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The Cup

Holiness is the work of God in the heart of His children. He is moving on and sanctifying the abiding, cross-lifestyle born again believer, causing him to walk in “the new man,” putting off “the old man” (Colossians 3:1-14).

If you had the choice to drink from a cup that was dirty on the inside or one that was dirty on the outside, which would you choose? Would the Almighty not do the same? Which type cup are you? Where are you clean? – Are you clean on the inside or outside, or both?

“TRUE HOLINESS” IS A BIBLICAL TERM (EPHESIANS 4:24). WHAT IS “TRUE HOLINESS” AND WHAT IS THE COUNTERFEIT?

“That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.” Ephesians 4:22-25

As we just read, “true holiness” is a Bible phrase and so there must by deduction be a countfeit, a false holiness.

WE’D BETTER MAKE SURE WE HAVE HOLINESS – AS DEFINED BY HOLY SCRIPTURE – AND NOT SOME FLESH-GLORIFYING, FABRICATED VERSION OF “HOLINESS” THAT COMES FROM SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS IN OUR OWN WICKED HEARTS ….. THE CROSS – CRUCIFIED LIFE – IS AT THE CENTER OF THE ONLY “TRUE HOLINESS” THAT GLORIFIES GOD …. AND ALL FALSE HOLINESS IS HEADED AND GUARANTEED ETERNAL DAMNATION …..

THERE IS A TRUE AND A FALSE HOLINESS AMONG THOSE CLAIMING TO BE WALKING WITH CHRIST. DO WE KNOW THE DIFFERENCE?

Holiness is not manufactured, is not achieved in the flesh, by the self-will of mere men. No. Holiness is the very nature of the LORD and is the work of God in the life of the yielded, the crucified saint (Isaiah 6:3; Romans 6-8; 1 Peter 1:15-16).

Self-righteousness seems to cause men to begin imposing things on people that are not clearly expressed in Scripture… making women wear dresses that drag the ground, forbidding women to cut their hair, etc. man imposed fake “holiness”. Beware.

They call it “holiness” but it’s really self-righteousness. Jesus rebuked these vile wolves repeatedly in Matthew 23.

“For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.” Matthew 23:4

The old man, or old self, is still with us after we become born again and must be subdued daily. As we read in the passage above, our old self is “deceitful” and, true to its’ character, wants to pass itself off as something that it is not. Our deceitful hearts desire that we project a facade that is not reality. Feigned, or artificial, holiness is not of God. It is a farce because holiness is first and foremost a divine attribute and then, as it involves saved men, it is a state of the heart.

IT’S CONCERNING THAT SOME WHO PREACH THEIR RELIGIOUS BRAND OF “HOLINESS” SAY LITTLE OR NOTHING ABOUT THE SCORES OF SCRIPTURE PERTAINING TO GOD’S MERCY, SAVING GRACE, RESTORATION, AND DESIRE TO BRING HEALING, WHOLENESS, AND FORGIVENESS.

In contrasting true and artificial holiness, one writer notes:

“There is an advocacy of holiness that was never born at Calvary; it is the resuscitation of the Pharisaic spirit, dressed in the garb of Pentecost-an insufferable superiority. The Spirit of God must have a deep indignation at the preaching of holiness that is not the holiness of Jesus. The holiness of Jesus is the most humble thing on earth.”

Personally, I’m long ago done with the 3-piece suit façade. Let’s trash the costume. That has nothing to do with Jesus – because God looks on the heart, not the threads (1 Sam 16:7). Clothes are meant to clothe, to cover the body so that the shame of our nakedness doesn’t appear and not to be used to dress the flesh, bringing attention to self. It’s not about self but the Savior and no man shall glory in His presence (1 Cor 1:29-31). Extravagant dressing is not humble but rather, religious, plastic, fronting. Cheesy, hoaky, inauthentic.

