The True Gospel Message Part 3

Repent or Perish

The following extract is from a tract called Repent or Perish by a minister called James Melton. A growing debate in our fundamental Churches is the issue of repentance. Since large Churches are often built by "not scaring anyone away," it is becoming very common to hear sermons and read newsletters, which proclaim a repentless salvation. That is, many are boldly proclaiming that one does not have to repent of his sins to be saved. I recently heard a message on tape by a very popular preacher who stated that every New Testament command to repent is addressed to a saved person. His reasoning was that lost people just need to trust Christ and not worry about sins. This man has preached this doctrine for many years, and many have followed in his steps. Most any Bible-believing preacher or personal worker can tell you numerous stories about the so-called "Christians" they’ve met who were supposedly saved after repeating a brief prayer. There was no Holy Ghost conviction, no change of attitude about the world, the flesh, or their numerous sins, and there was no evidence of a new life after their conversion. Yet, this person was "chalked up" as another new addition to the kingdom of God. 11

This is Part 3 of the True Gospel Message taken from my God's Heart Cry for Revival.

True Message 

As ministers, we do not want to condemn men by misleading them into feeling safe in their spiritual condition. We must bring new converts to Christ with the true message, “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is near and believe in Jesus who died on the Cross for your sins.” This is the only message that will insure you a harvest that will not spoil with time. Why do you think Paul said, “No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” (1Corinthians 9:27) Paul knew that disqualification from Heaven was possible. This caused Paul to have a reverent fear that made him live out his life in a sacrificial and reverent manner. If you have been indoctrinated in the “once saved, always saved” doctrine, then please take the time to listen to my sermon on Youtube called “If” Christians Must Watch by Rob Cartledge.

Wonderful Transformations

A sign that your congregation is truly converted would be the wonderful transformations occurring regularly in your people, as well as their passionate zeal and fully sanctified lives. I have always been amazed at the attitudes of many long time Christians I have met. I have found many to be rude, obnoxious and cold, so unlike the example of Christ. Many of these so-called Christians have also been in positions of leadership in Churches.

Take Up Your Cross

Many of us have heard about the quality of a disciple in countries where there is continuous persecution and hardship for the ‘Name.’ They know that their very lives are at stake, and they live by a Christian standard that we cannot understand in the West. When these Christians accepted Jesus, they swallowed a message that few could. They took up their Crosses and walked from then on as dead men, prepared for martyrdom - humble, contrite, repentant visitors of Planet Earth. Men and women in these countries are prepared to suffer for Jesus. I could imagine their altar calls, “Come forward if you are prepared to follow Jesus, and if you are prepared to lay down your life for Him. Only those who are willing to die for Him should come forward and be forgiven all their sins.” This would explain why new converts in those countries, only weeks old in the faith, can be put through the most extreme tortures for the faith and not recant.

11 James Melton, Repent or Perish (http://www.biblebelievers.com/jmelton/repentorperish.html

In Christ

Robert Cartledge

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The True Gospel Message Part 2

This is Part 2 of the True Gospel Message taken from my God's Heart Cry for Revival.

Restoration of the True Message

We have seen a restoration of this message in part coming back to the Church but I believe that this message must be restored in full to see us preparing the way for the Lord. There is simply no other message under Heaven that will get the full blessing of God and His complete anointing, as well as have the power to convert the nations. The message is “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” The early Church knew the power of a life-transforming message was in repentance and turning from their wicked ways. Unfortunately, we have neglected this message and have compromised the gospel, thus most congregations lack power, the manifest presence of God and a people who are holy.

Repentless Salvation

The Church has preached a repentless salvation. I have personally witnessed 100’s of altar calls and so called salvations without even the remotest mention of repentance. We have made Christianity too easy, yet the true message is hard to swallow - but if it is swallowed, we are never the same again. When the message is not, “Repent for the kingdom of Heaven is near,” the message is swallowed easily but has no power to transform, and the new convert will fall away at the slightest test.

