WHERE is “the Root of the Matter”?
The hypocrite continues to look outward, evading his own person responsbility to repent and get his own heart right with God (Matthew 7:1-5).
ALL we have to do to see the sinner most in need of God’s grace today – is look in the mirror. All we have to do to see the hypocrite most in need of divine mercy is to look in the mirror! What’s job saying to us in 19:28?
“But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?” Job 19:28
Are you personally seeing that “the root of the matter is found in” you and no one else?
WHERE is “the Root of the Matter”? ARE YOU BEING SHOWN MERCY FROM GOD? God has shown “abundant mercy” upon our wicked souls and requires that we show mercy in our attitudes (and disposition) toward others, or, He will cease to forgive us and all our sins will be upon us (required of us). (1 Peter 1:3)
The LORD is our Maker and Judge and has called us to discover and deal firstly with the sin in our own hearts and lives.
Matthew 15:18-20
“But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceedevil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.”
According to the One who created each component of us, emanating from our hearts are the things which “defile” us.
It has been wisely stated that The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart.
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9.
The only hope we have for a “clean heart” is in the LORD Himself. Like David, the Psalmist and man after God’s heart, we should cry out to the LORD for such while flooding our hearts and minds with the Scriptures, hence the Biblical term “with the washing of water by the Word.” (Eph. 5:26)
David cried:
“…Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin…Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalms 51:1,2,10
When I become preoccupied with the state of my own heart before God and seeking His face to make it “clean,” I will cease to sit in the seat of the scornful in judging others wrongly in the attitudes of my heart (Ps 1:1; Matt. 7:1-6; John 7:24). No, instead I will pray for them and seek to see the LORD restore them to full righteousness and fellowship with Him Lk. 22:31-32; (Gal. 6:1-2; James 5:19-20).
Unforgiveness is sin. Despising others who have fallen morally is sin. The Bible says that when we are walking in God’s love, we believe to the best about others and not the worst (1 Corinthians 13).
Christ’s Riches Discovered Through the Realization of Our Own Depravity
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.
How can we possibly begin to appreciate Christ and His perfect sacrifice if we don’t yet begin to understand the depth of our own depravity outside of Him and what the Bible has to say about such? – “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)
We are saved because “He first loved us” and has given us “abundant mercy” through Jesus Christ our LORD (1 John 4:19; 1 Peter 1:3).
“To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. 3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. 4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5 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 3:3-7
Where are Mankind’s Sins Rooted?
—- SEEMS to me that the life and mission of Christ and His holy apostles and the early church were “to teach and to preach Jesus Christ” and not to segment or fragment into different mere causes which are the out workings (manifested fruit) of sin.
So many ministries today are based on certain causes instead of simply preaching Christ – the One who still forgives, saves, delivers, and sets the repentant (previously bound) captives free (John 8:31-32, 36). – “And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” (Acts 5:42) Is it time we get back to Jesus and the original Gospel?
“And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren. 20 And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him. 21 And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land. 22 So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.” 2 Kings 2:19-22
The waters of that city were healed because the servant of the LORD chose to be directed by our LORD who had him pure the healing agent (salt) into the source of the city’s problem. Healing was the result. So it is today – when we observe and obey the divine pattern revealed to us in God’s Word, we go and preach His saving original Gospel without being diverted and the healing salt of His Word brings men to Him whereby all the mere symptoms (sin) are healed.
If someone wants their lawn to be all dirt, they are wasting their time cutting the grass that covers it. What they should do is pluck up from the roots all the grass. Getting to the root of fallen man’s problem is what the LORD does – not wrestling with futility with the symptoms.
THE ROOT DETERMINES THE FRUIT. BEING ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN CHRIST IS THE ONLY ANSWER TO MAN’S CORE DILEMMA – SIN.
Most ministry today is done amiss of God’s Word – it seems to nip at symptoms instead of placing the axe of God’s Law/Word to the root of the tree which is God’s way (Matthew 3:7-10). There’s the forgetting or total ignorance of basic biblical truth such as the fall of mankind by sin against a Holy God (Genesis 3:1-5; 6:5, 12; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3, etc.).
Note what comes first here:
“See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.” Jeremiah 1:10
PRAYER: LORD Jesus, please cleanse my heart of all iniquity. Wash my heart that I might glorify You from a clean heart that You have purified. Help me to see others as You do and to be used of You to restore the fallen – by bringing them to You through Your Holy Law and blessed redeeming Gospel! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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Mug Shots and Mercy Moments [podcast]
Abiding
Faith with Humility: When Love Replaces Judgment [podcast]

“For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.” Galatians 5:6
“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 worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” Romans 13:10
“For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.” James 2:13
“And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.” Colossians 3:14
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 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 charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.” 1 Corinthians 13:1-8
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How to Give Alms, Pray, Forgive Others, Fast, and Lay Up Treasure in Heaven [podcast]

Breakdown of Jesus’ Teaching in Matthew 6
- How to Give Alms.
- How to Pray.
- The Essential of Forgiving Others.
- How to Fast and How Not to Fast.
- The Importance of Laying up Treasure in Heaven.
Matthew 6
Giving to the Needy
“1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.”
The Disciple’s Prayer
“5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Fasting
“16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.”
Lay Up Treasures in Heaven
“19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
Fear Not
“25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”
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The Core Values of the Modern Church Agenda Exposed [podcast]

Lots of occultic symbolism in the art below.
The “church growth” industry is a multi-million dollar enterprise with books, seminars, selling sermons, etc., on how to build a large church, how to grow the nickels, noses, and numbers. Is this what Jesus had in mind when He stated “I will build my church”? (Matthew 16:18)
“Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.” 1 Corinthians 7:23
Do you spend more time in “church” than in the Bible itself? Wow! Red flags flying!
“Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.” 2 Peter 3:17
So you are listening to some slick talker preach and yet he’s not using the BIBLE essential words like hell, repentance, holiness, the cross, the blood of Jesus, the return of Christ, etc? Repent and RUN!
The vast majority of so-called pastors today are more interested in getting you to join their church club, to become a member of their church, than they are about truly feeding the flock of God with the whole counsel of Scripture, equipping you for ministry, and winning souls to Jesus (John 21:15-17; Acts 20:20-32; Ephesians 4:11-12; 1 Peter 5:1-6, etc.). Prove it wrong.
Church Membership Exposed | The 501(C)(3) Deception | The Modern Church
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