Less Stuff, Less Baggage - pt 1

Matthew 6:19  "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:"

Matthew 6:20  "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:"

Matthew 6:21  "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

You and I both own nothing but our love and service to ALMIGHTY GOD.  Even your talents and gifts belong to GOD as well as your very soul (Eze 18:4).  It's only satan's world system that has people believing they own stuff.  We are just stewards of GOD's gifts and blessings.  He's entrusted you with the responsibility to care over a portion of His wealth and assets, to be used in His service.

We develop and use the gifts and estates to serve our FATHER, to give Him the glory, honour and praise that He rightfully deserves.  GOD is the Original and Inalienable Owner of everything.  And once you fully understand this truth, a nice thick layer of scales will fall from your eyes.

If you take pride in yourself, or what you think you've accomplished with your own hands, you're taking away the glory and credit that belongs to our FATHER.  The more that is given to you, the more is expected from you.  That's the way it works, so don't bother comparing with others, over what you have or don't have.  If anything, the more that you have, the more humble you need to be. 

While you're an administrator of all that GOD has loaned to you for His service, in the flesh life, you're also building up spiritual treasures with good works.  Keep your eyes on the prize, for good works are the treasures that go with you into the eternity.  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 

When you understand stewardship and apply it in your life, you'll be rich, indeed.  Being rich and successful in GOD's blessings and having godliness with contentment are admirable aspirations, that should not be measured using carnal measurements and worldly standards. 

Ecclesiastes 12:6  "Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern."

Ecclesiastes 12:7  "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto GOD who gave it."

When the silver cord is loosed, or the fragile jar, or golden bowl, is broken, your soul departs from the flesh life, and body, and returns unto GOD, who made it.  The flesh body is done away with and returns back to dust, the earth, from whence it came.  All flesh, food and material possessions come from the dust of the earth. 

Keeping up with the Joneses is comparing your empire of dirt with their empire of dirt.  Hoarding dirt is accumulating baggage.  Worldly and self pride will weigh you down, so get rid of it.  You and I live in a rigged system.  When we have the money, we don't seem to have the time, and when we have the time, we often don't have the extra money.  Godliness with contentment is truly great gain. 

1 Timothy 6:6  "But godliness with contentment is great gain."

1 Timothy 6:7  "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out."

1 Timothy 6:8  "And having food and raiment let us be therewith content." 

Travel light in the world and be mobile for the LORD.  Don't waste all of your mental and physical efforts on material possessions.  There's nothing wrong in having things, but don't put those things above GOD.    

Hebrews 13:5  "Set your way of life without money-loving, being satisfied with present things; for He has said, 'Not at all will I leave you, not at all will I forsake you,' never!"

Believe it... it's GOD's promise. 

Acts 4:32  "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common."

Acts 4:33  "And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the LORD Jesus: and great grace was upon them all."

Acts 4:34  "Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,"

Acts 4:35  "And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need."

A man that has great wealth and only spends it on himself and his immediate family, is a selfish man.  There's nothing cool about him.  In Acts, the multitude of Christians unloaded their baggage to help fellow brothers and sisters.  They all gained mobility, while still living in this world system, to live Christ-centered lives and share the WORD.  None of them lacked.  Some 40 years later, the siege of Jerusalem took place, and the Roman army sacked the city, killing more than a million people (estimated by the historian, josephus).  There was no loss to those that carried light, picked up their cross and followed Jesus. 

Peace in CHRIST JESUS,

Spread-the-Truth

Mr baptist.

Feed your Hunger with the Living WORD

Amos 8:11  "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:"

Amos 8:12  "And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the Word of the LORD, and shall not find it."

The famine is going on now.  It's not a physical one for food but a spiritual one for the Word of GOD.  Thirst for the Living Water and hunger for the Bread of Life, Jesus CHRIST.  Men will wander, or stagger, intoxicated from the cup of devils, with satan's false doctrines and hypocrisies.  They will not find truth, because Truth isn't a respecter of persons.  For GOD has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty (1 Cor 1:27). 

Mark 13:8  "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows."

Verse by verse studies of our FATHER's WORD are available today at the touch of a finger, yet troubles, hunger signals and famines are increasing in the world.  These sorrows are the birth pangs occurring in this final generation.  However, the truth is always available for the asking, so there's no lack of knowledge for those who truly seek Christ.

