I rightfully do not endorse Christians trying to make money of the gospel, asking for money or any of the adds above, or the Bibles, books, tapes listed here for sale too.. Jesus said as we have freely received so we are freely to give.. Hirelings in their greed don't.  http://groups.msn.com/AFOLLOWEROFCHRIST/advrt.msnw

"Why Do Professing Christians Differ?"

Most professing Christians they really do not know the whole Bible, they really do not read it fully for themselves as well. They wrongfully expect their even  too often wrong, false teachers, pastors to do that for them. Sadly today many a church is still based on cultural or human traditions and really not on God or the Bible in fact.  Why?
 
My own real, personal experiences the last few years in Canada with mostly bad evangelical churches, bad pastors still seems to also indicate that they always do want something from me, like my money for a start,  but they are not willing to have genuine, real, reciprocal, mutual Christian fellowship..  they are merely hirelings and not true servants of God still too,  anyway that is for the better for I really do not rightfully trust too many of them to do the right thing. 
 
A Professing Christian man in my own neighborhood with a nice shining rich car had a bumper sticker on his car which read" don't be mistaken by my car my treasure is in heaven". As he was standing by the car, and I was passing by, I said hello  and I started to talk to him about his evangelical local Church he went too.. Eventually next I told him also  I disagreed with the same church's false positions on enforced tithing  and off course this man became defensive and argumentative.  I merely then asked him if he had read all of the Bible verses in the Bible on tithing and  he admitted he did not.  I asked him if he gave 1/7 of his tithes to the poor persons as required by the law of tithing too? he was not even aware of this Bible requirements. I told him was he aware that all Pastors who got the financial benefit of the tithe as an income were not allowed to own property according to the law of the Bible.. and he said that truthm fact  was not even in the Bible. Then I merely told him that was not much point in my discussing the Bible with him cause he clearly did not know it or read it. He was embarrassed. We next left on friendly terms.. To me he was still only a "religious" person, "pretending to be a Christian", merely make a show of his religion.. sadly today many a church is still based on cultural or human traditions and not on God or the Bible in fact. Why?

"Why Do Professing Christians Differ? by Phil Enlow

"It has not been at all unusual throughout the ministry of Brother Thomas for religious people of every hue and stripe to attempt to "straighten him out." Sometimes they feel he is in outright error -- in their assessment -- and at other times that there is not a sufficient emphasis upon their "pet doctrine" or practice.  Often following ministry Brother Thomas has had to endure the well-meaning zeal of someone who would corner him to explain what he ought to say and do and emphasize. Not a few letters over the years have arrived, often with enclosed literature, sent not with a free spirit to bless and encourage, but with a subtle, and sometimes not so subtle, spirit to correct, to contend for their version of Christianity. There is such a diversity of opinion that prevails under the umbrella of what passes for Christianity that it can only be characterized as "Babylon." "Babylon" means confusion. Its meaning is rooted in the confusion of language that God brought about at the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11) to thwart men's efforts to unite in rebellion against Him.

The religious confusion we see today is the result of men's own, uncalled by God, efforts to build and preserve their concepts of the Kingdom of God. Men contend, not for the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 3), but for that of the Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals, Holiness, Satan, etc.

 Is God the author of confusion (I Cor. 14:33)? What is it that causes

 Is God the author of confusion (I Cor. 14:33)? What is it that causes men to hold and contend for such obviously conflicting religious views?  We are shaped more by our environment than we realize. If we are exposed to a particular belief long enough we tend to believe it. To us it becomes "the law and the gospel." In addition it becomes a yard stick by which we measure and evaluate others. Unless God intervenes it never occurs to us to question whether our ideas are really so or not. To us, we're right and others who differ are wrong.

Religious ideas not of God are undoubtedly the worst prison in our world (Is. 42:22). Few escape from this prison. It offers men the delusion that they are thereby acceptable to God when in fact they are being bound into bundles and made ready for the fire (Matt. 13:30).

Religious Environment

Most religious men are simply a product of their religious environment, conditioned to believe and promote whatever ideas hold sway in that environment. Whatever measure of tradition and error is there is taken in and forms the unconscious foundation of their thinking.

We are constituted as human beings in such a way that there are ideas so deeply rooted in us that we are not even conscious that they are there. When we work out a simple arithmetic problem we do not stop to question whether 1 + 1 = 2. That is assumed. It is the foundation of mathematics. It is something we "know" and no longer have to think about. What would happen if someone tried to become a math teacher whose basic assumption was that 1 + 1 = 3?

All human thought and reasoning works this way. Certain things are "known" to be true and just accepted. At one time reasonable men "knew" that the earth was flat and that if you went far enough you'd fall off! Today we laugh at such a notion and take pride in all the things we "know" as a result of modern science.

In every religious group, they similarly "know" many things that are transmitted from generation to generation without serious question. Yet down the street is another group that "knows" very differently.

Take a look around. How do you know you are right? How do you know anything? Are you wise and prudent -- a serious pursuer of religious knowledge? Jesus said that his Father had "hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes." Matt. 11:25. Can you discover what God has hidden? Paul said "For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." I Cor. 1:21.

"But," you say, "I've been taught by Rev. so-and-so. He's a real sincere, spiritual man who can explain the Bible well. He's been to school and ..." (You fill in the qualifications that impress you and cause you to receive someone as God's representative).

