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The Written Word vs Prayer

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THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE BETWEEN STUDYING THE WRITTEN WORD and PRAYING TO GOD, THE LIVING WORD

I’ve been diligently studying the Word of God since 1974, but lately I’ve come to the realization that I am not experiencing the consistent spiritual manifestation of His glorious and peaceful presence and power as

I once did. After I was born again, initially, and for months thereafter, I spent hours in His presence and enjoyed fellowship with Him. His presence was palpable. Then, His presence faded for some reason. I thought maybe this was just the way it is with God, so I adjusted to it. In doing so I lost my perspective or the relative importance between knowing the living Word intimately and personally through lively communication with him through prayer and the mere gaining of lifeless knowledge from the letter of the written word through diligent study.

I made gaining knowledge through study of the written word an “end” in itself as though an increase in my knowledge of scripture would in and of itself, somehow, bring me into a closer personal relationship with the living God along with His manifest spiritual presence rather than using study to gain knowledge merely as a “means” to validate and authenticate the source of the spoken words coming to me from the mouth of the living God to my spirit by way of revelation from the Holy Spirit (John 16:13-15 KJV). That “means”, or “my knowledge from study of the written word”, is not to be the object of my worship. The living Word of God, not the written word, is to be the object of my worship. The written word, inspired by God, is merely the infallible and legally admissible evidence of things not seen from the realm of the kingdom of God which is spiritual in nature and therefore invisible (2^nd Corinthians 4:17-18; Hebrews 11:1-3, 6 KJV), that has been recorded for all generations to bear witness to or testify to the truth, who is Jesus, the living Word of God, who was made flesh and dwelt among us (Psalms 12:6-7; Luke 24:27; John 5:39; John 1:1, 14 KJV). In Jesus, who is the living Word or the Word made flesh, dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9 KJV).

Jesus is not the letter of the written word. The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life (2^nd Corinthians 3:6 KJV). The written word only comes to life by way of the living God bringing it to life by opening His mouth and speaking it to the Holy Spirit according to God’s sovereign will and purpose for that particular time and season (Isaiah 55:11; Matthew 4:4; John 6:63b & 16:13-15; Hebrews 4:12 KJV):

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

“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” – (Matthew 4:4 KJV)

“—–the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life.” – (John 6:63b KJV)

“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 ( e. whatsoever he shall hear of the living Word from God’s own mouth, my addition), that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” – (John 16:13-15 KJV)

“For the word of God is quick ( e. living and operative, translation), and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” – (Hebrews 4:12 KJV)

We live by every anointed word that proceeds out of the mouth of God by way of revelation from the Holy Spirit in response to our daily prayers for such, not by the words we come to know initiated by our own self-willed study (Matthew 4:4 KJV). In turn the Holy Spirit then glorifies that living Word (i. e. Jesus) from the mouth of God by revealing His anointed words of faith directly to our spirit by-passing our sight or sense-based knowledge received from our five (5) physical senses. These words of faith to direct our paths come in response to our acknowledging God through daily prayer (John 16:13-15; Proverbs 3:5-6; 2^nd Corinthians 4:17-18 & 5:7; Hebrews 11:1; Matthew 6:10-11 KJV). The living words we receive from God through prayer, that we believe in our heart, and speak with our mouth are anointed with the Holy Ghost and power and will be effectual in accomplishing the thing whereunto God sends it (Isaiah 55:11 KJV). The effectual fervent prayers of a righteous man availeth much power (James 5:16b KJV). Our effectual (1^st John 5:14-15 KJV) and fervent prayers to God, not self-willed study, brings the supernatural creative miracle-working power of God to bear on that situation or circumstance which concerns us if we are walking uprightly with God (Psalms 138:8 & 84:11; 1^st John 1:7, 2:10-11, & 3:22 KJV).

The written word bears witness to or testifies to the truth that Jesus, the living Word of God, is the only name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12 KJV). Jesus is God’s sole and sovereign plan of salvation for both Jew and Gentile. Listen to the perspective or relative importance Jesus gave us between searching the lifeless letter of the written words of scripture (i. e. the Logos) and our personal communication with the living Spirit of the spoken (i. e. the Rhema) Word of life received from the mouth of God through revelation to our spirit in response to our acknowledging Him in prayer along with the purpose of the writings of scripture in bearing witness to the Word of life which the Holy Spirit gave to us through the apostle John as well as other apostles:

“Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart. And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God: Who also made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for “the letter” killeth, but ”the spirit” giveth life.” – (2^nd Corinthians 3:2-6 KJV)

“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” – (John 5:39 KJV)

NOTE: The written word merely testifies of the living Word but is not the living and eternal Word itself. Studying the scripture through self-determination and self-effort apart from revelation from the Spirit of truth in response to our daily prayers for both revelation and an understanding heart produces nothing but pride and is just an exercise in futility (John 15:5b & 16:13-15; 1st Corinthians 8:1b-2 KJV).

“Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. But if any man love God (i. e. the living Word, my addition), that same is known of him.” – (1^st Corinthians 8:1b-3 KJV)

The necessary prerequisite to a fruitful study of the written word is to receive fresh daily bread (i. e. fresh manna from heaven) from the living word spoken by the mouth of our heavenly Father which daily bread comes to our spirit by way of revelation through the Spirit of truth to direct our line of study in response to our daily prayers for such revelation of God’s will and purpose (John 16:13-15; Proverbs 3:5-6; Philippians 4:6-7; Ephesians 1:17-23 KJV).

Annual study plans, devised by organized religion, to read the Bible from cover to cover in one year or less, are all bereft of revelation through daily prayer. Since it is not given to us to know the times or the seasons (Acts 1:7 KJV) which God has reserved for His personal use and power, we are, therefore, of necessity, bound to the need to acknowledge God daily in prayer in order to receive timely revelations from the Spirit of truth to direct our path (Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV). Otherwise, we will operate as did Martha rather than Mary (Luke 10:38-42 KJV). Martha was concerned with “doing things right” according to tradition regardless the time or season, whereas Mary was concerned with “doing the right thing” at the right time according to revelation from the living Word spoken by the mouth of God. We are to be still before the Lord each day in daily prayer, knowing that He is God and asking Him to direct our paths without leaning to our own understanding according to tradition.

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy might be full.” – (1^st John 1:1-4 KJV)

NOTE: Those who saw and handled the living Word of eternal life were inspired by the Holy Spirit to use the written word to bear record and testify to us of the same so that our joy might be full. That is to say, our joy will be full if we come to Him in prayer, believing through faith that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. However, the written word is not that living Word who became flesh and dwelt among us whom we seek and communicate with in a living way through daily prayer. Remember this obvious distinction between the written word and the living Word made flesh; the Bible doesn’t bleed, therefore, it is not the living Word of God made flesh who was nailed to the cross.

While I certainly gained knowledge through my study of the written word, that knowledge by itself was cold, sterile, impersonal, and bereft of love. Therefore, my knowledge was lifeless (1^st Corinthians 13:1-3 KJV). My knowledge of the written word through diligent study did not bring the presence of God which is the fullness of joy (Psalms 16:11 KJV). I became so hungry for the presence of the Lord and the initial joy of my salvation after all these years of study that I began in earnest to ask Him for the spiritual manifestation of His presence as a living Person like I had at the beginning of my walk with Him. Over time, here’s what the Spirit began revealing to me in my spirit which has given me a new perspective that has made my prayer life to the living Word of God preeminent to my study of the written word for the purpose of obtaining my spiritual direction (Proverbs 3:5-6; John 16:13-15; Philippians 4:6-7 KJV).

In the beginning, the living God spoke the living Word and the anointing of the Holy Ghost (i. e. the anointing means the Christ or the wisdom and power of God – 1^st Corinthians 1:24 KJV) upon the spoken Word of God caused all things visible and invisible to come into existence in both the spiritual and the natural or physical realm. The Greek word Christ is an exact translation of the Hebrew word Messiah, and the English word anoint is an exact translation of the Greek word Christ. The word “Christ” or “Anoint” means to rub on or smear all over. The word “Christ” refers either to the anointing of the wisdom and supernatural power of God of Isaiah 10:27 upon the spoken word from God’s own mouth, which He sends to us in response to our prayers for such, or the “Anointed One” of Isaiah 61:1 which is Jesus or the Word of God made flesh. So, when translating the word Christ translate it as the “Anointed One” and his “anointing” and God will reveal to you whether it is referring to the “Anointed One” or the “anointing” or both since we really can’t separate the “anointing” from the “Anointed One” and visa versa.

For example, “I can do all things through Christ which (not who) strengthens me.” In this passage of scripture the word Christ is referring to the anointing of Isaiah 10:27 not the Anointed One of Isaiah 61:1. Jesus Christ, the “Anointed One”, brought the “anointing” into our midst during his earthly ministry and demonstrated the anointing of the Holy Ghost and power in Luke 4:18 when he stood up in the synagogue and opened the book of Isaiah to Isaiah 61:1 where it is written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord” – (Luke 4:18 KJV)

Before Jesus ascended, he instructed his disciples that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father. He told them that they would receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. After receiving this instruction from Jesus, his disciples went into an upper room and continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren, the number of them was about 120. At the day of Pentecost while they were still in one accord and in one place they received power from on high as the Holy Ghost came upon them for effective service.

This power from on high is still available to us today if we’ll persistently ask for it through fervent and prevailing prayer. Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened to receive the promise of the Father or the anointing of the Holy Ghost and power with the evidence of speaking in tongues. Regretfully, the body of Christ in large measure does not believe in the baptism of the Holy Ghost and power with the evidence of speaking in tongues and remain bereft of the supernatural creative miracle-working power of God. Mistakenly, they think they have received all the power of God there is to receive upon being born again of the Spirit and being water baptized with the baptism of John unto repentance. Yet Acts 19:1-6 contradicts such heresy.

When those who won’t believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit pray, they pray from a carnally minded perspective which is confined to the low level of the limited power of the natural laws of physics rather than from a spiritually minded perspective which is not so confined. A spiritually minded perspective believes in the supernatural nature of the immeasurable, unlimited, and greatly surpassing power of the Holy Spirit and His ability to override the natural laws of physics. This carnally minded perspective of those in the church who refuse to believe in the Promise of the Father (i. e. the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues) is why the church, for the most part, remains powerless in combating the deception and wiles of the devil. In Texas, we refer to those who claim to have something they can’t demonstrate as being all hat and no cattle. The living Word spoken by the mouth of living God and the anointing (i. e. the Christ) of the Holy Ghost upon that spoken Word created all things visible and invisible, not the written word which came after God spoke the living Word.

So, the Word spoken out of the mouth of the living God or the living Word of God which was made flesh and dwelt among us has preeminence in all things including the written word even though the written word testifies of him (John 5:39 KJV). For in him (i. e. in Jesus, the living Word of God) dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9 KJV). The word bodily in Colossians 2:9, refers to the physical flesh and blood body of Jesus according to the Greek translation shown in Strong’s Concordance. According to Isaiah 9:6 the name of Jesus is called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. So, Jesus, according to the written word, is the fullness of the Godhead bodily or physically in the flesh.

