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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We All Know About Hell

Quite a few years ago, I asked my 5 year old daughter a question, “If you believe in Jesus when you die, where do you go?” She answered, “Heaven.” Then I asked her, “if you don’t believe in Jesus when you die, where do you go?” She thought for a moment and then said, “fire!” The amazing thing about her answer was, my wife and I never taught her this, neither had anyone else that we know. So I asked her, “how do you know this?” She said, “I don’t know, I just do.”

Pushed Out of Our Minds

You may recall as a child knowing the truth of heaven and hell, yet for some reason, many people, actually most people, even Christians, put it out of their mind as some childish notion of a bad place that they assume a God of love would not possibly allow. They think it is a fable or a childish, nightmarish bedtime story designed by cruel men to scare, oppress and even suppress the masses into obedience.

Softer Approach Is Not Working

Pastor Neil Ryan of the Unley Park Baptist Church in South Australia said: “You know there is a lot about hell that I don’t understand, but that’s not what worries me. It’s what I do know about hell that worries me...We’ve spent years trying to take a softer approach with a hard truth. Do you know what I think the Holy Spirit is saying to us, “It’s not working.” We’ve tried so hard to make the gospel inoffensive and exciting that there’s no place for fear at all. I would say basically among Gen Y kids today that there is not one skerrick of fear of God.”

Make the Truth About Hell Clear

We must bring the truth about hell out into the open, because to most of humanity today, that is where they will spend their eternities, so it is our responsibilities to warn them now. We can only warn them in one way and that is clearly without holding back a thing. When Jesus spoke about hell, He was deadly serious and very cutting, holding no punches, as you will find out by the scriptures that I quote in future blogs.

Hell is Impeccably Biblical

According to the Bible, Hell is not only a real place of torment and damnation, but that it is scriptural and that it is just and right. The word hell is mentioned 109 times in scripture. References to hell in the bible is 63 times in the New Testament and several hundred times in the Old Testament. Every single book of the bible from Genesis to the revelation mentions hell more than once.

In Christ

Robert Cartledge

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Faith To Become Holy In Christ

In this blog we look at how faith can cause to walk in obedience to Christ.

Faith to Fulfil the Law

“Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.” (Romans 3:31 NLT) If faith comes from obeying, then this Scripture makes perfect sense. As we obey by faith, the Holy Spirit, who is in us and leads us as we devote ourselves in prayer, guides us in holiness. This holiness comes from Holy Spirit inspired, law abiding lifestyles. When, by faith, we obey the law, it becomes apparent that God enables us to obey it by our faith in the Holy Spirit, we then walk in the righteousness of Christ. We do not steal because God gives us a holy conscience which tells us not to steal. 

Faith By Hearing

Faith, then, is essential to obey the law. This faith comes by hearing the Father by the Holy Spirit, whom the Son gave to us, and by Him we live holy lives. We cannot live a holy life unless we have faith in the Holy Spirit to guide us into holiness. This faith is increased and we become more sensitive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, as we pray and earnestly seek His face.

Slaves to Righteousness

Romans 6:19 says, “I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.” In the coming move of God, there is going to be a tremendous emphasis upon the people of God being slaves to righteousness. For Romans 6:19 says, that if we offer the parts of our body as slaves to righteousness, that this will lead to holiness. Therefore, this is a secret to living a holy, godly and blameless life in Christ.

Righteousness and His Kingdom

A slave is the legal property of whoever he is enslaved to. In being a slave you are forced to obey. In the Christian life, righteousness is supposed to be our master and we its slave. The true Christian is supposed to listen to and obey this Master, who by the receiving of a holy conscience, will convict us in what we say, do, look at and listen to. If we take heed of this holy conscience that we all as Christians receive, we will walk in holiness. Jesus Himself tells us this same secret, “But seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33) There it is, add to seeking righteousness the seeking of God’s Kingdom, the reward for a life of serving God in holiness and never recanting of the faith. This Kingdom promise gives us the added incentive to continually seek righteousness and to be its slave.

Credited as Righteousness

“However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.” (Romans 4:5) Trusting God is credited to us as righteousness. This righteousness by faith in Christ comes alive by the Holy Spirit who is deposited within us by faith when we walk by faith and sin no more by faith. To walk in the holiness of Christ we must walk in repentance and by the faith that we can overcome sin, because, “Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world.” Without faith no man can please God. In summary; holiness comes by seeking righteousness and becoming its slave by faith in the Holy Spirit to enable us to walk in it.

In Christ

Robert Cartledge

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The Problem of Faith

There has been so much teaching on faith over the years that most of us are convinced that faith is so profound and so elusive, who can possibly have it. I will attempt here to simplify what I believe faith is.

