“⁴ And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

⁵ But I will forewarn you whom you shall f ear: Fear Him, which after He has killed has power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear Him.” Luke 12:5

The fear of man results in a terror.   It is the fear of death of our flesh which overwhelms the unbeliever.  Not knowing the fear of God, the unredeemed fear that which kills the physical body with no regard for He Who has the power to cast our eternal soul into a devil’s hell, Jehovah God . The devil would prefer all to believe that he holds the keys to death and hell which is a lie.

“I (Jesus) am He that lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” Revelation 1:18

God told Moses to “…Gather Me the people together, and I will make them hear My Words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.” Deuteronomy 4:10

The Word of God teaches His Children a fear which takes into account God’s standard of Holiness and Righteousness in all that we do.   Understanding this fear of the Lord results in the knowledge of God (Proverbs 2:5).

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10

As the Believer learns the fear of the Lord, we learn of Who Jesus Christ is and what He has done on Calvary’s Cross for whosoever believe.  Jesus is the Source and His Cross the means by which we receive from God DAILY.  In God’s Word we see the Statutes and Ways of how He deals with those He loves through correction, reproof and instruction in Righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).

The fight of faith in which we fight is daily.  The temptation to rely upon ability and intellect to achieve life and life more abundantly is great but the fear of the Lord in which we are learning is so much greater.  We know that in us, in our flesh, is no great thing and the Holy Spirit will not superintend that which is born of our flesh but of the Spirit of God alone.

“⁸ We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; ¹⁰ Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-10

This fear of the Lord cannot be understood by the unredeemed. Their only fear is fear of physical death…yet they do not consider He Who Holds the key to death, He Who is alive but was dead and lives forever more,  Jesus Christ.

“¹⁴ Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He (Jesus) also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; ¹⁵ And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” Hebrews 2:14-15

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17).  Come, gather together to hear His Word so that ye may learn the fear of the Lord.  Ash Wednesday will not teach one to fear the Lord. 40 days of purpose will not teach the fear of the Lord.  The Word of God teaches the fear of the Lord. Declare It. Speak It. Rightly divide It.  The Word of God is quick and It is powerful and will lay waste philosophies from the vanities of man’s own mind.

Jesus Christ and Him crucified, be determined to know nothing else among you.  Fear ye the Lord.

-Donna Clark Warren

“Against You (GOD), You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight: that You might be justified when You speak, and be clear when You judge.” Psalms 51:4

Sin, what ever sin it may be, is perfected and authored by satan and directed against God.  Sin is designed by satan to contradict God.  Sadly, the devil uses God’s highest creation, mankind, to violate and desecrate that which God’s Glory demands  which is Righteousness by faith through Grace.

“I do not frustrate the Grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” Galatians 2:21

Grace is afforded to whosoever will believe Jesus Christ paid the penalty of sin to God on Calvary’s Cross.  Knowing this, Who Jesus is and what He has done on Calvary’s Cross, we have no doubt as to Jesus’ Resurrection. Jesus Christ is now sitting at the Right Hand of the Throne of God making intercession through His atoning work for whosoever will believe.

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under Grace.” Romans 6:14

Grace is not a license to sin. God forbid no!  Jesus Christ did not die on Calvary’s Cross to save us in our sin.  Jesus does not save us in the miry clay just to leave us in the mire.  Jesus saves us FROM sin; His Grace gives us dominion over sin.  The Cross of Christ broke the power of sin and utterly made a show of every demon in hell. There was no fight in hell for dominion.  That is utter nonsense and blasphemy.  The devil wants no part of Jesus Christ and neither can he touch those who are covered in the Blood of Jesus unless he is being used as a tool to chastise and test our faith.  This test of faith is not for God’s knowledge, He is all knowing, but for our understanding.  We can easily say we believe but when our boat begins to rock, how often do we start shoveling the water overboard before we realize our faith is in our ability to save ourselves from that sinking boat?  Friend, we must realize we are ALL sinking boats and it is the Hand of God Who is keeping us afloat.

