Words from the Lord are in red italics.
Do you think that you will be saved from perdition and enter heaven’s gate at the end of your natural life?
We know Jesus Christ is the decision-maker, the judge according to God's Word, and heaven's gatekeeper. We also know that He is the way; only through Him can we go to the Father.
Therefore, it’s of utmost importance that we understand Christ's requirements for entering heaven.
We know that Jesus died, shed His blood for our sins, and rose again. Many know this; even Satan knows this.
But do all who accept Christ as their savior go to heaven? And can we be saved by faith in Christ alone?
There are those who accept Me and then fall away. They like the idea of Me but do not love Me. If they loved Me, they would obey Me and do the will of the Father—woe to those who are not in the Kingdom in those last days.
Without knowing My will, they are lost. Faith alone cannot save them. They must discover and act on My will.
Do not be deceived about His requirements for eternal life.
By My blood, sinners have been saved from sin. By My blood, sin no longer has authority. Accepting My blood gives them power over sin. Now, they must act on My commandments, no longer bound by sin, and follow Me and do the will of My Father. They must walk in righteousness to be in glory. I am at the gates, and glory awaits those who obey. Lay down your life for Me and see heaven. To experience the fullness of heaven, they must listen to Me and obey. All must come to the table, eat of Me, and then go out and nutrition others as I have commanded. This is why we prepare; this is why we act. I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one goes to the Father except through Me. Living in Me is through Me; accepting My blood enables power over sin to defeat the enemy so you may walk in righteousness. Those who do not walk in righteousness will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
Christ clearly defines the way to the Kingdom: walking in righteousness.
Walking, or living, righteously requires dedication to discover and act on His will, to not live by the world’s ways but by His ways.
Salvation is not a one-time event. To be saved in Christ is to live in Christ—every thought, every moment. People must know the salvation message. I will not accept their rags; I must be their treasure—delight in My ways.
Consider the moments that make up your day.
We are to discern each moment and thought so we may act accordingly in Him. He must be our lens.
We must live by the truth that He, and He alone, is our treasure. This is what He means by having an undivided heart for Him.
The desire of our hearts should be to please Him.
Therefore, even in our everyday actions, we should strive to be pleasing to the Lord.
If we are to live every moment in Christ, then we must also plan in Christ.
Outside of Christ, the world makes plans and fulfills its own desires. Oftentimes, people rationalize their actions, saying to themselves, “What’s wrong with that?”
Know this: The spirit doesn’t rationalize; the mind of the world does. The spirit works within us in truth, and the truth does not have two sides.
To succeed in having eternal life, we must set our minds on Him.
When we do this and commune with Him in our hearts, the obstruction of the world soon fades, making it easier for us to act on His will.
Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. - Ephesians 5:25-27
Be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation. - 2 Peter 3:14-15
Christ could walk in perfection, blameless and spotless as a flawless lamb because He listened to the Father and did everything according to the Father’s will. In doing so, He was without sin.
Becoming Christ’s spotless bride is not optional for eternal life.
Christ requires us to do precisely the same as He did, but He equips us to succeed.
Here is a recap of what we have been given to succeed:
First, He has placed His blood as a covering between us and the Father.
By His blood and victory over sin, we are able to defeat sin and be holy as He requires.
To remain covered from sin, we must walk in obedience to Him. Attempting to defeat sin while not walking in obedience, which is sin, is impossible; sin cannot defeat sin.
Second, the Father has gifted us the Holy Spirit so we can listen to Him in spirit and act according to His will with the blood as our remediation of sin and with Christ as our guide.
The blood of Christ and the Holy Spirit were given to us freely so we may have hope for eternal life.
But that doesn't mean that eternal life is a free gift!
Certainly, doing good deeds, or "works," will not get anyone to heaven alone. These "works" refer to actions not done according to His will.
But know this: only those who listen and act on His will, in righteousness, have hope for heaven.
No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. - Luke 9:62
Consider your walk with Christ as putting your hand to the plow and not looking back, as He commands.
