02/29/24 IT'S A FAMILY THING

02/29/24 IT'S A FAMILY THING 

I don't know, but I am guessing that the closest a person comes to knowing (though infinitesimally) the kind of pain our Heavenly Father has concerning rebellious folks, is felt by Christian parents who watch their children walk away from light.

02/29/24 CHOSE WISELY

02/29/24 CHOOSE WISELY

The expectation (desire and hope) of parents, for the sweet baby they hold in their arms, and the precious child they cherish in those early years, will eventually make the heart sick or become a tree of life. This will be the choice of the child.

Proverbs 13:12
12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh (comes to pass), it is a tree of life.

This is especially true for Christian parents.

02/26/24 DON'T BE SURPRISED

02/26/24 DON'T BE SURPRISED

Blasphemy aimed at children. This excerpt is taken from a children's book. It tells children that Jesus had sinned.

However, I constantly hear and read the same lie, that Jesus sinned, taught by people who claim to be Bible believers.

FOR INSTANCE... People say that when Jesus was praying in the garden, prior to His crucifixion, He prayed to escape or avoid the cross. That is not true. Jesus did not pray to escape or avoid the cross. In fact, it appeared that He was about to die in the garden, therefore He prayed not to die in the garden, but to make it to the cross.

The Bible says Jesus was heard and His prayer was answered because of His piety. Since His prayer was answered and since he made it to the cross, then His prayer was not to avoid or escape the cross, but rather that He would not to die in the garden, but actually die on the cross, as His plan and commitment had been throughout eternity and His earthly life.

He did not cower in the garden, He did not seek deliverance from pain, or shame or death of the cross. He pursued the cross in the garden as He had during His three years of ministry; as He had throughout His earthly life; as He had planned for all eternity. Remember, Jesus said that He came for the purpose of dying on the cross. Jesus did not fear the cross, He did not cower in the shadow of the cross, He did not want, or hope for a way to avoid the cross. He was about to die and wanted to make it to the cross, but if the Father willed for Him to die in the garden, He (Jesus), was willing. Nothing in His nature, the history of salvation, the promises of God, or the Divine record indicates that Jesus feared the cross or sought to escape or avoid the cross.

Though no one has ever faced the suffering Jesus faced on the cross, mortal men, saved and unsaved, have willingly embraced untold suffering in order to accomplish much lesser goals. If mortal men have willingly embraced and suffered for their causes, then it is only reasonable that Jesus, God in the flesh, the Lamb of God, Who always intended to die as our sacrifice, knowing He would rise again and knowing He would redeem all those who receive Him as Lord and Savior, would not ask the Father to diver Him from the cross. Such an act of Jesus diminishes Him to less than mortal men who have made the supreme sacrifice for less worthy reasons.

Actually, for Him to seek an escape from the cross would be willful disobedience and a moral failure on His part. To have sought escape from the cross would have been sin, since that is what the Godhead had always decreed and He had always promised to do. His prayer for the Father's will was His willingness to accept physical death in the garden, if it came to that. He would not die in rebellion to the will of the Father, whether on the cross or in the garden.

We are entering into the season of the greatest event that every happened: the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. People refer to this season and event by the pagan name, "Easter," which is also crude, errant and blasphemous. Along with folks using the name of a pagan goddess to designate God's atonement event, we will hear folks talk about Jesus trying to escape or avoid dying on the cross. Jesus fulfilled the promises and the plan of salvation by dying on the cross and being raised from the dead physically.

ALSO... The Bible says, "He who knew no sin became sin for us...."
At least that is the translation we usually read. And with that mistranslation we are also told that Jesus actually became sin; we are told that Jesus, who was the Divine Sacrifice for sin, actually became the sin or took the place of the sinner (a murderer or an adulterer or a pedophile or a Sodomite or whatever kind of sinner you can imagine). It is claimed that Jesus became sin. WRONG.

The "sin sacrifice" does not become sin. The sin sacrifice suffers and dies so that the sinner may live. The sacrifice is the substitute in the fact of death. This is not the same as saying that the sin sacrifice is actually guilty of the sin. In fact, the sin sacrifice must be without sin. This is not the same as saying that the sin sacrifice becomes the sinner. The sacrifice is offered as a propitiation, a satisfaction, an atonement for the sinner. The sacrifice satisfies the requirement, which says that death is the cost for sin. The sacrifice takes away our sin but does not become unholy in the act or process.

