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Are You Ready to be Used More Powerfully by the LORD?

To be used of God in a more powerful way requires a changed heart in us.

“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

Those who feign to represent Christ, while actually misrepresenting Him, are causing great damage to the true Gospel.

Why? Their attitudes are ungodly and do not reflect the heart of Christ.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalms 139:23-24

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.” Psalms 19:14

In Psalms 7:11, the Bible says that GOD is angry with the wicked. He is the only One who is qualified to be angry with the wicked because He made all men, He died to save all men and HE alone is “Holy, holy, holy.” (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8) He never told us – mere men who are recipients of His sheer, saving mercy through Christ – to be mad or have an angry attitude toward the unsaved. The Bible never tells US (undeserving sinners) to be angry with the wicked.

This wicked and sinful attitude towards others is greatly hampering our usefulness to God in winning them to Christ. Doesn’t the Bible tell us to be winsome?

“He that winneth souls is wise.” Proverbs 11:30

Are we winning or alienating souls? Are we gathering or scattering abroad? (Matthew 12:30)

I know of people who boast about their great Bible knowledge and yet, have never won anyone to Christ and don’t even obey Him in the command to communicate His blessed Gospel! Astounding hypocrisy! That is tragic! They do “ministry” in order to be seen and heard of men and for self-serving reasons and not out of a true, abiding relationship with Jesus Christ (John 15). Based on what Scripture teaches, this makes me wonder if they are even saved (1 Corinthians 13).

A godly attitude will help us win people to the LORD and not repel them with our own sinful disposition that people can sense. Others discern these inner attitudes. Even when we are speaking all the right things, people notice our inner attitudes. LORD, please grant us to have pure hearts! “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8)

In light of this, what does this say for the angry street preachers who yell at sinners? What does this say for the modern pharisees among us who harbor ill will towards sinners and saints who stumbled and fell?

Why are we angry with the lost for whom Christ died? Did God not love them also? John 3:16 anyone?

While WE were yet sinners, God loved us and sent for us His only begotten Son right? (Romans 5:6-9)

Just what was Jesus getting at when He instructed us to be “perfect”? Was He speaking primarily of sinless perfection, or was He teaching that we should have a mature attitude toward the lost for whom He came to die? Can we examine this passage and its context?

“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; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect (mature), even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect (having mature disposition).” Matthew 5:44-48

Why are WE angry with the wicked? WE are not “Holy, holy, holy,” only God is (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8). Right? Think about it.

Think about how self-righteous we are in our attitudes toward others when God has had nearly infinite mercy upon our own corrupt, wretched souls. Is this not hypocritical?

You see, once we get the revelation of how much mercy and lovingkindness our God has shown upon our own hearts and lives, we will be filled with His hope for those who do not yet know Him and for His precious saints.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” 1 Peter 1:3

This is an extremely important divine truth that we must personally seek out and study to obtain. His Word is abundant in this rich revelation. God truly is good and His desire is to forgive, to make whole, and to show mercy. His will is that none should perish (2 Peter 3:9). He surely will damn many and yet, this is only due to their refusal to repent, know, appreciate, and abide in His “abundant mercy” and “goodness.” (Romans 11:20-22; 1 Peter 1:3). Those who go to hell will have no excuse. Out of His great tender mercies and loving kindness, God has provided the way to eternal life for all men by sending His only begotten Son to pay the price for our sin. Thank you Father!

“For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.” Psalms 86:5

“But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.” Psalms 86:15

You and I are only saved due to the goodness and graciousness of our God and due to no righteousness of our own (Psalms 39:5; Romans 7:18). If we are self-righteous in our attitudes toward others, it is simply because we are deceived and the truth is not in us.

Deflater Passage

“To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 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;Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:2-7

The LORD wants to use us to draw in and WIN souls to Him, not to repel them with our undue, unwarranted, self-righteous attitudes.

