Laying Those Burdens Down

“Cast thy burdens upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved” – Psalm 55:22

Have you ever been to a junk yard? No matter how much random, large amounts of junk you have, there is always a place FOR that junk. There are even different piles for that junk. But mind you, there is always a place for it.

When I go to the Lord, and I just unload, I feel like this is the reality. I am unloading the junk of worry-doubt and fear. I am unloading the many concerns, small and great, whether it be of persons one or many, or it be different struggles I bear in my own flesh, I unload it all! And no matter how much, and no mater of what variation this load carries, I DROP IT OFF and I LEAVE IT THERE! When I walk away, I KNOW it is where it needed to be. There is a place for all of it, and that place is at the feet of Christ, no matter how big it is, no matter how much there is! Go and leave it at the feet of the Lord. PLEASE go. Empty yourself at his endless, load-carrying, junk-taking yard.

HE WANTS US TO GIVE IT TO HIM. We can’t carry it! We will break! We can’t move with all of that on us, ITS TOO HEAVY!Go to him and drop it off at his place.. this place where all of the troubles, no matter the size or story, HAVE A PLACE TO BE SET DOWN. And you walk away carrying nothing more than hope and reassurance.

Where is this place??? It’s wherever you are when in your heart you go to Jesus in prayer. It’s always open! Go there and and drop it all off. There is a place for everything in this load you are carrying.

“Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” – Matthew 11:28

“Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you” – 1 Peter 5:7

Submitted by @ Amelia Barr

Trusting God vs Trusting Self

“Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you. Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.” – Hosea‬ ‭10:12-13‬ ‭

Roman’s chapter 8 tells us that all who are Christ’s are led by His Spirit. John 15 tells us that we must abide in Christ or else our fruit will dry up, wither away, and we will be cut off and cast into the fire. Herein, lies the reality of a victorious Christian life. Abiding in the presence of the King, tapping into the life giving, fruit baring power of God through daily prayer, worship, reading, communion, seeking, hearing, and obeying. By this does the grace of God flow out from the vine (which is Christ) into the branch (which is us) that we might produce the fruits of righteousness (which is obedience to the voice, word, and will of God). This brings life to us and others through the anointing backing up those words and actions with the power of the Holy Spirit of God.

The enemy of faith in God (faith that causes us to seek, trust, abide in, and obey the leading of His Spirit) is faith in self, which causes us to seek, trust, abide in , and obey the leading of the flesh. This is the struggle that wages war in our members described in Romans 8. It has been the root of every right and wrong action taken since the beginning of time. All the way back to the garden when God placed two trees in the midst of the garden, the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge. One embodied trusting God unto life, the other embodied trusting self unto death. He set before us life and death, and told us to choose life, but we chose to lean on our own understanding and it led to death. It always does. Stop trusting in your own limited understanding, your plan, your abilities, your tree of knowledge. Humble yourself, crucify the flesh, trust in God, follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, and choose life. God is not looking for people that can lead, when men lead they lead others into a pit, He is looking for men who can follow. Only once you learn to humble yourself and follow, can you then be led out of the pit. This is the test of faith, this has always been the test and few are they that pass it. Choose ye this day. Choose to humble. Choose to follow. Choose life.

“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness. The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.” – Proverbs‬ ‭14:12-14‬ ‭

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” – Matthew‬ ‭16:24‬ ‭

“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” – Matthew‬ ‭7:14‬ ‭

“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.” – Deuteronomy‬ ‭30:19-20‬ ‭

Jesus’s Hard And Humbling Warning To The Church

“And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” – Matthew‬ ‭18:3-6‬ ‭

When this, “the millstone” verse is read or quoted, it is often used to illustrate God’s deep love for, sense of protection over children, and extreme distain for those who hurt them. While this application is surely true, when read within the context of the surrounding versus we see that he was actually speaking of spiritual children. That is to say, those who have just come to the faith and or new babes in Christ.

“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” – 1 Peter‬ ‭2:2-3‬ ‭

In this we see God’s great disgust for those who offend and discourage those that are young and unlearned in the faith. Saying that it were better for them that they had tied a huge heavy stone around their neck and drowned themselves in the sea. The fact that He used a “millstone” for this expression was no coincidence, for you see, millstones were used to “crush wheat” and wheat has always been used by God to represent His people. Don’t crush God’s tender wheat (young believers) or the very thing used to crush them will be what drags you down into the abyss. Furthermore, He is pointing out that it will have been by your own hand that you tied this thing to you and dove in, to your own destruction and damnation.

