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The Power Of The Cross! By Pastor Bill Taylor A publication of My Father's House, inc. Volume 12/ Issue 6 Spider’s Webs The lies that hold men captive Are as a spider’s web Calling flesh by a false beauty Unto tombs meant for the dead
To those who see the web it’s fragile To those it’s trapped, it seems as iron Only those in Christ can free men From the lies that make them blind
The web is spun out of deceptions Twisting words to blind the eyes Speaking peace unto the wicked God’s perfection they despise
I tell you now My people Go forth – tear down the lies Set free the blinded captives By opening their eyes
My truth is always stronger Than the webs satan may weave Put on My strength and be victorious All you need is found in Me!
(Poem delivered at “My Father’s House”)
The Power Of The Cross! You’ve armed me with strength for the battle; You’ve subdued under me those who rose up against me. You’ve also given me the necks of my enemies, so I destroyed those who hated me. They cried out, but there was none to save; even to the LORD, but He didn’t answer them. Then I beat them as fine as the dust before the wind; I cast them out like dirt in the streets. (Ps18:39-42) It’s God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect. He teaches my hands to make war, so my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You’ve also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand has held me up, Your gentleness has made me great. (v32,34,35) God has given Christ the power to subdue His enemies and in Christ as true sons of God we have the power and the grace of God to subdue our enemies. For Christ didn’t send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. (power) We preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. (1Cor1:17,23,24) For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. (1Cor2:2) Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who being found in appearance as a man, humbled Himself and became obedient to the death, even the death of the cross. (Phil 2:5,8) Knowing this, our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. (Rom6:6) Let this mind be in you, that you’ll obey God to the death, even the death of the cross. (Phil 2:5-8) I’ve been crucified with Christ; it’s no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Gal 2:20) Are you crucified with Christ? It’s no longer I who live, why? Because the One who’s speaking this has been obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. He’s let this mind be in him which was in Christ Jesus. Have you let Christ’s mind be in you? Jesus said “That the world may know I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do.” (Jn14:31) Then He went to the cross. The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, “unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.” (Jn12:23-26) You must follow Jesus to the cross. “Pick up your cross and follow Me” Jesus says. (Mk8:34) We preach Christ crucified. (1Cor1:23) Jesus is crucified and the one who serves Him must be crucified too. And this is the one the Father will honor. For You’ve armed me with strength for the battle; You’ve subdued under me those who rose against me. (2Sam22:40) Ehud kills the king of Moab then blows a trumpet in the mountains of Ephraim to call Israel to war against their enemies. Then he said to them, “Follow me, for the LORD has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” So they went down after him, seized the fords of the Jordan leading to Moab, and didn’t allow anyone to cross over. And at that time they killed about ten thousand men of Moab, all stout men of valor; not a man escaped. So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. (Jdg3:28-30) Ehud is a deliverer and he’s a type of Christ who delivers God’s people from bondages such as to Moab. For on this mountain the hand of the LORD will rest, and Moab shall be trampled down under Him, as straw is trampled down for the refuse heap. And He’ll spread out His hands in their midst as a swimmer reaches out to swim, (Here the prophet is seeing a vision of Jesus on the cross.) and He’ll bring down their pride together with the trickery of their hands. The fortress of the high fort of your walls He’ll bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, down to the dust. (Is25:10-12) Moab always showed itself to be an enemy of God’s people. There was such a curse upon them that a Moabite wasn’t even allowed to enter the congregation of the Jews. (Dt23:3) (God made an exception for Ruth because she showed herself to be so virtuous.) The Moabites had done many bad things to God’s people and God remembers their sins. Moab is symbolic of something that’s a very great enemy to us also. When this scripture talks about Jesus bringing down the pride and the fortress of their walls it’s prophesying the great victory Jesus has wrought for us over an enemy that’s like unto Moab. Oh, that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways! I’d soon subdue their enemies, and turn My hand against their adversaries. The haters of the LORD would pretend submission to Him, but their fate would endure forever. He’d have fed them also with the finest of