Jesus Says: "Very truly I tell you, NO SERVANT IS GREATER THAN HIS MASTER, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent Him." (John 13:16)
The Christian life is NOT an easy one to live. The world, your family, your friends, will NOT always like or accept that you have chosen to live your life for Christ (Galatians 2:20). As a matter of fact, Jesus said that the world will hate you (Us) for following Him. Jesus said: "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, YOU DO NOT BELONG TO THE WORLD, but I have CHOSEN YOU out of the world. That is WHY the world HATES YOU." (John 15:18-19)
The closer we get to Jesus, the more we spend time with Him in prayer and Bible studies, the more we will act and be like Jesus. Being like Him means we are going to gain many enemies in the world because we will be acting and speaking like He did. (1 John 2:6) Being like Jesus means a lot of people are going to feel convicted around us as they did when Jesus was here on earth. This is what Jesus told his brothers for the reasons the world hated Him... "The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil." (John 7:7) Friends, there's no way around this one...People are going to hate us because we testify as Jesus did that how they live and what they do is evil.
The real Christ like person is a surprise to many people, in that we don't join the world in living "for self", but it's because the Bible teaches us to live differently from the world. The "Holy Scriptures" tells us, to live and conduct ourselves as Christ did while we wait for His to return back to the earth. This is what it says:
Peter tells us:
"Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. (WATCH THIS...DON'T MISS IT!) As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God." For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. "They are SURPRISED that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they HEAP ABUSE ON YOU. But they will have to give account to him WHO IS READY TO JUDGE the living and the dead." (1 Peter 4:1-5)
Paul tells us this:
"For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. (WATCH THIS...DON'T MISS IT!) IT TEACHES US TO SAY "NO" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and TO LIVE self-controlled, upright and GODLY lives in this present age, WHILE WE WAIT FOR THE BLESSED HOPE—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good." (Titus 2:11-14)
Peter tells us again in 2 Peter:
"So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO BE FOUND SPOTLESS, BLAMELESS AND AT PEACE WITH HIM (Jesus Christ). (2 Peter 3:14) This life that we live for Christ is a 24/7- 365 days commitment and devotion to our Savior and Jesus is completely worth it, my friends! The Bible says: "GOD IS NOT UNJUST; HE WILL NOT FORGET YOUR WORK AND THE LOVE YOU HAVE SHOWN HIM..." (Hebrews 6:10)
John tells us this:
"And now, dear children, continue in Him, (WATCH THIS... DON'T MISS IT!) SO THAT WHEN HE APPEARS we may be CONFIDENT and UNASHAMED before Him AT HIS COMING. If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him." (1 John 2:28-29)
Note: People may think we're strange for not living like them in this world but we are commanded in the "Holy Scriptures" to live holy, spotless, righteous and blameless lives in this world. Jesus already told us "If we "LOVE HIM" we will OBEY what He commands. (John 14:15, 21, 23-24, John 15:14, Luke 6:46)
The BIBLE Says:
"We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. WHOEVER says, "I know him," BUT DOES NOT DO what he commands is a LIAR, and the truth is NOT in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: WHOEVER CLAIMS TO LIVE IN HIM MUST LIVE AS JESUS DID." (1 John 2:3-6)
Note: WE ARE LIVING FOR CHRIST AND NOT FOR OURSELVES..."FOR YOU DIED, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. WHEN CHRIST, WHO IS YOUR LIFE, APPEARS, then you also will appear with Him in glory." (Colossians 3:3-4) Another scripture that shows we are "Living4Christ!" and NOT for Ourselves...."I HAVE BEEN CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST AND I NO LONGER LIVE, BUT CHRIST LIVES IN ME. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20) Amen!!!
Those that DO NOT heed the Bible's warning to live a holy, spotless, blameless, righteous life in this world will be the ones that will hear from Jesus on judgment day "I NEVER KNEW YOU. AWAY FROM ME, YOU EVIL DOERS!" (Matthew 7:23)
Friends, TIME IS SHORT!!! Be faithful...Be an overcomer in Jesus name! DO NOT let ANYTHING or ANYONE stray you from the righteous path... Soon we will see "THE KING OF GLORY COMING IN THE CLOUDS" (Revelation 1:7, Acts 1:11, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18) Amen!
"THE END OF ALL THINGS IS NEAR. Therefore be ALERT and of SOBER MIND so that you may PRAY." (1 Peter 4:7)
THE WORLD MAY HATE YOU BUT JESUS LOVES YOU AND I LOVE YOU...."WATCH & PRAY", MY FRIENDS!
GOD BLESS YOU ALL NOW & ALWAYS!
YOUR FRIEND,
VICKY RIVERA
