THE JOURNEY FROM ERROR TO GRACE TO SURRENDER
These three latest articles form the essential foundation for understanding who Jesus truly is and what the Gospel actually means. Together, they dismantle false teaching, reveal limitless Grace, and expose the struggle every believer faces. Most importantly, presenting Jesus as the only answer FOR EVERYTHING.
What Does the Bible Say About a Different Gospel?
We begin with the stakes. The Apostle Paul warned that even if an angel from heaven preaches a different gospel, let him be accursed (Galatians 1:8). This is not a secondary issue—your eternal destiny depends on believing in the TRUE Jesus, not a counterfeit.
The LDS Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, and additions within Catholicism teach a different Jesus than the Bible reveals. A Jesus who is a created being, an exalted man, or one god among many cannot save you. Only YHWH God incarnate—fully God and fully Man—can save.
This article establishes the non-negotiable truth: There is ONE Gospel. Any deviation leads to destruction. We must believe that Jesus is "I AM" (John 8:24) or die in our sins. The Bible and the Book of Mormon cannot both be true. Works-based salvation and grace through faith alone cannot both be true. You must choose.
The warning is urgent, but the motivation is love. We refuse to stay silent while people believe a lie that leads to hell.
ARTICLE 2: GRACE SUPER ABOUNDS
The Limitless Goodness of God
Once the false gospel is exposed, we must understand the TRUE Gospel: not "God fills in the gaps," but "You are DEAD; Christ makes you ALIVE."
The lie: You do your best, and God makes up the difference.
The truth: You have NOTHING. Christ is EVERYTHING.
From Cain (works) vs. Abel (faith), to the First Adam (sin and death) vs. the Last Adam (righteousness and life), Scripture reveals one consistent reality:
The way of WORKS leads to death. The way of GRACE leads to life.
Romans 5:20 declares the stunning promise: "Where sin increased, grace abounded ALL THE MORE." This isn't even a fair fight. Grace doesn't just defeat sin—it OVERWHELMS it. Grace super-abounds in exact proportion to sin's increase.
You cannot earn salvation through:
Temple ceremonies (LDS)
Purgatory and penance (Catholic)
Door-to-door work and Watchtower obedience (JW)
Religious performance of any kind
Salvation is by grace ALONE, through faith ALONE, in Christ ALONE. Not your works + God's help. Christ's finished work. Period.
This article calls you to stop WORKING and start RESTING—to cease from your own efforts and enter His rest (Hebrews 4:9-10). To exchange the slavery of the performance treadmill for the freedom of grace. To die to SELF and live in Christ.
ARTICLE 3: WHY WE CAN'T SAVE OURSELVES
You Cannot Circumcise Your Own Heart
Understanding grace is one thing. Living it is another. Why do Christians still struggle? Why can't we just "let go and let God"? Why does dying to self feel impossible?
Because it IS impossible—for you.
You are commanded to circumcise your heart (Deuteronomy 10:16), yet only God can do it (Deuteronomy 30:6). You cannot perform heart surgery on yourself. A heart surgeon cannot operate on his own heart—he would die on the table. He needs another surgeon.
You are the patient, not the physician.
This article reveals the deep mystery of the Christian life:
The flesh CANNOT be fixed. It must die. (Romans 8:7-8)
Nothing good dwells in you. Not some good that needs augmenting—NOTHING good. (Romans 7:18)
Apart from Christ, you can do NOTHING. Not "very little." NOTHING. (John 15:5)
The struggle you feel is not failure—it's evidence of life. Dead people don't struggle against sin. The battle proves you've been born again, that the Spirit dwells in you, and that the old nature is dying while the new grows.
But you cannot win this battle through self-effort.
The article answers critical questions:
Why does grace offend the flesh? (Because it destroys human pride)
What is the unseen world? (The eternal realm more real than the temporary)
What is spiritual food? (Jesus Himself—doing the Father's will)
Why did Jesus say "Remember Lot's wife"? (Don't look back at the world system with longing)
What did Mary choose that "will not be taken away"? (Sitting at His feet, receiving from Him)
The progression is this:
Awareness - Through God's Word, you see your SELF and sin
Attempted self-surgery - You try to fix yourself and fail
Desperation - "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me?" (Romans 7:24)
Divine surgery - Christ alone circumcises your heart, washes you clean, gives you a new heart, and declares you righteous
The paradox: The weaker you are, the greater the grace. Your failure reveals His faithfulness. Your weakness displays His strength. When you are weak, THEN you are strong (2 Corinthians 12:10).