Yes offense will come, all who will live Godly will suffer persecution, but woe to the person that causes the offense. Especially when it comes from those who should know better. You see, if you go back to verse one of this passage, you will see that Jesus was actually talking to His disciples here. Therefor, the intended recipients of this message build upon the point that Jesus was making. He was saying that God is so greatly offended when those such as themselves, who are more established in the faith discourage and cause to stumble those who are younger through pride, envy, arrogance, jealousy, selfishness, selfish agendas, or lack of compassion and patients.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” – Galatians‬ ‭5:22-23‬ ‭

Sinners will sin, the world will offend, but woe if that offense comes from within. For the passage continues by stating that God deems it better to actually cut off a member from the Body of Christ then to allow it to drag the whole body to hell with it because of offense. (Which is to say, discouraging or being a stumbling block to others by way of causing offense)

“But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.” – Matthew‬ ‭18:6-11‬ ‭

Seeking God’s Favor Rather Than Men’s

“Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.” – Matthew‬ ‭6:1‬ 

God loves a cheerful giver! There is no doubt that God wants us to give. Malachi chapter 3 makes it clear that the giving of tithe, offerings, gifts, and charity are greatly blessed by God. It is one of the few promises of God laid out in scripture that comes with no conditions. As long as you give, you will be rewarded. However, what type of reward is contingent upon what type of giving you offer up.

There are two different categories of rewards listed in scripture concerning this topic. The rewards of men and the rewards of God. Those that give showingly, causing other people to see and know that they gave something to someone so that they might receive attention for it have received the rewards of men. They get a little attention at the expense of their fellow mans dignity and that attention is the only reward they will receive for their giving. 

However, when you give in secret, fully trusting that gift to the hands and will of God in a manner that you receive no glory or attention from men for it; then God Himself will reward you for it. God’s storehouses are far greater then men’s, His rewards, both physical and spiritual, can not be compared to, or competed with. Put your trust in the Lord and be a cheerful, humble, faithful giver, leaving room for God Himself to reward you openly with blessings that will draw the attention of men in the end regardless. When you walk in humility and put your trust in the Lord, you always receive a double reward, both God’s favor and the awe of those who desire it. Don’t try to create your own favor, humble yourself before God and receive His. 

“Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.” – Matthew‬ ‭6:2-4‬ ‭
“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,” – Philippians‬ ‭3:7-8‬ ‭

Do Not Muzzle The Ox

“For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.” – 1 Timothy‬ ‭5:18‬ ‭

Do not muzzle the ox. This is such a simple verse, yet it is so packed with meaning that it alone warrants it’s own study. It is first mentioned in Deuteronomy 25:4 as a law to insure that an ox being made to work a field would be allowed to freely eat of that field that he might keep his strength up and be rewarded for his labor. In this practical and literal interpretation of the original text we see God’s great care, concern, love, and mercy for even the lowly oxen plowing a field, and likewise all animals. Therefore, we can have faith in His even greater concern for us as Jesus stated that if not one sparrow falls from the sky without our Father knowing how much more does He care for us, for we are worth more then many sparrows.

In Paul’s letter to Timothy, he uses this reality in a slightly different application by quoting this old law to express God’s desire for those who labor in the field of ministry to be supported financially by those they minister to. Hence the included phrase, “the laborer is worthy of his reward“. He was making the point that if God wants the lowly oxen to be supplied for, to maintain their ability to labor on and also as a reward for their labor, then how much more would He want the same for His faithful few laboring in the fields that are white for harvest?

However, I believe that there are even more applications then simply meeting the physical needs of a laborer to be gleaned from this compassionate and convicting verse. When looking at the ox as a type of laborer of God (or minister), and the corn as its source of strength and God ordained and supplied provision, I see God’s nature manifested in that He will not send His laborers out into the fields for harvest without providing them access to the power, strength, and provision to get the job done, which is the anointing, or favor and power of the Holy Spirit. It also implies that any who try to prevent them from using that provision and power to do the master’s work is in direct opposition to the word and will of God and is in danger of judgment and even a curse. In this, I see a “muzzled ox” as a type of silenced minister. One who had a job to do with the power, favor, and anointing of God to do it, yet they are not allowed to walk in the full strength and power of what the Lord has provided, usually for the greed of others trying to steal that glory (like the ox’s promised corn) for themselves.