Hosea 4:6  "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to Me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy GOD, I will also forget thy children."

If you continue to play church, following the precepts of men, the true knowledge from GOD's WORD will not pass onto your children.  Keep turning to the wrong shepherds, who feed their flocks with opiate-laced renditions of the Bible, and your children will understand nothing but fables and the doctrines of devils.

Claiming ignorance is no longer a valid excuse in this final generation, because ignorance has turned into the ignoring of truth.  Of course, this logic applies only to those who live in developed nations, and who also do not lack literacy and digital literacy skills.  The understanding of truth is available, even in the palm of your hand, as long as you turn to GOD and seek Him for it as for hidden treasures.  Literacy, print and internet are widely available in advanced countries.  There are Bibles in just about every hotel room in America.

Amos 8:14  "They that swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, Thy god, O Dan, liveth; and, The manner of Beersheba liveth; even they shall fall, and never rise up again."

Dan and Beersheba were two places where golden calves were set up (1 Kings 12:28).  Today, men swear by the wall street bull, or money.  "Manner" means their mode, or course, of worship.  All earthly systems, forms and religions of men will fail you.  Truth isn't served on the fabricated tables of men and devils.  Instead of partaking from the LORD's table and drinking from the cup of the LORD, the world will turn to a carnal savior, a substitute and counterfeit, offering temporal things and a different gospel.

Denominationalism is division; a house divided within itself will not stand (Mark 3:25).  It's when men follow the doctrines of other men, instead of GOD's precepts, that divisions occur.  Teaching under the banner, or doctrines, of a demonination is sticking to a system of men.  Those who are respecters of persons believe the words of men, and their systems, over GOD'S WORD.  They're the same people who are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

Isaiah 29:11-12  "And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned."

The spiritually blind lead the spiritually blind.  With their narrow minds dialed in on respect of persons, they bring the book to "one that is learned", with religious credentials from men, but he cannot understand it.  Then they take the book to another, e.g. a wealthy man of stature or an educator.  He cannot understand it, either, because he's void of true knowledge.

The worldly believers turn to the wrong shepherds and leaders to feed them the WORD.  Truth has an origin.  Therefore, all beliefs, values and doctrines contrary to Truth produce double-mindedness.  Nature and common sense make it very easy to distinguish between right and wrong.  Mix right and wrong together in one package and the product is double-mindedness.  A double-minded individual is unstable (James 1:8) and cannot see clearly, because he holds multiple contrary beliefs, in his mind, simultaneously.  Ask yourself, have you been eating from the LORD's Table?  Eat from the LORD'S Table and partake of the unleavened Bread of Life.

Amos 8:13  "In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst."

The foolish virgins are without oil, or truth, in their lamps.  They went out seeking to purchase truth, but truth cannot be bought.  The young men are hungry and thirsty, despite feasting and drinking all day and night.  Why?  They were binging from the table and cup of devils.

Psalms 22:26  "The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek Him: your heart shall live for ever."

The humble and patient before ALMIGHTY GOD, and those that have been persecuted for Christ's sake, shall have eternal life and praise the LORD.  They will take a stand for Him.  You can't take a stand without a foundation built on the Rock.  It starts with building your spiritual health by learning our FATHER's Word and promises.

Many people have trouble enough staying focused and dialed-in on physical health, let alone spiritual health.  While you remember to feed your physical body everyday, don't neglect feeding your spirit.  Emptiness in your heart cannot be filled with worldly pursuits or by the doctrines of men.  Your spirit will wither and die of starvation without the Living WORD.

Your body is like a furnace, so you need to keep it burning with the right foods.  You cannot defeat hunger by fighting it, because hunger will eventually win.  You maintain healthy body fat levels (long-term) by feeding your hunger.  That means you feed it properly, with the right foods and adequate nutrition.  When you feed your body with the optimal balance of fiber, protein, fats, carbohydrates, etc, your body will stop feeling hungry.  To lose body fat, you do the same, just with a little less food.  It only takes several calories a day to feed one pound of fat.  GOD designed it that way as an efficient energy reserve.

Therefore, you gain mastery over hunger by feeding it correctly on a daily basis.  You gain mastery over your spiritual hunger through Jesus CHRIST, the Living WORD, by eating, and living by, every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of GOD.