After we’re born again of the Spirit, thereafter we are to take no thought for tomorrow nor are we to be careful for anything concerning those things we need for the support of biological life. Instead, we are to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to us. Additionally, upon being born again of the Spirit, old things are passed away and all things are become new. Rather than going our own way by leaning to our own intellectual understanding based on what we learned in the past through sight or sense-based knowledge received through our five (5) physical senses, in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving we are to let our requests be made known unto God for His direction in our lives through faith or the evidence of things not seen by way of the revelation to our spirit from the Spirit of truth which by-passes our five (5) physical senses. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Matthew 6:31-34; Philippians 4:6-7; John 16:13-15 KJV, my paraphrase). Matthew 6:31-34, Philippians 4:6-7, and John 16:13-15 are companion verses of scripture to the verses of scripture in Proverbs 3:5-6 which state:

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not to thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

Acknowledging God means to pray to Him for direction (Proverbs 3:6 KJV). Being directed by the LORD by acknowledging Him in all our ways by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving is tantamount to being led by the Spirit who guides us into all truth and those who are led by revelation of the Spirit’s direction in response to their prayers to God are the sons of God (Proverbs 3:6; Philippians 4:6-7; John 16:13-15; Romans 8:14 KJV). Through prayer and supplication to God with thanksgiving, His Spirit is able to restore our soul or transform us by the renewing of our minds from a carnally minded perspective to a spiritually minded perspective such that we might prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God (Titus 3:5; Psalms 23:3a; Romans 12:2 KJV).

The paths into which we’re being directed according to Proverbs 3:6 or, rather, the paths into which we are being led of the Spirit, are the paths of righteousness for His names sake (Psalms 23:3 KJV). The steps of a righteous man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way (Psalms 37:23 KJV). These steps are ordered by faith which is the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1; 2^nd Corinthians 4:17-18 KJV) and without faith it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6 KJV). When we walk by believing through faith or the evidence of things not seen by way of direct revelation to our spirit from the Holy Spirit, who reveals only that which He hears from the spoken word of God at just the right time or just the right season (John 16:13; Acts 1:7 KJV), rather than walking by our own intellectual understanding from sight or sense-based knowledge received through our five (5) physical senses, we will, in a living way, experience the spiritual manifestation of God’s presence and fellowship. In His presence there is fullness of joy and the joy of the Lord is our strength ((Nehemiah 8:10b; Psalms 16:11 KJV).

Once the Holy Spirit provides revelation of faith or the evidence of things not seen to our born again spirit to direct our paths in response to our sincere and fervent prayers for such direction, then our study and learning from the written word based on that revelation of faith will become fruitful such that we can understand it, meditate on it and, over time, become fully persuaded to believe or establish that faith, or that evidence of things not seen, in our hearts. Believing this revelation of faith in our hearts or believing in the evidence of things not seen from the Holy Spirit through the spiritual eyes and ears of our born again spirit (i. e. the spiritual eyes and ears of our spiritual or inner man), will restore our soul by renewing the thoughts in our mind such that we will do by nature the things contained in the righteous laws of the kingdom of God, which kingdom is spiritual in nature and therefore invisible to the natural eye of the natural man also known as the outward or physical man (Romans 10:10; 2^nd Corinthians 4:13; Hebrews 11:1; 2^nd Corinthians 4:17-18; John 3:3; Psalms 23:3; Romans 12:2 & 2:14-15; Psalms 1:1-3; 1^st Corinthians 2:14 KJV).

In other words, by the renewing of our minds through revelation of faith to our spirit from the Holy Spirit, in response to our prayers which acknowledge God as a living Person, we will be transformed from a carnally minded perspective to a spiritually minded perspective. To be spiritually minded is to be mentally directed from the thoughts produced by the words engrafted into our spirit which represent faith or the evidence of things not seen that pertain to the invisible kingdom of God. It is by grace through believing in the gift of faith through revelation in response to our prayers that we establish and fulfill the law such that God’s will can once again be done in earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 5:17-19; Romans 3:31; Ephesians 2:8-10; Romans 8:3-4 KJV).

The Holy Spirit is showing me that I spend too much time in the scripture increasing my intellectual knowledge of the “written” word and too little time in prayer communicating with God to build a personal relationship with Him through the “Living” or “Spoken” Word. Face time with the Lord in prayer to build an intimate or close personal relationship with Him is no different than face time with another human being to build a personal relationship——especially one’s own spouse. Marriage is a great mystery concerning Christ and the church according to Ephesians 5:30-33 (KJV).

To emphasize once again the distinction and relative importance between having knowledge of the written word and having an intimate or close spiritual and personal relationship with Jesus as a living Person is to keep foremost in our mind at all times the obvious truth that the Bible wasn’t nailed to the cross because the Bible is not flesh and blood, and, therefore, it does not bleed. This distinction between communicating with the living Word through prayer and studying the written word to establish an intimate and close personal relationship to enjoy God’s presence is in no way a put down of the written word. Instead, it is to establish the relative importance between the “living Word made flesh” and the “written word which testifies of the Word made flesh”. I was impressed by the Spirit to compare the amount of time I spend studying to the amount of time I spend in prayer. The amount of time I spend studying the written word far outweighs the time I spend in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving——my unfortunate misstep in developing a closer personal relationship with God such that I could have more of His fellowship and His manifest spiritual presence which comes along with that fellowship.

The Lord impressed upon my spirit that studying the Bible at the expense of my face time with Him in communicating with Him in every thing by prayer is somewhat akin to the younger generation of my own children sitting at the dinner table with me with their face glued to their cell phone at the expense of acknowledging me and conversing with me in a face-to-face conversation. This distraction of my children’s time away from communication with their own living father at the dinner table by virtue of their spending an inordinate amount of time infatuated by an inanimate cell phone has always impressed me as a father as their being indifferent towards me and my being set far below the respect and honor that is due me which is obviously disrespectful, dishonoring, and rude. So, if my children are indifferent, disrespectful, and dishonoring in my presence, why would I want to visit them often and bless them with my presence? The Lord seemed to be saying to me that’s how He feels when I’m being indifferent towards Him by my being distracted in spending an inordinate amount of time studying the inanimate or lifeless written word at the expense of seeking His face and spending quality time in communication with Him, the living Word, through prayer.

What an enormously subtle deception is the devils insidious subterfuge of causing us to disrespect and dishonor the living Word of God through quality face time with Him in daily prayer by distracting us with the legitimate need to study the lifeless or inanimate written word of God. Following is the definition of the words “insidious” and “subterfuge” which will open our eyes to how the devil works his deceptions against both believers and unbelievers:

“Insidious in it’s word definition means: 1a : awaiting a chance to entrap: TREACHEROUS b: harmful but enticing: SEDUCTIVE 2 a : having a gradual and cumulative effect : SUBTLE b : developing so gradually as to be well established before becoming apparent.”
“Subterfuge suggests: the adoption of a stratagem or the telling of a lie in order to escape guilt or to gain an end.”

Organized Denominational Religion, through their traditions, have for the most part all fallen for this subtle deception concerning the false preeminence of study over prayer. However, this masterful deception is not surprising since the devil, in his prideful knowledge as the anointed Cherub, was able to deceive and take with him a third of the angels in his fall from the 3^rd heaven while they were all in the very presence of God.

Most people will tell you that knowledge is power, but it is not the power of life itself. There is no life-giving power but that power which emanates from the self-existent God Who is life itself and the creator and sustainer thereof. Apart from Him there is no power of life. Only when we love God and are known of Him and become one with Him do we have life. We don’t have eternal life unless and until we are made a part of God. God, according to His mercy, by grace through faith, has made it possible for each of us to become one with Him as members of His body through a blood covenant relationship called the New Blood Covenant. The essence of a blood covenant relationship is that two become one by the shedding of blood which is also the essence of marriage.

Marriage is the great mystery concerning Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:32 KJV). When a man has sexual intercourse with his wife, the hymen is broken and there is the shedding of blood. The hymen has no medical function whatsoever other than to break when joined to a husband in the marriage bed. Then the man and the woman become joined together as one flesh. In the same manner, when the Lord comes into our hearts by grace through faith we become bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh in a blood covenant relationship (Genesis 2:23; Ephesians 5:28-33 KJV).

Once joined together with Jesus he becomes our sovereign head or, in other words, the head of the body. As in marriage, we are given his name and the authority to act in his name provided we are being led by his Spirit in response to our daily prayers for his guidance into all truth which causes us to walk in accordance with his will and purpose for that particular time and place. Apart from Him, that is the life-giving Vine, we can do nothing, even if we have understanding of all knowledge from the written and lifeless words of scripture (John 5:39-40 KJV). Jesus, the living Word of God, said this: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” No one knows how to create or sustain life except the One and only life-giver—the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2 KJV). If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead now dwells in us he shall also quicken our mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in us (Romans 8:11 KJV).

According to the written word, “if any man thinks he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know” – (1^st Corinthians 8:2 KJV). Mere knowledge puffs up or makes us prideful such that we begin to think of ourselves above measure (1^st Corinthians 8:1 KJV). We become independent of God and become slack in our daily prayers to God for His direction. Those, who, like the devil, think that knowledge is power and that knowledge in and of itself is eternal life, know nothing yet as they ought to know. Therefore, they will not experience the presence of God nor the peace and fullness of joy that only His presence can bring us (John 5:39-40; Psalms 16:11; Nehemiah 8:10 KJV).

God refers to those who consider themselves able to understand all mysteries and have all knowledge and have all faith to remove mountains from diligently studying the written word as being nothing, if and/or when their understanding, knowledge, and faith are bereft of the nature and character of love which is the essence of the living God Himself. Faith works by love. Apart from love who is God Himself, we can do nothing. Since God is love it can also be said that the words of faith only work when spoken by the mouth of the living God Who is love. Listen to what scripture says concerning those who exalt the relative importance of studying the written word above our prayer life or our personal time communicating with God. When we exalt studying the written word above our praying to the living Word, that is the essence of leaving our first love which is warned against in Revelation 2:4-5 (KJV). When we put studying ahead of prayer, our prayers become impersonal, sterile, and rote which has an adverse effect on the quality of our personal relationship with God and being able to experience the joy of His presence:

“Knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth. And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.” – (1^st Corinthians 8:1b-2 KJV)

“And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing.” – (1^st Corinthians 13:2 KJV)

“But if any man love God, the same is known of him.” – (1^st Corinthians 8:3 KJV)

“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” – (1^st John 5:3 KJV)

“Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. These things I command you, that ye love one another.” – (John 15:14, 17 KJV)

“Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” – (Romans 13:8-9 KJV)

NOTE: God speaks of keeping all his commandments which commandments altogether are plural. But, since “loving one another as he loved us” briefly comprehends obedience to all the other commandments, he refers to keeping all the commandments with the singular command of “love thy neighbor as thyself”.

“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. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him.” – (John 14:21-23 KJV)

NOTE: Loving God, evidenced by loving others, is the key to God’s presence. Loving others fulfills all the law (Jeremiah 31:31-33 [prophecy of the new covenant]; Romans 8:3-4 & 13:8 KJV). Our ability to love others comes by acknowledging God in all our ways through prayer for His direction and guidance (i. e. Love’s direction and guidance since God is love). His direction and guidance come through revelation from the Holy Spirit to our spirit in response to our prayers and our ability to walk in His direction and guidance is empowered by Christ or the wisdom and power of God which is the anointing of the Holy Spirit (Proverbs 3:5-6; John 16:13-15; Ezekiel 36:26-27 [prophecy of the new covenant]; Acts 5:32; Philippians 4:13 KJV).

“That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full [Remember, in His presence is fullness of joy]. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because the darkness hath blinded his eyes.” – (1^st John 1:3-7 & 2:10-11 KJV)

“For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life.” – (Proverbs 6:23 KJV)

NOTE: The law, as well as being a light, is also the truth (Psalms 119:142 KJV). However, it acts as a light only if and when it is securely hinged to love as it’s guiding principle or unchanging rule of governing action. When the law is ministered in the letter, untempered by love, it is being used unlawfully with our born again brothers and sisters and, as a result, it kills rather than making alive (Romans 7:10 & 8:2; 2^nd Corinthians 3:6 KJV). Relationships with others in the body of Christ are to be cultivated by believing through faith in the words of the righteous laws of the kingdom of God all of which are fulfilled by loving one another as he loved us. The truths of the law must always be applied toward others in the body of Christ by a loving and merciful temperament as described in 1^st Corinthians 13:4-7 (KJV). Remember, loving one another as he loved us, by grace through faith, fulfills all the commandments of the law. To those outside the body of Christ who haven’t been born again, the law works death in them rather than life by exposing their sinful state as shown in Romans 7:14-25 (KJV).