Jesus became the "Sin Sacrifice," as the verse should be translated. In fact, the same terminology and usage is translated in the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament) as "sin sacrifice.". "Sin" and "Sin Sacrifice" should be used according to the context. We should read, "He Who knew no sin, became the sin sacrifice...

To say Jesus became sin is not consistent with the rest of Scripture. Jesus never became sin and He never became a sinner. To say that Jesus became the "sin sacrifice" is not only consistent with other passages, it is the express purpose for the incarnation and the plan of salvation.

Jesus never was sin, either as the Second Person of the eternal Triune Godhead, or as the incarnate Savior Who takes away the sin of the world, Who came into this word as, "God with us" and as, "The Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world," or as the crucified and risen Savior, Who knew no sin.

Some people carry the lie that Jesus became sin or became the sinner to the next level, saying that Jesus' resurrection from the dead was His own new birth. They say Jesus was the first person to be, "born again." There is no end to the errors, which follow the idea that Jesus became sin, or Jesus became a sinner.

My point in the post is that the nature, dignity, fitness, holiness of Jesus Christ is assailed by any view which states or implies that Jesus ever sinned or Jesus was ever a sinner. Jesus came into the world to save sinners, by dying for sinners and rising from the dead. He did not come to become sin.

02/23/24 FAILING TO PLAN...

02/23/24 FAILING TO PLAN...

An adage says, "Failing to plan is planning to fail."

This is true in the whole of life.

It is true in the natural realm and in the spiritual.
It is true in the private realm and in the public.
It is true in the athletic realm and in the academic.
It is true in the business world and in music.

It is true in the world and in the church.

We either plan to succeed or we are planning to fail.

Basically, success is no accident.

Christians need to take this as spiritual counsel. It relates to our walk with God, our service to God, our relationships to God, family, friends, neighbors, strangers, enemies.

We need to know the will of God and then we need to take deliberate steps to fulfill the will of God in our lives.

Just drifting along, with no plan, no set course, is to let the winds of life drive you and sometimes it is an ill wind blowing.

We need to know our destiny, our calling, our purpose.
It takes spiritual insight to know the will of God.
It takes personal discipline to do the will of God.

If you don't know or care where you are going, then any old road or any old guide will get you there.
But if you want your life to count, if you want your life to be spent in productive service to God, then it takes a solid spiritual foundation, intent, focus, commitment, steadfastness, sacrifice, self-denial.

Therefore, set your course and hold steady.

02/23/24 THEY LOVE SIN

02/23/24 THEY LOVE SIN

The reason so many people don't turn from sin is because they love the darkness. It is that simple.
It is not a matter of inability to repent (because God calls us to repentance and whatever God calls us to do, He enables us to do it).
People are separated from God, not because of Divine abandonment, but because of self serving interests.
People are held captive to sin because they do not want to be righteous or live righteously.
God does love all of us, which is why Jesus died for all of us.
God does want to save all sinners.
God is able to save every sinner and He is able to save from the guttermost to the uttermost. 

If you settle for living in your sins, then you are not saved. A person proves his faith and his election by living a life in submission to Jesus Christ as Lord. If He is not Lord of your life, He is not Savior of your soul.

Quit listening to Scripture twisting by those who teach and preach sinning religion.
We will all give account for our own sins and we will all be judged according to our deeds in the flesh.

The only escape from eternal judgment is to believe that Christ died for you and rose again so that you may be forgiven, cleansed, made alive.

Look to Jesus and live.
Don't look to Him in faith and you will die in your sins.

02/23/24 IT IS URGENT

02/23/24 IT IS URGENT

The more wicked our society becomes, the more sin needs to be revealed and attacked.

The more wickedness we see in our society, the more it becomes evident that people have played games with God, betting their souls that they don't need to surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ in faith.

The more wicked our society becomes, the greater will be the spiritual blindness.

The longer you put off believing in and surrendering to Jesus, the more sin you will need to renounce, and the stronger will be your attachment to a doomed existence, and the greater will be the damage you do to yourself, your family and your world.

Jesus in His mercy waits and calls you to salvation. But He will not wait forever. You are making your forever choice in the now.

Now is the accepted time to turn from sin and turn to Jesus.

02/22/24 IT WILL GET WORSE

02/22/24 IT WILL GET WORSE 

If you think this Socialistic, "Woke" (euphemism for deceived), deviant, chaotic, twisted, world can't get any worse... "you ain't seen nothing yet."

You (and you know who "you" is) did not believe God's word, you did not believe God's people (Christ following, Bible believing, sin hating folks) and you sacrificed your children faithfully  to Baal, Dagon and Moloch by giving them to destructive State and Humanistic indoctrination every day... for years.

