Jacob The Heel Catcher - Spiritual Adultery

[MessageOfTheCross]

The Miracle of God’s Word

Proverbs 28:18
Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: but he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once.

We know the Word of God is very clear concerning salvation, even as we read about Cornelius who wanted to serve God, but God will not allow anyone to serve Him in Righteousness without coming to Him through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. Walking upright can only take place as the child of God maintains His faith in what made him upright before God to begin with.

Everyone is either walking upright before the Lord through faith in Christ and His atoning work, or they are walking in that which is perverted, and therefore will fall and continue to fall until the object of faith is correct. The promise from the Lord is that if we maintain our faith in Christ and His work at the cross that we will never fall (2 Peter 1:10). Glory to God and the Lamb forever!!

Seeking God in His Word and experiencing Him through faith in the sacrifice of Christ!

Pastor Curtis

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

Your Word for Today

“Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as you have us for an example. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the Cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) [Phil. 3:17-19].

Whoever these individuals were, the Apostle concluded them to be “enemies of the Cross of Christ.” He didn’t say “enemies of Christ,” but rather “enemies of the Cross of Christ.” He was speaking of the Judaizers, whom he mentioned at the beginning of this Third Chapter of Philippians.

The Judaizers were Jews who had accepted Christ as the Messiah, but who also insisted that all Believers, both Jews and Gentiles, had to keep the Law. As such, their emphasis was on the law, and not at all on the Cross of Christ. Regrettably, the problem didn’t die with the Judaizers. In fact, it is the problem that plagues the Church even unto this hour.

Anyone who purposely makes something other than the Cross of Christ the Object of his Faith, no matter who that person might be, can be concluded to be none other than an “enemy of the Cross of Christ.” All Salvation is found in the Cross; all Victory is found in the Cross; all Power is found in the Cross; all overcoming Glory is found in the Cross; all healing is found in the Cross; all Life is found in the Cross. Anything and everything that we receive from the Lord actually comes to us exclusively from Christ as the Source and the Cross as the means, with the Holy Spirit superintending all that is done.

How much of the modern Church would have to be concluded to be “enemies of the Cross of Christ”? I’m afraid that almost all would fall into that category. Through the Apostle, the Holy Spirit says four things about such Preachers and people, which are:

1. “Whose end is destruction”: If the Cross of Christ is rejected, ignored, or given a secondary position, then destruction is the only conclusion, inasmuch as the Cross Christ alone stands between men and Hell. If we reject the Cross, we have, at the same time, rejected Christ.

2. “Whose God is their belly”: This refers to the fact that they are concerned about material things, and material things alone.

3. “Whose glory is in their shame”: The material things they seek, God labels as “shame.”

4. “Who mind Earthly things”: This means they have no interest in Heavenly things; they are merely using the Lord for their own personal gain.

Let us say it again:

If anyone rejects the Cross, they have, at the same time, rejected Christ!“

— Donnie Swaggart (taken from the “Word for Every Day”)
Donnie Swaggart

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=430223604581059

Evangelist Torrance Nash Ministries

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

Bread Crumbs “A Broken Vessel”

One of the major keys to becoming a true Christian is to remain "broken" before the Lord. Being broken is a heart attitude that allows God to mold the individual into the vessel that God desires to make of them. It incorporates an attitude that allows the individual to remain pliable and teachable. It is an attitude that permits needful corrections to take place. All the above attributes are scorned by the world's system and sadly, today's modern church has developed this same attitude towards brokenness and humility. They see humility as weakness and they view meekness as an absence of strength. However, God views brokenness as an asset. If you really care about what God desires for you, you must develop the areas of your life that He demands be changed. You are to be the clay in His hands and you must allow Him to do with you as He wishes. Only those who are broken before the Lord will be used to their full capacity. If you are willing to let God mold you as He sees fit, then yield to the Spirit’s wooing. Thanks to the Cross of Christ, He is here to do the work. It won’t necessarily be easy, but it sure will be worth it!

Jeremiah 18:6 - O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.

Pastor Loren Larson
Loren Larson Ministries

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

The Miracle of God’s Word

Proverbs 28:19
He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.

We sow, we reap. We till and plant, we have plenty. We ignore our part, we find ourselves in poverty. God says if a man doesn’t work that He shouldn’t eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10). God calls this walking disorderly (2 Thessalonians 3:11).

Here we also see that the reason folks walk disorderly is because they are following after vain persons, which refers to empty and worthless. When we allow the gospel of Jesus Christ to penetrate our dark and rebellious hearts through faith in Him and His work at the cross, we will see that which is vain, empty and worthless departing from our lives. When the vain goes, the gain comes!

