WHO Else is Tired of Wimpy Preachers?

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“And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: 29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” Matthew 7:28-29

The scribes, the false leaders of Jesus’ day and our day, had/have no power. This was in contrast to the power Jesus walked in to declare His Gospel, the original Gospel!

If you aren’t flipping the proverbial apple carts by speaking the truth with holy conviction, you are not a man of truth who is walking in the power of the Holy Spirit and truth of God (Matthew 21; John 2).

In the Gospels with Jesus and in Acts with the apostles we see that when God is moving through the preaching of His Word, devils are stirred up, angered, and cast out. When Jesus preached, it was with divine authority and power and not like the lame false leaders of His day (Matthew 7:29). The same is true today.

HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT EACH GENERATION OF “PREACHERS” BECOMES INCREASINGLY LAME, FEMINIZED, BIBLICALLY-ILLITERATE? THEY SEEM TO BE INTENT UPON OUT-DOING THEIR PREDECESSORS in their apostate denigration of the Word of God.

“I have no tolerance for these soft peddling wolves. I’ve seen and heard enough over the years. Only the real uncompromising Gospel of Jesus Christ will do.” Barbara

“In case you’re confused: there is no half-naked, long-haired, rock-n-rolling, hip-hopping, rapping, honky-tonking, tattooed, beer-sipping, ecumenical, Marlboro-puffing, mamby-pamby, effeminate, and non-judgmental Jesus. There is only the pure, holy, and undefiled Son of God, whose eyes are as flames of fire and whose voice is the sound of many waters (Heb 7:26; Rev 1:14-15). He hates all iniquity and will smite the nations with the sword of His mouth (Heb 1:9; Rev 19:15, 21). His name is called the WORD OF GOD (Rev 19:13).” Britt Williams

“But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” 2 Timothy 3:13

Watch this…. Watch what happens when the Word of God is preached with the power of Jesus….

“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. 24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.” Matthew 4:23-24

As is evidenced by the lives and ministries of Jesus and His holy apostles on the pages of Holy Scripture, true disciples will boldly “PREACH (declare) the word” and not put it out there as if it’s a suggestion or apologize for it with no fear of God (2 Timothy 4:1-4, etc.). The LORD uses crucified vessels, therefore they are not self-serving nor do they fear mere men (1 Corinthians 2:2; Galatians 2:20; 6:14, etc.).

Most preachers today are full of themselves, cross-less, and Christ-denying and therefore lame.

Most in ministry positions are what can rightly be called “soft peddle pansies.” They are never heard preaching in the Spirit and holy fear of the LORD. They refuse to preach cardinal biblical doctrines such as hell, sin, repentance, holiness, the cross, and the return of Christ, etc. They are certainly never heard exposing, warning of the many false doctrines such as once saved always saved, eternal security, dispensationalism, calvinism, hebrew roots heresy, etc.

If what we’re preaching isn’t sending pharisees, jezebels, calvinists, eternal securists, and other tares scattering, we aren’t preaching the original Gospel, the Gospel Jesus and His apostles preached…. (Galatians 1:6-9).

The original Gospel was delivered by Christ and His holy apostles who were bold as a lion, baptized with the Holy Ghost, and full of the Word of God! They earnestly contended “for the faith once delivered to the saints” under the directly, anointing, and power of the Holy Ghost (Acts 10:38; Jude 3, etc.).

It’s past time for un-apologetic, in-your-face preaching! There are FAR too many patty cake pansies posing as pastors today. It takes Holy Ghost anointed, bone breaking preaching to cut through the darkness and depravity of men’s iniquitous hearts.

“Preach the Word.” 2 Timothy 4:2

WE must preach law, judgment, the cross, sin, repentance, and hell and STOP apologizing for it. Repent and God will grant you a spine and cause you to cease being a pansy – a self-serving moral coward.

As we read these words, quotes from men of old, as in the beloved John Wesley, we look around today and wonder where all these real preachers went. May God raise up men who truly fear Him and are therefore captive to no one except Him.

