“My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

² For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;

³ And you have respect to him that wears the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit you here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand you there, or sit here under my footstool:

⁴ Are you not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?” James 2:1-4.

One who esteems one above another based on appearance is at the same time being bought by the appearance they prefer.  We must recognize what is vying for our affections and judge righteously according to the Word of God, not according to appearance.

“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”  John 7:24.

You will know them (false teachers) by their fruit and not their appearance. Every good tree brings forth good fruit but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. (Matthew 7:16-20).

Judge righteously.  Don’t be bought by the appearance of others.  The devil himself comes as an angel of light but he is still the devil.

“¹³ For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

¹⁴ And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

¹⁵ Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” 2 Corinthians 11:13-15

Consider how your affection has been purchased.  Was it according to righteous judgment or political correctness?  One is of the world and the other of God. Prayerfully consider.

-Donna Clark Warren

“⁴ Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than Godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

⁵ Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

⁶ From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

⁷ Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

⁸ But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;

⁹ Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

¹⁰ For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

¹¹ According to the glorious Gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.”  1 Timothy 1:4-11

According to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, laws are made for the lawless…not for the Righteous.  Why then do the religious place laws?  Why do they partake in legalism? Quite simply, because they are preaching another gospel.

The religion (moral law) of the world is political correctness.  If we, as Believers, do not partake in the world’s religion of political correctness, we are lawless and considered transgressors.

Most of the theology in the modern church has conformed to the world’s religion of political correctness and their moral law, instead of the Word of God and HIS moral law. The messages of forgiveness without repentance and an unconditional love that condones sinful ways are nothing more than “vain janglings” that produce feigned (pretend) faith.  The witchcraft and incantations to overthrow sin minister confusion rather than Godly edification.

Instead of “Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the Right Hand of the Throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2), we look to the law, any law, and become a transgressor.

Jesus Christ IS alive.  Our Lord IS sitting at the Right Hand of the Throne of God.  His Eyes ARE searching to and fro to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him (2 Chronicles 16:9).

The Holy Spirit is not commissioned to free us (Believers) from the law of sin and death when our faith is in a gospel that is filtered through the moral standards of political correctness.  He is commissioned to set at liberty those whose faith is placed in Jesus Christ.  Faith in the Jesus Who came to die on Calvary’s Cross to BREAK the bondages of what the world (and many in the church) have deemed moral but God has declared an abomination.  Not faith in a Jesus who winks at sin but faith in the Jesus Who now sits at the Right Hand of God, who searches to and fro to show Himself strong… to author and to finish an unfeigned faith – a faith that is solely and exclusively in Him to free us from the law of sin and death.

Fight – fight the good fight of faith.  Faith is Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

-Donna Clark Warren

“But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33

Things a Believer does not have to do in order to seek the Kingdom of God:

1. Seek a Purpose Driven Life for 40 days.  Every day is a day unto the Lord.  The Scripture says “This is the day which the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. ” Psalms 118:24.  This isn’t for 40 days…this is every day.
2. Understand a “Grace Revolution” which dismisses and ignores the conviction of the Holy Spirit of sin and calls it condemnation from satan…extremely dangerous territory.
3. Looking for Harbingers.  Jesus admonished the nobleman in Galilee saying “…Except you see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”  John 4:48.   The Word of God directly addresses the Jews who constantly seeks signs. “For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:” 1 Corinthians 1:22  Yet many continue to follow the “Messianic Jew” who authored the book Harbingers.
4. Shemitahs – the shemitah was a law given by God to Israel which gave the land rest every seventh year (Deuteronomy 15:1-5).  After years of not observing this rest and turning from the ways of God, Israel went into captivity for 70 years.  For 70 years Israel lay desolate as the Israelites were held in Babylonian captivity (Jeremiah 29:10-14).  We, as New Testament Believers, do not partake in “Shemitahs”…or any other Jewish feasts and festivals.  Our rest is in the finished work of Jesus Christ…everyday.  ” Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the Gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the Word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” Hebrews 4:1-2.
5. Blood Moons – I was admonished once by an elder in the church I attended because I began listening to Jimmy Swaggart Ministries.  This elder referred Bro. Swaggart as a “Bible pusher” because of the monthly Biblethon which raises money to send Bibles all over the world.  At the same time this church was preaching and teaching on the book the Blood Moons every Sunday night.
6. Extra Biblical revelations – Extra Biblical revelations are often given not to contradict but to “supplement” the Word of God.  Make no doubt, most if not all of these “prophetic” supplements come from the vanities of their own mind and have nothing whatsoever to do with “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God…“

So how does a Believer “…Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”  Matthew 6:33.

