Aug. 20, 2017

MY FRIENDS, HAVE WE CHOSEN THE GOOD PART?

Christ entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus feet and heard His word. But Martha was [very busy and] distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore, tell her to help me.”

And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, [which is to her advantage] which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-22 (NKJV) My friends, there are two classes of people I need you to focus on. The one that “is [very busy and] distracted” and the other which “have chosen the good part at the feet of Jesus.”

The world today is divided into these two categories, and no matter how much we may think we are one of God’s children, or how much we attend church or visit the sick, or feed the hungry, if we have not chosen the good part at the feet of Christ, we are spiritually distracted and have developed a high estimation of our own righteousness and feel we are not defected in any area of our life, therefore the law is sufficient for our salvation.

“Most Christians today have the attitude that they can make their own decisions and bad choices and God is still obligated” to say one day, “Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” Matt. 25:23 (KJV) Remember, “everyone that says Lord, Lord will not enter the kingdom of God.” My friends, we can no longer act as children who lack the knowledge and maturity to know God’s will for their life. Daily Satan is placing barriers between us, and “choosing that good part” which can only be found at the feet of Jesus. Barriers that keeps us from making a commitment to Christ.

Barriers that keeps us from denying ourselves through faith, and “taking up our cross, and following Christ wherever He may lead” as we develop that passionate and personal relationship with Christ through His word while allowing His Spirit to transform our lives daily into His image. My friends, we can no longer become “distracted,“ in regards to God’s will for our life because God will no longer blink at our in-maturity simply because we feel His timing for a commitment has caught us at a bad time.

We want eternal life, but to give our lives totally to Christ is UN-realistic at this particular time so we “become distracted, complacent and UN-attentive” to the voice of God saying, “come out of Babylon.” God loves us so much, that is why He still stands at the door of our heart and knocks. He still seeks a commitment no matter how far we have drifted. But we must choose the Good part and once we have made that commitment “it will never be taken away.”

But will remain with us throughout eternity. Remember, without change there can be no commitment. “If any man [or woman] be in Christ, they are a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” [“because we have chosen the good part”]” 2 Cor 5:17 (KJV)

Aug 18, 2017

MY FRIENDS, CAN WE READ THE FINE PRINT?

By definition “read the fine print” tells us “to make ourselves aware of the specific terms, conditions, restrictions, limitations, etc., of an agreement, that are often easy to miss. Today let’s call God’s word the “Fine Print” of our life, because it is who God is and it is the part of our life which deals with the specific terms, conditions, restrictions, limitations, from God that leads us to His kingdom that we often ignore. Most people never take the time to study God’s word or the “Fine Print” that gives us a road map to life-eternal.

And, that knowing and understanding and agreeing to its content will lead us to Calvary and to the One who gave it all up so that we would understand the [“Fine Print”] and that we would understand that the [“Fine Print”] was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 (KJV)

In addition, we must also understand, That “the [“Fine Print”] of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Heb. 4:12 (NKJV) In John 13:20-28 (NKJV) it tells us “Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.”

Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke of……….. And Jesus answered, “It’s he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.” And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot…. Than, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” he then went out immediately into the night.

My friends daily the “Fine Print” surrounds us “the number of Bibles sold yearly in the US alone is estimated at 25 million copies.” But like Judas what sits before us daily is not important. And what is so sad, what we watch on our TV’s has become far more important, which then eliminates any meaningful relationship with God. Like Judas, we then betray God by allowing Satan to keep our focus only on the things of this world and not on heavenly things that will last throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity.

And the chilling message to you and I is, “What you do, do quickly.” And it is only chilling because we are so UN-familiar with what is in God’s word and like Judas, we betray Christ by allowing our choices to be about self. My friends let’s look within ourselves, what choices are we making daily to take us away from the “Fine print” in other words “How long will we falter between two opinions?

If the Lord is God, [and we have decided to give Him our all then we must than] follow Him; but if the principalities, and powers, and the rulers of the darkness of this age, are allowed to control us then God allows us to choose so we follow them.” So as we walk the final stage of this journey, with cross in hand we must ask ourselves, “if the angels pull back the curtain” and we could see how close we were to Christ second coming, like Judas when confronted to change and commit to Christ. Would we turn our backs on the “Fine Print” and walk away into darkness.

Aug. 14, 2017

MY FRIENDS, WHAT IS GRACE?

