I learned something new about it 2 weeks ago. I was reading a post on someone else’s wall where they mentioned Sophia Wiccan and it was like a light bulb went off in my head. Sophia….wasn’t that name used in The Shack….and I bet it means more than I imagine? I started googling and I was right. Sophia represented the Holy Spirit in The Shack and represented wisdom and is also a goddess. We now have goddess worship slipped in as a disguise for a female Holy Spirit in The Shack. This book is full of new age teaching and is just plain heresy.” Linda Reynolds

We received the following recently pertaining to the latest fad book sweeping the “Christian” marketplace. There is some real important wisdom in brother McMahon’s words here as he answered the question. It is a very dangerous undertaking to write a “Christian” fiction book and remain within the bounds of Holy Scripture without misrepresenting the LORD. Such is grave sin. Feel free to pass this on to others and oh, I placed a link to an audio message exposing The Shack as false (see end of article).

Question: I’m confused by a book that is very popular among my circle of Christian friends. It’s titled The Shack, and although it is endorsed by some leading evangelicals, I was freaked out by it and couldn’t actually finish it. I don’t understand how anyone thinks he can put God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in a fictional situation and then have them speak the words out of his own imagination. Isn’t this dead wrong?

Response: Yes. It’s also blasphemy. Here is a definition of that word from Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language: “[It] is an injury offered to God, by denying that which is due and belonging to Him, or attributing to Him that which is not [true to] His nature.” The Shack‘s author, William P. Young, conjures up God the Father as a hip-talking, now-and-then crude black woman referred to as “Papa,” Jesus as a sometimes inept good ol’ boy enamored with His humanity and creation, and the Holy Spirit as a wisp of a woman from Asia, who gardens and collects tears. Shouldn’t that be enough to turn off or offend those who profess to truly know the God of the Bible? Evidently not. Christians have pushed sales of The Shack to beyond one million copies at this writing.

Idolatry is another major abomination of the book. Young manufactures out of his own imagination an image of God and the Holy Spirit. That is condemned (Exodus 20:4) by God for understandable reasons. Any attempt by finite, fallen man even to hint at a material image of Deity would result in an absolutely false representation, let alone an offensive caricature of Almighty God. Furthermore, these two Persons of the Trinity are Spirits, who never appear in physical form, certainly not as females (nor in drag, which the Scriptures condemn!), nor are they ever referred to as female.

The Shack is clearly the work of a false prophet. The sense in which we’re using the word “prophet” here is not that of declaring forthcoming events but rather speaking forth the words of God (2 Peter 1:20-21). The dialogue Young has created for his fictional God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is heretical and a defamation against the character of the Persons of the Godhead. For example, Papa declares to the central figure, “Well, Mackenzie, don’t just stand there gawkin’ with your mouth open like your pants are full.” Jesus, who can’t seem to restrain his giggles and chuckles, after receiving a kiss from Papa and loving “her” earthiness, declares, “She’s a riot.” “Mack’s” interaction with his “trinity” is part-time funfest, part-time inner healing methodologies and catharses, and part-time God explaining Himself (which He left out of the Bible!), and all of it intermingled with hugs, kisses, and other displays that reveal them to be so much like us.

The audacity of anyone putting his own words in the mouth of God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit (under the guise of fiction or not) is beneath contempt. Incredibly, that hasn’t deterred conservative evangelical leader Gale Erwin, charismatic leader James Ryle, Emerging Church writer Jim Palmer, and evangelical celebrity Michael W. Smith from endorsing The Shack, and many Christians can’t seem to get enough of its “make me feel better about myself and God” talk.

Cultists have written volumes claiming to speak for God; now we have it in the church! Ravi Zacharias wrote three supposedly apologetic books not too long ago featuring Jesus in conversation with Buddha, Oscar Wilde, and Confucius. Eugene Peterson, whose The Message Bible majored in substituting his own words for God’s, is the featured endorser of The Shack (“This book has the potential to do for our generation what John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress did for his. It’s that good!”). No, “this book” is one more instrument of Satan’s grand scheme to undermine the Word of God for this generation, the basis of which began in the Garden of Eden with his seductive words to Eve: “Yea, hath God said…?”