Faith to Part the Red Sea

When God parted the Red Sea, did Moses have faith? Did Moses just decide, I will have faith to part this sea and then command it? Moses had faith that God would deliver Israel from the hand of the Egyptians, but he did not have any idea how God would perform the deliverance. But God had an idea and He said to Moses, “Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.” (Exodus 14:16) Moses obeyed and it was done for him. Moses obeyed and it was called faith. Abraham obeyed God and went to sacrifice his son Isaac and God called it faith. Abraham was a man of faith because he obeyed God.

Our Idea of Faith

We have this strange understanding of faith that we have not got it if we decide to pray for someone and they don’t get healed. But faith always comes from obedience. Jesus could only do what He saw the Father doing. “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. (John 5:19) When at the pool of Bethesda, Jesus saw God go up to one cripple only, so Jesus obeyed and said, “Be healed.” By faith Jesus healed one man. He didn’t heal the rest of the cripples at the pool because He was obedient to only do what He saw the Father doing. Jesus could hear the Lord God tell Him, “Heal that man,” and by His obedience He had faith and He was healed.

Our Own Power to Believe?

The problem today with our faith is one, we think it has to do with our own power to believe, and two, we are not tuned into God enough to only do what we see the Father doing. If we could hear God’s voice clearly and if He said to you by way of revelation, “Tell that mountain to throw itself into the sea,” and you obeyed, you would only need the faith of a mustard seed to see it done at your word. Just like Moses who obeyed God at the Red Sea, the mountain would be lifted up just the same. We will have faith to move mountains when we spend enough time in the presence of God and form a trust relationship with Him.

Faith and Prayer Go Hand in Hand

I wrote the following to do with faith in my book, God’s Heart Cry for Revival,

A man or woman mighty in prayer is a man or woman of great faith. Faith and prayer go hand in hand. You simply cannot pray and believe for anything without faith. On the other hand, if you want faith, you should start praying and believing. You cannot pray without faith, and you cannot have faith without prayer. You exercise faith in prayer. EM Bounds said, “In the ultimate issue, prayer is simply faith… Moreover: when faith ceases to pray, it ceases to live… Prayer projects faith on God, and God on the world, only God can move mountains, but faith and prayer move God… Faith is kept alive by prayer.” 

In Christ

Robert Cartledge

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Living Life in Christ Part 3

This is Part 3 and the final part of the article, now a blog, taken from the ezine I started in 2010 called "The Reviver."

List of Sins

Colossians 3:8-9, “But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behaviour, slander, and dirty language. Don't lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old evil nature and all its wicked deeds.” If you add this list to Colossians 3:5, you get a pretty intense list of sins and there are other such lists in the Gospels and the Epistles. I have not the time in this article to go into details about the sins themselves, but I advise you to do such a study, as it is an incredible revelation about our human character and that we all still sin terribly. Even though Paul says that we should ‘strip off our old evil natures with all its wicked deeds’, we still seem to entertain such sins in our everyday walk. This must change as the Lord’s return becomes more apparent. For a more in-depth look at sin, listen to and read my two sermons called, What About Sin? and How to be Blessed! (These sermon transcripts can be found at the following URL - http://mtlministries.com/_/Sermon_Podcasts/Archive.html)

The New Nature

Colossians 3:10, “In its place you have clothed yourselves with a brand-new nature that is continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within you.” Paul says that this new nature within us is continually being renewed as we learn more and more about Christ, who created this nature in us. This renewal can only come by the conviction of the Holy Spirit and repentance. Repentance is the only act before God that can gain God’s forgiveness for sins that we commit against Him. The act of repentance is also for us to be released from the guilt that we feel after we have committed these sins. Only by repentance can we walk away from our sinful lives and be renewed in Christ and become holy. As we learn more and more about Christ, we learn more and more about the exact requirements He has of His servants, and this causes us to acknowledge sinful ways within us that we may never have seen before.

List of Righteous Qualities

Colossians 3:12-13, “Since God chose you to be the holy people whom He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tender-hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. You must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” Paul lists the qualities that we should all possess in increasing measure and he caps it off by appealing to us to forgive others by pressing the point that the Lord forgave us our sins. Therefore, we must forgive others for the sins they commit against us. Jesus makes it even more potent when He says, “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in Heaven may forgive you your sins.” (Mark 11:25) Forgiving others is a condition of entrance into Heaven, for if we do not forgive others God cannot forgive us, therefore if we are not forgiven, we are not saved either. Without forgiving others you cannot be holy. Colossians 3:14, “And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony.” This is why Paul calls ‘love’ the most important piece of clothing, because if we truly love we can then truly forgive.

Clothed with Christ

“In its place you have clothed yourselves with a brand-new nature that is continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within you.” (Colossians 3:10) Our confidence is in Jesus clothing us with Himself (the Christ-like nature), as we begin to learn more and more about Him. Jesus has promised us that as we press into Him, He will clothe us with His new nature, the nature that was made perfect on the cross. It was at the cross that Jesus purchased us, and He purchased these new natures that we can claim for ourselves, our born again birthright in Jesus Christ. We must lay hold of this right in prayer and be transformed by the renewing of our hearts and minds by repentance and walking in holiness.