Grace, can be compared to the pardon a governor gives to a guilty prisoner, who because of his crimes against humanity was sentence to death without a reasonable doubt by a jury of his peers. Death is assured, but the governor intervenes with mercy, and pardons the prisoner. And because the Governor is the final Judge, He pardons the prisoner and also rewards him with a mansion in, a place eye have not seen nor ear have herd, nor have entered into the heart of any man.”

Now you can say the Governor has given the guilty prisoner both mercy & grace. If he had received his just reward, the sentence would have been carried out and he dies for his crime. Abraham Lincoln said in 1863, “We have been the receipients of the choicest bounties of heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prospertiy; we have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation….

But we have forgotten God and His gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, and too proud to pray to the God that made us.”

My friends, the world today also has become “Intoxicated with unbroken success, and to self-sufficient to feel the presence of God and His preserving grace, and too proud to pray, because we imagine, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own.” 2,000 years ago Christ died at Calvary the “rulers mocked Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One.”

The soldiers also mocked Him…. saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!………” Two criminals hung next to Christ. One kept hurling abuses at Him, saying, ” If You are Christ, Save Yourself and us [from death]!” But amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretched sinner who felt the presence of God’s Spirit as he rebuked him and said, ” Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?

We are suffering justly, because we are getting what we deserve for what we have done; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” He then with a contrite and forgiven heart said, “Jesus, [please] remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” Jesus answered, “I assure, and most solemnly say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:32-43 (AMP)

Oh “the unearned, unmerited and undeserved favor of God towards a wretched sinner like you and I if we only believe the price for our sins was paid at the cross. One thief understood he did not deserve salvation, But he believed God’s promise of life eternal in His kingdom one day because He witnessed the price being paid by the blood of the Lamb. The other thief, his circumstances showed how he had lived. His refusal to recognize God’s grace and mercy shows how his life will end. What about you and I? The circumstances of our life also shows how we have live up to this point. Turning our back on God’s grace will also show how we will die.

Aug. 3, 2017

MY FRIENDS, IF CHRIST SEARCHED YOUR HEARTS, WHAT WOULD HE FIND?

“Search me, God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked [or hurtful] way in me, And then lead me in thy way everlasting! Ps 139:23-24 (ESV) My friends, our only path to salvation is for Christ to “Search us through and through until His Spirit abides within our hearts. ”It’s personal because it is our heart, that God must Search thoroughly, in-order to make our “corruptible heart incorruptible, and our mortal heart fitted for immortality.”

Remember, in knowing our heart; and our anxious thoughts; Christ can see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in us, [and then through our faith and endurance] He will lead us through the path of righteousness for His name sake!] Psalm 139:23-24 (AMP) The word “search” is a verb that requires action and in the context of our salvation, that action requires, seeking Christ with a passion daily, so that when He “Examines us…He will know that “scarcely for the righteous we will willingly give our life.” 

And through our faith He never stops searching us through and through as He “Creates in us a heart like His, with a steadfast spirit within us” and one day with no reservation He will say to His Father, I have searched them and “There is no one on earth like Your children;” for they are “men and women who fear the Lord and shuns evil,” who always stand for what is right though “the heavens and earth pass away,” because their focus forever remains on a crucified and risen Savior and My will for their lives.

Remember, it is God who will search our heart and choose those who are “safe to save,” it is God who will look at the entire journey of our life and see how we finished the course and determined if our faith was that of a mustard seed, who is able to say unto any mountain, “Move from here to there,’ and it will move; [because we understood with God’s Spirit abiding in our heart daily, nothing was impossible]” Matt 17:20 (NKJV)

Remember the battle is being fought daily over our heart. Satan knows, “Christ came to our world because He saw that we had lost the image and nature of God. He saw that we had wandered far from the path of peace and purity, and that, if left to ourselves, we would never find our way back. [So] He came with a full and complete [plan], to change our stony heart to a heart of flesh, [and] change our sinful natures into His similitude, that, by being partakers of [His] divine nature, we might be fitted for the heavenly courts….” (E.G. White, From the Heart, P 259)

So, if Satan keeps our heart focused on this world he wins. But if we have that personal relationship with Christ, soon we will be able to say Lord, you have searched me and You know me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discerned my thoughts from afar. You searched out my path and my lying down and You are acquainted with all my ways.” [And Now You know “I am safe to save.] Ps 139:1-3 (ESV) And then Christ will say Well done, [My] good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; you are now in-charge of many things. Come and share your Master’s happiness!” Matt 25:21 (NIV)

August 1, 2017

MY FRIENDS, HAVE WE BEEN IN THIS CONDITION TO LONG?