Stop trying to save yourself. Cry out for the Surgeon. He will do what you cannot.
THE FOUNDATION IS LAID
These three articles establish the unshakable foundation:
The Stakes - A different gospel leads to eternal death
The Gospel - Grace super-abounds; Christ is everything; you are nothing
The Struggle - You cannot save yourself; only Christ can do the divine surgery
Now we are ready to build on this foundation.
But first, you must understand:
The error that damns (Article 1)
The grace that saves (Article 2)
The impossibility of self-salvation (Article 3)
Without this foundation, the rest crumbles. With it, nothing can shake your faith.
The choice is before you:
Will you trust in your works or His grace?
Will you believe in a false Jesus or the true YHWH?
Will you try to save yourself or cry out for the Surgeon?
Choose life. Choose Christ. Choose truth.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
"Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.'" (John 8:58)
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me." (Galatians 2:20)
THE LIE THAT CONQUERED AMERICA
Somewhere along the way, the American church traded the Gospel of Jesus Christ for something that sounds Christian but is actually demonic in origin. We exchanged:
The True Gospel: “Die to self, lose your life, take up your cross, follow Jesus to death and resurrection”
For the False Gospel: “God will help you achieve your dreams, fulfill your potential, live your best life now, and prosper in all things”
One is the Gospel of the Kingdom.
The other is the gospel of SELF with Jesus as a supporting character.
One leads to eternal life.
The other leads to eternal death wrapped in religious language.
Let’s be clear from the start: There is no “God fills in the gaps” Gospel in the Bible. NONE.
The true Gospel is not: “You do your best, and God makes up the difference.”
The true Gospel is: “You are DEAD. You have NOTHING. You can do NOTHING. Christ is EVERYTHING. He must do it ALL.”
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WHAT JESUS ACTUALLY SAID (His Own Words)
The Cost of Following Jesus
Luke 9:23-24 - “And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.’”
Jesus did NOT say:
- “Follow me and I’ll help you achieve your dreams”
- “Follow me and I’ll fill in your gaps”
- “Follow me and you’ll prosper”
- “Follow me and life will be easier”
Jesus said:
- DENY YOURSELF (not fulfill yourself)
- TAKE UP YOUR CROSS (instrument of death)
- DAILY (every single day)
- LOSE YOUR LIFE (not enhance it)
Luke 14:26-27 - “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”
“Hate his own life” = Greek miseo = to detest, to love less by comparison
Jesus demands FIRST PLACE. Not partnership. Not co-rulership. TOTAL SURRENDER.
Luke 14:33 - “So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”
Not “give 10%.” Not “be generous.” RENOUNCE ALL.
Everything. Your money, your plans, your dreams, your ambitions, your comfort, your life itself.
Matthew 10:37-39 - “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
The progression is clear:
Love Jesus SUPREMELY (above all others)
Take up your cross (embrace death to SELF)
LOSE your life (not improve it, LOSE it)
Then (and only then) find TRUE life
The Impossibility of Serving Two Masters
Matthew 6:24 - “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
Not “it’s difficult.” Not “try your best to balance.” YOU CANNOT.
Luke 16:13 - “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
Jesus repeats this because we desperately need to hear it.
James 4:4 - “You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
You are either:
- Friend of God, enemy of the world
- OR Friend of the world, enemy of God
There is no middle ground.
Seeking First the Kingdom
Matthew 6:31-33 - “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Notice the ORDER:
FIRST - Seek the Kingdom (not your comfort, provision, success)
THEN - God adds what you need (not what you want)
The modern church reverses this:
Seek your prosperity, comfort, success
Ask God to bless your pursuit
Use “faith” as a tool to get what you want
This is witchcraft, not Christianity.
Luke 12:31-34 - “Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
Jesus says:
- SEEK HIS KINGDOM (not yours)
- SELL YOUR POSSESSIONS (radical generosity)
- TREASURE IN HEAVEN (not earth)
The prosperity gospel says:
- Seek blessings
- Accumulate possessions
- Treasure on earth is a sign of God’s favor
These cannot both be true.
