rLn's TESTIMONY 2024

TOday, i KNOW (intellectually AND experientially) The ONE TRUE Living TRIune GOD Who is THE Creator and Owner of HIS Universe -- ALL things visible and ALL things INvisible! And because i am HIS, dependent upon HIM for each and every breath, for my very existence -- i owe GOD my total allegiance, committed to gladly obeying HIS revealed Will, as recorded in His HOLY Word, The Bible. i KNOW this Sovereign GOD as my Holy FATHER, as my Beloved LORD JESUS and MESSIAH, as my INdwelling SPIRIT of TRUTH, HOLY Comforter and Helper. HalleluYAH! \o/

BUT before August 2003, in rebellious PRIDE -- i was senselessly DISobedient of GOD's  Commandments (whether in thought or word or actual DOing). i broke GOD's HOLY Laws for godly and righteous living. i bowed my knee to my fleshly idols of SELF-Focus, SELF-Pleasure, SELF-Pride.

i was BORN with a sinFULL nature -- a SIN-natured SIN-doer. GOD's TRUTH described my Natural SELF before GOD interrupted my HELL-bound spiral INto EVERlasting PUNISHMENT. GOD's Word says: “The ACTS of the SINful NATURE are obvious -- SEXual IMmorality...debauchery, IDOLatry, witchcraft, hatred, jealousy, fits of rage, SELFish ambition, envy...' Through GOD's TRUTH, i was convicted: 'that SINCE i lived like THAT, i will NOT inherit the Kingdom of GOD!' (Romans 3:10; Galatians 5:19-21)

From the ABUNDANCE of my sinFULL Heart, came forth UNwholesome words, bitterness, anger, greed, gossip, malice, impure motives --  LIES! GOD's Word convicted me of the REALity of my Heart: HOW deceitFULL it IS above ALL things, HOW desperately SICK! i WAS a LOST, helpless, hopeless SINNER -- choosing to do my OWN will instead of doing GOD's Will, choosing to please MY own SELF instead of pleasing GOD, choosing to glory in MY own SELF instead of ascribing ALL GLORY to GOD! (Matthew 12:34; Jeremiah 17:9)

i WAS part of the Walking DEAD -- physically alive, BUT spiritually DEAD! i WAS part of THAT UNsaved Humanity -- 'the cowardly and UNbelieving and detestable, murderers, the sexually IMmoral, sorcerers, IDOLaters, and ALL liars, whose part will be in the Lake of FIRE, which is the Second DEATH' -- EVERlasting HELL. (Ephesians 2:1; Revelation 21:8)

BUT in 2003, GOD IN CHRIST by The Holy SPIRIT's SUPERnatural LIFE-giving POWER, quickened ALIVE my DEAD spirit by REgenerating me aNEW, REbirthing me by GOD's GRACE alone -- by gifting me with REPENTANCE, with a NEW heart to LOVE GOD and others, a NEW mind -- SET on His WORD of TRUTH; with a NEW Disposition of glad OBEDIENCE to HIS Commands. GOD reconciled me back to a LOVE-Relationship with Himself THROUGH and IN CHRIST. i was made a NEW creation, the OLD things that were of MErlin have passed away; and, as rLn -- GOD's NEW things have SUPERabundantly come! \o/ (2 Corinthians 5:17, 19)

TOday, my personal REALity is this -- 'to LIVE IS CHRIST and to DIE IS superlative GAIN!' Because my Beloved LORD JESUS DIED in my place to pay IN-FULL the Price of DEATH for my SINs; because The Holy SPIRIT joined me INto CHRIST's Body; because my Holy FATHER chose me as one of His LOVE-Gifts to His ONE and ONLY Begotten SON -- i am NO LONGER under GOD's Condemnation, NO LONGER under His WRATH, NO LONGER bound for EVERlasting HELL! \o/ (Philippians 1:21; Romans 8:1)

i KNOW (intellectually AND experientially) that i am enABLEd by The Holy SPIRIT withIN to LOVE sacrificially -- that GOD causes ALL things to work together for my GOOD, because GOD PREdestined me to be conformed to the Image of His SON, CHRIST JESUS, The PREEMINENT Firstborn; and like The Risen LORD JESUS -- i also SHALL be glorified: spirit, soul AND body! \o/ (Romans 5:5; 8:28-30)