“In Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called Bethesda…..where a great number of disabled people would lie, the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there, an invalid for thirty-eight years, when Jesus saw him lying there, learned he had been in this condition a long time, so he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” John 5:2-5 (NIV) The (KJV) calls the invalid “a certain man. Its personal, so you and I become that invalid or “certain man” or woman. And “Christ knows we have been in our condition a long time.”

Yes, He knows His Children, and how long our hearts have been unwilling to allow His Spirit to move us from where we are to where He has been trying to lead us. Our excuse like “that certain man” is, “I have no one to help me.” (v, 7) But Christ tells us in Matt. 7:7-11 (KJV) Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you…what man [or woman,] if his son ask for bread, will he give him a stone?

Or if he ask for some fish, will he give him a serpent? If we then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more shall our Father in heaven give good things to all that ask Him?” Each day we remain in our condition of complacency that keeps us away from God’s free gift of grace and salvation because we are unwilling to ask to be made whole, unwilling to get up and move out on faith while allowing God’s Spirit to transform, and “cleans us from all unrighteousness.”

So what’s our infirmity? And why have we remained in this condition that keeps our focus on the things of this world and not on things above. “Do we want to be made well” spiritually? And where will each of us stand in that day when God will ask for an account of our time, talents and money?

“Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, [and that fear allowed self to dictate what I did and how I did it.]” Matt. 25:24-25 (NKJV)But my friends, in the end there will be no excuse, for “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.” 2 Tim 1:7 (KJV) And, soon, God’s cup of Indignation towards mankind will be full.

But, today He waits, He sees our condition, but not slow in fulfilling his promise, as we understand slowness. Instead He’s patient with His children, not wanting anyone to perish, but only seeks our love and repentance. But, soon He will say; all who are unjust, let him be unjust still and the righteous, [will remain] righteous still and [throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity].” “Because affliction shall not rise up the second time.” Nahum 1:9 (KJV)

And behold, I come quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his works.” 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) Rev 22:11-13 (KJV) My friends, “Do you want to be made well, and receive life eternal? If that is our passion, then self must die daily as we take up our [bed] or cross, and follow Christ, ”and become  co-workers ” with Him as we finish His mandate, “for such a time as this.”

June 12, 2017

MY FRIENDS, WHAT CAN SEPARATE US FROM GOD’S LOVE?

“I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Rom. 8: 38-39 (NASB)

My friends, It’s personal because I is defined as, “the nominative singular pronoun, used by a speaker in referring to himself or herself.” And In the context of this text it must become you and I who are convinced, persuaded or have in some way proven as fact through our faith that no principalities, or powers, or any ruler of the darkness of this world has the power to separate us “from the love of God.”

In addition, as heirs and joint heirs with God’s Son to His kingdom, If we believe we are heirs. We must also believe we have the power to “overcome, because greater is He that is in you [and I], than he that is in the world.” Which, if we are not allowing God’s Spirit to transform us daily into the image of Christ then what we are being transformed into is the image of this world.

What’s so amazing about this text, it begins by saying neither life nor death will separate us from God and with that belief we also believe if we die in Christ we will also rise to live throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity with Christ in His pure and holy kingdom.

During Christ ministry while proclaiming the gospel here on earth many traveled with Him including His twelve disciples and many “women who had been healed [by Christ] of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,” Luke 8:2 (NASB) was one of these woman.

She also “witnessed most of the events surrounding Christ crucifixion. She was also present at the mock trial of Jesus; she heard Pontius Pilate pronounce the death sentence; and she saw Jesus beaten and humiliated by the crowd.” (Got Questions?org) She was also one of the women who stood near Jesus during the crucifixion to try to comfort Him.

She was also the first at Jesus tomb to witness His resurrection, she was then sent by Jesus to tell His disciples that He lives. In addition, some biblical historians place her in the upper room with the brethren who Christ instructed in Acts 1:1-15 (KJV) to wait on the promise of the Holy Spirit before Pentecost.

“And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me…….. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers…….altogether the number of names were, one-hundred and twenty.

My friends, what passion and love for the Savior Mary had, and because Mary was convinced through her faith and personal relationship with the Master nothing would ever separate her from Him, one day soon, when “the Lord Himself descends from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God.”

She along with all who were steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” can finally say for the last time with conviction nothing separated us from God’s love and His conviction to save us.

June 10, 2017

MY FRIENDS, A LOVE LETTER FROM GOD!!

