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“We love him, because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19

—- In their own Self-Righteousness, have some gone so far as to make an idol of repentance? Or, perhaps they’ve made an idol of self.

“It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.” Lamentations 3:22

Sometimes those who gain an understanding of the absolute necessity of repentance go off in an imbalance and are unteachable, calling others false teachers who attempt to help them learn a bit more about the LORD.

In this type case, perhaps such a person should consider their own need to repent afresh and to rely upon the LORD who would grant them this gift. Instead of just calling everyone else to repent, perhaps they should consider doing so themselves. We can get to the point where we are calling others to repent and it’s coming out of our own self righteous hearts which are actually in need of repentance (Matthew 7:1-5; Romans 2:1-3).

Many times, sinful human nature is to project our own darkness on others rather than take personal accountability for our own sins (Romans 2:1-3).

Cache in on God’s Mercy The sins that should concern me the most are my own (Job 19:28; Matthew 7:1-5; John 8:7; 1 Corinthians 11:31-32; Ephesians 4:32; James 2:13).

“He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” John 8:7

This is an important topic to say it lightly …. there are those who seek to impose a self-righteousness upon salvation …. and CHRIST Himself is lost in the mix and so anything in place of HIM is an idol. Read Colossians 1-2.

We must not lose site of CHRIST Himself in all our preaching about what He commanded (Colossians 2:18-19). The whole reason He came is so we could know Him and the Father – a truth seldom ever heard today (John 17:3).

THERE are some even well meaning people who misunderstand the things of God. They subtly place repentance before CHRIST Himself. Please listen closely and judge this against the whole counsel God’s Word: Repentance is utterly necessary to be saved (Luke 13:3, 5) and you know this is preached often here. Yet isn’t true repentance more a turning TO God than it is turning FROM sin?

“Ye Turned to God from Idols”

“For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye TURNED TO GOD from idols (sin) to serve the living and true God.” 1 Thessalonians 1:9

“You can never be sorry enough to be saved.” Lisa Seiler

Of this imbalance, one believer writes:

“Holiness is first and foremost agape love. Unconditional love for all, including enemies of us and enemies of God.  This over emphasis on repentance can make us the initiator and God the responder if we are not careful.  God is always the initiator.”

—- Overcoming sin and living a holy life begins with receiving the very mercy of God which each of us is so very desperately in need of. Many times, especially in some circles, God Himself gets left out of His own salvation plan. The chief purpose for which God sent His only begotten Son was so that we could “know” Him (John 17:3). Paul told us that knowing the LORD was his all-encompassing goal. Everything else (including a holy life) will follow (Philippians 3:7-14). THIS is what he pressed toward. An ever-deepening relationship with the LORD breeds or produces that holiness which is necessary (John 17:3; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:15-16).

—- WITHOUT EXCEPTION, any person who repents, changes their whole lifestyle. If a person doesn’t worship and love and obey Christ, they have not repented.

“Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: 9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” Matthew 3:8-10

—- TRUE HOLINESS can only come by way of knowing CHRIST. There is a true and therefore a false or counterfeit holiness. “True holiness” – Watch this:

“And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and TRUE HOLINESS.” Ephesians 4:23-24

Remember how Jesus said that the self-righteous religionists had a false form of godliness as they cleaned the outside of the cup and neglected the inside – knowing Him in their hearts and therefore yielding the fruit of “true holiness.” (Matthew 23:23-25; Ephesians 4:24)

—– If we are preaching and not personally ever deepening our fellowship with our LORD, we can easily fall into this trap and imbalance. This is the sin of idolatry and while we may be busy calling everyone else to repent, God may be attempting to get our attention and lead us to repentance. Right? Like Mary, we must make sitting at His beautiful feet to know Him our highest priority around which all our life revolves (Luke 10:38-42).

Remember, Jesus says that without HIM we can do nothing at all to please God and that we are to LOVE the LORD with all our being (John 15:5; Matthew 22:37-39). Does He matter to us? Or, have we forgotten the One we claim to be serving?

“Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.” Psalms 50:22

One comes before the other. Repentance saves no one – Only Christ can save. Repentance is the divine condition for knowing Him which is what saves us – He does. Yes He without exception requires repenting and when we hearken to His drawing and obey by repenting, HE saves us. We must be very careful about the subtle idolatry of displacing CHRIST Himself even with the preaching of the imperative of repentance (Luke 13:3, 5). Some become so very heavy handed on repentance that they themselves need to repent of their own imbalance due to their own need to actually repent. Repentance is clearly a gift also and only God Himself can draw the sinner to Himself (John 3:29; 6:44; 2 Timothy 2:24-26, etc.).