Our faith in the Cross of Christ gives the Holy Spirit latitude to superintend the work of God in our hearts and lives and give us dominion over sin.  With the power of sin broken in our life by faith in the Cross of Christ, we are no longer instruments of unrighteousness used by satan to defile that which is righteous but are now able to willingly yield ourselves unto God.  Before we are born again, we are not able to willingly yield ourselves unto God.  The lost are spiritually dead unto God therefore they cannot willingly yield to the Lord.

“Neither yield you your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” Romans 6:13

Those that are alive unto God, the born again Believer, can now partake in God’s Divine Nature and are no longer under sin’s dominion irregardless of what the devil says; he’s a liar and the father of lies.  The sin satan is authoring and perfecting in the Believer’s life is too often a result of deceit which has corrupted the understanding of the Cross of Christ by either adding to or taking away from His finished work and directing our faith to that which was added or removed.  Remember, righteousness does not cleanse evil but expels it.  On the other hand, evil can defile righteousness through corruption.

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

Sin is in direct contradiction to God and is against God in every way.  Partake of God’s Divine Nature.  Taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusts in Him (Psalms 34:8).

-Donna Clark Warren

“¹⁰ 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.

¹¹ But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.” Galatians 3:10-11

The Mosaic Law, being righteous and holy, was given to show mankind our condition.  Akin to going 55 miles per hour in a 35 mile per hour zone shows us we are speeding, so does thou shalt not steal show us we are a thief if we steal.  Laws, both Mosaic and man made, are a curse to those who break them.

To be sure, one is not a thief because they steal but they steal because they are a thief.  On an even  broader scale, one’s condition, whatever that condition may be (pornographer, fornicator, drunk, smoker, etc.) is not the result of their action but their action is the result of their condition.  Denying the action doesn’t set one free from the reality of their condition.

There is only one answer to the change in condition and that is the Cross of Christ.  The Holy Spirit is not commissioned to superintend the vain philosophies of man which point to our self efforts, talent, will power or intellect for victory over our condition.

To be clear, I’m speaking here to Believers, those who are justified by Grace through faith…not just unbelievers.  The majority of Believers have never been taught how to live for God by grace through faith alone but have been given man made methods which appeal to the lusts of the flesh.  This leaven, the vain philosophies, produces pride which will always and without fail lead to unbelief. “Well bless God, I believe!” No friend…no you don’t if you believe personal merit (self will, intellect, talent, prayer shawls, feasts, festivals, yamakas, etc.) is an acceptable way to change your condition.  Doing 50 sit ups may change the condition of our physical body but it won’t change our spiritual condition.

“⁶ For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

⁷ Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Romans 8:6-7

Sin is directed against God.  When the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified is perverted there is poison in the pot.  This poison leads to death under the guise of sincerity and good intentions.  It first leavens and puffs up producing pride then pride leads to unbelief in the power of the Cross of Christ to change the spiritual condition of the born again Believer by Grace through faith.

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under Grace.” Romans 6:14

Grace gives us dominion over sin.  The power of sin is broken by Grace through faith because the Holy Spirit is commissioned to circumcise our hearts.  Precept upon precept and line upon line, old things pass away and all things become new.  The change in our condition is not because of some rule or law given but because of the Hand of God in our heart and in our lives working in us a new creature.

“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwells no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” Romans 7:18

Those 12 steps to recovery, promise keepers and 40 days can’t change our condition.  Fasting for 21 days, reading our Bible in a year, water baptism or communion can not change our condition.  Although some may be Scriptural, they were not given to overcome sin.  Let us not forget, the devil knows the Bible too and he will use it to deceive the sincerest of Believers. The atoning work of Jesus Christ on Calvary’s Cross is the only answer given to man for victory over the penalty and the power of sin.  The will to do good may indeed be present but the power to do that which is good is only found by Grace through faith.