wheat; and with honey from the rock I’d have satisfied you. (Ps81:13-16) When we “walk in the Spirit” we walk in God’s ways, and this blessing becomes ours. So the people went in and possessed the land; You subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gave them into their hands, with their kings and the people of the land, that they might do with them as they wished. (Neh9:24) Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings to me from the cave.” And they did so, and brought out those five kings to him from the cave: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. So it was, when they brought out those kings to Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the captains of the men of war who went with him, “Come near, put your feet on the necks of these kings.” And they drew near and put their feet on their necks. (See Ps18:40) Then Joshua said to them, “Don’t be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.” And afterward Joshua struck them and killed them. (Jsh10:22-26) The five kings here can symbolize the five senses, which are of the flesh. As believers we’re not to live by our senses anymore. The flesh has been conquered by the cross. If you’re a believer, who’s your worst enemy? The flesh! What does the flesh work through? The senses. But like Joshua subdued the five kings, Jesus has subdued the five senses and the flesh. He subdued them at the cross and what often isn’t well known in the so called “churches” around us is how powerful a victory over the flesh Christ’s cross has given to the true believer. If I still preach circumcision, why do I suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased. (Gal 5:11) Why does Paul say this? Because it’s the cross that all false religion fights against. We’re persecuted as true Christians only when we follow Jesus to the cross. As true believers we’ve accepted the cross, while all false religion including false christianity rejects the cross. They want to receive what Jesus did on the cross for us, but they won’t get on that cross with Him, and if they don’t get on that cross with Jesus, they’re not saved. You can’t be saved unless you receive Christ’s cross for yourself. The reality of the awesome victory Jesus has given us is well expressed in Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. (Rom6:6) In most churches today the gospel is all about the blood. They talk about the blood; they sing about the blood, they want to know more about the blood. We get many letters from “believers” asking for all the books we have about the blood. If anything could be over preached, the blood has been over preached. Jesus hasn’t called me to write books about the blood. The doctrine of Christ’s blood has been well covered everywhere you go in Christianity. Jesus’ blood has given us forgiveness of sins and everyone knows this that has anything to do with Christianity. So why do so many keep clamoring for more and more on the blood? Is it because they know they aren’t living right and they want to hear more and more about forgiveness to make them feel better. Song: Would you be free from your burden of sin? There’s power in the blood; power in the blood. The truth is, the blood is the power of forgiveness, (Rom3:25) but there’s also a wonderful power in the cross! This song could also be sung this way: Would you be free from your bondage to sin? There’s power in the cross; power in the cross! Would you over satan a victory win? There’s wonderful power in the cross! There’s power, power wonder working power in the cross of the Lamb! There’s power, power wonder working power in the precious cross of the Lamb! It’s the CROSS that puts the sin in the flesh to death! The blood forgives sin! (Eph1:7) The cross sets you free from sin’s power. And so all around us there are “christians” clamoring that they’re forgiven by the blood who haven’t been set free by the cross! If you aren’t crucified with Jesus then you’re still alive to the world. But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (Gal 6:14) I am boasting in what Jesus has done. I’ve been set free because of what Jesus did for me at the cross. Being joined to Him by faith, He’s crucified the world to me and it no longer has any hold on me. The power of the cross means nothing that has anything to do with sin can overcome me. O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the Truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? (Gal 3:1) How important is it that we portray Jesus as crucified? You must see Jesus as crucified before you can recognize you’re crucified with Him. He was crucified so we could be crucified. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Gal 5:24) If you haven’t done that, you aren’t Christ’s. For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we’ll live with Him by the power of God toward you. (2Cor13:4) Because we’re crucified with Jesus, God raises us to a new life which we live by the power of God. (Eph2:4-6) As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. (Gal 6:12) Carnal “christians” who wish to keep their life in this world and not lose it (Jn12:25) will do almost anything so they can avoid the cross and still seem to be religious; still seem to be “believers.” For many walk, of whom I’ve told you often, and now tell you even weeping, they’re enemies of the cross of Christ: (Phil 3:18) In “My Father’s House” we’ve removed many who behaved as enemies to the cross. If you won’t crucify your flesh, you can’t belong to Christ or this church. If flesh is controlling you, you’re an enemy to the cross and the true saints. To be an enemy to the cross is to turn against the cross, fight against the cross, reject the cross, which means to reject your own crucifixion! The Baptists are of this sort who preach they can never be anything but sinners. They hate the true saints who’ve received the cross for themselves and demonstrate a true holiness in living for Christ. The Baptist-types can become very vicious in their rejection of the cross-bearing saints. Because to reject the cross, to be enemies to the cross they must reject those who preach the cross and be enemies to us who’ve received our crucifixion with Christ. The Baptists claim to love Jesus, but if they hate those who are crucified with Christ, they must hate Christ crucified also. So they lie when they say they love Jesus – they really hate Him and His cross. They love a fake Jesus made up in their own imaginations; a Jesus who doesn’t require them to pick up their cross and follow Him. (Mk10:21) Thus the Baptists are an anti-cross “church” which makes them an antichrist “church.” If you reject your crucifixion you’re rejecting Jesus’ crucifixion on your behalf. He’s the forerunner. (Heb6:20) He went to the cross first so you could come to the cross and join Him. To reject the cross is to reject the most important and main element of Jesus’ atonement. It’s to reject the victory over Moab! When you’ve rejected the cross, you’ve rejected the victory over the flesh. The reason there are so many so called “christians” who say they can’t be anything but sinners is because they’ve rejected the cross! When they say they can’t be anything but a sinner; they’re saying “Sin has dominion over me and I can’t rule over it. Sin rules over me and I’m in bondage to it and it’s going to stay that way.” The reason it’s going to stay that way is they won’t go to the cross! If they’d accept the cross, it would break the power of sin in their lives. Moab is defeated, and the fortress of Moab is brought low, because every motivation that the devil can use to bring you into sin is killed when the flesh is crucified. Jesus went to the cross to set us free, not from the guilt of sin alone but from the power of sin. (Act26:18) In Jesus’ blood is forgiveness (Col 1:14) the setting free from the guilt of past sins but not the setting free from the bondage to sin itself. Without the cross, the flesh still has power over you. Even though you’re forgiven for past sins, you’ll commit new sins if you don’t go to the cross. Because sin in the flesh still has power over you even though you claim to believe in Jesus you’ll actually be fighting and working against Him. You’ll behave like an enemy to Jesus, until you go to the cross with Him. (Gal 5:17) This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we’ll also live with Him. (2Tim2:11) Paul doesn’t say “Die with Him,” he says “If we died with Him,” meaning if we went to the cross with Him and we’ve accepted the cross for ourselves, we’ll live with Him. Jesus went to the cross in my place, means I deserved the cross; therefore I’ll receive the cross for myself. Jesus’ cross is my cross, and it’s my death. I deserved to die, not Jesus so I’ll accept that death and I’ll be joined to Jesus in the death of the cross. And if I do that I’ll also be joined to Him in His life. Jesus’ life is present tense and ongoing, but even though the death is over and done, the power of that death is continuing in allowing me to accept whatever God’s will is for me in this world without vexing or fretting about it, because I’m dead to this world and my citizenship is now in Heaven. (Phil 3:20) For many walk, of whom I’ve told you often, and now tell you even weeping, they’re enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame -- who set their mind on earthly things. (Phil 3:18,19) This describes all carnal “christians” who “worship” God in their flesh, not in Spirit and Truth. (Jn4:24) Everyone God’s cut off from “My Father’s House” has been removed because they refused the cross. They were fruitless branches and they didn’t get dry the day they were cut off, but from the time they stopped abiding in Christ. If anyone does not abide in Me, he’s cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they’re burned. (Jn15:6) What these dry branches are waiting for is the fulfillment of “their end is destruction.” When its boughs are withered, they’ll be broken off; the women come and set them on fire. For it’s a people of no understanding, therefore He who made them won’t have mercy on them, and He who formed them will show them no favor. (Is27:11) They glory in their shame means they’re proud of being carnal. They set their mind on earthly things; they’re not concerned with the will of God! But our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Because I’m crucified to this world heaven is very real to me, therefore when