This is in response to my earlier post. When I said this: “Your works are not contributing to your Justification, but your works manifest the Sanctification that is in progress in you!”
The responses left me feeling that we could work our way to Sanctification. Sanctification is not a part of our works. Works is a part of the Sanctification process in us. The work of the Holy Spirit in us will produce the works that we do. He makes us Holy. We can not make ourselves Holy through our works. We are Sanctified by His blood and the work of the Holy Spirit in us & we are being sanctified daily the same way.
To say we have to work for our sanctification, is like saying we have to work for our salvation. (Eph. 2:8-10) Don’t get me wrong we do works. But it is only as we place our faith in what Jesus did for us at the Cross, that the Holy Spirit works through us and that work in us produces works.
Romans 15:16..being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.
(By the Holy Ghost, not by works)
1 Corinthians 1:30But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
(God made unto us sanctification, not our works)
1 Corinthians 6:11And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. ( we are sanctified in the name of the Lord and by the Spirit of God)
2 Thessalonians 2:13 ...because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: (through sanctification of the Spirit, not through our works)
Hebrews 2:11For both he that sanctifieth...(It is He that Sanctifieth, not our works)
Hebrews 2:11(Amplified Bible) For both He Who sanctifies [making men holy]...(Through the Sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit) (Through the work of the Holy Spirit, not through our works)
Hebrews 9:11-14But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (our works are dead if we think our works can sanctify us. It is through our faith in Christ, not through our faith in our works, that sanctify us)
Hebrews 10:10By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.(Not of Works)
Hebrews 13:12Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. (Nothing but the blood!!! Nothing but the blood saved us & nothing but our faith placed in the blood will produce sanctification in our lives. Once we place our faith in the sanctifying blood of Jesus, God gives us Grace and the Help of the Holy Spirit and that will produce our works)
1 Peter 1:2Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit...(of the Spirit, not through our works)
Jude 1...to them that are sanctified by God the Father...
Sanctification is a process. We are Sanctified when we receive what Jesus did for us at the Cross. The same way, as we keep looking to the Cross, we are Sanctified. Our sanctification does not depend on our works. Our Sanctification depends on our faith being placed and focused on Jesus, then the Holy Spirit will produce proper works in us. If we are focusing on our works to sanctify us we will fail. I hear Jimmy Swaggart put it in a perfect way, “Proper works never produces proper faith, but proper faith will always produce proper works.” In other words we can not depend on, look to, try really hard to sanctify ourselves. We can not do anything on our own. We must continue everyday to place our faith in what Jesus did and that alone and we will receive help from the Holy Spirit and that WILL produce proper works in us!! (this by in no means are all that can be said about this subject. I just felt I did not want to leave the impression that I was for sanctification by works. We must keep our focus on the Cross and the Cross alone)
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
3rd Podcast available on itunes
I Am writing again today to announce that we have added yet a 3rd podcast on itunes. This particular podcast contains our very popular devotional video's only and it is called " Len and Angie's Devotional Podcast" That is what you need to type in itunes to find this one. You can download these videos to your ipod and carry them with you to inspire you at breaktime at work, school, or just anywhere. Great for busy people.
So here is a synopsis of our podcasts: New Podcasts available on itunes.
1- The Len Paxton Teaching Series
These are video podcasts of our television program as aired on UpNorth 2 and blip.tv
These shows are downloadable and look great on itunes small screen. These are not ipod formatted.
2- Acts 26:18 Ministries
Audio only can go on ipod
3- Len and Angie's Devotional Podcast
This consists of our popular devotionals and can also be downloaded to your ipod. This podcast is video only. This podcast IS formatted for your ipod.
Angie and I pray that you will take advantage of this excellent material.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
"Things I have learned"
These are some things I have learned from the word, my husband, Jimmy Swaggart, & Loren Larsen.
These words really blessed me and I wanted to share them with others.
Gal. 2:16 I am only Justified, reckoned righteous, & in right standing with God through faith & obsolete reliance on & adherence to & trust in Jesus. NOT BY WORKS {wholly & solely through Christ]
The law shows me my condition, my sin. It can not save me. Any thing I do as a law or ritual will not save me.
My works are not contributing to my justification, but my works manifest the sanctification that is in progress in you.
