Forsaking the Love for This World

 “...whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” -Luke 14:33.

Christian, are you running into difficulties in your relationships? Please don't be concerned, it is a natural thing! While I cannot be aware of the nature for each person's individual contentions, there exists an absurd notion that we believers in Christ will get along well with everyone, which just isn't the case. In fact, the Bible tells us the OPPOSITE will be the case, especially in these last days.

“Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” -Mark 13:12,13.

When Jesus spoke to His disciples of what they could expect in the Last Days, these verses from Mark 13 were a part of it. A great hatred was foretold to arise against Christians, even from within their own families, and sheer endurance will be our path to victory.

Recently I watched a video on the football career of John Madden, a renowned football coach and announcer for more than 3 decades. Any fan of professional football will likely recognize his name and influence, as it did extend even into commercials, and video games with his name. John Madden loved football, which is of the world, and the world loved him in return. At the time of his passing his worth was estimated at $200 million dollars!

Please don't get me wrong-I liked John Madden, too. But during his life there is no evidence that he had any measureable love for God or Jesus, and his affections were bound up in this world. Isn't the sport of football a thing of the world? The scripture certainly indicates that it is;

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” -1 John 2:15-17.

There may be Christians that like football, but it won't be the center of their lives; it should only be an extension of different elements the Lord has them involved in. The world is accepting of us when we love sports, but not so when we bring up the subject of GOD in sports. Rebellious men want to live their lives outside of any accountability to their creator and judge.

Christian, I urge you to make obedience to Jesus your primary goal in all things, and NOT the pleasing of men;

“Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.” -1 Corinthians 7:23.

“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” -Galatians 1:10.

There can be no doubt as to the focus we see in the Bible. Jesus plainly tells us that those who hate their lives in this world will keep it eternally in John 12:25; and 2 Timothy 3:12 states that ALL who will live godly in Christ will suffer persecution. And the Bible warns us that we must remain separate from the world;

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” -2 Corinthians 6:14.

As Christians, we will be attacked by our enemy the devil, and often from unexpected sources. It is true that the Bible urges us not to be deliberately contentious (Romans 12:18), but the values we hold will naturally come into conflict with at least some around us; many will be deeply hostile, and even secretive about it. Just look at what Jesus really said, and how He warned of what would come;

“The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.” -John 7:7. The “you” spoken to here were not the disciples, but of His family which doubted Him.

“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.” -John 15:18-20. These words were spoken to Jesus' 11 true disciples; even Judas Iscariot was not among them. Bold type was added for emphasis. See also John 17:14-20!

The organized churches of these Last Days love the world, and greatly seek their respect and friendship. The real church of the Bible recognizes that such is an ungodly union, and in no way pleasing to God. So if you seek to be in service to Christ, there are 2 main points I want to address;

First, is your Christian testimony causing any conflicts amongst your acquaintances? This could happen by your words, or because of how it alters your behavior (1 Peter 4:4). If so, remember that this is to be expected in a Christian's life, and you should not be ashamed;

“Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;” -Hebrews 12:12.

But secondly, perhaps you seem to never face any contention related to your faith, and find ways to “get along” with nearly everyone; this is a circumstance that should not be to any prolonged extent, for it indicates the lack of a Christian life witness. Remember what Jesus said in Luke 6:26;

“Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.”

Please don't be proud for finding favor among many, for their's is the broad path of destruction (Matthew 7:13). Just look what the “many” did to the Lord Jesus; they traded His life for a murderer;

“And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.” -Luke 23:25.

So brethren, don't be ashamed of your separation from the world, but seek it all the more; for it is a natural evidence of a life transformed by the grace of God-through the blood of Jesus Christ, and the power of His Spirit. This world is not our home!

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17.

“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” -James 4:4.

Trials Make Manifest the Mercies of God

 “...but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” -from Romans 5:3-5.

Do you long to see the Lord's hand moving in your life? Perhaps you are in great need of this right now. Regardless of your current state of affairs, if you desire to see God's mercies in the “land of the living,” trials are bound to come. Without trials, there is little prayer, for we just don't see our need for God's intervention.We need God's deliverance to glorify HIM (Psalm 50:15), for there are many, many among the wicked who prosper in this world without ever submitting to the one true God;

“Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.” -Psalm 73:12.