i KNOW that i was not REDEEMED with corruptible things like silver or gold, BUT with the Precious BLOOD of CHRIST -- born AGAIN through the LIVING and ENDURING Word of GOD. GOD's GRACE is ALWAYS sufficient for ALL my circumstances, for HIS SUPERnatural POWER is perfected in my weaknesses. For united with CHRIST, by the ALL-Mighty SPIRIT working withIN, both to WILL and to DO -- i am emPOWERed to do ALL things through CHRIST Who strengthens me. \o/ (1 Peter 1:18-19, 23; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Philippians 2:13, 4:13)

i KNOW that my 2xborn soul is wholly GOD's Workmanship, REcreated IN CHRIST JESUS for good works, which GOD my FATHER prepared beforehand so that i would walk in them. i am a citizen of GOD's Kingdom, with a GLORIOUS Inheritance awaiting me. Surely -- i am a child of GOD because The Holy SPIRIT withIN leads me to follow hard after CHRIST, conforming me more and more INto CHRIST's likeness, so that i may BE to the Praise of The GLORY of CHRIST -- my ALL IN ALL! \o/ (Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 3:20; Romans 8:14, 29; Ephesians 1:12)

i KNOW that NO one and NO thing can EVER separate me from the LOVE of CHRIST JESUS. NO affliction, turmoil, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword! i am FULLY convinced that NEITHER Death, Life, angels, rulers, things present, things to come, powers, height, depth, NOR ANY OTHER created thing, will EVER separate me from the LOVE of GOD, which is IN CHRIST JESUS, my Beloved LORD! \o/ (Romans 8:38-39)

Therefore -- the ONE THING i do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching, STRAINING forward to what lies ahead, i PRESS ON -- one day at a time, one step at a time -- with ALL my Soul, Heart, Mind and Strength toward the Goal of CHRIST-likeness: The PRIZE of the UPward call of GOD IN CHRIST JESUS. For i have been crucified with CHRIST, and it is NO LONGER i who live -- but CHRIST lives IN me. And the LIFE which i NOW live in the flesh, i live by FAITH IN The SON of GOD, Who LOVED me and GAVE Himself up for me. \o/ (Philippians 3:13; Galatians 2:20)

BLESS The LORD JESUS! ALL that is withIN me -- BLESS HIS HOLY Name! BLESS The GOD and FATHER of my Beloved JESUS, Who has blessed me with EVERY spiritual blessing in the Heavenly Places IN CHRIST! BLESS The SPIRIT of TRUTH, my HOLY Comforter and Source of LIVING Water! BLESS The ONE TRUE Living TRIune Sovereign GOD! For by GOD's GRACE alone, through FAITH alone, IN CHRIST alone -- i am a Child of GOD forEVERmore! \o/ (Ephesians 2:8)

You MUST be Born AGAIN!

CHRIST JESUS Himself said -- "TRULY, TRULY, I SAY to you, unless one is born AGAIN -- he CANNOT see the Kingdom of GOD.

"TRULY, TRULY, I SAY to you, unless one is born of water and The SPIRIT he CANNOT enter INto the Kingdom of GOD. That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of The SPIRIT is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You MUST be born AGAIN’" (John 3:3,5-7).

The Kingdom of GOD is the eternal RULE over ALL Creation of the BLESSED and ONLY Sovereign, The KING of kings and LORD of lords, Whose throne is in the heavenly realm of UNapproachable LIGHT. The Kingdom of GOD is the SPIRITual RULE over the hearts and lives of those who have trusted and believed in the SAVING Work of CHRIST JESUS. The Kingdom of GOD is the ETERNAL destination of the born AGAIN from Above.

To enter INto GOD's PERFECT Heaven, His utterly PURE and HOLY and RIGHTEOUS and altogether LOVELY Kingdom of LIGHT -- YOU must be utterly pure, holy, righteous and altogether lovely! Since every SOUL born physically is a SIN-natured SIN-doer, he cannot enter GOD's Holy Domain. GOD abominates SIN. And His hatred of SIN was demonstrated at The CROSS, where He smote His ONLY Begotten SON, CHRIST JESUS, for your SINs and mine. 