For the authentic follower of Jesus, who is the truth, it’s never “unity at the expense of truth” which is antichrist. The spirit of antichrist is behind the weak, Christ-denying, lame attempt to shut down truth because people are going to be offended. Repent now and follow Jesus before it’s too late.

IF you aren’t quoting and reading Holy Scripture (King James Bible) to your audience you have NO BUSINESS – NONE, ZERO – play acting like you’re ministering! Period! Cease now and step down now until you have genuinely repented and are so full of God and His Word that’s ALL that flows from your life and lips! (2 Timothy 2:15; 1 Peter 4:11)

Under the bless-ed weight of the true original Gospel, men are convicted, broken, and crushed to repentance! (Matthew 21:44; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 2:4; 2 Corinthians 4:20; James 4:8-10, etc.)

“No one ever went to hell for hearing the truth. For rejecting the truth, yes. For hearing the truth, never!” Phil Butler

Speaking of preaching God’s Word …..

Is your favorite preacher communicating Scripture like this (below) to warn you? OR, is the wolf tickling your ears? (2 Timothy 4:2-4)

“Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” Revelation 2:10

Weak men can never preach sinners and backsliders into the kingdom of Christ (Acts 1:8).

Evading truth, glossing over, whitewashing our sin is sure damnation (Proverbs 28:13).

SIN, we ALL have it to deal with. WHO will we love most-self or Jesus (Romans 6:16).

THE WHOLE OF SCRIPTURE reveals to us that ….IF you are not flipping hell bound religious hypocrites upside down – You are not preaching the pure Word of God empowered by the Holy Ghost of God!

Anointed preaching from true men of God always flips the gospel merchandising apple carts of the fraud-hireling wolves in our midst – just as it did in Jesus’ day! (Matthew 21; John 2, etc.)

GOD is calling for fearless, ax-to-the-root preaching (Matthew 3:7-10).

Fake Ministries are Everywhere: WHEN you hear people in “ministry” continue to hem haw and use words such as “I think,” etc., you should lose interest real quick. You know they are not in the Word and so you know it’s a fake ministry and they have no business pretending to do “ministry” for Jesus. “Preach the WORD.” (2 Timothy 4:2) We all have a Bible and so there’s no excuse and real kingdom ministry is simply putting forth God’s Word. Peter wrote: “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles (written Word) of God;…Amen.” (1 Peter 4:11). God’s Word is the recording of the very “thoughts of HIS heart” and He’s not confused, amen? (Psalms 33:11; 1 Corinthians 14:33) Yet, the vast majority of “ministry” that goes on today is a lame, laughable excuse for kingdom ministry!

Many a false preacher is breathing hope into un-repentant sinners who are still dead in trespasses and sin! They are in a state of hell bound lukewarmness and the false preachers will come to the aid of them, “protecting” them from the truth spoken straight (Revelation 3:15-16). Beware saints. People don’t even know they need hope till they’ve been preached 6 foot under and have only one direction to look -UPWARD! The preaching of the Law and cross is to drive sinful men to repentance before a holy God! (Galatians 3:24; 1 Timothy 1:9-11, etc.). How shall they fall upon the mercy of God invested in Christ’s cross if they’ve never had the sharp sword of the Law preached to them – finding them undone in sin before a holy God who will soon judge and cast their eternal soul into the lake of fire?

HERE is exactly why you see people whining like moral cowards instead of repenting in this late hour…. when someone puts the truth out with directness. They are not enduring sound doctrine (2 Timothy 4:2-4)… and most of those complaining falsely claim to be ministers of Christ. Lame. Un-repentant.

Recently, I visited Alabama. While driving down the road I saw a billboard from a local fellowship that said “You can be free from your sin.” Amazing. Regrettably rare. It just goes to show you just how apostate the false modern church world is today where we rarely ever hear the paramount biblical truth that God is holy nor anything about sin which is why Jesus came (Matthew 1:21; John 1:29; 1 Timothy 1:15; Titus 2:11-14, etc.).