Those who began by accepting Christ should know that He requires you to move forward in obedience to Him. To follow Him, leaving the world and its ways behind to pursue holiness.
He requires all of you, or you are not His.
He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. - John 12-25
The heart doesn’t lie.
What in life do you cling to that isn’t of Christ?
Those things stand between you and your eternal life.
In Mark 10:17, Jesus answered the rich young ruler’s question, “What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” In addition to keeping the Father’s commandments, Jesus added, “Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”
And then He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time – and in the age to come, eternal life.”
Did “sell whatever you have” only apply to the rich ruler?
Do not rest on your interpretation of His words and rationalize away your eternal life. Be clear about the commitment that Jesus requires of you to enter heaven.
Likewise, do not think you can seek riches; and also seek Him.
He requires you to be “all in” for Him; He does not accept sharing you with anything in this world.
He does not accept corruption.
He does not want your shallow belief or lip service; you must show Him you are genuinely willing to leave everything behind and follow Him.
How hard is if for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. - Mark 23-25
What does “eye of the needle” mean? Does He mean that achieving eternity is nearly impossible for a rich man to see eternity?
Consider a very tiny hole, and when you look at it, you say, “I couldn’t possibly fit through there!” The rich carry baggage that prohibits them from fitting through, but I say to you, they must give up all for Me, and through Me, I make all things possible.
Do you seek wealth on earth?
Do you believe you can trust in the Lord - and money - for your present and future needs?
If so, your “riches” are an obstacle for you.
It doesn’t matter if you have a little or a fortune. It should be clear that He requires all of you, including everything you depend on.
Do not be deceived; this is the cost of eternal life.
Abandon yourself to Me. Riches and glory are of My Father's house; wisdom and honor and power are of Me. Follow Me and be purified by My grace. Accomplish in Me and achieve peace everlasting. Seek Me with all your heart, mind, and soul, and I will teach you, I will show you the way.
How is this achievable? Focus on Jesus, be present with Him in spirit in all you do, and He will make your way.
BONDSERVANTS OF CHRIST
Bondservant, be obedient to your master, Jesus Christ, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill, doing service to the Lord. - Ephesians 6:5 (transposed).
Bondservants do not live of their own volition but instead give all of themselves for their master, according to their master’s will, not as workers but as slaves.
And since bondservants do not work for a wage, they depend completely on their master. Their welfare is in their master’s hands.
But now, having been set free from sin and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness and the end, everlasting life. - Romans 6:22
Is Jesus Christ our master; are we not His bondservants?
God shows no partiality; the answer is “Yes!”
You see, it is not that we offer ourselves to Christ as His bondservant; it is that He established Himself as our master and us as His bondservants, His slaves, when He paid for us with His life.
We can either accept this and live accordingly as bondservants in faith and obedience with eternal life at our end or not and perish in disobedience.
So, as purchased bondservants of Christ, what does He demand of us?
Everything.
We cannot have two masters; therefore, we must give all that we have, all that we are, our thoughts and actions, and our entire being in devotion to Christ.
We must live entirely for Him within the boundaries of His will and His will alone.
What is His will for us? To untie from this world, to abandon it, and follow Him in spirit and truth, letting Him, who lives within you in spirit, guide you in all things.
I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. - Galatians 2:20
ABANDON ALL
Seek the Lord with all your heart, with all your mind, body, and soul, that you may be saved. Consider your actions; that they may be pleasing to the Lord. Walk in righteousness, for the coming of the day is at hand. His hand grows weary; repent and sin no more. This is the message of love: to love the Lord and seek Him with all that you are.
Take up your cross and abandon thy self; this is My way and your future.
Now is the time, My children, to leave evil behind and center on Me. I am your hope for eternity; in you, I live. Come forth out of darkness and receive Me, for I am waiting, and I am patient. Rediscover your purpose in Me. For I am the way and the light, all shall come to Me in fear and trembling on the judgment seat. Know this, and go and sin no more.
Abandon yourself to Me, and I will show you the things you wish to see and hear. Be completely immersed in My presence. In your heart, you know what you must release for My name’s sake. Everything is accomplished in Me.