Seeking God in His Word and experiencing Him through faith in the sacrifice of Christ!

Pastor Curtis

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

Your Word for Today

“Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice (Phil. 4:4).

Paul here gives his teaching on emotional well-being. It is:

1. “Rejoice in the Lord always”: This means that in our heart of hearts there is to be continuous praise to the Lord because He has done so much for us. He didn’t say here that we should rejoice only when things go well, but “always.” That means we should rejoice, even when we don’t feel like rejoicing.

2. “Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand”: The idea is, we aren’t greedily grasping after things. Why not? The Rapture will soon take place. In the light of eternity, that is literally true.

3. “Be careful for nothing”: This simply means, “Don’t worry about anything.”

4. “But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God”: The cure for worry is believing prayer. “Supplication” refers to telling the Lord what we need and then “thanking Him” for all He has done for us. When we make our requests known to the Lord, we are talking to Someone Who is able to do all things. When we seek the help that men can give, we then get the help that they can give, which is mostly nothing. When we seek the help that God can give, He can do all things.

5. “The Peace of God shall keep us”: This is “Sanctifying Peace,” which can come to the Believer only as the Believer places his faith exclusively in Christ and the Cross. We then have a peace which “passes all understanding,” which means that it is “beyond the pale of human comprehension.” If we do this which the Holy Spirit here through the Apostle is telling us to do, it will “keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” As we constantly state, Christ is the Source, while the Cross is the means.

6. Finally, he tells us that we should think on things which are “true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of a good report, virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

All of these things can be done, providing the Cross is the Object of our Faith, which then gives the Holy Spirit latitude to help us, without Whose help nothing can be done. These exhortations are God’s prescription, as stated, for emotional well-being.“

— Donnie Swaggart (taken from the “Word for Every Day”)
Donnie Swaggart

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

Jacob, The Heel-Catcher!

In so many ways the life of Jacob mirrors our lives. His story teaches and gives us a vivid picture of progressive Sanctification. Jacob loved the Lord, but tried to attain the things of God by trusting in his own ability. He was a trickster, deceiver, and supplanter. But when left alone with God, it was God who called him a Prince and that he was no longer a trickster! Only God can change a man in this way!

All of Jacob’s life for the most part, was marked by deception, scheming for himself, and him living by means of trusting in his own strength to attain the things of God. He loved God, and wanted the things of God, but the manner in which he went about to get those things was wrong. The scripture tells us that Jacob was left alone. A man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. This was God, and it was at this time that Jacob met face to face with the one who could change him. Jacob fought hard, and wouldn’t give much ground, which in essence teaches us the painful lesson that the flesh doesn’t die easily. So, God touched the hollow of Jacobs thigh, and his hip was out of joint so he could no longer wrestle, but now he grasps for dear life and clings to God. This is the position he, as well as all of us should be in, clinging to the Lord and depending upon him. God demands that Jacob admit who and what he is, and finally, with tears, clinging to God, Jacob admits that he’s the heel-catcher, and it was there that his life would never be the same again!

The truth is, we have to learn this all important lesson that we cannot accomplish anything for the Lord by trusting in our own flesh or strength. Jesus died on the cross to liberate us from the world, flesh and the devil, and all that we need he paid for it. Because of that finished work, The Holy Spirit can take up permanent residence within our hearts and help us to live this life. We must all come to the place of complete surrender, trusting in the Lord Jesus and what he’s done, and not trust in our own strength! So, God took this heel-catcher, and changed him to a prince.

Genesis 32:24
"And Jacob was left alone, and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day."

Evangelist Torrance Nash
Evangelist Torrance Nash Ministries

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=437375943586408

Evangelist Torrance Nash Ministries

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2489310018007691

Evangelist Torrance Nash Ministries

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

Bread Crumbs “The Sign Seekers”

Jesus taught that people who sought after a sign were doing so from the content of an evil heart. The believer, one who is right with God, is made righteous by faith and faith alone. He or she has believed in something they cannot see. In Romans 10 Paul says that “faith cometh by hearing” not by seeing. When we hear the good news of the gospel, God reveals to our heart our need, and as He reveals His Son Jesus Christ as the Savior, we make a choice to believe. A person that demands to see a sign before believing is not operating by faith but by the use of his natural senses. These are refusing to be convinced by the Word of God and through the moving of the Holy Spirit. This person demands confirmation and requires that God prove His Word by giving a visible or tangible sign. This does not describe a heart that trusts in what God chooses to reveal. We are to walk by faith and not by sight. There is coming a day when what we believe will be clearly seen by all the world. But until that day, we are to seek after the sign giver, and not just a sign.