I see this happen all to often. Someone whom the Lord has chosen, called, equipped, anointed, and sent being muzzled by family members, by society, by culture, by traditions of men, by doctrines, and by other greedy ministers, effectively robbing them of the reward of the souls ready for harvest that are falling to the ground uncollected for the masters store house. This is such a great sin because when the ox is muzzled, not only does the ox get neglected and begins to starve and weaken, but the field gets neglected also by proxy and the harvest is lost.

Believe me, this is not something you want to have on your hands when you stand before God on the day of Judgment. Do not muzzle the ox.

“Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;” – Matthew‬ ‭9:37‬ ‭

“Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.” – Deuteronomy‬ ‭25:4‬ ‭

The Anointing Brings Life!

“And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office.” – Exodus‬ ‭30:30‬ ‭

Through out scripture, when God chose someone to be set apart for His service (such as a King or priest), He would signify this importation of power and authority by anointing them with oil. This, of course, was only an outward showing for a stirring of faith of the Spiritual importation taking place that men could not physically see. You see, the oil represented the Holy Spirit, and the anointing of it expressed God’s choice to lay His Holy Spirit upon a particular person that they might be empowered to do His work through the power of the Holy Spirit. We know this because when David sinned against God, he cried in repentance and begged God saying, “take not thy Holy Spirit from me“. For he had seen God remove the power of the Holy Spirit from Saul’s life, stripping him of the anointing.

Old Testament or New, no man or woman in the true service of God ever walked in their own power, but in the power of the Holy Spirit, which is the anointing. When God calls someone, and they humble themselves to His call, He then equips them to do the work that He has called them to do. This “equipping” is “the anointing“. It is the power of the Holy Spirit backing up God’s will and words through His chosen vessel. Man may (for pride or envy) try to steal other men’s callings, but no man can steal the anointing. For the anointing is the power of God that breaks yokes, brings life, and bares fruit.

We see an undeniable example of this in Numbers chapter 17 in the account of Aaron’s rod. You see God had chosen Moses a prophet to lead the people to promise. He also chose his brother Aaron to become the people’s high priest and the son’s of Aaron to be priest of the tabernacle. As stated in our opening passage, He signified this with “the anointing” of these individuals.

Yet the people (overtaken with envy, rebellion, and pride) murmured against them. “What makes you so holy? We are just as worthy to lead as you?” They complained, though they were not, for God knows and judges the heart and chooses those who esteem His will above their own. These people wanted their way and Moses was simply relaying God’s way, therefor their hatred of Moses’s way actually reflected a hatred of God’s way. So God reacted to put a stop to this great sin before it brought more death into the camp. After all, if we have learned anything from the garden of Eden through out all of scripture, it’s that following mans will/intellect always leads to death. While seeking and obeying God’s leads to life. Hence the two trees in the garden of Eden, the tree of life (faith or trusting what God says) and the tree of knowledge (self or trusting what one thinks). One leads to life and the other to death.

“See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;” – Deuteronomy‬ ‭30:15‬ ‭

So while God had given His plan, the people wanted to institute their own which would have brought a curse upon them as it did for Adam and Eve, and for all who do the same. So God instructed Moses to take a rod (wooden staff) from the head of each family, write their family name on it and lay it in the tabernacle so that God Himself could show who He had chosen by His own power. The next morning they return to find that Aaron’s rod, once dead, had come back to life! It had budded, produced blossoms, and even bare almonds! While all the others remained dead sticks.

Therefore, God Himself proved His approval of Aaron through the life giving, fruit baring power of His anointing, which is the power of the Holy Spirit. Many may claim to be worthy, many may even carry a rod or title (even the magicians of Egypt did so), and can talk the talk and put on a show but only the anointed of God are backed up by the power of God which is the anointing and only the anointing breaks the yoke.

You see, a rod represents power and authority. However, power from any other source then from the Holy Spirit is a dead stick. You can beat something with it but it can only bring more death. It will never produce life or bring forth fruit. So as we look at God’s perfect plan verses those men’s plan encompassed in that wooden staff of life and those dead sticks, we come back to the garden and those two old trees. One of life and one of death. Choose ye this day. Choose Christ, the very embodiment of obedience to God, so much so that He was called “the Word made flesh“. Obedience to the Word, Aaron’s dead rod brought back to life, the very tree of life, it is all encompassed in that one word that is, “Christ“. Which means: “The Anointed One“.  The Anointing Brings Life.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” – John‬ ‭14:6‬ ‭

“And the Lord said unto Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.” – Numbers‬ ‭17:10‬ ‭

“And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” – Revelation‬ ‭12:10-11‬ ‭

The Gift Of God

“Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?” – John‬ ‭4:9-11‬

‭ When Jesus came to the woman of Samaria and asked for a drink, she was surprised for two reasons. For one she was a gentile and also she was a woman. This was a double portion of lowliness, so to speak. Therefor, she was baffled that He would even choose to speak with her at all. Yet, Jesus’s reply reveals something very interesting about what was about to come.