What we are to take away from the above verses of scripture is this. Unless we develop a close personal relationship with God through prayer and hear His spoken word to us by way of revelation from His Holy Spirit to our spirit, then we will walk in darkness apart from the light of His love. If we don’t have a close personal relationship with love, Who is God Himself, then we will not love our brothers and sisters in the Lord and, as a consequence, we will not experience God’s manifest spiritual presence. Revelation from the Holy Spirit in response to our daily prayers is the evidence of things not seen which is otherwise known as faith (2^nd Corinthians 4:17-18; Hebrews 11:1 KJV). The evidence of things not seen, otherwise known as faith, pertains to those things of the kingdom of God which kingdom is spiritual in nature and therefore invisible to the natural eye. This faith is the light of the truth and we are to walk by this faith rather than sight. This faith works by love which is God Himself.

While spending time studying the written word is important and necessary, it won’t replace or supersede the priority and importance of spending quality time in daily prayer in coming to know Jesus personally as the resurrected and living Person that he is. According to 2^nd Timothy 3:16-17 the written word is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may by perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. But, while “good works” are necessary they won’t replace the priority of our first coming to the Lord in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving to build an intimate or close personal relationship with Him such that He will open the scriptures to us by way of direct revelation to the eyes of our understanding of our inner man of the heart to direct our path into those “good works” and strengthen us with the anointing of the Holy Ghost (i. e. the Christ) to accomplish those works (Philippians 4:6-7; Proverbs 3:5-6; Ephesians 2:3-10; Ezekiel 36:26-27; Philippians 2:13 & 4:13 KJV).

Jesus’ intimate or close personal relationship with his heavenly Father motivated him to spend the early morning hours of each day communing with God in prayer——-not study. Through listening to his heavenly Father while communing with Him in prayer, Jesus received his fresh daily bread or his revelation from God necessary to direct his path into the will and purpose of God for that day along with the necessary supernatural creative miracle-working power of the gifts of the Holy Spirit to accomplish that purpose (Acts 5:32 KJV).

God also showed Jesus “things to come” so that he would always be prepared and never be taken by surprise. It is by diligently seeking God through daily prayer that I acknowledge that God is or that He exists as a living Being or Person. By diligently seeking God and acknowledging that He exists as a living Person who speaks, He in turn rewards us by way of revelation from the Holy Spirit who opens the spiritual eyes of our heart to understand faith or the evidence of things not seen necessary to direct our paths into His will and purpose at a particular time or season along with the necessary supernatural creative miracle-working power of the gifts of the Holy Spirit to accomplish that purpose (Proverbs 3:5-6; John 16:13-15 KJV). These revelations should all be validated by scripture to verify their source as being from God Who is the Truth.

Those ordained of God and called to teach His people are commanded to study to show themselves approved unto God, workman that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2^nd Timothy 2:15 KJV). However, rightly dividing the word of truth for teachers and all members of the body of Christ comes only by way of revelation of the evidence of things not seen which is the gift of faith from the Spirit of truth which by-passes our five (5) physical senses and goes directly into our spirit in response to our requests for such revelation by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving (Ephesians 1:17-23 – prayer for revelation KJV). The words of truth in our spirit concerning the evidence of things not seen (i. e. faith – Hebrews 11:1) then causes both workers and other members of the body of Christ to become spiritually minded or mentally directed by the thoughts produced from these seeds (i. e. words) of faith that have been revealed directly to our spirit by the Spirit of truth, a. k. a. the Holy Spirit:

“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. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” – (John 16:13-15 KJV)

NOTE: These verses of scripture are key in understanding the need for prayer to the living God to obtain the spiritual revelation necessary to open up the scripture or the written word to the spiritual eyes of our understanding (Ephesians 1:16-19 KJV). Listen to what the above verses in John chapter 16 tell us in this regard: (1) The Spirit of truth is the living or 3^rd Person of the Trinity assigned to guide us into the truth from the spoken or living Word initially received in response to our prayer by way of direct revelation to our spirit by-passing our five physical senses rather than through our study of the written word; (2) The Spirit of truth will not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear of the spoken or living Word from the mouth of God is that which he shall speak, not write; (3) the Spirit of truth will show us “things to come” when God is ready to reveal them to us since none of us know beforehand the times or the seasons which God has reserved for His personal use and power (Acts 1:7 KJV); and lastly, (4) what the Spirit of truth reveals to us will glorify Jesus whose name is the only name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12 KJV). Once we receive words spoken by the mouth of the living God by way of revelation from the Spirit of truth in response to the prayer in Ephesians 1:17-23 for such, we can then use that revelation from the spoken word to begin a fruitful study in the written word to the glory of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In ”all” thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” – (Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV)

NOTE: Being spiritually minded or walking by faith doesn’t mean we are to presumptuously disregard what we understand by sight or through sense-based knowledge received through our five (5) physical senses. For example, Jesus walked by faith but when the devil took a verse from the written word of God out of context to tempt Jesus to jump off the pinnacle of the temple, Jesus refused to presumptuously disregard the natural law of gravity at the behest of the written word quoted from the mouth of the devil to attempt to override the natural laws of physics. Jesus would have never attempted to override the natural laws of physics unless he was first specifically authorized to do so by a spoken word from the mouth of the living God by way of revelation from the Holy Spirit to his spirit provided that word proved out to be true within the context of the full counsel of God’s wisdom as measured against two or three witnesses from the testimony of the written word as to the truth of that revelation.

Reading and studying the written word as the basis for mountain moving faith that can override the natural laws of physics by leaning to our own intellectual understanding should never be used to blind us to the reality of the dire consequences of breaching those things which are seen which are governed by the natural laws of physics. Instead, real mountain moving faith that can overcome the natural laws of physics can only come by way of revelation spoken from the mouth of the living God—-not the written word (i. e. the Logos) standing alone apart from the spoken word (i. e. the Rhema).

Real mountain moving faith comes only by way of revelation from the Spirit of truth directly to our spirit by-passing our five (5) physical senses. The Spirit of truth receives His revelation of the truth directly by word(s) spoken from the mouth of God the Father. This faith from the Rhema Word of God gives us a perspective which provides us with the relative importance between those things which are seen of the physical realm and those things which are not seen of the spiritual realm. Those things which are not seen concern evidence pertaining to the spiritual or unseen realm of the kingdom of God we never knew about until we were born again of the Spirit through believing in the faith provided by way of revelation from the Holy Spirit concerning the gospel of Jesus Christ and him crucified dead, buried, and resurrected. Except a natural man born only of the flesh be born again of the Spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3; 1^st Corinthians 2:14 KJV).

By believing through revelation of faith or the evidence of things not seen from the realm of the spiritual or invisible kingdom of God, we understand that the physical and visible realm was created (Hebrews 11:1-3 KJV). Therefore the power of the law of faith of the spiritual realm which rests solely on the spoken word of the living God is superior to and reigns supreme over the power of the natural laws of physics of the physical realm of the creation. We also understand that this unseen realm of the Spirit is eternal and unchanging whereas the visible realm of that which is created is temporal and therefore subject to change (2^nd Corinthians 4:17-18 KJV). So, if things go from good to bad in the physical realm of that which can be seen with the natural eye, they can be changed back from bad to good by the supernatural creative miracle-working power of those things or words from the mouth of the living God which cannot be seen or heard except with the spiritual eyes and ears of our heart or our inner man:

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal ( e. equally translated as being subject to change); but the things which are not seen are eternal.” – (2^nd Corinthians 4:17-18 KJV)

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” – (Philippians 4:6-7 KJV)

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” – (James 1:5 KJV)

Remember, it is not given to us to know “the times or the seasons” which God has reserved for His personal use and power (Acts 1:7 KJV). Since it is not given to us in the written word to know the times and the seasons, we must stay in close communion with the living God through daily prayer to know what He’s doing or going to do at any given time and how He wants us to do to accomplish His will and purpose at that particular time. However, only those who have become “the friends of Jesus” by an intimate or close personal relationship with him through face time in daily prayer will be shown what the Lord is doing at any given time or season. Recall in John 16:13-15 we are told that by way of revelation from the Spirit of truth, we would be shown “things to come” but not by intellectual understanding learned through studying the written word on our own beforehand:

“Abide in me, and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except It abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, that same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ( e. the Rhema or the living Word, my paraphrase) ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words (i. e. my Rhema words, my paraphrase) abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: That whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another.” – (John 15:4-7 & verses 14-17 KJV)

To emphasize my “misuse” of the written word as the means to build and obtain an intimate or close personal relationship to the living God and to experience His manifest presence, spiritually speaking, He gave me several scripture verses to make this point.:

“And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. But if any man love God, the same is known of him.” – (1^st Corinthians 8:2-3 KJV)

NOTE: You can understand all mysteries and all knowledge available from study of the written word, but if you don’t have a personal relationship with the living Word of God you’re not known of God as a friend. Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15 KJV). His commandments were “spoken” words before they were “written” words. Believing comes through faith and faith comes by hearing and hearing by the “Rhema” Word of God (i. e. the spoken Word of God).

“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” – (1^st John 5:3 KJV)

NOTE: One of the commandments of Jesus to us, after we’re born again, is to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness by seeking, asking, and knocking for it through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving (Matthew 6:33 & 7:7-11; Luke 11:5-13 & 12:32). Remember, the kingdom of God is in the Holy Spirit according to Romans 14:17 which states: “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” So, seeking first the kingdom of God is essentially the same thing as persistently asking, seeking, and knocking for the anointing or baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues which is the blessing of Abraham or the promise of the Father along with continually acknowledging God daily through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving allowing Him, through the Spirit of truth, to guide us into all truth to direct our paths (Matthew 6:33 & 7:7-11; Luke 11:5-13 & 12:31-32; Acts 19:1-7; Galatians 3:13-14; Proverbs 3:5-6; Romans 8:14; Philippians 4:6-7; John 16:13-15 KJV).

That the baptism of the Holy Spirit and power with the evidence of speaking in tongues is a separate issue from the baptism of John or the baptism unto repentance when we first believed and were sealed with the holy Spirit of God unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13-14 & 4:30 KJV) as the earnest of our inheritance, is evidenced by the fact Jesus breathed on his disciples long before the day of Pentecost and said receive ye the Holy Ghost (John 20:22 KJV). That these two baptisms are separate events is further reinforced by Acts 19:1-7. Also, since the kingdom of God is in the Holy Ghost why would Jesus tell us to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness which is in the Holy Ghost after we had already received and believed in the gospel message of Jesus Christ and him crucified through faith, been born again of the Spirit, received the baptism of John unto repentance, and received the holy Spirit as the earnest of our inheritance?

“And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing.” – (1^st Corinthians 13:2 KJV)

“For if any man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.” – (Galatians 6:3 KJV)

NOTE #1: If a man or woman studies the written word and by virtue of their pride in their knowledge of the written word they think themselves to be something when they are nothing apart from an intimate or close personal relationship with the living Word, they deceive themselves.

NOTE #2: We are as nothing without abiding in Him and the Rhema word (i. e. the spoken Word of God) abiding is us through revelation by prayer.

