Those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires, but you can't do that at the foot of the cross. Those who pierced Him also stood at the foot of the cross. Standing there does not bring any pain to the flesh; but when you are crucified together with Jesus, you will come to know the fellowship of His sufferings.
Johan Oscar SmithBecause there is liberating power in each and every truth, the one who walks in the truth in all his ways will be set free. A lie, no matter how "little," gives the powers of darkness an opening for attack, but the truth chases them far away.
Johan Oscar SmithThose who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires, but you can't do that at the foot of the cross. Those who pierced Him also stood at the foot of the cross. Standing there does not bring any pain to the flesh; but when you are crucified together with Jesus, you will come to know the fellowship of His sufferings.
Johan Oscar SmithFalse liberty is also a reason that people fabricate doctrines that say that you don't need to suffer. One such doctrine is the one that states that Jesus has done everything, so we need not do anything that opposes our flesh or self-will. False liberty is also manifest when people scorn souls who are striving to live a God-fearing life, saying that these live in bondage.
Johan Oscar SmithNo one can be transferred from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God without a great battle and by the good fight of faith. No one receives full light in a single day. Great faithfulness is required for us to receive more light.
Johan Oscar SmithJames says that you deceive yourself if you only hear the Word but do not do it. How many people live in this deception their whole life-hearing and hearing, but never even trying to do what they hear!
Johan Oscar SmithThis is perdition: the things to which the heart was attached pass away while the person himself, who is an eternal being, is filled with nothing but emptiness when he should have been filled with God Himself. That is why it is so very important that we turn our focus inward to the source of life that lives forever, even as we ourselves will live forever.
Johan Oscar Smith