Prayer Answered, Glory To God

This brother has said it many times but here it is again.  This brother is nothing and a nobody but he serves a God who answers prayer.  There is nothing special about this brother apart from the Spirit of the Living God who resides in all of us who believe.

Thank you to those of you who prayed for my wife's job situation.  The Lord has now officially answered our prayers.  Our God is a God who answers prayer.  The way He answered this one I consider to be another miracle.

I wanted to let you know that our God is a God who answers prayer, and this is one more testimony to you that He does.  This testimony however, is not enough for many of you.  What do I mean?  As I was thanking the Lord for this latest answered prayer, He impressed something upon me about this topic of prayers and miracles.  Here it is more or less:

Many of you who still need to have prayers answered and miracles in your lives would say "thats great brother, praise the Lord your answer has been given, but what about me?  What about my answer?"  Here's the deal; when you need an answer, power, a miracle from the Lord and you are in the middle of your spiritual battle to remain strong and hold onto your faith, no word from any man suffices to touch you or make you feel better about your situation.  In fact, the words of men can make you feel worse.

You can hear other people's testimony all day and it does not touch you.  You can have people read scripture to you all day and it does not touch the hurt, the pain, the need in any way.  So what?  So, what we need is the personal presence and power of the Lord.  No man or woman can give that to you, only the Lord can give that to you.  The only thing that really touches our need, and what is going on inside of us is the presence and power of the Lord God Almighty.

I have used many words to say a simple thing; we need the personal, one on one, cannot fake it, cannot buy it, cannot replace it presence and power of the Lord God.  This has been His message to me, to pass on to those who have ears to hear.  My words are nothing and count for nothing.  I cannot comfort you although I pray I could.  The raw power of His presence is what you and I need for comfort and for answers.  There is no substitute.

If my words are useless, why write to you?  The very limited value of my words lie in their directional value.  They point you in the direction of your answer.  Our answer lies in Him and comes through Him to us.  There are no shortcuts and no other way to get what we need.  We are needy, and this brothers needs are constant.  I (we) need Him, personally.  All of His power and the fullness of His presence are what we require.

When we are in His presence, then we understand.

Psalm 73

15If I had spoken out like that,

I would have betrayed your children.

16When I tried to understand all this,

it troubled me deeply

17till I entered the sanctuary of God;

then I understood their final destiny.

18Surely you place them on slippery ground;

you cast them down to ruin.

19How suddenly are they destroyed,

completely swept away by terrors!

20They are like a dream when one awakes;

when you arise, Lord,

you will despise them as fantasies.

21When my heart was grieved

and my spirit embittered,

22I was senseless and ignorant;

I was a brute beast before you.

23Yet I am always with you;

you hold me by my right hand.

24You guide me with your counsel,

and afterward you will take me into glory.

25Whom have I in heaven but you?

And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

26My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart

and my portion forever.

27Those who are far from you will perish;

you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.

28But as for me, it is good to be near God.

I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;

I will tell of all your deeds.

What you are reading from this brother is testimony that supports the Word of God.  This brother would tell you it is good to be near God.  That is not a figure of speech, or any kind of flowery language.  It is good to literally be in close proximity to our God.  When we are in His presence, then we understand where our answer is coming from, why we are waiting, what we should do or say, etc.

He is our answer, literally and figuratively and everything in between.  We must lay hold of Him personally.  Nobody else can do this for us.  If you set your heart to find Him, you will find Him...

Matthew 7:7 

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

Prov 2 My son, if you will receive my words, and lay up my commandments with you;

2So that you incline your ear unto wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding;

3Yea, if you cry after knowledge, and lift up your voice for understanding;

4If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hid treasures;

5Then shall you understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

If you seek Him you will find Him, but you have to really want Him:  seek her as silver, and search for her as for hid treasures;

Conclusion

I thank the Lord today that He once again has answered my (our) prayers with His miracle working power, but that was not enough for me this time.  I also wanted something for you.  What about those of you who are still waiting for answers?  You must at all costs get into His presence.  Seek Him as though you were searching for hidden treasure because that is where all of our answers are hidden: in Him.

