Matthew 6:25 CSB “No one can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

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Professors of Jesus Christ seek two things. They are wealth and pleasure. “What’s wrong with that?” some might say. Should these be our number 1 goals in life? Or should it rather be the cross?

Luke 9:23 CSB “Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, TAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY, and follow me.” ’ 

Jesus says any who wants to be His disciple must take up their cross daily. Most professing Christians don’t live that way. They seek personal wealth and pleasure just like everyone else. Their way of life isn’t set apart from the world. They know how to quote a few Bible verses. And sadly that’s it. They’re not experiencing God’s power because they’re not living for God. They feel entitled to riches and forbidden pleasures. Since God owns everything He wants us to own it all too some say. How delusional to ignore what Jesus says about denying self, and taking up the cross. If there were anyone entitled to all this world’s riches and comforts it would be Jesus Christ Himself. Through Him God made everything. (John 1:3 Colossians 1:16 Hebrews 1:2) Yet for years Jesus chose to live like this:

Matthew 8:20 LEB “And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

2 Corinthians 8:9 LEB “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, for your sake he became poor, in order that you, by his poverty, may become rich.”

Do you know any rich people who would intentionally become poor to enrich others? You do if you know Jesus.😊 Many don’t care to remember that Jesus was homeless for at least 3 and a half years of his life on earth. In 2 Corinthians 8:9 the word, “Poverty,” in Greek means, “Beggary.” Jesus didn’t care if people thought he was a bum or a homeless Rabbi. His ministry came first. Caring for others came first. Not His comforts or pleasures. Jesus’ lifestyle enabled Him to reach people the wealthy preachers could never reach. Some will think I’m implying everyone must become homeless to be like Jesus. Nope, not at all. I am emphatically saying if our life is about riches and pleasure in this world we are not like Jesus Christ! We are Laodicean Christians at best. The Lord is not pleased with them. (Revelation 3:14-22) We must repent.

WHAT’S MORE IMPORTANT?

What’s more important to us? Living for God? Ministering to the poor like Jesus did? Or pursuing personal wealth and pleasure? Are we the real Christians who take up his or her cross daily, and follow the Master? Even if this brings rejection from family members? (Matthew 10:34-38) Or are we seeking a bed of roses? Have we chosen the easy path? This is why many are Christians in name only. They seek roses, not a cross. Jesus never said to seek the easy life. If we do we are ignoring Him who says:

Matthew 16:24-26 LEB “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself and TAKE UP HIS CROSS AND FOLLOW ME. ²⁵ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life on account of me will find it. ²⁶ For what will a person be benefited if he gains the whole world but forfeits his life? Or what will a person give in exchange for his life?”

All who seek to save their lives lose them Jesus says. And those who lose their lives for Jesus’ sake find life indeed! (John 3:16) This is a hard truth because it goes against the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. (1 John 2:15-17) Give it all up Jesus says. Renounce what your flesh wants, what your eyes see, and your materialistic way of life. They’re of this world and not from the Father. They will lead you to hell. But let’s say we achieve all this; we get our wealth, our comforts, our pleasures. When we die what can a person give in exchange for his or her soul? Nothing. It was all a waste.

Only a few seek the cross Jesus talks about. Because they realize it is the only way to eternal life. There is no getting around it. We can’t enter life any other way:

Matthew 7:13-14 ESV “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. ¹⁴ For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

The narrow way that leads to eternal life is hard. It involves enduring tribulation, rejection, etcetera. (James 1:2-4 2 Timothy 3:12) It involves crucifying our flesh. It entails becoming unselfish and loving others who don’t even love us. (Matthew 5:43-48) Are you willing to stand out like a sore thumb on the road less traveled? Bearing our cross is painful. And the cross is an instrument of death. That’s why only a few ever find this road Jesus says. Most worship money, worldly success, comforts, and pleasure. I know, I used to be one of them. I had to be the number 1 sales rep wherever I worked. And sometimes I was. I thought I knew God but was filled with worldly pride of life (materialism). I was headed straight for hell. I read all the success books that teach you how to make money and become rich, blah blah blah. The whole time I was worshipping myself. I wasn’t seeking a cross. I wanted a bed of roses.

How sad it will be to find out you are bankrupt in the day of judgment. That you have no money to pay your outstanding sin debt. Rejecting the ransom sacrifice of Jesus leaves one’s soul impoverished. “But I did receive Jesus as my savior,” some may say. Receiving Jesus also means receiving Him as Lord. That means obeying His commands. Not just saying, “I believe in Jesus,” like a nursery rhyme. (John 14:21) Jesus commands all His followers to take up their crosses DAILY and follow Him. Not pursue a bed of roses in this world. How can one claim to have a relationship with Jesus yet be unwilling to suffer for Him? (1 Peter 2:19-21) Is that how a relationship works? One party goes through all the pain, suffering, and tribulation. While the other party plays in a bed of roses.🌹🤔 Nahh.

Let’s not be deluded brothers and sisters. Pray to God for help in this. Make it our goal to learn how to deny ourselves, take up our crosses daily, and follow the Master. He will help us do it. We cannot enter eternal life any other way.

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Proverbs 29:27 CSB “An unjust person is detestable to the righteous, and one whose way is upright is detestable to the wicked.”

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Let’s be clear about one thing, no one is righteous only God is. (Mark 10:18) Yet God credits righteousness to all who believe Him (Romans 4:3). God calls and makes us righteous through faith and by the blood of Jesus Christ. So we will humbly run with that. We will not refuse it. This article isn’t an attempt to give an exhaustive list of what Satan’s children hate about God’s people. But a few thoughts that come to mind.