“There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12

Sacraments and personal merit seem right to overcome the sin that so easily besets us.  It is the worldly system of which we are familiar…but it’s not God’s Way.  God’s Way is Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  Be determined to know nothing else among you.

“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwells no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” Romans 7:18

-Donna Clark Warren

For 20+ years I have been tied to “readers”. Those little eyeglasses have been like an appendage since I was in my mid 20’s. Through the years as my eyes aged, the glasses grew stronger and stronger. The Lord has been dealing with me about my eye sight in the past few days and yesterday I went to see the eye doctor.

Much to my surprise, those little readers were far from efficient and I was prescribed contacts. Physically speaking, seeing I can now see!! My husband always jokingly said he would never take me to the eye doctor because I thought he was so handsome.

Please allow me to give you an analogy of some of the major differences of how seeing more clearly has impacted my life in the past 24 hours.

1. First and foremost, my dear husband is more handsome than I once thought. I now see people in a different way because I can see their physical features clearly. I can see their physical condition whether it be bad or good.
2. Not only do I see others more clearly, as I sat down to put on my make up this morning, I could see myself more clearly. I could see my own flaws. The wrinkles that I didn’t realize were there became overly obvious. Seeing myself more clearly in the mirror caused me to understand why others may have their eye make up or lipstick on incorrectly. Perhaps too much or too little makeup was the result of not seeing. Simply stated, those of us who can’t clearly see can’t see the flaws in ourselves either, therefore we can’t see nor understand the flaws in our solution (i.e. the make up).
3. Lastly…for now at least, I’m amazed at how often I continue to pick up those readers and throw them on my head. The trepidation of deciding to go in the grocery store and leaving my glasses in the car was a conscious decision I had to make. What if I got in there and couldn’t read the labels?

“²³ For if any be a hearer of the Word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: ²⁴ For he beholds himself, and goes his way, and straightway forgets what manner of man he was. ²⁵ But whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” James 1:23-25

Now seeing, why would I not continue therein? Once I beheld my natural face in the mirror how could I so quickly forget of what manner I was?  I will tell you how. If I take out my contacts and choose to continue wearing those readers, I will soon forget clearly seeing. No longer will I see the flaws in my face therefore the error in my remedy, my makeup, will not be noticed.

“¹⁶ All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: ¹⁷ That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

The entirety of the Word of God; the full counsel, rightly divided Word of God is profitable for reproof, correction and instruction.  When we go our own way and follow vain philosophies from the minds of man, we straightway forget what manner of man we are.  The leaven leavens and we don’t notice our flaws nor see the error in the leaven.

“Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and know not that you are wretch, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel you to buy of Me (Jesus) gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich; and white raiment, that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness do not appear; and anoint your eyes with eyesalve, that you may see.” Revelation 3:17-18

There are many in the modern apostate church today who need their eyes anointed with eyesalve that they may see.  For some, this is easily discerned.  At times, it is disheartening, aggravating and if I’m completely honest…sometimes I just want to shake some sense into them. But I can’t…and neither can you by the way.

What we must understand is they don’t not see because they are rejecting the Cross of Christ but they reject the Cross of Christ because they can’t see.  They no longer look into the perfect law of liberty by faith in the Cross of Christ but are looking through the readers of religion and have straightway forgotten what manner of man they are.

I shutter to think of how I would have reacted if, while not being able to see, someone who could see told me every time I looked in the mirror how awful I looked and when I applied my make up how I was doing it all wrong.  Is that what so many of us who can see, spiritually speaking, are doing to those who can’t?  I knew I couldn’t see and thankfully someone told me of a physician who could help me see.  For years I chose not to go see this physician but when I finally did…I can now see clearly.

There is a Great Physician Who can heal our weary souls but we must be willing to remove our religious readers and choose His Prescribed Order…Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  Keep telling them of Jesus Christ, Who He is and what He has done for whosoever will believe, so when they do decide to freely choose, they know in Whom to believe.

-Donna Clark Warren

“⁶ A scorner seeks wisdom, and finds it not: but knowledge is easy unto him who understands.