How do you know? What qualifies you to judge whether something or someone is of God or not? Your intelligence? Your religious sincerity? Bible study? A religious teacher you heard and were impressed by? Things you "know" to be true? Why are you any more qualified than the fellow down the street who is just like you and yet "knows" differently?

Are you afraid to question? Do you prefer to plunge ahead, blindly contending for "your" faith? Will your spiritual foundation stand?

This is no time for uncertainty. Christ is coming and only those who are ready will go in with him. Matt. 25:10. Multitudes will be shocked on that day to discover that the religion, of which they had been so sure, had been in vain. Matt. 7:21-23. Where will you be on that day? How can you know?

Can We Know?

Is there any reason to believe we can know, or has God deliberately left us in a state of uncertainty? Are we each to pursue his own conception of truth? Is one way as good as another?

You cannot read the book of Ephesians without being aware of the great desire of the Lord toward His people, expressed through Paul, that "... we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ." Eph. 4:13-15.

Eph. 5:25-27 tells us that "... Christ ... loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."

The conflicting traditions of men will never prepare the church for Christ's coming. Only an ever-more-pure stream of revelation from Christ, the Head of the Church can accomplish that.

Yet the condition of the world in general is a desperate one. Isaiah 60:2 says, "For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people ..."

Rom. 3:11 says, "There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God."

God is not the author of confusion. Make no mistake, however: there is an author. Satan. The diversity and confusion we observe in religion did not just happen.

In II Cor. 4:4, Paul says that "... the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

The "god of this world" is, of course, Satan. When Satan fell, he led one third of the angels with him (Rev. 12:3-4). Jude 6 refers to them as being "reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day." This expresses their hopeless condition before God. Their "chains" in no way prevent them from blinding, deceiving, corrupting, and leading lost mankind down the road to destruction.

Especially in our day, Satan and his hosts are loose as never before and men are defenseless without truth. As the coming of the Lord draws near we can expect the hold of darkness to grow greater and stronger upon the world as a whole. Rev. 12:12. Matt. 24:37-39. Gen. 6:5.

When Satan realized the absolute victory that Christ won at the cross, his only recourse was to do all in his power to oppose and hinder the outworking of that victory. The only arena in which he is free to operate is this earth realm. Those who have died in Christ are forever beyond his reach! Praise the Lord!

Over the centuries, outright persecution of believers has not been unusual. Fox's Book of Martyrs chronicles some of Satan's efforts in this regard. Of course it also chronicles God's great faithfulness to those who have been called to glory by that route!

However, by far Satan's most effective tactic has been to join and then to corrupt the church. He has come to man masquerading as Christ, presenting himself as a spiritual friend. Paul said, "... Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." II Cor. 11:14. The next verse refers to "his ministers." Satan has ministers who undoubtedly appear to be ministers of Christ.

II Cor. 11:4 speaks of "another Jesus," "another spirit," and "another gospel." This is a pretty good description of what is symbolically pictured in Rev. 12:15 as a flood coming from the serpent's mouth.

Even as Christ is purifying the Church by the "washing of water by the word," so is Satan corrupting and deceiving mankind with a flood of doctrines and philosophies that come from his mouth. Much of this flood is religious in nature and is designed to subvert the influence of truth.

The reason Satan is so successful is that his ideas appeal to the fallen nature of man. This is pictured in Rev. 12:16 where it says that "... the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth." Satan's ideas are easily "drunk in" by the natural or "earth" man.

The truth of God confronts the desperate condition of man without compromise. It offers nothing but the absolute sentence of death to the old nature while it gives newness of life and everlasting hope to the repentant sinner. Rom. 6:3-4.

Satan, on the other hand, accommodates human nature, allowing it to live and flourish. It is the same as if a supposed doctor were to treat a terrible disease by feeding and encouraging the disease while covering up some of the more obvious symptoms. Jer. 6:13-14.

Mankind is "infected" with sin, a self-willed, self-pleasing rebellion against divine authority. This rebellion is especially manifest when that authority is expressed through men.

What religion does is to clean up the outward man and make him appear to be righteous while leaving the inward man unchanged and, in time, unchangeable. Matt. 23:2-39. There comes a time when God ceases to deal with those who receive not "the love of the truth." The result is not simply delusion but strong delusion. II Thess. 2:10-12.

Strong delusion is being absolutely sure you are right, but you are wrong.

Invasion of the Church

When Christianity came on the scene, the Roman Empire was in power. Rome was also the spiritual center of the religion that had its roots in Babylon. The religious life of Rome was dominated by a hierarchy of priests who led the people in pagan idolatry. Behind the priests ruled wicked religious spirits, appointed to their tasks by Lucifer himself. These were the same spirits that had once operated in ancient Babylon when that was a political power.

For approximately three centuries, Satan stirred up ten major periods of severe persecution against Christians. Then, early in the 4th century, there was an astonishing turnaround. One Caesar persecuted the church; the next, Constantine, supposedly was converted and joined the church; then one of Constantine's successors in a relatively short time actually made Christianity the exclusive state religion of Rome and persecuted others!

What actually happened was the wholesale invasion of the church by Lucifer and his hosts. The religious demons from Babylon swarmed in, outwardly adopting Christianity. They established under the banner of Christ many doctrines and practices that can only be described as thinly disguised paganism while sucking out the heart of the "Church." Multitudes of pagans were baptized, submitting, not to the authority of Christ, but to the authority of Rome and its official religion.