The precepts of men are prepackaged, processed doctrines that are void of nutrition, or truth.  Many Christians are too lazy to study for themselves and turn to "convenience" spiritual foods, in the forms of organized religion and the doctrines of men.  What they're essentially doing, is replacing the True WORD of GOD, CHRIST, with a subtitute, another gospel, another jesus.

When you fast, you're spending time disciplining the mind and physical body.  For a Christian, fasting is a discipline that helps you to differentiate between what's carnal and what's spiritual.  It's a spiritual/mental/physical operation for subduing the flesh, and being humbled in the process.  It's also a good detox for your body.  Of course, if you have a medical condition, where fasting is dangerous for you, don't fast.  But remember to always keep your spiritual stomach fuller than your physical one.   

Isaiah 58:6  "Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?" 

You fast from the words of men and you eat the WORD of GOD.  You unplug from satan's system and come out of indoctrination, and come into the Light, which is the True Light, that lighteth every man that cometh through the matrix.  These are the simple truths that the world and 99% percent of churches won't teach you.  Satan's world system is rigged and is set up to pull you away from GOD's WORD and your destiny.  Be wise as a serpent, yet peaceful as a dove.  Feed your hunger with the Living Word.

Isaiah 58:7  "Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?"

Feed your hunger with the Living WORD.  Then you'll be armed and equipped to share the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ, with the spiritually poor and hungry.  Sow the seeds of His truths in the minds of those that are outcasts, lost and feel forsaken.  Christ didn't come for the self-righteous, He came for sinners, like us.  You will help cover the spiritually naked by clothing them with the Gospel.

Isaiah 58:8  "Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward." 

Peace in CHRIST JESUS,
Spread-the-Truth
Mr baptist. 

Order My Steps in Thy WORD

Psalms 37:23  "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and He delighteth in his way."

The steps of a valiant warrior of GOD are made firm, or prepared, by the LORD.  The LORD will delight when you take the strait gate and narrow path, leading unto everlasting life.  It's an amazing journey and you'll have the time of your life serving Jesus CHRIST.  Every day is a good day, even with trouble, when you're in His WORD.  GOD will take you off satan's "small world" dark ride, unplug you from indoctrination, and fill you up with Living Water and the Bread of Life.

Psalms 37:24  "Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with His hand."

The right hand of the LORD is exalted: The right of the LORD doeth valiantly.  You shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD (Ps 118:16-17).  Have confidence in GOD's promises, because there is no doubt or fear in the Spirit of GOD.

Psalms 119:104  "Through Thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way."

Wisdom is true understanding and comes from above, from ALMIGHTY GOD.  It brings peace, not confusion, for GOD is the Author of Peace (1Co 14:33) and Jesus CHRIST became the Author of Eternal Salvation, unto all that believe and doeth His Word (Heb 5:9).  Once you gain understanding of the precepts (laws; commandments; statutes; judgments), you'll hate every false way of the world.  The traditions of men make void the WORD of GOD.  Follow the precepts of GOD's WORD and live. 

Psalms 119:105  "NUN [Ps 119 is an acrostic psalm]. Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

 

You'll need fuel on this journey and the true light, Jesus.  YAHVEH's Word is your candle, the source of light and joy.  The Word is the light for the path of your entire life.  If you're truly happy, and filled with the love of Christ, you'll smile a lot more.  But if you forget to tell your face about your happiness, nobody will know.  Unlike the man beholding his face in the mirror, and forgetting what manner of man he is when he turns away, your faith must transfer into your works.  The hearer only crowd wear "Christianity" on the outside only, as if it were a piece of clothing.  They never get to the doing and being a doer of Truth.  Happiness will transfer into a smile and into your actions.  Love thy neighbor as thyself; start with a smile and be a performer of the Word.

Psalms 119:106  "I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep Thy righteous judgments."

There are many laws, commandments, judgments and statutes written in the WORD of GOD.  Think of judgments as blessings and cursings.  You do good and you'll receive rewards; do wrong and you'll receive punishments.  Many of the old statutes, such as blood sacrifices and rituals, were done away with and nailed to the cross.  Jesus fulfilled the Word of both the law and the prophets.  As a Christian, you must perform the conditions and precepts of GOD, not of men.

