This Christian life–this dot on a map of the world, this drop of water in the ocean–is about two things: God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Contrary to popular teaching, preaching and belief, this life is not about what we can receive from God–salvation, food, clothing, housing, health, etc.–it is ALL about what we can do for Him–faith, prayer, Bible study, righteous words, thoughts, actions, etc. Everything in the true saint’s life–life itself, family, friends, things, religion, the necessities of life–are as nothing relative to his/her relationship with the Godhead. For the one who will spend eternity with Them in the Kingdom of God, one thing and only one thing dominates the heart (mind)–the Godhead. King David, a man after God’s own heart, said relative to his life’s focus: “I have set the Lord always before my face” (Ps. 16:8). Notice that nothing else was worthy of mention–not the kingdom, not the people, not his own life–only the Lord. A repentant David knew how to please God and did so–he kept the Lord constantly in view as he went about leading His people Israel.

The ultimate question relative to receiving eternal life is: What does God require? The answer: Everything. He gave everything. His Son gave everything. Why would They require anything less of us. We are told not to be concerned about such necessities as food, clothing, shelter, EVEN OUR PHYSICAL LIVES. God promises to provide for us in this life and the next IF we walk this life as did Jesus Christ (1 Jn. 2:6) Who had regard for only one thing–pleasing the Father (Mat. 6:28-34). In this mere instant in eternity known as human life, true God-seekers have only one responsibility–obedience to His Word, which is Jesus Christ in written form (Jn. 1:1-4,14/Rev. 19:13). We fulfill our responsibility to Him by obeying His Father’s Word. This is the ultimate way, nay, the ONLY WAY to please Him. God is not everything, He is the ONLY THING. Everything else in this life is irrelevant and immaterial relative to Him. This includes our dearest and most beloved family members and friends whom we must be willing to give up in order to obey Him (Mat. 10:32-39). Everything in this life must be weighed against God. We must be willing to give up everything in this life if necessary in order to serve Him in righteousness and holiness, without which we will not enter paradise (Rom. 6:17-22). In this most important passage we find the Lord laying out the famous Roman Road to ETERNAL LIFE. “THE DOCTRINE” which was delivered to us is the Word of God (vs 17). Obedience to His Word “ELIMINATES  SIN” from our lives which equates to “RIGHTEOUSNESS” in us (vs 18) which, if maintained, creates “HOLINESS” in us (vs 19). Note that the “END” of “HOLINESS”  is “EVERLASTING LIFE” (22). Jesus Himself speaks to this Truth in Matthew 10:22 where He tells us that we must endure to the end (of life or His return) in righteousness and holiness in order to be saved.

Obedience to God’s Word, which is His will, is all in all–the essence of everything. Relatively speaking, nothing else in this life matters. All other things will be provided by God according to His good will if we will only look to Him, if we will not focus on what we can receive from Him, but for what we can give to Him. He cautions us to “count the cost” of true discipleship and to be ready to take up our cross in order to follow Him. We must do this with pure joy, knowing that this puff of smoke in a forest fire we call life is totally irrelevant in and of itself. It is merely God’s boot camp for joining His righteous army that will rule the universe in the Kingdom of God which He will establish following the return of His Son. Oh how I yearn for that day. Come quickly, Lord Jesus (Rev. 22:7,12,20). L.J.