Space prevents me from further exposing the rampant heresies, psychobabble, and the pervasive denigration of God, His Word, and His church throughout The Shack. But then, if what has been presented above isn’t reason enough to reject the book, or an appeal to be a Berean, it’s unlikely that a few more pages of input will be either convincing or convicting, especially for the many who claim their lives have been forever changed by this work of antibiblical fiction.”

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How long shall gullible people, claiming to be Christians, run out and buy the latest fad book that is supposedly Christian and be further deceived? Anyone who claims to be a follower of Jesus and yet reads anything (newspaper, magazines, books) more than His Holy Word, should be ashamed of themselves and repent before it’s too late!

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

THE SHACK Its New Age Leaven

God IN Everything?

The new fad book titled “The Shack” is chock full of new age teaching. God bless and prosper watchmen like brother Warren Smith for obeying Jesus and exposing this work of Satan to lure away and lead astray God’s sheep!

God IN Everything? (from http://herescope.blogspot.com/2008/06/shack-its-new-age-leaven.html )
By Warren Smith

“A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.”
– Galatians 5:9

The Shack is being described as a “Christian” novel and is currently ranked number one on the New York Times bestseller list for paperback fiction. Many believers are buying multiple copies and giving them to friends and family. The Shack reads as a true story, but is obviously allegorical fiction. The book conveys postmodern spiritual ideas and teachings that challenge biblical Christianity – all in the name of “God” and “Jesus” and the “Holy Spirit.” Author William P. Young’s alternative presentation of traditional Christianity has both inspired and outraged his many readers. All the while his book continues to fly off the shelves of local bookstores.

Much like New Age author James Redfield’s book The Celestine Prophecy, The Shack is a fictional vehicle for upending certain religious concepts and presenting contrary spiritual scenarios. Allegorical novels can be a clever way to present truth. They can also be used to present things that seem to be true but really are not. Some books like The Shack do both.

I was drawn into the New Age Movement years ago by books and lectures containing parabolic stories that were not unlike The Shack. They felt spiritually uplifting as they tackled tough issues and talked about God’s love and forgiveness. They seemed to provide me with what I spiritually needed as they gave me much needed hope and promise. Building on the credibility they achieved through their inspirational and emotive writings, my New Age authors and teachers would then go on to tell me that “God” was “in” everyone and everything.

I discovered that author William P. Young does exactly the same thing in The Shack. He moves through his very engaging and emotional story to eventually present this same New Age teaching that God is “in” everything.

But I am getting ahead of myself. Let me first provide some background material concerning this key New Age doctrine that “God is in everything.” A good place to start is with Eugene Peterson, the author of the controversial Bible paraphrase The Message. After all, Peterson’s enthusiastic endorsement of The Shack is featured right under the author’s name on the front cover.

Ironically, it was Peterson’s endorsement that caused me to be immediately suspicious of this high-profile, bestselling “Christian” book. Through his questionable paraphrasing of the Bible, Peterson had already aligned himself in a number of areas with New Age/New Spiritualityteachings. One obvious example was where he translated a key verse in the Lord’s Prayer to read “as above, so below” rather than “in earth, as it is in heaven.” “As above, so below” was a term that I was very familiar with from my previous involvement in the New Age Movement. This esoteric saying has been an occult centerpiece for nearly five thousand years. It is alleged by New Age metaphysicians to be the key to all magic and all mysteries. It means that God is not only transcendent — “out there”— but He is also immanent — “in” everyone and everything.