The Narrow Way
Matthew 7:13-14 - “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
The TRUE Gospel:
- Narrow gate (HARD to enter - requires total surrender)
- Hard way (DIFFICULT path - daily dying to self)
- FEW find it (not popular, not easy, not mainstream)
The FALSE gospel:
- Wide gate (EASY - just say a prayer, fill a pew)
- Easy way (comfortable, prosperous, affirming)
- MANY follow it (megachurches full of false converts)
Luke 13:23-24 - “And someone said to him, ‘Lord, will those who are saved be few?’ And he said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.’”
“STRIVE” = Greek agonizomai = to struggle, fight, compete with adversaries, contend
Not casual. Not comfortable. STRIVING.
The Rich Young Ruler
Mark 10:17-22 - “And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’…And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’ Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”
Mark 10:23-25 - “And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, ‘How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!’ And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, ‘Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.’”
The prosperity gospel would say: “God wants you wealthy! Riches are a sign of blessing!”
Jesus says: Wealth makes it almost IMPOSSIBLE to enter the Kingdom.
Why? Because wealth breeds:
- Self-sufficiency (“I don’t need God”)
- Love of comfort (“Don’t disturb my lifestyle”)
- Worldly attachment (“My treasure is here”)
- Pride (“I earned this”)
The Parable of the Sower
Mark 4:18-19 - “And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.”
Notice what CHOKES the Word:
Cares of the world (anxiety about temporal things)
Deceitfulness of riches (lies that money tells)
Desires for other things (wanting anything more than Jesus)
This describes the modern American church perfectly.
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THERE IS NO “GAP-FILLING” GOSPEL
You Are DEAD, Not Just Weak
Ephesians 2:1 - “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins”
Not sick. Not injured. Not struggling. DEAD.
Dead people don’t:
- Try their best
- Do what they can
- Need a little help
- Have gaps to fill
Dead people need RESURRECTION.
Ephesians 2:4-5 - “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved”
God doesn’t “help” dead people. He RAISES them.
Nothing Good Dwells in You
Romans 7:18 - “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.”
Not “some good.” Not “a little good that needs augmenting.” NOTHING GOOD.
Romans 3:10-12 - “As it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.’”
COUNT THE “NO ONES”:
- No one righteous
- No one understands
- No one seeks God
- No one does good
Not even one.
There is no human contribution to salvation. ZERO.
Isaiah 64:6 - “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.”
Your BEST works = polluted, filthy rags.
Not “pretty good but need improvement.” POLLUTED. FILTHY.
Christ Must Be ALL
Colossians 3:11 - “But Christ is all, and in all.”
Not “Christ helps you.” Not “Christ + your effort.” CHRIST IS ALL.
1 Corinthians 1:30-31 - “And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’”
Jesus became to us:
- Wisdom (not yours)
- Righteousness (not yours)
- Sanctification (not yours)
- Redemption (not yours)
HE IS EVERYTHING. You contribute NOTHING.
Galatians 2:20 - “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
“No longer I” = SELF DIES
“But Christ” = CHRIST LIVES
Not “me + Christ.” Not “Christ helps me.” CHRIST REPLACES ME.
Apart From Him You Can Do NOTHING
John 15:5 - “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
Not “very little.” Not “struggle.” NOTHING.
Zero. Zilch. Nada. NOTHING.
John 15:4 - “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.”
A branch severed from the vine doesn’t produce less fruit. It produces NO FRUIT and DIES.
You don’t just need help. You need HIM. Completely. Totally. Absolutely.
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WHERE DID THIS LIE COME FROM?
The Serpent’s Original Deception
Genesis 3:4-5 - “But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’”
The original lie:
You won’t die (no consequences)
You will be like God (exalt SELF)
You determine good and evil (autonomous morality)
This is the root of every false gospel:
- No death to self
- Exaltation of human potential
- Man at the center, not God
The Infiltration Into the Church
2 Corinthians 11:3-4 - “But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus whom we did not proclaim, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.”
Notice Paul’s fear: The SAME deception that tricked Eve would trick the church.
And it has.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 - “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”
The progression:
Won’t endure sound teaching (truth is too hard)
Accumulate teachers to suit passions (find what tickles ears)
Turn from truth (reject the real Gospel)
Wander into myths (believe lies)
This describes the American church TODAY.
The Specific Heresies
1. The Prosperity Gospel
Teaching: God wants you rich, healthy, successful. If you have enough faith, you’ll prosper materially.
Source:
- Word of Faith movement (Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, etc.)