“There is nothing more disgusting than these preachers that walk around in their suits that cost thousands, but they will not help the people in their own congregation that suffer.” Maureen Lundie

Jesus specifically warns about fraudsters who dress the flesh to cloak their evil, as they devour and make merchandise of their prey:

“Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples, 46 Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts; 47 Which devour widows’ houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.” Luke 20:45-47

THE HOLINESS OF JESUS IS BEST DEFINED IN THE WHOLE OF WHAT HE DID AND WHAT HE SAID. THE SIMPLE FACT THAT HE MOST SEVERELY LAMBASTED THOSE WHO WERE FILTHY-HEARTED OUTER-CUP-CLEANERS DRESSED IN RELIGIOUS COSTUMES, MAKES IT CLEAR THAT “TRUE HOLINESS” OR HOLINESS JESUS STYLE, IS IN DIAMETRICAL OPPOSITION TO THE FAKE HOLINESS OF PHARISEES BOTH PAST AND PRESENT.

Holiness God’s way requires the cross – where our lives are laid down and the Holy Spirit is raising us up in His holy power to please Him in all our thoughts, words and deeds. It’s a work of God that begins on the inside of the born again disciple of Jesus.

Speaking of a false holiness, was not this the fruit of the hell-bound Pharisees? (Matthew 23) They outwardly projected themselves to be something they were not. They were masters of hypocrisy.

NO MAN CAN BE HOLY AS GOD IS HOLY OUTSIDE OF THE CRUCIFYING WORK OF THE DIVINE PERSON OF THE HOLY GHOST! HE IS THE ENABLER AND AS WE PARTICIPATE IN THE DAILY CROSS JESUS CALLS US TO TAKE UP, THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GOING TO BRING ABOUT THAT HOLINESS THAT PLEASES GOD. MEMORIZE ROMANS 8:13-14. YOU WILL NEVER BE THE SAME!

David prayed:

“LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. 5 Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.” Psalms 39:4-5

David knew that the LORD knew all of his “foolishness” and “sins”:

“O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.” Psalms 69:5

Paul admitted his own spiritual poverty which is an essential foundation to victory:

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

ADMITTING our own poverty is the starting place for God’s grace to make us holy. Propping ones self up as holy or sinless perfection is a lie and a sham and is rooted in pride and self-righteousness.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit (desperate for and wholly dependent upon God – not self): for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3

You are not holy in God’s eyes unless you are truly born again into Christ and presently abiding in He who alone is “Holy, holy, holy.” (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8)

Read and pray John 17 today.

Holiness begins and emanates from the inside out and being one with Jesus and the Father is the essential.

One sister notes:

“I know many “modestly” dressed plain dowdy looking women who are EVIL at heart and are full of adultery, fornication, and the Jezebel spirit.”

Response:

Amen! Amen! The Bible tells us that “The LORD looketh on the HEART” and that all sins come from the un-sanctified hearts of men. God memorize and study 1 Sam. 16:7 and Mark 7:20-23. Oh, and what did Jesus say of the religious posers of His day and how they cleaned the OUTSIDE of the cup but left the INSIDE filthy (Matt. 23). Some seek to impose their own measures on others, ever notice that? God always starts HIS work from the inside – out.

“Rend your HEART and not your garments (outward).” Joel 2:13

According to Jesus, both past and modern pharisees always over emphasize the outward. We ourselves must beware of such.

In my early years of being saved, my attitude was one of upholding some supposed state of spirituality or holiness. Yet, the more the LORD does His work in my heart, establishing it in His grace, the more I am blessed to rely fully on Him and less on my feeble self (2 Cor. 12:9-10; Heb. 13:9). I have come to realize that I am truly only a branch. Jesus is the living vine. By myself, I can do nothing and am good for nothing but to be picked up off the ground and burned. Why?  If I am lying on the ground, I am dead.  However, if I remain, or abide, in the vine, then I receive the rich nourishment that I need daily if I am to bear good, more and much fruit.  It is the vine that does the work.  My job is to abide (John 15).