False preachers speak and operate as to please mere sinful men in order to get them to continue to patronize their church busine$$.

“And through covetousness shall they with feigned (fictitious) words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.” 2 Peter 2:3

“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.” Romans 16:17-18

This world needs more table-flipping preachers like Jesus!

True men of God fearlessly endeavor to preach Christ and the whole counsel of His Word with no fear of mere sinful men (Galatians 1:10).

True men of God are known in that they preach in the fear of the LORD to please the LORD, not men (Galatians 1:10). The true remnant people of God fear, obey, and say what GOD says. They cater to the LORD, not sinful men (Galatians 1:10). Those who are run off by the pure truth of God’s Word were unrepentant counterfeits.

“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:10

Wolves entertain goats while true disciples feed sheep!

How many times did Jesus cleansed the temple during His 3.5 year ministry? What was the significance of His violent overthrow of false leaders and their iniquitous ways?

GOD will punish you with the wolves you endorse and support (2 John 10-11). Hint: If he’s afraid to hurt your feelings, he’s a wolf! Now repent and run! (2 Timothy 4:2-4; Galatians 1:10)

ARE you propping up a church busine$$ or are you supporting the fearless, unashamed preaching of the whole counsel of the kingdom of Christ? (Acts 20:20, 27; 28:31, etc.)

“The righteous are BOLD as a lion.” Proverbs 28:1

You know a man is from God when he fearlessly – with no tiptoeing – crushes and openly exposes lies, half-truths, heresies and Satan with bold, un-apologetic divinely-empowered Holy Ghost preaching! Far too many propped up compromised pansies posing as pastors! (Matthew 11:12) The first clue should be that they are using Satan’s gay rainbow light-in-the-loafers “bibles” instead of the King James Bible.

Jesus cleansed the temple twice and these are book ends with great significance …

Jesus Cleanses the Temple ….

Jesus cleansed the temple twice and these are book ends with great significance …

As an eternal memorial of His righteous and holy judgment against thieving and deceitful monetary practices perpetrated by greedy, self-serving wolves, the Son of God cleansed the temple at the very opening and closing of His ministry on earth (Matt. 21:12-17; Jn. 2:12-17). He violently overthrew the deceitful practices of those in leadership who were making merchandise of those who came to seek the LORD. Such deceit is a sure way of coming under His condemnation.

“And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence (get them out of here); make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up (ignited His holy wrath).” John 2:16-17

As soon as these things were removed, His power, praise, prosperity and healing blessings were reinstated among His people (Matt. 21:12-17). Jesus stated:

“It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.” Matthew 21:13

The unchanging God feels no different today than He did then concerning greed mongers and their deceitful practices in His name and among His people. Such deceivers are in the cross-hairs of His scope of holy judgment. As Christ cleansed the temple in His hour in the flesh, He desires to cleanse our hearts of all greed for fleeting gain, which has prevented in us the holy hunger for the true and eternal riches that only He can grant.

Soul Stealing

“For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.” Isaiah 9:16

The vast majority of “churches” that meet in “church buildings” are simply and merely conducting “church services” where they entertain their prey. They are not equipping the saints for the work of the ministry and therefore discerned as being counterfeit (Ephesians 4:11-13). If they were, there would be salty disciples in their midst who go forth to minister Christ’s kingdom blessings where ever they went. Not even a trace of this transpiring in the apostate modern church world. Run. Run. Run.

“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting (equipping, maturing) of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:” Ephesians 4:11-12

BIBLICAL QUESTION: Please post the reference to even 1 time where Jesus, John the Baptist, or any of the apostles of Christ ever entertained anyone. ….. BEWARE of the Goat Entertainers which is most pastors today – because they have a mortgage and salaries to pay!

WHEN Jesus, John the Baptist, and the apostles preached, they FULLY EXPECTED their audience to obey the Word. They were crucified men, given over to the will of the Father, and full of Heaven’s power and authority. Unlike those posing as Christ’s representatives today, they were absolutely fearless.

