Jesus shows how the Love of Money will End

Luke 16:1-31

Money is the method by which we human beings make transactions or exchanges with one another for goods and services. Before the fall in the Garden of Eden, there was no such thing as money because God provided everything the man and woman needed freely. After the fall when man began to multiply on the earth the means of exchange used was not coins or paper money for these things had not yet been established but the people would use livestock, salt, tea, tobacco, rice, beans, barley, meal, flour, or other things to buy and sell from one another. It was referred to as bartering. History tells us that metal objects were introduced as money around 5000 B.C. By 700 BC, the Lydians became the first in the Western world to make coins. As time continued people developed different types of coins and assigned value to them. People were not restricted by what value they would assign to their own coins of their country and that’s why the money changers always would have so much business because of the variety of coins throughout the many nations. So we see that after the first metal coined was introduced around 5,000 B. C. man has from that time until this very day been striving to amass as much of this thing called money as he possibly could. It has been the cause for countries invading another just to plunder their wealth and make it their own.

During the time our Lord came to the earth money even then had become a bench mark of whether a person was in the favor of God and being blessed by Him. We have already documented that the Pharisees, Scribes, Sadducees, and other Jewish religious sects and their rulers all looked on the poor as being poor materially because they were under God’s judgment and not His blessing. Now after our Lord had finished telling the 3 parables of the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son all directed squarely at those Jewish religious rulers trying to get them to see their sinful condition, our Lord immediately switches His story telling to zero in on money and man’s relationship to money. Our Lord spoke directly to His disciples but He knew that the Pharisees were close by listening in on His teachings as they always were trying to find fault with Him or catch Him in some inconsistency in His teaching or to accuse Him of not keeping the Law of Moses.

The first parable He spoke to His disciples was about a greedy man that wasted his boss’s money. The man would be one who would manipulate the company books so as to spend money for his own personal pleasure and increase his own take home pay. It was his greed and love of money that caused his actions. The man never figured on a day of accountability but that day surely came. Like the man in this story every human being is going to give an account of their life to Jesus Christ (see the article entitled “Give an Account”, http://www.faithwriters.com/article-details.php?id=91341 ). Every dollar each person has on this earth is a gift from God and what we do with our money no matter if we are millionaires or poor will be an open book testimony to the Lord Jesus Christ of our heart/inner man condition. The man in this parable was unjust and wicked in his dealings with another man’s money and it revealed a covetous and greedy heart in love with money. Money was this man’s master and because he loved his master money, he went about any unjust means to obtain as much of it as he could. Our Lord said at the end of this story, Luke 16:13 “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” The man in this parable was loyal only to money and that proved that it was his master.

Psalms 10:3 For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire; He blesses the greedy and renounces the LORD. NKJV

Luke 16:1-13

This dramatic conclusion to the story was aimed directly at the listening Pharisees and they knew it was pointing a finger at them. The conscience is powerful in showing us whether our actions are right or wrong, but it has no power to make us choose that which is right. Our Lord Jesus is the only source of that strength to a soul. Once they heard these words of serving money as a master they were angry and treated our Lord with contempt, a man who only told them the truth. After they mocked our Lord by speaking to Him with such disdain, disrespect, and derision, He said, Luke 16:15 “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” These men actually believed in their own warped minds that their indulgent, luxurious, and flamboyant lifestyle was somehow not only pleasing to God but also ordained by God for them. Does this sound familiar today? (Benny Hinn, Fred Price, Creflo Dollar, Leroy Thompson, Kenneth Copeland, and others). There is a YouTube video clip of Creflo Dollar and Leroy Thompson dancing on money to anoint it (see it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYxeTjrckl0 ). Listen, the Pharisee lovers of money are still in our midst today. Who, I ask you, is their master? I assure you that the actions of these two men are an abomination to God. The saddest thing for me in witnessing that video clip was the people still walking up front while these men did this non-sense and kept putting their money down. This is just one picture of what the love of money will do to the hearts of men and women.  

Luke 16:14-18

1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. NKJV

Finally, our Lord tells a tragic story to illustrate clearly for the Pharisees the ending eternal city their road will lead to. A certain rich man that was admired by society and prominent in his community did not wake up in Paradise but on the contrary his love for money led him to a place of eternal torments and he found no rest from his torment nor was there any way of escape for him (see the article entitled “And being in Torments in Hell”, (http://www.faithwriters.com/article-details.php?id=96222 ). Our Lord told this story of the account of this rich man specifically for the rich money loving Pharisees who thought they were right with God when they were not. Our Lord even despite the derision from these men loved them and did and said all that He could to warn them of the eternity that awaited them if they did not lay aside their pride, greed, and love of money and press their way into the Kingdom of God through Him alone.

