Monthly Archives: April 2025

Our Death and Resurrection with Christ—The Power of God

Our Death and Resurrection with Christ—The Power of God

The Savior told Paul, “My strength is made perfect in weakness” (II Cor. 12:9). There is nothing weaker than dying on the cross. But the cross is proclaimed as “the power of God” (I Cor. 1:18). How does that work?

By placing our old nature and mind on the cross, we acknowledge our weakness and helplessness apart from God’s strength. In doing so, we renounce our carnal powers, declaring through this act: We are nothing, and He is everything.

This is the supreme paradox. By submitting to the death of our old selves, we admit our utter vanity and worthlessness without our Creator, Father, and Savior. This act of negation is the first step toward aligning our thoughts with His. For He views us in our unregenerated state as nothing: “In me dwells no good thing… all things are meaningless, a chasing after the wind…all  have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 7:18; Ecc. 1:4; Rom. 3:23).

Recognizing our spiritual ineptitude, we come to Yahweh-in-human-form, the fountain of life, from whom flows the water of true, eternal life. Yet the path to life is through death—a paradox. Only by the death of our selfish hearts can we enter His Spirit-filled life. We must remember Christ’s words: “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it” (Luke 9:24).

Through faith, we trust in His resurrection—not only His, but also our own. We believe that, just as He was raised, we too are raised to walk in newness of life. This faith energizes us to receive His Spirit, which transforms our hearts. “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Rom. 6:4 NIV).

And transformed we are! The hand that once stole steals no more—not by our own strength but through His Spirit. By relinquishing our old lives, we take on His life. This miraculous change is the power of the cross—the death, burial, and resurrection shared with Christ. As Paul wrote, “I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20).

God’s power is life from death. He establishes life where none existed, calling “those things that are not as though they are.” This revelation is vital. It is through overcoming this paradox—life emerging from death—that we are delivered from the inevitability of physical death.

This is the way to salvation, the way to life, the way to an immortal spiritual body that He has promised us. It all flows from understanding, believing, and enacting this profound truth: eternal life out of death.

Kenneth Wayne Hancock [From a journal entry dated May 4, 2001. By liking, sharing, commenting, and subscribing, you attest to these writings, that they come by the Spirit of truth. May God bless you all]

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Filed under cross, crucified with Christ, death, death of self

Truth Cannot Nest in the Thorns of Falsehood

The Son approaches the hour of sacrifice,
His steps nearing the cross, heavy with the world’s weight.
The disciples, fragile hearts, shaken,
Are cloaked in sorrow, like a dim twilight descending.

Yet, He speaks, tender as a father to his children,
“My little ones, I am with you only a while longer.”
And then, the command like a flame passed from torch to torch:
“Love one another, as I have loved you,
So you, too, must love.”

Feast no longer on His love alone;
Drink deeply from the wellspring of the Spirit,
The Father, alive in Him, who works through Him.
“Believe,” He pleads, “that the Father is in Me,
And you shall do greater things, for I go to Him.”

A promise takes flight, soaring on the breath of His words:
“Keep My commands, and whatever you ask in My name, it shall be.”
But first, the name—the sacred name—and all it holds,
Its weight, its wonder, its truth.

Again, He returns, a shepherd calling to His flock:
“If you love Me, obey what I command.”
Obedience, the root from which love springs,
And to the faithful, the Counselor comes—forever,
The Spirit of truth, eternal and pure.

Yet truth cannot nest in the thorns of falsehood,
Cannot take root in soil tainted by error.
All must be purged, all misconceptions cast to the wind.
“Believe,” He urges, “that the Father is in Me,
And I in Him. We are One.”

Oneness—a Spirit that breathes life into all,
The Creator, the Holy, pouring Himself
Into fragile flesh, the Savior of mankind.
All that denies this truth must wither and fall,
Pruned by the Gardener’s hand.

And He ends as He began:
“Believe Me when I say, the Father lives in Me.
Through Me, He works miracles.
Obey, and believe,
For Yah is One,
The Holy One of all who trust in Him.”

The words echo, a melody to be sung
Until hearts and minds are free from chains of error,
And truth shines unclouded,
Forever.

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Filed under agape, Christ, oneness, spiritual growth, Spiritual Life Cycle, Yahshua, Yahweh

The Two Abidings: Us in Him and He in Us

We have a saying: “I am in.” It means “I am with you. I support you in your endeavor. I got your back.”

This statement is a good example of one of the two “abidings” that we see in God’s word. Christ commands us: “Abide in Me.” Christ continues, “and I in you.” Two abidings.