You have watched as perversity after atrocity has swept though our communities and destroyed our country. You may have rattled swords and waged your tongues (but that is all you did), you may have vented scathing invective at perverts and the government forces that assists them in raping your children, but you continued to go along to get along, at the expense of your children's souls.

BUT, it is going to get worse. In fact, it is already getting worse as I write this post.

Folks have thought that they could give lip service to a fake Jesus, and believe a lifeless, Godless churchianity, rather than surrender fully to the resurrected Son of God. Well, how has that worked out for you?

You better (and you know who "you" is), quit presuming on God and quit trying to bargain with God and treating salvation as your ATM. You must come to the end of your self, be done with sin and obey God.

In spite of Satan's lie that serving God is a life of misery and in spite of sinning religion's declaration that God does not make His people into a holy priesthood, salvation enables us to keep God's commands and do that which is pleasing in His sight. 

It is a convenient lie that says our sin will not separate us from God. It is another lie which says we have no choice in our relationship with God.

Turn from the lies of man-made, self serving religion and enter into the life of faith, the life of peace, joy, and righteousness.

Don't believe the lie that God will save people in His time in the future. Now is His time and people better accommodate God's schedule. He is passing by and He may never call you again.

God does not call people to taunt them or to give them false hope. God calls us to save us from sin. He calls us to do His work, in His way.

We can't work our way to heaven, but we can play our way to hell.

02/17/24 JUST TO MAKE IT CLEAR...

02/17/24 JUST TO MAKE IT CLEAR...

The young people of this country have been (and are still being) sacrificed to the god of Humanistic Secularism through so-called PUBLIC education, and the end result is the present day chaos, reminiscent of the days of Noah and the days of Lot.

Jesus said we should learn from those terrible days, yet supposed Christians (pastors and parishioners) are bowing before the gods of this world and burning the children (pre-born, new born, young children and school age) at the idolatrous altar of Moloch... day after day... week after week... year after year. Welcome to Amerika, the new Sodom and Gomorrah, the present day Babylon.

Shame on the parents who have been warned but choose to endanger and even destroy their own children.

Shame on the pastors and churches, which have not stood, and do not stand, against Satan (the power of the State, the pride of Self and the pollution of Sacrilege, but have fed their young parishioners to the sharks and barracudas of the Secularist gods.

Shame on people who attend and support, churches which preach and teach their people to serve the flesh, which encourage the children to be indoctrinated in worldliness, wokeism, transgenderism, paganism, and all the other filthy-isms in our society.

Shame on people (and especially parents) who choose to stay with pastors and churches, which deny the Lordship of Christ, the Gospel of salvation from sin, holiness of heart and life, faithfulness to truth in the face of persecution, and which are also recruitment centers for the State rather than the army of God.

Shame on those who trust the arm of flesh rather than the power of God.
Shame on those who love the praise of men rather than the praise of God.
Shame on those who fear the perverted rage of men rather than fearing the righteous judgment of God.
Shame on those who seek the pleasures of this present evil world rather than joy of salvation.
Shame on those who obey men rather than obey God.
Shame on those who abandon the Old Ship of Zion to climb aboard the garbage scow of hell.

02/17/24 FOR OUR BENEFIT

02/17/24 FOR OUR BENEFIT

Neither the sling nor the stone David used in killing Goliath are enshrined as religious relics, neither is the sword, which David used in beheading the giant. David's victory was the work of God, not the accomplishment of a boy or fleshly weapons.

The items were tools, which God provided for David at a specific time in history. We do not need to use a sling, a stone or a giant's sword to win our spiritual battles, but we should be encouraged by the example of God's presence in David's encounter with Goliath. God will provide the exact tool we need to do the work of God. Of course, God works in conjunction with our faith.

When we face an enemy or a task or an obstruction we need to seek God, find His leading and follow Him in faith. God will defeat our enemies, accomplish His will and deliver us by His wisdom and power.

The Old Testament (as well as the New Testament) is filled with scenarios, which enlighten and encourage us to be more than conquerors. Concerning the children of Israel's challenges and conflicts, God tells us through Paul,
1 Corinthians 10:11
11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Just as we see through Old Testament examples, and through the life of Christ and the writings of the New Testament, God gives the same encouragement to believers today to overcome our problems, whether the conflict is with the world, the flesh and the devil or the conflict is with fellow believers. Concerning our relationship with one another (regardless of how difficult), God tells us through Paul,
Romans 15:1-7
1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

Learn principles in the Old and New Testament, which can be applied to your Christian walk. we need to be certain that we are in, "the faith," since God works in those who have an active faith.
Hebrews 4:1-2
1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

02/16/24 EITHER WAY...