At the end of this story the rich man pleaded to have someone go from the dead to warn his 5 brothers (who were living in sinful lust, greed, depravity, and love of money just as he did) to repent or change their minds about God, death, judgment, hell, and turn from their sin to God for forgiveness. What irony is the way the story ends by telling the rich man that his 5 brothers had Moses and the Prophets to listen to and the Pharisees already thought they obeyed the Law of Moses and understood all that the Prophets had written when they just like the rich man in the story did not find Jesus of Nazareth in the writings of Moses nor those of the Prophets. In their ignorance, blindness, and hardness of heart they reviled, derided, abused, hated, despised, mocked, laughed at, scorned, and ultimately killed the Prince of Life the only source of Life that could forgive them, change them, free them, love them, and keep them from this place of eternal torments.

Psalms 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, And all the nations that forget God. NKJV

Psalms 55:15 Let death seize them; Let them go down alive into hell, For wickedness is in their dwellings and among them. NKJV

Luke 16:19-31

“We understand why in the Bible repentance precedes faith. Before people find their need -- love met in God, they are looking to other things, often money, for satisfaction. So believing in God has to involve a 180-degree turn away (that is, repentance) from the love of money to find contentment and confidence for the future simply in knowing God and depending on His promises.” Daniel Fuller

“A dreadful thing is the love of money! It disables both eyes and ears, and makes men worse to deal with than a wild beast, allowing a man to consider neither conscience nor friendship nor fellowship nor salvation.” John Chrysostom

“The person who thinks the money he makes is meant mainly to increase his comforts on earth is a fool, Jesus says. Wise people know that all their money belongs to God and should be used to show that God, and not money, is their treasure, their comfort, their joy, and their security.” John Piper

“Water is useful to the ship and helps it to sail better to the haven, but let the water get into the ship, if it is not pumped out, it drowns the ship. So riches are useful and convenient for our passage. We sail more comfortably with them through the troubles of this world; but if the water gets into the ship, if love of riches gets into the heart, then we are drowned by them.” Thomas Watson

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reader, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…                                    

   

Jesus’ Story of a Father and His two wayward Sons Explained

Luke 15:11-32

Our Lord Jesus Christ as many tax collectors, harlots,  and others who were labeled as sinners and outcast gathered around He took this time to teach as He was apt to do always. As usual there were several Pharisees and Scribes that always followed Him around to find fault with Him and to chastise Him for speaking to the people they labeled as outcast sinners. The Lord Jesus Christ would never allow anyone to derail Him from His purposes and priority. He simply used this new occasion of criticism by these religious rulers to tell a story that pictures the heart of God the Father. This story was not only a perfect picture of the Father’s heart, but it was a story of two different classes of people. The younger son in this story represents the Jewish people labeled as outcast the harlots, tax collectors, and other sinners. The older son represents the Pharisees, Scribes, and Sadducees the Jewish religious elite.

This parable was to show them that God the Father’s heart is to receive any person who turns from self-reliance (repents) no matter what they have done in their past. The religious Jewish rulers never understood the Old Testament Prophecies about our Lord’s first coming and consequently never saw their need to humble themselves before Him in repentance and faith. Our Lord spoke a similar parable to them as recorded by Matthew only and He began it with these same words, “A certain man had two sons.” However, at the end of the Parable of the two sons recorded by Matthew only, our Lord ended it with these words to the chief priest and the elders, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.”

The entire purpose of that Parable and this one recorded by Luke only was to open the dead spiritual eyes of the religious Jewish rulers so that they might repent and also enter into the Kingdom of God. Unfortunately their hearts had become so hardened in religion and ceremonies, and rituals that they could not even see the very God they thought they were worshiping standing before them imploring them to come to themselves like the younger son in the story (harlots and tax collectors). In this story our Lord says that the younger son began to be in want (Luke 15:14). A soul must recognize his or her need for change before God will change anyone by grace through faith. No one ever enters the Kingdom of God without recognizing their sin sickness in them. Remember when our Lord said on another occasion to these same religious Jewish leaders, “They that are well don’t need a Doctor, only them that are sick.” The religious Jewish leaders were not sin sick in their minds/heart because they thought they kept the Law of Moses which made them good enough to be with God in Heaven. Here is the same lie the enemy still perpetrates in billions of hearts today.

Some might think our Lord was speaking these riddles, stories, parables primarily just to stick it to these religious people, but He was giving them every possible opportunity to see their sin sick hearts and turn to Him for healing. Our Lord truly does not desire for any to perish but for all to come to themselves. This is exactly what our Lord said the younger son did he came to himself (Luke 15:17) and this represents repentance (a change of mind and turning away from evil). Now the younger son proved His repentance was real and genuine by what he said and did, he said, “I will arise and go to my Father” (Luke 15:18). The younger son did not just say those words but he put one foot in front of the other and as the Scripture says, “And he rose and came to his Father” (Luke 15:20). You see those harlots, tax collectors, thieves, etc. recognized that God the Father had come down from Heaven and stood in their midst in the person of Jesus Christ of Nazareth and they arose from their sin sickness and turned to Him for healing.