Over the centuries many daughters have been born to this mother (Rev. 17:5). Despite some promising beginnings, none to date have escaped this Babylonian captivity.

Satan has a great host of wicked spirits with 2000 years of experience in promoting the wide variety of religion operating under the banner of "Christianity" while causing men to sidestep the Lordship of Christ and the new birth.

Demons are real beings with individual personalities and abilities. Some spirits have become adept at being Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, Holiness, etc. -- that is, they promote those forms of religion apart from the true power of Christ.

Some spirits seek out people who are impressed by dignified formal religion with a lot of ritual and ceremony. Others seek those who are intellectual and puffed up with their supposed knowledge while despising the ignorance of others. Other spirits seek out those who crave feelings and experiences.

There are many warnings in the scriptures of religious deception, specially toward the end of the age. Matt. 24:3-5, Matt. 24:23-26, II Peter 2, II Thess. 2:9-12, II Tim. 3:1-8, I John 4:1, II John 7, Rev. 12:12.

I Tim. 4:1-2 says, "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron."

The foundation of spiritual knowledge is expressed in Prov. 1:7. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction."

Man, by nature, does not fear God (Rom. 3:18). He is proud, arrogant, rebellious, self-reliant, presumptious and a long list of similar attributes. Some brands of religion teach their followers a kind of fear of God but it is a fear "taught by the precept of men" (Is. 29:13). This kind of "fear" only produces religious professors who draw nigh to God with their lips but whose hearts are far from Him.

The only fear that is of any value whatsoever is that taught by God himself. Job reached a place where he said to God, "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." Job 42:5-6.

Job was allowed by God to go through a place of deep and heart-rending trial. The Lord waited while Job and his friends tried in vain to use their religious knowledge to explain what had happened to him. Then, at the proper time, the Lord intervened and Job acquired a different kind of knowledge -- a knowledge that only comes when God steps in and reveals Himself in some measure to a human heart.

This kind of revelation isn't necessarily a phenomenal experience. Most often it is simply an inward awareness that there is a God who is great and over all and that we are small, weak, ignorant and needy before Him.

Such knowledge comes only from God Himself and creates a fear -- a deep respect for this great Being that works to restrain our sinful presumption. It is not salvation but it is the beginning of true spiritual knowledge that starts God's elect on the road to salvation.

Whenever one of God's elect encounters Him in any measure, there is a corresponding degree of awareness of what we as human beings are in contrast. We are naturally prone to measuring ourselves by other human beings. We are so corrupt that we are even secretly glad at the weakness of others because it feeds the pride that causes us to feel that we are better than they are.

But when we see ourselves in the light of God's greatness, holiness, wisdom, power, etc., our perception changes dramatically. Job said, "I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes." Job 42:6. Isaiah said, "... Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." Is. 6:5.

Sincerely Wrong

Paul is a classic example first of a religious man, then later on of a man who came into possession of true spiritual knowledge. He recounts his religious qualifications in Phil. 3:4-6. It is an impressive list and shows the degree to which he excelled in the religion of the Pharisees.

No one could deny that he was very zealous and sincere. He himself wrote in Rom. 10:2 of those who had a zeal for God but not according to knowledge.

Sincerity is good but it is no guarantee of spiritual success. Suppose a man is traveling along a road that leads to New York. But suppose also that his sincere belief and intention is to go to Chicago. All the sincerity in the world will not alter his destination. If his ignorance and error are not corrected he will most surely arrive in New York if he continues his present course.

This is a picture of most religion. Had God not sovereignly intervened, Paul (or Saul as he was then known) would most certainly have continued on his Pharisaical course. He probably would have perished when Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 A.D. He would have perished certain of his standing before God. But he was wrong!

Are you as zealous and sincere as Saul of Tarsus was? If he could be as sincerely wrong as he was, how do you know you are right?

Dependence Upon God

One of the key truths revealed in the life of Paul is that of the sovereignty of God. Nothing but a sovereign act of God could have stopped Saul. One minute he was a self-righteous, self-confident Pharisee, zealously seeking to stamp out what he thought was heresy against God; the next he was reduced to blindness and utter need.

For three days he waited in darkness for someone sent by the Christ he had formerly hated to come and tell him what to do! What a transformation!

Closely coupled with this truth is the knowledge of our utter and complete dependence upon God. How helpless we are if He does not first make Himself known to us and work with our proud, hard hearts.

Prov. 16:5 says, "Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord..." God has seen to it that we all occupy the place of blind, helpless, needy sinners totally dependent on His grace. There is no room for boasting. Rom. 3:27. Eph. 2:8-9.

If anyone is "in Christ" it is because God has taken the initiative. There is no room for "flesh" to glory in God's presence. I Cor. 1:27-31.

In John 5:30, Jesus said, "I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me." How is it that so many religious people today are so sure of themselves? What kind of a spirit is it that produces such presumption?

The only reasonable place for us is one of humility and submission before a great and holy God before whom we will one day stand and give an account. "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." James 4:6.

I Cor. 8:2 says, "And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know." There is no room for being cocksure and complacent in God.

One key ingredient of true spiritual knowledge is the keen awareness that we are helpless undeserving sinners. We have touched on this but it needs further emphasis.

When any human being truly encounters God and is allowed to "see" Him in any measure as He is, that person also sees himself for what he is. Job abhored himself. Isaiah saw himself and all his people as "unclean."