02/16/24 EITHER WAY...

EITHER WAY, consider this...
I teach the Biblical doctrine of deliverance from all sin in this present evil world, and the doctrine of living victoriously over sin in this present life.

I know some folks have never heard this before and they may think that such beliefs are not Biblical. Keep in mind, I do not teach that Christians become either absolutely perfect, or angelically, perfect or Adamically perfect.
I teach what the Bible teaches, which is often referred to as,
Atonement Perfection, or
Believer's Perfection, or
Biblical Perfection, or
Christian Perfection.
In other words, there is a perfection in the Bible which God provides and enables and requires His children to experience and live. Perfect love is one aspect of this perfection. The Bible is clear that God provides and requires believers to have perfect love.

I do not teach that Christians reach a spiritual level, which makes it impossible for them to sin again, and I do not teach that Christians are ever inherently or self sufficiently righteous.
I teach that Christians are constantly, consistently and continuously dependent on a current faith relationship with God, through Christ.

I know some people misunderstand my view and therefore either disagree or have questions.

I know some people actually disagree dogmatically with my view, because of their theological systematic.

EITHER WAY, a person becomes a Christian because he wants to be forgiven of the sins he has committed, and he wants to quit sinning against God. If there is no remorse for personal sins, and no desire to turn from sin, then that person is not saved.

Salvation is not only a change in our legal status with God, it is a change in our nature, our desires, our behavior and our relationship, worship and submission to God. Forgiveness, cleansing, joy, peace, wisdom, and a host of other gifts of God come with our salvation, all of which conform us to the image of God's Son. But it all starts with deliverance from sin. Sinning religion is the devil's "salvation." Deliverance from sin is God's salvation. Jesus came to save His people (those who trust in Him) from their sins (Mt. 1.:21). Jesus is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world (Jn. 1:29). A savior that does not save from sin, is not the true Savior. 

Romans 10:9-10
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus (that Jesus is Lord), 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.

02/16/24 DASH-CAM VIDEO

02/16/24 DASH-CAM VIDEO 

Short video about the dynamics of Divine change.
Simple but important and practical truth. 

The importance of hearing the Scriptures and coming under influence of godly people. As Martha and I visited Down East today (Martha driving) I thought about the Divine dynamics of getting together around the word of God. It is not a polished video, but the principles are solid. It is essential that believers join together in searching and learning the word of God, in order to be changed, because God works freely and powerfully through transformed believers who continue to learn and follow Christ.

02/15/24 IT IS THIS BASIC

02/15/24 IT IS THIS BASIC

You don't stop sinning to become a Christian: you become a Christian to stop sinning. 

1John 3:4-10 KJV
4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

02/15/24 WONDERFUL WORDS OF LIFE

02/15/24 WONDERFUL WORDS OF LIFE

I love to watch videos of people hearing or seeing for the first time (whatever their ages). Infants are especially amazing. It is a beautiful analogy of people receiving spiritual hearing and sight through faith in Jesus Christ.

Prayerfully tell folks the Good News. Give light and life to those who are dead in their sins and trespasses and watch as the joy of salvation dawns upon them.

02/14/2402/14/24 BEWARE BLAME SHIFTING

02/14/24 BEWARE BLAME SHIFTING

It isn't that people can't trust God, it is that they refuse God’s enabling grace to turn from sin, and choose rather to go to hell, while falsely blaming it on God’s supposed predestination.

(I added the following point this morning.)
Predestination is a Biblical truth, relating to various areas, but God has not unilaterally, unconditionally predestined our eternal destinies.
Among other things, God predestined THE WAY of salvation for WHOSOEVER will believe on Christ.

(be sure to read all of these verses)
John 3:16-21
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

02/14/24 BEWARE SCRIPTURE TWISTING

02/14/24 BEWARE SCRIPTURE TWISTING

Don't be surprised or misled when people twist or misuse Biblical truths. They do this concerning such concepts as "born again" and "crucified with Christ," and "election."

Eastern Mysticism, Humanistic Psychology, New Age Religion, Word of Faith Movement, as well as Reformed Theology and Calvinism redefine Biblical truths to fit their errant beliefs. We need to know what the Bible says and what the Bible writers meant when they wrote those truths.

Dedication to Biblical teaching comes before dedication to Bible teachers or theological systems.