BUT at The CROSS where The LAMB of GOD was sacrificed to SAVE penitent SIN-natured SIN-doers like you and me -- GOD also demonstrated the UNsurpassed greatness of His amazing GRACE, the UNfathomable depth of His amazing LOVE, the INcomprehensible GLORY of His amazing SALVATION! HalleluYAH! \o/

'He saved us, not by works which we did in righteousness, but according to His mercy, through the washing of REgeneration and reNEWing by The Holy SPIRIT' (Titus 3:5).

By the GRACE (UNdeserved Mercy and Favor) of GOD alone, through genuine FAITH alone, IN CHRIST alone (His perfect LIFE, atoning DEATH, historical RESURRECTION and witnessed ASCENSION back INto The GLORY of Heaven) -- repentant SIN-natured SIN-doers are quickened ALIVE from spiritual DEATHness! Believers IN The Risen LORD JESUS are REborn, REgenerated, REnewed children of GOD. HalleluYAH! \o/

https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/book-of-john/you-must-be-born-again/ -- What is so dangerous about the religious life? "It is the mistake of trying to grow BEFORE you've been born" (Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones). He says that often times people who claim to be Religious are trying to live as CHRISTians without actually being SAVED. They try to be Sanctified without being Justified.

https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/book-of-john/born-again/ -- Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones speaks about the clear and visible marking of the TRUE CHRISTian in that the child of GOD ought to be more interested in the state of one’s SOUL than in their nationality, class, or ability. CHRIST-like LOVE is the one common language that binds the Church together.

Glorifying GOD IN CHRIST

WHY did GOD The SON, The LORD of GLORY, leave His heavenly Kingdom of LIGHT to come down to this corrupt, evil world of Darkness? To glorify GOD, The FATHER of GLORY. WHY did GOD The FATHER and GOD The SON send GOD The Holy SPIRIT into this fallen world? To glorify CHRIST JESUS, The SON of GOD and SON of Man. "WHAT is the chief end of man? To glorify GOD (The ONE TRUE Living TRIune SOVEREIGN: Creator-Sustainer-Controller of The Universe) and to enJOY Him forEVERmore" (The Westminster Confession of Faith).

HOW did GOD The SON glorify GOD The FATHER? By fully succeeding in the Work of REDEMPTION that The FATHER sent Him to do -- by fulfilling ALL that GOD required for the Redemption of SIN-natured SIN-doers like you, like me. As SON of Man, JESUS was born of a virgin, a real Human Who lived a perfectly sinless, blameless, righteous earthly life. As The Anointed HOLY ONE sent of GOD, CHRIST is The LORD and SAVIOR of those who would REPENT of their SINs, who would TRUST IN Him, in His Sacrificial DEATH at Calvary's CROSS to PAY-IN-FULL the JUST penalty and JUST punishment for SIN-natured SIN-doers like you, like me (see Philippians 2:6-8).

HOW did GOD The FATHER glorify GOD The SON -- CHRIST JESUS? By approving of CHRIST JESUS' own BLOOD-Payment to redeem LOST sinners; by raising JESUS CHRIST from the Grave and seating The Risen LORD JESUS at the Right Hand of The MOST HIGH. 'GOD also highly exalted CHRIST JESUS, and bestowed on Him The NAME which is ABOVE EVERY NAME, so that at THE Name of JESUS EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in Heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, to the GLORY of GOD The FATHER' (Philippians 2:9-11).

HOW does The Holy SPIRIT sent of GOD The FATHER and of GOD The SON glorify The Risen LORD JESUS? By testifying about The LORD JESUS; by applying the INfinite riches of GOD's superabounding GRACE paid for by the Precious BLOOD of CHRIST JESUS for those born-again of GOD; by conforming the 2xborn Believers into the image of CHRIST, The SON of GOD (John 15:26; Ephesians 1:3-14; Romans 8:29).

CHRIST JESUS, The LORD of GLORY, communing with GOD The FATHER of GLORY, said: "I AM glorified in them" (John 17:10). "THEM" are those who have repented of their SINs and have believed the GOOD News of SALVATION, who've admitted to GOD that they are indeed helpless, hopeless SIN-natured SIN-doers, needing His merciful FORGIVENESS for their rebellious sins against The MOST HOLY GOD. "THEM" are those who have humbly acknowledged that they are SAVED from EVERlasting HELL by the GRACE of GOD alone, through FAITH alone, IN CHRIST alone.