The sin-bent flesh will never subside until we are with Him, and we will be only if we endure to the end (Matthew 10:22; 24:13; Hebrews 3:6, 12-14; 12:14-16; Revelation 21:8, 27, etc.). The moral coward espouse the unfounded myth of “once saved always saved” in order to evade having to truly give his life to Christ. He is classified by Jesus as “the fearful” and is the first class of sinner listed that will have his part in the very lake of fire (Revelation 21:8). The flesh must be mortified/crucified daily or it will rule and reign in place of Christ (Luke 9:23-24; Rom. 6-7; 8:13-14; Gal. 2:20; 5:24). In order to do this, we must perpetually possess an attitude of need and dependence upon the LORD. Becoming independent of God was the temptation that drew away the first man and woman in the Garden. All souls belong to Him who made all souls and therefore, in reality, no one is independent of Him (Ezek. 18:4). Every soul is dependent upon our Maker for life and every soul will return to Him in judgment (Eccl. 12:7; Acts 17:25).

“Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.” Hebrews 12:4

No sin nature?

“Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” Ephesians 2:3 

“For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But IF ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.” Galatians 5:17-18

“From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?” James 4:1

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

What did Paul say he had to “keep under”? (1 Cor. 9:27)

A sinless state is attainable in the flesh by the Spirit but not by the flesh (Gal 3:3; Zech 4:6; Rom 8:13-14).

It takes the willing obedience of the disciple or holiness will not be attained (Phil. 2:12-13; Gal 5:24).

THE ENGLISH WORD “HYPOCRITE” IN THE KING JAMES BIBLE COMES FROM THE GREEK WORD HUPOKRITES AND MEANS ACTOR UNDER AN ASSUMED CHARACTER, POSER, DISSEMBLER.

Jesus spoke of a false holiness which is despised by Him. Here’s a taste of His lambast of the religionists of His day:

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. 28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.” Matthew 23:25-28

Adding to God’s Word: Going beyond the bounds of what Holy Scripture clearly states on any subject is sinful adding to God’s Word.

The pharisees of Christ’s day and those today feign outwardly to be holy yet are actually wicked in the holy eyes of God who sees the hearts of men.

“Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.” 1 Samuel 15:22-23

Someone has noted:

“Hypocrisy can afford to be magnificent in its promises, for never intending to go beyond promise, it costs nothing.”

There’s no shortcut or replacement for sheer obedience, born out of love for God and faith in Him. Someone has rightly stated:

“Obedience means marching right on whether we feel like it or not. Many times we go against our feelings. Faith is one thing, feeling is another.”

“Holiness speaks more to nature than it does conduct. Good conduct is the spontaneous byproduct of the new nature of the new creation man through the cross and death to the old nature. We are new creatures in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17-18). To preach holiness as conduct without the new nature through the cross understanding is legalism. Holiness is actually derived from ‘wholeness’ meaning the thorough transformation of the whole tripartite man (1 Thess. 5:23). So many of these ‘holiness’ preachers are preaching nothing but conduct under law. Law arouses sinful passions and causes sin to increase and was given in order to provoke transgressions (Rom. 7:5; 5:20; Gal. 3:20). They are enemies of the cross!”   TB

YOUR PRAYER: FATHER, IN THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, PLEASE PURGE EVERY TRACE OF HYPOCRISY OUT OF MY LIFE! STRIKE ME TO THE HEART, THE CORE OF MY BEING AND MAKE MY LIFE TO BE SINCERE, AUTHENTIC, LAID DOWN, AND PURE OF ALL DISINGENUOUS MOTIVES, INTENTIONS, AND CHARACTERISTICS. IN JESUS’ NAME, AMEN.

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Articles

Faith in Resurrection [podcast]


When we die downward and are dead and buried with Christ, we can be assured that God is going to raise us upward.

“But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” Romans 8:11

Romans 6:1-14

“1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 

2  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 

3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 

4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 

5  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 

6  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed (brought to naught, nullified), that henceforth we should not serve sin. 