Jeremiah 29:13 

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. .

grace and peace.

Believe You Have Received It-Mark 11:24

The Word of the Lord says:

Mark 11:24
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

This ^^ was written by the Spirit of the Lord.  So today as we believe for our miracles we petition the Lord to give us what we have asked for because we are bringing Him 1. our faith and 2. His Word.  We are bringing back to Him what He has asked us for.

Today we believe we have received what we have asked for in prayer and we rejoice in this answer!  Before it is seen, before there is any other evidence we already lay hold of this.  Our faith is the evidence and the substance of what we are hoping for.  Every ounce of our mind, soul and spirit must lay hold of this promise through faith.

How do we know the Lord will deliver to us what we have asked Him for?  Because the Spirit has not told us "no" yet.  The answer is yes, until it is no.  Simple right?  This requires our communion with the Spirit of the Lord, our daily walk with Him.  He will tell us yes, no or wait.  Until we hear "no" from Him it is yes and/or wait.

Men cannot give this ^^ to us only the Lord can.  How are we led in our day to day lives and how are we led through our miracle walks on this earth?  By the power and presence and leadership of the Spirit of God:

Romans 8:14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God

We are the children of God and therefore led by the Spirit of God.
What the Lord has said, that is what we stand on.  What are His promises?  What did He tell us?  Lay hold of His promises through faith and patience and watch the deliverance of the Lord show up for you.  Will we suffer?  Yes.  Will this be a battle?  Yes  Will we be tested? Yes  Will this be easy?  No  Will the Lord answer? YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

grace and peace

Prayer Request: Wife's Job

Well, this week my wife's employer gave her entire department until 11/30 to find new jobs.  This will require another miracle as good jobs are not plentiful here.

This will result in another miracle testimony.  We will bring our faith, and His Word as we come into His presence with our requests.  How can the Lord resist His own Word?  How can the Lord resist our faith in Him?  Does it please the Lord for us to bring Him our faith and His Word?  Absolutely.  What does the Word say?


MAtt 7.7“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Mark 11:24 

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Those of you still watching and waiting for your miracles, do not give up.  While we watch and wait in expectation we must draw upon the Holy Spirit for His presence and power.  I can quote scripture at you all day but it won't help you on your insides until the Lord shows up and fills you with presence and power.  He must turn the lights on inside each one of us, He must give us the strength and endurance to wait.  He must assure us, and comfort us and keep us.

This walking in miracles thing is not easy.  When I found out my wife was being let go it felt like someone punched me in the gut, yes it hurt.  Then we get up and do what we always do, get help from the Almighty.  We are a needy people, I am a needy person.  I have many needs and requests and some of these needs and requests require miracles to answer.

Now we need another miracle.  I pray that you bring your faith and His Word back to Him on my wife's behalf and your own behalf.  If you need a miracle I am praying for you, I ask that you will pray for me and my family as well.

In time, this will be another battle we have one.  What has the Lord said?

This is the Word:

Psalm 37:25

I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righ teous forsaken or their children begging bread.

and it is also my testimony.  I was young but I am getting older.  Never have I seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.  Somehow, some way the Lord always comes through.  Sometimes sooner, sometimes later but He always always always comes through.

Keep the faith and stand with me for this miracle.  If you need a miracle I lift you up now in prayer to the Lord according to His own Word

I pray that you will find because you are seeking.  I pray the door is opened to you because you are knocking.  I pray that you receive because you are asking, all in accordance with the Royal Law which is the Word of the Almighty:

MAt 7.7“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Grace and peace be upon you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, AMEN.

The Miracle Journey II

Here we see the miracle journey encapsulated perfectly in two verses:

Jer 2:6Neither said they, Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?

7And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat its fruit and its goodness; but when you entered, you defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination.

Verse 6 is the journey, the wilderness, the desert, the pits (traps and temptations), drought (literal and what feels like spiritual drought), barrenness, lonesomeness.

