
“Two Men Went Up into the Temple to Pray” [podcast]
WHOSE PRAYERS DOES GOD ANSWER? AND WHOSE DOES HE REJECT?
If we don’t understand this truth, taught by Jesus in His story of the 2 men who went up to pray, we can not prosper in our relationship and prayer life with the LORD. Father, please grant Your people eyes to see Thy kingdom for what it truly is and what it is not, in Jesus’ name, amen. Read Luke 18:9-14…
One Man’s Prayer Was Answered and the Other Was Not Answered
Why?
The following teaching from the Son of God is of extreme importance as pertains to the disposition of the one who will truly follow Christ. Also, the key to answered prayer is held in this parable of divine instruction. This parable needs very little explanation. Read this prayerfully:
Luke 18
9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”
God honors deep humility and He dishonors and sets Himself against those who are proud and self-righteous in heart. So much so that Jesus tells us that “the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you (self-righteous religionists).”
“Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.” Matthew 21:31
Self-righteous remedy! Prayerfully declare the words of Titus 3:5-7 each morning this week aloud to God and so your own wicked heart hears it.
“Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling.”
A revelation of the true doctrine of fallen man is and essential component that is grossly missing from the modern church. Also, learning the Word of God concerning the truth that He is “Holy, holy, holy,” is essential to a sound foundation (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8).
Titus 3:5-6 is a great way to begin our day by declaring this truth.
“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; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:5-7
Psalms 5:7 speaks of approaching God on the basis of His mercy and in the fear of the LORD – and not due to any good of our own, because there is none (Romans 3:10; 7:18, 24).
To the degree that we are receiving the revelation of CHRIST’s righteousness, to that degree we lose self-righteousness (Romans 3-8). Understanding your own utter depravity is never a license to sin but rather the starting point to be able to truly cherish Christ and what He did for us.
Saints, we are always to approach God on the basis of His sheer mercy toward us, shed abundantly upon us at the cross of Christ (Titus 3:5-7). This is in contrast to approaching God on the basis of any goodness of our own – because such is non-existent (Luke 18:9-14; Romans 7:18; Isaiah 64:6; Psalms 5:7).
“But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.” Psalms 5:7
Doing this will defuse the iniquity of self-righteousness.
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Abiding
7 Ways to Forgive [podcast]

PRAY
“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” Matthew 5:44
LOVE AND DO GOOD TO THE OFFENDER
“Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.” Romans 12:9
REFUSE TO SPEAK EVIL OF THE OFFENDER
“Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.” Romans 12:14
RELEASE THEM FROM YOUR PUNISHMENT
“Recompense (repay) to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” Romans 12:17-19
DON’T CELEBRATE THEIR FAILURES
“Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: 18 Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.” Proverbs 24:17-18
TREAT THEM THE WAY YOU WANT TO BE TREATED
“And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” Luke 6:31
STOP DWELLING ON THE PAST
“Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.” Isaiah 43:18
The blessedness of being merciful to others:
“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” Matthew 5:7
The only way to prevent holding a grudge, is to simply forgive them – as God freely forgave you through the infinite price Christ paid for your sins on the cross, of which you don’t deserve (Psalms 103:10).
“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. 9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.” James 5:7-9
“And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:30-32
Being kind and forgiving towards others becomes simple as we look in the mirror and declare with Paul the apostle: “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing.” (Romans 7:18)
“He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.” Psalms 103:10
Forgiveness becomes easy when we look in the mirror to see the person (us, me) who needs God’s mercy more than any other person alive on the earth! Memorize Ephesians 4:32 now. KJB
“For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” James 1:20
“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.” Colossians 3:12-14
Forgiveness Quotes
Forgiveness is ultra important to God. If you don’t forgive all others, you are not forgiven of your own sin and are as sure for hell as if you were already there. If you refuse to forgive you damn your own soul, non-negotiably. irrevocably.
“Forgiveness does not mean what happened is okay. It means not letting what happened take any more of your happiness.” Michelle Maros
“There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love.” Bryant McGill
“Love is an act of endless forgiveness. Forgiveness is me giving up my right to hurt you for hurting me. Forgiveness is the final act of love.” Reinhold Niebuhr
“Holding a grudge doesn’t make you strong; it makes you bitter. Forgiving doesn’t make you weak; it sets you free.” unknown
Forgiveness | Fresh Start with God | Making Peace with God


Abiding
Christ’s Non-Negotiable Original Gospel Imperative [podcast]

“He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.” Matthew 12:30
It’s one thing to claim we are with Christ and He with us, and it’s another thing to prove we are with the Savior by adhering to His words. Jesus told us that those who are “of God” hear and obey His words (John 8:47).
If one chooses not to love Jesus enough to obey His stated terms, such a man has rejected the Son of God for the love of sinful self and will perish in his own corruption (Matthew 22:37-40; Luke 9:23-24; 14:33; 17:33; John 14:15; 1 John 2:3-6, etc.).
“Repentance is to TAKE SIDES with God against yourself. It is a CHANGE of attitude toward SELF, toward SIN, toward GOD, toward CHRIST that is so REAL that it RESULTS in a changed life. It is raising the WHITE FLAG in SURRENDER to God and turning to Christ as your only LORD and Savior. Repentance is NOT a work … works are the fruit of repentance (Ephesians 2:8-10).” Trent Austin
Only the counterfeit will get upset at this Gospel message because such a rebel wants nothing to do with taking personal responsibility for his sin, the denial of self, the crucified life to be set apart, holy, and having the Savior reign!
Notice how Jesus knits the denial of self, the daily cross, the putting off the deeds of the body, of keeping under the body (the iniquitous fallen nature) with the destiny of the eternal soul.
“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?” Luke 9:23-25
Jesus made it clear here that the cross is an original Gospel essential, an absolute imperative to eternal glory with Him!
Each of us proves exactly who we love the most by the way we are living! – God or self!
Everything that is happening in your life now is being allowed by God in order to get you down low into the death and burial with Christ. Read 2 Corinthians 4.
“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.” 2 Corinthians 4:7-12
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