On judgment day Jesus didn’t say He was going to say to the counterfeits “Depart from me because you didn’t repent” but rather “Depart from me ye workers of iniquity, I never KNEW you.” (Matthew 7:21)

Relationship mean alot to God…. you know, the ONE who invented relationship? Please memorize John 17:3.

Some preach as though God hates sinners. They misunderstand and take out of context things from Psalms. If God hated sinners so much, why did He so love the world, including you and I, that He gave His only begotten Son to come to die for us “WHILE we were yet sinners”? (Romans 5:6-8)

Listen to Jesus:

“For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.” Luke 9:56

“For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” John 3:17

Your input welcomed. I am simply attempting to prayerfully be in God’s will in this understanding.

Memorizing Titus 3:5-6 has greatly helped me understand the relationship between God and us, His people. Can anyone relate?

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;” Titus 3:5-6

Will we give thanks today because WE have repented and obeyed OR because of the GREAT MERCY God showed to send His only begotten Son to die for OUR SINS and “while we were YET sinners”? (Romans 5:6-8) Oh and by the way, no man can possibly partake of the divine gift of repentance unless and until God blesses Him with that gift (John 3:29; 6:44; 2 Timothy 2:24-26, etc.).

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us…” Ephesians 2:4

Do you think that the patriarch Jacob could have understood a truth we also need to understand? When he really met with the LORD, here’s what he stated:

“I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.” Genesis 32:10

A holy life is the fruit of truly coming to HIM, repenting and putting our faith in Him … obedience doesn’t save, JESUS saves, amen? And when He saves a soul that soul will choose to abide (remain) or not and if he remains/abides in Christ, he will live a holy life. To GOD be that glory! John 15

“We love him, because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19

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Articles

“That Ye all Speak the Same Thing” [podcast]


Yes some abandon the sound doctrine which is the Holy Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:15-17). Let such cease.

“That ye all speak the same thing” right?

“Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” 1 Corinthians 1:10

Satan is introducing doubting, casting doubt upon what God has said, His Word, when he said to the woman in the temptation, “Hath God said?” See Genesis 3:1. And Satan in this exchange, changed, altered what God said, God’s Word. See Genesis 2:17 and 3:4. Game changer! The enemy has not changed and we are not be ignorant of his devices, right? (2 Corinthians 2:11).

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16

We stand with both feet and every ounce of our weight on God’s Word with utter impunity to Satan and his kingdom of evil.

“God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.”  Romans 3:4

The final blow of death is coming to him, soon.

“And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.” Romans 16:20

“But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:” Titus 2:1

“If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:11

Support | STORE | Podcasts | Jail/Prison MinistryMexico Mission here | All Ministry Updates | Because You Care Page | The Greatest of these is CharityBe Ready in the Morning [podcast]The Sure Mercies of David [podcast]That Repentance and Remission of Sins should be Preached [podcast]At His Feet | Prepared to be Used of God Walking with Jesus on His Stated Terms – the Cross | Fasting and PrayerThe Old Man Must be Put Down [podcast]The 5 Sins That Keep God’s People Out of Their Promised Land [podcast]What Did Paul Mean by “I Keep Under My Body”? [podcast]“Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith” [podcast]A Living Sacrifice unto God [podcast]Departing from Hell BeneathPrayer

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Abiding

Fruitful Life. Fruitful Evangelism. [podcast]


The Life God Blesses to Bear Fruit for His Eternal Glory

A fruitful life for God’s glory involves first being genuinely born again, abiding in Christ via the crucified life, bearing spiritual fruit—such as Christlikeness in character, good works, and evangelism—by remaining in vital union with Jesus, the true vine (John 15).

“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.” John 15:16

JUST as Jesus multiplied the little with the boy who gave the loaves and fishes, so He does with our efforts. Jesus multiplied that little and fed 5,000 men, and that doesn’t count the women and children present. Try Him.

“O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” Psalms 34:8

“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” Matthew 25:40-46

God blesses the lives of His faithful saints. His faithful saints seek His face continually.

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

God prospers us according as we seek His face and stay upon Him. Of king Uzziah king of Judah, God’s Word says:

“As long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.” 2 Chronicles 26:5

At times in this life there are season of uncertainty, where our vision may not be clear. We must “stay upon” the LORD.

“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

“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

“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” 1 Corinthians 15:10

“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” Ephesians 3:20

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8

We’ve never been so reminded of this as of the miraculous events of late where beloved brother Juan dropped some plastic water bottles that hit me in the feet. Only God could have orchestrated this collision of Juan’s life and mine.

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.” Psalms 37:23

Ask Him.

Recently brother Stacy Strother reminded me that God simply wants us, His people to be available, to pray and watch Him work!