But, as I found out just before abandoning the deceptive teachings of the New Age for the Truth of biblical Christianity, God is not “in” everyone and everything. The Bible makes it clear that man is not divine and that man is not God (Ezekiel 28:2, Hosea 11:9, John 2:24-25, etc.) In Deceived on Purpose: The New Age Implications of the Purpose-Driven Church, I quoted the editors of the New Age Journal as they defined “as above, so below” in their book, As Above, So Below:

“’As above, so below, as below, so above.’ This maxim implies that the transcendent God beyond the physical universe and the immanent God within ourselves are one.” (p. 32)

My concern about Peterson’s undiscerning use of “as above, so below” in the Lord’s Prayer was underscored when the 2006 bestseller, The Secret, showcased this same occult/New Age phrase. In fact, it was the introductory quote at the very beginning of the book. By immediately featuring “as above, so below” the author Rhonda Byrne was telling her readers in definite New Age language that “God is in everyone and everything.” Towards the end of the book, The Secret puts into more practical words what the author initially meant by introducing the immanent concept of “as above, so below.” On page 164 The Secret tells its readers—“You are God in a physical body.”

Most significantly, in his book The Reappearance of the Christ and the Masters of Wisdom, New Age leader Benjamin Creme reveals that a New World Religion will be based on this foundational “as above, so below” teaching of immanence — this idea that God is “in” everyone and everything:

“But eventually a new world religion will be inaugurated which will be a fusion and synthesis of the approach of the East and the approach of the West. The Christ will bring together, not simply Christianity and Buddhism, but the concept of God transcendent — outside of His creation — and also the concept of God immanent in all creation — in man and all creation.” (p. 88)

New Age matriarch Alice Bailey, in her book The Reappearance of the Christ, wrote:

“…a fresh orientation to divinity and to the acceptance of the fact of God Transcendent and God Immanent within every form of life. “These are foundational truths upon which the world religion of the future will rest.” (p. 88) [link added]

In a November 9, 2003 Hour of Power sermon – just two months before he was a featured speaker at the annual meeting of the National Association of Evangelicals – Crystal Cathedral minister Robert Schuller unabashedly aligned himself with this same New Age/New World Religion teaching. The man who claims to have mentored thousands of pastors, including Bill Hybels and Rick Warren, stated:

“You know in theology — pardon me for using a couple of big words — but in theology the God we believe in, this God of Abraham, is a transcendent God. But He is also an immanent God. Transcendent means up there, out there, above us all. But God is also an immanent God — immanence of God and the transcendence of God — but then you have a balanced perspective of God. The immanence of God means here, in me, around me, in society, in the world, this God here, in the humanities, in the science, in the arts, sociology, in politics — the immanence of God…. Yes, God is alive and He is in every single human being!”

But God is not in every single human being. God is not in everything. One of the many reasons I wrote Deceived on Purpose was because Rick Warren presented his readers with this same “God in everything” teaching. Quoting an obviously flawed New Century Bible translation of Ephesians 4:6, Rick Warren — whether he meant to or not — was teaching his millions of readers the foundational doctrine of the New World Religion. Describing God in his book, The Purpose-Driven Life, he wrote:

“He rules everything and is everywhere and is in everything.” (p. 88)

Compounding the matter further, “immanence” has been taught as part of the Foundations class at Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church. An ill-defined reference to immanence on page 46 of the Saddleback Foundations Participants Guide plays right into the hands of the New Spirituality/New World Religion by stating:

“The fact that God stands above and beyond his creation does not mean he stands outside his creation. He is both transcendent (above and beyond his creation) and immanent (within and throughout his creation).”

All of this discussion about “God in everything” immanence is to explain why The Shack is such a deceptive book. It teaches this same heresy. This book ostensibly attempts to deal with the deeply sensitive issues surrounding the murder of a young child. Because of the author’s intensely personal story line, most readers become engaged with the book on a deep emotional level. However, the author’s use of poetic license to convey his highly subjective, and often unbiblical, spiritual views becomes increasingly problematic as the story line develops. This is most apparent when he uses the person of “Jesus” to suddenly introduce the foundational teaching of the New Spirituality/New World Religion — God is “in” everything. Using the New Age term “ground of being” to describe “God,” the “Jesus” of The Shack states:

“God, who is the ground of all being, dwells in, around, and through all things….” (p. 112)

This false teaching about a “God” who “dwells in, around, and through all things” is the kind of New Age leaven that left unchallenged could leaven the church into the New Age/New Spirituality of the proposed New World Religion. And while many people have expressed a great deal of emotional attachment to The Shack and its characters — this leaven alone contaminates the whole book.