In Christ

Robert Cartledge

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Living Life in Christ Part 2

This Part 2 of an article, now a blog, taken from the ezine I started in 2010 called "The Reviver." Part 3 tomorrow...

Death to Gain Life

Colossians 3:3, “For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.” This Scripture tells us clearly that when we accepted Christ as our Lord and Saviour that our old life died with Christ and now we have a life in Christ that is hidden, or kept safe in Him. And then Paul continues about this hidden life: Colossians 3:4, “And when Christ, who is your real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.” This is the promise: If our old life stays dead at the cross and we remain hidden in Him in salvation, with the evidence of a life of holiness and prayer in the secret place of Christ, then we will share in His glory, when He is revealed to the whole world in the coming days.

Put to Death

Colossians 3:5, “So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual sin, impurity, lust, and shameful desires. Don't be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry.” Now here is the point of this article: If we just vicariously and without effort on our part, become holy just by accepting Christ as Lord, and from then on have no need to watch over our lives and conduct or the need for daily repentance, then why did Paul remind us and warn us to not partake in sin any longer? You know why? Because, from experience, Paul saw Christians departing from the holy life in Christ and returning to their former ways of living. That is why his stern warning comes in the next verse, Colossians 3:6-7, “God's terrible anger will come upon those who do such things. You used to do them when your life was still part of this world.”

Disqualification is Possible

How clear is that! This modern Christian philosophy of “Once saved, always saved” has been the curse of Christianity and has caused modern Christians to not strive with all their heart to live holy lives in Christ. Listen to how hard Paul strived and also why Paul strived for it. 1 Corinthians 9:27, “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.” Paul beat his body into a submissive slave to holiness, he worked hard on himself, he punished himself severely to become ‘The Apostle Paul,’ and why? It was so that after he preached to others, he himself would not be disqualified and lose his place in Heaven. Saints, I must tell you, disqualification from heaven is possible, read Matthew 7:21-23.

Press On Towards the Goal

With this in mind, the Scripture in Philippians 3:13-14 makes more sense, when Paul says, “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.” Paul did not consider himself to have yet taken hold of his salvation, and because of this he strained and pressed on towards Heaven, without letting go of Jesus. This is a secret to the effective ministry of Paul: Paul never assumed anything about his salvation, but rather he resided himself to living each day as if every word, action and deed was being judged by a Holy God and in knowing this, he lived a holiness that very few in history have ever achieved.

In Christ

Robert Cartledge

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Living Life in Christ Part 1

This blog/article is taken from an ezine I created in 2010 called the Reviver. Hope you enjoy it.

Sin Again?

Living life in Christ is not only the most challenging life you could ever hope to embark upon, but it would have to be the least understood of all Biblical ideals. The reason for this is simple; Christ calls for radical holiness consisting of deep daily repentance and turning from all sin. Many Christians think and are taught that when we are born again that their old sinful habits will just vicariously (automatically) disappear miraculously with no need for daily repentance. These same Christians then cannot understand why they slowly begin to live in sin again. This is a foundational issue and something that new converts must have explained at the outset of their new life in Christ. We must choose to live holy lives when we receive Christ as Lord and Saviour and in so doing we must be prepared to resist the urges within us to sin.

Take Control

Colossians 3:1-14 is a point-by-point list in relation to living life in Christ Jesus. It is an excellent exhortation of how to live out the Christian life. It emphasises our responsibility to take control of our life as we become sensitive and obedient to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, who uses our conscience to declare right from wrong.

Heaven's Reality

Colossians 3:1, “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of Heaven, where Christ sits at God's right hand in the place of honour and power.” Paul tells believers to set their sights on the realities of Heaven because Paul preached the same message as Jesus, John the Baptist and the Twelve, “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” If we have set our sights on Heaven we will live in daily repentance and sinlessness. For, “Through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil.” (Proverbs 16:6

How To Walk in Holiness

Colossians 3:2, “Let Heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth.” We are reminded by Paul to let Heaven fill our thoughts. Leonard Ravenhill said, “Lord, stamp eternity on my eyeballs.” We must keep the realities of Heaven and the judgement of Christ, ever before us and uppermost in our mind, in doing so we are reminded daily to walk in holiness before a Holy God.

Heavenly Minded

I am reminded of a saying which goes, “He is so heavenly minded that he is of no earthly good.” This saying is in direct contradiction to the Word of God. We are told in Scripture to be heavenly minded and not only earthly minded. This saying comes straight from the pit of hell and is to keep the Saints of God from becoming heavenly minded. I believe that we should change the saying to: “If you are not heavenly minded you are of no earthly good”.

In Christ

Robert Cartledge

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