At the Alter we Should be Altered

The altar is the place where we have the opportunity to set the foundation and course for the new converts entire Christian walk. It is at the altar that their salvation is fixed and appropriated so that they know without a shadow of a doubt that their sins are forgiven. All biblical examples of conversion required immediate repentance of sin. From their conversion forward they were to work out their salvation with fear and trembling, reverence and awe and daily repentance.” “Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” (Philippians 2:12)

He Chose Us

The way we bring a person to Jesus is going to affect their whole Christian walk. If they have not repented then nothing has been changed in their life, and their salvation is a farce. Remember: we did not choose God, He chose us. If a person comes to believe in Jesus and has not a repentant heart for the way they have lived their life, then that person has not had a true revelation of the glorious Christ whom I serve, and Jesus does not know them.

Destroyed to Self

No one can come before the true God and not be completely destroyed to self. In fact the lack of reverent awe in the Church makes me wonder how many Christians are living in that revelation now. If we can come to Church on Sunday, stand around and gas bag until the service begins, then stand there during the worship service thinking of every other thing except worshipping God, singing chorus’s with no energy or conviction, then I have to ask the question, “Does the Church fear God?” Little wonder we see so little power in the Church.

In Christ

Robert Cartledge

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The True Gospel Message Part 1

This blog is taken from my book God's Heart Cry for Revival

Why Untransformed?

Over the years I have heard hundreds of sermons, anointed and un-anointed, on so many different subjects. All were biblically based, most were truthful and many were deeply touching and moving. Yet after all this preaching I always wondered, why is the general body of believers in Christendom untransformed? Why do many still behave and talk like the heathen and shine so dimly? Then one day I was reading verse 17 of the 4th Chapter of the book of Matthew, which reads, “From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.’”

What Did John the Baptist Preach?

These are obvious Scriptures, yet the Lord wanted me to see the obvious. John the Baptist came preaching a water baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Mark 1:4b). In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is near.” (Matthew 3:1-2) He preached the same message as Jesus.

What Did the Early Church Preach?

Then I looked further to find out what the disciples preached and found Mark 6:12 which reads, “They went and preached that people should repent.” It also says that Jesus told them to preach, “The Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” (Luke 9:2) In Acts 2:38 we read that Peter preached, “Repent and be Baptised (the message of John the Baptist) every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven.” Paul also preached this message, along with the powerful truth of the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul says in Acts 26:20b, “I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.” He and the disciples did not waver from this message and saw untold thousands affected and transformed through the power of this, the true message.

What Should Be Our Focus?

So John the Baptist, our Lord Jesus and His disciples’ and Paul’s message was the same: “Repent for the kingdom of Heaven is near.” If this message was their main focus, shouldn’t it be the focus of the whole Church?

In Christ

Robert Cartledge

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Revival Is Possible

This blog is taken from my book God's Heart Cry for Revival

The Revival Promise

I am yet to see a full-scale outpouring of the Holy Spirit, but I know it’s possible. 2Chronicles 7:14-15 says, “If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.” Humbleness, prayer, seeking and turning are the four keys to revival. If we come before God in a state of true humbleness, with a deep burden for souls, reaching out to God with everything within us, walking away from our old sinful life, then the Word of God says, He will hear us. I will elaborate on2Chronicles 7:14-15 later in this book.

Repentance Prepares the Way

“You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 How do we get our hearts right, so that we can seek Him with all our hearts? Repentance prepares the way and makes the road of our hearts straight. Repentance builds up the low places and takes down the high place in our lives

All Have Sinned

Many Christians have a great deal of problem with repentance because they think that its all been done at their salvation or that only unbelievers should repent. They do not realise that the most zealous, powerful, effective and honourable thing they could and should and must do is repent for themselves, the Church and the world. If you want to find out just how much you need to repent of your own actions then do this simple exercise: compare yourself to Jesus, and the holiness with which he walked on this planet. You cannot help but see all of your shortcomings. These shortcomings need repentance. The Word of God says, “There is no-one righteous, not even one.” All have sinned and fall short.

Burning with Hunger

All the prayer in the world coming from an unrepentant Church will not move God. God can only be reached by sincere, earnest, humble, contrite, broken Christians whose hearts burn with a hunger to reach Him and the lost.

In Christ

Robert Cartledge

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Worshipping in Spirit and Truth Part 2

Yesterday we did part 1 of Worshipping in Spirit and Truth, here is part 2.