God appeared to Moses through a burning bush in Exodus 3, and eventually sent him to the elders of Israel to tell of how the Lord would soon deliver them from their bondage in Egypt (Exodus 4:27-31). They believed Moses, but things didn't work out so well or quickly in chapter 5. And let this also be a template that we will follow, which is that God's ways WILL lead us into trial. Any time our service for Christ will grow, the devil will oppose. We then push back against our adversary through prayer, patience, and Godly obedience.

“Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” -Hebrews 10:35,36.

Today, “prosperity” teachers are rampant in the professing Christian church; men or women that will promise you lives without trouble if you'll only give heed to what they are saying. Believe me, you need to turn away from such as these, and we've been warned of such in prophecy;

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud...lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” -from 2 Timothy 3:1-5.

“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not...

For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.” -2 Peter 2:1-3,18-20.

God has told us by His Word (2 Timothy 3:16,17) that we will glory in tribulations, and that He will chasten those who are His own children (Hebrews 12:5-8), and thereby prove His love for us (Revelation 3:19). In light of this, how can anyone promising you a trouble free existence be of Christ? They would at best be preaching “another gospel,” and such are called accursed (see Galatians 1:6-9).

Great is Thy Faithfulness is a much beloved hymn written by Thomas Chisolm is 1923, with a theme focus around the verses from Lamentations 3:22&23, which read;

“It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” Verses 24-26 are also encouraging in nature;

“The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.”

Yes! It is good to wait for the Lord's answer; His mercies are new every morning, and cannot be measured, but just look at some of what Jeremiah was going through in this same chapter, leading up to his reception of God's great mercies;

“I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.” -verse one.

“Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day. My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.” -verses 3&4.

“He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy. Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.” -verses 7&8.

“He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places. He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces...” -from verses 10&11.

“He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.” -verse 16.

Even though the Lord had promised to make Jeremiah as, “a defenced city, and a brasen wall” to withstand how the people would fight against him (Jeremiah 1:18, 15:20), this was apparently because of the pain he'd have to go through before God's mercy would triumph.

God's mercies toward us SHINE through the troubles we go through, and the Bible is filled from cover to cover with these examples that prove God's faithfulness. When Peter was delivered from Herod in Acts 12, it was a miraculous answer to prayer-but it had begun with the killing of the Apostle James, brother to John. Mercies followed a murder, but things could have been much worse; and Peter was spared (Herod's guards were not). God did not want the murder of James, but He was still in control, and working things together for our good, and His glory.

But the hardest part can be the WAITING, for those hours or days of trial can really drag on- especially when the need seems to press for immediate resolution. Our trust in the Lord must recognize that God's ways are infinitely higher than our own, and He will act in the best way, at the best time. The God who spared not His own Son Jesus, while we were yet in our sins, will certainly hear and come to our aid now that we belong to Him.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” -Isaiah 55:8&9.

“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” -Romans 8:31&32.

My wife & I recently left the ignition turned on in our car, and Monday when I went to leave for work, the battery was dead. We called her father, if he might come over to jump start the car-it seemed like a simple matter. Our battery responded well to the jump, but the car would not keep running! What could have happened?

Tuesday morning Jamie was off work in the morning, so it was up to her to arrange work on the car. I received texts, as she had contacted 2 garages; one said they couldn't look at it until the next Wednesday (8 days), and the other said by the end of the week (3 days)! How do you schedule car breakdown appointments in advance? Of course we gave it all to the Lord (1 Peter 5:7), and did our best to trust Him and wait...

At about 3:30 that same Tuesday afternoon the 2^nd garage called, and said it was done! WOW!! Did the Lord ever help us out, and it was an inexpensive repair.

Whatever you are going through, hold out for the Lord's answer to your situation, for this is the time He really delights in- when He can prove Himself strong on behalf of His people, who trust Him, as they lay down their needs before Him in PRAYER. It will do wonders for your own faith, too. The trials we face, and God's deliverance through it all will cause us to wax stronger & stronger in Him.

“I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” -Psalm 27:13,14.

“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” -Hebrews 4:15&16.