“The righteous are bold as a lion.” Proverbs 28:1

THAT is because they were imbued with Heaven’s authority and not just some wimpy preacher like we have today that have zero anointing. The Scripture specifically draws our attention to this fact at the end of the longest recorded message of our LORD Jesus (Matthew 5-7).

ANY man who is afraid to offend you is a compromised moral coward (Galatians 1:10; 4:16).

LOTS of people attempting in vain to do God’s work without God’s power (Acts 1:8).

Your life and preaching have little or no anointing from God if you are not baptized with the Holy Ghost (Acts 1:8; 2:38). Those believers who are not baptized in the Holy Ghost are greatly limited. | Full of the Holy Ghost

Are you baptized with the Holy Ghost? Jesus and His apostles and the earliest followers of Jesus were and God wants you to be (Acts 1:8). This is why they were full of God’s power!

“And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued (clothed upon) with power from on high.” Luke 24:49

God is calling all His men to repent of not allowing HIM, HIS Word to teach us and for selling our souls out to the world – by submitting our lives to the tutelage of mere sinful men in seminaries or Bible colleges. Paul denounced all his higher learning for Christ and to be used of Him! (Philippians 3) Satan’s Seminaries Busted and Exposed!

Anointed men are crucified men and they move men!

“Satan doesn’t give up his ground easy. He must be hit straight on. The word, backed up by a Holy Spirit filled vessel is the power against his lies and deception.” Jeni

The vatican-trained seminarians use Satan’s “bibles” which are not God’s Word and have removed and changed the pillar doctrines of the original Gospel. This alone underscores the prophesied great apostasy. Real New Testament fellowship by pouring over Acts 2:42-47. False “Bibles” Busted and Exposed

Most men in ministry today try to make a “fair show in the flesh”…. they are basically paid actors, cross-less, full of sinful self…. Yet the good news is that YOU don’t have to try to be someone special because Jesus is Almighty, He’s our all in all, everything! It’s all about Christ! The Daily Cross

Wolves patty cake with you because they want your money and could care less about your eternal soul (Isaiah 30:9-10; 2 Timothy:2-4; 2 Peter 2:1-3).

“AFTER” and not Before!

“But ye shall receive power, AFTER that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8

If you are not baptized with the Holy Ghost, you are not qualified by God to be His minister, elder. Sadly, many choose the laughable cheap substitute of seminary. The unchanging Savior never once sent His disciples to seminary for higher learning but rather to the cross-life and Pentecost. told His own twelve who had walked with Him over 3 years in the flesh that they were not ready or qualified to do His work until they received “power from on high.” (Luke 24:49) No Pentecost, No Power!

The ministry of Jesus was a sin-exposing and forgiving, chain-breaking, devil-crushing ministry of great divine power.

“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” Acts 10:38

Christ has not changed and desires to use His people to do what He did.

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” Hebrews 13:8

Would you correct Christ’s apostle Paul for being too harsh (according to you)? Here’s what Paul said to a deceiver in his day: “Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, 10 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 13:9-10)

Soft men get nothing done. No, they only perpetual people in their sins, leading them to damnation. God’s Word commands:

“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. 5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:2-5

So many have sinned by sitting under grace-perverting wolves who do nothing but coddle and comfort them in their sins instead of calling them to truly repent, deny self, die the death, take up the cross, lay down their lives, and follow Christ for real! The Holy Ghost specifically warned us of this! (2 Tim 4:2-4; Jude 3-4, etc.)