I am separated from the penalty of sin by Christ’s death. I am separated from the power of sin by drawing upon the help of the Holy Spirit.
Justification is for me. Sanctification is in me.
Justification removes guilt & penalty of sin. Sanctification removes the power of sin in my life.
Justification declares me righteous. Sanctification makes me righteous.
Good works do not make a good man.
Gal. 3:3 I was saved by faith in the message which is Jesus Christ & Him crucified, why would i try to work my way to victory (perfection).
God reaches down to me. I place my faith in what Jesus did at the Cross. That causes reconciliation with God. That gives me grace and the help of the Holy Spirit. Works are produces by the work of the Holy Spirit in me.
Rom. 6:10 I have no business having a relationship with sin, only unbroken fellowship with God, through Jesus. KEY: unbroken & in Christ.
When I place my faith in what Jesus did at the Cross, that gives the latitude to the Holy Spirit to work in my life.
It is not confession that brings salvation, confession confirms the salvation I already have received when I place my faith in what Jesus did at the Cross.
No matter what type of person I try to be, I can not do it with self. I must totally rely on God, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith. Then let the work of the Holy Spirit change me into the person God wants me to be.
The good things I do, do not & did not pay my sin debt. Jesus paid the debt and broke the bondage of sin.
Proper faith will always birth proper works. But proper works CAN NOT produce proper faith.
Look unto Jesus daily. Make what Jesus did, the object of my faith daily.
The law shows me my true colors & my need for a savior, Jesus!
My Focus: Jesus, Jn 1:6
Object of my faith: the Cross, Rom. 6:3-5
Power source: The Holy Spirit, Rom. 8:1,2,11
Results: Victory, Rom. 6:14
Focus: my works
Object of faith: Performance, Gal. 2:21
Power source: Self, Gal. 5:2
Results= Defeat
I can not be the best I can be. I must die to self. I can be the best He is making me. We try to improve on self and we can not. We try to work our way to God and we can not. Our works did not save us and can not save us. I am saved by faith, through grace only!!!!!!
Friday, May 29, 2009
JOIN US
We have a great site to study the word of God. Join us there!!
Click below:
The Fellowship of the Cross
Thursday, May 21, 2009
"A Word to the Married Women"
The days we are in a women is expected to be a certain way. Most of the time the focus is all ungodly. Independent, in charge, and her own women. I grew up in a house where women were in charge. The men were ungodly and thoughtless. Some of you have too. BUT, that does not mean you have to follow that ungodly way. The world would say it is OK to say what you want, you have the right, you are in charge of your own life. You are to think your own thoughts. You don’t have to agree with your husband. You can just divorce him if you don’t love him anymore, or don’t like what he says. Or you just are not compatible anymore. This is what Satan wants. He is after the family. He will stop at nothing to break up families. I feel women are very influential and really need to be careful of their actions towards their husbands.
I read something from a women’s Lib article that I thought was interesting. The women libbers argue that centuries of being “brainwashed” by a male dominated culture have made women passive, seeing their role as inferior, and oh the last one is a big one, they even like their roll as a homemaker and child-raiser. Wow! Oh what a bad thing to like being a homemaker and a child-raiser. There is much to say about both husband and wife, both male and female. But I only want to share some scriptures on the wife. Yes, the husband is to treat his wife as Christ does the church. He is to be and do many things. But lets look at some scriptures about how the wife is to be.
Eph. 5:33 (AMP)
let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates, and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly].
1 Peter 3:1-2 (AMP)
1) IN LIKE manner, you married women, be submissive to your own husbands [subordinate yourselves as being secondary to and dependent on them, and adapt yourselves to them], so that even if any do not obey the Word [of God], they may be won over not by discussion but by the [godly] lives of their wives,
2) When they observe the pure and modest way in which you conduct yourselves, together with your reverence [for your husband; you are to feel for him all that reverence includes: to respect, defer to, revere him--to honor, esteem, appreciate, prize, and, in the human sense, to adore him, that is, to admire, praise, be devoted to, deeply love, and enjoy your husband].
Eph. 5:22 (AMP) Wives, be subject (be submissive and adapt yourselves) to your own husbands as [a service] to the Lord.
Col. 3:18 Wives, be subject to your husbands [subordinate and adapt yourselves to them], as is right and fitting and your proper duty in the Lord.