Clearly, the “Jesus” of The Shack is not Jesus Christ of the Bible. The apostle Paul chided the Corinthians and warned them that they were vulnerable and extremely susceptible to “another Jesus”and “another gospel” and “another spirit” that were not from God (2 Corinthians 2:11). In the Bible, the real Jesus Christ warned that spiritual deception would be a sign before His return. He further warned that there would be those who would even come in His name, pretending to be Him (Matthew 24:3-5;24).

Without ascribing any ill motive to William Young and his book The Shack, the author’s use of spiritual creativity seems to give a “Christian” assent to the New Age/New Spirituality of the proposed New World Religion. His mixing of truth and error can become very confusing to readers, and God is not the author of confusion (I Corinthians 14:33).

One pastor emphasized the fact that truth mixed with error results in “all error” — a direct refutation of the Emergent Church teaching to find “truth” wherever it may be found — including books like The Shack. He wrote wrote:

“Error is like leaven, of which we read, ‘A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.’ Truth mixed with error is equivalent to all error, except that it is more innocent looking and, therefore, more dangerous. God hates such a mixture! Any error, or any truth-and-error mixture, calls for definite exposure and repudiation. To condone such is to be unfaithful to God and His Word and treacherous to imperiled souls for whom Christ died.”

The Shack has touched the hearts and emotions of many people. While there are many other examples of the author’s unbiblical liberality, introducing the heretical New Age teaching that “God dwells in, and around, and through all things” is in and by itself enough to completely undermine any value the book might otherwise have for faithful believers. To allow yourself to get carried away by this story, while disregarding the book’s New Age/New Spirituality leaven, is to fall prey to the “truth-and-error” mixture that pervades The Shack. And he warned—“God hates such a mixture.”

Before Christians buy one more copy of this book, they need to come to terms with what this author is ultimately teaching and what it is they are passing along to their friends and fellow believers.

The Truth:
“And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (1 Timothy 4:4)

Warren Smith is the author of numerous articles and books on the topic of the New Age/New Spirituality and how it is entering the evangelical church.

Deceived on Purpose: The New Age Implications of the Purpose-Driven Church
The Light that was Dark: From the New Age to Amazing Grace
Reinventing Jesus Christ: The New Gospel

LINKS

“Millions of people around the world have been seduced into believing that the god of The Shack is the same god as the God of the Bible. Beware the Shack compares the real, biblical God with the one created by the imagination of the creators of The Shack.” John K. Langemann,

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PEACE with GOD

The Joy of the Bible [podcast]

The Laid Down Life [podcast]

The Book of Jude Narrated [podcast]

Abiding

Following the Faith of Abraham [podcast]

“There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; ALL came to pass.” Joshua 21:45

The LORD Keeps His Promises to His People

God could trust Abraham:

“For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.” Genesis 18:19

Of Abraham who lived by faith, the LORD says “For I know him” and if we love God, like Abraham, we are known of the LORD also.

“But if any man love God, the same is known of him.” 1 Corinthians 8:3

Does the unchanging God ever tell His people to leave where they are and go to another place? Yes.

“Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. 4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him…” Genesis 12:1-4

Abraham met the condition and God fulfilled His promise. Could the LORD have blessed Abraham had Abraham not trusted and obeyed Him?