Notice the order of the two abidings. Us in Christ, and then, Christ in us. We must first get our minds and thoughts in line with Christ’s mind. Think His thoughts. We must through our actions say, “I am in. I am a full-throated supporter of Yahshua’s plan and purpose. I am in Christ. I am with Him and for Him.

Now we must dedicate ourselves through prayer and study, to Christ’s desires [his will]. Walking in his desires leads us to abiding in Christ. [For more, order my book, The Royal Destiny of God’s Elect. It is free with free shipping. Just email me your name, mailing address, and the title of the book to wayneman5@hotmail.com.]

We must be “all in” on Christ’s plan, purpose, and will. This is the cleaning out of God’s spiritual temple, which is us. It is only in this state that He will come and abide in us. Our minds must be in Him. Our thoughts must be His thoughts. Then, and only then, will He come and abide, dwell, and stay in us.  

Abiding in Christ is not a passive belief but an active commitment—an intentional alignment of our thoughts, desires, and actions with His will. When we declare, “I am in,” we affirm our dedication to His purpose, rejecting complacency and false teachings. Through prayer, study, and transformation, we cleanse our spiritual temple, preparing for His presence. Only when we fully abide in Him will He abide in us, empowering us to walk in His truth.   Kenneth Wayne Hancock

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Few Enter through the Narrow Gate into the Spiritual Dimension

Few Enter through the Narrow Gate into the Spiritual Dimension

Christ commands us: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.” The small and narrow gate leads to life and “only a few find it” (Matthew 7: 13—15 NIV). The wide easy gate is bad. Destruction looms.

In the very next breath, He warns us of something bad—false prophets. “Take heed that no man deceive you…And many false prophets shall rise and shall deceive many” (Matt. 24: 4,11; II Peter 2:1). Obviously, they are bad. In fact, these false prophets are the shepherds, the pastors, who appear in “sheep’s clothing” and preach false doctrines. These are false teachings about Christ. Millions of well-meaning people flock to their meetings. They are leading the people through the wide, easy to get into gate. Bad plus bad equals bad.

Question: Are the billions of deceived people in the pews the “few” who find life, who find what Peter, James, John, and Paul found? Who found the other dimension, the dimension where Peter and John healed the man with cerebral palsy! He had never walked upon this earth! This was not our holy King healing in person. It was his Spirit inside of Peter and John who had healed the poor man. This can be us, brothers and sisters.

In that scene, we see Peter and John entering God’s spiritual dimension. They had found the entrance into the spiritual dimension! No one can deny that they were the “few” who had entered “through the narrow gate.”

And why is it a narrow and small gate? It is narrow because it does not allow false teachings about Christ to pass through it. It is a narrow entrance gate because it compels us to “purge out the old leaven,” the old false teachings that have been handed down through the centuries.

The entrance is likened unto a small, narrow gate. It is narrow because very few we’ll dig deep to prove out all that they have been taught. Very few will study earnestly. For example, they will cling to ancient Pagan festivals. Most don’t even know that their holidays are of Pagan origin. Billions celebrate these festivals, but few ever research it.

There is a extremely wide door that receives the billions. But it is a narrow gate that “leads to life.”  But Yahweh still says, “Learn not the way of the heathen, who cuts down a tree and decks it with silver and gold (Jeremiah 10:2-4).

Another false teaching concerns the “time of the end.” Billions have been taught that they will escape the Tribulation Period, that they will be saved by a rapture. Billions of Christians floating up, up, up above the devastation prophesied over the earth. Sounds like a very wide gate. The billions must be told that the rapture doctrine is a false doctrine. [Much more on the rapture found here: rapture | Search Results | Immortality Road].

“In conclusion, the narrow gate symbolizes the path of truth, righteousness, and spiritual discernment—a path few are willing to pursue. It demands the rejection of false teachings, worldly traditions, and complacency in favor of diligent study, spiritual growth, and abiding in the Word of God. While billions may be led astray through the wide gate by deception and ease, Christ calls us to strive for the narrow way that leads to life. This journey requires commitment to uncovering genuine teachings, purging old falsehoods, and standing firm against the allure of superficial doctrines. Ultimately, it is through the narrow gate that we enter the true spiritual dimension, where the Spirit of God works powerfully within His faithful few. Let us seek this gate with all our heart and mind, ensuring our walk aligns with His truth” [Conclusion written by Co-pilot, based on essay].