things don’t go well in this world – I’m not vexed by it. We deal with disappointments and problems in this world as we have to, but we don’t get angry, stew or fret about them. In this world we often suffer losses but I don’t care what I’ve lost because I don’t live for this world. But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated; for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. (Heb10:32-34) Naked we’ve come into this world and naked we’ll go out. There’s nothing we can save up here that’s going to last, so why fret about it. I don’t care what I eat when I get up in the morning. I eat the practical thing that needs to be used up. I don’t lust for sausage and pancakes or whatever someone else’s favorite things are. Today I had Natto (fermented soybeans) with leftover rice. Not because I lusted for it, but because it had been in the refrigerator for a while and needed to be used. Sometimes in our home we have a cabbage soup that starts out as corned beef, but when the beef runs out and there’s still soup left we’ll add smoked sausage and keep eating that until it’s all used up. We usually serve it with Puerto Rican bread that gets hard very quickly. It lasts about two days then turns into stone. So what I had yesterday for breakfast was a bowl of cabbage soup that’s been left over for a week and a slice of this rock hard bread that I had to cut with a serrated knife like a saw. I cooked the bread in the soup so it softened. It wasn’t bad! Now can you tell what I’m talking about here? I wasn’t lusting for that meal was I? Lust is that certain evidence your old man is alive – your flesh isn’t crucified. The evidence I’m really crucified is – I’m eating what needs to be eaten, not because I care what I’m eating or how it tastes or whether it satisfies some lust. The reality of my crucifixion is very apparent to me. People in this world can’t hurt me because I don’t care what they think about me; I’m not trying to please them and it doesn’t matter to me what they think, because I’m crucified to this world and its opinions of me. Losing money doesn’t hurt me because I don’t keep it anyway. I give it all away to the work of the Lord. Those who disappoint us like the many people who’ve left “My Father’s House,” don’t bother me because I don’t care to have any association with people who don’t have a like precious faith (2Pt1:1) and a heart for Jesus. I don’t care to be near them. (1Cor16:22) If they don’t love the Lord the way we love the Lord, they’re antichrists. Little children, it’s the last hour; and as you’ve heard the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it’s the last hour. They went out from us, but they weren’t of us; for if they’d been of us, they’d have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. (1Jn2:18,19) I want the people around me to be like Jesus. I want to fraternize with citizens of my home country. I don’t want to fraternize with people who are enemies to God, except those who can be turned. So why do I care what they say or think about me? (Heb13:6) There are people who’ll kill over who gets elected president. I could care less. It’s not my country. God will put in the man that suits His purpose and we’ll pray for him. (1Tim2:1,2) But all the politics and the stuff that goes on in this temporal realm mean nothing to me. Why? Because I’ve been to the cross. I’m crucified with Christ. I don’t live anymore. (Gal 2:20) The old me that was a part of this world is dead. The me that’s alive has been raised with Christ and I live in a whole different realm. (Eph2:4-6) I live in the heavenlies with Christ. (Col 3:1,2) Look at the people who the bible describes as, “Of whom the world wasn’t worthy.” (Heb11:38) They’re too good for this world. They had a homeland they could have returned to, but they didn’t want it. (Heb11:15,16) They’re looking for the city whose builder and maker is God. (v10) They don’t care what they lose down here. They’re demonstrating the crucified life even under the Old Covenant. These Old Covenant saints who gave up the world – if they were transplanted into New Covenant times, would be absolutely gorgeous saints. Because they had such a heart for God they’d have accepted the cross fully and lived for Christ having nothing to do with this world; having no hopes or aspirations or anything the world could take from them. The things we live for, the world didn’t give us and the world can’t take away. The world can’t touch our joy in the Lord, our heavenly inheritance or anything that has to do with it. Salvation is defined by “How real is your crucifixion?” It’s a tragedy that today’s false church is the majority church, and because they’re an uncrucified church, they aren’t even saved. Their end is destruction. They’re claiming to have what they don’t have because you can’t have the blood of Christ without accepting the cross. It’s actually called “the blood of His cross.” (Col 1:20) So you can’t have forgiveness without the cross. To such as them Jesus says, “Depart from Me you workers of iniquity.” (Mt7:23) You can’t claim to be one with Jesus without going to the cross with Jesus. (Jn17:21;Gal 2:20) You can’t fellowship with Jesus without fellowshipping in His