Now picture how our Lord displays the Father’s heart for this wayward young son, the Father saw the son way down the road and did not wait for him to get home but ran to the younger son and poured out his grace, forgiveness, and love to this wayward son. God the Father goes after lost sinners and this is what our Lord meant when He said, “I have come to seek and save that which was lost.” The Father before the younger son could get out all of the words he wanted to say commanded His servants to clean him up and put a robe on him and sandals for his bare feet and a ring on his finger. The Father did all of this to show everyone that this is My son and he belongs to Me forever (Luke 15:20-24). This is what our Lord meant at the end of the first two parables in this chapter by there being joy in Heaven in the presence of the angels of God when one sinner repents. This party in this story is a picture of the rejoicing in Heaven when a soul passes from spiritual death to spiritual life.

Now sadly the rest of our Lord’s story is the sad reality of the seemingly obedient son being lost for all the years his younger brother was gone and remaining lost for all eternity because of his impenitent heart. This is the sad picture of the Jewish religious rulers who so looked down on the harlots, tax collectors, and other so-called sinners in their eyes. They despised these people but did not recognize that they were just as lost as they were and needed redemption. Luke records our Lord speaking another parable to the people about a Pharisee and a tax collector going into the temple to pray (Luke 18:9-14) and it too was a rebuke to the Pharisees for their self-righteousness that will never justify a person. Our Lord told them, “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” Our Lord was being sarcastic with this statement because He meant the self-righteous because there was no one on earth righteous when He came but Him. The older brother in this story was furious when He saw his Father receive his younger brother and even throw a party for him (Luke 15:28). This is the very heartfelt reaction we see throughout the gospels when any of the religious Jewish rulers saw our Lord eating with and teaching any harlots and tax collectors about the Kingdom of God. These Jewish rulers felt that these people were under the judgment of God already and that is why they were in the condition they were in and certainly they would never eat with them or teach them from the Old Testament Scriptures.

The older son could not understand why his Father had never given him a goat to have a feast with his friends because he spent all those years in his Father’s house outwardly doing what his Father commanded him to do. It was never done from his heart of love for his Father for if it were so he would have been rejoicing with his Father because he was rejoicing over his younger son being found alive. This would have been the older son’s response if he truly served his Father out of love for him. Religion can never produce a heart in love with God the Father. The older son felt he deserved to be honored and held in high regard by his Father while the younger son should have been disowned by his Father. This was the heart of the Jewish leaders they wanted their own preeminence and did not care for the glory of God at all. Our Lord told them such when he said, John 5:42 “But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you.” They thought that if our Lord was truly a teacher sent from God that He should have spent all of His time in the temple in the presence of the religious elite and not with tax collectors and mere fishermen. The extreme tragedy of this story is as our Lord said to them that tax collectors and harlots enter the Kingdom of God before you. The younger son was saved eternally and tragically the older son was lost eternally. Please do not neglect so great a salvation as we have in Jesus Christ by trusting in your Church membership or denominational work or baptism or rituals or ceremonies or any other religious thing because Jesus Christ is not a religion He is a person and He is the One and Only True God from Everlasting to Everlasting. Amen!

“The truth is there are two great classes of sins - sins of the body, and sins of the disposition. The Prodigal Son may be taken as a type of the first, the Elder Brother of the second.” Henry Drummond

“There is a trend today that would put a new robe on the prodigal son while he is still feeding hogs. Some would put the ring on his finger while he still in the pigsty. Others would paint the pigsty and advocate bigger and better hogpens.” “If they had a social gospel in the days of the prodigal son, somebody would have given him a bed and a sandwich and he never would have gone home.” Vance Havner

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reader, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…                                    

Jesus says take the lowly Place

Luke 14:7-14

The White House just last night had a dinner where many in the media, entertainment, Hollywood, and others industries were all invited as guest of the President of the United States. Many were seated on the stage in closeness to the President based on the honor bestowed to theme by their own industry and the White House itself. The guest list I image was a variable who’s who list of those our secular society considers the elite in their fields. Some of the invited guest even engaged in politics to gain a highly honored seat at the affair.

The owners of various sports franchises pay their homage to some of the rich and famous in the secular culture by giving them luxury suites at their stadiums and arenas to watch their sports teams perform while they dine of the finest foods and indulge in every alcoholic beverage their hearts could desire. Even some of the society’s visibly elite clergy or the popular preachers of today are invited by some of these people and given celebrity treatment. Many of the Popes of the Catholic Church over the years have always been received by the heads of foreign Nations with royal status.