“A Vessel Unto Honour”

Here is a very insightful and important passage that we should know well:

“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. 22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. 24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” 2 Timothy 2:20-26

Purging ourselves of wicked judgments is part of being conformed to Christ’s holy image. This includes realizing that God loves those for whom He gave His only begotten Son. He blesses them in this world so they can see and, hopefully, repent and believe upon Jesus (Matthew 5:44-48). Do you desire to be “a vessel unto honor”? (v21) As we are purged and established in these divine truths, we will be much more useful or “meet (fit) for the master’s use.” (v21)

How do I get to this place spiritually? How do I avoid striving with others? How can I have a sound heart and mind that is ruled by the fear and peace of God?

Understanding a few things the LORD teaches us in His Word will be the way He brings us to a deeper understanding and renewing of the spirit of our minds or our attitudes and disposition.

Get This Book and Learn to Die so He can Reign.

The Bomb

When we begin to search out and understand what the Bible says concerning all men and their sinful state, much can be accomplished.

If you need mercy – and you certainly do – show mercy.

If you do not, God will withdraw all mercy from you (Matthew 18:21-35).

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

Now really, just WHAT stone do you and I have to throw?????? Are we not included in the “ALL” who “have sinned”? (Romans 3:10, 23) Were we not also in need of Christ coming to die and rise again for our justification?

“And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this.” Ezra 9:13

“He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.” Psalms 103:10

“If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, WHO WHO WHO shall stand?” Psalms 130:3

There is a direct correlation between the self-righteousness in our own hearts and our lack of the fruit of kindness in our daily lives. Prayerfully reciting Titus 3:5-6 aloud daily in early morning prayer will do wonders to eliminate such sinfulness in our dispositions.

The daily cross and blessed work of the Holy Ghost of God is the key to the renewing of our minds and transformation of our attitudes and ways of thinking.

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” Revelation 3:6

Sin: Man’s Core Problem

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Question Received:

The “sinners’ prayer.” There are variations of it, but in a nutshell it involves confessing you are a sinner and asking for forgiveness from God. In your opinion, is this the point of salvation?

Reply:

Romans 10:9-10 … The mouth is important to God as it externalizes what’s in the heart (Matthew 12:34) and in their initial act of obedient repentance, one should confess Jesus Christ as their new LORD and outwardly/verbally acknowledge that He rose again from the dead. – “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10) In being saved, that soul is repenting – turning their life over to the LORD, placing their full faith in Christ (Acts 16:31; 20:21). Yes, if a sinner prays sincerely from the heart in repentance (turning their life to God), confessing Christ as the new LORD of their lives, believing He died for them and rose again, God is going to save them right then and there. That is according to His own Word of promise – “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

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Articles

The Name and Witness of Jesus Christ [podcast]


“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

“Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: 9 But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.” Luke 12:8-9

“He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.”  1 John 5:10

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”  1 Peter 3:15

YOUR PRAYER: Holy Father, please sanctify my life unto Thee. Make me holy as You are holy. Please separate me and use me for Your eternal glory LORD Jesus. May Your life shine greater in and through this vessel dear LORD. I love You Jesus and right this instant commend, submit my spirit, my whole being into Thy holy hands. In Jesus’ name.

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Articles

The Daily Cross in Prayer [podcast]


Prayer is inseparably connected with knowing God (John 17:3).

(Excerpt from the book I Die Daily)

“My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.” Psalms 5:3

Let’s isolate and dismantle these words of God a bit. Under the direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit, David says to the LORD:

  • That He (God) would hear his (David’s) “voice”
  • That “in the morning” the Psalmist would arise and seek God in prayer
  • Deliberately “in the morning,” he would “direct” his prayer and praying to the LORD – “in the morning … I will look up”

From this passage, we see that David planned or scheduled, in an intentional and calculated fashion, to meet with the LORD every morning. The phrase “in the morning” appears twice in this inspired transmission of the Holy Ghost. The man whose heart panted after the LORD – to behold His precious beauty – declared that he would “direct” (point) his prayer upward to the LORD “in the morning.” (Ps. 5:3; 27:4; Acts 13:22) Communing with the LORD was priority to David, and therefore occupied first place in his daily life. He sought the LORD firstly as he arose from sleep, and before he went forth into his day.