When Jesus revealed himself to Peter and his fellow fishermen in a miraculous fish catch, Peter's response is described in Luke 5:8: "When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord."

As surely as we are utterly dependent upon God for spiritual knowledge, so are we dependent upon God for our righteousness. Any approach to God based on any righteousness we might think we possess is wasted effort. God has no respect for any man who imagines that he is acceptable and qualified to approach Him through anything he is, or anything he has done, is doing or intends to do. Read Luke 18:9-14 about the Pharisee and Publican who went to the temple to pray.

What Kind of Man?

God desires to reveal Himself and to enter into a relationship with men, but He is looking for a certain kind of man. Is. 66:2 says, "... but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word." See also Is. 57:15.

Jesus said in Matt. 18:3, "And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." Most men are far too proud to take the place of a child before God. Yet, in reality, what are we before His greatness?

Read Solomon's prayer for wisdom (I Kings 3:6-9). In particular he said in verse 7, "...I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in." That is a good place to occupy.

False religious knowledge produces evil fruit in all who are influenced by it in any measure -- even God's elect. That fruit includes such things as pride, presumption, complacency, spirits of division, zeal, ambition and other such things.

It's good if we can say from our hearts, "Lord, I don't know anything as I ought to know it and I'm totally dependent upon you. I desire to know what you want me to know, whatever will bring glory to you and help to fulfill your sovereign will in my life."

Central Key

The central key to all spiritual knowledge is set forth in Matt. 16:13-20. Jesus first asked his disciples, "Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?" They responded, "Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets."

Then Jesus wanted to know what they thought. Peter's answer is recorded in verse 16: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."

In verse 17 Jesus highlighted the difference between Peter's understanding and that of men in general. Peter was a blessed man because God Himself had revealed it to him. The alternative source of "revelation" was flesh and blood -- the opinions and ideas of men.

This difference is critical because revelation is the rock upon which Christ is building his church (vs. 18). It is the only foundation that will stand. All else is shifting sand that can only lead to spiritual ruin in the end (Lk. 6:46-49).

For any communication of knowledge to qualify as revelation there must be a personal active present tense involvement by God Himself.

Man in his natural state knows nothing about God nor does he care. All he cares about is following his natural inclinations and seeking to gratify his natural desires. Rom. 3:9-18. I John 2:15-17. All that he is and knows and does is corrupted by sin and spiritual blindness. II Cor. 4:3-4. He calls evil good and good evil. Is. 5:20.

No man ever comes into possession of spiritual knowledge without divine revealtion, the direct personal intervention of God. I Cor. 2:9-14.

This is the reason men respond differently to the gospel. In John 6:44-45 Jesus said, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me." The natural man hates this truth because he is a rebel, but it is the truth nonetheless.

Jesus was certainly God's voice to his generation. The only ones able to recognize him and receive his ministry were those sovereignly prepared by God.

In Jesus' day the primary means God used to prepare men for Christ was the ministry of John the Baptist. Luke 1:17. Luke 3:3-6. The effect of John's ministry on those who heard Jesus is noted in Luke 7:29-30: "And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him."

In general, the work of God to prepare men's hearts is as varied as are those who experience that work. Even among God's elect we differ one from another as does God's purpose and plan for each individual.

In broad terms, however, this work is one of revelation -- God making Himself known in some measure perhaps through the creation, or in some experience, or in someone who has Christ in them. There may be exposure, perhaps as a child, to some anointed ministry of the word that makes a lasting impression upon the heart, an awareness of God.

It is not the circumstances themselves that bring about this awareness, however. Two people could travel life's road side by side and experience similar things yet one be softened and prepared for the gospel and the other untouched or even hardened.

Jacob and Esau were brothers -- they had the same environment, the same father and mother -- yet see how differently they turned out. Though Jacob was by nature a schemer, yet God brought him to a place where he became Israel, a prince of God (Gen. 32:28).

Esau was a profane man, interested solely in what his flesh needed and desired. He saw no real value in his birthright. He totally missed the spiritual significance of being heir to Abraham and Isaac. Even when he realized he had lost out and begged for his father's blessing, I doubt he understood what he had lost. He saw only the natural blessing of being heir to a wealthy man. Gen. 27:34. Heb. 12:16-17.

God has, down through the ages, similarly separated men and women unto himself, revealing Himself by various means -- according to His own schedule -- that their hearts might be made ready to receive the King, who died and rose again that we might live and reign with him forever! Hallelujah!

Seeing the Kingdom

One thing needs to be made clear, however. Unless a man is born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God (John 3:3). Even one prepared of God is still a natural man until he experiences the new birth. I Cor. 2:14 says, "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

He may be around a true ministry of the word. He may be able, through his natural intellect, to grasp in a measure many of the ideas and teachings that pertain to God's kingdom and its citizens. He may even seem to be able to put them into words in such a way that you would think he truly understood. Yet, unless he is born again, such a religious profession -- in reality a religious effort -- is in vain. Like the house built upon the sand it may appear to be very solid and impressive, but let just the right conditions arise and it will be evident that the necessary foundation is lacking. The house will fall and the ruin will be great (Luke 6:49).

No religious "house" will succeed that is built upon that which is merely human. No amount of intellect, will power, zeal, resolve, self-righteousness or human effort of any kind will avail.

(Psa 94:17 KJV)  Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.