Number 1. THE WICKED HATE YOU DON’T FEAR THEM

1 John 4:18 ESV “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”

Philippians 1:28 CSB “Not being frightened in any way by your opponents. This is A SIGN OF DESTRUCTION FOR THEM, but of your salvation—and this is from God.”

When we walk in perfect love that drives out all fear wicked people hate it. Because they can’t bully us. Wicked folks are bullies. The giant Goliath was a bully. He taunted the Israelite army for days and they were afraid of him. As big as he was he offered a contest to fight only one man of normal size. This way he was sure to win so he thought. We know how it turned out. God sent a boy to take him out and cut off his head. When we show the wicked that we only fear God our Father makes us a sign to them of their doom. Like He did with little David. How God does this with each wicked person I don’t know. But He lets them know they’re going down. And God takes them down like He did with little David vs Goliath. 

Number 2. THE WICKED HATE THEY CAN’T CONTROL YOU 

Wicked folks are control freaks. They seek to control everyone and everything around them. Many allow them to do it. While the fruit of the spirit is self-control the wicked are the exact opposite. They can’t control themselves yet believe they can control everything and everyone. Some are so wicked they even artificially control the weather. Some of you know what I’m talking about (HAARP). The wicked love to play god. Mere humans prop themselves up as gods. They think they know what’s right and best for everyone. So they make rules to govern you against all that is lawful and moral. But when you show them you cannot be controlled they have a hissy fit. Then you must prepare to meet the wrath of a god. Hah hah hah! A spiteful god. A sick god. A mere man or woman who has grand delusions.

Number 3. THE WICKED HATE WHEN YOU DON’T LAUGH AT THEIR SILLY JOKES

Wicked people love telling off-color jokes, especially around the righteous. Because they know God’s people find them distasteful. When you don’t laugh they feel convicted like you’re judging them. And you haven’t said a word. They know what they are doing is wrong but accuse you of not being able to take a joke. You not laughing also says they cannot control you. That chaffs their hide. “At least make a frown on your face, at least say my joke is disgusting to you. That way I know I made you angry. Then I can be happy knowing I controlled you a little bit and caused you some pain.” The wicked are sick puppies.

Number 4. “WHO DIED AND MADE YOU JESUS?”

“Who died and made you Jesus?” is one of the ridicules of the wicked. “You think you’re so holy!” is another. Your good behavior convicts and condemns the wicked. To feel better about their sins they lie to themselves and others saying there is no such thing as good people. They don’t exist. It’s every man for themselves. They also create evil and then say, “If there is a good God who cares why does He allow so much evil?” The wicked are deranged. But your righteous conduct stirs up a conflict within them. It proves them wrong. This is why they attempt to corrupt you. Then they can say, “See I told you nobody’s good.” This is why they try to get you to laugh at their dirty jokes and commit other sins. But as you refuse to give in your very existence is torment to them. (Revelation 11:10) Without saying a word your lifestyle says, “You are wrong.” Wicked people hate to be wrong about anything.

God Himself through His spirit lives in us, the true believers in Christ. And they can see it. Though they won’t admit it. The manifestation of Christ in you is clear to them. This is why they persecute you. Because they hate God. Evil cannot stand in the presence of God. That’s too uncomfortable. So yeah, if you are truly a righteous person you will face all kinds of difficulties from wicked people. Your very existence condemns them. And you’re not trying to judge anyone. But remember, the Bible says only a few in this world belong to God. (Matthew 7:13-14) Most are children of the Devil. (John 8:44) Most are on the road leading to destruction. It is what it is.

Psalm 34:19-22 CSB “One who is righteous has many adversities, but the Lord rescues him from them all. ²⁰ He protects all his bones; not one of them is broken. ²¹ Evil brings death to the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be punished. ²² The Lord redeems the life of his servants, and all who take refuge in him will not be punished.”

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John 7:38 LEB “The one who believes in me. Just as the scripture said, ‘Out of his belly will flow rivers of living water.’ ”

Proverbs 25:26 LEB “Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is the righteous who gives way before the wicked.”

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If you believe in Jesus Christ God has made you a source of living water. You have life in you. God has empowered you to speak life by the word of Almighty God.😊 No wonder our enemy wants to muddy that well. Satan wants you and I to live in fear. Remember, the fearful are the first group mentioned that are thrown into the lake of fire in Revelation 21:8. So no, we can’t live like cowards. Rather the opposite: FIRM, and BOLD. Trembling before the wicked says we don’t believe God can protect us. Remember, unbelievers are the second group mentioned that are cast into the lake of fire in Revelation 21:8. Hence Satan will bring pressure through his children to get us to compromise out of fear. Fear of what others think of us. Fear of not having a job. Fear of not having a place to live. Fear of not having food to eat, clothes to wear, etcetera. The Devil wants us to forget our Father has promised to provide all these things. (Matthew 6:25-34)

Psalm 37:25 LEB “I was a youth, but I am now old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children _⌊begging for_⌋ bread.” 

Those of us who have experienced God know He is more than capable of taking care of us. (Psalm 34:7-10) Not only does Father provide our needs, but He even throws in some of our wants. He knows what each of His children likes. God surprises me in these ways often. He not only gives me what I need but does it with style and class. He provides handsomely, abundantly. So why should I give way to the wicked in fear, who only want my harm? Why should I pay attention to the whispers of men who only want to use me for their own advantage? Why would I agree to do evil to provide for myself when I have a GOD (Almighty God) who takes care of me?😊

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