2 Timothy 2:11-15
11 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him.
12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.
13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.
14 Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

We must be DILIGENT in our pursuit of truth and diligent in our relationship with God.
We must believe the simple gospel, but we must not have a simple understanding of the gospel.

God wants us to grow in grace and knowledge of Christ.
God wants us to be built up in the faith.
God wants us to learn the whole counsel of God.

Being "born of the Spirit," leads to being, "crucified with Christ."
If we have been "crucified with Christ," it leads to, "living with Him (continuing to live together with Him)."
If we "continue to live together with Him," it leads us to, "endure."
If we "endure," it leads us to, "reign with Him."

But, if we deny Him, He will deny us.
As John tells us:
If we are born of God, we quit sinning (we quit wilful disobedience).
If we continue to sin (willfully disobey God) we are of the devil.

Endurance is faithfully following Jesus. As Jesus said, he who endures to the end shall be saved. If we endure, we shall reign with Him.

02/13/24 HOPING TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS

02/13/24 HOPING TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS

I know I preach and teach doctrines, with which some of my friends are familiar and in agreement. I hope I encourage you in your walk with the Lord. Your kind responses encourage me.

I know I preach and teach doctrines, with which some of my friends disagree. I hope you will consider the Biblical claims I preach.

I am guessing I preach and teach doctrines, with which some of my friends are unfamiliar. I hope my posts are helpful to those who have questions about living the victorious Christian life, and about total surrender and heart purity (or other doctrinal distinctives I embrace).

If my words are helpful, don't hesitate to mention it with a "thumbs up" or a brief testimony. I am not keeping a record or making a mailing list. It is just nice to know that what I am sharing is a blessing to folks.
Thank y'all.

02/13/24 A TOTAL PACKAGE

02/13/24 A TOTAL PACKAGE

(if you don't read my post, at least read the passages I included at the end of the post).

REAL SALVATION
When someone honestly claims, professes, testifies, confesses that he is saved, converted, born again, forgiven, redeemed, that person is not arrogant; he is glorifying God.
(Remember, we are not saying that we are, "seen" as saved, converted, born again, forgiven, redeemed, but we are saying "we are" saved, converted, born again, forgiven, redeemed by the grace and work of God).

When someone honestly claims, professes, testifies, confesses that he is pure, righteous, holy, conformed to the image of Jesus, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that person is not arrogant; he is glorifying God.
(Remember, we are not saying that we are, "seen" as pure, righteous, holy, conformed to the image of Jesus, without sport or wrinkle or any such thing, but we are saying "we are" pure, righteous, holy, conformed to the image of Jesus, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing by the grace and work of God).

When we witness to being transformed from darkness to light, from sin to salvation, we are giving thanks, praise and glory to God.
When we witness to being conformed to the image of Christ and delivered from all sin, we are giving thanks, praise and glory to God.

It is robbery for a saved person to not give God praise for his conversion.
It is robbery for an entirely sanctified person to not give God praise and glory for his deliverance from the bondage, the corruption, the wretchedness of an impure heart.

A lost person, an unconverted person, a sinner cannot honestly claim salvation.
A carnal Christian cannot honestly claim heart purity.

Forgiveness of sins and purification of the heart are both works of Gods saving grace.
Forgiveness of sins and purification of the heart are both received by faith in Christ.

To deny that Christ saves sinners is to deny truth.
To deny that Christ sanctifies and cleanses His Church is to deny truth.

Biblical salvation is salvation from sins committed and sin inherent. Though the work of God takes place in phases, salvation is a total work. Consider these few passages from God's word to the Church through Paul, James, Peter, John and Jude. (Please, read these passages at least one time).

Paul wrote...
Romans 6:15-22
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

Romans 8:1-4
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Galatians 5:24-25
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Titus 2:11-15
11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

James wrote...
James 4:7-8
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Peter wrote...
1 Peter 1:13-23
13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

John wrote...
1 John 2:1-6
1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

1 John 3:1-10
1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

1 John 5:2-5
2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
5  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

Jude wrote...
Jude 1:24-25
24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

02/12/24 RECOUNTING GOD'S WORK

02/12/24 RECOUNTING GOD'S WORK

I posted this testimony seven years ago. It recounts my personal experience of God purifying my heart when He baptized me with the fullness of the Holy Spirit in 1965.

Entire Sanctification (as the Bible calls it), is an instantaneous and crises work of grace (as is our conversion), and is subsequent to our conversion (Justification, Regeneration).

Justification provides forgiveness and cleansing of the sins we have personally committed and cleanses our conscience; Regeneration imparts the presence, life and power of the Holy Spirit, which enables us to live victoriously over temptations.