Verse 7 is deliverance of the promise, what you believed for.

The Lord is using this ^^ to ask Israel why they chose not to follow Him after all He has done for them.

During my miracle journeys, the Lord has brought to mind this exodus from Egypt, the parting of the red sea and deliverance in the desert many times.  He also brought to mind everything in the gospels that speak of believing, asking, seeking, knocking and persevering.

No one else can believe for you.  We can believe with you but not for you.  Only you can get the Word you need from the Lord for your situation.  Only you can walk your desert and deliverance experience.  Its like a baby taking steps, as much as mom and dad would like to help that baby take its first steps only that child can do it for themselves.  We are all children of the Most High God and He is teaching us how to walk with Him.

He requires faith of us, and patience.  If we stand in our faith we will stand well.  If we do not stand in our faith we will not stand at all.  When what we need is a miracle there is only one source to go to.  The world does not provide miracles.....that means our Lord is the only source.  If you get tired and consider giving up, where else will you turn for what you need?  There is no other source.  That makes things easy.  Just as Israel walked on dry ground through the midst of the sea, with Pharaoh and the armies of Egypt on their heels, so we walk through this world.  We have the promises before us and the lies, deception, treachery and destruction the enemy would like to inflict behind us.  If we give up we will be destroyed, what kind of option is that?

We are backed into a corner and that is a good thing.  The only option we have is the BEST option because in our option we find the power and deliverance and mercy and loving kindness of the Lord our God.  We must fight though.  Surrender is not an option.  Giving up is not an option.

Every Word the Lord uses has a reason and a meaning.  There are no idle Words in the Bible so please remember this:

2 Tim 2:3 Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

We are soldiers, and soldiers fight.  Its part of the job description.  We do not fight like the world fights:

2 Corinthians 10:4 

... (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;)

 This battle we are in is an all or nothing.  We have been given what we need to win our battles and our Battle Captain stands by our side whispering in our ear which way to go at every turn

Isa 30:21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."

Listen, keep the faith, persevere.  When you have spent enough time in your desert wasteland you will be brought into your promised land and you then will be a testimony for others just as this nobody is a testimony to you now.  The Lord and His Word can be trusted.  Keep the faith.

grace and peace

The Miracle Journey

Thank you for your prayers for my wife's job, already we are seeing the Lord's hand at work.

For whatever reason the Lord has given this brother an inside look, and the faith and knowledge of the miracle journey.  For me it has never (as memory serves) been something instant, we have always had to wait.  During this waiting, there have been multiple tests, usually where the Lord and the enemy know I am weakest as well as tests in areas I did not think could be tested.

The journey through multiple miracles has given this brother a testimony which is likely at least part of the reason and purpose this nobody exists on earth today.  What is this testimony and what has this brother learned?

-We cannot 'fix' each others problems nor were we ever meant to.  Why does the fixing?  The Lord.

-The miracle journey is a time of testing, do you really believe?  The entire spiritual world is watching to find out the answer.  The enemy will attack before, during and after your answer.  Before your answer he will tell you it will never happen, while the Lord is answering he will tell you its not real and somehow or other its a mirage that will not last, and after the answer has taken root in reality your personal weaknesses will be explored as well as one last "appearance" that your miracle might be reversed or taken away.

This pattern has repeated itself time and again in this brother's experience.

-We can quote scripture at each other all day and night but without the Spirit of God bringing it alive to us it will all appear useless.  You know the Word, and someone else quotes the Word to you that you already know but nothing stirs inside of you, it does not seem to help to hear what you already know from the Word.  Ever had that happen?  The Spirit of God must move and bring it alive to you, THEN it will be helpful.

proof?  The enemy knows the Word of God from cover to cover but he never really understood it.  If he did, He would not have crucified our Lord.  That's just one example of how you can brain knowledge know the Word but it not help you.


