by G. D. Watson
If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. Matthew 16:24-25
If God has called you to be truly like Jesus in all your spirit, He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility. He will put on you such demands of obedience that you will not be allowed to follow other Christians. In many ways, He seems to let other good people do things which He will not let you do.
Others who seem to be very religious and useful may push themselves, pull wires, and scheme to carry out their plans, but you cannot. If you attempt it, you will meet with such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent.
Others can brag about themselves, their work, their successes, their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing. If you begin to do so, He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.
Others will be allowed to succeed in making great sums of money, or having a legacy left to them, or in having luxuries, but God may supply you only on a day-to-day basis, because He wants you to have something far better than gold, a helpless dependence on Him and His unseen treasury.
The Lord may let others be honored and put forward while keeping you hidden in obscurity because He wants to produce some choice, fragrant fruit for His coming glory, which can only be produced in the shade.
God may let others be great, but keep you small. He will let others do a work for Him and get the credit, but He will make you work and toil without knowing how much you are doing. Then, to make your work still more precious, He will let others get the credit for the work which you have done; this to teach you the message of the Cross, humility, and something of the value of being cloaked with His nature.
The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch on you, and with a jealous love rebuke you for careless words and feelings, or for wasting your time, which other Christians never seem distressed over.
So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign and has a right to do as He pleases with His own, and that He may not explain to you a thousand things which may puzzle your reason in His dealings with you.
God will take you at your word. If you absolutely sell yourself to be His slave, He will wrap you up in a jealous love and let other people say and do many things that you cannot. Settle it forever; you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit, He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue or chaining your hand or closing your eyes in ways which others are not dealt with. However, know this great secret of the Kingdom: When you are so completely possessed with the Living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this peculiar, personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you will have found the vestibule of heaven, the high calling of God.
Possessing the Treasure 
Five points:
1. Please let this serve as a reminder that our governement is neither Christian nor as a rule a friend of Christ. The natural “government” receives not the things of the Spirit.
2. Let us take our Biblical view of homosexuality, teach what the Bible says about that sin, and simultaneously offer a hand of genuine love and hope to those bound by that deception.
3. Our overarching message is that Jesus is Lord and Savior to whosoever will believe on Him. The devil wants to divert people’s attention into thinking we are obsessed and judgmental about sinners. We should be broken over their condition without condoning anyone’s sin.
4. It is difficult to speak out about sin while attempting to remain humble. Some of our brothers and sisters were delivered from the gay lifestyle, so we cannot boast in anything but Christ.
5. Lastly, the government doesn’t realize it, but we do not care what they say or even what laws they pass, we will obey Christ even to the death by His grace.
Thanks, Mike
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Well said Rick!
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For crying out loud…….tell me we are not in the last of the last days just before Jesus returns. We see the signs all around us in a major way. Good one Mike!
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Paul,
You are right, we are seeing it happen right before our eyes.
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Amen Rick!
Paul, I too believe we are in the last of the last days. We must all pray for wisdom and discernment.
Mike, I believe the Lord is using your blog and speaking through this website. Be on guard brother as Satan will surely try to deceive you in these days.
Love in Christ,
Rachel
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Paul and Mike,
It is very quickly coming together. Economic, politic, militarily. I just read Kim Riddelbargers blog on this subject and with my favorite watch site, it fits so well. Come Quickly Lord Jesus.
In Christ
Deborah
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Rachel,
I have been impressed for the last several days that all of the contention and all that goes with it that have come upon this site and myself is packaged to do that very thing. Please pray that Satan will be thwarted and that I will simply humbly serve our Lord.
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
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Amen Deborah!
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Already done my brother. I am praying for you and for me too. May the Lord bring us both into all truth and keep us there.
Love in Christ,
Racel
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Our day of persecution is coming quickly…may it find us prepared! I got an article about this in the mail so I didn’t follow the link. They want me to sign something to override what the government….what do you think about that?
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Sarah,
I agree with Rick, we have got to get past this nonsense that our government is somehow Christian. God’s will be done!
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
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Thank you Rachel and Amen!
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Our government is as far from Christian as anyone could get. Abortion rights, gay rights, speech hate crime, unified government and religion! I can see us now, locked up somewhere for being resisters,or worse. It is scary. Come quickly Lord Jesus!!
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Deborah,
Yes, that is what disturbs me so much with those “evangelical Christians” being so “close” with certain political parties, etc. We are in for some rough times I fear. Yes, Come quickly Lord Jesus!
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
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All,
Did you know that in 2008 we will be required to get that new drivers license or ID. We won’t be able to buy anything without it. Just wondering what you think of that. Come Quickly Lord Jesus!
Your sister
Deborah
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I went back to read this old article because of the court case in AZ with the wedding photographer. She told a lesbian couple that she didn’t want to do their wedding because it violated the Bible. Good for her!! She stood up. It gives me hope. I hate it that the state said she has broken the law. She is now being sued. I never thought that something like this would happen here. Just another rebirth of Sodom and Gomorrah.
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