Consider the breadth of His words on giving all of yourself to Him and abandoning all for Him as He requires for eternal life.
Christ knows all things; there is no point in trying to hide your wishes and the desires of your heart. If the truth of your heart will not pass the test of fire, repent and release your sin.
He who sayeth he loves Me will abandon all and follow Me. There is no righteousness in abandonment unless it is in Me; full pressed, shaken together, in Me.
The only way to love Jesus is to deny yourself, abandon the world, be wholly guided by Him, and act on His commands (a.k.a. following Him). Otherwise, it’s not love at all.
Give all to Me, and all will be given in abundance.
Stay on course, and your path will be blessed. Give all that you have and follow me. I will lead you into My kingdom. Power and glory await those who enter into My kingdom.
The rewards in this life do not come close to the rewards that await those who give all of themselves for Him.
Do be shortsighted, eternal glory is the ultimate prize.
Abandon all. Leave behind friends and family and follow Me. Heaven awaits and My glory follows. Be pure of heart and sound of mind, for fury comes, and hope will follow.
There should be nothing between you and Christ. In your heart, you must be willing to follow Him at any cost.
Are you ready to join Me at the crucifix? Will you really give up everything?
Circumcision of the heart is no small thing; it is to lose who you are and give all for Me. It is to branch out into the unknown and discover through the spirit.
A king rises up, then dies, and his children inherit all that he has. They then divide the land and soon there is no more. Do not be like this; give all that you have and follow Me. Do not squander My way, for it is of truth and life; no one goes to the Father but through Me.
Give all for Me or perish; there is no partway. Lay your life down and be saved. Separate from this world and be wholly for Me. I am the Lord your God, creator of all things.
Give all that you have and follow Me if you are to be of My purpose. Be kind and loving; that is My nature. Seek to build up and not put down. See the good and not the evil. To discern waste and remove it from you, that is My pledge, My victory. Keep your eyes on Me and set your heart on My song. The wicked hearted move about the night, but My loved ones rest in Me. Be true in spirit and follow Me.
Do not give in part, but give your all to Me. I am the furnace that warms and destroys. I am the maker of all things. Transcend this life and be My servant, set apart for My kingdom of glory.
I am the way, the truth, and the life. All that is grown is grown in Me. Take part in the fruit and live eternally, thus sayeth the Lord. Compromise nothing and give all for the glory of the Lord. Manifest in Me and I will make you a king of kings in your land.
This is the day that the Lord has made; rejoice! The Father is loving; rejoice in the Father! He has given Me to cover your sin; there is no greater love than this. I am the recompense for your soul. Give unto Me all that you are and feast in Me. You will not hunger or stray, for I am the light of this world and the breath of life in you.
My yolk is upon you; heed My word. It is time to transcend this life and pursue the supernatural. Give up all you have and follow Me. It is I who lead you to still waters and grant you peace. Turn not into temptation and seek My righteousness, for I am with thee. Arise, go forth, and let the enemies be scattered at My feet. Lay down your burden and follow Me. Arise and be lifted up on eagle’s wings. If you take the step, you will see.
The sacred heart, My people who have given all of themselves to Me, I will impart My glory.
Love all of Me or none of Me. Give all that you have or perish.
What does “give all that I have” mean? In all of your thoughts, think of Me. In all that you do, think of Me. In all that you are, become Me. I am the way, the truth, and the life. Sacrifice your life for Me as I have sacrificed Mine for yours. Purity, absolution of truth. Loving-kindness in all situations. Keeper of promises. A light in the darkness.
Now is the time to try men’s souls. They cannot be fragmented; I demand all. It is all of Me or none of Me. Men will be tested; they must choose all of Me to be counted in My kingdom.
Peace in the kingdom awaits those who serve the Lord. Those who deny themselves and follow Me. Those who take up their cross and lay down their lives for My name’s sake.
It is all of Me or none of Me. Holiness isn’t a choice but a condition of salvation. You must be separate for Me or perish.
The time is now to leave the world behind and start living each day for eternity.
Next up: Part 3: Kingdom Living