⁷ Go from the presence of a foolish man, when you perceive not in him the lips of knowledge.” Proverbs 14:6-7

Years ago while praying for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues I had a dear Sister in the Lord, Sister Margaret Burford, pray for me to have the “understanding needed”.  At the time I didn’t understand why she was praying for me to have understanding because I thought I understood.  Intellectually I had studied the Scriptures and understood the teaching of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit but didn’t understand what I didn’t understand.  I didn’t know what I didn’t know because I thought I knew.  This is not a riddle but a reality I was facing.

“Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.” Matthew 13:13

Thankfully, as I continued praying for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, the Lord was faithful to answer my prayer and Sister Burford’s fervent prayer.  I received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in other tongues and I received a deeper understanding…a spiritual revelation of HIS Truth; not according to my intellect but a revelation of God’s Truth according to His Word opened up in my heart regarding the Baptism of the Holy Spirit as I looked unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of my faith.  I did not pray to a saint, nor did I have to “do” anything other than believe and seek…seek the Lord for understanding of Who He is and what He has done for whosoever will believe.

Once this greater understanding was revealed to me regarding the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, the Lord continued to deal with me…just as He does anyone and everyone who will seek His Truth according to His Word and not be hindered by denominational traditions and philosophies.  Going from church to church, trying to find a church home my husband and I finally settled on a familiar place.  A place where they believed in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, yet there was still something missing; a vacancy that I chose to fill with religious racket.

When I say the Lord continued to deal with me, I mean He was faithful and longsuffering as I was in a place of fulfilling the lust of the flesh.  Worldly statutes cloaked in Scripture and good intentions appealed to my flesh and puffed me up.  I sought signs and wonders, harbingers and shemitahs, blood moons and traditions of man along side the “super spiritual elite” at the “super spiritual house of religion”.  With our mouths we worshipped God but unknowingly our sincere hearts were far from Him.

“⁸ This people draw nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honor 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

Again, I didn’t know what I didn’t know and neither did I understand…until once again I began to seek God for Truth according to His Word.

“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.

¹⁹ For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” 1 Corinthians 1:17-18

Scrolling through the channels, knowing of Bro. Jimmy Swaggart’s SonLife Broadcasting Network (SBN), my husband and I watched “The Message of the Cross” along with many other “religious” channels.  Please remember, we were religious…very religious but we didn’t understand; neither were we seeking to understand because we thought we understood.  Everything Bro. Swaggart and the panel taught didn’t pertain to our small town (so I thought).  All of that heresy and apostasy was only found in those mega churches around the world according to satan’s minion who whispered lies in my ear as he sent his “ministers of righteousness” to tickle my other ear.  Hearing, I heard not….and neither did I understand.

“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 11:14-15

Finally came the morning I asked the Lord to show me if we were sitting under any of the false doctrine I heard Bro. Swaggart and the panel speak about on “The Message of the Cross”.  That morning in service the Holy Spirit pricked my heart regarding what was being preached that particular day and my husband and I began to search the Scriptures to see whether certain things were so (Acts 17:11).  As we began to read the verses in context, we began to see.  Precept upon precept and line upon line, our eyes began to see and we understood that we didn’t understand.  We began to realize what we didn’t realize.

“¹³ Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, ¹⁴ I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14

Seeking God for Who He is and what He has done for whosoever will believe is not a catchy phrase for those who understand the power of God is in the preaching of the Cross of Christ.  Daily, precept upon precept, there remains a deeper understanding to be had in the Cross of Christ for victorious Christian living.

This is not a new fad nor a new revelation but was given to the Apostle Paul as he too delighted in the Law of God after the inward man but saw in his members another law, the lusts of the flesh warring against the law in his mind bringing him into bondage (Romans 7:22-24).  The Lord revealed to the Apostle Paul the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus sets us free from the law of sin and death.  It was not laws, even though righteous, that set the Apostle Paul free but being “in Christ Jesus” which gives the Holy Spirit latitude to do that which He is commissioned to do..free us from the law of sin and death and give us dominion over sin (Romans 6:14).  Being “in Christ Jesus” is not obtained through anything we must do other than faith in Jesus’ atoning work on Calvary’s Cross.  When we add anything other than faith in the Cross of Christ for victorious Christian living, we render the Cross of Christ as insufficient and the Word of God a lie.  God forbid no!