God Does Not Anoint Rebels | Support | STORE | Podcasts | Beware of the Wolf Defenders

Beware of False Prophets [podcast]

Bible Literacy Series

Busting Hell Wide Open while Believing You are “Blessed” [podcast]

Apostasy

Eating the Fat, and Drinking the Sweet! [podcast]

Mourning Trumps Merriment in Christ’s Kingdom

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I’d like to walk in Your bless-ed joy, filling my life to overflowing, no matter what’s transpiring. LORD, I ask You to do Your deeper work in my heart, in my life. Please set apart my life to truly glorify You, being full of the fruits of Your righteousness. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Everyone desires the joy of the LORD, right? Yes, yet only those who are willing to devour His Word – to get it into their hearts and keep it flowing into their hearts, will experience that great joy of the LORD which is our strength! In context, the joy of the LORD is the strength of those who read it, hear it, embrace it, adhere to it, and keep it flowing into their mind and heart daily! (Nehemiah 8:8, 10)

“So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly (directly), and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. … 10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:8, 10

After they had feasted on God’s Word, the elders of Israel said to them: You are now full of the Word. Now “Go your way”, that is, go home and be blessed to “send portions” of the bounty of the LORD you’ve been filled with today to overflowing. “Freely ye have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8) Let your cup run over and bless others! Let your light shine into others, may your cup run over onto others, to bless them with the bountiful blessings of the LORD you have received.

We have to eat the fat and drink the sweet of the Word of God to be filled with the joy of the LORD which is our strength!

“Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.” Jeremiah 15:16

Nourishing the Body of Christ

“If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.” 1 Timothy 4:6

DO people know they can find the rich treasures of God’s Word when they walk into your life, when they visit your social media page? (Colossians 3:16) Will they be “nourished” by the milk and meat of God’s bless-ed Word when they are graced to be in your company?

“There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise.” Proverbs 21:20

Holy Father, we ask You in the name of Jesus to make us happy in Jesus as You’ve forgiven and freed us from our sin and so of all people on Your earth, only Your people can be truly happy in Thee dear LORD. Please bless each of Your beloved saints to be anointed for the death and burial of the self life and raised up in Your blessed resurrection grace and joy. In Jesus’ name let it be dear LORD.

“These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” John 15:11

Joy in the LORD

The Joy of the Bible [podcast]

“I have always known of HIS graciousness – all my 50+ years of life, even when I thought I knew better than He did for my life. He’s always met me right where I was when I called out to Him, and even more so in these days that I have dug deeper into His Word.” Dyanne Gonzales NOTHING is true because I say it or any other mere man. What GOD has said is truth, final divine authority – now and forever. Fall down humbly under His power or perish. Memorize Psalms 138:2 “I will worship toward thy holy […]

G.O.D. = Game Over Devil [podcast]

Ousting the Enemy! WHO’s READY FOR SOME VICTORY? Satan only has place when the individual isn’t submitted to God. James 4:7 – memorize. Your issue is with the God you have sinned against, and not me, a mere messenger of His. Blaming everyone except the sinner who caused your separation from your Maker will only dig yourself deeper in misery. The sin you are living in has given full control of your life to Satan who has come “to steal, to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10). The following information will equip you to know what the LORD requires of […]

Abiding

The Death before the Death [podcast]

Gethsemane Preceded Calvary

“And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, 42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. 43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Luke 22:42-44

“He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30

“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 4:10-12

“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

Shall We Freshly Declare the Cross to be Front and Center in our Personal Lives?

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

5 Aspects of the Mind of Christ [podcast]

5 Components of the Mind of Christ from Philippians 2 Jesus Christ made Himself of no reputation. He took upon Him the form of a servant. He was made in the likeness of men. He humbled Himself. He became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:2-10 “Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but […]

The Cross and the Throne of Grace [podcast]

“Hid with Christ in God” “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” Colossians 3:1-4 The safest place in the universe is in the cross of Christ: “your life is hid with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). Our place of protection is […]

Raised Up in Christ [podcast]

3 Resurrections to Celebrate 1. Christ’s resurrection (Matthew 27:64; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, etc.). 2. Your resurrection at the moment of regeneration and daily resurrection (Romans 1:4; 4:25; 6:3-14; 8:11; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12; Ephesians 2:6). 3. Final resurrection into glory or damnation (John 5:28; 29; 1 Corinthians 15). Christ’s resurrection guarantees ours and that we need not fear death. Dancing on hell’s grace. Read 1 Corinthians 15 serveral times. “But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and […]