A love letter from God to His friends we can only imagine starts something like this; How deep is darkness, and now my friends, imagine that darkness without form and void. And within that darkness try and understand, my love for you goes beyond that. Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent what is that to Me, my Son exchanged it all and a Home no human eye has ever seen nor ear has heard or mind has ever envisioned, along with the constant praise of ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of angels.

But, because the abomination of man could not reside in such pure and holy surroundings, my Son left it all in exchange for a crown of thorns and a tomb. But He rose from that tomb, so that where He is today, there you may be also very soon. So where can I, the great I Am flee from man’s presence? If I settle on the far side of what I call the unknown even there [my thoughts of you remain]…..“Surely the darkness will hide what I feel, and maybe not.

So then in My world the light becomes night around me,” and in my loneliness the night shines like the day and still no replacement for your presence. My love “tracks your sorrows and collects your tears in a bottle” that I allow to penetrate my heart so when you hurt I feel what you feel. My love is authentic and very personal.

My relationship is “distinct and full as though there were not another soul upon the earth but you to share my love with.” Oh my precious children, how much grace will it take for you to feel the invariable nature of what I feel. And then its signed in the blood of His Son, Your Creator. My friends, how do we define such love and the plan of redemption planned out in detail before there was any one to redeem.

In architecture, a schematic diagram shows all significant components, and parts of what a building look’s like upon completion. And from the beginning through Abraham we were given a glimpse of all significant components and parts of God’s sacrificial love played out before Calvary. And God told Abraham “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go…and offer him..as a burnt offering……..” Gen 22:2 (ESV)

And then came Calvary, For “scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:7-8 (KJV) Today with no reservation, I can say “we are God’s friends and Henceforth we are no longer servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but we His friends; have been revealed everything that Christ have heard from His Father.

In addition, we did not seek after God, but we were chosen from the foundation of the world, that we would understand selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional love. And through that understanding go and bring forth fruit, and that fruit will be stars in our crown and a reminder of our love for God and His love for us throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity, and in the meantime as His friends, whatsoever we ask of the Father in Christ name, He will give to us, if it’s all about God’s glory and honor,” not ours. John 15:13-16 (Paraphrased)

June 2, 2017,

MY FRIENDS, HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A THIEF?

“When God sends to men warnings so important that they are represented as proclaimed by holy angels flying in the midst of heaven, He requires every person endowed with reasoning powers to heed the message. The fearful judgments denounced against the worship of the beast and his image (Revelation 14:9-11), should lead all to a diligent study of the prophecies to learn what the mark of the beast is, and how they are to avoid receiving it.” (E.G. White. Great Controversy, p 594)

My friends, we are living in the last days of the history of this world. A time Paul speaks of in 2 Tim 4:1-4 (KJV) that says there “will come [a time] when they, they meaning many that we witness to will “not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”

Peter also tells us in 2 Peter 3:3-4 (KJV), “there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” My friends, look all around you, nothing in this world should be of any value to a child of God except all “who are sinking deep in sin.”

All meaning friends, family, love one’s, neighbors and co-workers who are sinking. All meaning “as the Holy Spirit comes on you [and I]; [we will then become Christ “witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (NIV) But friends, as heirs to God’s kingdom and co-heirs with His Son, we must first understand the worth of what God has prepared for His faithful children.

In addition, what are we willing to do to obtain such a place before we can present this shared vision to anyone else. Matthew 13:45-46 (ESV) tells us, “the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” Which tells us nothing can be of more value than acquiring the blessings God has prepared for all who have allowed their character to be transformed into the character of Christ.

That place prepared In His “Father’s house that have many mansions waiting for the redeemed……” Christ also tells us in John 14:1-3 (KJV) if I go and prepare [such] a place for you, I will come [back, and receive all of the redeemed] unto myself; that where I am, there we can be also [if we believe.]”

But if we are not studying and allowing God’s Spirit to guide us in all truth and understanding, as we witness prophecy unfold before our eyes the Lord “will come like a thief in the night while people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

But [my friends, we] are not in darkness, for [if we are watching and praying and studying, Gods Spirit] will be poured out on all [His] people. [And our] sons and daughters will prophesy, [and] our young men will see visions, and our old men will dream dreams.” [and] that day [will not] surprise us like a thief.” 1 Thes. 5:2-4 (ESV), Acts 2:17 (NIV)

June 1, 2017

MY FRIENDS. WILL OUR CHARACTER BE ABLE TO STAND BEFORE GOD?