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

Many do not understand and sadly their foolish pride is hindering them from seeking understanding.

“A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:” Proverbs 1:5

God will give the increase, the understanding, to those who seek Him.

-Donna Clark Warren

When the Believer is under the Government of Law they attempt to sanctify themselves by way of keeping a law.  For some, it is the Ten Commandments they attempt to keep while others it is fasting, praying or perhaps reading the Bible.  Obviously all of these things the born again Believer should be doing BUT not to gain a victorious Christian life.

“For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the Law of Sin and Death.” Romans 8:2

We are all born under the Law of Sin and Death due to Adam’s original fall.  Born with a sin nature, we do not have to be taught what is morally wrong but what is morally right.  For the parent, who themselves are bound by the Law of Sin and Death because they do not know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour (the Jesus of the Bible Who came to pay the penalty of sin for the sinner and break the power of sin for the Believer…not condone sin as some would like to believe), they will raise their children according to the world’s moral standards.  The statutes and ways of the worldly system are that by which they measure success. To see the fruit of these man made moral laws simply turn on the television.

“⁸ For by Grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

Spiritually speaking there are only two Governments of God.  The Government of Law, which we are all born under, and the Government of Grace.  When we accept the Sacrificial Lamb provided by God, Jesus Christ, as our substitute for the penalty of sin (death, Romans 6:23) we are born again; a new creature in Christ Jesus who is now under the Government of Grace through faith.

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under Grace.” Romans 6:14

Being born again and now under the Government of Grace through faith, the power of sin is broken in the Believer’s life and our sin nature no longer has dominion. The power of sin is indeed broken until we, with the best of intentions, put ourselves back under the Government of Law by placing laws on ourselves to better perform…those worldly statutes we have known all of our lives.  These laws (rules), which are intended for good, substitute our self efforts, will and determination in place of the Holy Spirit Who is not commissioned to superintend the Government of Laws but the Government of Grace…this IS the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus.  If we are not under Grace, we are under Law and the strength of sin is law.

“⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

⁵⁷ But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor. 15:56-57

Religion is full of laws.  Any fulfillment of a particular law produces pride…which is their intent. The Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years and God continued to bless them.  God’s blessings were not condoning of their sinful ways but a keeping in hopes they would repent.  Sadly an entire generation of Israelites never saw the promise land due to unbelief.  In today’s world, this generation would be swept to and fro with every wind of doctrine coming down the pike in the religious world.  Now, just as then, unbelief is the problem among God’s Children.  We know yet we do not understand because we walk by sight and not by faith; regardless of our sincere proclamations and bold declarations.

“¹² Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the Living God.

¹³ But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

¹⁴ For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; ¹⁵ While it is said, To day if you will hear His Voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.” Hebrews 3:12-15

Laws are given to evil hearts of unbelief to reveal their evil and unbelief but do not have the power to change. The power of God is in the Cross of Christ.  The Holy Spirit superintends God’s Grace, the effect of the Cross of Christ, in the heart of belief.

“²³ Jesus said unto him, If you cant believe, all things are possible to him that believe.

²⁴ And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief.” Mark 9:23-24

-Donna Clark Warren

Holiness does not sanctify evil but evil will corrupt and destroy holiness.  Fellowship with unrighteousness corrupts the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified making the Cross of Christ of no effect in the life of the Believer. Communion with darkness, even when presented as light and equated with Truth, renders the Cross of Christ as insufficient for daily life and living because it presents another way…another method, statute or philosophy to obtain holiness and righteousness.