Our Lord (a Man that did not even own a home) witnessed how the other Pharisees coveted the best seats at this large and important feast and gathering on the Sabbath day and spoke this parable to these leaders after He had just left the house of a Pharisee for dinner. The apparent intent of the Pharisee in inviting our Lord was not that he was seeking to know the truth about the Kingdom of God from our Lord, but that they might watch our Lord closely. They intentionally brought a man with the infirmity of dropsy into the Pharisees home on this Sabbath day to see if our Lord would heal him so they might again have something to accuse Him of being dishonoring by not keeping the Sabbath day holy. This may have been the same time as recorded by John Mark where our Lord after asking them was it lawful to heal on the Sabbath that He turned and looked at them with anger because of the hardness of their hearts toward this afflicted man. How foolish these men to stand in the presence of such pure and holy majesty and power and yet they associated our Lord’s power with the devil. They did not deny His miracle working and healing power but perverted it, what stupidity. This same stupidity continues today.

This dropsy was another horrible affliction that caused swelling from excessive accumulation of watery fluid in cells, tissues, or serous cavities and must have made this man’s appearance very unappealing and even a bit frightening especially to little children. Obviously our Lord would not look upon a man in such condition and not be moved with compassion to free him from his affliction. The indifference of these Pharisees was truly appalling that they would care so little about this man as to use him as a mere prop revealed their extreme lack of lowliness, compassion, and humility. Their indignation for our Lord along with their jealousy of Him took them to the very bottom of miss-guided religious zeal, pride, and arrogance.

Our Lord sat and watched how these men pushed and shoved their way to the place of highest esteem in the house of this ruling Pharisee while they were simultaneously dishonoring and using this man afflicted with dropsy. It is the entire purpose and design of this parable from our Lord to show them their foolishness in trying to impress others of their status by where they are seen in relation to the ruling Pharisees and not by showing gratitude by even being invited and taking whatever low place is available. It is not the heart’s desire of one who seeks another’s glory to be seen or known, but only to honor others before receiving honor to him. Self-exaltation is not honorable to God but on the contrary it is revolting to God and it is probably on par with luke-warmness that makes our Lord want to vomit.

These men felt that their indulgence of their many material blessings were a proof that God had and is looking on them with favor though they never ever did anything for any of their fellow Jews that lived in poverty. These men saw poverty as God’s judgment on the people for their lack of piety or keeping of the Law of Moses and saw their earthly wealth as God’s favor and blessings to them for their religious faithfulness to the Law of Moses. For some reason they did not think God the Father saw how they would rob widow’s houses as our Lord would point out to them in Matthew Chapter 23.

Our Lord wanted to squash that line of belief or understanding about the Father by telling them in this parable that God the Father is not honored by their excessive indulgence with no regard for fellow Jews that did not even have bread enough to eat. This word from our Lord struck down their warped view of the God they thought they were honoring and worshipping by their lavish indulgence at the expense of the poor who could not even afford the lambs required to make their temple sacrifices. It is analogous to those health, wealth, and prosperity prostitutes of the gospel going to the continent of Africa and telling people in those countries that live on less than $3.00 per day to give them their money and watch God bless them with a 100 fold increase. Our Lord did not speak this parable with the understanding that it would change their behavior, but it was more done as a rebuke to their behavior and still stands for all who follow and believe the health, wealth, and prosperity scheme being spread all over the world this very day.

It is not what other human beings think about you or me but it is what God knows about every person’s heart and their motives and intent when anything is done because our Lord sees not only the outward actions but He sees the purpose, the priority, and the purport of the action, even why one obeys His Word. He is not fooled by the outward man but His concern is the real man that lives in the body, who and what is he truly like. Does that man want to please Him, honor Him, and glorify Him in everything he thinks, says, and does this will be the one our Lord lifts up in the end and it may never occur on this earth. Remember Anna the true Prophetess, no one even knew who she was but the Scripture says, “She served God with fastings and prayers night and day”, surely she was not only praying for herself during all this time but for the Nation of Israel and for individual Jewish people, and for the glory of God. Though she was never exalted or lifted up perhaps by men on this earth, you better believe our Lord has lifted her up by honoring her in His word that abides, continues, remains, and stays forever. This is the true lowly place our Lord speaks of in this parable.