So then -- HOW do we (who are IN CHRIST, who are born again from Above, who are NOW the adopted children of GOD) glorify our Beloved LORD and SAVIOR, CHRIST JESUS? By being a "LIVING PROOF of the FACT that The LORD JESUS CHRIST has finished the Work which His FATHER sent Him to do" (Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones, "Safe In The World" p.94).

Are we manifesting to the world the finished Work of CHRIST -- that we have been quickened ALIVE spiritually, living OUTwardly HIS Resurrection Life IN us, walking by HIS Light so that we do not stumble in Darkness? Are we repenting DAILY of our daily stumbling? Are we proving to the world by our Life-101 the literal TRUTH that 'CHRIST is the POWER of GOD, and the WISDOM of GOD' (1 Corinthians 1:23-24)? Are we who are the REDEEMED proving to the world that The LORD JESUS CHRIST has been made Wisdom, and Righteousness, and Sanctification, and Redemption (1 Cor 1:30) IN us, and that to us individually -- HE is THE ALL in all?

Are we hungering and thirsting for the SPIRITual nourishment of The Word of GOD? Is GOD's Written VOICE speaking into our hearts, illuminating our minds with the very Thoughts of GOD? Are we eager to meet with GOD with unceasing adoration and loving fellowship with Him through our prayers, so that we may be granted the GRACE of KNOWing Him more intimately and experientially as GOD reveals Himself to us personally? 

Are we demonstrating to the world of our NEW position IN CHRIST -- that we have been 'rescued from the Authority/Dominion of Darkness, and transferred to the Kingdom of The SON of GOD's LOVE' (Colossians 1:13)? "Are we a LIVING PROOF and example that the tremendous POWER of The SON of GOD has literally taken hold of us and transferred us into the Kingdom of GOD's dear SON?" (MLJ, p.96) Do our lifestyle, mindset, and worldview reflect our NEW citizenship in GOD's Heaven?

Are we glorifying our LORD JESUS by confidently KNOWing that ALL our SINs have been forgiven by the efficacy of His ATONING Death? Are we showing the UNfathomable PEACE of GOD withIN that flows from having PEACE With GOD (Who was IN CHRIST, reconciling sinners back to Himself, 2 Cor 5:19)? Are we rejoicing IN The LORD, even when assailed with trials that are but common to all humankind living in this fallen world (see James 1:2)?

Are we running after the Holiness of GOD? Are we proving our SALVATION from the Power of SIN by no longer practicing or immersing ourselves in that sinful lifestyle that we were rescued from? Are we mortifying our UNredeemed Flesh by the SUPERnatural emPOWERment of The Holy SPIRIT withIN? Are we becoming more aware of the subtlety of SIN and is hatred of our own SINs increasing? Are we resisting the devil and overcoming temptations?

Are we LIVING PROOF that we have the Promised Holy SPIRIT living IN us -- leading, teaching, controlling, conforming us into more and more CHRIST-likeness (Romans 8:14-17, 29)? Is the INdwelling SPIRIT growing and maturing His Fruit of LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS and SELF-CONTROL (Galatians 5:22-23), as well as The SPIRIT's Fruit 'in all GOODNESS, RIGHTEOUSNESS, and TRUTH' (Ephesians 5:9)?

Our LORD JESUS Himself declared to our Heavenly FATHER that "IN THEM" (who belonged to The FATHER and were given to The SON) -- "I AM GLORIFIED" (John 17:10). We IN CHRIST are the special LOVE-gifts from The FATHER to His ONE and ONLY Begotten SON; and we have been given the SUPERLATIVE privilege of being part of glorifying The GODhead. As for me -- "i am one of a people in the world today through whom CHRIST is glorified. i am NOT here for mySELF, or for ANYthing i want to do -- the Main Thing for me this day is that CHRIST should be glorified and praised in me" (MLJ, p.104).

Are you a LIVING PROOF of the FACT that The LORD JESUS CHRIST has finished the Work which His FATHER sent Him to do? \o/

(This blogpost was developed from my notes from the book's chapter, "Manifesting the Work of CHRIST.")