Mini "SERMONETTES"- #7

1) "Sanctification" (being increasingly set apart to live a life holy & pleasing before God) is never a matter of "works & education"; But of "faith (in Christ & the Cross) & revelation (by the Holy Spirit) * see Hab. 2:4; 1 Cor. 1:23-24; 2:11-15; Jhn. 16:13; 17:17. And then, of course... OBEDIENCE to that revelation. This is called "the obedience of faith" (Romans 16:26). ‎.....Then, as we obey, we are being transformed into the Image of Christ! ....and it becomes "who we ARE".

2) A thrice-holy God & a sinner can only meet at one place: THE CROSS; A thrice-holy God & a SAINT can only meet at one place: THE CROSS (Col. 2:6; Gal. 2:20). Folks, it don't matter if we have been saved for 50 years. Without Christ and His cleansing Blood, we are.... nothing (Jhn. 15:5-6). "Where is BOASTING then? It is excluded. By what law? 0f WORKS? Nay: but by the law of FAITH. -(Rom. 3:27).

3) There are no "unbelievers" in hell (They then believe); But there is no "salvation" there EITHER. (See Lk. 16:19-31; Rev. 20:11-15; 21:8; Mk. 8:36).

4) "I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST.. ["...dead.." -(Col. 3:3). A "dead" person is not selfish, does not lust, does not sin, does not get offended, does not need to be recognized and praised.] : NEVERTHELESS I LIVE, YET NOT I, BUT CHRIST LIVETH IN ME ["alive unto God" -(Rom. 6:11). Alive by "the Spirit of Life (the Holy Spi...rit) in Christ Jesus" -(Rom. 8:2)] ...." -(Gal. 2:20). Wanna be a true Christian?, and be "spiritual"? Well then, "self" has to "die". We do this by surrendering our ENTIRE HEART AND LIFE TO JESUS, and by exhibiting faith in Him and His Blood Sacrifice on the Cross. Friend, God will accept no other way than THE Way: His Son and "His" Sacrifice, not "your's". This is the same for everyone. In this state, one is led and empowered by the Holy Spirit, walking in the supernatural. The opinions of man do not phase him/her. I personally am not "there" yet. Sometimes "the flesh" peeks through, and then I have to repent. Many place their gaze on ME, and look for failures. I tell them to place their gaze on J-E-S-U-S, in Whom is NO failure! There is no morally perfect person on this planet until the trump sounds. Until then, we are to humbly trust in HIS Righteousness and allow His Holy Spirit to change us and conform us into the Image of His Son Jesus. This gives us no license to sin (Rom. 6:1). However.... it is "Truth" (see 1 John 1:8-10). To think otherwise exhibits a "self-righteous" spirit, which Jesus hates (see Matt. chpt. 23; Rev. 3:17-18).

5) Key to "happiness": 1) Cling to Jesus, 2) Trust in HIS Sacrifice, not yours, & 3) Allow His Spirit & Word (the Holy Bible) to guide you.

6) Two "YOKES": 1) SATAN"S yoke of bondage: "law" (Gal. 5:1-4; Jhn. 10:10a), & 2) CHRIST'S light yoke of freedom: GRACE & Truth (Mt. 11:29-30; Jn. 1:17; 8:31-32). Jesus tells us to take HIS yoke upon us, for it is EASY; And his burden.... LIGHT. This can only occur as we place our faith for righteousness exclusively in HIS (BLOOD) Sacrifice, not OUR sacrificES of works or spiritual disciplines.