“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

“The key is to say ‘Here I am.’ Abraham responded 3 times to God in Gen 22, when God called His name. It was an immediate response of obedience. Did he know exactly why God was calling him? No! It was the posture of his heart. Because of his faithful obedience the Lord knew Abraham was a God fearing man, who only cared about doing God’s will.” Karen Cochran

“And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” Genesis 15:6

“And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.” James 2:23

“I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.” 1 Corinthians 3:6-9

“By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.” Hebrews 11:8

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

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, please forgive my unbelief, which is a sin. Please wash this heart afresh in Your precious blood dear LORD Jesus. Fill my heart with faith, with love, joy, and peace. Please order my every step and be glorified in this life You gave. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

"Though He Slay Me, Yet will I Trust in Him" [podcast]

DO WE have the “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” spirit and disposition of the beloved Job? “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.” Job 13:15 Going though a season of testing and trials and yet not worshipping God through it all, is a waste. Personally I had to learn this the hard way. God has been so wonderfully gracious! “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, […]

Are You a "A FAITHFUL MESSENGER" of the LORD? [podcast]

The faithfulness of God is where we begin …. every word in the Bible. His Word oozes with His faithfulness. He was faithful to us “while we yet sinners” (Romans 5:6-8), to forgive us our sins (1 John 1:9). ruling over cities – see Luke 19 See examples of faithfulness to God in Hebrews 11: “he pleased God” “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” Hebrews 11:5 “But whoso looketh into the perfect […]

Abiding

The Flesh will Never be Reformed it Must be Crucified [podcast]

The Divine Prescription is Clear and there are No Shortcuts

“And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” Galatians 5:24

The law brings repentance, salvation while thereafter the crucified life, the cross keeps us from that sin which once separated us from the LORD, who now has saved us (Psalms 19:7; Romans 6).

There are lots of people peddling the lie of “self care” which is ultimately nothing more than absolute selfishness. Pure evil. We need SAVIOR care! Such “self-care” only perpetuates the prey, the victim, in their misery. The only way to deal with the wicked iniquitous nature, is to crucify it, not pamper it (Luke 9:23-24). It’s your time to get into God’s Word and follow Jesus (KJB). Repent, deny yourself, lay down your life and serve God and others, not yourself. Loving your wicked self IS your problem and so all “self care” is accomplishing is to make your problem bigger, to fortify the evil within (Galatians 5:16-24). Crucifying that evil by the power of the Holy Spirit who is then raising your upward in His grace, glory, and power, is the divine prescription (Romans 8:13; Colossians 3:3, etc.). Read Philippians 2:3-5 each morning this week. Jesus commands you to love God. Worship God. Obey God (Matthew 22:37-39).

All whom Jesus has saved make a decision every day, including this day. All who were initially saved and yet aren’t searching out and taking up the cross daily, prove they do not love Him, even though they may claim such. Each of us prove who we really love by who reigns in our lives, and by who dies. See Matthew 6:24.

“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 6:16

WHO we yield ourselves to today, proves who we truly love – either the Savior or self.

“But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:” 2 Corinthians 1:9

We must declare and establish “the sentence of death in ourselves” so that our trust is in God who raised Christ from the dead and raises up all of His saints as they are crucified with Christ.

“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

Tired of sinful self and wanting it out of your way? Here’s the divine prescription: “But I keep under (subdue) 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).

The fact that Jesus is coming back for a church, a people who are holy, let us peer into what the Bible tells us concerning overcoming the flesh, sin (Romans 6-8).

Jesus never said to try or try harder. no, Jesus says you must die to follow Him (Luke 9:23-24; John 12:23-25, etc.).

Jesus is sanctifying and cleansing by His Word a people, a church “a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:25-27).

Times of fasting and prayer are doing yourself a favor and not God. Yes. You are crucifying self, getting self out of God’s way so that Christ is reigning in your life in place of sinful self! This should be viewed with absolute delight! (See Psalms 37:4; Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:13, etc..) You are crying, you are driving a stake in the ground and declaring: “LORD, You must increase but I must decrease!” (See John 3:30.) That’s the “daily” operation of the cross God has ordained to be transpiring in our lives (Luke 9:23-24; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12; Galatians 2:20, etc.).