(Ps(Gal 4:11 KJV)  I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

a 127:1 KJV)  Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

(Isa 65:23 KJV)  They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.

(Isa 65:24 KJV)  And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

Luke 13:24 makes it obvious that that is the case: "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able."

Multitudes are putting forth a religious effort of some kind believing that they can thereby be acceptable to God. Paul spoke in Rom. 10:2-3 of his fellow Jews: "For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."

If the fear of God is the beginning of spiritual knowledge and a work of separation and preparation is a necessary part of the foundation, then the new birth is the door. Only after we pass through that door do we begin to see God's Kingdom as it truly is -- and even then, seeing is a process.

This is why Jesus stressed the need of those who professed belief to become disciples -- learners -- thereby coming into possession of truth that would make them free. John 8:31-32. In reality many of them were children of the devil (John 8:44).

Receiving Christ

John said this of Jesus in John 1:11-13: "He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

This truth is greatly misunderstood in our day. The modern concept of "receiving Christ" as praying a little prayer to Jesus in the sky to invite Him into one's heart fits in well with the easy-believism that has filled churches with lost men and women who know nothing of the new birth. Make no mistake, however -- there is no new birth unless Christ, by the Spirit, takes up both residence and possession of our hearts.

The tragedy in our day is that most religious conversion has nothing to do with Christ, but is an empty form devoid of spiritual reality. It has a form of godliness but denies (or resists) the power thereof. II Tim. 3:5.

First I rightfully still do not endorse any Christians adds, anyone, any person, any organization, any Church  now trying to make any money from  the gospel, or begging, asking for money or even  any of the adds here.  I also do not endorse any of  Bibles, books, tapes listed here for sale too. Jesus said as we have freely received so we are freely to give. Hirelings in their greed and visible lack of faith don't do that. I do believe we should have the faith for God to supply what anyone needs  freely to anyone who needs it


 

God's Authority

The focus in John 1:12 is on obtaining the "power" or right or privilege of becoming a son of God. A "right" is a legal privilege that is granted by rightful authority.

God Himself is the only true authority in the universe and only that which flows from Him and is in accord with His Sovereign will constitutes rightful authority.

This great God has placed all authority into the hands of His Son, Jesus Christ, who said, "All power" (authority) "is given unto me in heaven and in earth." Matt. 28:18. The relationship is such that what the Son does perfectly represents and is fully backed up by the Father. Reject Christ and you reject God. It's that simple.

Phil. 2:9-11 says, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

No one can bypass the Son and get to God. John 14:6. He alone has the commission from the Father to establish a kingdom that will last forever. Isaiah 9:7 says, "Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this."

Daniel 7:13-14 says, "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the  Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed."

Religious Authority

The Jews' religion of Jesus' day had long since degenerated into a dead form, full of tradition that made of none effect the word of God. Matt. 15:3-9.

Although they could trace their roots to God's revelation through Moses, any authority God might have exercised over them had been long rejected. Their religion was firmly in their own hands. Authority was vested in the Sanhedrin, a high council of 71 members consisting of chief priests, elders and teachers of the law.

Over the centuries, religious leaders had attempted, without inspiration, to interpret and apply the law of Moses to different situations, resulting in a great body of tradition. When a question arose, they resorted, not to the law itself, sincerely desiring to be guided in their understanding by God, but to their traditional interpretations. It was a lot like a modern judge who searches out a legal precedent established by some prior case and then makes his decision accordingly.

There existed among the Jews more than one brand (or denomination!) of religion. They had their conservative, bible-believing fundamentalists -- the Pharisees. Paul grew up as a Pharisee. Their focus -- though badly corrupted by tradition -- was on scrupulous adherence to the letter of the law. If someone deviated in the least from their concept  of observing the law he was in trouble. Matt. 15:1-2.

Another sect was the Sadducees (Acts 23:7-8), the "liberals" of their day, who didn't believe in the supernatural or life after death but focussed their attention on social and political issues.

Another sect, though not mentioned in the Bible, were the Essenes, who mostly lived apart from Jewish society as a whole in very secretive communes. Their traditions involved a very strict code of conduct, perhaps cultlike in their concept of observing the law. Few married and their membership depended mostly on new converts.

Of course there were the political zealots who were mainly concerned with throwing off the shackles of Rome by any means possible.

It's not difficult to relate these religious variations to similar groups and religious types throughout history, including the present day.

Although they varied among themselves, one thing they shared in common was that they despised and rejected any authority that truly represented God. In Luke 20:2, the Jewish leaders wanted to know by what authority Jesus did the things he did. Their question led to the parable of the vineyard (verses 9-18). Jesus perfectly pictured the actions of the custodians of Jewish religion over the centuries in consistently rejecting anyone sent of God.

Hear the ringing indictment of Stephen before the Sanhedrin in Acts 7:51-53: "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it."

Hear also the words of Jesus in Matt. 23:37-38: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate."

Notice that Jesus said, "How often would I have gathered ...." Christ was the One who spoke to Abraham, who raised up Moses, who led the Israelites to Canaan, who anointed and sent the prophets. He was the Rock that followed them in the wilderness (I Cor. 10:4). Now present among them in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, He was about to be crucified.

Spiritual blindness had resulted in the Jewish leaders rejecting the authority of Christ and bringing judgment upon themselves and their followers. I Thess. 2:14-16.