Jesus tells the woman that if she knew about the gift that God was going to give to the world through Him, then she would ask Him for it and He would give it to her. This is important in several ways. First of all, this “gift of God” that Jesus referred to which would come as a river of living water from within, was the Holy Spirit.

“In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)” – John‬ ‭7:37-39‬

‭ “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” – Acts‬ ‭2:38-39‬

‭ Now that we understand that Jesus was talking about the gift of the Holy Spirit, the next important thing we can glean from this is that you have to ask for it. Jesus told this woman and many others, “if you ask Me“.

However, one of the most astonishing things that Jesus reveals through this exchange is the very thing that caught this woman by surprise (as it would catch the world by surprise and still does today) is this: The fact that she was both a Samarian and a woman, the lowest of the low, yet Jesus Himself says that if she ask, He would give this great gift of God to her.

In Acts 1:8 we read that the power of the Holy Spirit is given to make us witnesses for Jesus. To empower us to spread the gospel and testify of Jesus. So for this gift to be offered by Jesus to a woman of Samaria was very surprising. Yet after her conversation with Him she did just that. She ran to town and told all the people about this Jesus and brought them to His feet!

“But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:” – Acts‬ ‭2:14-18‬

‭ Through this great Gift of God, given for all generations to whomsoever would humble themselves, repent, believe, and ask for it, all the week, meek, and lowly are filled and empowered by the Spirit of God to do His work and will. Therefore, their limitations no longer matter because it is God’s limitless power working through them. Male, female, young, old, weak, strong, feeble, whole, it doesn’t matter anymore because it is the power of this gift of God, His own Spirit, working through us that does it, and not we ourselves, (though we must submit to it).

“And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” – Luke‬ ‭24:49

‬ ‭ “And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.” – Acts‬ ‭1:7-9

‬ ‭ Lastly, the woman ask Jesus a question. She says that this well is deep, how then will He draw this water up. Well, for Jesus the water flowed from His side when he humbled Himself unto the obedience of the cross and was pierced for our transgressions. However, for us it flows when we humble ourselves before God in prayer, fasting, worship, adoration, and obedience.

“And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.” – Acts‬ ‭1:13-14‬

‭ “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” – Acts‬ ‭2:1-4‬ ‭

Spiritual Wartime vs Peacetime : Avoiding The Complacency Trap

Many times it may feel like we are at peace in our walk with very light afflictions, burdens, sufferings etc. During this time we may as well receive a multitude of physical and spiritual blessings, prosperity, loved ones doing well, no one in your circle is in some major sin or in need of a dire healing or miracle, economy isn’t all that bad, your local church is doing well and you or your loved ones aren’t experiencing any major attack of the enemy. This is where everybody is OK. This is known as a ” Peacetime” season. This may be the reality for you. Or even worse (as many Christians do and I for one am one of them) MANY times we trick our minds (mostly in American culture) into believing this; “I’m OK, so you’re OK.” Which can lead to spiritual complacency.

God showed me this while explaining what a (US) military personnel does in a Peacetime scenario. “They hone both their combat and MOS skills, they train for war so they are still prepared for war. The military must be able to leap into action immediately, so their training focuses around this fact.” 

The truth is, we must treat our walk as if we are “ALWAYS” in Wartime scenario because truthfully, we ALWAYS are! If we are stuck for too long in our carefree complacency and then the storms of life suddenly come we can find ourselves standing in sinking sand headed for catastrophic peril. Jesus warns us in Matthew 24:43 “If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.“

It is also important to note prior to Jesus being arrested in the garden he found his disciples sleeping several times and the moment he was arrested Peter wrongfully cuts off a soldier’s ear. Many times we tend to REACT like this when a crisis happens rather than having a PROACTIVE consistent readiness in our walk with Christ.

Some key scriptures about spiritual warfare:

“He teaches my hands to war” -Psalm 144

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds” – 2 Cor 10:4

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 1 Peter 5:8

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.Ephesians 6:10-12

“preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” – 2nd Tim 4:2

And my favorite!… “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” – Matthew 11:12

Submitted by @ Jason Kennedy

Seeds Of Sin And The Root Of Evil

The bible tells us that the love of money is the root of all evil. However, if we are really honest with ourselves, the love of money is nothing more then the love of self because money is used to bring our selves what it wants or thinks it deserves. The money simply reveals the prideful selfishness of the flesh by exposing what it wants. With or without the money, the seeds of sin are still there lying dormant waiting to spring up at an opportune moment. 