The Only Way Up is Down [podcast]

Chapter 8 from the book Raised Up (narration) “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18 The Down and Up Principle of God’s Kingdom “And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root DOWNWARD, and bear fruit UPWARD.” Isaiah 37:31 The Scriptures follow a pattern of death and resurrection, a downward death and upward life. See if you can observe such a truth in the following verses: “The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth UP all those that be bowed DOWN.” Psalms 145:14 Do you possess the blessed desire to be raised up by […]

Abiding

“Rend Your Heart, and Not Your Garments” [podcast]

Who Does God Look to? Who Does God Dwell in?

Beware of any man pretending to represent Christ who isn’t praying and preaching for you to be possessed by a humble and contrite heart.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3

“‘Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven’ (Matthew 5:3). A low condition. ‘Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted’ (Matthew 5:4). To mourn over our sin and our utter wickedness before a holy and righteous God. Those are the ones who will receive the comfort and ‘joy in the Holy Ghost’ (Romans 14:17).” Karen Cochran

Abandoning Our Own Sin, Our Own Way, for God and His Better Way!

To “rend your heart” is a biblical phrase meaning to tear open your heart in radical sincerity, true humility, and genuine repentance.

The phrase comes from Joel 2:13 in the Bible: “Rend your heart and not your garments and return to the Lord your God.”

One source notes the following:

“Context and Deeper Meaning:

Cultural Background: In ancient times, the Jewish people would tear (rend) their clothes as a public, highly visible display of grief or repentance.
The Spiritual Message: God is warning that outward rituals (like ripping clothing) are meaningless if the heart remains unchanged. Rending your heart implies breaking through your pride, letting go of excuses, and being completely vulnerable and authentic before God.
The Reward: The verse goes on to say that God is “gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.” Tearing open your heart allows you to experience His forgiveness and restore your relationship with Him.”

To see an example of rending one’s physical garment in representation of rending their heart, see Acts 14:11-18.

Where is the LORD Looking?

“But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

“Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the Lord your God” Joel 2:12-14

“What a gracious invitation is contained in these words. How tenderly the Lord reasons with his people. And what an encouraging assurance it folds up with. Reader! do not fail to observe that this call of the Lord, the accompanying grace to incline the heart to the observance of it is implied. It is most blessed ever to remember that when the Lord thus comes forth in his endearing invitations, he is secretly inclining the heart to accept them. Grace must first enter the heart, or there will be no inclination to obey.” Robert Hawker

“Jeremiah’s message was never meant to leave the heart in despair. Every warning from God carried an invitation to return. The Lord does not expose empty religion to shame His people, but to heal them. Repentance is not the loss of hope, it is the beginning of hope. Christ still receives every soul that comes with humility, and He gives living faith where there was only habit, peace where there was only fear, and joy where there was only emptiness. The call remains the same today, to draw near to Him with a sincere heart, trusting that His mercy is always greater than our weakness.” Dan Blincoe

A Fresh Start with God Always Begins with Humility and True Repentance

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19

Concerning rending our hearts before the LORD, one source notes:

The classic Bible passage on this concept is Joel 2:13, where God commands: “Rend your heart and not your garments”. In ancient biblical culture, tearing (or “rending”) one’s physical clothing was a customary, visible display of extreme grief, despair, or repentance. Through the prophet Joel, God is essentially telling His people: Stop doing the empty, outward religious ritual of tearing your clothes to show everyone how sorry you are. Instead, let me see true, inward brokenness over your sins.