Wow, look at all the detail of how we should act, honor, esteem, appreciate, prize, respect, admire, praise, love, enjoy, and much, much, more. The part that most women have is “be subject, be submissive, adapt yourselves”. One reason is the world has made those bad words. They have twisted them so women feel if they follow this way they are brainwashed and less of a women. They look down on Christian women.
Don’t worry about your husband doing his part. You pray to God and ask Him to help your husband. You are the Father’s daughter and your husband will have to answer to God and so do you. Don’t be pulled into the worlds way of thinking. As the scriptures say above it is your service to the Lord, your proper duty in the Lord, and it is right and fitting.
Even though the world puts women in a lower position, the Bible exalts women who found fulfillment in many ways.
For instance:
• Hannah’s life centered on her family (I Samuel 1-2)
•
• Miriam excelled as a prophetess (Exodus 15:20)
•
• Deborah achieved greatness as a judge, military leader and poet (Judges 5)
•
• Esther successfully led her people through intriguing political conspiracies (Esther 4-7)
•
• Naomi and Ruth sold real estate (Ruth 4:3-9)
•
• Women aided in the defense of Thebez
•
• An woman turned the tide of that battle against the wicked aggressor, Abimelech (Judges 9:50-55)
•
• The inspired description of an excellent wife given in Proverbs 31 contains ambitious standards for her family relationships, but no one can honestly say that she was a domestic slave to a chauvinistic husband. Indeed, she found fulfillment, in addition to her home, in real estate investments (31:16), as well as in retail and wholesale distribution of the clothing she manufactured (31:24).
•
• The first European convert to Christianity, Lydia of Thyatira, was a “seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God” (Acts 16:14).
One interesting scripture that really stands out is the Proverb 31 women. She does not look to me as being a passive low life of a women. She is strong, creative, loving, and very devoted.
Our relationship with our husbands need to be as our relationship with Christ. Which is sincere, pure, and constant. Walking in Love.
I know there are women whose husbands are not Godly. You still need to do your part. Pray for direction and guidance. In the last days Satan wants to divide. He wants to divide the family, friends, church, and more. A house divide can not stand. You can do your part. You can be a Godly women in an ungodly world!!!
I read something from a women’s Lib article that I thought was interesting. The women libbers argue that centuries of being “brainwashed” by a male dominated culture have made women passive, seeing their role as inferior, and oh the last one is a big one, they even like their roll as a homemaker and child-raiser. Wow! Oh what a bad thing to like being a homemaker and a child-raiser. There is much to say about both husband and wife, both male and female. But I only want to share some scriptures on the wife. Yes, the husband is to treat his wife as Christ does the church. He is to be and do many things. But lets look at some scriptures about how the wife is to be.
Eph. 5:33 (AMP)
let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates, and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly].
1 Peter 3:1-2 (AMP)
1) IN LIKE manner, you married women, be submissive to your own husbands [subordinate yourselves as being secondary to and dependent on them, and adapt yourselves to them], so that even if any do not obey the Word [of God], they may be won over not by discussion but by the [godly] lives of their wives,
2) When they observe the pure and modest way in which you conduct yourselves, together with your reverence [for your husband; you are to feel for him all that reverence includes: to respect, defer to, revere him--to honor, esteem, appreciate, prize, and, in the human sense, to adore him, that is, to admire, praise, be devoted to, deeply love, and enjoy your husband].
Eph. 5:22 (AMP) Wives, be subject (be submissive and adapt yourselves) to your own husbands as [a service] to the Lord.
Col. 3:18 Wives, be subject to your husbands [subordinate and adapt yourselves to them], as is right and fitting and your proper duty in the Lord.
Wow, look at all the detail of how we should act, honor, esteem, appreciate, prize, respect, admire, praise, love, enjoy, and much, much, more. The part that most women have is “be subject, be submissive, adapt yourselves”. One reason is the world has made those bad words. They have twisted them so women feel if they follow this way they are brainwashed and less of a women. They look down on Christian women.
Don’t worry about your husband doing his part. You pray to God and ask Him to help your husband. You are the Father’s daughter and your husband will have to answer to God and so do you. Don’t be pulled into the worlds way of thinking. As the scriptures say above it is your service to the Lord, your proper duty in the Lord, and it is right and fitting.