1. Read the Word of God. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”  2 Timothy 3:1-17.
2. Test the spirits. “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1
3. Search the Scriptures. “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” Acts 17:11.
4. Study to show thyself approved. “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15.
5. Lastly but certainly not least, understand that what you are reading in the Word of God, from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21, points to Jesus Christ, Who He is and what He has done on Calvary’s Cross for whosoever will believe.  “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”  John 1:14.

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened.”  Matthew 7:7-8.

-Donna Clark Warren

“And Samuel told him (Eli) every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the Lord: let Him do what seems Him good.” 1 Samuel 3:18

The Lord sent Samuel to warn Eli of the judgment that would come to Eli’s house for the iniquity which he knew.  Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests who had made themselves vile and Eli did nothing to restrain or correct them.  These sons of Eli would take illegal portions of the sacrifices the Israelites brought to them for a sacrifice unto the Lord.  These evil priests caused the Israelites to loathe bringing their required sacrifices unto the Lord (1 Samuel 2:12-17).

Eli was warned by God and what was his reply?   “…It is the Lord: let Him do what seems Him good.” (1 Samuel 3:18)

“And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.

² And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.

³ And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore has the Lord smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it comes among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.”  1 Samuel 4:1-3.

As Israel went out to battle against the Philistines, they were smitten and lost about 4000 men.  Instead of repenting before the Lord, they retrieved the Ark of the Covenant from the Holy of Holies and brought it to the camp that it may save them from the hand of their enemies.  There was no repentance of the Israelites.  They did not inquire of the Lord nor did the Lord instruct them to bring the Ark of the Covenant to the battle field.

Please understand this, the Israelites brought the symbol of God to battle…they did NOT bring God.  They were using the Ark of the Covenant as a magic symbol before the Philistines.  Many today attempt to us the name of Jesus as a magic symbol in a battle that the Lord did not send them to fight.

“¹⁶ And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my son?

¹⁷ And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there has been also a great slaughter among the people, and your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the Ark of God is taken.

¹⁸ And it came to pass, when he made mention of the Ark of God, that he (Eli) fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.” 1 Samuel 4:16-18.

The Lord sent His prophet Samuel to warn Eli but Eli would not hear.

“⁸ Also I (Isaiah) heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

⁹ And He said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

¹⁰ Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.”  Isaiah 6:8-10

Often the Lord will send His messengers to “go and tell” yet the effect of their message hardens the heart of the people and they do not believe.  Their ears become heavy and their eyes shut; they understand not.

Nonetheless…Here am I oh Lord.  Here am I.  Send me.

-Donna Clark Warren

“These (the Bereans) were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” Acts 17:11.

What some call “heresy hunters”, the Word of God calls Bereans.

“¹⁴ Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.

¹⁵ Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.

¹⁶ But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

¹⁷ And their word will eat as does a canker: of whom is HYMENAEUS and PHILETUS;

¹⁸ Who concerning the Truth have erred, saying that the Resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.” 2 Timothy 2:14-18.

A wolf who says they love the Lord, remains a wolf.

“⁸ This people draws near unto Me with their mouth, and honors Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me.

⁹ But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”  Matthew 15:8-9.

This is not a game we play.  This Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified will set the captives free.  This Gospel is the measure by which we discern what is preached behind the pulpit.  If the message directs me to me, it is another gospel and is accursed.  The rightly divided Word of God is the only way we can judge with righteous judgment (John 7:24).

Many would have called the Apostle Paul a “heresy hunter”.  He called out and named Hymenaeus and Philetus as false teachers (2 Timothy 2:17 ).

The Lord is raising up a people to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified BACK to the church.  Judgment must first begin at the house of God.  Many will reject this preaching because it lays waste the commandments of men.

However, many will crumble under this preaching because it contains the power of God.  The weight of the conviction of the Holy Spirit will bring the repentance necessary and they will return. The prodigals will return to their first love, Jesus Christ.  They will learn of Who He is and what He has done on Calvary’s Cross to give them victory over the world, the flesh and the devil and be free from the doctrines that have swept them to and fro throughout their Christian walk.  They will begin to KNOW in Whom they have believed.  Their faith will be authored and finished by Jesus Christ as the Holy Spirit frees them from the law of sin and death because they are once again looking unto Jesus, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the Right Hand of the throne of God.  These will begin to realize that they don’t know…not WHAT they don’t know but THAT they don’t know.

“¹⁷ For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the Cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

¹⁸ For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”  1 Corinthians 1:17-18.

Bereans don’t cause division.  They study the Scriptures.  Recognize the division and judge righteously.

-Donna Clark Warren

“Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.” Proverbs 26:12.

There is more hope for a fool than a conceited wise man.  God labels all who do not know and abide by His Word a fool.  The only one labeled below a fool is a conceited wise man.

A conceited wise man does not know what he doesn’t know.   Ignorance is the lack of awareness.  Willful ignorance is willfully lacking awareness.  The Lord has given us His Word and the Holy Spirit to guide us into all Truths.