Christ has the authority of God. It is not for Him to bow to us; it is for us to bow to Him. He is either Lord of all or not Lord at all. Jesus said in Luke 6:46, "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"

In one sense the Jewish leaders recognized the need for authority in religion but the authority in their religion was firmly in human hands. When Saul set out for Damascus he had letters from the council authorizing him to stamp out the new heresy. Their authority was used at every opportunity to oppose God's authority manifest in the anointing .

Those Christ Sends

We're speaking of receiving Christ. Jesus said in John 13:20, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me." Here Jesus describes a chain of authority that reaches all the way to God's throne.

It is evident here that "receiving Christ" was not some mystical thing but rather was a matter of receiving a fellow human being as an authorized representative of God, sent to proclaim His words. Peter, because it was revealed to him, saw Jesus as "the Christ, the Son of the Living God," (Matt. 16:16) and he recognized that Jesus had "the words of eternal life" (John 6:68).

Paul wrote to the Galatians referring to the time when he came to them with the gospel and said, "ye ... received me as an angel of God, even as Jesus Christ." Gal. 4:14. "Angel" means messenger. Obviously they had received Paul, yet not just as Paul, but as one sent by God to officially represent Jesus Christ. Did they thereby receive Christ? Yes!

It was exactly the same as if Jesus of Nazareth Himself had come to them and they had received Him as God's messenger. The Word of reconciliation had been committed to Paul (II Cor. 5:18-20).

At the end of Jesus' lament over Jerusalem he said, "Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." Coming in His name means having His authority, officially representing Him.

This is easily illustrated by the way earthly nations conduct their affairs. Nations are represented by ambassadors, who have authority to speak for their respective nations. In addition there are other officials in the embassy or perhaps in a consulate who have various levels of authority under the ambassador. To despise the ambassador is to despise the nation he represents.

Suppose for a moment that there is a nation called Paradise that is ruled over by a king. Suppose also that you have a great desire to go there. How would you proceed?

You might -- in great presumption -- simply travel to Paradise and seek to enter without a visa -- the proper authorization. If you did, it is certain that you would be turned away. You would be like the man who came to the wedding without the proper wedding garment in Matt. 22:11-14.

You might take the attitude, "I'll deal only with the King." How far would you get with that approach? You would in reality be rejecting the King's authority which has been given to embassy officials to help those desiring to go to his country.

Jesus said to his disciples in Luke 10:16, "He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me." It's not a good idea to hastily reject a ministry: how do you know God hasn't sent him? Reject one sent by Christ and you reject Christ and, in turn, God Himself.

The King of Paradise has a way he conducts business. If you want to go there, it is absolutely necessary that you bow to his authority even in the matter of obtaining a visa to come.

No Other Way

You could, of course, attempt to bypass all authority and enter Paradise illegally. In John 10:9 Jesus referred to himself as the door to the sheepfold of salvation. In verse 1 of that chapter he said, "He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber."

The key phrase there is "some other way." Of course there is no other way that will avail, but multitudes in spiritual blindness have sought to enter the kingdom of God some other way than by seeing and hearing and bowing to Christ's authority given to those He has sent.

If you want to go to Paradise you must go to the embassy or to a consulate and do what they tell you to. They would assign a certain official to your case and he alone would represent the entire Kingdom of Paradise so far as you're concerned.

There might be other officials with similar authority assigned to other cases but you would have to submit your case to the one assigned to you. You couldn't say, "I don't particularly like this man," and go off down the hall in search of an official more to your liking. It's not your choice.

If you wish to go to Paradise you must submit yourself to the authority of the King and do things his way, even down to the matter of who in particular is to represent him to you. If you cannot submit yourself to the King in a small matter such as this, why should he expect you to recognize his authority in any other matter? Should he fling open the gates of Paradise and fill his kingdom with rebels?

Ananias was specifically assigned to the case of Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:10-18). Saul didn't have the option of picking "the church of his choice" or the minister that suited his personal taste. Had he rejected Ananias he would have been rejecting the Christ who had sent him.

Cornelius had been prepared by God for salvation and was doing all he knew to do. However, when it came time for him to be born into God's kingdom, he was told that Peter had been assigned to his case (Acts 10:1-6).

The Ethiopian Eunuch had a ready heart and was reading the scriptures with a desire to understand yet it was necessary for the Lord to specifically send Philip to help him (Acts 8:26-40).

If any of these matters were in our hands then God would be bowing down to us and submitting Himself to our authority. Coming to God is not a matter of compromise and negotiation but of an unconditional surrender.

Do you see the picture? In order to obtain the visa (the power to become a son of God) you must recognize (receive) the official who represents the king.

God's Authority in Action

The authority of God is expressed by the anointing. The word "Christ" means "anointed." Had the Jews been listening, Jesus told them on more than one occasion where his authority came from. In Luke 4:18-19, Jesus said, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord."

He was in Nazareth where he had grown up. He was in the synagogue reading from the old testament, something he had obviously done many times before. Though he was the Son of God, yet his reading of the scriptures had never before provoked any unusual reaction. This time was very different. Something had happened to him since the last time he had attended their synagogue.

For 30 years Jesus had been waiting on his Father for the time for his ministry to begin. He knew he needed God's Spirit to be with him if he were to accomplish the Father's purpose in sending him to earth. He had emptied himself and was a man, powerless to do the work of God in himself (Phil. 2:7-8, John 5:19, 30).