-Ultimately, the answering of our prayers of all kinds to include miracles is about the journey, our walk with the Lord day by day.  It is about walking and talking and building relationship with Him.  In the end it will result in a testimony.  Although the Lord does delight in answering us, He also delights in the relationship.  Will we trust Him day to day and hour to hour?  "Give us this day our daily bread" is what the Lord taught us.

Psalm 35:27 

May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, "The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant."

Some miracles have taken months, some have taken years, some see answers almost immediately.

-We must remember the source:  The Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit are our source.  Our answer comes from Him alone.  Day to day, during the pain and patience and suffering that are ours in Christ Jesus, the Spirit alone can grant us peace.

11Then his people recalled^b the days of old,

the days of Moses and his people—

where is he who brought them through the sea,

with the shepherd of his flock?

Where is he who set

his Holy Spirit among them,

12who sent his glorious arm of power

to be at Moses’ right hand,

who divided the waters before them,

to gain for himself everlasting renown,

13who led them through the depths?

Like a horse in open country,

they did not stumble;

14like cattle that go down to the plain,

they were given rest by the Spirit of the Lord.

-The Spirit often brought to mind Israel's exodus from Egypt and ^^^^ the parting of the sea to hold onto during my miracle journey.

The Lord's Word is either true or it is not.  My testimony is that the Word is true.  The Lord either performs miracles today or He does not.  This brother's testimony is that He does.

-We must bring the Lord something He can work with.  What can He work with?  Our faith and His Word.  How can the Lord resist His own Word?  How can the Lord resist our faith in Him?  Bring to Him those things He has asked of us.  Ask, seek, knock and keep on doing all three.

-This brother can tell you that the Lord does work on behalf of His children.  The Lord absolutely performs miracles for His children today.  It is very important to understand that there is NOTHING special about me apart from the Spirit that lives within me and who works through me, that same Spirit lives in you.  If you are in Christ, then the same blood that cleanses me cleanses you.

We are forgiven and beloved servants who are being tested.  Stand up in your faith or you will not stand at all.

Isaiah 7:9 

If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all

1 Peter 4:12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

Hebrews 11:17 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac ...

By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. ... When God tested Abraham, faith led him to offer his son Isaac. ... //biblehub.com/hebrews/11-17.htm - 18k

1 Peter 1:7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your ...

... so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory ... //biblehub.com/1_peter/1-7.htm - 20k

James 1:3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces ...

... For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. ... //biblehub.com/james/1-3.htm - 17k

Genesis 22:1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him ...

... Some time later, God tested Abraham's faith. "Abraham!" God called. ... //biblehub.com/genesis/22-1.htm - 17k

Psalm 81:7 In your distress you called and I rescued you, I ...

... You cried to me in trouble, and I saved you; I answered out of the thundercloud and tested your faith when there was no water at Meribah. ... //biblehub.com/psalms/81-7.htm - 18k

Isaiah 28:16 So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "See, I lay ...

... The one who maintains his faith will not panic. ... This is what the Almighty LORD says: I am going to lay a rock in Zion, a rock that has been tested, a precious ... //biblehub.com/isaiah/28-16.htm - 19k

Luke 8:13 Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the ...

... They believe for a while, but when their faith is tested, they abandon it. .

Do you think our faith is going to be tested?  ^^^ Yes.  Is it painful?  Yes.  Do we suffer?  Yes.  Does the Lord answer?  YES, (usually) after we have been tested.

Everyone who asks receives (Matt 7:8).  The Lord said it, the Lord meant it and this nobody who writes to you today can testify that it is the truth.

Fight the good fight of faith, continue to endure.  Continually bring back to the Lord His Word and your faith to give the Lord the legal right to act on your behalf.  Faith and the Word are golden in the kingdom we belong to.  Ask the Spirit of our Lord to give you peace to to make the Word come alive to your Spirit so you will have substance within you to feed upon.  We are a needy people, we need Him each and every day for everything.

grace and peace

Sister Naomi your miracle is surely on its way.

Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you.

1 Peter 5:6Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

7Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you.

8Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour:

9Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Benediction and Greetings

10But the God of all grace, who has called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that you have suffered a while, restore, establish, strengthen, settle you.

11To him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

My family is in need of another miracle.  My wife has figured out with some certainty that her employer plans to shut down the business unit where she works sometime around the Jan 2015.  We have looked around and where we live there are no good prospects for her to find another job like the one she has in the near future.  So now what?  Now this........

7Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you.

We do not live in this world without help.  The faithful God who has delivered me and my family time and time again through multiple miracles and answered requests will be with us again.  Am I being presumptive to make such statements?  How can I be so bold?  How many times does the Lord need to answer my prayers and deliver me before I "get it" and just trust Him?  What does the Word say?

Matt 7:7Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

8For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened.

9Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

10Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

11If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Now, really think about what the Lord says here ^^.  Either it is 100% truth or it is a lie, which is it?  This brother can testify that what has been written in the Word is truth and not a lie.  I cannot speak for others but I can speak for myself.  I have asked and I have received.  I did seek and I did find.  I knocked and the door was opened.  Many people will discount the Word by saying to themselves "yea, well there must be something special about him or her."  Wrong, what is special is the power and faithfulness of the Lord our God.  He has done these things through one of the least of the brothers in Christ (me) as a testimony to you.

The Lord does not answers us how or when we want most of the time.  We ask for what we want and when and how are His department.  I cannot deny what the Lord has already done for me, and I will marinate my mind and heart and spirit in the previous victories He has already given to build and maintain my faith for the next miracle my family needs, another job for my wife where there appears to be no jobs.

We will bring something back to the Lord daily that He respects: faith and His Word.  How can the Lord resist His own Word?  This is not twisting the Lord's arm, it is bringing to Him something He can work with, something that pleases Him: our faith and His Word.  What has the Lord said?  Bring it back to Him...

If you need a prayer answered or a miracle I pray that you will walk this walk with me into the comfort and provision and rest of the Lord.  We will be tried and tested and there might  be times that will not be pleasant but we absolutely must remember where our source is, in Him and He is faithful.

grace and peace

8.15.2014 Prayer For All of Us

Lord, your Word is full of warnings to us who believe.  Today, on behalf of all the brothers and sisters, my family and myself I pray about your Words spoken to us below:

Revelation 3:3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and ...

... and repent. If therefore you will not watch, I will come on you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

Matthew 24:44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man ...

... Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. ...

Luke 12:40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will ...

... You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

Lord, we pray for watchful eyes, that you will not come upon us as a thief.  You told us that you are coming at an hour that we do not expect and we take you at your Word.  You do not and cannot lie.  I pray that we will all be ready for you when you arrive.  I pray that we all will be found as faithful servants doing what pleases you during that unexpected hour.

I love you Lord and I do fear you.  Your Word makes us tremble.  Do not terrify us in your wrath but show us your tender mercies and loving kindness.  All glory and honor and power and all the riches and glory be yours forever and ever.

Amen.

In Perilous Times, Remember

Prov 21:30There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.

31The horse is prepared for the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.

We appear to be on the brink of war with Russia, the ebola virus is spreading like wildfire, natural and unnatural disasters are impacting every corner of the globe, the economies of the world are just barely holding on by a thread and on the list of concerns go...So what?

So what is we need to remember what this is all about, big picture.  This is a spiritual war we are witnessing, that sums it all up.  Everything we see around us can be summed up in the battle for the souls of mankind.  Although the visible odds are stacked against us, the invisible power that supports us blows it all away.  Great is the Lord my God who holds my hand and says to my soul "do not fear, I am with you."

Those who think they rule this planet plan and scheme and think that nobody sees them or hears them but what does our Lord say?

Prov 21:30There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.

And who supports us?  ^^That same Lord.  And what else does the Lord tell us?  Safety is of the Lord.....How did Israel survive 40 years in a desert wasteland where nothing should live?  The Lord was their support and protection.

Be encouraged, no matter what comes through the door ahead of us we will face it holding our Father's hand.

grace and peace

Finding Peace With God

What does it take to be at peace with the Lord?