Luke 11:29 - And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.

Pastor Loren Larson
Loren Larson Ministries

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

The Miracle of God’s Word

Proverbs 28:20
A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.

The previous verse speaks of the man that tills his land having plenty of bread, and this verse continues to speak of that faithful man which shall abound with blessings. On the other hand there are those who only hurry to chase every dream to be rich and to live at some level above what is available presently for them to live. God declares that those who chase after riches will not be innocent no matter how it looks today. He knows when we are making excuses as to our efforts and goals.

Faithfulness is making do with the work and the things God has given us presently, being content with those things, and there we will find contentment with godliness instead of constantly striving to chase after riches. This is called covetousness! If we will come back to the place of faith and grace, which is faith in the work of Christ on the cross, we will find our satisfaction in the Lord we have searched for all of our lives.

Proverbs 19:23
The fear of the Lord tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall ABIDE SATISFIED; he shall not be visited with evil.

Seeking God in His Word and experiencing Him through faith in the sacrifice of Christ!

Pastor Curtis

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

Your Word for Today

“Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odor of a sweet smell, a Sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God. But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in Glory by Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:17-19).

The Holy Spirit through Paul here gives us a tremendous truth that is overlooked much of the time.

Paul is in prison in Rome. A man by the name of Epaphroditus had come all the way from Philippi to bring him an offering from the Philippians, a Church founded by Paul. From his terminology, it seems the gift was generous. The Holy Spirit likens this gift as “an odor of a sweet smell,” which had to do with the Levitical Offerings of the Old Testament. When the smoke would go up from those Sacrifices, it was said to be “a sweet savor unto the LORD” (Lev. 1:9).

How could greasy smoke going up from the burning of the carcass of a lamb on an Altar be a “sweet savor unto the LORD”?

It was this to God because that animal sacrifice represented His Only Son, Who would ultimately come to this world, Who would die on a Cross, which would redeem the fallen sons of Adam’s lost race.

Remember, Paul is likening this offering sent by the Philippians to the Cross of Christ. Then he says, “A Sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God,” which refers, first of all, to the Cross being “well-pleasing to God,” and now this monetary offering. The great truth here presented is this:

When we give of our resources to help take this Message of the Cross to a hurting world, the Holy Spirit through Paul tells us that the Lord places such a gift in the same category as His Cross, because for everyone who doesn’t know what Jesus did on the Cross, Jesus’ Death, as it regards that person, was in vain. When we give to help take this Message to a hurting world, we are making it possible for people to hear the greatest story ever told.

That tells us several things:

First of all: If we support any Ministry that is not of the Cross, whatever it is we are supporting, it is not well-pleasing to God. In other words, and to be blunt, you are wasting your money.

Second: The next great truth presented here is that if we support that which truly is of God, and I continue to speak of the Cross, then we have the Promise of the Lord that “He shall supply our need according to His riches in Glory by Christ Jesus.” Otherwise, He won’t!“

— Donnie Swaggart (taken from the “Word for Every Day”)
Donnie Swaggart

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2621913107856944

Evangelist Torrance Nash Ministries

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

Bread Crumbs “God is Not Confused!”

There is never a time in which God finds Himself confronted with a situation that He did not see coming. There is never a time when God is confused. There is never a time when things are not totally under the control of God's Almighty hand. He knows our weaknesses, our idiosyncrasies, our infirmities, our evil tendencies, and every single one of our enemies. He is not overwhelmed! He is not fearful! To be blunt, God has no opponent or adversary that can stand before Him. He is the God of Gods alone and He stands alone, all by Himself. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and ever present. Therefore, based on all these facts the believer should know that God has already seen the pathway out of their dilemma, their confusion, or their hurtful circumstance. He knows the way of safety, the way through every situation. We must not doubt that He is always in control and ready to proceed with His plan. We must lay aside all of our own efforts and trust exclusively in Him. God is not confused even though you and I might be. Follow Him! Then your way will be made plain and your success and victory will be guaranteed.

2 Chronicles 6:14 - And said, O LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth; which keepest covenant, and showest mercy unto thy servants, that walk before thee with all their hearts:

Pastor Loren Larson
Loren Larson Ministries

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

The Miracle of God’s Word

Proverbs 28:21
To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress.

