July 23, 2023
Praise the Lord Saints of the Most High God in whom God dwells forevermore. For a few precious moments, I want to take you back to the cross of Calvary where Jesus Christ hung between two malefactors (convicted criminals), bled, suffered, and died for the sins and iniquities of the world. (Luke 23:32-43)
The Apostle Luke records that one of the criminals taunted and tempted Jesus by saying, “if you are the Christ, save thyself and us.” (Luke 23:39) Now, let’s pay close attention to what the other criminal had to say while on his cross, and Jesus’s response to him in Verses 40-42:
But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in paradise.
Simply wonderful and amazing! Did you hear and see the honesty—the sincerity of heart—of the second criminal? He admitted that he, along with the other criminal, had done evil deeds worthy of the penalty of condemnation and death. Further, he exclaimed that Jesus had done no wrong, and did not deserve to die. He acknowledged Jesus as “Lord,” (Master/Ruler/Controller) and petitioned that Jesus remember him when He entered into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Look at the grace and mercy of our God! This man was a convicted criminal sentenced to die in sin and go to hell for all eternity. But with sincerity of heart, he repented of his sins and asked Jesus to save Him. In that moment, he was sanctified by God in Christ Jesus in the truth! (John 17:17) Jesus while suffering and marred more than any man in the history of the world, immediately granted the man the forgiveness of sins and eternal life with Him. I say to you today, truly, Christ died one time, for all men, for the just and unjust, for all times, so that He might bring us all home safely to God! (I Pet. 3:18)
To the man’s plea, Jesus responded, “today shalt thou be with me in paradise”—meaning in the lower part of the earth where the spirits/souls of the righteous Saints of the Old Testament were held captive by Satan; Paradise, a compartment of hell. (Heb.2:14-15)
Glory be to God, the man when he died escaped the compartment of hell called, “Hades,” where the wicked dead are held. Hades daily is being filled up with the ungodly, who are tortured with many torments and regrets by devils and demons without ceasing or hope of release. All the wicked dead remain in Hades until the Millennium, when Hades will deliver up the souls in it, and the graves will give up all the bodies in them. Then, after the final judgement of the wicked by God; the bodies, souls, and spirits of the wicked will be cast into the eternal hell, called the “Lake of Fire.” (Rev. 20:11-15)
Jesus Christ, the King of kings was in hell for three days, and this man who hung on the cross next to Jesus was with Him. (Rev.1:5 & Heb.13:5) And, praise God, since the man went into paradise, where the righteous went upon their deaths before Christ captured them and took them to heaven, was also delivered from paradise, and translated into heaven with Christ. (Luke 16:19-31, Eph. 4:8-10, and Col. 1:12-13)
Praise God that after the finished works of Jesus Christ, when a born-again Christian dies, we no longer are held captive by the devil in the lower parts of the earth, but go immediately to heaven and are with the Lord, and await the resurrection of our bodies. (John 11:25-26, Rom. 8:11, & II Cor. 5:8) Let us rejoice forevermore for the exceeding greatness of the grace of God in Christ Jesus!
Now, focusing again on the convicted criminal, turned Saint. Can you even try to imagine how glorious it must have been for the man to travel to paradise with Jesus?
To descend into the lower parts of the earth down to hell with Jesus?
To witness Jesus Christ defeat Satan, death, hell, and the grave?
Thereafter, to have the opportunity to sit and listen to Jesus preach the gospel to the Old Testament Saints held captive, while being rocked in the bosom of Abraham.
To witness the wide-gulf between the righteous and unrighteous, and see the unrighteous, perhaps even the fellow malefactor suffering and tormented in Hades?
To ultimately experience the power of God quicken his spirit/soul together with the spirits/souls of all the Old Testament Saints and raised up together, from paradise in hell, to heavenly places in God and Christ Jesus? (Luke 16:19-31 & Eph. 2:4-8)
I tell you, this man is the only person in Bible History to have enjoyed such a privileged journey! Let’s also make special note that it was this man’s “sincerity of heart” in handling the “truth” about himself before Jesus that caused him to “prosper” from hell (Hades), to (paradise), and then heaven! From sinner, to Saint, to salvation; through sanctification by the blood of Jesus Christ. I say to you that this man’s sincerity bred his prosperity!
In the body of Christ, we do not spend enough time teaching born-again Christians the importance of possessing a “sincere heart” with God, and how it brings forth prosperity in our lives. What we say in earnest from our hearts and mouths brings forth our salvation—not just life after death through the confession of Jesus Christ as our Lord—but all parts of our salvation—deliverance, healing, security, peace, and prosperity. (Rom.10: 8-10)
What I am emphasizing is that if you will live a life of continually acknowledging, and living with the knowledge that you love and serve the Lord Jesus Christ from a perfect heart—with sincerity of heart—you will experience the physical manifestation of all facets of your salvation. Just sincerely telling the truth about Jesus, and His works in your life to other people, brings forth God’s prosperity on your life!