Psalms 18:27 For You will save the humble people, But will bring down haughty looks. NKJV

Psalms 138:6 Though the LORD is on high, Yet He regards the lowly; But the proud He knows from afar. NKJV

Proverbs 3:35 The wise shall inherit glory, But shame shall be the legacy of fools. NKJV

Proverbs 14:31 He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, But he who honors Him has mercy on the needy. NKJV

Proverbs 15:33 The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom, And before honor is humility. NKJV

Proverbs 19:17 He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, And He will pay back what he has given. NKJV

Proverbs 25:6-7 Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, And do not stand in the place of the great; For it is better that he say to you, “Come up here,” Than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, Whom your eyes have seen. NKJV

“Do not desire to be the principal man in the church. Be lowly. Be humble. The best man in the church is the man who is willing to be a doormat for all to wipe their boots on, the brother who does not mind what happens to him at all, so long as God is glorified.” Charles H. Spurgeon

“Oh that I was lowly in heart! Honor and dishonor, good report and evil report would then be alike, and prove a furtherance to me in my Christian cause.” George Whitefield

“The man who has no opinion of himself at all can never be hurt if others do not acknowledge him. Hence, be meek. He who is without expectation cannot fret if nothing comes to him. It is self-evident that these things are so. The lowly man and the meek man are really above all other men, above all other things.” Henry Drummond

“Man is never sufficiently touched and affected by the awareness of his lowly state until he has compared himself with God’s majesty.” John Calvin

“When I pastored a country church, a farmer didn’t like the sermons I preached on hell. He said, ‘Preach about the meek and lowly Jesus.’ I said, ‘That’s where I got my information about hell.’” Vance Havner

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reader, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…                                    

Jesus Frees Fully

Luke 13:10-13 Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. NKJV

Captivity of any sort is most hurtful and painful for the person or persons bound by some infirmity, disease, or bondage. We only have to read our newspapers or watch the local and national news to hear of all types of pain, heartache, affliction, and suffering men and women live under and many have given up seeking freedom or deliverance. Our world lives under the curse of sin and because the first man disobeyed God, we all have been taken captive by the destroyer known as sin. It would be abnormal to watch a news program and not hear about the actions of people that cause hurt to others. The first sinner known in the universe was the devil and it was him that deceived our first parents Adam and Eve into sin and it is the devil that desires to see all men and women bound in sin with no hope of freedom. It is the devil that blinds the minds of all unsaved people. It is the devil that can afflict men and women with spiritual infirmities such as alcohol, drugs of all types, sexual impurity of every sort, racial hatred, witchcraft, pride, self-righteousness, greed, jealousy, envy, and religion devoid of life, heresies, and a whole host of many others.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. NKJV

The opposite of infirmity or bondage is the sweet smelling aroma of liberty, deliverance, and freedom. It is only by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ that any person can know this sweet smelling and sweet tasting (yes sweeter than the taste of honey is to ones lips) freedom from infirmity and bondage. Our Lord was teaching in one of the Jewish Synagogues as He was always doing and a Jewish woman was there in the Synagogue with a spirit of infirmity haven been afflicted by the devil for 18 long years. The English word infirmity used in this passage (Luke 13:11) comes from the Greek word astheneia, which means feebleness (of the body or mind); malady, moral frailty, disease, sickness, or weakness. This list is a summary of the attacks the devil can inflict on a person as he was allowed by God to do to Job when he inflicted Job’s body with boils from head to toe.

Job 2:7 So satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. NKJV

Luke 13:16 “So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom satan has bound --- think of it --- for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” NKJV

From this verse (Luke 13:11) we see that the enemy can afflict someone with moral frailties such as pedophilia, lesbianism, sodomy, pornography, masturbation, fornication, adultery, incest, etc. and we can stop wasting money to try to find genetic links to these behaviors. The human heart is born sinful and out of it come all manner of sin and now we can add the attacks of spiritual infirmity by the devil to an already depraved sinful nature we can see clearly that only grace from our Lord Jesus Christ can make a person free. The Scripture (Luke 13:11) also says that this woman was bowed together or bent over. These English words can be translated in Greek by the word sugkupto, which means to be completely overcome. We can look today out our culture that is working so very hard to tell men and women bound in sexual perversion or impurity that it is normal when in reality they feel so strongly that this is who and what they are sexually because of what this Greek word tells us that they are completely overcome in or by this spiritual infirmity.

Psalms 38:6 I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. NKJV

Psalms 44:25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust; Our body clings to the ground. NKJV

Psalms 145:14 The LORD upholds all who fall, And raises up all who are bowed down. NKJV

Psalms 146:8 The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; The LORD raises those who are bowed down; The LORD loves the righteous. NKJV

The Scripture says (Luke 13:11) that this woman could in no way raise herself up from her condition. Likewise those bound in any of these moral infirmities I have listed cannot simply walk away from these things in their own human strength or will power, they need deliverance and freedom and Christ is the only power that can provide such freedom. When our Lord saw this woman bound in her infirmity, He did not say to her owe how I love you just as you are and I accept you with this infirmity and I want to leave you in it. Of course He did not that is not the agape love that is Him, His love called her to Himself and it was His grace that He applied when He laid His hands on  her and said to her, (Luke 13:12) “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” The English phrase “you are loosed” comes from the Greek word apoluo, which means to free fully, that is (literally) relieve, release, dismiss, pardon, (specifically) to forgive, to send away, to set at liberty; Hallelujah, Hallelujah, and Hallelujah!