Selfless Act

Paul Billheimer discusses true heart worship being a selfless act, where we relinquish occupation with self and become absorbed in only God. When we forget ourselves in true worship, then we reach the heart of God; this blesses God because it was for this purpose that we were created. It is then that we are fulfilled and as Paul Billheimer says, “It results in mental wholeness.” The true worship of God could be the cure of many psychological sicknesses in this world.

Heart Driven Worship

There is nothing more exhilarating in the universe than worshipping the Lord in His presence. That is one of the reasons I want His presence in the Church. Any act we do that becomes nothing more than an unfeeling discipline, is nothing more than chasing after the wind. God does not manifest Himself in dead religious activity. I can’t count the hours I’ve spent worshipping Him religiously with no affect in Heaven or in me. I’m sure I’m not alone. Worship must become heart driven and intense, with love and passion to move God and to cause a true change in our character.

All Our Hearts

The Lord is saying that if we seek Him with all of our hearts we shall find Him. We will not find God any other way. When God becomes our obsession, when we live and breathe a desire to know God personally, then we will find Him.

Deep Within

If we lack sincere earnestness to praise and worship God, we will not please God. We can stand there and go through the motions of worship but not really have our hearts in it. True worship comes from deep within your heart. The Holy Spirit draws true worship out of our heart as He gives us a revelation of who it is that we serve. God is real and so are Jesus and the Holy Spirit. We serve the most powerful existence in the universe. Get a revelation of this and learn to quickly tune in when you are in a worship service and stir yourself up in the most holy faith.

Tangible Glory

I want to see God’s glory in the Church. His glory is real and tangible, you can feel it, at times you can even see it: read 2Chronicles 7:1-3. It is up to us, the body of His Church, to lay hold of God. I believe the final move of God that will sweep over the whole earth will be a corporate ignited move of the Holy Spirit. I believe that one or two men will not be responsible for such a move, because God is putting a fresh hunger in thousands of Christians hearts, leaders and lay people alike. God will use anyone who will yield to Him, and surrender to Him through humble repentance and intercession.

He Will Hold Off

When we begin praying for revival because the state of the world grieves and distresses us, remember that God will hold off. He will not just show up because we decide to pray a little for a revival. He will show up when we seek Him with all our heart. He will show up when we begin to desire Him more than a full Church. When we desire Him more than the gifts He gives us. When we desire Him more than a large offering. When we desire Him more than life itself, then He will show up, and we will exist in His presence.

10 Paul E. Billheimer, Destined for the Throne (Minneapolis, Minnesota 55438: Bethany House Publishers, 1975) page 116-118

In Christ

Robert Cartledge

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Worshipping in Spirit and Truth Part 1

This blog is taken from my book 'God's Heart Cry for Revival.

Created to Worship

We were created to worship the Lord in Spirit (in the Holy Spirit) and in Truth (the Word of God, the Bible). Worshipping Him from the heart gives Him pleasure. This is not just at Church, we worship God in our daily lives, in our actions, our words and our witness to fellow men. Worship is expressed in many different ways. In some countries around the world, saints are laying their lives down as martyrs for Jesus. This is the ultimate act of true worship and devotion. God sees a martyr as an offering of pure love and passion for Christ.

Living Sacrifices

Romans 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — His good, pleasing and perfect will.” Paul clearly declares that when we offer our bodies as living sacrifices of holiness, meaning turning from sin and walking in righteousness that this is an act of worship. Walking in holiness is worshipping the Father in Spirit and Truth and is what our Lord looks for in His people.

Sing Praises

Even though there are many ways to worship the Trinity, hearts crying out and singing with their voices still remains the most practiced and most written about in the Bible. “Sing praises to the LORD, enthroned in Zion; proclaim among the nations what He has done.” (Psalm 9:11) “I will sing to the LORD, for He has been good to me.” (Psalm 13:6) “Therefore I will praise You among the nations, O LORD; I will sing praises to Your name.” (Psalm 18:49) “Be exalted, O LORD, in Your strength; we will sing and praise Your might.” (Psalm 21:13) “Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at His tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.” (Psalm 27:6) David knew how to worship. His worship honoured God and even today his Psalms stand as the pinnacle of holy worship.