“¹³ The slothful man says, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.

¹⁴ As the door turns upon his hinges, so does the slothful upon his bed.

¹⁵ The slothful hides his hand in his bosom; it grieves him to bring it again to his mouth.” Proverbs 26:13-15.

Forgive my bluntness, but the slothful will offer many excuses (a lion is in the streets). They will turn back and forth on their bed and bury their hand on their bosom, too lazy to bring the food of life to their mouth.

If you think I’m speaking of those who are physically “lazy”, you are wrong my friend.  I speak of those who have been and are spiritually lazy.  They do not know what they don’t know because they are willfully unaware…and choose to remain there.  There is more hope for a fool.

“But He (Jesus) answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the Mouth of God.”  Matthew 4:4

-Donna Clark Warren

“⁹ And He (Jesus) said unto me (Apostle Paul), My grace is sufficient for you: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

¹⁰ Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

The effect of the manifested grace of God in one’s life is not to give us high thoughts of ourselves but high thoughts of Jesus.  Jesus is the source and His Cross the means from which all blessings are received.  Our faith in HIS atoning work is what gives the Holy Spirit the latitude to do that which He is commissioned to do…free us from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2).

In our zeal to grow in grace, religion will begin to give us rules to follow.  Some of these “rules” are indeed Scriptural (prayer, reading Bible, fasting, the Lord’s Supper) and some are not Scriptural (Jewish feasts, traditions, ceremonies, humanistic psychology [40 days purpose, celebrate recovery, 100 ways], etc.).  With the best of intentions, these rules are given to help one grow in grace.  They become laws we place upon ourselves to receive or earn God’s grace.  Sadly, we soon forget we are “justified FREELY by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:” (Romans 3:24 emphasis added) and our faith begins to be placed on our doings (Scriptural or not Scriptural).  

God’s grace, which was at one time sufficient for us and in reality continues to be sufficient, suddenly seems out of reach.  His yoke, which was in the beginning easy starts getting heavy.  The Sunday morning sermons of grace gives us high thoughts of ourselves that fade as soon as we get in the car.  They are a vain attempt of humanistic psychology to overthrow that which only the Lord can do.  The entertainment was merely a distraction.

The reality of what has happened is WE, yes We, with all of our good intentions and love for the Lord have placed ourselves under a curse.  Yes, we are accursed.

“For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continues not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” Galatians 3:10.

This not only pertains to the Mosaic Law but ANY law we place upon ourselves to receive God’s grace.  The more we grow in grace, the tighter we cling to Jesus Christ and His atoning work on Calvary’s Cross.  We don’t go past It.  We can’t go further than the Cross of Christ and grow in grace.  That feeling of insufficient grace and heavy yoke we begin to suffer from is not because God has changed but in our zeal, we have suddenly began to try and “earn” God’s grace through our good works.

When we eat our favorite food, that food is good.  That particular food is not good because we eat it but because it is good.  We are not good because we have eaten this food, whatever it may be.

God is good.  God is not good because we partake in His Divine Nature.  He is good regardless if we partake or not.  We are given a choice to partake.

“² Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

³ According as His Divine Power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and virtue:

⁴ Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the Divine Nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”  1 Peter 1:2-4.

God’s grace IS sufficient.  His Yoke IS easy.  Come back to the faith…the saving faith, faith in Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  He is good.

-Donna Clark Warren

“⁵ And the devil, taking Him (Jesus) up into an high mountain, showed unto Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

⁶ And the devil said unto Him, All this power will I give You, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.

⁷ If You (Jesus) therefore will worship me (satan), all shall be Yours.” Luke 4:5-7.

Many Believers have been promised victory over the world, the flesh and the devil by other means than the Cross of Jesus Christ and His finished work.  They walk away from Sunday morning services not understanding the entertainment provided was merely a temporary distraction from the world in which they live.  The zeal soon fades as the roller coaster continues.

We must seek to understand and discern that when we walk away on Sunday mornings thinking how great the preacher was, how great the church is and how wonderful the entertainment may be we are NOT, I repeat – we are not hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  If so, we would be walking away thinking how great is our God.

Satan promised Eve she would be like a little god.  He promised Jesus he would give Him the world.  Does this not sound like the gospel we hear behind many modern pulpits today?

Who is being lifted up among the congregation to heal a heavy heart?  Entertainment? 40 days? 100 ways? Traditions, ceremonies, feasts or festivals?

“And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind Me, Satan: for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.”  Luke 4:9

Beware of that which satan has proposed to worship.  There is no method given by man that will break the power of sin in the Believer’s life.  God gave us His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty of sin and break the power of sin.  He sits at the Right Hand of the Throne of God seeking to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him (2 Chronicles 16:9).

“For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:2.

-Donna Clark Warren