7  For he that is dead is freed from sin. 

8  Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 

9  Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 

10  For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 

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

12  Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 

13  Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 

14  For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”

The Crucified Life | Travis Bryan III

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Apostasy

“The Certainty of the Words of Truth” [podcast]


Nicholas, the Apostate Deceiver

Historians say that Nicholas (Acts 6:5), a deacon in the first century church, backslid, and led his followers to believe that living in sin would not affect one’s relationship with Christ. The term Nicolaitans is said to come from those who followed Nicholas. Nico-laitans is a compound Greek word. Nico means “to conquer,” and laitans means “the laity.” Satan used Nicholas to conquer his followers through the lie of lawlessness. The evil spirit of Nicholas lives on today through many lawless leaders who operate in the church world in this late hour.

Nicholas taught free love. He and his followers taught that the deeds of believers could not affect their relationship with God. This is antinomianism, which means lawlessness. The Bible clearly refutes such a lie as we will witness in our walk through the Holy Scriptures.

“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” 2 Timothy 2:19

“They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” Titus 1:16

The Bible states here, that those who “profess that they know God” and yet “deny him…in works,” are “abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”

By this lie of lawlessness, the enemy of souls conquered the people.

“But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans (means “conquer the laity”), which I also hate…So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.” Revelation 2:6, 15

Here is some modern terminology for this age-old doctrine:

  • Once Saved, Always Saved
  • Eternal security (unconditional)
  • Calvinism, perseverance of the saints doctrine

In Revelation 2, Jesus Christ tells us that He “hates” two things — “the deeds” and “doctrine of the Nicolaitans.” The Son of God despises the doctrine that teaches that the deeds of men have no effect upon their relationship with Him.

The Scriptures continuously reveal the divine hatred for the acceptance, and even doctrinal authorization, for living in the sins which the LORD tells us violate His holiness, reveal a wicked heart, and will prevent one from entering into the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21; Revelation 21:8, 27).

The word “lasciviousness” appears six times in the Bible and means “lack of restraint (from sinning); license for sin; licentiousness.”

To underscore the utter, divine hatred against this lie of lawlessness, it should be noted that this is the only place in Scripture where Jesus Christ, Himself, states that He hates something.

Though they may vary in packaging, these are all kin to the same lawless “ye shall not surely die” lie, which is the lie of the ages.

“Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments  of the Lord your God which I command you.” Deuteronomy 4:2

“For ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the Lord of hosts our God.” Jeremiah 23:36b

“Thus saith the Lord; Stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord’s house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word.” Jeremiah 26:2

For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” Revelation 22:18-19

“Hath God said” ?

Always remember that whenever you have someone casting doubt on God’s Word, words, you are dealing with a person who is under Satan’s control, is a rejecter of the LORD, and therefore His truth, and is a child of the devil. Every time.

Notice what we see Satan doing in the Garden of Eden just before he changed, altered, added one word to God’s words:

“Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” Genesis 3:1

Then, in verse 4 we read how Satan added just one three-letter word which changed the meaning of what God said and changed world history.

“And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:” Genesis 3:4

“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Genesis 2:17

“Thou shalt surely die” from God was then changed by Satan to “Ye shall NOT surely die.”

This is the first time we see what’s known as the “eternal security” lie. It’s also known as “once saved always saved” or “perseverance of the saints” heresy. Any person teaching or believeing this lie has partnered with Satan himself.

Knowing the certainty of the words of truth”

Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
19 That thy trust may be in the Lord, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.
20 Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
21 that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?  Proverbs 22:17-21

that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth” – and how can we “know the certainty of the words of truth” if we aren’t even reading them – if we are not reading the preserved Word of God but rather a cheap counterfeit?

Bible Versions Category

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Abiding

Delighting in the LORD [podcast]


Many have set up their altar to the false gods of church, church attendance, mere men in ministry, etc., and not at the feet, the throne of Jesus Christ. These are examples of some of the most insidious, the most subtle forms of damnable idolatry.

“And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.” Revelation 22:1

Our lives in Christ must be built around His throne and not a certain church building or Sunday morning event (Jeremiah 17:12; Colossians 3:1-4; Hebrews 4:14-16; Revelation 22:1).