“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” – (John 5:39 KJV)

NOTE: The written word once revealed to our spirit by the Holy Spirit points to and glorifies the eternal and living Word who was made flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1, 14 & 16:13-15 KJV). Jesus existed before the Bible was written and I knew Jesus personally as a living person immediately after I was born again of the Spirit and before I knew one word from the written word recorded in scripture. Again, the distinction between written word and Jesus, the living Word, is that Bible isn’t flesh and blood and, therefore, doesn’t bleed. I would never have been able to understand and know the written word or any of the things of the Spirit as a natural man had not Jesus, who is the Word made flesh, opened my spiritual eyes through the new birth (1^st Corinthians 2:14; John 3:3 KJV). Jesus, the living Word of God made flesh, made it possible for me to come to God and be born again of the Spirit by the shedding of his sinless and innocent blood on my behalf through his death on the cross as my kinsman redeemer according to the flesh through a virgin birth.

Jesus is the Rhema or Living Word of God who was made flesh and dwelt among men (John 1:14 KJV), not the Logos or the written word which was inspired by God and penned by men to establish the scripture as an attestation or witness to the truth of Word of Life. Therefore, once again, the living Word has the preeminence in all things. The Greek word Rhema is useful to distinguish between two meanings of God’s word which are (1) the “spoken word” and (2) the “written word”. Rhema refers to “the spoken word” whereas Logos refers to “the written word”. Rhema is that personal word from God that comes to us by way of direct revelation from the Holy Spirit to our spirit by-passing our five (5) physical senses. Once the Rhema word is received by way of revelation then we can validate and authenticate it’s source or prove it’s spiritual source by measuring it against God’s standard and unchanging measure of truth—–the written word authored and inspired by the Holy Ghost and penned by men.

Studying the written word doesn’t replace communion with my heavenly Father in prayer. When Jesus said, “the words that I speak unto you they are spirit, and they are life – (John 6:63b; Hebrews 4:12 KJV)”, we overlook a very important aspect of what he said in that verse which is: “the words that I speak.” Jesus is a Living Person who is the living Word of God that comes to us by way of revelation from the Father’s own mouth to the Holy Spirit who in turn reveals the living Word to our spirit in a living way as he did to his disciples on the road to Emmaus. The words that I speak refer to that still small voice or Rhema word from the mouth of God that we hear personally in our spirit which goes directly into our heart by-passing our five (5) physical senses (1^st Kings 19:11-13 KJV). The written word, in addition to it’s uses according to 2^nd Timothy 3:16-17, also allows us to validate or prove whether or not the spoken word that comes to our spirit by way of revelation is actually from the living Word of God or not.

When Father God, by way of revelation, speaks to us personally through Jesus the living Word, or the Word made flesh, it is always effectual because it is spoken at the right time or season and therefore carries upon it the anointing of the Holy Spirit or the supernatural creative miracle-working wisdom and power of the kingdom of God to make that personal word from God come to pass (Isaiah 55:11 KJV). Remember, the kingdom of God is not in word but in power (1^st Corinthians 4:20 KJV). While the written word is absolutely true and inspired of God, it is not eternal life itself (John 5:39 KJV). Instead, Jesus said that the written word merely testifies of those things concerning himself who is, the Living Word made flesh (Luke 24:25-27; John 5:39; John 1:1, 14; Romans 8:3-4 KJV). The scribes and the Pharisees had the written word but they didn’t know the living Word. My personal testimony does not testify to my knowledge of the written word but of my personal encounter with the living Word who is God and who is love Himself. Listen to how the living Word spoken from the mouth of the living God opened up the written word to the spiritual eyes and ears of the hearts (i. e. the inner man of the heart) of the disciples on their way to Emmaus:

“And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus ( e. the living Word of God, my addition) himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread (i. e. the living Word of God took bread, my addition), and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, Did not our hearts burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he (i. e. the living Word of God, my addition) opened to us the scriptures?” – (Luke 24:13-16 & 25-32 KJV)

Spending time studying on my own through self-effort and self-determination apart from prayer in order to experience his presence and gain more knowledge of God, is futile. Any knowledge I obtain through my own efforts apart from revelation by the Holy Spirit in response to prayer merely puffs me up with pride (1^st Corinthians 8:1 KJV). However when I commune with God in prayer, whatever the Holy Spirit reveals to me through faith as a result of prayer humbles me to glorify Jesus instead of myself since I know I received it as a gift from God, not through my own study efforts (Ephesians 2:8-9; James 1:5 KJV). There is nothing I have that I didn’t receive, so why do I boast as though I didn’t receive it (1^st Corinthians 4:7 KJV). I can study from daylight to dawn ‘til my eyes burn, but unless and until I pray and receive revelation from the Holy Spirit in response to my prayers, the eyes of my understanding won’t be enlightened and my words and actions will be ineffectual in their application (Ephesians 1:16-19 KJV).

The call of God in 2^nd Chronicles 7:14 for us to humble ourselves, and pray, and seek His face (i. e. seek the spoken word at His mouth which is on His face through daily prayer), and turn from our wicked ways so that He will hear us from heaven and heal our land is not a call to one prayer or several prayers asking Him to heal our land. Instead, it is a call to a lifestyle of prayer, to start acknowledging Him daily, so that He is able to continually direct our paths into the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake from now on and forever. Our “wicked ways” referred to in 2^nd Chronicles 7:14 are those wicked ways of a lifestyle directed by set traditions, like Martha (Luke 10:38-42 KJV), based only on the stale knowledge of what we have already come to know through study of the written word and doing that which we intellectually reason to be right in our own eyes but not based on our awaiting the words of wisdom from God’s own mouth in answer to our daily prayers for such fresh manna to direct our ways. God’s direction comes to us only by means of revelation from the Holy Spirit to our spirit in response to our daily prayers to God, trusting and acknowledging Him and asking Him for such direction (Proverbs 3:5-6; Matthew 6:9-13; Philippians 4:6-7 KJV). The Holy Spirit’s revelation is made directly into the spiritual eyes and ears of our spirit (i. e. the eyes and ears of our heart or our inner man) by-passing our sight or sense-based intellectual knowledge received from our five (5) physical senses.

We must continually remember that to “every thing” there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven, yet it has not been given to us to know the times or the seasons which God has reserved for His personal use and power (Ecclesiastes 3:1; Acts 1:7 KJV). We must also remember that “all things” work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28 KJV). Since I do not know the times or the seasons, I must acknowledge God in all my ways through daily prayer so that he can direct my paths that I might continually be in sync with his purpose for the particular season and time at hand so that all things will work together for good for me and my family individually and for all members of the body of Christ collectively (Proverbs 3:5-6; Philippians 4:6-7 KJV). So, prayer is a must, not a luxury, if I’m going to see all things working together for good. Therefore, I must give as much or more time in prayer to God, the Living Word, as I do in studying the inanimate letter of the written word if I want to build an intimate or close personal relationship with God to obtain the manifestation of His spiritual presence as a living Person. In His presence is fullness of joy and the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10b; Psalms 16:11 KJV).

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Articles

IS DOUBTING YOUR SALVATION ALWAYS A BAD THING? [podcast]

Making Sure We are Truly Saved While We Still Can

Obviously, the assurance of salvation should concern each and every one of us.

“For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32 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

Notice “if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.” Note that those who honestly assess and amend their ways in the LORD will not be judged with the wicked. Those who don’t, will be. They will fall away and not endure to the end (Matthew 10:22; 24:13; Colossians 1:23; Hebrews 3:6, 12-15; 10:26-39; 2 Peter 2:20-21, etc.).

Are you judging yourself, testing and discerning your life against Holy Scripture?

“Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things.” Proverbs 28:5

Counterfeits refuse to judge their actual fruit, their lives. They want the assurance of eternal glory with no responsibility of actual repentance and an abiding, obedient relationship with the Savior they claim. They want the crown without the cross. They do not wish to be bothered with truly engaging in an abiding relationship with Jesus on His stated terms but rather seek to use Him to get them out of hell. Jesus tells all who’ve been saved that abiding, remaining in Him to the end of their lives is essential to eternity with Him (John 15:6, etc.).

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13

Is believing the biblical truth that a saved person can backslide, fall away, and forfeit their place with God (lose salvation) a bad thing? No. It’s only a bad thing in the minds of those who want to live on their own depraved, self-serving terms while deluding themselves into thinking they are going to God’s holy Heaven.

WHY are we so afraid of doubting if we are truly saved – born again AND presently abiding in Christ? (John 15:1-6). It will be too late when we die which could be today. Think about this. NOW is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2) and so today is the day to honestly examine ourselves (1 Corinthians 11:31-32; 2 Corinthians 13:5). Please read the LORD’s book of Ezekiel. You will discover many divine treasures in this magnificent volume. Share this message if you wish to help others.

“A disciplined conscience is a man’s best friend. It may not be his most amiable, but it is his most faithful monitor.” Austin Phelps

“LORD Jesus, please grant me the Holy Fear of God!” should be the daily prayer of every true saint.

“Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.” Psalms 86:11

I told someone recently that I love listening to a preacher or reading Scripture that can make me doubt my salvation because it further quickens my spirit in the fear of God to scamper to the feet of Jesus afresh.

Assurance of salvation and how it possesses the authentic disciple and not the counterfeit.

“Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. 20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.” 1 John 3:19-21

As we see in the passage above, assurance of salvation fills the hearts of all born again believers are who working out their own salvation with fear and trembling.

“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12-13

There are conditions the LORD requires to procure and walk in His blessings.

Assurance of salvation is biblical. Eternal security is not. The idea that one is eternally secure no matter what they do after being saved, is a lie from hell. Jesus told us that among those He saves, any who don’t abide, continue with Him, will be cast into the fire (John 15:6).

The lack of a clear conscience, the lack of assurance in one’s heart, is due to the lack of present abiding, obedience. All who are Christ’s and presently abiding, are filled with the assurance of His salvation. Read John 15.

Wolves among us, when addressing assurance, nearly never speak of the personal responsibility God gives to all He saves – to obey Him (John 14:15, 21-23, etc.). When one lacks assurance, it’s only because they have chosen to lack obeying the Savior (2 Corinthians 2:17; 2 Timothy 4:2-4; Jude 3-4).

“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” James 1:22

WHAT ABOUT WHEN SOMEONE ELSE DOUBTS THAT YOU ARE TRULY SAVED?

When a true believer in Jesus Christ questions someone’s salvation, it is in no way to be rude, but rather out of godly concern. Jesus told us to “know” (discern) people “by their fruit” (Matt. 7:16, 20). Good “fruit” (produce) can only come forth from the born again, abiding disciple of Jesus. Good fruit comes forth from a real relationship with Christ (John 15). One must know Him and that begins at the moment of true repentance and faith (Acts 20:21).

If the overall fruit of someone’s life is not that which the Bible teaches is consistent with truly knowing Jesus and having been regenerated, then there should be concern.

There are some among us who violently object to doubting someone’s salvation, Yet, based on the biblical mandate to “know” (discern) others “by their fruits,” this will happen at times (Matthew 7:16, 20). When a professing Christian’s salvation is doubted based upon lack of good fruit to prove it, some become irate with a “How dare you doubt my/that person’s salvation! Just who are you to do such a thing!?” But wait a minute – didn’t Jesus instruct us to “know” others based on their “fruits”? (Matthew 7:16, 20). And if there are no counterfeits who pose as Christ’s people, why did Jesus say that there are chaff among the wheat? (Matthew 13). Yes He did and so why are we surprised if some of those around us are found to be lost even though they think they are saved? And yes the chaff are going to be separated by the angels in the end but for now Jesus told us to discern (to distinguish between) or to “know” them “by their fruits” and that’s done by fruit inspection.

One man said that he believed that over 90% of church goers in America have never been genuinely born again as we “must be” in order to be brought into God’s kingdom (John 3:3, 7).