- “Name it and claim it” theology
- “Seed faith” (give to get)
- Health and wealth as signs of God’s favor
What the Bible Actually Says:
1 Timothy 6:9-10 - “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”
Hebrews 11:35-38 - “Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy”
These were heroes of faith - and they were DESTITUTE, AFFLICTED, MISTREATED.
If prosperity = God’s favor, then these heroes had none. Absurd.
2. The Seeker-Sensitive Gospel
Teaching: Make church comfortable, relevant, entertaining. Don’t offend. Focus on felt needs. Avoid talk of sin, hell, judgment, repentance.
Source:
- Church growth movement (Bill Hybels, Rick Warren)
- Marketing strategies applied to church
- “Meet people where they are” (and leave them there)
What the Bible Actually Says:
2 Timothy 4:2 - “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.”
Reprove = Greek elegcho = to expose, convict, discipline
Rebuke = Greek epitimao = to censure, warn, admonish
Not “make comfortable.” REPROVE AND REBUKE.
Acts 20:27 - “For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.”
The WHOLE counsel - including the hard parts, uncomfortable parts, offensive parts.
3. The Self-Help Gospel
Teaching: God wants you to reach your potential, fulfill your destiny, discover your purpose, live your best life.
Source:
- Positive thinking movement (Norman Vincent Peale)
- Self-esteem theology (Robert Schuller)
- Purpose-driven religion (Joel Osteen, many mega-churches)
- Life coaching disguised as Christianity
What the Bible Actually Says:
Luke 9:23 - “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself”
Not “find yourself.” Not “fulfill yourself.” DENY yourself.
Matthew 16:25 - “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
You don’t find life by seeking it. You find it by LOSING it.
4. The “God is Your Co-Pilot” Gospel
Teaching: God is your helper, partner, assistant. You’re driving, He’s navigating. You do your part, He does His.
Source:
- American individualism
- Self-reliance culture
- “God helps those who help themselves” (NOT in the Bible)
What the Bible Actually Says:
Jesus is not your co-pilot. He is the PILOT. You are not even the co-pilot. You are the cargo.
Proverbs 16:9 - “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.”
Proverbs 19:21 - “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.”
Not “God helps your plans succeed.” God’s purpose stands, your plans don’t.
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FLESH AND BLOOD WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM
The Clear Declaration
1 Corinthians 15:50 - “I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.”
CANNOT. Not “might not” or “probably won’t.” CANNOT.
John 3:6 - “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
Flesh produces flesh. Always. Only.
No amount of:
- Religious activity
- Moral improvement
- Self-effort
- Good intentions
…can change flesh into spirit.
Romans 8:8 - “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
Not “struggle to please.” CANNOT PLEASE.
You Must Be Born Again
John 3:3 - “Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.’”
Not “born again + your effort.” Just BORN AGAIN.
John 3:7 - “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’”
Not “it would help if…” YOU MUST.
John 1:12-13 - “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”
Your new birth is:
- NOT of blood (natural lineage)
- NOT of will of flesh (human effort)
- NOT of will of man (human decision)
- OF GOD (His work alone)
Old Must Die, New Must Come
2 Corinthians 5:17 - “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
Not “old improved.” OLD PASSED AWAY.
Not “new added.” NEW COME.
Complete replacement. Total transformation. Death and resurrection.
Galatians 6:15 - “For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.”
Not renovation. NEW CREATION.
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HOW THE CARNAL CHURCH FINDS HER WAY HOME
Pastors and Teachers Must Repent First
James 3:1 - “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”
Pastors who have preached:
- Prosperity gospel
- Seeker-sensitive compromise
- Self-help theology
- “Your best life now”
MUST REPENT.
Ezekiel 34:2-4 - “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord GOD: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep?…The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought”
Shepherds who feed themselves instead of the sheep will answer to God.
Jeremiah 23:1-2 - “‘Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!’ declares the LORD. Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: ’You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the LORD.’”
What pastors must do:
1. Stop Preaching to Itching Ears
2 Timothy 4:2-5 - “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”
Preach:
- Sin and its consequences
- Judgment and hell
- Repentance and faith
- Death to self
- The cost of discipleship
- The narrow way
- The coming Kingdom
Even if it empties the building. Better a small remnant of true believers than a stadium full of false converts.