Even though the world puts women in a lower position, the Bible exalts women who found fulfillment in many ways.
For instance:
• Hannah’s life centered on her family (I Samuel 1-2)
•
• Miriam excelled as a prophetess (Exodus 15:20)
•
• Deborah achieved greatness as a judge, military leader and poet (Judges 5)
•
• Esther successfully led her people through intriguing political conspiracies (Esther 4-7)
•
• Naomi and Ruth sold real estate (Ruth 4:3-9)
•
• Women aided in the defense of Thebez
•
• An woman turned the tide of that battle against the wicked aggressor, Abimelech (Judges 9:50-55)
•
• The inspired description of an excellent wife given in Proverbs 31 contains ambitious standards for her family relationships, but no one can honestly say that she was a domestic slave to a chauvinistic husband. Indeed, she found fulfillment, in addition to her home, in real estate investments (31:16), as well as in retail and wholesale distribution of the clothing she manufactured (31:24).
•
• The first European convert to Christianity, Lydia of Thyatira, was a “seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God” (Acts 16:14).
One interesting scripture that really stands out is the Proverb 31 women. She does not look to me as being a passive low life of a women. She is strong, creative, loving, and very devoted.
Our relationship with our husbands need to be as our relationship with Christ. Which is sincere, pure, and constant. Walking in Love.
I know there are women whose husbands are not Godly. You still need to do your part. Pray for direction and guidance. In the last days Satan wants to divide. He wants to divide the family, friends, church, and more. A house divide can not stand. You can do your part. You can be a Godly women in an ungodly world!!!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
"Remember your Past Victories" By Len Paxton
When it appears that your dreams will never come to pass, remember the previous victories that God brought to pass in your life. I heard another preacher say one time, your live moves in the direction of your most dominate thoughts. If you think negative thoughts all the time, such as I can’t, it is impossible, it will never come to pass, then that is the way your life is going to move. That is the direction your life will move in. The Bible says, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Prov. 23:7
When you think positive and remember that God has done it before and He can do it again. When you remember that God is bigger than this adversary, then your life is going to move in the right direction.
I heard this same preacher say, “your memory has two files of your past”. File number one, failures. File number two, successes. File number one contains all your painful experiences. File number two contains all your most pleasurable experiences. Your memory will give you the one you seem to lean on the most. Have you ever seen a file cabinet that is so full, worn out and beat up and the handle is about to fall off because it has been so used more than all the others. The reason some people have so many negative thoughts about so many unpleasant experiences is because they go to that file cabinet more than they go to their victory file cabinet.
It doesn’t matter how bad your life has been. You have had some good times somewhere in the midst of all that hurt and pain. You might say Preacher you don’t know my life. There has never been anything good. Well I can tell you one thing, one good thing right now, You are still breathing. And the Bible says “Let everything that has breath Praise the Lord” So start praising God for the breath that you have. That might have to be your starting point. When the painful memories come up cast them down. When those memories of failure come up, cast them down. Think about the times that God came through. Think about the times the Blessings came. Praise God. Think about the lion and the bear that God has delivered you from and then old Goliath won’t look so big.
Replaying past triumphs and victories is a powerful way to keep your attention focused on your dreams. If you keep replaying them, the dream you are waiting for won’t look so impossible.
Lets read Phil. 3:13, “forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before”.
Don’t give a thought to the bad experiences of the past. Don’t even bring the up. Forget them. Rejoice in what God is doing right now and what He will do in the future.
Ps. 101:3 (NAS) “I will set no worthless thing before my eyes. I hate the work of those who fall away it shall not fasten its grip upon me.”
There is nothing you and I can do to change the past. So don’t bring it up. It is worthless! And it is designed to fasten its grip on you. Seize you and capture you and to cause you to let go of your dream. Let go of the past and focus on your Glorious future that God has for you in Jesus Christ. Amen
Heavenly Father I thank you for Jesus today. I thank you for the Cross today. I thank you for the God dreams that you have given us today. Father let us rise up in 2009 as the body of Christ, as a mighty marching army. Father God, let us minister to those who are in need. Let us minister hope, victory and joy to people everywhere. Father do a work in us this year. Do a work in us by the Blood of the Lamb. In Jesus Name. Amen.