Repentance is where and when regeneration happens. In the modern church world, such a foundational biblical doctrine is rarely mentioned much less preached or correctly taught to define what it is and bring conviction to the hearers. In the vast majority of churches today, salvation is never or seldom presented. So how can the sinner respond in repentance and be saved? Is it any wonder so few are saved? People are rarely if ever called to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ today as they were publicly called to do by the apostles of Jesus (Acts 2:38; 3:19).

There are some people who hang around with the Christian body that I just never got a peace about. There doesn’t seem to be the presence of the divine Person of the Holy Spirit and therefore the fruit He alone can produce is absent (Galatians 5:22-23). One must be born again and given a new nature by the LORD or we are not His. When this conversion takes place, there will be good fruit (Matthew 3:7-10).

Should we float people all the way into hell instead of helping make sure they have truly repented and been born again? Is that love or hatred?

If someone questions our salvation, how should we react? How about this way: “Well, thank you for being concerned about my eternal soul. I am open and willing to investigate (biblically) the possibility that I may not have truly repented (laid down my life) and placed my faith in Jesus Christ. Or, since He saved me in the past, perhaps I have backslidden and no longer know Him due to allowing sin in my life.”

HONEST CONCERN VERSUS CRUEL CONDEMNATION

There are going to be children of the enemy that will come in and attempt to confuse and to derail you by doubting that you are saved. They do this to bring “confusion and every evil work” instead of “godly edifying” (James 3:16; 1 Timothy 1:4).

David, the man after God’s own heart, was often persecuted by the wicked, his place with God being the central attack of the enemy.

“My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God? … As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?” Psalms 42:3, 10

Those who are His have the “witness” of His Spirit in them:

“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” Romans 8:16

Why are you bothered when someone else doubts your salvation? Do you have the bearing witness of the Holy Spirit as a witness in your heart? (Romans 8:16). If you are assured by God (not self or mere man) of your salvation, why would you be concerned if someone else doubted it? Can you say with Paul “nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day”? (2 Timothy 1:12). Did God not say that we who have and are believing the record He gave of His Son have HIS “witness” within us?

“If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. ¹⁰He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. ¹¹And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. ¹²He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. ¹³These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may KNOW that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” 1 John 5:9-13

David told us that our “sentence” comes from the LORD Himself not man:

“Let my sentence (verdict) come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.” Psalms 17:2

The Hebrew word that is translated “sentence” here means: act of deciding a case, decision, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable), sentence of formal decree.

By reason of creation, God Himself is the only One who can determine judicially that one is righteous or unrighteous, just or unjust, justified or not justified. The Almighty is the only One qualified to sentence any individual to Heaven or hell. Either He approves of us or He disapproves of us (Ezekiel 18:4).

“STRONG CONFIDENCE”

“In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge. ²⁷The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.” Proverbs 14:26-27

The key to having “strong confidence” and escaping “the snares of death,” is fearing God.

God’s Word tells us that “The fear of the Lord is clean” (Psalms 19:9). The heart that truly fears God is made “clean” from any doubt and has full and “strong confidence” or assurance and strength of conviction.

The key is being with Jesus – being in Christ. Jesus told us that those who are “with” Him are His and all others are “against” Him (Matthew 12:30). The whole of Holy Scripture is the very testimony of God and we can plainly observe that being presently and truly “in Christ” is the determining factor.

The Father spoke from Heaven audibly, declaring of Christ, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). ALL who are presently in Christ, are well pleasing to God – justified, sentenced and declared righteous. Justification, to be declared righteous by God, is always “by faith” (Romans 3:21-5:17; Hebrews 11:4-7).

Ultimately, your “sentence” or sentencing comes forth from God alone who is the only Judge of your eternal soul. In light of this, Paul writes:

“Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. ³⁴Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” Romans 8:33-34

According to the whole counsel of God’s Word, believers in Jesus Christ – those who genuinely turn to God in repentance, placing their faith in Jesus Christ – have been shown mercy by God. This gift of eternal life was made possible through the finished and perfect work of the One sinless, perfect Redeemer, Jesus Christ, who bled on the cross, was buried, and rose again from the dead. He is “the Son of God with power.”

“And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:” Romans 1:4

Being rooted and grounded in God’s love is so very important to being “sound in the faith,” having a “sound heart” and a “sound mind” (Proverbs 14:30; 2 Timothy 1:7; Titus 1:13). This all comes from learning and believing “sound doctrine” (Titus 1:9; 2:1).

GOING DEEP

Heeding the apostle Paul’s exhortation to all those whom the LORD has saved, is essential to an ever-deepening, abiding, assured place with the LORD.

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: ⁷Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:6-7

Only going on to perfection (spiritual maturity) by learning and obeying the truth of God can make one free from doubting that He is God’s child (Hebrews 5:11-6:3).

“As he spake these words, many believed on him. ³¹Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; ³²And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. … If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:30-32, 36

As the born again disciple of Christ continues to walk in the light of truth with Jesus, He is kept in Christ and assured of salvation.

“If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: ⁷But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:6-7

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Apostasy

BEWARE of the Wolf Defenders [podcast]

A DANGEROUS BREED OF HYPOCRITE!
Truth-Despising, Wolf-Worshiping,
Devil-Defending Agents of Satan who Think they are Saved (think again!)

Walking in God’s love can never be separated from walking in God’s truth! They are divinely, eternally married! Don’t you dare claim to be walking in God’s love if you are not speaking God’s truth (Ephesians 4:15; Proverbs 27:5-6).

The true man of God fears God and therefore fears no man. He will speak the truth no matter what the cost.

“When you want to help people, you tell them the truth. When you want to help yourself, you tell them what they want to hear.” Thomas Sowell

MORAL cowards are self-serving and deceitful. When THEY want something to be true, they ignore God’s Word and want to argue to defend their position instead of dying to self and believing and living by the WORD of God. Repent sinner. “Let God be true and EVERY man a liar” (Romans 3:4).

Jesus says, “Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God” (Luke 16:15).

If you seek to justify sinners against the counsel of God’s Word, you are not a man of truth but rather a self-serving moral coward who seeks to justify sinners instead of loving them enough to give them the truth so they can be saved. Repent sinner.

“He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.” Proverbs 17:15

Judge not those who “judge righteous judgment”! (John 7:24)

“Today’s church cannot remain faithful if it tolerates false teachers and leaves their teachings uncorrected and unconfronted.” Albert Mohler

The JUDGE has spoken in a book called THE BIBLE. He’s calling us to pay attention when we read it. His written WORD records for us HIS judgments – the judgments of the Judge. So, the lame misuse of the “judge not” scripture is a cover up from novices to justify their worship of wolves who feed their flesh nature instead of telling them God requires them to live the crucified life (Matthew 7:1-5; Philippians 3:18-19; 2 Timothy 4:2-4; 2 Peter 2:1-3; 2 John 10-11, etc.).

Jesus says “Judge righteous judgment” and the only way to do that is call the shots like He does in His written Word – beginning with our own lives and out from there (John 7:24). YES GOD is the Judge and THE JUDGE HAS SPOKEN His judgments in the 66 glorious books in the canon of His Word. So there are no excuses. We shall be judged by His Word, the Bible (John 12:48; Romans 2:16; Revelation 20:10-15).

“The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” John 12:48

YES, God is the Judge and THE JUDGE HAS SPOKEN – it’s called the BIBLE. We have HIS judgments on record in the Bible. Now let’s repent and cease the smokescreens to evade truly repenting! See John 3:19-21.

ATTENTION: The LORD calls His people to mark and to expose His enemies and not defend or support them! Those who prop up, support, follow, and defend the obvious wolves operating among the professing church only do so due to their own refusal to study to show themselves approved before a holy God (2 Timothy 2:15). It’s time to get immersed in the Word!

WARNING: YOU’D BETTER MAKE SURE YOU AREN’T COVERING FOR AND DEFENDING ONE OF THE “MANY FALSE PROPHETS” JESUS REPEATEDLY WARNED US TO “BEWARE OF” (Matthew 7:15; 24:11, 24, etc.). IF YOU DO, YOU WILL GO TO HELL WITH THEM!

Isn’t it so hypocritically interesting how those who misuse Jesus’ word “Judge not” and how they don’t think twice to condemn you for supposedly condemning others? So, they are telling you not to judge (out of context) while they openly judge you. SMH at these blinded hypocrites. In Matthew 7:1-5 Jesus was speaking of hypocritical judgment, not all judgment! Stop taking Jesus’ words out of context!

The kingdom of God is not dictated by any mere human’s emotions or notions. Let’s live by God’s Word saints.

LIKE IT OR NOT, it is the divine mandate and duty of the members of Christ’s body to “earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints” against “ungodly men” who are false teachers. Read Jude 3-4. The divine mandate to mark false teachers is none of your business or mine! God didn’t ask you before He spoke and commanded that these things be done. This kingdom of God is not relegated to you or me, nor our flimsy musings. We live by God’s Word and not someone’s emotions or un-sanctified whims (Colossians 2:8). Do we not understand that God wants to protect His sheep? The kingdom of God is about KING JESUS, not you! It’s time to die to self!

SUPPORTING WOLVES (Christ’s very subverting enemies) will land you in hell with them according to God’s Word.

Those who try to shut down warnings are simply afraid they are the next ones to be exposed! Repent! John 3:19-21

Counterfeits defend their wolves while true remnant disciples of Jesus are “set for the defence of the gospel” as was Paul the apostle (Philippians 1:17).

Tina McGovern writes:

“It is astounding and amazes me every time people defend these actions and condemn the actions of the righteous who hold to the truth clearly brought forward in Scriptures. But…as we know…it takes false followers to follow false teachers and false prophets…all in hopes of being extravagantly rich to spend it on their lusts. It’s like manipulating the mind to feel free to lust guiltlessly. Dear Lord, You alone know who are Yours. In your great mercy make a way where there appears to be no way, to deliver those who are deceived and fallen captive to the deceiver. Deliver them to the uttermost.”

JOIN THE CHORUS with the remnant of Christ’s elect … by openly shining the light of truth on the false teachings and teachers of our day who are being used of Satan to lead millions to eternal damnation (Isaiah 9:16; Matthew 15:14). This is not a game! The apostle Paul said he was “set for the defence of the gospel” and Jude mandated that we “earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints” against “ungodly men” (Philippians 1:17; Jude 3-4). When we look at what the whole of Scripture tells us about wolves among us and their mission (steal, kill, destroy), we may see a different picture. We will see them as the very agents of Satan we are told they are (2 Corinthians 11:12-15). The books Deceivers and False Prophets Among Us and Predators in Our Pulpits were written to showcase a myriad of shunned and purposely neglected Bible verses about wolves and their characteristics and methods.

The “Great Shepherd of the sheep” (Heb. 13:20) fully intends to protect the sheep He died for and part of that protection comes from His body/watchmen’s warnings. “Warn them from me” (Ezekiel 3:7).

THE LORD’S WATCHMEN are on their posts and doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing – warning. “So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.” (Ezekiel 33:7)

In fact, if the watchman doesn’t sound the alarm, warning of danger, he is guilty before God.