Jesus commanded that if any person will come after Him – truly follow Him – he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Him (Luke. 9:23-24). There is no place that the cross applies more than in daily prayer. The moment one arises, he will choose either to seek God or dwell upon self-sentiments and such. He will seek Christ, or he will seek his own salvation or rescue from his troubles. We all make a “daily” choice:

“… choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15

No different from those covenant saints the LORD spoke to in this important passage, those whom we dwell among are serving self – the flesh – and yet we are called upon by the LORD to “choose” to daily serve Him rather than self. We are called to “be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life.” (Phil. 2:15-16)

The LORD is calling us to purposefully declare Him as the LORD and Master of our lives, and this we do by making the premeditated decision to seek Him daily in prayer communion. Like Joshua, the way we “choose” to “serve” God must be premeditated, deliberate, daily, and in practicality. Daily, early morning, first fruit prayer is all three of these. It is the fruit of the crucified life – the life that is dead to self and in whom Christ dwells and reigns. – “Ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God.” (Col. 3:3)

To those who seek God and not their own devices, there are many benefits (Ps. 68:19).

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

The precious peace of the “Prince of Peace” rules and reigns and makes sound the hearts of those who deny self’s ability to overcome and solve issues and problems, and instead earnestly and diligently rely upon God’s power to do such for them (Isa. 9:6; 26:3).

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.” Isaiah 26:3-4

As we fix our whole being upon Jesus Christ, our thoughts will be upward to His “glorious high throne,” which is “the place of our sanctuary.” (Jer. 17:12)

God is calling each of His saints to give his whole being to Christ, and to those things that “are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Php. 4:8).

So, according to Philippians 4:6-8, saints are to rely upon the LORD and not self by submitting all their requests in prayer to Him who is their Source, and to think upon those things of Christ which are “true … honest … just … pure … lovely … of good report … if there be any virtue … if there be any praise.” It is upon “these things” that we are instructed to “think on.” (Phil. 4:8)

God’s thoughts are infinitely higher than ours, and yet it is not until we become truly “crucified with Christ” that we are going to be ruled by His thoughts and peace (Isa. 55:8-9; Gal. 2:20; Phil. 4:6-7).

Changing the way one thinks is being done by millions of people who are not regenerated (not born again). New age and religious teachers hold this thought transformation teaching closely. Anyone can change the way they think for self-serving reasons – to stop smoking, to visualize and earn more money, to have more self-esteem, etc. However, hell still awaits all who are not born again, and that takes facing the living God and Judge in repentance for sin and placing all faith in Jesus Christ, the only Savior (Acts 4:12; 1 Tim. 2:5). The only renewing of the mind and thoughts that brings glory to Jesus Christ, is that which begins with one casting his whole being upon the LORD afresh – presenting himself a “living sacrifice … unto God.” Let’s look at Romans 12:

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:1-2

Those who are presenting their bodies to the LORD as “living sacrifice(s)” are infused and enabled by His grace to keep their minds or thoughts stayed (fixed) upon the LORD and not self, as they look for Jesus’ soon return (Col. 3:1-4). They trust Christ and not their own strength, reasoning, whims, philosophies, or wisdom. As they give themselves over to Christ and His infinite divine power, and become weak in self and self’s abilities, Jesus’ power raises them up to trust Him and rely upon Him alone – to rest the weight of their whole beings in Him who is able. They first declare that they are not able, and that only “God is able.” (Eph. 3:20; 2 Cor. 9:8) These are they who have and are finding out in a personal way that there really is nothing impossible with the LORD!