When you think positive and remember that God has done it before and He can do it again. When you remember that God is bigger than this adversary, then your life is going to move in the right direction.
I heard this same preacher say, “your memory has two files of your past”. File number one, failures. File number two, successes. File number one contains all your painful experiences. File number two contains all your most pleasurable experiences. Your memory will give you the one you seem to lean on the most. Have you ever seen a file cabinet that is so full, worn out and beat up and the handle is about to fall off because it has been so used more than all the others. The reason some people have so many negative thoughts about so many unpleasant experiences is because they go to that file cabinet more than they go to their victory file cabinet.
It doesn’t matter how bad your life has been. You have had some good times somewhere in the midst of all that hurt and pain. You might say Preacher you don’t know my life. There has never been anything good. Well I can tell you one thing, one good thing right now, You are still breathing. And the Bible says “Let everything that has breath Praise the Lord” So start praising God for the breath that you have. That might have to be your starting point. When the painful memories come up cast them down. When those memories of failure come up, cast them down. Think about the times that God came through. Think about the times the Blessings came. Praise God. Think about the lion and the bear that God has delivered you from and then old Goliath won’t look so big.
Replaying past triumphs and victories is a powerful way to keep your attention focused on your dreams. If you keep replaying them, the dream you are waiting for won’t look so impossible.
Lets read Phil. 3:13, “forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before”.
Don’t give a thought to the bad experiences of the past. Don’t even bring the up. Forget them. Rejoice in what God is doing right now and what He will do in the future.
Ps. 101:3 (NAS) “I will set no worthless thing before my eyes. I hate the work of those who fall away it shall not fasten its grip upon me.”
There is nothing you and I can do to change the past. So don’t bring it up. It is worthless! And it is designed to fasten its grip on you. Seize you and capture you and to cause you to let go of your dream. Let go of the past and focus on your Glorious future that God has for you in Jesus Christ. Amen
Heavenly Father I thank you for Jesus today. I thank you for the Cross today. I thank you for the God dreams that you have given us today. Father let us rise up in 2009 as the body of Christ, as a mighty marching army. Father God, let us minister to those who are in need. Let us minister hope, victory and joy to people everywhere. Father do a work in us this year. Do a work in us by the Blood of the Lamb. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Friday, April 24, 2009
"THE WARFARE IS ACCOMPLISHED AT CALVARY" By Len Paxton
"Comfort ye, comfort ye my people,saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins. [IS 40:1-2]
"When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, IT IS FINISHED: and He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost.
[St John 19:30]
As long as you and I live in the body we will face challenges and struggles. It is a story as old as time. But on the Cross of Calvary, Jesus Christ won the victory for all who will place their faith in Him. During hard and difficult times I do not have to lose my peace and joy because Christ is my peace and joy as well as everything I need. The world around me may be shaking and falling apart at the seams but as a Christian, my confidence is in what Jesus has provided for me.
With faith and patience we inherit the promises[Hebrews 6:12]. Jesus has already defeated the powers of satan on the Cross[Colossians2:15]. Because of Calvary, we can have a clean heart and walk in the purity and righteousness of the Word of God. The battle is no longer our battle but the Lord's battle.
Here are several things to consider when you are in a battle and waiting for the victory to manifest itself in your life.
1- Satan can cause a battle to happen, but he cannot determine the final outcome.
2- Your reaction to the trouble will determine if God, or the enemy, is allowed to work in the situation.
3- A setback is only temporary and not final. A small defeat is no sign that the enemy has won.
4- God has already set a day, hour, and moment for you to come out of your fiery furnace. You must keep your faith in what Jesus did for you at the Cross until you see the victory take place.
5- God calls this fight " the good fight of faith"[2 Timothy 4:7] A good fight is a fight that is already won. God says to us through Calvary " The warfare is already accomplished!!"
God is never surprised when conflict comes to us. He already knew all about it before satan even began his strategy. The Lord wants us to keep our faith in Him at all times. The victory is already WON!!!
God says "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."[Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV].
Every battle is already predetermined that YOU come forth the victor, because Jesus is the victor...
When the battle comes, some give up, give in and lose heart. Only then can satan take advantage of us.
Faith in what Jesus did at Calvary will ensure a completed victory.
The warfare is accomplished at Calvary!
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