When the time came, God had an anointed servant in the earth named John the Baptist. Jesus came and submitted himself to God's authority expressed through John and was baptized. As he came up out of the water the anointing came upon him like a dove as the Father testifed from heaven, "Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Mark 1:11.

Jesus was then led into the wilderness for 40 days of testing and trial during which he overcame physical weakness as well as the direct assault of the devil through temptation.

It was shortly after this that his visit to the synagogue in Nazareth took place. Although these people had known Jesus for most of his life and although he had read the scriptures many times before, this time there was a major difference -- this time he spoke with divine authority. His words had such a powerful effect that these good religious people were ready to kill him (Lk. 4:28-29).

They fit the description in Isaiah 29:13 of people who drew near to God with their lips but whose hearts were far from Him. Words -- even the scriptures themselves -- had no real effect upon them. It took the anointing to expose the true condition of their hearts.

Heb. 4:12 says, "For the word of God is quick," (living) "and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

One thing Jesus said was most telling: "... he hath anointed me to preach the gospel ..." (Lk. 4:18). I wonder why Jesus hadn't tried to preach the gospel before!  Think about it! In spite of the fact that he was the virgin-born Son of God and was both knowledgable and sincere, he lived the life of an obscure carpenter till his baptism! I wonder why Jesus instructed the disciples to "tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." Luke 24:49. Could it be that the anointing is necessary in order to preach the gospel?

How Shall They Preach?

Hebrews 5:4 sets forth a principle of ministry: "And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron." Paul posed the question, "And how shall they preach, except they be sent?" Rom. 10:15. Do you suppose that being sent by a denomination is the same thing as being sent by Christ?

There is a great difference between having Christ's authority to do a thing and trying to do it without that authority. In Acts 19 there was a chief priest among the Jews names Sceva. He had seven sons who evidently had observed Paul's authority over evil spirits through the Name of Jesus and thought they would use his method. Before the man with the evil spirit beat them up and chased them away the spirit said to them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?" Acts 19:15. It certainly wasn't Paul's method that enabled him to succeed. Devils recognize and fear those who have authority from Christ.

Men who undertake to preach the gospel without Christ's anointing are no more effective than were the seven sons of Sceva. Their followers may appear religious but they are not citizens of God's kingdom.

Back to the kingdom of Paradise. Suppose that, along with the handful of genuine officials able to grant visas, other men begin to think that it would be a good thing to recruit people to go to Paradise. They might even be sons and grandsons of men who have had real authority, yet they themselves have never been properly commissioned.

In process of time imagine that many groups arise each claiming to have a special arrangement with the King to grant visas. These groups develop conflicting ideas about Paradise and the proper procedure for going there. Nevertheless they zealously plunge ahead giving out official-looking documents right and left, competing with one another for followers.

It becomes very confusing for anyone desiring to go to Paradise. For every official giving out genuine visas, there are many more giving out counferfeit ones, yet, how does one tell the difference?

Do you see, at least in a small measure, where we are at in religion today? Many groups can point back to someone who was genuinely anointed of God. Yet, what they have today bears little resemblance to their beginning. What has happened is that men have learned the words and methods and have employed them without the anointing. The will and leadership of men -- often inspired by religious spirits -- have been substituted for the active practical leadership of Christ, the Head. Christ has been reduced to a mere figurehead with no real authority or influence over what is done in His Name. The only possible result is Babylon -- confusion. Such religious "houses" wind up the same way the Jews' did -- desolate.

Prophesying in Part

There is a principle that seems to be overlooked by almost everyone. In I Cor. 13:9 Paul said, "... we prophesy in part." There are two reasons for this. One is expressed in Prov. 4:18, "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." In other words, the revelation of truth is progressive.

Just because we have the Bible doesn't mean we have all the truth at our disposal. The truth contained in the written word must be "opened" or revealed by Christ if we are to understand it and benefit. All the study in the world will not take the place of Christ opening the book and ministering living anointed truth suited to the time and need.

Daniel, as great a man of God as he was, was told to shut up the words and seal the book till the time of the end. Daniel 12:4.

The ministry many look back to didn't have all of the truth. In the first place it wasn't time for some things to be revealed. In the second place only Christ has the authority to "open the book" (Rev. 5:1-5) and His use of that authority is governed by the time and by the particular ministry in question. Not every ministry is the same. This is the second reason why we "prophesy in part."

There may be a particular need in a certain place and a certain time. Christ may send a particular ministry with a special anointing to meet that need. They may give out some things they receive from Christ by revelation pertinent to the need, yet give out other things received by tradition. Whole denominations have sprung from the partial understanding of a genuine ministry from Christ.

In time all that is left of the genuine truth that was revealed is nothing more than a shell, devoid of life and power. What really holds sway is a great mountain of tradition that arises. Satan has nothing to fear from such religion. In truth it serves his purposes quite well. Multitudes of its followers are deluded that they have a "visa to Paradise" when, in reality, they are bound for the lake of fire. At best there may be a tiny remnant of those who, by God's grace have genuinely encountered Christ in the anointing and have come to know Him.

Another thing that adds to the religious confusion is the multitude of independent souls who are deluded into thinking they have a direct line to the King and don't need anyone else. They gather such information as is available from books and personal contacts and experiences and throw it into a pot with their own ideas and desires and cook up their own private brand of religion.

Their belief that they are in personal contact with the King effectively keeps them from recognizing and receiving anyone the King has truly sent. They draw up their own visa in accordance with what they believe are the King's instructions and desires.