Examples of Rending Physical Garments

In the Bible, the physical act of tearing clothes was used as a dramatic expression of deep emotion in several well-known narratives:

Joseph’s Brothers (Genesis 37:29, 34): When Reuben realized Joseph was not in the pit, and later when the brothers brought Joseph’s blood-stained coat to Jacob, they tore their clothes in grief and despair.
Job (Job 1:20): After hearing that he had lost all his wealth and his children, Job stood up and tore his robe as an outward sign of his overwhelming sorrow.
King David (2 Samuel 1:11-12): When David received news of the deaths of King Saul and Jonathan, he and his men tore their clothes to mourn.
The High Priest (Matthew 26:65): In a dramatic display of hypocritical outrage, the high priest tore his own garments when Jesus declared He was the Son of God, falsely accusing Him of blasphemy.

The Spiritual Meaning of “Rending the Heart”

The concept of “rending the heart” contrasts an outward show with inward reality.

Genuine Repentance: Tearing your heart means being vulnerable, acknowledging your brokenness, and deeply repenting of sin before God.
Prioritizing Relationships over Rituals: God desires a sincere heart—true sorrow and a desire to change—more than he desires traditional religious pageantry or dramatic, public displays of grief.
The Promise of Forgiveness: In Joel 2:13, the command to rend the heart is immediately followed by the promise of grace: “Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love”.

God sees beyond our external habits and religious actions, requiring instead a humble, contrite heart to fully experience His mercy.”

God’s Mercy

“Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?” Joel 2:12-14

In God’s Word, where we see men who tear open their garments…. This holds the illustration of rending our hearts before the LORD.

Don’t render outward tearing, no, rather, tear open your inner man, your heart—be honest, sincere, exposed, and vulnerable to the LORD whom you trust.

Let’s attempt to get at, to ascertain what God is commanding of His beloved people to do in this “rend your heart” passage.

“Joel 2:13: Rend your heart—Let it not be merely a rending of your garments, but let your hearts be truly contrite. Merely external worship and hypocritical pretensions will only increase the evil, and cause God to meet you with heavier judgments.

For he is gracious—Good and benevolent in his own nature.

Merciful—Pitying and forgiving, as the effect of goodness and benevolence.

Slow to anger —He is not easily provoked to punish, because he is gracious and merciful.

Of great kindness—Exuberant goodness to all them that return to him.

And repenteth him of the evil—Is ever ready to change his purpose to destroy, when he finds the culprit willing to be saved. See the notes on Exo_34:6, Exo_34:7.” Adam Clarke

“Joel 2:12-14: III. DIVINE APPEAL TO JUDAH TO REPENT (2:12-14)
Even now, the LORD calls the people to repentance. It is not too late to return to Him. But it must be more than outward ritual. Their turning was to be with all their heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” Believer’s Bible Commentary

To rend our hearts is the consistent message, mandate of God to His people of all ages and eras.

“The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” Psalms 34:18

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” Psalms 51:17

In Joel 2 the LORD reminds those who are backslidden that He “is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God? …”

They must meet His stated conditions to receive His blessings ….

He promises that He will forgive them as they…..

“Joel 2:12-27: THE AVERTING OF JUDGMENT
To rend the garment is easy, but a broken and contrite heart can be imparted only by the grace of the Holy Spirit. The love of God should bring us to repentance. He takes no pleasure in our miseries and if men repent and turn from their sin they find an immediate and loving welcome to the Father’s heart and home. Joel had called for the trumpet to announce war; he now directs the trumpet blast to summon the people, from the highest to the lowest, to plead for help. Prayer and true repentance and faith bring an immediate answer. As the husband yearns over his erring but repentant wife, and is indignant with those who have maltreated her, so will Jehovah remove from us, when we turn to Him, those who have cruelly oppressed us.
The great things Jehovah did against Egypt and Babylon are an earnest of what He will do again. The earth (and all the creation of God) … have good reason to rejoice in what awaits them. God promises not only to forgive sin, but to make us happy and well provided as if the locust and cankerworm had never settled upon our lives.” FB Meyer

Religious hypocrites, counterfeits, emphasize the outward to cover their inner darkness, rebellion.

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. 25 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. Matthew 23:23-25

“He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” Mark 7:6

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