Enoch 5:7-9  "The elect shall possess light, joy, and peace; and they shall inherit the earth. Then shall wisdom be given to the elect, all of whom shall live, and not again transgress by impiety or pride; but shall humble themselves, possessing prudence, and shall not repeat transgression."

Wisdom is the understanding of spiritual truths in GOD's WORD.  Prudence is the ability to apply that wisdom from our FATHER, as well as spiritual discernment, which is a higher level of common sense, in your life.  Wisdom from above will comfort your soul and influence the folks around you.  It doesn't tear down, but builds others up and encourages them in the WORD.  True wisdom from GOD makes sense and it's solid and sure as a rock.  For the LORD is our Rock, our Fortress and our Deliverer.  The Holy Spirit does not share space with worldy pride, so humble yourself and possess prudence.

You lay up GOD's WORD in your heart by building up a spiritual library (Scripture; knowledge; wisdom; understanding) in your mind.  You engrave His WORD into your being.  Becoming a hearer and doer of Truth is a process, and discipline, that takes work on your part.  It's not much different than learning something new and becoming really good at it.  For example, you'll never forget how to swim or ride a bike, once you've learned.  Abilities such as treading water, or balancing on two wheels, become instant reactions.

Matthew 10:27  "What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops."

When Jesus said, "Preach ye upon the housetops", He means to spread the WORD, or Truth.  When your cup runneth over with truth, share it or risk losing it.  The world sits in darkness, or spiritual death, in the shadow of death, which is satan.  The valley is the devil's world system of the spiritually dead and asleep.  This world is backwards, friend.  The counterfeit potter molds the world through traditions, indoctrination and conditioning.  Things aren't true just because they're promoted in the media, in your schools, or even inside your churches.  Watch the people in mainstream media and entertainment, with spiritual discernment, and you'll see worldly pride written on their faces.  It's not of GOD, believe that.  If your life is all about how great your idols, friends or family are, or if it's all about yourself, you're not a vessel molded by the Hand of GOD. 

What you learn in the "WORD" is totally different than what you learn in the "world".  The world is robbing you of truth and feeding you something different and contrary to the WORD of GOD.  It's like eating instant oatmeal, or fast food, your entire life and never enjoying a homemade meal made from scratch.  The world cheats you out of a good meal and health for the sake of gain.  When you're physically sick, you might head first to the "pharm-acy", but real health starts at the "farm-acy" with Christ.  If you think you've been lied to over your physical diet and health, imagine what you're allowing the world to do to your spiritual health.  Everything being promoted in-the-know has pretty much been bought and paid for.  The love of money, not money in itself, is the root of all evil in the hearts of men and satan's world system.

Those that are respecters of men and their systems will never understand the deeper truths of GOD's WORD.  They will never understand the Holy Bible as one unit.  And if Jesus Christ lived in the flesh, in our time, they would be the same folks that saw His miracles, even believed, but never truly repented.  GOD's teachers and prophets were never popular amongst the masses and religious.  There is nothing new under the sun.  If you put your trust and confidence in any part of this world system, you'll be deceived.

Real knowledge and wisdom comes from ALMIGHTY GOD.  Worldly wisdom might get you ahead in the illusion, but you never really leave satan's ride ("dark ride 13").

Jesus is the Living WORD and the Bread of Life.  He was born in Bethlehem, meaning the "house of bread" in Hebrew, or "meat" in Arabic.  You eat the WORD.  It's so good that all you want to do is share it.  Christ is the Light and that's what you preach.  He's the Bread that feeds and nourishes the spiritually poor and hungry.

Psalms 119:103  "How sweet are Thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"

Proverbs 24:13  "My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:"

Proverbs 24:14  "So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off."

Honey makes meat more tender and sweet.  Think of Truth as honey and meat for your spirit, the intellect of your soul.  Remember, Jesus Christ is the Living Water and Bread of Life.  He was born in Bethlehem, the House of Bread.  The opening of GOD's Word to your spiritual eyes gives them light and sight.  Ask Him to give you the bread and hidden manna of understanding and light in His Word.

Psalms 119:130  "The entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple."

Psalms 119:131  "I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for Thy commandments."

Psalms 119:132  "Look Thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as Thou usest to do unto those that love Thy name."

Psalms 119:133  "Order my steps in Thy WORD: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me."

Peace in CHRIST JESUS,
Spread-the-Truth
Mr baptist.