Kenneth Wayne Hancock

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Filed under Christ, false doctrines, false prophets, false teachers, kingdom of God, pagan holidays, Rapture, Yahweh

Spiritual Fasting from Lukewarmness

Abstaining from being lukewarm

In the previous post, we explored God’s chosen fast—a spiritual fast where we abstain from false teachings about Christ and His plan and purpose. But you might ask, “What exactly do we abstain from?”

One significant fault prevalent among Christians is lukewarmness in our search for God. It is believing that we can please Christ with a lukewarm heart. Being lukewarm separates us from Him. As Christ sternly warned, “I will spew you out of My mouth.” Christ said that Christians in the last church age—that’s us—will be lukewarm, being neither hot nor cold.

The concept of being “lukewarm” in Revelation 3:15–16 is a metaphor used by Christ in His message to the church in Laodicea. He rebukes them for their spiritual complacency, saying they are neither “hot” (passionate, on fire for God) nor “cold” (completely rejecting God). Instead, they are indifferent, stagnant, and lacking zeal, which displeases Him to the point of threatening to “spit them out of His mouth” (Rev. 3:15-22).

Gold, White Raiment, Eye Salve

Christ goes on to give us the remedy for being in the dangerous state of lukewarmness. He counsels us to repent from lukewarmness by buying from Him three things: “Gold tried in the fire,” “white raiment,” and “eye salve.”

“Gold tried in the fire” is partaking of Christ’s sufferings. This is the trying of your faith, which purifies our belief in God (James 1:3). Lukewarm Christians do not want to suffer. But “beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed” (I Peter 4:12-13; I Peter 1:6-7; Job 23:10). Those who overcome will share in His “praise, honor, and glory at His appearing.” Suffering for Christ’s sake is fasting from lukewarmness. “If we suffer with Him, we shall also reign with Him.”

Furthermore, we are to seek “white raiment” to clothe our spiritual nakedness (Rev. 3:18; 19:8).  And finally, we are to seek “eye salve” so that we have eyes to see the secret things.

[You will notice the brevity of the previous paragraph. Instead of explaining “white raiment” and “eye salve,” I have left them as your “homework.” From the Scriptures, explain what they mean, and for an “A” on the assignment, explain how they help us repent from lukewarmness. Share your study in the comment section.]

Spiritual fasting is abstaining from false doctrines

 I saw a shop window this morning. It displayed different size eggs and bunny rabbits. They were made of pottery, plastic, and white fur. And I thought, Christ has nothing to do with these vestiges of fertility rites that pagans esteemed millennia ago. The person responsible for the display probably does not know the gravity of this practice. Then I thought, We have been fasting from the pagan holidays for decades. [For more, check out this excellent video: A Very PAGAN EASTER | FULL DOCUMENTARY].

I can hear Yahweh’s voice crying through Jeremiah’s lips: “Learn not the way of the heathen…for one cuts a tree out of the forest…They deck it with silver and gold…They fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not…” While they fiddle with earthly ornaments, they forget that “He has made the earth by his power, and He has established the world by His wisdom, and has stretched out the heavens by his discretion” (Jer. 10:1-12).

To become His manifested sons and daughters, to achieve this growth, we must repent of the faults learned in our early years. God knows our hearts; He sees the sincerity in our efforts to do what is right. He has reached out to us in deeply personal ways, enabling us to know Him as our Savior. We were often told that attending church, paying tithes, making donations, and reading the Bible would secure our acceptance by Him. Yet, despite these practices, our growth has been limited—nothing resembling the profound transformation experienced by the early apostles.

God desires more for us. He has ordained spiritual fasting to foster our growth. This involves rejecting false doctrines and allowing His Spirit of truth to guide us, revealing the areas in our lives that require repentance. He has already cleansed us from all sin, which is defined as breaking the Ten Commandments. However, He seeks to purify us further by purging the “old leaven”—the faults rooted in false beliefs. These faults hinder the Spirit’s flow, much like clogged sap prevents the vine’s nourishment from reaching its branches (John 15:1-10).

Some may feel overwhelmed and exclaim, “I can’t do this! I don’t know how!” But that is the very point. It is not by our own strength that we succeed. After the cross experience, it is no longer “I that lives, but Christ that lives in me.” We have the Spirit of truth dwelling within us. We need only ask Him, and He will show us the way.

Let us read Christ’s comforting promise: “When He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth, for He shall show you things to come” (John 16:13). Those fasting from lukewarmness will be shone the treasures of wisdom. [Don’t forget to do your homework. May Yah show you His secrets. Kenneth Wayne Hancock]

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Filed under faith, false doctrines, fasting