I cannot think of any starting point other than surrendering our life to the Lord Jesus Christ.  We ask Him into our heart, we believe He died for our sins washed us clean and was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Then what?  Then we live in obedience to His Word.  We do the things that please Him.

Okay, and what things please Him.  That answer must be found by sitting down with the Word and reading what He said to us.  We must learn the mind of our Lord and the only way we will do that is by spending time with Him in His Word.

If we love Him we will obey Him:

John 14:23 

... Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and take up residence with him

He equates love with obedience, a real shocker for those who preach a Babylonian gospel to this world.  Many teach that you can do whatever you want and still enter the narrow gate that leads to life but there is a reason only a few make it through:

Matt 7:13Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Does it surprise people that we actually have to do what our Lord told us to do?

I can hear the objections already "yes brother D but are you saying that "works" will save us?  No, we are saved by grace through faith but let me ask you if you believe we can live a life of disobedience and enter the narrow gate?  Can we do whatever we want, a license to sin, and still think we can enter the narrow gate that leads to life?

"So tell me brother D, which sin is it I commit that will send us to hell either Jesus died for all of our sins or He didn't right?"  Another argument that will lead many to destruction.  Let us answer a question with a question, which sin is it that will get us cut off from the vine that is, cut us off from being in Christ?

John 15:1I am the TRUE vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: andevery [branch] that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3Now ye are clean through the wordwhich I have spoken unto you. 4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him,the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast [them] into the fire, and they are burned.

The Lord does not give us a specific number of sins or acts of disobedience that will get us "cast forth as a branch" and is withered and burned up but He warns us it is possible to be in the vine (in Christ) then cutoff from the vine (cutoff from being in Christ).  We must abide in Him and we must figure out what that means.

7If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bearmuch fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. 9As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in hislove. 11These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and [that] your joy might be full.

Notice the repeated words "if" here.  IF you abide in me, IF you keep His commandments.  IF is a conditional word.  It means we have to "do" something.  The "we aren't saved by works" argument is a pathway to hell.  Would you call abiding in Him a "work?"  Would you call obeying His commandments a "work?"  Would we call having faith a "work?"

Hebrews 11:6 

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

If we want to enter the narrow gate we should strive to please God.  It should be self evident but many are those who argue according to their Babylonian gospel that we can do whatever we want and enter the narrow gate.

The Lord must be our guide in all these things.  What does the whole counsel of God teach us?  We cannot pick and choose which scriptures apply to us.  People love the grace part of the gospel but throw the judgement and warnings into the trash can, is that wise?  WHY will few enter the narrow gate?  Why will the Lord tell many this:

21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thyname have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23And then will I profess unto them, I neverknew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Who gets to enter the kingdom of heaven?  he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven

Is doing the will of the Father a "work?"  I hope you can see what a clever trap the enemy has set for those who argue day and night against the clear teaching of scripture.  We are saved by grace through faith and not through works but we must be very careful to define what a work really is.  Those who believe we can not do the will of the Father and enter the kingdom are in for a rude awakening.

Does this mean we have to be perfect to enter the kingdom?  No, but we strive for perfection in all things that we may please our master:

Matt 5:48Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

1 John 4:18 

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Those of us who strive for perfection in Christ must be led by the Spirit into the truth.  How do we really know what pleases the Lord?  The Lord/the Spirit lets you know.

Romans 8:14 

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God

The Lord certainly knows how to jerk my chain and get my attention.  He has told me that He will get my attention one way or another.  We can choose the hard way or the easy way but if we are His children He will get our attention.  I like to choose the easy way wherever possible.

Conclusion

All of this is a long-winded way of saying we need to accept Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior and do what pleases Him.  We can know what please Him by reading the Word and prayer.

Add to these ^^ things a health dose of perseverance and you have a recipe for success.  When you are impressed in your spirit by the Spirit of the Lord that you should do something or stop doing something then you need to obey.

Thats it.

grace and peace