2. Stop Building Your Own Kingdom
1 Corinthians 3:6-7 - “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.”
Stop:
- Building your brand
- Growing your platform
- Increasing attendance numbers
- Maximizing offerings
- Creating your empire
Start:
- Preaching the pure Gospel
- Making disciples (not just converts)
- Letting Jesus build His church
- Preparing the Bride for the King
Matthew 16:18 - “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
I WILL BUILD = Jesus’ work, not yours
3. Teach the Whole Counsel of God
Acts 20:26-27 - “Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.”
Don’t skip:
- The holiness of God
- The depravity of man
- The exclusivity of Christ
- The necessity of repentance
- The reality of hell
- The call to suffer
- The coming judgment
- The Kingdom to come
4. Model What You Preach
1 Timothy 4:16 - “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.”
You cannot call people to die to self while living for self.
You cannot preach sacrifice while living in luxury.
You cannot teach the narrow way while walking the broad.
Live what you preach. Die to self first.
The Congregation Must Test Everything
1 John 4:1 - “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
Acts 17:11 - “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”
Don’t blindly follow:
- Charismatic personalities
- Popular preachers
- “Anointed” teachers
- Impressive ministries
TEST EVERYTHING by Scripture alone.
If your pastor preaches:
- Prosperity without suffering
- Comfort without cross
- Glory without humility
- Heaven without holiness
- Blessings without obedience
RUN.
Matthew 7:15-16 - “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits.”
Return to First Love
Revelation 2:4-5 - “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.”
The American church has abandoned first love. We loved:
- Comfort more than Christ
- Prosperity more than purity
- Success more than surrender
- Ease more than obedience
We must REPENT and return.
Revelation 3:19-20 - “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”
Jesus is standing OUTSIDE many American churches, knocking, waiting to be invited back in.
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FORSAKING OUR KINGDOMS TO FIND HIS
His Kingdom vs. Our Kingdoms
Your Kingdom:
- Built by your effort
- For your glory
- Temporary
- Earthly
- Visible
- Will burn
His Kingdom:
- Built by His power
- For His glory
- Eternal
- Heavenly
- Often hidden
- Will remain forever
Matthew 6:10 - “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
Not “my kingdom come.” YOUR KINGDOM.
Luke 17:20-21 - “Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, ‘The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, “Look, here it is!” or “There!” for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.’”
God’s Kingdom is not:
- Impressive buildings
- Large crowds
- Influential leaders
- Financial success
- Political power
God’s Kingdom is:
- Christ reigning in hearts
- Righteousness, peace, joy in the Holy Spirit
- Love, servanthood, humility
- Often small, hidden, unimpressive to the world
Romans 14:17 - “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
Seek FIRST the Kingdom
Matthew 6:33 - “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Not:
- Seek first financial security → then God’s Kingdom
- Seek first career success → then God’s Kingdom
- Seek first comfort and ease → then God’s Kingdom
FIRST the Kingdom. Everything else is secondary.
Colossians 3:1-2 - “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
The Coming Literal Kingdom
The American church has largely abandoned belief in the literal, physical, 1,000-year reign of Christ on earth.
Why? Because it doesn’t fit the “best life now” narrative.
If Jesus is coming to establish His Kingdom on earth, then:
- This present world system is temporary
- We shouldn’t be building empires here
- We should be living as pilgrims and exiles
- We should be preparing for His return
But the church got comfortable, wealthy, powerful - and stopped longing for His return.
What the Bible Actually Teaches
Revelation 20:4-6 - “Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed…They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years…Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.”
Jesus will reign physically on earth for 1,000 literal years.
Zechariah 14:9 - “And the LORD will be king over all the earth. On that day the LORD will be one and his name one.”
Isaiah 2:2-4 - “It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains…and all the nations shall flow to it…For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”
Jesus will rule from Jerusalem. On earth.
Acts 1:11 - “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
He ascended physically. He will return physically.
Why does this matter?
Because if you believe Jesus is coming to establish His Kingdom on earth, you live differently:
- You’re a pilgrim, not a settler
- You store treasure in heaven, not earth
- You long for His appearing
- You live with urgency
- You prepare His Bride
- You don’t build your own empire
Preparing the Bride
Ephesians 5:25-27 - “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.”
The Church is the Bride of Christ.
Jesus is coming for a Bride who is:
- Holy
- Without blemish
- Cleansed by the Word
- Pure and spotless
Not:
- Wealthy and comfortable
- Popular and influential
- Large and impressive
- Entertained and catered to
Revelation 19:7-8 - “Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure’— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.”