Psalms 105:20 The king sent and released him, The ruler of the people let him go free. NKJV

Psalms 107:20-22 He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions. Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, And declare His works with rejoicing. NKJV

Psalms 116:16 O LORD, truly I am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant; You have loosed my bonds. NKJV

Matthew 16:19 “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” NKJV

Matthew 18:27 “Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt” NKJV

John 8:32 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” NKJV

John 8:36 “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” NKJV

Romans 6:18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. NKJV

Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. NKJV

Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. NKJV

Dear Lord Jesus, I pray for every soul bound in infirmity by the devil that they would stop listening to the world and turn to You Dear Precious Lord Jesus and receive deliverance, liberty, and be fully freed from any infirmity from Your loving heart through Your hand of grace. I love You Dear Lord and I know You hear me Your son and with You all things are possible. Amen!

“God is a liar,” (satan) says. “He has deceived you, taken your freedom, and restricted your joy.” Satan’s lie is still the same today: “You can be free. Do whatever you want. It is your life. There are no divine laws; no absolute authority; and above all, no judgment. You will surely not die.” “God’s purpose in redeeming men from sin is not to give them freedom to do as they please but freedom to do as He pleases, which is to live righteously.” John MacArthur

“I have to get to the point of the absolute and unquestionable relationship that takes everything exactly as it comes from Him. God never guides us at some time in the future, but always here and now. Realize that the Lord is here now, and the freedom you receive is immediate.” Oswald Chambers

“The lost enjoy forever the horrible freedom they have demanded.” C. S. Lewis

“Free will carried many a soul to hell, but never a soul to heaven.” Charles H. Spurgeon

 “If you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ you are free.” D. L. Moody

“It is a fact that the Lord Jesus has already died for you. It is also a fact that you have already died with the Lord Jesus. If you do not believe in your death with Christ, you will not be able to receive the effectiveness of death with Him - freedom from sin.” Watchman Nee

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reader, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…                                    

Jesus says Fear God

Luke 12:4-7 “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into @#!*% ; yes, I say to you, fear Him! Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” NKJV

Fear is an emotion that we all grapple with at various points or stages in our individual human lives. The original disciples were no different men than you and I are today. These men lived during a time when the Roman Government was in control over their country as well as most of the known world at that time. The Romans were vicious, brutal, and barbaric men who would kill just for sport. Today we have what is called Ultimate Fighting where two men are put into a cage to fight until one surrenders or submits or is injured so bad that he cannot continue. However, we know from recorded history that the Roman Emperors like Julius Caesar and the successors that followed him in rule and authority made me fight one another until one killed the other while the Emperor and the ordinary Roman citizens watched on for entertainment.

Romans 3:18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” NKJV

Psalms 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into @#!*% , And all the nations that forget God. NKJV

These were the type of people our Lord was going to send His disciples among carrying His gospel of grace. It is easier understood when He said to them on another occasion, “I send you out as sheep amongst wolves, therefore be as wise as a serpent but as innocent as a dove.” Our Lord knew the wicked heart of all men but He knew in particular the people the Apostles would encounter on a daily basis and the Jewish people would also oppose them and attack them physically at every opportunity. Now with this back drop painted we can get a very clear picture of why our Lord spoke to them and the multitude about placing their fear in the proper place and that is to fear God. The Bible speaks of the fear of God or the fear of the Lord many times in the Scripture from the Old to the New Testament.

Deuteronomy 10:20 You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve Him, and to Him you shall hold fast, and take oaths in His name. NKJV

Job 28:28 And to man He said, “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.” NKJV

Psalms 33:8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. NKJV

Revelation 14:7 “Saying with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.’” NKJV

Our Lord knew what was ahead for His disciples but He also was speaking to the large crowd that gathered knowing that they needed to hear these words even more than His disciples. The message of fear God rather than man is not one that is easily received by human nature. In this case of the disciples and the crowd listening to our Lord they had witnessed all their lives the Romans hanging men on crosses for their rebellion and sedition (men trying to overthrow the Roman authority) and other crimes. The people would have been witness to many such cases of brutal killings of Jews that opposed the Roman Government. It was by very fear and intimidation that the Romans kept the Jewish people under their thumb. They could not see God and so went about their daily lives minus the fear of God controlling their conduct and behavior, but they did see what Roman men did to their fellow Jews. Enter the Son of God on the scene and He walks where He pleases and speaks nothing but the truth everywhere He goes with no thought of attack from the Romans or the Jewish religious rulers. Our Lord by the way He lived every day demonstrated that He did not fear man no matter what level of authority the man held. The fear of man brings a snare or traps and will lead people to forfeit their eternal soul submitting their lives to the pleasure of this world and sin to prevent being hated or persecuted for righteousness sakes.

Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe. NKJV

Jeremiah 1:8 “Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.” NKJV

Ezekiel 2:6 “And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you dwell among scorpions; do not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their looks, though they are a rebellious house.” NKJV

Philippians 1:27-28 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. NKJV

1 Peter 3:14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” NKJV

We remember in the parable of the sower that some men’s hearts are so captivated by the pleasures and cares of this world that the Word of God will never be able to get in and produce a change in them by way of the new birth. Our Lord also said on another occasion that the world will hate those who belong to Him and the Apostle Paul said that every true believer who lived a godly life would be persecuted. All of these things turn those away from trusting our Lord and confessing Him before men because of the fear of man and not the fear of God. Then our Lord refers to one of the smallest of creatures (the sparrow) and relays to them how God cares for this little seemingly insignificant creature and how nothing or no one can harm it or touch it unless He (God) gives permission. Therefore, how much more will He (God the Father) protect those of us who love and belong to our Lord Jesus Christ by new birth through His shed blood on Calvary for we are of far more value to our Father in Heaven for He has loved us as He loved our Lord Jesus Christ (John 17:23). We have nothing to fear from any man that would cause us to release our hands from the plow and look back to our life of sin, worldliness, and depravity. For we have not been born again by or given a spirit of fear, but on the contrary a spirit of love, and of power, and of a sound mind, a self-disciplined mind, and a self-controlled mind.

Psalms 34:11 Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. NKJV

Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate. NKJV

Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One  is understanding. NKJV

Proverbs 23:17 Do not let your heart envy sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day! NKJV

Our Lord wanted His own disciples and the crowd to know that they have but one life and one soul and that what men can do to them was temporary but God will render true judgment upon every soul without favoritism and He will cast into @#!*% those not united with Christ by way of the new birth. The fear of God should be far more preeminent and ruling in the hearts of men and women by simply understanding who He is and what He is capable of doing by His mighty power that has no equal. The soul resting in the grace, mercy, and love of God need fear no man’s actions upon his physical tent, house, or body where he lives because our soul (the real us) belongs to our Lord Jesus Christ and at the moment our tent, house, body is killed we go immediately into the presence of our Lord as Paul said, “Absent from the body, present with the Lord.”

Psalms 27:1-4 The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident. One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple. NKJV

Acts 9:31 Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied. NKJV

2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. NKJV

“Life is sweet, and death bitter; but eternal life is more sweet, and eternal death more bitter.” Bishop Hooper 1495-1555

“Christian, let God's distinguishing love to you be a motive to you to fear Him greatly. He has put His fear in your heart, and may not have given that blessing to your neighbor, perhaps not to your husband, your wife, your child, or your parent. Oh, what an obligation should this thought lay upon your heart to greatly fear the Lord! Remember also that this fear of the Lord is His treasure, a choice jewel, given only to favorites, and to those who are greatly beloved.” John Bunyan 1628-1688

“We fear men so much, because we fear God so little. One fear cures another. When man's terror scares you, turn your thoughts to the wrath of God.” William Gurnall 1617-1679

“To fear the Lord is to tremble at the thought of offending him by unbelief and disobedience. It is the feeling that God is not to be trifled with... Those who fear God shudder at the thought of speaking that way about their Majestic Father. Anything that dishonors God is anathema to those who fear God.” John Piper

 If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reader, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…                                     

Jesus Help My Prayers? Teach Me!

Luke 11:1-13

Dear Lord Jesus I am certain that my communion with You in my times of prayer are woefully inadequate, at least I feel that way many times after my morning talks with You. Help me Dear Lord to be swift to hear You and slower to speak each time I endeavor to enter into Your presence. I struggle every day with my desire to pray and with the use of words. I often speak Your words from Scripture back to You in all of the areas concerning my daily life. I want to know Your heart on matters that trouble me, trials, and test I encounter so that I may walk or live down here (as You keep me on the earth) in a manner worthy of the high calling that I have in You Dear Lord Jesus.

Colossians 1:9-12 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. NJKV

Dear Lord as I read this 11^th Chapter of Luke’s gospel, I felt Your tug upon my heart to focus in on this matter of my personal prayer time with You and my desire is for You to give me illumination on this passage of Scripture (after You finished praying) where You gave instruction to the first disciples on how they should pray. Dear Lord Jesus the first thing You instructed them to say then and You tell me to do likewise today is to give full, fervent, and fiery reverence, awe, and glory to our Father’s holy name. I am to be in such awe and wonder at Your name like the Jews did not even feel worthy to speak the name YAHWEH they held it in such high esteem. I Dear Lord am to recognize my complete sinfulness in light of Your supreme holiness, majesty, and purity. I Dear Lord should always feel a twinge in my heart and soul when I hear someone in any forum uses Your name flippantly, with vulgarity, and in any other way blasphemously.