What’s your plan for a special time of fasting and prayer this week? There’s no mystery – you will not overcome the flesh, sin, without being crucified with Christ and there’s no better way than fasting and prayer. It’s the most direct route to being dead, buried, and raised up in the victory Christ alone can grant. Lay it all down, now. Memorize Colossians 3:3 and walk it out.

We simply can’t know just how deep we are buried in pride until we begin to obey God in fasting and prayer. Isaiah 58

Overcoming the flesh, walking in victory requires continually delighting in the LORD, worshipping Him “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24).

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

HOW many of us know that the flesh is never going to behave itself, never going to be tamed …. until it’s slain by the cross, crucified?

The flesh IS going to rage, be bent toward and do evil. That’s a given (Romans 7). This is why the cross, the crucifying of the “old man” and putting on “the new man” are essential to God bringing the victory in our lives! (Romans 6-8; Ephesians 4:23-25; Colossians 3:5-10, etc.)

Doesn’t the fact that our flesh does not like the cross, only confirm the need for it? What are the “works of the flesh” that will separate a once saved Christian from God? (Galatians 5:16-21) Though it’s never heard in the apostate modern church world, Jesus commanded the cross in the life of each and every person who would follow Him (Luke 9:23-24). The fact that our flesh hates the cross in no way changes God and what He said concerning the severity in which we are to deal with the flesh, with sin – and the eternal damnation that awaits all who don’t crucify the deeds of the body (Mark 9:42-49; Romans 6; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Peter 1:15-16; Revelation 21:8, 27, etc.). When’s the last time you read the words of Jesus recorded in Mark 9:42-49 and took Jesus at His Word? IF you truly love Him, you will obey Him (John 14:15).

God fully expects for His people to induce, to participate in the crucifixion of our flesh, putting the self-life to death (Isaiah 58; Matthew 6:16; 1 Corinthians 9:27; Galatians 2:20, etc.).

Holiness is not the way to Christ but rather Christ is the way to holiness. Abiding in Christ IS abiding holy – in the divine definition of holy. The key is that holiness is NOT the way to God but rather Christ is the way to holiness, His way, His definition – which is the daily cross (Luke 9:23-24). Abiding fellowship with Christ, on HIS terms, is holiness – being set apart to the LORD, in the LORD (Psalms 4:3; John 15).

Sin is man’s master until Christ is man’s Master (Matthew 6:24).

No one overcomes by accident. Those who love the LORD, truly, not just in mere profession, will seek Him diligently and obey Him and therefore are brought into His victory by Him (Matthew 7:21; 22:37-39; Titus 1:16; 1 John 2:3-6; Revelation 2-3, etc.). The disciple must truly repent and cease all excuses for the sin that displeases God and walk as “MORE than conquerors through him that loved us” (Romans 8:1, 5-6, 13-14; 37, etc.).

Jesus came from Heaven to earth and successfully confronted evil, sin, death, and the devil by going to the cross and defeating them! Read Colossians 2:14-15; Hebrews 2:14-15 and 1 John 3:8. In Christ, with Christ, we defeat death by dying, laying down our lives (Hebrews 2:14-15). And Jesus, who conquered death, hell, sin, Satan, and the grave, sends us to the cross – co-death with Him to defeat all of our sin and Satan also (Luke 9:23-24; Romans 6; 8:29, 37; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12, etc.). His precious blood alone atoned for our sins positionally, and yet to enforce that victory in defeating sin and Satan in our daily lives, Jesus prescribed to us the cross life (the practical).

The only thing we can do about this reality – about the iniquitous fleshly nature – is to crucify it (Galatians 5:16-24). There can be no negotiation.

“Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:11

The one way to master sin is bow to Heaven’s Master and let Him master sin! The cross.

BECAUSE JESUS CHRIST ROSE AGAIN, ALL WHO ARE BORN AGAIN IN HIM ARE RAISED UP SPIRITUALLY IN THIS LIFE TO OVERCOME ALL SIN, SATAN, AND THE WORLD, AND WILL SOON be RAISED UP INTO ETERNAL GLORY WITH HEAVEN’S KING.