sufferings, (Phil 3:10) which means to actually give up your life in this world; pick up your cross and crucify your flesh. (1Pt4:1) We who’ve been crucified aren’t workers of iniquity, because iniquity is of the flesh. (Rom7:17,18) The power of the flesh is broken by the cross in those who’ve been crucified, and they’re living for God. For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if one died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. (2Cor5:14,15) We’re God’s people and not enemies to Him, His cross or the true brethren. The persecutors of the true brethren for the most part are the iniquitous “believers;” the false churches who claim to be forgiven but won’t receive the cross. There can be no forgiveness without a real repentance and a real repentance means turning away from sin so you never repeat it. (2Cor7:10) But you won’t have a real repentance without the power of the cross to crucify your flesh and overcome your sin. Only when there’s a real repentance does the blood of Jesus give forgiveness. But these false brethren won’t accept the death to their flesh that will make them holy. (1Pt4:1) They won’t receive the power of the cross so they can rule and reign with Christ even over sin. (Rom5:17) When you go to the cross and die with Christ you receive the power of the cross to conquer sin. (Rom6:6) So what has Jesus done? By sharing His cross with me He’s beaten my enemies fine like the dust so they don’t have power over me anymore. He’s cast them out like the dirt on the street. (Ps18:42) The flesh has no power to make me do anything contrary to God anymore, because Jesus has put the flesh to death and I’ve entered into that death with Him. That’s why I can enter into real life with Him. (Rom8:13) Where are you concerning these things? This is one of the BIG missing pieces in the so called “christianity” around us. You’re not my brother until you’ve been to the cross! (Mt12:50) Your citizenship isn’t in heaven until the cross has done its work in you. (Phil 3:18-20) Your salvation isn’t sure until the power and effect of the cross has broken the bondage of sin in your life and you can reckon yourself to be dead to sin, (Rom6:11) because you’re joined to the death of Christ. (v6) Pastor and Congregation: Would you be free from your bondage to sin? There’s power in the cross, power in the cross. Would you o’er Satan a victory win? There’s wonderful power in the cross! There is power, power wonder working power in the cross of the Lamb! There is power, power wonder working power in the precious cross of the Lamb! Amen! Prophecy: I’ve heard enough of those who say all you have to do is “be willing” to lose your life for Christ, “be willing” to forsake all, “be willing” to pick up your cross; to “be willing” is all that’s required to be a Christian, yet such people never do! I’ve enough of it! I’ve raised you up to be the people who are the “I do” lay down my life for my Lord. “I do” pick up my cross and I’ve given up friends, even family to obey Jesus. See how I’ve done this in you at My Father’s House? I’ve shown My cross to be a great definer of men, even in this work I’m doing in you which will increase continually to My Glory. How you’ve DONE what I’ve asked you to do! You’ve picked up your cross and now many who’ve been confused by those who claim to be Christians but who only say “I’m willing to do it” but NEVER do, NEVER help, NEVER pick up their cross and lay down their lives; now these people are seeing the real Christians and learning what real Christianity is by the “I do” of the cross. And My people are putting to shame, mocking and putting to flight the arrogant pride of those who only said, “I’m willing to do it.” Thousands of “I will, I would, if I only could christians” have been shown to be nothing but curstians through the work I’ve done through the “I do lay down my life” sons of God here in My church. And I’m going to put away the arrogant pride of many, many more by the work I’m doing through you in “My Father’s House.” I’ll raise up many, many more sons of God who’ll actually pick up their cross and follow Me; who are My “I do” crucified Christians and I’ll halt the arrogant pride of the “I’m willing” deceivers. No more will you say you’re Christians just because you say you’re willing. You must be an “I do” crucified Christian or you’re not a Christian at all, saith the Lord. (Prophecy delivered at “My Father’s House”) An evidence of the crucifixion is where most of the so called “preachers” I’ve met are concerned about having a fancy building, a big church, a large congregation and a good name in the community etc., I’ve willingly spent enough money to pay for a fine church building on helping others in the ministries God has called us to, because I’m dead (crucified) to the idea of being a successful pastor in the eyes of men. I don’t care whether I have a big building; I don’t care what the community thinks of me; none of that matters. So God’s been able to call me to use the resources of “My Father’s House” church in the direction that’s doing His work, helping His children, instead of in the way that’s making me look successful, but rather in the way that makes Him look successful. Because I’m crucified with Christ is why I can do this. One of our readers wrote a letter asking me “What’s the secret of your ability to do all you’re doing?” The Cross is the secret! But it shouldn’t be a secret so why does everybody think it’s a secret? Christ crucified (1Cor1:23) and our crucifixion with Him (Gal 2:20) is the centerpiece of our Christianity. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Rom1:16) only when it contains the message of the cross and the necessity of every believer to become crucified with Christ by putting to death the deeds of the body through the Spirit. (Rom8:13) When the cross and our co-crucifixion with Christ aren’t being preached, it’s not the true gospel and it’s therefore accursed. As we’ve said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you’ve received, let him be accursed. (Gal 1:9) Any “christianity” that doesn’t bring the believer to the cross that the body of sin might be done away with (Rom6:6) is death, not life. For if you live according to the flesh you’ll die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you’ll live. (Rom8:13) A letter to the Pastor To Pastor Bill Taylor, I’m writing this letter as a humble thanks to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. My thanks is that my search for someone who’s preaching and teaching the true gospel of Jesus Christ that brings peace to the spirit God has given me. I turned my life over to Jesus 5 years ago. I was a lost soul in search of what I was truly in need of. All I kept hearing was the “Once saved, always saved” rhetoric! I wanted to believe because I trusted the pastor. I, like a lot of new Christians, assumed he knew what he was talking about. I’d hear “We’re all sinners saved by grace; you can’t earn your way into heaven so just accept the free gift of God.” That didn’t really make sense to me. I pretty much studied on my own. I read in the bible that I didn’t need any man to teach me God’s Word. (1Jn2:27) God would teach me through His Holy Spirit. (Jn14:26) My favorite verse is: If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. (Jms1:5) I pray it every day and always before I study God’s holy Word. When I prayed to the Lord for wisdom in this area, He led me to you. Praise God! I’ve recently been imprisoned for reasons I don’t feel are justified, but God is using this experience in my life for my good and His glory, Amen. I thank God for this incarceration! I was in prison in the world; I’ve been set free in prison! Thank you for all the study material you’ve sent me. The Glory of His Grace has become a fountain of Christ’s blood and life to me. I will not stop ordering them until I have them all. Although I’m indigent and without money now, I will most certainly support your ministry when I’m released. I do have one request of you. In Luke 14:26 the Lord spoke about anyone who didn’t hate his father, mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters and his own life, couldn’t be one of His disciples. I have struggled with this passage. I know the Lord doesn’t literally mean hate because we aren’t to hate our brothers or anyone else. We’re taught to even love our enemies. I would like to hear your perspectives and insight. Once again thank your for what you have given me through God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Pastor Taylor Replies Dear brother S, If anyone comes to Me and doesn’t hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he can’t be My disciple. (Lk14:26) For I’ve come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than Me isn’t worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me isn’t worthy of Me. And he who doesn’t take his cross and follow after Me isn’t worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. (Mt10:35-39) To hate your life in this world is speaking of the old man’s carnal life and of course every true believer must hate his old sinful life. But how can you hate your fleshly sinful life and not hate the sinful lives of your unsaved family members? And because you’ve hated your old life you’ve lost it to gain a new life in Christ so you should also hate the old sinful nature lives of your family and unsaved friends and try to get them into the new life in Christ which you now love. But if they won’t come to Christ you can’t go on fellowshipping with them in their carnal nature or let them interfere with your new life in Christ. We must love Jesus more than our closest earthly loved ones and follow Him even against their will. And if they hinder us we must choose Christ and leave them behind as part of our old life which we must lose. We don’t hate their souls, for we’d love to save their souls, but we hate their carnal lives and can’t be part of their sinful lives anymore. Don’t be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you’re the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I’ll dwell in them and walk among them. I’ll be their God, and they’ll be My people.” Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Don’t touch what is unclean, and I’ll receive you. I’ll be a Father to you, and you’ll be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.” (2Cor6:14-18) In personal experience there came a time when my parents strongly resisted the Word of God which I was sharing with them and God told me to stop fellowshipping with them. The Spirit spoke to me as I left their door, “You’ll never step foot in this house again!” Which soon came true and both parents became seriously ill and ended up hospitalized. God wouldn’t let me visit them, but I kept praying. One day the Spirit said today you can visit your father. That day when I visited he was in condition to hear God’s Word and it very much humbled him and he received the Lord. The next day God took him home. The Lord worked in other ways with my mother. But the point is I couldn’t go on treating them as though they were ok when they were spiritually lost. The Lord made me take a stand against their fleshly lives until He could break them and save them. Adam’s sin was he sided with Eve instead of with God concerning her sin. If he’d have resisted her and gone to God, God would have saved them both. That’s what you must do for unsaved family members. In Jesus’ Name, Pastor Bill Taylor
Prophecy: The false church says over and over that they’re in a great warfare. But I tell you the Truth, they haven’t even conquered the sin in their own flesh, so they’re not in My warfare. For as I’ve been teaching you here in My Father’s House, I have a people who are conformed to My death, who fellowship in My sufferings, and who are walking in the resurrection power of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Only those who’ve conquered their own flesh, who’ve died together with Christ and are raised in resurrection power, are destroying the works of the evil one. Those who are in My Spirit are destroying every lie of the evil one. These are My people who are working together with My Spirit in My warfare. For only in My Spirit can you have victory. And this is the awesome victory that I’ll give you right here that will shame those who say they’re in My war, when they’re still in the flesh. You’ll shame them completely as they see My Spirit work mightily through you to destroy every lie; that My elect children can be set free, saith the Lord. Prophecy: Those who are Mine have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. You know from experience that your flesh doesn’t love Me, it doesn’t desire to serve Me, or glorify Me. But I’ll have a people who do great exploits. I’ll have a people who I’m raising up right now, who walk in My glory. How do they walk in My glory? They’ve crucified the sin in their flesh with its passions and desires. The so called church out there claims they’re fighting My battles, but they’re fighting a losing battle. For they say the devil is their enemy, but they’ve not conquered the greatest enemy, which is the sin in their flesh. I’ve revealed to you here My Word in an awesome way with great light and understanding that by My Spirit you may put to death the deeds of your body that you may glorify Me. Christ laid His life down to give you My Spirit, My anointing, and My glory. For those who receive, you shall be a glorious people unto Me. You shall do great exploits, and I’ll use you in mighty and awesome ways to show those around you that there is a hope, and it’s found in My Spirit; that they too can have the victory, and conquer the sin in the flesh through the power of My Spirit that I’ve given. I’m raising you up to demonstrate this Spiritual Christianity, saith the Lord. Prophecy: It’s truthfully spoken concerning My true children, the real believers in Christ, that they go from faith to faith, and from glory to glory. And I tell you every step forward is a battle won, a victory taken, for there’s no going from faith to faith unless you’re in a battle and winning it so you can go on to the next. And much of what’s been going on in the “churches” is there’s been no battle at all. They’ve not been fighting at all. Since they’re not fighting and they’re not in any kind of battle of faith, there’s no real faith, so there’s no moving on to the next faith. And in the so called “church” at large that’s their testimony. They’re not in battle. They’re not moving on. They’re not going from faith to faith because they’re not in faith to begin with. But now in My Father’s House you’re tasting what real Christianity is like. It’s an overcoming Spiritual struggle that takes you from one level of faith to the next, to the next, and on to perfection in Christ. Each time you’re attaining to a higher faith and a greater glory. Each time drawing nearer and nearer to Me and getting to know Me better. And every victory has this reward – Jesus! – more of Me! And more of Jesus is more joy, more peace, more wisdom, and more strength for the next victory, saith the Lord. Prophecy: It is said of Jesus “He does all things well.” But what of His church? If Christ is in His church, what should be said of her? “She does all things well.” And what of you as an individual believer? If Christ is in you, what should be said of you? “You do all things well.” Because that’s the way Christ is. So that’s the way Christ’s people are. And that’s what glorifies Me – that My children do all things well, saith the Lord. (Prophecies delivered at “My Father’s House”)
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