Learning to distinguish God’s voice and follow His Spirit guarantees us an easy path to Gods kingdom. The key word is learning which requires the daily study of God’s word as we allow His Spirit to guide us in all truth an understanding which then allows us to discern the presence of God which would than radically transform our character into Christ Character and soon, when “we see His face, His name will be on [our] foreheads” Rev. 22:4 (KJV)

In addition, through our faith, we must also understand “what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” 1 John 3:2 (KJV) But all who never took the time to distinguished the voice and character of God from the character of “principalities, and powers of the rulers of the darkness of this world.”

And all who have not allowed their character to be transformed during this probationary period between birth and death into the image of Christ. Their final destination is right next to “the kings of this earth, and the great men, and rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man.

[Along with all who have taken on the character of this world, will at that point] hide themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; [as they cry] to the mountains and rocks, fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is [here]; and [we are not] able to stand? Rev. 6:15-17 (KJV)

My friends, Elijah through his faith and God’s direction stopped the rain from falling and after three years, spoke and the rain returned. But, in a moment of weakness and discouragement, forgot to seek God’s presence and ran away from his responsibilities. But no matter how far we go, God knows His own.

“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his…..” 2 Tim 2:19 (KJV) Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” So Elijah listened and continued to seek God’s presence daily and soon after that, “suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.” 2 King 2:11 (NIV)

My friends, that same voice is calling His children daily. “What are you doing here?” The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;” Matt 9:37 (KJV) therefor as God’s Children we must “walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming [our] time, because the days are evil. [and if our passion is to prepare our character to stand before Christ we must not “be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Eph. 5:15-17 (NKJV)

So, don’t allow Christ voice and timing for a commitment catch us at a time when the confusion and things of this world has us occupied to a point we are unable to recognize the voice of Christ saying “‘Come out of Babylon, my people,’ so that you will not share in her sins.” So my friends, who will be able to stand before His Glory“ Rev 18:4 (NIV) Because soon, Christ will “come quickly; and [His] reward is with [Him], to give every man [and woman] according as their work. Rev. 22:11-12 (KJV)

May 22, 2017

MY FRIENDS, IN GOD’S WORD IS IT ONE THING WE LACK?

Only in God’s word can we find that hope and “peace which surpasses all understanding,” There can never be a time when we feel so consumed in the presence of God that we feel we can neglect prayer and the study of God’s word. In addition, it’s His word that keeps our heart focused beyond this world, to that place God has prepared for us.

Consistent with this, “By the word of God we are to overcome every temptation of the enemy. Satan may present every attraction, and bring to our notice every deceiving, alluring bribe, in seeking to eclipse the brightness of Jesus from our view, and to obliterate from our minds his plainest requirements, but we are to meet his deceptions with the word of God.” (E. G. White, God’s word of Assurance)

Because once we allow that light to diminish Satan then takes control and sin becomes our master and “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.” Matt. 6:24 (NASB) So, we must be totally committed and focused on what God’s plans are for our life that is placed before us in His word.

And in His word those plans are to follow in the foot-steps of Christ. And to this my friends “we were called, because Christ suffered for you and I, leaving an example, that we should follow in his steps.” 1 Peter 2:21 (NIV) And that example becomes “a lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path.” Ps. 119:105 (KJV)

Now consider what it means to study God’s word as we allow His spirit to guide us and direct us in all truth and understanding, and yet we still allow self to control us because the conditions laid down in God’s word are just not favorable to what self desires. Remember, the rich young ruler thought he had followed all of God’s precepts in His word.

But Christ tells Him in Mark 10:21 (KJV) “One thing you lack.” So, my friends Have we forgot we are “God’s children and have the power to overcome [that one thing we lack], because the one who is in [you and I] is greater than the one who is in the world?”1 John 4:4 (NIV) And is that one condition in God’s word, that one thing “we lack” or have a desire to hold on to, that makes that narrow road that very few will find that leads to God’s kingdom, worth saying no to God for?

Remember Christ gave it all up so that we could give up, even that “one thing we lack” so that we can live throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity in that place “no eye have seen nor ear have heard what God has prepare for all who” [may even cherish only “one thing” of this world, but are willing to give it up for the glory of God.] My friends, total commitment is found only in God’s word, along with His promise.

“No temptation [regardless of its source] has overtaken or enticed you that is not common to human experience or beyond human resistance] but God is faithful, He [has in the past and is now and] will [always] provide the way of escape so that you and I will be able to endure all temptation without yielding, and we will overcome with joy.” 1 Cor 10:13 (AMP)