Memory truth:

“A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary.” Jeremiah 17:12

Heaven is where God is and He’s your headquarters. The LORD Himself is “the place of our sanctuary.”

For many, going to “church” seems to take the place of diligently seeking and knowing, loving, and obeying the LORD. The foundation of such a person will not sustain them in this last hour (Matthew 7:19-29; 24; Luke 21; Hebrews 12:24-28).

The LORD speaks much of the importance of foundations (Psalms 11:3). Those who base their life in Christ on a certain ministry or church gathering or organization, do not have the sure, divine foundation to sustain them in this late hour. Everything is going to be shaken and only that which is truly and soundly grounded in Christ will be left standing.

Like Abel, who chose to do things God’s way and no other way, those who do the same, will be established in Christ the Rock and not be moved.

“And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 25  See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: 26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29 For our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:24-29

Regrettably, so many, who have simply gotten lost in the church crowd, have not established that intimate, individual place in the sanctuary of the LORD. The coming storms will inevitably uproot them if there is no change, no repentance, and seeking the face of the LORD for themselves. Jesus saves us to establish us.

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” Colossians 2:6-10

False churches today seek to sell families on the need to join their country club where’s there’s fun for the whole family. These beguilers cater to the urban family to build their church business, with no intention of preaching the whole counsel of God’s Word, the cardinal doctrines of the original Gospel (Jude 3-4). Their goal is to entertain and to grow their church enterpri$e and not to ground their prey in Christ (Colossians, etc.). It’s all surface level, cosmetic. There is no blood of Jesus, no King James Bible, no cross – no crucified life, no Holy Ghost baptism, no repentance, no holiness, no Christology, no readiness for the soon return of Christ, etc.

If you memorize this Bible verse below and speak it, often, your heart, your direction, your life will be divinely moved upward to the LORD! Memorize 1 Chronicles 16:11 beginning now.

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

Those who delight in the LORD, delight to do His will.

“I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.” Psalms 40:8

“STAY UPON THE LORD”

This is a Recurring Theme in Isaiah and Throughout Holy Writ

“And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall STAY UPON the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.” Isaiah 10:20

“For they call themselves of the holy city, and STAY THEMSELVES UPON the God of Israel; The LORD of hosts is his name.” Isaiah 48:2

“Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and STAY UPON his God.” Isaiah 50:10

The LORD is NOT available to the casual seeker. Think about that.

“He is a rewarder of THEM THAT DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM.” Hebrews 11:6

Our LORD rewards those who “diligently seek him.”

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.” Jeremiah 29:11-14

In the ensuing verses (Jeremiah 29:15-19), God pronounces a judgment on His people for following those false leaders who sit upon the seat of David yet didn’t have an obedient heart after the LORD. Today is no different where you have people following false leaders who pretend to be representing Christ and yet, are compromised with false doctrine and worldliness.

Shannon Cook writes:

“Delight yourself in the LORD (Jesus) and He will give you the desires of thine heart. Jesus Christ IS in fact, the greatest desire of the heart of man. ‘Delight yourself in Me (Jesus), and I will give Me to you.’ Makes perfect sense!”

May God bless us with a John 17 and John 15 oneness abiding relationship with Him, possessed with a poor in spirit disposition, and pure heart after the LORD (Matthew 5:3, 6, 8). In Jesus’ Name.

We have nothing outside of what we have in Christ! Read Colossians 1 and 2.

So love Jesus and aren’t seeking His holy face daily, diligently? Not. Turn back to God in repentance, now.  

The bless-ed word “delight” appears several times in God’s Word.

“Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” Psalms 37:4

TODAY, THERE’s nothing more important for me to be doing than seeking the face of the LORD Almighty – to be “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-3)
 
“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” Luke 21:28
 

Having a heart after God is something that is a daily, a moment to moment choice, a decision, which must be cultivated in us.