If Jesus Christ is not the Source and His Cross the means by which we are imputed righteousness and holiness; our righteousness is corrupted…it is darkness.  Water baptism does not render one righteous.  Consecration to the Word of God does not render one righteous.  Both of these things should absolutely be done by the Child of God if at all possible.  (Not all Believers are physically able to be baptized in water…does that mean they are not Saved?  God forbid, no!)

However, it is faith in the redeeming work of Jesus Christ, Who He is and what He has done for whosoever will believe, that imputes the Child of God HIS (Jesus’) Righteousness.  Our faith in the Cross of Christ is our only part in obtaining the Righteousness of Jesus.  When His Righteousness is imputed to the Believer It drives out and expels evil.  It (holiness) does not sanctify evil but expels and utterly lays it waste.  Precept upon precept and line upon line, that which is evil in our hearts, is circumcised without hands through the ministry of the Holy Spirit (Colossians 2:11) when our faith remains in the Cross of Christ for all that we need.  The Word of God is a  two edged sword. What It severs with one edge, the Word of God will also heal with the other (Hebrews 4:12).

“¹⁴ Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion has light with darkness?

¹⁵ And what concord has Christ with Belial? or what part has he that believes with an infidel?

¹⁶ And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? for you are the temple of the living God; as God has said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My People.

¹⁷ Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

¹⁸ And will be a Father unto you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

Holiness expels evil…it doesn’t sanctify nor rehabilitate evil.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

-Donna Clark Warren

“Pride goes before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18

Pride is the cause of man’s fallen condition.  The destruction of our spiritual life; mankind’s God consciousness, came because of satan’s deception.  Satan, the liar (John 8:44), told Eve she shall surely not die but would be as god and Eve believed him.  The devil tempted the lust of Eve’s eyes (she “saw” the tree was good for food), the lust of her flesh (the fruit was pleasant) and the pride her life (her desire to be made wise).

“⁴ And the serpent said unto the woman, You shall not surely die: ⁵ For God does know that in the day you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

⁶ And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” Genesis 3:4-5

Satan’s methods have not changed; he continues to tempt and deceive.  What many do not understand is his playground is the church.  Religion abounds in different solutions, methods and philosophies to live an overcoming life. They are cloaked in Scripture and appeal to our eyes, our flesh and the pride of life…wisdom.  The wisdom is earthly, sensual and devilish (James 3:15) and to the unlearned it is equated with the Gospel of Jesus Christ because it seems good.

“There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12

These “good things” puff up; they are the leaven which leavens the whole lump (Galatians 5:9) and results in a haughty spirit.  A haughty and self righteous spirit leads to death because seeing they see not and blindly follow the blind into a ditch (Matthew 13:13, Matthew 15:14).

“⁸ This people draw nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honor 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.

These vanities sweep us to and fro when believed.  As a house built on sand, our foundation is quickly washed away when the storms of life come and our faith is placed in those vain philosophies.  Those 40 days of purpose are laid waste. The countless hours on the pew hearing the commandments of man for victory cause the soul to grow weary…there is no rest; no not any.  What tempted our flesh, our eyes deemed pleasant and the wisdom offered appealed to our intellect.  Out of sincerity and zeal we carry on…rebuilding our home on a sandy foundation only to once again be swept away.

“²⁸ Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

²⁹ Take My Yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and y shall find rest unto your souls.

³⁰ For My Yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”  Matthew 11:28-30

The Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified is not only for the sinner but for the Saint as well.  The Cross of Christ broke the power of sin in the Believer’s life.  Jesus Christ is the Source and His Cross the means by which we receive from God…not these vain methods which sound good but lead to death.  Seek Him and He will be found. He stands at the door knocking.

“¹¹ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

¹² Then shall you call upon Me, and you shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you.

¹³ And you shall seek Me, and find Me, when you shall search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13.

-Donna Clark Warren

The same pride and self will which refuses help and causes injury to one’s physical body or possessions will also hinder and damage ones spiritual growth when help is rejected.  Pride is defined as the deep pleasure derived from one’s own achievement.  It is the lust of the flesh to which religion appeals because it involves an act that we must perform to gain some type of victory.