Ecclesiastes 5:2 Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in Heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few. NKJV

I am Dear Lord to desire from my heart (my inner man; the real me) to see Your eternal Kingdom come right now at every moment I speak to You in prayer. I Dear Lord should ask every day and trust completely that You will provide for me the daily substance I need as long as You keep me here on the earth to serve and glorify You. I want to seek first Your Kingdom and Your righteousness and You will add all earthly things to me. Dear Lord You taught them and You are teaching me to ask for sins to be forgiven every day and for the strength to forgive those that have sinned against me. Dear Lord I don’t have to tell You what You already know but that is what my prayer to You on every occasion is anyway, but I really need much grace in this area of forgiveness and I am now learning through Your word that this maybe the reason some of my intercessory prayers for salvation of others have not come to pass yet. Dear Lord I want my heart opened up fully naked before You that You may perform surgery and cleanse and heal by Your balm of grace (Divine influence upon my heart that changes the way I live down here).

Psalms 50:15 Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me. NKJV

Dear Lord You finally taught them and You’re teaching me to always pray for deliverance from the evil one. As the Apostle Paul would write latter in the Book of Romans Chapter 7 when he said, “I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good.” Dear Lord Jesus it is by Your grace alone that I am sanctified and kept from sins tempting power in my life daily. I know Dear Lord that You have defeated the evil one, but keep teaching me as You prompt my spirit from Your word how to gain daily victory over the evil one every single day as I sojourn down here. Dear Lord Jesus this is just an outline or a guide You give to me to follow as I place my own daily struggles and stresses of this life before Your Throne of grace to receive Your guidance for my daily living. The story You tell the disciples about the friend coming at midnight (in the natural a profane hour) is used for me to see that with You Dear Father there is no time, no need, or no cry from me Your son that You will not hear and answer. You are teaching me bull dog, steadfast, and never quit persistence as I lay hold to You and Your word and the promises in Your word trusting that You will respond to me Your son. You Dear Lord are showing me that though I cannot see as You see, I can confidently trust what You have promised in Your word and keep coming before Your Throne.

Psalms 25:17-20 The troubles of my heart have enlarged; Bring me out of my distresses! Look on my affliction and my pain, And forgive all my sins. Consider my enemies, for they are many; And they hate me with cruel hatred. Keep my soul, and deliver me; Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You. NKJV

Dear Lord Jesus help me by Your grace to serve You in much prayer and fasting for the souls of men, women, boys, and girls I am praying for to be saved and also my continual prayer for a spiritual awakening or revival that will sweep many into Your Kingdom. Help me Dear Lord be like Anna the true Prophetess who served You in the temple with prayer and fasting day and night even as she was 84 years old. Dear Lord Jesus give me the heart to persevere in prevailing prayer with You seeking Your glory in the eternal destinies changed by Your grace through faith of those who come to You in repentance and faith for You are enormously rich in mercy to all who call out to You for deliverance. Help me Dear Lord Jesus to give myself to constant and continual prayer as David’s heart was so inclined to do because of the many trials, test, and traps he found himself in with Saul and others the enemy used to pursue him. It is Your will for me Dear Lord Jesus to ask and keep asking, to seek and keep seeking, and to knock and keep knocking whether I see the salvation (the new birth) of those in this life or not until I am in Heaven with You Dear Precious Lord Jesus, therefore, give me grace to continue in doing just such for Your Glory. Help me to hide Your word in my heart that I may think Your thoughts after You Dear Lord Amen!

Psalms 26:2-3 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart. For Your loving-kindness is before my eyes, And I have walked in Your truth. NKJV

Romans 8:26-27 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. NKJV

“Prayer is not so much an act as it is an attitude - an attitude of dependency, dependency upon God.” 

“Real prayer is communion with God, so that there will be common thoughts between His mind and ours. What is needed is for Him to fill our hearts with His thoughts, and then His desires will become our desires flowing back to Him.” A. W. Pink

“The prayer offered to God in the morning during your quiet time is the key that unlocks the door of the day. Any athlete knows that it is the start that ensures a good finish.” Dr. Adrian Rogers

“If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies. If they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees. Let no one go there unwarned and un-prayed for.” “If you want that splendid power in prayer, you must remain in loving, living, lasting, conscious, practical, abiding union with the Lord Jesus Christ.” “I know of no better thermometer to your spiritual temperature than this, the measure of the intensity of your prayer.” Charles H. Spurgeon

“I’d rather be able to pray than to be a great preacher; Jesus Christ never taught His disciples how to preach, but only how to pray.” “Every one of our children will be brought into the ark, if we pray and work earnestly for them.” “Careful for nothing, prayerful for everything, thankful for anything.” D. L. Moody

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reader, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…