Entire Sanctification purifies the believer from the carnal mind, which we received from Adam. We can be forgiven of the sins we have committed, but we must be purified, delivered from the sin nature. Cleansing of our hands (deeds done in the flesh) and Purifying of our heart (the deliverance from the "law of sin and death, spoken of in Romans chapter seven), are two separate parts of God's deliverance from all sin. We are purified through the Blood of Christ, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the word of God.

Total surrender and the fullness of the Holy Spirit does not take the place of growing in grace (rather, it enhances our growth) and it does not replace a constant and living walk of faith. Just as Adam was able to sin, though created without sin, so too, are Entirely Sanctified believers able to sin and turn from God. Either God separates us from sin or sin separates us from God. God requires that we choose.

Though I posted the following article in 2017, it references my personal experience in the fall of 1965.

Article from February 12, 2017
I REMEMBER
I remember one time when I dreaded going to church. It was soon after going to Bible College. I was still carnal and I had just thrown a quiet but ugly fit of anger. It was a Wednesday, and we were going to go to a local church that night, which preached the truth of a holy heart and life.

I knew I would probably be brought under strong conviction and go down to the altar, which would result in a great display of remorse and crying. I knew this because God had been dealing with me faithfully since I had come under the preaching of full salvation at the college. I had been going to the altar during chapel services, going to the altar at my home church on weekends, going to the "praying rock" in the woods behind the men's dorm. God was breaking me down so that He could fill me up.

My seeking God was a whole body reality. My face was contorted and soaked with tears and loud sobbing, my body would heave in agony, my soul was heavy with guilt and uncleanness.

I knew God was wanting to purify me, but the Old Man did not want to die. I surrendered little by little, but I knew there would come a time when God's Spirit would rush in and my carnality would be flushed out.

After I threw my fit of anger, I closed myself in my dorm room, alone, with God. He had me where He wanted me, red handed with carnal anger taking control. I knelt by my bed, repenting, crying heavily, surrendering completely, crucifying my life of self assertion. Then the peace that passes understanding came. Then the joy unspeakable came. Then the perfect love came flooding me and filling me to overflowing.

We can run from the searchlight of God, but we cannot hide. We can reject His grace, but we cannot escape the consequences. It is better to bow before God in surrender than to stand before Him in defiance, it is better to burn with the passion of God than burn in the judgment of God. Surrender to God leads to victory, resisting God leads to utter defeat.

02/12/24 COMPLIMENTARY, NOT CONTRADICTORY

02/12/24 COMPLIMENTARY, NOT CONTRADICTORY

Being a Christian is being alive and being dead at the same time.

The Bible tells us that we must be alive to God (born again, born of God, born of the Spirit), and we must be dead to sin (crucified with Christ).

Neither one is optional, both are obligatory. 

Both are liberating.

Alive to God and dead to sin, are the two sides to the same coin (salvation).

If you are born of God, you keep His commandments.
If you are dead to sin, you resist temptation.

02/10/24 THE WOKIES BETTER WAKE UP

02/10/24 THE WOKIES BETTER WAKE UP

In case you have been, "out of town" (euphemism for, "out of your mind"), there has been an insurrection, but it WAS NOT January 6.

There has already been a revolution, but it was not waged by anything that is RIGHT.

America has already been Fundamentally Transformed and Changed, but it did not bring Hope or Build Back Better.

Attacking freedom, family and faith is not going to start, it has already started, but it is going to get worse, even if we have a brief respite.

Reinforcements for the Fifth Column are coming across the border by the millions.

The Disunited States of America is failing to follow Christ and falling farther and faster into chaos.

God guides men, even lost men to do the right thing from time to time. But God also allows evil men to fill their cup of iniquity before He sends swift and certain judgment. It appears we are watching the rising tide of God's wrath against a world, which looks and acts like the antediluvian world and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

People have played with God too long. There comes a time of accountability. It is one thing to live in a wicked world and interact with an evil system, it is another thing to walk with, and align with an evil party whose platform is anti-Biblical and whose open agenda is to destroy freedom, family and faith.

We will not be saved by economics, politics, academics, religion or any other man made institution. The only hope for individuals and for societies is faith in, and surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ.

We see that American society has been willing to give up eternal treasures for momentary pleasures. As loving and gracious and merciful as God is, it is still a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

02/09/24 WALKING IS DAILY LIVING

02/09/24 WALKING IS DAILY LIVING

As has been said, "An immoral man is dangerous, whether he carries a gun or a Bible."