The Word of God declares that to be a respecter of persons is a sin (James 2:9), and whether we like it or agree with it, it has absolutely no effect on this great Truth reaping horrible situations in our lives. The sin of respecting others speaks of being partial to some over others, and the Lord says that in this we will even sin over a piece of bread. Never forget that deception defined is, “I don’t know that I don’t know, but I think I do.”

Discernment for the avoidance of this and all sin is only found in one place. When we are born again through faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins, we are given eyes to see (John 3:3-5), but if we stop looking to, and trusting in, what Christ has done for us on the cross exclusively, we go blind once again (2 Peter 1:9), and discernment is lost. The cross of Christ proves that all men are equally sinners and in need of a Savior, and the cross is level ground for all. I am better than no one and no one is better than me (Psalm 33:15). Glory to the Lamb of God!

Seeking God in His Word and experiencing Him through faith in the sacrifice of Christ!

Pastor Curtis

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

Your Word for Today

“Blotting out the handwriting of Ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His Cross (Col. 2:14).

The “Ordinances” of which Paul speaks here concern the Law of Moses and all its wide concepts, whether ceremonial, civil, or moral.

The Law was against us and contrary to us in the sense that man, due to the Fall, simply was unable to keep its precepts. The Law could show a man what he was, i.e., incapable, but it gave him no power to change the situation. It was like looking into a mirror and seeing what you are, but understanding that the mirror cannot change your appearance.

When Jesus died on the Cross, He satisfied every demand of the broken law, of which every human being was guilty, with the Sacrifice of Himself paying the debt that man owed to God, which man could not pay.

The term, “nailing it to His Cross,” means that it was the Cross and what there transpired which settled the account. Everyone who believes Christ and what He did at the Cross is thereby redeemed from the curse of the Law and given Eternal Life (Jn. 3:16).

There was an old Jewish custom called “possessing the double,” which Paul may have had in mind when he wrote this Verse. The custom pertained to an individual who had gone bankrupt. As such, the individual was required to take a dried animal skin and write on it every debt he owed and to whom it was owed. The skin was then nailed in a public place by the gate of the city, so it could be seen by all.

One can well imagine the humiliation of such proceedings.

Every once in a while, a wealthy benefactor, someone with a charitable heart, would observe these skins of animals nailed to the wall. For whatever reason, the wealthy man might take one down, fold it double, write his name on the back, and then nail it back to the wall. This meant that all the people to whom this particular individual owed money could come see the man whose name was on the doubled over animal skin. All the creditors would be paid in full. This was, as stated, referred to as “possessing the double.”

One can imagine the joy of a person who would be lifted out of bankruptcy by such an action.

Two thousand years ago, when Jesus Christ died on the Cross, He took all of our sins, our terrible indebtedness (and, to be sure, we were completely bankrupt), and doubled over the account so that it no longer could be seen (thus making unseen also the humiliation), and wrote His Name on it, the Lord Jesus Christ, meaning that the debt has now been paid. Then it was nailed to His Cross for all to see.

That’s why the Cross is so important! It was there that the debt was paid, paid by such a price that no one in eternity future will ever be able to say that the price was insufficient.“

— Donnie Swaggart (taken from the “Word for Every Day”)
Donnie Swaggart

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

Bread Crumbs “When the Facts Meet the Truth”

In the believer’s life there are many facts that seem to be prevalent and dominating about our lives. Facts should not be denied or ignored. In our lives, sin is what it is! Sickness is what it is! The fact might be that your marriage is close to being over. The fact might be that your children are not living for God. The fact might be that you do not have enough money to pay the incoming bills. Facts are facts! But the Bible states the Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. Because of His sacrifice on Calvary, Jesus Christ is now able to distribute benefits and to exhibit power on behalf of those who will believe. Every blessing that God bestows upon His people flows through the door opened by Christ's work on the cross. Therefore, we do not need to try to change the facts of our life in our own strength or in our own ability. By faith, we simply present our needs to the Lord. In other words, we are to introduce the facts to the truth. Jesus never changes. Truth never changes. But when the facts meet the Truth, the Truth can change the facts!

Psalm 16:8 - I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

Pastor Loren Larson
Loren Larson Ministries

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

The Miracle of God’s Word

Proverbs 28:22
He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.

Here we see the blindness that cannot be escaped from chasing after that which is sinful in the eyes of God. God says that when we are in a hurry to chase after riches, which refers to that becoming our focus, our eyes have become evil. There are no legitimate excuses for this sin in God’s eyes, and He will make sure that He hastens to perform His Word in our lives whichever direction we choose to go. Scriptures such as Jeremiah 1:12, we always take to ourselves personally concerning the blessings of God, and we should, but never forget that our faithful God is just as faithful to bless when we are trusting in His Word, as He is to bring about the reaping of that which we do not want when we are NOT trusting in His Word.