Here is a link to my YouTube video that I did on this subject https://youtu.be/ZrxpOykQYvY.

Seeking the “Treatment” of Salvation

 “...Jesus...saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” -from Mark 2:17.

In the context of this passage, the religious leaders were questioning Jesus' choice of dinner companions, and the Lord responded with the words you see printed above. This same situation is recorded also in Matthew 9:12&13, and Luke 5:31&32, and I think the principle here is important.

Rather than merely answering the Pharisees directly, Jesus first alludes to when a person has the need for a doctor-the physician is called upon due to sickness, and NOT when that individual feels completely well. Is it normal to seek out professional medical attention when are health seems alright? No! But when something abnormal & undesireable is occuring, then we seek greater attention. Frankly, this account ought to give us a warning about the validity of preventitive medical treatments!

And even after we visit the doctor, would we accept any prescribed treatment given without first being convinced of the need for them? There is quite a difference between being given pills for an upset stomach and surgery to remove an organ! The good doctor will show us our real need, and why the treatment prescribed is the best course of action.

Then after this initial comparison, Jesus declares, “...I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Yet we need to remember that Jesus told us that no one is good except God in Mark 10:18, and other scriptures verify this circumstance, even though it's God's desire that all men should be saved;

“The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” -Psalm 14:1-3.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” -Romans 3:23.

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” -2 Peter 3:9.

Therefore in this response Jesus made, He was in no way declaring that some were righteous, while others weren't. What the Lord was at least implying was that unless people can see themselves as sinners, they cannot take the necessary steps to REPENTANCE. This is where we can understand the comparison to the doctor-patient analogy; unless we are convinced of the killing disease of sin at work within us, we will never seek a cure, let alone employ the prescription of Jesus, the great physician.

“And when they had appointed him (Paul) a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.” -Acts 28:23&24. “Paul” was added here, and bold type to emphasize.

So now we see the need we have when witnessing to unbelievers; we must focus on Jesus Christ, and Him crucified for our redemption (1 Corinthians 2:2). This is the foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11)that ought to be laid for the building of a new creature in the spirit of the Lord.

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” -1 Corinthians 3:16,17.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” -2 Corinthians 5:17.

We will not seek to put others down, or threaten them with hell, for apart from God's mercy we are just as deserving as anyone of eternal punishment (John 3:18,36). Yet we need to make them aware of their separation from God due to sin, and the need to be reconciled to Him through Jesus His Son.

“For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.” -Romans 9:15,16.

“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.” -2 Corinthians 5:18,19.

People usually think of themselves as being generally “good,” morally (Proverbs 20:6), so we must find a way to show them where they fall short by God's standards. One of the best ways to do that is by using the Ten Commandments as Jesus did with the “rich young ruler” in Mark 10:17-22.

The Ten Commandments are moral laws that are generally written in the hearts of all mankind. Most will know & agree that it is wrong to lie, steal, commit adultery, disrespect parents, or blaspheme God. If they will be honest with themselves, they'll also readily admit that they've broken most of these commandments, and some many times over. It doesn't matter how much they have improved, either, for we still need our past sins to be forgiven, and that will only come through Jesus' atonement for us.

Just think at how poorly the true message of salvation is often handled from the pulpit; we may hear things like, “God loves you, He has a wonderful plan for your life,” or perhaps, “God has a wondeful gift for you-eternal life! Do you want it?” Brethren, we must never so falsely represent the way of salvation to the lost! The ONLY part of these proceeding phrases that's true is that God loves us, yet this is shown primarily by Jesus' death on the cross-which plainly reflects upon our sin.

“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” -1 John 4:9,10.

It is only natural for us to attempt to comfort others when they are down, and we often do that by trying to build up their self esteem (Ephesians 5:29). But before a person can truly repent, he/she must see their own sin in its true light, just as God sees it.

Let us earnestly seek to be truthful with those who so desperately need salvation. God does have a real gift that He longs to give them, the deliverance from His own righteous wrath through the atoning sacrifice of His Son on the cross; it is purely a gift, which no one can earn (Ephesians 2:8,9).

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” -John 3:36.

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” -Romans 5:8,9.

I also did a YouTube video on this subject. It can be found at https://youtu.be/Yi501ZoLwVU.