We can see this in the account of Judas’s betrayal of Jesus. Most believe that Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. That the love of money drove his actions. In reality the love of money only revealed what was already in his heart that actually drove him to betray Christ. That being pride, jealousy, envy, and selfishness. We know this because he betrayed him before any money was offered for the betrayal. The betrayal happened in the heart, the money only sealed the deal. 

“And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.” – Mark‬ ‭14:10-11‬ ‭

You see, in the verses leading up to this we read that Jesus was in the home of Judas’s father. A woman came in, washed his feet with tears, dried them with her own hair, and anointed his feet with oil for burial. Judas was in charge of the treasury so all the money they collected went to him for “keeping”. Scripture tells us that they murmured against this woman for her humble obedience to the will of God, saying she should not have wasted her expensive oil on Jesus’s feet. Rather she should have sold it and added the money to their treasury to be used how they saw fit. Judas’s father is even recorded as thinking to himself that if Jesus knew what manner of woman this was, He would not let her touch Him much less anoint Him. To which Jesus proves that He knows all, including the true state of every heart, by exposing his prideful thoughts. He then states that this woman will be remembered all over the world for all ages for what she has done. Thus exposing and fanning the pride, envy, jealousy, and selfishness in the hearts of both Judas and his father.

“And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.” – Luke‬ ‭7:44-47‬ ‭

“Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.” – Matthew‬ ‭26:13‬ ‭

In Matthew chapter 5, Jesus tells us that though adultery is evil, even looking on someone in lust is sin. He states that though murder is evil, to simply hate someone is still sin. Sin begins in the heart and if not rebuked and repented of, will eventually manifest through our hands as evil actions. So yes the love of money is truly the root of all evil actions, but the seeds of sin are planted in pride, envy, selfishness, and jealousy. It works something like this: The words of the enemy planted in Judas’s heart was the seed, the money was the water, and the action of turning Christ over was the unfruitful thorn that sprung up from that seed choking out a once fruitful disciple of Christ.

“And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.” – Mark‬ ‭4:18-19‬ ‭

Rebuke the words of the enemy every single time he tries to sew envy, jealousy, pride, bitterness, and selfishness into your heart. For these are the bait laid to lore you into the fowler’s snare and cause you to be entangled once again in the bondage of sin. 

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” – Galatians‬ ‭5:1‬ ‭

Legalism vs Obedience

There is (and always has been) from its founding, a conundrum within the church. The disobedient call obedience legalistic, while the obedient call disobedience the same. At first glance it can be hard to decipher one from the other and even harder to decipher which one is true. So allow me, through the leading of the Holy Spirit, to clarify this issue with a simple definition. If you hold this truth in your heart and mind you will always know the difference between obedience and legalism, and that is this:

Legalism is actions taken to please men

Obedience is actions taken to please God

The same action can for one be legalism and for an other obedience. For example, fasting. If a person, church, or denomination mandates a fast and people fast to please that person, church, or denomination knowing they will be looked poorly upon if they do not, then it is legalism. However, if God tells someone, or even a group of someones, to fast then they are simply being obedient. In fact they are actually expressing their faith through their obedience and faith is the opposite of legalism.

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” – Hebrews‬ ‭11:6‬

So let’s break it down even further. If dead works are works preformed without faith, then dead works are simply works preformed that one never heard directly from God on. After all, “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). They might have heard from themselves, or from a doctrine or tradition of men, or from a pastor, or a friend but if they didn’t personally hear from God then it is a dead work. However, if you hear from God, either through His written word or personal revelation in the secret place of the most high (prayer), then you’d better obey, no matter what men say. For the word says that those who know what they should do and do not do it, to him it is sin (James 4:17).

“And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.” – Acts‬ ‭5:27-29‬

‭In summery, faith is rooted in obedience to what God says, despite what men say. While legalism is rooted in obedience to what men say, despite what God says.

“He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.” – Mark‬ ‭7:6-9‬ ‭

Again, the simple truth on this matter is this: legalism is when your heart is concerned with pleasing men. Obedience is when your heart is concerned with pleasing God. Please God, not men. Seek, pray, listen, and obey; no matter what the traditions of men say.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge (submit to) him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.” – Proverbs‬ ‭3:5-7‬ ‭