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18  They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 19  So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. 20  And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.” Mark 16:15-20

It has been wisely stated:

“Show me a man’s prayer life, his life of prayer or lack thereof, and I will show you who that man truly is and who and what he loves most.”

All who are zealous for the LORD are zealous about His work, to do it. Not build a church, but to see Christ work in the hearts of men—to strengthen and equip His body and convict and save lost souls to Himself.

One source notes:

“Evangelism is the act of sharing the Christian gospel—the ‘good news’ of Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection—with the aim of inviting others into a relationship with God. It is considered a core mission for believers to spread this message of salvation, hope, and love, often stemming from Jesus’s command in the Great Commission.”

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.” Proverbs 11:30

YOUR PRAYER: Holy Father, in Jesus’ name, unite my heart to fear Thy name. Do your work in and through my life. I am all Yours. Maximize the fruit produced to Your eternal glory. You must increase but I must decrease. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Support | STORE | Podcasts | Jail/Prison MinistryMexico Mission here |All Ministry UpdatesThe Greatest of these is Charity | Be Ready in the Morning [podcast] | The Sure Mercies of David [podcast] | That Repentance and Remission of Sins should be Preached [podcast] | At His Feet | Prepared to be Used of God  | Great Commission

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Abiding

Washed. Sanctified. Glorified. [podcast]


“Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.” John 13:8

Jesus’ true bride is known in that she is making herself ready for Him.

“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

“This morning I read Psalm 45. Titled the Kings marriage. The story of the King and His bride. This is a beautiful picture of the marriage supper of the Lamb in Rev 19:7-9. The Bridegroom is adorned in glory, majesty, righteousness and truth. Sitting in His royal throne. Then enters the Bride. Holy, without spot or wrinkle. Wearing the righteousness of Christ. And Jesus says, you are in thy Father’s house and He desires thy beauty and worship. Wow! Because she is wearing the beauty of the Lord (Psalm 27:4). His attributes. And she is wearing gold. Fine gold because she has been tried in the fire of affliction. And she is one of the five wise virgins who is invited to enter into the King’s palace. What a glorious picture of all who make themselves ready and are clean and white before their King Jesus! Alleluia!” Karen Cochran

The person who repents, puts their faith in Jesus Christ, and is saved, and continues rooted in Christ, continuing/abiding in Him, will confess any sin committed and be perpetually transformed by Him (Proverbs 28:13; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 John 1:7, 9; 3:4-10).

Many have been misled. Jesus invented the term “FALL AWAY” (Luke 8:13). The Son of God does not lie. If falling away isn’t possible, why did Jesus say it is possible? Jesus is returning for those who are looking for Him by the way they live.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:25-27

Only those hearing and obeying God’s Word are being washed by it.

“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto THEM THAT LOOK FOR HIM shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Hebrews 9:28

“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10  Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11  And such were some of you: but ye are WASHED, but ye are SANCTIFIED, but ye are JUSTIFIED in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

The explanation below is modified from another source and notes the following:

“‘Washed, sanctified, and justified’ (often replacing glorified with justified) describes the comprehensive spiritual transformation of a believer in 1 Corinthians 6:11. It signifies being cleansed from sin, set apart for God’s purpose, and declared righteous through Christ, moving from a past life of disobedience to a new identity and a life of obedience to God (2 Corinthians 5:15).

    • Washed: Refers to being cleansed of the defilement and stain of sin, often linked to baptism and the washing of regeneration by the Holy Spirit.
    • Sanctified: Means being set apart to God for His holy purpose. It involves both a position of holiness in Christ and a progressive, lifelong process of becoming more like Him.
    • Justified (Glorified/Righteous): Means being acquitted of all guilt and declared righteous before God on the basis of Christ’s finished work.

Contextual Meaning
    • Transformation: The Apostle Paul reminds the Corinthians that while they once lived in sin, their identity changed upon following Jesus.
    • The Power Source: These changes are accomplished in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God, not by personal merit.
    • Living the New Life: This transformation signifies that believers are no longer defined by their past sins, but by their new, holy standing.”

Prayer: Jesus, I know You are going to return for a Bride that is without spot, wrinkle, or sin of any kind. Purify this life LORD Jesus which I now submit to You without reserve. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Support | STORE | Podcasts | Jail/Prison MinistryMexico Mission here | All Ministry UpdatesBecause You Care Page | Bible/Word of God | Gifts | Prophetic or Pathetic? | ChristologyFinal Divine Authority At His Feet | Prepared to be Used of God Grace and Truth Bible School [modules] | 7 Study Guides to a Greater Foundation in Christ | Knowing God | The Cross Life |

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