The Bride makes herself ready through:
- Righteous deeds (not prosperity)
- Purity (not worldliness)
- Holiness (not comfort)
The question for pastors and churches:
Are you preparing the Bride for the King?
Or are you entertaining consumers in a religious club?
Are you teaching people to die to self?
Or helping them achieve their dreams?
Are you pointing to heaven?
Or promising earth?
Are you making disciples?
Or just drawing crowds?
2 Timothy 4:8 - “Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.”
Do you LOVE His appearing?
Or do you love this world too much to want Him to return?
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THE CALL TO FORSAKE ALL
Count the Cost
Luke 14:28-30 - “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’”
Jesus says: COUNT THE COST before following Him.
The cost:
- Your life
- Your dreams
- Your plans
- Your comfort
- Your reputation
- Your possessions
- Your family (if necessary)
- Everything
Luke 14:33 - “So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”
This is not salvation by works. This is salvation that WORKS - that produces total surrender because Christ becomes supreme.
Leave Everything
Matthew 19:27-29 - “Then Peter said in reply, ‘See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.’”
Notice:
- They LEFT EVERYTHING (not “balanced faith and career”)
- Future reward (in the Kingdom, not now)
- Eternal inheritance (not temporal prosperity)
Mark 10:28-30 - “Peter began to say to him, ‘See, we have left everything and followed you.’ Jesus said, ‘Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.’”
“With persecutions” - Jesus doesn’t promise comfort. He promises persecution + eternal life.
Take Up Your Cross DAILY
Luke 9:23 - “And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’”
DAILY. Not once. Not occasionally. EVERY SINGLE DAY.
Every morning:
- “Not my will, but Yours”
- “Not my glory, but Yours”
- “Not my kingdom, but Yours”
- “I die today. Christ lives today.”
1 Corinthians 15:31 - “I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day!”
Paul died EVERY DAY. So must we.
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CONCLUSION: THE CHOICE
The American church stands at a crossroads:
PATH 1: Continue in the False Gospel
- God as cosmic butler
- Jesus as life coach
- Gospel as self-help
- Church as entertainment
- Focus on earthly comfort
- Building human kingdoms
- Preparing for “best life now”
Result: Judgment, lampstand removed, “I never knew you”
PATH 2: Return to the True Gospel
- God as Sovereign Lord
- Jesus as King of Kings
- Gospel as death and resurrection
- Church as Bride being prepared
- Focus on His Kingdom
- Dying to self daily
- Preparing for His appearing
Result: Crown of righteousness, well done good and faithful servant, enter into joy
There is no middle ground.
James 1:8 - “He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
Revelation 3:15-16 - “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”
God would rather you be COLD (openly reject Him) than LUKEWARM (profess Him with your mouth but love the world with your heart).
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THE PRAYER OF REPENTANCE FOR THE CHURCH
If you are a pastor, teacher, or believer who has embraced any form of the false gospel - prosperity, seeker-sensitive, self-help, “best life now” - REPENT NOW:
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“Father God, YHWH, Jesus Christ my Lord,
I confess I have believed and taught lies. I have preached another gospel, a different Jesus, a false spirit. I have made You my servant instead of recognizing You as my Sovereign Lord.
I repent of:
- Seeking prosperity more than Your Kingdom
- Loving comfort more than the cross
- Building my kingdom instead of Yours
- Preaching to itching ears instead of proclaiming truth
- Making disciples of myself instead of disciples of Jesus
- Leading people to love this world instead of longing for Your return
Forgive me. Cleanse me. Break me.
Give me the courage to preach the WHOLE counsel of God - even if it empties the building, costs my popularity, destroys my platform, and ends my career.
I renounce my kingdom. I surrender my plans. I die to my dreams.
Let YOUR Kingdom come. Let YOUR will be done. Let YOUR glory shine.
I will no longer build my empire. I will prepare Your Bride.
I will no longer tickle ears. I will speak truth.
I will no longer seek comfort. I will take up the cross.
Whatever it costs, I choose You. All of You. Only You.
Maranatha - Come, Lord Jesus!
In Your holy and powerful name,
Amen.”
THE Grace Awakening Study Guide
Who is Craig Rogers and KINGDOM Empowered?
About the Author:
Craig Rogers
KINGDOM Empowered CEO and CoFounder
Professional Experience: CEO | KINGDOM Empowered (2020 -...
Professional Experience: CEO | KINGDOM Empowered (2020 - Present) In his role as co-CEO, Craig’s daily mission is to surrender his...