^“18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. ¹⁹ While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.” 2 Peter 2:18-19

Religion will give us a method with great swelling words cloaked with Scripture to achieve or gain the victory which is already freely given by Christ Jesus by faith through grace.  The reality is, we have failed to maintain that which the Cross of Jesus afforded the Child of God because we have fallen from Grace through faith and believed a corrupted gospel; we believed the “great swelling words” proclaimed by the religious and have put ourselves under law.

“⁸ But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. ⁹ For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.” Romans 7:8-9

These man made laws which bring the Believer back under bondage to perform an act in order to achieve that which ONLY the Holy Spirit can do in the heart and life of the Believer results in pride.  This is the leaven which leavens the whole lump.  Good intent and sincerity can not gain one liberty.  Mankind cannot superintend the work of God in the heart of mankind…that is the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

“² For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

³ For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

⁴ That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

⁵ For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.” Romans 8:3-5

When satan successfully moves the Believer’s faith from the Cross of Christ to maintain the victory freely given by Jesus’ finished work, which produces humility, and he deceitfully directs our faith to a man made law in order to gain the victory, which will always produce pride, we fall from grace and the Cross of Christ becomes of no effect. As we follow the lusts of our sinful flesh to gain victory by our intellect, abilities or self will, the Holy Spirit is not commissioned to free us from the law of sin and death and we remain bound; swept to and fro by every wind of doctrine.

If the power of sin is broken by something other than the Cross of Christ, then the Cross of Christ was in vain. God forbid no! If we must do something other than believe in the power of God, which is the Cross of Christ, to redeem mankind then the Cross of Christ was in vain.  Again I say, God forbid no!  Any work, method or philosophy given to break the power of sin in the Believer’s life or pay the penalty of sin in the sinner’s life other than Jesus Christ and Him crucified is another gospel and another Jesus which will always produce pride.

Jesus is the Source and His Cross the means by which we receive from God. Faith in Jesus, Who He is and what He has done for whosoever will believe cannot produce pride but a humble knowing that without Him, we are condemned to follow the things of the flesh; without Jesus we are condemned to the penalty of sin (death) and the power of sin.

“¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

¹⁷ For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.

¹⁸ He that believes on Him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:16-18

-Donna Clark Warren

When the problem is ignored, the solution will also be ignored.  When the problem is called by another name, another solution will be presented.

Since the fall of Adam, sin is the problem in the world today.  The evil and wickedness found in the world, is due to sin.  Death is due to sin.  Sickness is due to sin.  The godliest man or woman in the world may get sick and die and the reason for this sickness and resulting death is sin…not necessarily their sin but sin due to the fall of man.

That being said, if sin is ignored from behind the pulpit than the solution to sin will also be ignored.  If sin is called a mental sickness another solution will be presented; namely, humanistic psychology.  If sin is called a bad habit, another solution will be presented with self as the source and self effort as the solution.  Sometimes Scriptural ordinances and practices are given to overcome “the problem” (sin) even though they were not given to overcome sin.  Praying was not given to overcome sin. Reading our Bible was not given to over come sin.  Both of these are absolutely necessary for the Believer but they were not given to overcome sin.

“The next day John sees Jesus coming unto him, and says, Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world.”  John 1:29

Jesus Christ came to die on Calvary’s Cross to take away the sin of the world.  When the church calls sin what the world calls sin (sickness, bad habit, etc.), the church will present the solution the world presents cloaked with Scripture. By partaking in this solution (whatever it may be), the Believer deems the finished work of Jesus Christ insufficient to do that which He came to do in our life…break the power of sin (Romans 6:14) and the Cross of Christ becomes of no effect.

“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 Cor. 1:17-18

The problem in the world is sin.  The only solution to sin is the Cross of Christ.  Jesus Christ and Him crucified…be determined to know nothing else.

-Donna Clark Warren