Salvation does not come from simply knowing Bible facts or understanding Biblical doctrine or conforming to Biblical ethics. Salvation comes from trusting the word of God to be true, trusting in the sacrificial death and physical resurrection of Christ, which results in God's miraculous regenerating, justifying, cleansing, transforming and enabling power.

If preaching and teaching does proclaim, promote, provide salvation from sin, conformity to the likeness of Christ, perfection in love, in this present evil world, then you are listening to the wrong teachers and preachers.

Biblical salvation is evidenced by clean hands and a pure heart, which is more than just a form of godliness. It is Christ in us, the hope of glory, it is worshiping God in the beauty of holiness, it is worshiping and serving God in spirit and in truth, it is presenting ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable, walking in the light as He is in the light.

It is not about us doing the best we can, it is about the power of God enabling us to live, follow, walk the Christian life.

I walk daily for my physical well being. My walk yesterday does not exempt me from walking today. My thirty miles of walking last week does not exempt me from walking this week.

The same is true concerning our spiritual life. We must walk if we are going to be with Jesus, if we are going to continue with Jesus, if we are going to finish our course and reach our goal.

Here are some checkpoints along the path of salvation. Make your journey certain.
*walk in newness of life (Ro. 6:4)
*walk in the light, even as Christ is in the light (1 Jn. 1:7)
*walk in the steps of Jesus (1 Pe. 2:21-22)
*walk as Christ walked (1 Jn. 2:6)
*walk in truth (3 Jn. 1:4)
*walk in love (Ep. 5:2)
*walk in faith (2 Co. 5:7)
*walk in good works (Ep. 2:10)
*walk worthy of our calling (Ep. 4:1)
*walk worthy of the Lord (Co. 1:10)
*walk worthy of God (1 Th. 2:12)
*walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh (Ro. 8:4; Ga. 5:16, 25)
*walk after God's commandments (2 Jn. 1:6)
*walk uprightly (Ps. 84:11)
*walk in paths of the righteous (Pr. 2:20)
*walk in the ways of the LORD (Ps. 18:21)
*walk honestly (Ro. 13:13)
*walk as children of light (Ep. 5:8)
*walk circumspectly, carefully, wisely (Ep. 5:15)

02/09/24 STUPIDITY IS A MORAL CHOICE

02/09/24 STUPIDITY IS A MORAL CHOICE

As I have shared before, "stupid" is a moral state, not simply an intellectual or academic condition.

Stupidity is knowing the right from wrong, but deliberately choosing that which is wrong.

You can't fix (educate or coerce) stupid, but you can pray for those who are willfully blind.

02/09/24 BIBLICAL TRUTHS RESTATED

02/09/24 BIBLICAL TRUTHS RESTATED

Points to ponder.
These truths are Biblical. Search the Scriptures.

We have as much of God as we want, that's why we have as little of Him as we do.

We open and close the door of our own heart.

When we seek the Lord we find Him.
When we hunger and thirst for God, He fills us.
What we ask aright, we receive.

We determine what treasure we want.
When our "want-er" is right we will not have double vision.
When our eye is single we will serve only God. 

Our possession of God's grace is determined by our surrender to God's will.
Our surrender to God is determined by our faith in God.
Our faith in God is demonstrated by love.
Our love of God is proved by our obedience to God.

Love, Faith and Hope are Cristian basics.
Hope sees the unsee-able.
Faith secures the unsee-able.
Love shows the unsee-able.

Walking in His light leads to more of His light.
Turning from light is turning to darkness.
We cannot walk in light and darkness at the same time.
Trusting and Obeying are the flip side of the same coin.

Either God is our Master or He is not.
Jesus is our Lord and our Savior or He is neither.

02/08/24 KNOW YOUR ENEMY

02/08/24 KNOW YOUR ENEMY

As humans, we are born with a human nature (body, soul, spirit), which has been affected by the fall of Adam in the garden; as children of Adam we are also conceived and born with a carnal (corrupt or sinful) nature.

Though the carnal mind is enmity with God, pre-born, new born and infant children are covered by the sacrificial death of Christ and because of His saving grace, they are not cut off from God. Remember, we are not cut off from God because of another person's sins, even if that other person is our own father. This is why it is correct to say that Jesus is the Savior of all men (people). When a person willfully rebels against God, then that person becomes accountable for his own sins. Again, God has made provision for those people, which is why the Bible also says that He is the Savior of all men, especially those who believe.

We are born into a world that is under the domain of the Prince of Darkness. Our worldview is formed by our culture, education, family and friends and our religious training. Sadly, most of those sources are aligned more with the god of this world rather that with the True and Living God.

