As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he promised us—eternal life. (I John 2:24-25)

The promise of eternal life is enough to keep me on the path of life.  I don’t want to miss that ship to the heavenly shore.  I want to be in the chorus of the saints that have made it through all the trials and tribulations of this life and are rewarded for their faithfulness by the Father.

I have been blessed to see many signs and wonders in my life and in my ministry, but I would walk away from all of that to gain eternal life.

My desire is to be grounded in the word of God and not to add to it at all.  I want to only preach what God puts in my heart.  My deepest prayer is for the orthodox message of Christ to be my very breath so that when I get up to preach, His truth is all that comes forth.

I do not want to lose my soul by preaching something that is not in the word of God.  I want to be faithful to His word so that those that hear what I preach encounter His word.

I recently heard a prophecy from a brother from 1965.  He said that many ministers would rise in the coming glory revival that would walk in great signs and wonders.  He said that many of these would fall away because they would preach a gospel of their own hearts rather than from the word of God and that many would be led astray as a result.

My blood curdled when I heard this word.  I don’t know why a person would want to add anything to God’s word.  It is powerful enough to separate bone from marrow.  What can you hope to accomplish by adding something more to it?

When I hear a word like this, my eyes turn inward and I begin to examine the things that I have said.  I must be honest before the Lord and ask Him to show me areas where I err and where repentance might be necessary, but I must not be so concerned about being wrong that I stop preaching.  The fear of the Lord will keep me in all things even from error.

When we speak, we must keep our hearts on the orthodoxy of our faith which is that Jesus Christ died on a cross for our sins so that we could be freed from the bonds of sin and death in which we were bound by the old nature. 

We must continue to be witnesses that Jesus died but rose again, so that in the same way we will rise out of the ashes of our old nature into that glorious nature, the fullness of which we still do not understand. 

We must declare the hope that we have in Christ that just as He is seated by the heavenly Father so shall we be seated in heavenly places if we continue to remain in Him.

It is when I preach this message that the most miracles follow.  As I speak this over people’s lives, the most tremendous signs and wonders happen.  Many are transformed when I declare that they shall be made new in Christ.  Many testify to feeling their natures change.

It is the grace of God that will keep you, so continue in His word.  Continue to study to show yourself approved.  Repent for the things that you have done that are evil and forgive those that have hurt you.  In so doing you will remain and your salvation will be assured, all by the grace of God.

I pray that you will be strengthened in the truth of the gospel and that you and I will be together for evermore in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them. (I John 2:9-11)

Have you ever struggled with hatred in your heart toward a fellow believer?  I will be honest with you–I have had such struggles in my life, and not just once.

I am thankful for the word of God.  I am thankful for passages like the one above in 1 John 2.  If it wasn’t for such Scriptures, I would have no idea that the hatred that was in my heart was sin.  When I encounter the word of God, it makes me look into my heart and forces me to deal with the difficult emotions and feelings that I have.

I am not a perfect man and I am not always a kind man or a wise one, but I love the Lord, and pleasing Him is my heart’s desire.  So when I encounter hatred in my heart and become aware that it doesn’t please Him, then I begin to pray to Him and ask Him to root it out.

Sometimes the hatred is linked to jealousy.  I see a brother who has more than I do and I want what he has.  In those moments I ask the Lord to open my eyes to my own blessings of which there are many.  I might not be a millionaire, but I might as well be because the blessings upon my life are greater than all the millions that you could give me.

When I begin to celebrate the blessings of God upon my own life, then I can celebrate the blessings of God in your life.

Perhaps you have even gone out of your way to make someone else look bad.  This too is hatred.  Have you ever found yourself talking about this person or that one endeavouring to discredit them so that others will look on you with favour instead?

This might be a good short term strategy, but it will curse you in the end. I have had to deal with this in my life, even in the ministry.  There have been times that I have spoken against other ministers because I didn’t want them to have opportunities that I thought were mine.

This is small-minded thinking for which I have repented time and time again.  We have to realize that when God’s word says that the harvest is plentiful and the labourers are few, that this is true.

God has not only had me to repent of these things, but He has also had me open doors in ministry for the ones that I used to speak against.  I have learned that God’s ways are greater than my ways and that opening doors for others pleases Him so much that He will open countries for me.

We must turn from our dark ways.  It is the only way to ensure continuous blessing in our lives.  We must continue in the word and seek His voice.  We must run from hatred of every kind and continue to be kind and loving.  We must learn to love one another and bless one another.

I pray for you today and ask God to heal your heart so that you can love more easily.  I pray that you will not be another believer’s enemy but their truest friend.  I ask the Lord to help you to bless people even when they spitefully use you.

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. (I John 2:15-17) 

The things of this world grow strangely dim in the light of Jesus’ face.  There are many things that would distract a man or woman of God from entering into the place of God’s presence.  I have seen many pulled to the side because they have desired what this world offers more than Christ.

I remember one man that came to Christ because of a powerful encounter that he had.  He went about testifying in many places and indeed led many to Christ through the power of that encounter, but he fell away once his business was threatened to go under.  I often wonder who that man might have become if he had entered more deeply into Christ in that moment.

This man turned back to his way of life and even stopped going to church.  It was very sad for his family whom he had led to Christ in the first place, see this change.  And yet, I believe, God’s grace will touch him and bring him back again.

There are Christians who will not listen to Christian music because it is boring in their eyes or will not watch Christian movies because they are not as good as a secular movie.  These folks seem more interested in their enjoyment than the pleasure of God.

I remember when I came to Christ I was concerned that I would not find music that I could enjoy, but I decided that in order to enter into the fullness of God I couldn’t allow my mind to be consumed by the world’s thoughts through music.  I prayed a prayer and asked God to lead me to music that would satisfy my ears and soul. 

From that day to this, when I pray for a new album it comes to me.  I have never regretted walking away from that music.  Now when I listen to it, all I hear is sadness and godliness and I don’t believe that I would have heard this unless I walked away.

Some seem more interested in what is happening on Broadway in New York City than they do in the local church.  They will spend thousands of dollars on ungodly media and be left unsatisfied from the experience.  Oh sure, they can say that they went to such and such a play or performance, but what is that to the true riches of God.

He has so much more for you.  You will be surprised at the journey that He has in store.  He will bring you places that you never would have considered.  You will experience the true riches of the Kingdom as you walk away from the world more and more.

All the things of the world that you consider so important will fade away.  Why hold onto them any longer.  Why not let God become the center of every thought.  Why not let Him fulfill your every desire.  There are sounds that only come from heaven.  There are visions you will not see until you give up this world.

I can assure you that the things of this world will grow strangely dim as you look into the face of your magnificent God.  Get ready for a new visitation as you gaze upon him today.