Destined for the Throne - Paul Billheimer

The Bible tells us that myriads of angels stand around the throne of God and worship Him. Paul Billheimer said in his excellent book titled Destined for the throne:

For some reason the Church at large has underestimated the importance of praise. Many have had the idea that praise is a beautiful aesthetic exercise but has little practical value. But if praise is the highest occupation of angels there must be some valid reason for it. If Heaven considers it important to maintain a chorus of praise unceasingly day and night around the throne (Revelation 4:8), it must be supremely efficacious. Would God tolerate an activity and exercise in Heaven that is futile and irrational?

If the highest function of angelic hosts is praise, it follows logically that the highest function of the human spirit must also be praise. Ever-increasing approximation to the infinitely lovely character of God is the most sublime goal of all creation.

Just as antagonism, hostility, and cursing against God exercises and strengthens all that is most abominable, diabolical, and base in the human spirit, so worship and praise of the infinitely lovely God exercises, reinforces, and strengthens all that is most sublime, transcendent, and divine in the inner being. Thus as one worships and praises, he is continually transformed step by step, from glory to glory, into the image of the infinitely happy God. Therefore, praise is the most useful occupation and activity in enabling God to realise the supreme goal of the universe, that of ‘bringing many sons unto glory.’

Here is one of the greatest values of praise: it decentralises self. The worship and praise of God demands a shift of centre from self to God. One cannot praise without relinquishing occupation with self. When praise becomes a way of life, the infinitely lovely God, rather than the bankrupt self, becomes the center of worship. Thus the personality becomes properly integrated and destructive stresses and strains disappear. This results in mental wholeness. Praise produces forgetfulness of self and forgetfulness of self is health.

In Christ

Robert Cartledge

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Moving God

In this blog, I talk about moving God Scripturally. How to cause God to do something, He already desires to do.

Spirit and Truth

I want to know how to move God. I want to know how to touch His heart deeply. I want to know how to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. Jesus said in John 4:23-24, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in Spirit and Truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is Spirit, and His worshippers must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.” When I was first saved, the idea of worshipping in Spirit and in Truth seemed so profound to me. I thought maybe it’s in music, so I played lots of worship music, I felt God’s presence occasionally, but I realised that it was not in the music. Maybe it was in the act of praying, so I prayed and prayed even to the point where I prayed half an hour every hour and found that this became a religious act to me, and God was not there in the act of praying. Then I thought it was in the act of reading the Bible, so I read the Bible for about three to four hours a day for some time, I got to know the Bible very well, but this to became a religious act and I could not maintain it indefinitely. No, worshipping the Father in Spirit and in Truth was not in any of these acts.

Inside My Heart

Then God revealed Jeremiah 29:13, which says, “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.” This Scripture made me realise that inside my heart is where the answer lies. Hungry, sincere hearts seeking hard after God are the types of worshippers the Father seeks. Once I grasped this and began to search my heart, I realised that sincere, earnest prayer does not come easily. We have to search Him out with all of our strength and all of our might. It is necessary to recognise and acknowledge that Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit as a life companion and as a partner in prayer. Therefore we can trust in Him to lead us into the Most Holy Place.

Prayer Produces Change in Us

Charles Finney said, “When I speak of moving God, I do not mean that God’s mind is changed by prayer or that His disposition or character is changed. Prayer produces such a change in us that God is completely consistent with His nature when He answers our prayers.” 9 God is the God of revival, He has always been ready to pour out His Spirit upon all flesh, but we have always been His problem. There must be an adequate personal change in His people en-masse to see our prayers move God to pour out His Spirit. 

Desiring Personal Change

This is the object of this blog and many like it. I believe in these coming days, God is going to make us so desirous of personal change and to turn from sin that we, the Bride of Christ, are going to be made ready for His coming as talked about in Revelation 19:7-8, “Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)” Our righteous Holy Spirit inspired acts will be our wedding clothes at this time, so I tell you, start putting on your wedding clothes, don’t let this day come upon you unexpectedly and have nothing to wear at the wedding, for He is surely coming soon.

9 Charles Finney, How to Experience Revival (Whitaker House, 580 Pittsburgh St. Springdale, PA 15144) page 43

In Christ

Robert Cartledge

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