“But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.” Ezekiel 33:6

Ernie Collins writes:

“WOE UNTO THE FOOLISH WHO CONTINUE TO BE DECEIVED WITH GREAT DECEPTION OF FALSE TEACHERS AND PREACHERS; FOR THEY WILL SURELY FACE THE GREAT JUDGMENT AND WRATH WITH THE LAKE OF FIRE FOR THEIR FOOLISHNESS. A DIRE WARNING WITH GREAT CONSEQUENCES FOR ALL FALSE TEACHERS AND PREACHERS: JEREMIAH 23:1-2 (KJV) AUTHORIZED EDITION BIBLE:

1: WOE BE UNTO THE PASTORS THAT DESTROY AND SCATTER THE SHEEP OF MY PASTURE! SAITH THE LORD.
2: THEREFORE THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL AGAINST THE PASTORS THAT FEED MY PEOPLE; YE HAVE SCATTERED MY FLOCK, AND DRIVEN THEM AWAY, AND HAVE NOT VISITED THEM: BEHOLD, I WILL VISIT UPON YOU THE EVIL OF YOUR DOINGS, SAITH THE LORD.” ERNIE COLLINS

The LORD told us that He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Yet, He will not save any person who freely chooses to give ear to, to support, to fund, and/or defend His enemies (2 Chronicles 19:2; 2 John 7-11, etc.). Such is high treason.

Does Satan have agents? Yes (2 Cor. 11:12-15). And, who would want to defend those emissaries except those who are also Satan’s agents? JUST WHO would want Satan’s emissaries to continue to mislead people? Who? Who other than those who are also Satan’s property due to their unrepentant hearts? Do you recall how Satan entered into one of Jesus’ own twelve? See John 13:27.

So who can prove by Scripture or even common sense that protection via warning is a sin? Who can show that it’s God’s mandate and His will for His body to do?

“Judge righteous judgment” (John 7:24). When you attack someone for judging, you are judging them. If there is no judgment/discernment, why are you judging someone for judging? You are doing exactly what you are accusing them of doing (Romans 2:1-3). Jesus says: “Ye shall know (Gr. discern) them BY THEIR FRUITS” (Matthew 7:16, 20).

Charles Kennon writes:

“‘Judge Not’…One of the most misunderstood and improperly applied verses in the Bible. Few read the entirety of this portion of Scripture thus understanding that Jesus was not condemning righteous judgment but rather rebuking men for hypocritical judgment.

Be not deceived my friend, WE ALL JUDGE…The question is this; By what STANDARD do we Judge? By God’s Word or by what seems right to US. Here is a touchstone by which you can examine yourself. Those who are of God employ the phrase ‘Judge not’ in a DIDACTIC manner to properly instruct others in the way (Matthew 7:1-5). Those who are not of God employ ‘Judge not’ in a DEFENSIVE manner to evade the truth and justify themselves when the light of God’s Word uncovers or confronts them in their sin (Genesis 19:9).”

Jesus says “Judge righteous judgment” (John 7:24). Paul wrote “do not ye judge them that are within?” (1 Corinthians 5:12).

MESSAGE RECEIVED:

“God is the only one can judge everyone. He will judge you also guys. Be careful of what you are saying. Anyway your judgment isn’t going to change anything. It conveys hatred and not Christian love. We will be judged with the same measure.”

RESPONSE:

1. Is God the Judge? Yes or no? 2. Did God, the Judge, speak? Do you know about the Book called the Holy Bible? THAT is God’s judgments and He, the Judge, told us that all idolaters are going to hell (Rev 21:8). All who reject Christ for their religion, like Teresa, are not forgiven and going to hell. The Judge has spoken – from Genesis to Revelation. It’s time to repent, fast and pray, until you fear no one except the LORD. At that point He will grant you a fearlessness to preach His Word, regardless of how mere sinful men respond (Is. 51:7, 12; Gal. 1:10). This person you are defending is a sinful woman who refused to repent and be saved by the grace of God through Christ alone. She promoted an antichrist, works-based religion her whole life. The Bible assures us that every false teacher will have eternal “damnation” (2 Peter 2:1-3.) You have no clue what love is. You going to call JESUS CHRIST unloving for openly lambasting the false leaders of His day and telling them they were going to hell? Read Matt 23. Repent. “Open rebuke is better than secret love. 6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (Proverbs 27:5-6). You are in direct disobedience to the LORD by not earnestly contending against His enemies and marking and exposing them (Rom. 16:17-18; Ephesians 5:11; Jude 3-4, etc.). Repent and follow Jesus by exposing false leaders! (Matt, 23, etc.). While feigning to love Jesus, you are defending one of the false prophets He repeatedly warned us about who spent her life leading precious souls away from Him and into eternal hell. Repent.

Since when is warning Christ’s sheep of the devouring wolves hateful? Since when is such judgmental? It’s only wrong in the eyes of those who are biblically illiterate. They have time to watch TV, listen to clowns like Osteen, etc. and no time to diligently study God’s Word. “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). DO YOU warn your children when they are young to stay away from the street? Yes. Why? TO PROTECT THEM. How hateful would you be NOT to teach them to stay clear of danger?

So, are you saying the apostle Paul was being unloving and judgmental when he said this to a false prophet? – “And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?” (Acts 13:10).

You are attempting to selfishly protect and defend those who have told you everything’s okay without repenting (tickled your ears while flattering your flesh). They make you feel good now but you will hurt forever unless you truly repent and lay down your life and truly follow Christ – become HIS disciple. When you do, you will forsake the false Christs and idols.

As the Holy Ghost foretold, false prophets in this late hour are very popular because most would rather listen to feel good, tell-me-what-I-want-to-hear stories than “endure (hold themselves accountable to) sound doctrine.” But rather are “turned unto fables” which are feel-good, it’s all about ME stories (2 Timothy 4:2-4).

“WHO HATH BEWITCHED YOU? THE LORD SAYS COME LET US REASON TOGETHER.CHOOSE THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE. TRUTH CUTS AWAY AT THE FLESH, YES THE FLESH AND GUESS WHAT? IT HURTS NOW DOESN’T IT? BUT SHALL WE PLEASE MAN?(GOD FORBID) OR GOD? THIS IS THE PROBLEM WITH ALL THESE APOSTATES, THEY DELIVER A SELF SERVING, GOOD FEELING, EAR TICKING, DOCTRINE OF DEVILS! JESUS CHRIST SAID TO DENY OURSELVES AND PICK UP OUR CROSSES AND FOLLOW HIM.NOT MAN! BUT THIS IS PRECISELY WHAT THEY PREACH, NOT TO READ THE WORD AND NOT REPENTANCE AND NOT BAPTISM OF THE HOLY GHOST. O GOD, FORGIVE THEM THAT REFUSE YOUR TRUTH, WE KNOW YOU WARN US OF THE STRONG DELUSION SENT FORTH BY YOU, THAT THEY SHOULD BELIEVE A LIE, BUT FATHER, FOR THE GLORY OF JESUS CHRIST, AND THE LOVE HE HAS FOR HIS BRIDE, GIVE THEM EARS LORD! GIVE THEM EYES!IN YOUR PRECIOUS AND MIGHTY NAME – THE NAME OF JESUS – WE PRAY! AMEN! I SAID AMEN!” SHANNON COOK

If you are defending wolves, you have no clue of true, New Testament Christianity because you have not truly laid down your life (repented, which is essential to salvation) and have therefore followed the voice of the enemy of all souls who is speaking through his false prophets (2 Corinthians 11:12-15). And, what we are seeing in this very post is God’s merciful attempt to get you to see that you are not following Christ and are in need of true repentance.

Those who defend Christ’s wolves are quite hypocritical actually. Isn’t it amazing how some people who come out of the woodwork to judge me/us for obeying God by identifying His enemies, are telling me/us we’re being judgmental? So, let’s get this straight – they freely judge and condemn those who warn the flock of God while saying we’re wrongly judging others by exposing those others to be Satan’s wolves. Wow! Can anyone spell “h-y-p-o-s-c-i-s-y”? Oh and not one of those who condemn and who are judging us have ever once said anything good about a post. Wow. No edification or agreement with truth, only condemnation for exposing their favorite wolf they have formed a soul-tie with instead of forming an intimate, abiding relationship with the One they claim to be serving (John 15:1-6).

“Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.” Romans 2:1-2

You want to see vicious hatred? Just watch when wolves are uncovered by divine truth via Christ’s true, obedient remnant. Oh yes, you are going to see some of the vilest hatred you have ever seen from the defenders and supporters of those enemies of Christ. On this note, Shannon Cook writes:

“BELOVED BRIDE OF CHRIST, DEVILS COME BACK IN FULL FORCE TO DEFEND THEIR WOLF, THIS IS TO BE EXPECTED. THEY DESPISE TRUTH AND EXPOSURE OF LIES.”

Mark Herridge writes:

“The whole ‘judge not’ philosophy that has entered into the modern church has served to take the church further down the road of apostasy. It is a dangerous thing when we are told that we cannot use the Bible to judge matters concerning the church, the leadership of the church, or even those that claim to be a part of the church. It is certainly a fallacy to believe that we cannot compare people to the Word of God to determine what type of person they are. No sane person would allow a stranger to babysit their children without a background check and references, or in other words they are going to judge that person by some type of standard before placing their children’s lives in their hands. Everything should be judged by the Word of God, and it is absolutely biblical for us to do so.”

Those who aren’t warning the flock are not protecting the flock and are exposed as wolves themselves (Colossians 1:28).

Hell hath seen not fury like the scorn of a gullible follower of a wolf. They will lash out with pure hatred and malice while condemning you for daring to expose the wolf who is tickling their ear (2 Timothy 4:3). I make no apology for this “controversy.” Actually, this is exactly what we are told will happen when we discern –

“And they (true pastoral watchmen) shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to DISCERN (distinguish) between the unclean and the clean. 24 And in controversy they shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to my judgments: and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all mine assemblies; and they shall hallow my sabbaths.” Ezekiel 44:23-24

“BUT YOU’RE NOT THE JUDGE” CRIES THE NOW EXPOSED WOLF-SUPPORTER. YES, THE LORD IS THE ULTIMATE JUDGE. AND GOD WILL JUDGE FOR SURE AND HE WILL JUDGE US FOR OBEYING OR NOT OBEYING HIS WORD WHICH INSTRUCTS US TO EXPOSE HIS ENEMIES IN ORDER TO PROTECT HIS SHEEP. YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT?

It’s called discernment and judging righteous judgment (Ezekiel 44:23-24; John 7:24; 1 Corinthians 5:11-13, etc.). This doesn’t mean recklessly condemning anyone but it does mean discerning and pointing out false teachers whom Paul says are “accursed” (Galatians 1:6-9).

Saints, this whole thing of counterfeits balking about their favorite wolves being exposed for who they really are simply underscores the need to obey God by “earnestly contending for faith,” the original Gospel, revealed to us in the Holy Scriptures (Jude 3-4).

It seems like those who don’t want false prophets exposed (and so they defend them) are the ones who love the lies they have been told by those wolves. Isn’t this exactly what the LORD is saying through His prophet Jeremiah when he had him write that “My people LOVE to have it so” (Jeremiah 5:31; 2 Timothy 4:3). This would be biblical actually. Look at what the people who had once served God were saying to their leaders in Isaiah’s day:

“That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD: 10 Which say to the seers (leaders), See not; and to the prophets (leaders), Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: 11 Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.” Isaiah 30:9-11

As it was in the prophet Isaiah’s day so it is today. It is “a rebellious people” who love lies and despise the law/Word of God and so by their attitudes and actions say “Don’t go overboard with all this Christian stuff. Going to church is good enough. Give us smooth, deceitful things! Continue to be enemies of the cross of Christ (Philippians 3:18-19)! We don’t want to be part of dying to self so Christ can reign in our daily lives! We just want Heaven but refuse to be bothered and inconvenienced with obedience to what Jesus instructed! We ‘love’ Him only inasmuch as we believe He’s going to get us out of hell!”

Wolves are identified as those who oblige this self-loving, self-serving, pleasure-loving last day generation of those who do have a “form (outward appearance) of godliness” and yet deny the power or authority of Christ’s reign in their daily lives (2 Timothy 3:1-7).

