The Arrangement
by Tony Alamo
We are told that if we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ we have eternal life. This is true. But if the Bible reader will continue reading with an open heart, he will see a hitch--a contingency in the acquiring of eternal life. Jesus said, "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." 1
Denying ourselves means to do what the Lord wants us to do instead of what we want. This is only the first stage of suffering. We are to prepare for this. We must prepare our hearts to suffer all things that we might gain eternal life. "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." 2
We must always be ready for trials. The reasons are given by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, for whom we Christians suffer. Christ commands this spiritual sacrifice every moment of our lives. Every duty of Christianity has this implicational frame of the Spiritual way of life. This is the seal or up-to-date stamp of approval for qualification from God in His account book.
The Apostle Paul said, "Put them [Christians] in mind to be ready to every good work." 3 Whether on the front line or in a sick bed, we must be readily prepared to do God's work, otherwise every good thing we have done well in the Lord's service will have been in vain. 4 "If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work." 5
It isn't pleasant to be crucified--to cleanse, fix or mend our vessels. It takes us out of ordinary duty for a time that we may be stronger and better prepared for more stressful duties. God commands and expects us not only to keep our hearts clean from the defilements of sin, but also to keep our affections whole and entire for Himself. Christians are not to associate with the unsaved, those whose spirits have not yet been broken, those who live for the pleasures in this world and are not concerned that they are lost and on their way to destruction, because to them sin is pleasure, lest a crisis hits our lives while fellowshipping in folly with them, and we be found not ready for the work of self-denial set before us when God's desire calls for us to do some special work for Him. As God commands this readiness in all of His people, so it is especially necessary for us to be concerned in the work of getting prepared for it (for the work of suffering). "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." 6 These words must then be called the Christian "ARRANGEMENT"(which is a mutual agreement) between two parties, God and the Christian.
Every one who would be Christ's servant must certify, engrave, and seal himself to this first and foremost command before he has permission from Christ to call Him Lord and Master or to call himself a Christian. The chief commandment and provision Jesus makes to all is to do the work of suffering. The Lord knows this is the kind of work that tries mankind the most. If a servant can but succeed with this command, there is no doubt that all the other tenets of Christianity will be liked, or rather loved. The Christian must be very careful to know the truth that Jesus required and commanded each heart to receive at the beginning of Christianity. This truth is that to deny Him is to hold the sufferings of death and hell for all eternity. Christians are commanded to not only endure the hardship of serving Him, but to show our readiness for it. There are many Scriptures explaining this, such as "deny thyself," 7 which means give up your will, by your own choice, so you may serve Christ. We are not at our own disposal. Christians can never say no to Christ. "Ye are my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you." 8 If we don't do everything Christ says, we become His enemy. We cannot win against these kind of odds. He is God who has never lost a battle. Jesus doesn't pull any punches. He tells us the worst at the beginning. If you will have life, you will do what He tells you.
Jesus says, "Come and follow me." 9 There is much more to Christianity, such as eternal life in Heaven with total escape from Hell. All of God's power will help you suffer all things for His name. Jesus told Paul who labored (suffered) more abundantly than all Christians, "My grace is sufficient for thee." 10 Paul stated, "his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I Iaboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace [power] of God which was with me." 11 Again, Jesus says "Come unto me." 12 Do it by saying this prayer:
Prayer
My Lord and my God, have mercy upon my soul, a sinner. 1 I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God. 2 I believe that He died on the cross and shed His precious blood for the forgiveness of all my sins. 3 I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit 4 and that He sits on the right hand of God at this moment, hearing my confession of sin and this prayer. 5 I open up the door of my heart and I invite You into my heart, Lord Jesus. 6 Wash all of my filthy sins away in the precious blood that You shed in my place on the cross at Calvary. 7 You will not turn me away, Lord Jesus, You will forgive my sins and save my soul. I know because Your Word, the Bible says so. 8 Your Word says that You will turn no one away, and that includes me. 9 Therefore, I know that You have heard me, and I know that You have answered me, and I know that I am saved. 10 And I thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving my soul, and I will show my thankfulness by doing as You command and sin no more. 11
You've just completed the first step in a series of five steps which are necessary to receive salvation. Your second step is to deny yourself and take up the cross daily for the purpose of mortifying yourself, that is, for putting to death your own will, your soulful self, and the world with all of its lusts. All these must be baptized into the death of Christ.
Step three is your resurrection from the satanic life of Adam unto the sinless life of Christ. Step four is your ascension into a position of authority to reign for God on earth, and the fifth step is to reign for God on earth to the end for the purpose of bringing about the kingdom of Heaven on earth. You must learn the Word of God, then submit yourself and do what the Word says, so that the Church and the world may see evidence of your submission to God's Word, His order, and His authority in and by you.
Praise the Lord. May God reward you abundantly.
World Pastor Tony Alamo
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CHRIST, THE WORD OF GOD, IS THE ONLY WAY, TRUTH, AND ETERNAL LIFE. 12 PASTOR ALAMO IS INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED FOR USING THE WORD OF GOD ONLY TO PRESENT IT. THIS LITERATURE CARRIES THAT TRUE PLAN OF SALVATION. 13 DO NOT THROW IT AWAY, PASS IT ON TO ANOTHER.
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"The Arrangement" Footnotes:
1.John 5:39 return
2.Eph. 6:13 return
3.Titus 3:1 return
4 James 2:10 return
5.II Tim. 2:21 return
6.Luke 9:23 return
7.Matt. 16:24 return
8.John 15:14 return
9.Matt. 19:21 return
10.II Cor.12:9 return
11.I Cor.15:10 return
12.Matt.11:28 return
"Prayer" Footnotes:
1. Psa. 51:5, Rom. 3:10-12, 23 return
2. Matt. 26:63-64, 27:54, Luke 1:30-33, John 9:35-37, Rom. 1:3-4 return
3. Acts 4:12, 20:28, Rom. 3:25, I John 1:7, Rev. 5:9 return
4. Psa. 16:9-10, Matt. 28:5-7, Mark 16:9, 12, 14, John 2:19, 21, 10:17-18, 11:25, Acts 2:24, 3:15, Rom. 8:11, I Cor. 15:3-7 return
5. Luke 22:69, Acts 2:25-36, Heb. 10:12-13 return
6. I Cor. 3:16, Rev. 3:20 return
7. Eph. 2:13-22, Heb. 9:22, 13:12, 20-21, I John 1:7, Rev. 1:5, 7:14 return
8. Matt. 26:28, Acts 2:21, 4:12, Eph. 1:7, Col. 1:14 return
9. Matt. 21:22, John 6:35, 37-40, Rom. 10:13 return
10. Heb. 11:6 return
11. John 5:14, 8:11, Rom. 6:4, I Cor. 15:10, Rev. 7:14, 22:14 return
12. John 14:6 return
13. Acts 4:12 return