Rhetorical Question: What’s your fasting and prayer plan beloved? Your answer to this important, prompting question is before you and your LORD….

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 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

You are not serious about overcoming sin if you’re not yet setting apart regular times of fasting and prayer. The fact that you don’t want to fast is the clear proof that you need to fast. Currently, your flesh is in control! Once you are broken, you will delight in, you will look forward to those times of regular fasting! Read Isaiah 58. | The Amazing Benefits of Fasting and Prayer

Times of Fasting and prayer get YOU out of the way so Jesus can reign supreme! Isaiah 58

“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Romans 8:13-14

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

FASTING IS STARVING THE FLESH AND FEEDING THE SPIRIT IN ORDER TO BE BROUGHT BY THE LORD INTO FULL ONENESS WITH HIM AND THE FATHER, AND INTO THE COMPLETE VICTORY AND FRUITFULNESS HE’S ORDAINED YOU TO WALK IN (ISAIAH 58).

Read Romans 6-8.

I am not a good person. Neither are you. “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10). Admit it. The Bible and our own failing experience in this life clearly reveal such to be the case. The sooner we become HONEST with that which is more than obvious, announcing freely and transparently that there is “no good thing” in us except CHRIST, the sooner God will begin a fresh, deeper work in us! See Romans 7:18, 24—the cross!

“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 7:18

“Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;” Colossians 3:9

The SINNER, the vile wretch I must first and foremost confront, is myself! See Job 19:28; Rom 7:18, 24; Ps 39:4-5 and Eccl 7:20. It’s essential to begin to understand the flesh, the fallen man, the iniquitous old man, in order to realize what we’ve been saved from and what must be crucified daily. The cross is God’s solution, His prescription to “put off the old man with his deeds.”

“That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;” Ephesians 4:22

The cross subdues the flesh, it separates us from being held captive to the dictates of the old man, the carnal fallen nature.

The Root of the Matter is in Me! | The Daily Cross

Either Crucify the Flesh or it will Crucify Christ out of Your Life [podcast]

Fight the temptation or die the death? Where’s the victory come from? The Cross – something counterfeits intentionally evade (Philippians 3:18-19). The cross is how we know who is real and who is fake. Refusing to take up the cross means one has denied Christ. This would account for the vast majority of men in ministry today. They are cross-less. The only people who are truly following Christ are those who are doing it HIS way – and His stated way is the cross, the crucified life (Luke 9:23-24). There is no other way to follow Jesus. If we don’t […]

To the Flesh we must declare “Shut up and die!” [podcast]

There can be no mercy on the flesh. As opposed to making excuse for the fallen nature in us, we must declare war on it – by the cross (Romans 6:1-23; 8:12-13, etc.). Jesus never said to try. Jesus says you must die to follow Him (Luke 9:23-24; John 12:23-25, etc.). The flesh cannot be cast out, like a devil. It must be daily crucified, put to death (Luke 9:23-24; Romans 6, etc.). The Holy Spirit alone can crucify the deeds of the body and this only happens as we are dead and buried with Christ. Read Romans 6 […]

Sin: Man’s Core Problem [podcast]

People don’t have a “mental health” problem, they have a SIN problem and sin is what gives way, gives full access to Satan! “When people hear voices telling them to harm themselves or others, that’s not a chemical imbalance, it’s demon possession.” Rachel Gould “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9 Jesus taught us that man’s sin comes out of his “desperately wicked” heart (Jer17:9; Mark 7:20-23). The devil and his agents have created a million ways to divert us from stopping our lives, getting honest, taking personal responsibility, humbling ourselves, […]

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Gospel Preached at Funeral of a Decorated United States Marine Officer in Mexico [podcast]

This past Sunday, here in beautiful Mexico, a saint’s temporal body was laid to rest. Brother Mark and I were given the opportunity, asked to speak to the whole group.