WHY WOULD ANY TRUE DISCIPLE OF JESUS WANT TO PROTECT THE WOLVES WHO ARE POISONING THE CHILDREN OF THE ONE THEY CLAIM TO BE SAVED BY? WHY WOULD ANY GENUINE SERVANT OF CHRIST WANT TO BID GOD SPEED (ENDORSE, DEFEND, SUPPORT) TO A FALSE TEACHER? WHO PROFITS WHEN WOLVES ARE LEFT COVERED? AND WHO SUFFERS WHEN DECEIVERS ARE LEFT UNIDENTIFIED, UNDETECTED, UNLABELED, AND UNMARKED? WHO IS BENEFITED BY CHRISTIANS WHO KEEP THOSE RAVENOUS WOLVES HIDDEN FROM OTHER SHEEP?

These and other questions must be asked and sorted out by Holy Scripture which gives us “ALL things that pertain unto life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3-4). Firstly, you will note that our brother Lee Ebbs did not mention any specific wolf (although that’s biblical to do also) … he is speaking the truth in order to “mark” (identify) false teachers and to warn Christ’s sheep so they can be safe (Romans 16:17-18).

Is it Biblical to Mark False Teachers?

Millions are being taught by the wolves who have deceived them not to expose them. I was personally taught by the wolves who deceived me not to ever speak a word against them. They were covering their tracks by using Scripture out of context to their own self-serving advantage (Philippians 3:18-19).

ACTS 20:27-32 IS TRULY KEY TO SEEING THE APOSTOLIC FAITH AND HOW IT AND THOSE SAVED BY THAT ORIGINAL GOSPEL ARE TO BE SAFEGUARDED AGAINST THE ENEMY’S WOLVES. ALSO PHILIPPIANS 1:17 AND JUDE 3-4. IF YOU NAME THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, PLEASE STUDY THESE PASSAGES PRAYERFULLY AND CAREFULLY.

Identifying the Source

Firstly, let’s establish exactly who “false apostles” and all false “ministers” are from. Are they of God or Satan himself?

“But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” 2 Corinthians 11:12-15

Any person who is not discerning all leaders and teachings against the Holy Word of God is in blatant disobedience to the LORD who says, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

We are commanded to never endorse or help in any way those who do not preach strictly God’s Word, which is “the doctrine of Christ”:

“For MANY DECEIVERS are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves (take personal responsibility to earnestly contend for the truth), that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth (remains) not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth (continues) in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10 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 7-11

BE CAREFUL: IF you dare defend or promote or in any way condone the enemies of Christ, you are going to hell with them (2 John 10-11). Repent sinner.

BIDDING GOD SPEED TO DECEIVERS (FALSE TEACHERS, FALSE RELIGIONS, ETC.) MAKES ONE THE ENEMY OF CHRIST AND UNDER THE SAME DIVINE CONDEMNATION AS THE WOLF THEY ARE CONDONING (2 JOHN 7-11; 2 CHRON. 19:2).

ANY PERSON WHO BIDS GODSPEED (CONDONES OR DEFENDS IN ANY WAY) TO ANY OF THESE “MANY DECEIVERS,” WILL BE JUDGED WITH THOSE WOLVES.

THE DISCIPLE OF CHRIST MUST NEVER DO ANYTHING TO FURTHER THE CAUSE OF THAT WHICH GOD CONDEMNS. TO HELP SOMEONE WHO IS TEACHING “ANOTHER GOSPEL” – ANY MESSAGE DIFFERENT FROM THE ORIGINAL GOSPEL – IS TO FURTHER THE CAUSE OF THE ENEMY OF THE ALMIGHTY AND THE EVIL HE PERPETRATES ON PRECIOUS SOULS (GALATIANS 1:6-9).

Are you the enemy of God? Is His holy wrath upon you? We should repent of helping wolves before the LORD judges us for participating in this betrayal of Him.

I DO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ALL WISH TO BE CIVIL. YET, GOD’S VERY WORD CALLS/LABELS EVILDOERS AS DEVILS/CHILDREN OF THE DEVIL. IF YOU CHOOSE TO SUPPORT A FALSE PROPHET (ENEMY OF CHRIST) AND DO NOT REPENT BEFORE YOU DIE, THEN YOU WILL RECEIVE THE SAME ETERNAL “DAMNATION” AS HE WILL (2 PETER 2:1-3). IF YOU AGREE WITH, VOTE FOR, HELP, ENDORSE, OR IN ANY WAY BID “GOD SPEED” TO THE WICKED, YOU ARE PARTAKER IN THEIR JUDGMENT (2 CHRONICLES 19:2; 2 JOHN 10-11). GOD MADE UP THE RULES IF YOU WILL, NOT US. HIS MESSAGE IS CLEAR. HE WILL JUDGE YOU AND ME IF WE CHOOSE TO SIDE WITH HIS ENEMIES WHICH INCLUDE ANYONE WHO ESPOUSES DOCTRINE OR LEGISLATION THAT VIOLATES HIM/HIS WORD.

To an evil man who withstood the LORD, His servant, and His blessed Gospel message, Paul said:

“AND SAID, O FULL OF ALL SUBTILTY AND ALL MISCHIEF, THOU CHILD OF THE DEVIL, THOU ENEMY OF ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS, WILT THOU NOT CEASE TO PERVERT THE RIGHT WAYS OF THE LORD?” ACTS 13:10

“Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD.” 2 Chronicles 19:2

ANY person who helps the ungodly is equally as guilty as those devouring wolves in the eyes of a holy God who says “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4). If you in any way “bid … God speed” to or in any way help or defend a wolf, you yourself are just as guilty as they are in the eyes of God.

“The Bible gives us no liberty to tolerate the incursion of evil into the church. We are not to be passive; we are not to be neutral. Proverbs 8:13 says, The fear of the Lord is to hate evil. It is sinful to compromise with evil. It is sinful to be neutral toward evil. In John 10:10 Jesus spoke about the thief, the devil, who comes: to steal, to kill and to destroy. We always need to remember, whether it is in an individual life or in a congregation, the devil only comes with three objectives: to steal, to kill and to destroy.” Derek Prince

Making determinations about false leaders – “BY THEIR FRUIT” is not sin, it is obedience to Christ and the message of His holy apostles (Matthew 7:15-23). In order to keep themselves hidden – not seen for who they really are – spineless wolves have taught their audiences well.

These wolf defending counterfeits have nothing good to say of the many good, scriptural things about God’s truth put out by the LORD’s watchmen and yet hypocritically claim the watchmen are being judgmental WHILE they simultaneously judge and condemn those watchmen! Go figure folks! Deceitful haters of truth.

When your system of theology or the wolf propagating it trumps the very Word of God, you are lost and without the Savior just exactly as were the evil-hearted religious devils Jesus rebuked when He said

“Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men (you let your tradition trump God’s Word), as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. 9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.” (Mark 7:6-9)

Who is “of God” and who is “NOT 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).

No person can serve religion or any religious leader and Christ simultaneously. Jesus said “He that is not with me IS against me” and “NO man can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24; 12:30). Paul wrote “Ye cannot drink of the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils” (1 Corinthians 10:21). One may vainly think they are serving Christ but if that person doesn’t walk with God according to His Word and only His Word, that person is not right with God.

TO EXPOSE A WOLF IS TO EXPOSE THE UNREPENTANT HEARTS OF THOSE WHO PATRONIZE, SUPPORT, GIVE EAR TO, AND DEFEND THOSE WOLVES. WHAT’S AT STAKE? THE THIN VENEER OF THEIR OWN LITTLE PAPER FORTRESS THEY HIDE BEHIND IS BEING DISMANTLED. THAT’S WHAT’S AT STAKE.

“Let God be true and EVERY man a liar.” Romans 3:4

WHAT do Jude 3-4; Romans 16:17-18 and Ephesians 5:11 tell us? If you don’t personally have a foundational knowledge of the doctrines of Holy Scripture, you have no clue and have no business commenting with your useless opinion (mine is useless too – all that matters is what God’s written Word says!). If you don’t know God’s Word, you are still unlearned and a babe in Christ at best (Hebrews 5:11-14). You should open your King James Bible and read and begin learning every single Bible verse given in this important article. Only His holy truth will make you free from ignorance (John 8:31-32; 17:17). So, if you truly fear and love the LORD Jesus Christ, it’s time to begin this moment to “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).

THOSE WHO FACILITATE THE WORK OF SATAN’S WOLVES, THE VERY ENEMIES OF JESUS CHRIST, ARE SAYING THAT THESE EVILDOERS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO OPERATE – TO DESTROY ETERNAL SOULS – UNHINDERED.

If you are defending wolves, no matter what your iniquitous, demonic excuse, you are of Satan and against Christ. “He that is not with me IS IS IS against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.” ~ The Son of God, Matthew 12:30. You are scattering abroad which means you are endorsing and facilitating the separation of souls from Christ, the only Savior. It’s time for you to repent and be truly saved.

Defending wolves enables them to continue to devour the sheep for whom Jesus bled on that cross to save!

YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE THE FLACK WE SOMETIMES RECEIVE FROM CHRIST-DESPISING, WOLF-PROTECTING, DEVIL-DEFENDING PEOPLE WHO COME AGAINST US FOR SHINING THE LORD’S LIGHT ON THE DARKNESS OF SATAN’S WOLVES (EPHESIANS 5:11; ROMANS 16:17-18; 2 CORINTHIANS 11:12-15). IN TRUE HYPOCRITICAL FORM, WHILE SAYING WE ARE WRONGLY CONDEMNING OTHERS, THEY SIMULTANEOUSLY HARSHLY CONDEMN US WITH NO SECOND THOUGHT. WOW! UTTER HYPOCRISY! … GOD BE PRAISED – WE ARE NOT WORTHY TO RECEIVE PERSECUTION FOR OUR LORD JESUS’ NAME! SEE EZEKIEL 44:23-24 VERY CLOSELY. OKAY, HERE IT IS:

“And they (true under shepherds) shall teach my people THE DIFFERENCE between the holy and profane, and cause them to DISCERN (distinguish) between the unclean and the clean. 24 And in CONTROVERSY they shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to my judgments (written Word): and they shall keep (uphold) my laws and my statutes in all mine assemblies…” Ezekiel 44:23-24

According to the above passage, “controversy” will come to those who teach Christ’s people to “discern” between light and darkness, truth and error. It will usually come from those who claim to be saved but do not love the truth (John 8:47); 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12).

AMAZINGLY, THESE WOLF-DEFENDING COUNTERFEITS HAVE NOTHING GOOD TO SAY OF THE MANY GOOD THINGS ABOUT GOD’S TRUTH PUT OUT BY THE LORD’S WATCHMEN AND YET HYPOCRITICALLY CLAIM THE WATCHMEN ARE BEING JUDGMENTAL WHILE THEY SIMULTANEOUSLY JUDGE AND CONDEMN THOSE WATCHMEN! GO FIGURE FOLKS! DECEITFUL HATERS OF TRUTH.

Your Prayer of Repentance: Holy Father, thank You for sending Your only begotten Son to pay the full price for my sins and the sins of the whole world. Through His precious blood I come to You this moment, asking You to please forgive me for any way I have bid God speed to Your enemies who deceitfully and clandestinely pose as Your representatives. Open my eyes through Your Holy Word and Holy Spirit so that I am able to see the wolves You so often warned us about and to withstand and expose and mark them as you mandated for Your people to do. In Jesus’ holy Name, amen!