7) Jesus not only died for us to be SAVED, He died for us to "LIVE FOR GOD IN HOLINESS" as well. But how is that ACCOMPLISHED? By keeping our faith in HIS Sacrifice, not OUR'S (see Eph. 2:8-10; Col. 2:6; 1:21-23; Heb. 3:13-14). If, in your Christian walk, you find that you are saying to yourself things like... "OH, I didn't read my BIBLE today. I NEED to." ..... "I don't feel I prayed enough today."....... "I feel "dry"; What am I doing wrong?"..... "I should be ...reading up on this certain book to get a better handle on this spiritual principle."....... "I am not doing what I aught to be doing to be close to God."..... THINGS LIKE THAT, wherein your trust is in "what YOU need to do", rather than simply rest in CHRIST'S Blood Sacrifice on the Cross, your "faith is misplaced", and you have reverted to "works and 'law'" for righteousness. In this state, you are "frustrating the grace of God" in your life (Gal. 2:21), "quenching the (Holy) Spirit" (1 Thes. 5:19; Rom. 8:1-2), stimulating "the sin nature" (1 Cor. 15:56b), and out of frustration you may get to the point where you "just give up" and "fall from the grace of God" (Gal. 5:4) !!
Do we need to do certain things? YES, but not to be "more spiritual" or to be "closer to God" in righteousness. If so, what was the point in Christ dying for us? All we would have to do then is to "perform better"! This is now (and has been) a HUGE problem in the American organized church! And because the emphasis has been on "good works" and programs on" what we need to do", very few sitting in the pews of churches are actually saved; And more alarmingly.... few PASTORS! And out of the Pastors who ARE saved, most of them only believe in placing our faith exclusively in Christ and the Cross for SALVATION, but then tell their people to DO something to be SANCTIFIED.

8) A Christian's Power Source is THE HOLY SPIRIT. In order for that Power to flow unhindered in a person's life (and ministry, if he is a minister), that person needs to a) place (and keep) his faith exclusively in the Blood of Christ, and b) be baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in "other tongues". The Baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other "tongues" is definitely necessary (and right there in the Bible, btw.); However, you faith has got to stay IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB CONTINUALLY for this awesome Power to flow unhindered, to lead, to guide, to enable you to be and to do all that you are MEANT to be and do!

9) Even though the apostle Paul is popular in this period in history, in his time of ministry, he was... not (see 2 Tim. 4:16). ... Even JESUS HIMSELF was not (see John 6:66-67). You see folks, true Christianity is all about pleasing GOD, and not MAN. To be Frank, being a Christian the BIBLE Way (the Way of "Jesus Christ and Him Crucified") is UNpopular! Jesus WAS popular, with multitudes following Him-when it came to HEALING people and giving them bread & fish. But when He began preaching things of spiritual significance - like "eat My flesh and drink My Blood", they bolted pretty quickly! Most people are all into "self", and "the Message of the Cross" OBLITERATES selfishness! The HOLY SPIRIT will not bless that outside of faith in the Cross for righteousness (Romans 8:2; 7:18).

10) A preacher (or ANYone) can be sincere, but yet sincerely WRONG. You need to know the Holy Bible for YOURSELF! (see Jhn. 8:31-32; 17:17; 16:13; 1 Jhn. 2:27). That preacher will not be WITH you on judgment day; YOU will be responsible! To be frank with you.... most preachers are too proud to admit if they are "wrong", even if they KNOW it! (Which places YOU in peril!). As a minister of the Gospel, I want my readers/ listeners to line up everything I say with the Bible. To be... "Bereans" (Acts 17:10-11).

11) The 'Voice of Jesus- the Shepherd, to His sheep- us (John 10:14,27) is the Voice of THE HOLY SPIRIT (John 16:13) and THE HOLY BIBLE (John 17:17: 2 Tim. 3:16). If what you are hearing from THEM does not line up with what you are hearing from a PREACHER. .... (you fill in the blank). Jesus said "And ye shall know the 'Truth', and the Truth shall make You free" -(John 8:32). You wanna know something ? And here is what I discovered)..... Most people, deep down inside, do not really WANT the Truth. That's why they applaud the fakers, and get mad at us who preach the plain, simple, pure Word of God. Most would rather read some guy's book rather than THE Book!

12) As Christians, we are commanded to "OVERCOME" sin, "the world", "the flesh", and the devil. SEVEN TIMES Jesus tells us to be "overcomers" (Rev. 2:7,11,17,26; 3:5,12,21). But HOW? The answer is in Rev. 12:10-11; Col. 1:20-23; 1 Cor. 1:18,23-24; Rom. 8:1-2. HALLELUJAH !!!!!!! You as a Christian do not have to spend ONE MOMENT under the jack-booted heel of Satan. J-e-s-u-s has already crushed his HEAD! (Gen. 3:14-15; Col. 2:14-15; Rom. 6:14). GLORY!!!