Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:11
I keep watching what the Lord is showing me regarding human nature and how evil it is, and how it tries to justify itself. The Lord has shown me in my past, who I was apart from him, and how I am now in him. But as much so he keeps showing me human nature in others, and the main things it does.
In Matthew 7:2 it says “For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” What he is saying is how you judge others is usually something you see in yourself Or rather do not see but is in you also. You do not like it in others, but either do not see it in yourself or ignore it and make excuses as to why it’s not the same when it is. We normally push on the other person the things we do not like in ourselves and ignore in ourselves. No matter if it is true or not. Most of the time it is not true in the other person, or not as prevalent as it is in the one complaining.
The second thing we do is substitute things. We substitute the bible as the word of God. We substitute a preacher for telling us how we should be. We substitute going to a church for belonging to “THE CHURCH” which is not a building but is the true followers of Yeshua. We substitute affection and preference for another person as love. We seek entertainment and pleasure and see it as joy and or peace. We seek money and fame and when we get it, we think we are blessed, when the truth is money and fame can and normally is the root of all evil.
Almost everything of God has a substitute. And the substitute is evil, worldly and keeps you from knowing God. And if you do not know God and listen to him and obey him. He cannot fix you, or lead you into righteousness. The things of the world and the sin can easily ensnare us, we live in an unconscious form which allows for the sudden and swift destruction in our life. And we do not even see it.
We can only see it when we allow the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to the truth, then we see and know we do not want to be like that anymore, he shows us how much dysfunction it causes in our lives, and where that sin and dysfunction will take us if we keep going there. It becomes a pleasure to know him and obey him because we see where it brings us, which is to a very good place.
Yes it means losing many things and relationships in this life we thought were special, and we do not want to lose. And many people choose to remain in the same life when the light is trying to show you. We just cannot imagine losing a relationship with a friend or family member over anything he could offer. And many have a belief that God would never require that of us, that it is of satan to even think we should be willing to walk away from a family relationship for any reason.
Yet the Lord said clearly more than once things like as written in Matthew 10:37 “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” The point of this verse is not about competing and which you show more affection to. It is about who are you going to obey? If God tells you one thing and your wife or mom or dad or son or daughter… Expects you to do something else, who are you going to obey? The real goal of God is to get us all in obedience to him, if you are then the same love (respect) you have for God will follow through to your family and friends. And if they are also obeying then any disagreements between you will go away. A better way to say it is there will be no disagreements between you.
The last big thing I see with those of us who follow Yeshua and those who do not is that those of God are NEVER politically correct. Where the world is even in the church system they consider to be of God. They tell people what they want to hear and not what they need to hear to be right with God. God will tell you the truth and we must stay in that truth and tell that truth to others no matter who it will offend.
These things bring division, and it is obvious to many the Lord is separating the goats from the sheep. Also keep in mind this life is short, eternity never ends. Do you want to sow to the things of the world and this short life? Or the things of God and eternal life in paradise?