In reality our world is filled with wicked spirits whose job it is to impersonate the King and delude souls who do not from their hearts desire to submit to the authority of the King and do things His way.

In this natural illustration it is easy to see how multitudes, including would-be officials, could turn up at the gate of Paradise expecting to gain entrance only to be turned away. Matt. 7:21-23.

http://www.midcry.org/howknow1.htm  ( Please do go to this site to read this free book in full)

(Jer 9:23 KJV)  Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: 24  But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD. 25  Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised;
 
(Phil 3:7 KJV)  But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8   Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9   And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10   That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
 
Did you not find it really surprising that Joseph own brothers hated him, tried to kill him, cast him out? and so did even strangers, other persons.. I still often do..
 
Let's be clear,  false Pride in Self cause many people to do wrong, sinful things.. and it even makes them wrongfully think they are doing God's will, serving God but in reality they are serving the devil.
 
 (Gen 39:7 KJV)  And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. 8  But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; 9  There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? 10  And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. 11  And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within. 12  And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out. 13  And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, 14  That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice:  15  And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out. 16  And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home. 17  And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me: 18  And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out. 19  And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled. 20  And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison. 21  But the LORD was with Joseph, and showed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

(Jer 12:6 KJV)  For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea, they have called a multitude after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee.


Why is it that so many persons who preach it to others do not practice it firstly themselves?  Personal repentance included? So why is it they cannot change themselves? They are evidently are unwilling to do so. I  too have also often wondered why so many Christians, even pastors  that I have met do not continue with the Lord, and they clearly also do not love other persons.. for  sadly too many even professing Christians have still even now made their the acquisition, pursuit of money, the false love for all of the things that money can buy,  as their false idol, and one of their false goal in life, and as a result they now personally  do not really have love for God, love for his people or love for others... and this is still really unacceptable to God.
 
(1 Tim 6:10 KJV)  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
 
(Gal 6:7 KJV)  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
 
Do you really think there is such a thing as a little bit pregnant, a little bit sin being allowed now especially for pastors? when you see even  their sins of abuses of others you clearly are still just seeing  the tip of the iceberg. It is an indication of idols in their own life that they are unwilling to give up.
 
I often also do get hated, persecuted by professing religious Christians, pastors, elders too  with their false sinful pride too who do not want to accept all of God's truths even about themselves..
 
(Rom 12:1 KJV)  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. 2  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. 3   For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
 
(Isa 1:13 KJV)  Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. 14  Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. 15  And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. 16  Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; 17  Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. 18  Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

 
(Psa 119:69 KJV)  The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart.
 
(James 4:1 KJV)  From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?2  Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3  Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 4   Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 5   Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
 
(Micah 7:6 KJV)  For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house. 7   Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. 8  Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.9  I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.10  Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the LORD thy God? mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets. 36  And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. 37  He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.38  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. 40  He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. 41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. 42  And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
 
(Luke 12:15 KJV)  And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
 
(Prov 29:23 KJV)  A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.
 
(Isa 66:1 KJV)  Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? 2  For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
 
(Isa 66:4 KJV)  I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.
 
(John 16:2 KJV)  They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. 3   And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
 
(Mat 10:22 KJV)  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
 
(Mat 24:9 KJV)  Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
 
(Mat 26:31 KJV)  Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
 
(Mat 10:17 KJV)  But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
 
(Mark 13:9 KJV)  But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.
 
(Mark 13:13 KJV)  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
 
(John 3:20 KJV)  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
 
(John 15:19 KJV)  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
 
(John 15:20 KJV)  Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.21  But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin. 23  He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
 
(1 John 2:9 KJV)  He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 10   He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. 11  But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
 
(1 John 4:20 KJV)  If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21  And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
 
(Isa 66:5 KJV)  Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.
 
(Isa 66:6 KJV)  A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth recompense to his enemies.
 
(Isa 66:14 KJV)  And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.
 
(Isa 66:15 KJV)  For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
 
(Isa 66:16 KJV)  For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.
 
(Rom 3:12 KJV)  They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.13   Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14  Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15  Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16  Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17  And the way of peace have they not known: 18  There is no fear of God before their eyes.
 
(Isa 10:1 KJV)  Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed; 2  To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless! 3   And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory? 4  Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
 
(Jer 5:10 KJV)  Go ye up upon her walls, and destroy; but make not a full end: take away her battlements; for they are not the LORD'S. 11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith the LORD. 12  They have belied the LORD, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine: 13 And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them.
 
(Isa 66:17 KJV)  They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD.
 
(Ezek 23:29 KJV)  And they shall deal with thee hatefully, and shall take away all thy labour, and shall leave thee naked and bare: and the nakedness of thy whoredoms shall be discovered, both thy lewdness and thy whoredoms. 30  I will do these things unto thee, because thou hast gone a whoring after the heathen, and because thou art polluted with their idols.
 
(Zep 3:11 KJV)  In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.12 I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD. 13  The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
 
(Isa 66:24 KJV)  And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.
 
(Prov 25:4 KJV)  Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.
 
(Prov 25:5 KJV)  Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
 
(Amos 5:10 KJV)  They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.
 
I remember once telling God how some professing Christians, people tried to physically kill me, and God replied.. but I did not let that happen, I spared your life, I protected you.. anyway you did not shed any blood.. (Heb 12:4 KJV)  Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 

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(Rev 19:10 KJV)  And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.