At the time of our salvation, our sins are forgiven, our lives and minds are cleansed, our inner man is regenerated. But we still have the present, evil world system (economic, political, academic, religious, cultural influences), the devil and our carnal nature, with which to deal.
The world system is not going away during this lifetime and Jesus said His people still live in this world, but we are not of this world, which verifies that Christians have an ongoing conflict with this present evil world.
The devil is still a present enemy to our souls, which substantiates the need for us to fight the good fight of faith.
God has made provision for deliverance from all sin in this present evil world, including sins committed, victory over temptations, and deliverance from our inherited carnal nature. God calls believers to total commitment, God calls believers (those who have cleansed their hands through justification) to purify their hearts (through entire sanctification), which takes place when we are filled with God's Holly Spirit. God's plan to cleanse us from ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS is accomplished through the death and resurrection of Christ, through the fullness of the Holy Spirit and through the power of His word.
God makes us more than conquerors over the world, the flesh and the devil.

However, the battle for the mind is an ongoing reality. The devil seeks to control our thinking. The devil works through our present evil world system (including politics, academics, economics, secular and humanistic ethics, false doctrines taught by errant religions).
Being conformed to the image of Jesus is a lifetime development for the believer. We must continue to grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus. Being conformed to Christ and His will includes a "negative" and a "positive." By "negative," I mean the putting-away or putting-off that which is contrary to godliness. This is where many believers lose the spiritual battle. They do not want to turn from the carnal worldview, in which they have been raised. But God requires a total renouncement of all that is contrary to godliness.

We are living at a time when people are holding to their education, their politics, their false doctrines, their temporality at the cost of their souls. Wake up, Jesus said our enemies will be those closest to us.

It looks like "crunch time" for the whole world. There is no time left to cling to the the evil heart of unbelief and the weights that are hindering you from following Jesus fully, every day, all the way.

Sadly, folks love their politics, their heritage, their culture more than they love God. We are called to love God with our whole heart, we are enabled to love God with our whole heart, we are required to love God with our whole heart, and our neighbor as ourselves.

When you find that your education, your spiritual beliefs, your politics, your human attachments are in conflict with God, His word and His way, it is time to abandon the garbage scow of worldliness and allow God to totally deliver you, in your attitude, thoughts, words, deeds, and alignments.

Folks have given God their mite, but have kept their might for themselves. People have chosen to skim by instead of dive into the depths of God's grace, power, truth and deliverance from sin.

Beware of supposed Bible teaching that does not reject evil platforms. If your Bible teaching is not conforming you to the image of Jesus and if it is not setting you apart from the devil and his agenda, then you need to repent, turn, sell out to God and follow fully.

1 John 2:15-17
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

02/02/24 SOME "ISSUES" MATTER

02/02/24 SOME "ISSUES" MATTER

I remember when society said that no one should talk about "religion" or politics in normal conversation, and most folks followed that advice.
Boy, were those people deceived.

I remember when the government and the church community said that preachers should not preach on "political" subjects (unlike Biblical messengers who dealt with morality, social and civil order, salvation, which were very political) from the pulpit, and most pastors followed that directive.
Boy, were those preachers gullible.

I remember when people referred to my preaching, as "issues" preaching. I was preaching about the Lordship of Christ over His people and His Church, the murder of the unborn, the "sterilizing" of the Church, the brainwashing of our children by Humanistic Secularism, the abandoning of Biblical order (for family, church, society and nation), the overthrowing of freedom (among other "ISSUES"). God's word and God's salvation are specifically aimed at the moral issues of society that destroy individuals, families and nations.
Obviously I was preaching Biblical truth, while so many others were stroking the enemies of the cross (political, academic, and religious), in order to get public, government, congregational approval and financial support for their gutless message.
So, how did the watered down, castrated, twisted preaching of a corrupted ministry turn out for America?

Good preaching is not determined by oratoracle prowess, charismatic appeal, academic accomplishment, wild eyed rhetoric. Good preaching is the loving, uncompromising, sincere proclamation of God's eternal, unchanging, Christ honoring, Spirit led, Biblically sound, sin hating, soul saving, life transforming message of God.

We could sing, "where have all the preachers gone?"
We can also sing, "where are the preachers going to come from?"

There might not be much time left to reach this Noahic society (including our own young people).
Who will do the Lord's work?
Who will lift the banner?
Who is raising up an army?
Who is leading and training the next generation of spiritual warriors?
Who will say, "Here am I Lord, send me?"