David, the man after the heart of the LORD, is a glorious example to us.

“I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.” Acts 13:22

“One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. … When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.” Psalms 27:4, 8

“My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.” Psalms 57:7

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

As can be seen in the following verse, legal or religious mindset causes obedience, serving God to the LORD to seem like drudgery.

“To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.” Jeremiah 6:10

Those living under grace operate in grace, in their heart of hearts, delight to obey their Savior.

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

No matter what’s going on – good or bad – WE KNOW that the song is true …. that our “God is so good, God is soooo gooood, God is so good, He’s so good to me…..” … There’s NO way to sing this simple song of praise and not get happy in Jesus! Impossible.

The LORD our Maker alone can truly satisfy, all the way to the marrow of the bone, to the depth of the human heart!

“For I have satiated (fully satisfy) the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.” Jeremiah 31:25

All who are not full of Christ via knowing and seeking Him, delighting in and worshipping Him perpetually, are full of misery – from which they shall never escape, unless they repent and let Jesus be the King, the LORD, the Master of their lives.

The Bible is music to the ears of truth-seeking followers of Christ! They pour prayerfully of the words of Holy Scripture daily, as they seek the face of the LORD.

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

“We would worry less if we praised more. THANKSGIVING is the enemy of discontentment and dissatisfaction.” Harry Ironside

Powerful resurrection life teeming in and through our lives requires a going down deep into the death the resurrection of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:10-12). There is no shortcut.

“WE WOULD SEE JESUS.” John 12:20-21 

Detox your inner man! Detox your spirit, soul, and body! How? Fasting and Prayer! Delighting in the LORD (Psalms 37:4). Fasting and prayer begins with being done, being fed up, being exhausted of the iniquitous nature that has driven us into darkness, into dismal ditches with guilt, shame, and forfeited blessings the result! Our desire now and henceforth is for Christ to reign supreme in our lives and not self! Self, sin must be dethroned. Serving self instead of the Savior has ushered in every single evil thing into our lives and we now stand forth and declare that Christ must increase but we must decrease! (John 3:30) We do this now with more than just words – also with a holy resolve, a driving of the stake deep into the ground, singly focused on the reign of Heaven’s coming KING, on the seat, the throne of our hearts. The reins of our lives are reserved for Him to reign, no longer us! 

“Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.” Isaiah 58:14

“It has been said that no great work in literature or in science was ever wrought by a man who did not love solitude. We may lay it down as an elemental principle of religion, that no large growth in holiness was ever gained by one who did not take time to be often long alone with God.” Austin Phelps

Anita Villarreal exhorts:

“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart…..do this and you will live.’ Luke 10:27-28

The death of Jesus. Christ on the Cross is what has drawn men to Himself. Christ did this out of Divine Love for humanity, and LOVE ALWAYS DRAWS. It is the LOVE that men and women need, and wherever they find it they want to come and rest in it’s warmth and tenderness. God’s love is the purest form of true, sincere and unselfish love. Of you haven’t received or known this kind of love, ask Jesus to show you this love and by faith receive it. Let Him cleanse your soul of all impurities and forgive you of all your sins.”

 We were created to know Him!

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

“And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.” Exodus 25:8

Our union, our oneness with God is from which all else in His kingdom emanates….

“For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” Romans 14:17

“We are truly living in a time of great apostasy and I would urge each person to seek to know the Lord for yourself as Jesus said in John 17:3 that this is life eternal that we know the only true God and His Son Jesus Christ. In the book of 1 John 5:20 John states that Christ came to give us understanding of the one true God and His son Jesus Christ. David said in Psalms 27:4 that one thing he desired of the Lord and that he would seek after that He could dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of life to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord. I urge people to examine the scriptures and stop trusting in flesh (mere men) for the scripture states that curse is the man that trust in man and makes flesh his arm whose heart has depart from the Lord (Jerm 17:5). Any real man that God has called will only point you to Lord not himself. Wake-up Church those who have an ear to hear what Lord is speaking to His true body.” Matthew Washington

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