Only the evil eye will chase after riches, and have no discernment that poverty will come upon him. For the most part the reaping of this poverty will be at the Great White Throne Judgment of the lost as they have lived their lives chasing after riches, and yes even the religious folks who claimed it was always the blessings of God, yet only to be turned into eternal poverty and torment. Come back to the cross of Christ today and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the riches of God’s mercy and grace, for there is an abundance of riches for you now and for all of eternity!

Seeking God in His Word and experiencing Him through faith in the sacrifice of Christ!

Pastor Curtis

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

Your Word for Today

“And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it (Col. 2:15).

We are told in this Passage that Jesus totally and completely defeated Satan and all of his minions of darkness at the Cross.

Just exactly how was this done?

Sin is the legal means by which Satan can hold men in bondage. It’s called “the Law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:2). Satan has a legal right, a right given to him by God, to do what he is doing, as it regards holding men captive, because man has sinned.

What is sin?

“Sin is the transgression of the Law” (I Jn. 3:4).

The Law of God, as given to Moses, was God’s Standard of Righteousness. Morally, it is summed up in the Ten Commandments. So, in some way, sin is the transgression of those Commandments. Regrettably, every human being who has ever lived, other than Jesus Christ, has transgressed the Law, thereby incurring its penalty. That penalty is death (Rom. 6:23).

When Jesus died on the Cross, He atoned for all sin, past, present, and future, at least for all who will believe (Jn. 3:16; Heb. 10:12). When He atoned for all sin, this removed Satan’s legal right to hold man in bondage. Satan’s “right” was sin; with that gone, i.e., the Law of God was satisfied, Satan’s legal right was gone, as well.

If men presently are held in Satanic bondage, it’s because they haven’t availed themselves of what Jesus has done for them at the Cross. They can do so by simply exhibiting Faith in Christ and His Finished Work, which guarantees Eternal Life and Victory in every capacity.

When Jesus atoned for all sin, He not only atoned for acts of sin, but He also addressed the very cause of sin, which is Satan. Sin, with its cause and effect, was, therefore, totally defeated at the Cross. Furthermore, this Victory was heralded all over the spirit world, which means that Satan, every fallen angel, and every demon spirit knows what Jesus did at the Cross, and knows that it spelled their death knell.

Not only did Jesus defeat Satan and his hordes, but also “made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” This carries the idea of a Roman General who had won a great victory. If the victory was great enough, he was given a parade through the middle of Rome. As the cheering crowds thronged the sides of the road, the General rode in a gilded chariot pulled by prancing steeds. Behind the chariot were the kings and military leaders he had defeated in battle, attached to the chariot by a noose around their necks. In humiliation, they stumbled as defeated foes while the people of Rome cheered.

This same connotation is meant to apply to Satan and all his cohorts of darkness. As stated, when Jesus died on the Cross, the entirety of the spirit world knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that Satan was totally and completely defeated. His defeat was totally humiliating, meaning that he was defeated in every capacity. All sin was atoned, leaving him with no legal right to hold one single person in bondage.

The answer is in the Cross, even as the Word of God says. Israel of old was told to look at the brazen serpent on the pole and thereby live. Poor, sinful, wicked man is likewise told to simply look at Christ and what He did at the Cross. If they will believe in their hearts, they are instantly and wondrously saved (Rom. 10:9-10).“

— Donnie Swaggart (taken from the “Word for Every Day”)
Donnie Swaggart

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

Bread Crumbs “The Purpose of the Church”

In today's Church world, the key purpose for the existence of the church seems to have been lost. Jesus clearly gave the marching orders to the church before ascending to His Father in heaven. He said that we were to go into all the world and preach the gospel! He declared that we were to make disciples of the men of all nations! So the primary function of any church should be to reach into the society in which it resides and through the proclamation of the gospel message, bring people into relationship with Jesus Christ. While it is certainly correct and right to do good things for our community, nothing should be a higher priority than evangelism. The proclamation of the Word that takes place both inside and outside of the walls of any church should be the prime concern. It is by the preached Word alone that men can be saved and Christians are built up in Christ. Sadly, many churches have dropped the great commission and have embraced other activities that make them more acceptable to the lost of society. For some this has become the primary purpose, instead of trying to bring the lost into relationship with Christ. Let us not make the great commission the great omission! Preach the gospel!

Matthew 28:19 - Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Pastor Loren Larson