Just like the criminal on the cross petitioned Jesus to receive him into His kingdom, and was prospered from the bondage of sin and death unto everlasting life and peace with Christ—so shall you also experience prosperity in every arena of life when you confess your love for Jesus from your heart and mouth.
In fact, check out II Chronicles 16:9, it says:
“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him…
God’s eyes are continually looking and searching the whole planet for people whose hearts are perfect toward Him and His Son Jesus Christ. A perfect heart, meaning God is looking for people who desire to love and worship Him and no other god. (Deut. 6: 4-5, 13-14, & Matt.23:37-40) I tell you, God is looking for “NEEDY” people. God is in hot pursuit of people who know within their hearts that they NEED HIM ONLY! Do you NEED the Lord ONLY, is there anybody in here from a sincere heart that knows they NEED Jesus Christ ONLY?
The truth about our lives is we all were just like the criminal who hung on the cross next to Jesus Christ. We were sinking deep in sin and far from peaceful shores. But Jesus, heard our cry and delivered us out of all of our troubles. (Ps. 34:4-6) When nothing else could help us—not family, not friends, not money, not entertainment, not education, not medication, not alcohol or drugs, nor untoward sex. It was nobody but Jesus, who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood and completely turned our lives from up-side down, to right-side up!
Furthermore, as born-again Christians, we are a people who desire for God to make His Holy habitation in us, to establish His Laws in our hearts and write them on our souls. (Heb.10:16) We need God every hour and day, and without God we are NOTHING! And, now we are reconciled with God and made ministers of reconciliation. Now, we are the off-spring of God having our being, breath, and movement in Him! (Acts 17:28)
Our hearts having been made sanctified and made pure; even perfect. (Heb.10:14) We do not prioritize God as being first in our lives. NO, God is ALL! (Eph. 4:6) This does not mean that our outward performance in walking with Jesus Christ is always perfect, but our heart’s motives and intents are single toward God. We serve the only true and living God. Examine what Jesus Christ said about such who worship Him.
At John 4:23-24, Jesus Christ said:
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
We Worship God in spirit and in truth (sincerity/integrity of heart). At the center of the heart of every born-again Christian, is the Truth about Jesus Christ. Everything I just finished saying and more is the Truth about Jesus. WE NEED JESUS, WE WORSHIP JESUS, and WE SERVE JESUS. Yes, with unfeigned love—we can say, we “love Jesus Christ; even more than anyone else does!” (John 21:15)
Now wrap your heads (brains and thought-life) around the words of the Apostle Paul at Ephesians 6:24. Paul offers this benediction to the Christians at Ephesus, it reads:
Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen
Listen to the Amplified Bible Version:
Grace (God's unmerited favor) be with all who love the Lord Jesus Christ with undying and incorruptible (love) Amen (so let it be done)
This would be a very appropriate time to check your born-again hearts and prove to yourself that you love Jesus in sincerity. Examine yourself and prove that your love for Jesus is undying and incorruptible—it’s an ONLY LOVE FOR JESUS—and no other god or thing in this world! Wow, I am overjoyed because I know the Holy Ghost has witnessed to your spirit that in sincerity you love Jesus Christ. Therefore, God’s grace (unmerited favor) is on your life! “Amen,” so let it be done in your lives just as Paul pronounced it to the Saints at Ephesus.
As you express your heartfelt love for Jesus Christ, in faith to others, expect prosperity to spring forth in your health, business, family, ministry, and so forth. As you tell the truth about who Jesus is, and what He has done and is doing for you, the truth brings forth an abundance of prosperity flowing into your life. This is because Jesus Christ is full of grace and truth. (John 1:13) Again, whenever we tell the truth about Jesus in sincerity, it breeds grace (prosperity).
II Timothy 1:9 sheds some valuable light on this topic. Paul wrote,
9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
Paul says, God in Christ Jesus has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done, but because of his own “purpose and grace.” This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of the world—and is timeless. The “unmerited favor” of God was appointed, anointed, and given to us in Jesus Christ before Lucifer was even created. And, by Jesus’ finished works on the cross and seating at the right hand of the thrown of God, we are the recipients of the exceeding riches of the Lord’s grace and kindness towards us in perpetuity. (Eph. 2:7-10)
I strongly urge you to make it your life-style, with sincerity of heart, to tell others about Jesus Christ and your eternal testimony about what He has done for you. See for yourself that the truth you speak will breed prosperity in your life and the lives of others. For by Abrahamic Covenant, the gospel of Jesus Christ causes the divine favor of God to be released from heaven to earth, and to multiply on all who would believe the pleasant and blessed report of our Savior Jesus Christ. (Gal. 3:6-9, 13-14, Gen. 12:1-5, & Gen. 13:1-3, 24:1, & Is. 53:1) Amen and thank God for today’s teaching.
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