Our LORD Jesus’ Gospel was preached and everyone there was invited to repent and receive Christ before it’s too late—because Jesus died for them to be forgiven and receive eternal life, and that hell is forever (Revelation 22:17). Oh, the funeral attendees were also informed that “purgatory” is a lie, and that when they die, they will be going to Heaven or hell.

After a bit, an interpreter helped, joined in, and so every attendee heard the Gospel in their language—Spanish or English.

Trevor and Trish are the couple’s names. The way brother Mark met Trish, the now widow was 100% a miracle. Two weeks ago, we were invited to this couple’s home and spent the afternoon with them. Little did we know that the husband would pass shortly thereafter. God knew and orchestrated the events according to His perfect will.

Saints, thank you for your prayers for sister Trish.

After the people disbanded, several came and asked us about further fellowship. The preaching of God’s Word ignited them. A breakfast group fellowship had recently already begun to form, so they were invited.

Life springs out of death – “Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die” (1 Corinthians 15:36).

Christ’s economy is a cross economy. Here we see that very thing where out of one of His saint’s death and burial, the life of Jesus is at work, raising up others. Life springs out of death (2 Corinthians 4:10-12).

“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” Psalms 116:15

“And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.” Revelation 14:13

God is so very good, saints. See Psalm 86.

Here’s comfort from “the God of all comfort” for each of you, concerning losing loved ones, namely born again loved ones! You can be assured that they are with Christ and the Father and protected from ANY and ALL danger, forever! See 2 Corinthians 1:2-5, also Revelation 21:4.

“The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. 2 He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.” Isaiah 57:1-2

Interestingly, the LORD brought together 4 United States Marines/Marine vets in Mexico to bring this to pass….

“Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” Revelation 16:15

The Brevity of Life in this World

“Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” James 4:14

We all face death and judgment, and the Good News is that Christ’s perfect sacrifice, as we humbly appropriate it, means we are forgiven and will avert the judgment of eternal damnation.

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” Hebrews 9:27

Our Prayer with Isaiah for God to Prepare and Send Us

It’s the “Here am I; send me” LORD prayer in action! (Isaiah 6:8)

Child of God, are you ready, today, to lift your heart and hands to your Maker and dare to declare this prayer to Him? – “Here am I; send me!”

If you dare to freshly surrender the life God gave you and cry out to Him, get ready beloved for the fruit-bearing adventure of your life! Remember that Abraham was in Haran (means barren, dry, fruit-less) until he was instructed by God to get up and leave. That’s when the promised blessings began to unfold in his life. See the end of Genesis 11 and thereafter.

When you cry out to Him with the prophet Isaiah, the LORD is going to hear, answer, and do things that are utterly miraculous.

“And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” Mark 10:27

Just “Go” and watch God! (Mark 16:15). Your life is never more richly blessed by God than when you live by faith, when you surrender afresh and ask Him to take all of you, to prepare and use you.

Isaiah's Call and Commission [podcast]

What did the LORD reveal of Himself to Isaiah? What was the result in Isaiah’s life and ours? When the LORD appeared to him, the prophet Isaiah was shown his own depravity, his own wicked heart, his own unpreparedness. What was his response and how does this relate to us? Are you ready this day to say “Jesus please prepare and use me mightily for Your eternal glory! I love You LORD. I am all Yours! Please do Your deeper work in this life You gave!”? One must be prepared by God to be used by God. “If a man therefore […]

LORD, Prepare Me! [podcast]

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8 “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 answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will […]

Mission Mexico Part 46 [podcast]

Recorded about a week ago: Much has happened since then! Your Love for God is Changing Lives Saints! Clara’s new rental. Brother Allan ministering in the Philippines. Many being reached daily in Mexico. And much more….. Happening now. In progress. Talking to Clara by text right now….. delivered the rent and deposit today. | Clara’s Cry Recently, when bringing more food to Clara and her 3 boys, food from God’s love in and through you, I noticed that her 3 boys were quite dirty and was moved. They were actually filthy. Clara is by nature a very quiet person. So I […]