Naming Names: Is it Biblical? | Angry Man in Hell

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Note: WHO’s THE REAL BAD GUY? ARE YOU Being Exploited by a Pulpit Pimp? – “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” ~Apostle Paul, Galatians 4:16… WHO’s the real “bad guy”? SO, God’s watchmen who are warning you so you can be safe and secure from the fires of eternal damnation are the mean spirited ones, right? So, ask yourself: When you are in hell, burning, suffering and fully conscious, in excruciating pain without end, WHO then will be the bad guy? If you die having followed these prophesied false prophets, you will have no one to blame but yourself – for being so gullible and foolish and not getting before the LORD in a real way. No, instead of loving the LORD and His truth/Word, you chose to follow the self-serving, thrill-seeking, greed-crazed crowd who made a circus out of “church.” What does 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 say? Why hasn’t the wolf you are following shown you this passage? JUST WHAT is he/she trying to hide from you? Once you are in hell, burning, how wonderful will you think these wolves are then and for eternity when it’s too late?

Typical Hypocritical Judgment Coming from those who Yell “Don’t Judge My Favorite Wolf!”

Personal attacks from people who hide their own shortcomings while judging yours are going to happen folks. It’s interesting how hypocritical it is that while judging and personally condemning you for supposedly wrongly judging others … it’s okay for them to condemn you while telling/condemning you not to condemn others. Unreal. Ever heard the term “chasing your own tail”? We, as Christ’s body are called to sound the alarm on those misleading His sheep with false teachings. That’s God’s judgment, not man’s. The men and women who sound the alarm do so in obedience to the command of the LORD (Romans 16:17-18; Jude 3-4; etc.). So, since we all have shortcomings in this or that area, does that mean we should cease to serve God? No, we just work out our own salvation with fear and trembling as the LORD works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure (Phil. 2:12-13). So, if you have shortcomings – if you are not sinless perfection – does that mean you are a hypocrite for teaching your children to stay away from the street so they don’t get killed? Think about it …

From Shannon Cook:

“They reveal the proof in their rotten to the core fruit. NEVER dares Joel utter the biblical word repentance. Why? BECAUSE HE’S A MESSENGER OF SATAN! It’s really NOT that difficult to see, if you’re God’s elect people. But without God’s Holy Spirit dwelling inside of you, we can show you Scripture after Scripture that PROVES this and you will not believe! You want a “feel good” doctrine of devils, follow Joel and Victoria and the many like them, to the bowels of hell. But read your Bibles, every apostle in the Bible dies BAD! And they preached the truth! Boiled in oil, stoned to death, crucified upside down. And they did it all for the glory of our King! Best life now can go back to hell where it came from! Satan we rebuke you from this thread, and the people you’re trying to come in through, in Jesus Name! Amen. One thing we cannot do is sugar coat the gospel of Jesus Christ. We’re accountable to Him alone. The blind not only lead the blind, but the blind defend the blind. Beloved, it isn’t judging, when we expose the lie, with the truth of the gospel, for the sake of Jesus Christ and his bride. Amen.” Shannon Cook

Dialogues / Feedback

Message Received for Exposing Osteen’s False Teachings:

“What part of LOVE one another don’t YOU get!!!”

Reply:

What part of “earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints” do you not get? Jude 3-4 … how loving is it to allow people to continue to be deceived?

This is a clear product of clueless people who refuse to diligently and daily study God’s Word for themselves and so they relegate their learning and understanding to a spineless moral coward who is nothing but a story teller who refuses to “preach the word” (2 Timothy 4:2). What we are seeing is an exact, to the “T” fulfillment of this prophecy:

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables (stories).” 2 Timothy 4:2-4

You are defending “ungodly men” who pose as Christ’s representatives but are seen not to be by their false teaching and practices …

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

“Wow this hits it on the head, some people need to pay attention to what God says in his word about people causing division. God’s not happy with it at all. And on top of that they need to obey God and quit being under subjection to people, but being subjection only to God. Amen.” Paula

Of those who defend wolves, Stephen Michels notes:

“You are living in sin and need a justifier for it. THAT’s WHY you defend wolves!”

“Been running into a lot of these “wolf defenders” as of late … These people have a great spirit of pride, and they tend to fear men rather than God. Also they have no clue about what salvation is and don’t know what Bible to read.” Aaron Paul Johnson

——————————————————
TO A WOMAN WHOSE IDOL WOLF (or wolves) has been exposed, by the ministry, …. and who accused myself and others of hate for exposing these enemies of the LORD, and came strongly to his/their defense, I wrote:

You are the one with hate …. you are defending the very wolves who are leading millions to hell … you care more for your idol wolves than you do the millions they are misleading to hell ….. apparently you still love this world and the things in it (fleeting riches) and therefore the lust you have not repented of is causing you to worship and defend these mere sinful men and women … 2 Tim 4:3-4 … This is the epitome for delusionment saints. …. here she is boldly posting pictures of her idols (Ez. 14:3) who have taught her to covet the riches of this fleeting world and thereby she has forfeited her eternal riches, which is Christ and eternity with Him.

——————————————————

To a person that insisted that they were not going to partake with the expose’ of wolves, the following reply was sent:

Yes and LOVE and TRUTH cannot be separated. In fact, those who truly walk in God’s love, tell God’s truth (Ephesians 4:15; Proverbs 16:6). It’s not God’s love if it’s not accompanied with a sincere love for God’s truth.

——————————————————

Message Received:

“I will await the judgment of God Mighty, The True Author and Finisher of My Faith…because He also States Do Not Argue and Quibble over My Words…do only what will Edify and When Souls….that’s why He said Judging is His Job, and His Alone…I will Never Be Arrogant Enough To Presume To Do God’s Job For Him… I trust Him and the Holy Spirit Alone….gracias for your words though…i have taking them to my Father God In Prayer….be well mí amigo…”

Reply:

Interestingly, you seem to be boasting about not wrongly judging others while you condemn me. If you wait for the Judgment Day without taking close heed to what the JUDGE has told us in His Word/Judgments, it will be too late. It’s an open book test and you WILL fail the judgment if you don’t study and know what pleases and what displeases the Judge of your eternal soul. See Prov. 28:9, 13. You seem to be under the notion that it is loving to not speak the truth directly and not to uncover the very enemies of the LORD (2 Corinthians 11:12-15). It’s actually displaying hatred to not expose Satan’s agents who pose as Christ’s representatives so that precious, eternal souls can be protected and spared (Matthew 7:15-21, etc.).

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Message Received:

“Brother your bitterness is plain for all to see. Pray for those you might think are missing it but to publicly bash them is certainly not Christ like at all. Just stick to preaching Christ.”

Reply:

You gullibility is clearly manifesting. The Bible never specifically says pray for wolves – but it does say to “mark them” so that others can be warned. No offense but you are a novice as far as Bible knowledge, otherwise you would know this. What THREE things did the apostle Paul do to prepare Christ’s body to meet Him? Colossians 1:28 – PWT – Preach, WARN, Teach.

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To a person who objected to the expose’ of wolves (false prophets) who are destroying souls and calling them at times “devils,” a reply was given this way:

Hi. How are you? Hope all is well. One thing’s for certain, this is not a salvation issue (essential). God’s LOVE can only be defined by God’s WORD and not by emotions. ACTUALLY, strong rebuke is what God uses to get to an otherwise hopeless, hell bound conscience – that’s love and mercy, not hate. Was it hate or love for God to demand that the believers at Corinth turn that unrepentant fornicator over to SATAN? (1 Cor. 5) Well, it led to that man repenting so he wouldn’t go to hell for eternity (2 Cor. 2). Was that love or hate? Are we wiser than the Almighty? Have we been swept away in the apostate, false “love” that is defined by the sinful whims of mere men? … Was the great apostle Paul hating when he told a man “And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, THOU CHILD OF THE DEVIL, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?” (Acts 13:10) Paul called this guy a “child of the devil.” Was the apostle of Jesus walking in hate? Was the Son of God being mean and hateful when He lambasted the evil leaders of His day who were leading millions to hell? Was Jesus Christ being hateful or loving when He told those wolves they were going to hell 3 times in Matthew 23? “Open REBUKE is better than secret love. 6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” (Proverbs 27:5-6) Is rebuke (with the truth) hateful or a manifestation of God’s mercy? Titus 1 says “For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: 11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake. 12 One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, the Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. 13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith … They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” Titus 1:10-16 Is Truth Negative or Positive?

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BEWARE of the Wolf Defenders [podcast]

Pandemic of False Prophets and those who Defend them [videos]

Apostasy

White and Clean: Garments of the KING’s Bride [podcast]

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

Was recently asked to be the care giver for a family friend the last week. Saw daystar TV preachers by the dozen…. and heard not even 1 of them speaking of and preaching to warn the body of Christ to be “ready” for Christ’s return. Unreal. Apostasy. I hadn’t watched “Christian” TV for many years and found it to be just as apostate as before. Not one of those wolves was preparing Christ’s body for His soon return which means at least many of them will not be ready as Jesus says you must be to be with Him (Luke 12:40). Paul preached, warned, and taught the body of Christ in preparation of Christ’s return (Colossians 1:28).

Any and every preacher not warning you constantly to be “ready” for Christ’s soon return is an agent of Satan.

In discerning true and false leaders, it’s at least as important to judge what they are NOT preaching as to judge what they ARE preaching. What they are purposely leaving out is deadly. And, you don’t know what they are leaving out if you don’t have a growing and working knowledge of Holy Scripture which can only come by way of diligent, daily study (2 Timothy 2:15).

“And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” Luke 21:34

Repentance is Essential

NOTHING in God happens until we surrender in repentance …. Refreshing awaits ….

“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” Revelation 19:7-8

JESUS CHRIST, THE ONE WHO BLED FOR OUR SINS ON THAT CROSS, ISSUED CLEAR CONDITIONS FOR ENTERING HIS ETERNAL KINGDOM.

PLEASE show us all where the words “once saved always saved” or “eternal security” or anything similar appear anywhere in Scripture. They don’t. IF God wanted us to believe this heresy, 1. He’d be contradicting Himself, and 2. He, the Almighty sure forgot to tell us so….. now repent and denounce the lie of the evil one and preach the truth.

The remnant body of Christ is identified by their love for and preparation to meet their soon coming KING, Jesus (1 John 2:28-3:3).

TODAY, each of us is proving manifestly exactly WHO we are serving – Christ or self. Matthew 22:37-39; Romans 6:16; Galatians 6:7-8; Revelation 1:3; 22:14, etc.

“But IF (denotes the conditional nature of this divine promise) we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” 1 John 1:7-10

The fact that this passage says that we must admit that we have sinned does not give excuse to live in sin. No, we are told in verse 7 to “walk in the light” in order to be continually washed by the blood of Jesus and verse 9 tells us we must confess all sin to be forgiven of sin.

—– We must let Him wash us … initially and perpetually … “Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. 9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. 10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.” John 13:8-10

Notice the “IF” here … “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7 …

Christ is the One who saves us and we know from the full counsel of His Word that all who are presently in Him are set apart to Him/sanctified/holy (Ephesians 5:25-27; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Hebrews 12:14-17, etc.). Sanctification is a work done by God in those who are born again and currently abiding in Him (John 15). These alone are ready for the soon return of Jesus (Luke 21:34-36).

THIS SUNDAY, many will sit under a wolf who instead of preaching Scripture like 2 Corinthians 7:1 and 1 Peter 1:15-16, will make excuse for sin. SMH You know you are listening to an apostate when there’s no call to true repentance and the crucified life in light of the soon return of Christ! RUN or you are going to hell with them!

From sister Debbie Lord this morning, for Christ’s body:

“May we stand cleansed by the shed blood of Jesus Christ
and full to overflowing with the presence/work of the Holy Spirit and God’s holy Word, in Jesus’ Name, amen. P.S. — Lord, we really want to see Your perfect will accomplished in our lives. Thank You Lord for your great mercies and faithfulness. This verse has been on my mind: Romans 11:33.”

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