“And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” Mark 10:27

Abraham trusted God. He is our human example of a man who walked with God – by faith believing that God would raise up that to which he died. Concerning the promise of a son being born to him and his aged wife, the Bible records these words from the LORD to His servant Abraham:

“Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” Genesis 18:14

If God can and will split the Red Sea for His people, and cause a 100-year-old man and his 90-year-old wife to have a child, what in your life can’t He do? (Gen. 17:17)

Here’s yet another question posed to our hearts from the LORD:

“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?” Jeremiah 32:27

God requires that we die to self-will, self-help, and self-esteem, and lay our lives in His holy, perfect, and more-than-sufficient hands. He can then work in us and in our lives – raising up His holy standard and power to glorify Himself in and through His children. Nothing will be impossible for the LORD to perform in the lives of those who deny themselves and, like Abraham, trust God to raise up His solutions, answers, and blessings to bring Himself glory.

“(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth (makes alive) the dead, and (God) calleth those things which be not as though they were.” Romans 4:17

God called forth Isaac out of Abraham’s loins when it was an otherwise impossibility in the natural. In your life, beloved, “Is there anything too hard for the LORD?” (Gen. 18:14)

Our connection with God is all about relationship, and the quality of that relationship is exemplified in our prayer lives – or lack thereof. If a person is pursuing the LORD, he has a prayer life. He lays down his own desires and life and seeks God’s life. This is perhaps in no other scrutiny seen more clearly than in the value he assigns to his prayer life, and the heart affections and time he is willing to invest in it.

In Psalms 63, the Psalmist captures the life of the person who truly has a heart after God.

“O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.” Psalms 63:1-8

The following is an excerpt from My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers:

“’At that day ye shall ask in My name.’ John 16:26.  We are too much given to thinking of the Cross as something we have to get through; we get through it only in order to get into it. The Cross stands for one thing only for us – a complete and entire and absolute identification with the Lord Jesus Christ, and there is nothing in which this identification is realized more than in prayer.

‘Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him.’ Then why ask? The idea of prayer is not in order to get answers from God; prayer is perfect and complete oneness with God. If we pray because we want answers, we will get huffed with God. The answers come every time, but not always in the way we expect, and our spiritual huff shows a refusal to identify ourselves with Our Lord in prayer. We are not here to prove God answers prayer; we are here to be living monuments of God’s grace.

‘I say not that I will pray the Father for you: for the Father Himself loveth you.’ Have you reached such an intimacy with God that the Lord Jesus Christ’s life of prayer is the only explanation of your life of prayer? Has Our Lord’s vicarious life become your vital life? ‘At that day’ you will be so identified with Jesus that there will be no distinction.

When prayer seems to be unanswered, beware of trying to fix the blame on someone else. That is always a snare of Satan. You will find there is a reason which is a deep instruction to you, not to anyone else.”

PRAYER: Father, please bless this life to honor You and Your will first and foremost in this life You have granted, by my being authentically crucified with Christ. Please unite my heart to fear Your holy name and to number with wisdom this short time on this earth as a gift from You. I love You, Jesus, and thank You for dying for my sins and for the resurrection power of the Holy Ghost You placed in us upon salvation, and the infilling of the Holy Spirit. You must increase but I must decrease. This moment, if never before, I declare and deliberately decide to place You first daily in my life – I am crucified with Christ. Early will I seek Thee. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Capture Points

  • Discuss Psalms 5:3 along with Mark 1:35 and the importance of daily and first fruits prayer in the life of every disciple of Jesus.
  • Transcribe onto an index card and discuss Romans 12:1-2 (KJB recommended).
  • Write out on an index card Mark 10:27: “And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” (KJB)

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Abiding

The Joy of God’s Word [podcast]


“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

“Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.” Psalms 119:89

“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11

PRAYER: Heavenly Father please match and exceed every trial You allow me to go through with Your joy! For You said that the joy of the LORD is my strength! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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