Life is challenging…In it, we experience a myriad and diverse quantity of perils and mistakes that have the power to push us past our limits to promote growth or cause us to fall and inhibit it. These adverse events can even put us in a state of mental anguish; even perpetually. Leaving one, often feeling without hope. To the point where the only true respite seems to come in the form of what we hope to be an eternal slumber; death.
Wisdom of Solomon 1:12 KJVA
Seek not death in the error of your life: and pull not upon yourselves destruction with the works of your hands.
Need it be in word or deed, we make mistakes, even commit sins we could only hope to turn back time and undo. But since we can’t, we often times struggle with the guilt, shame, and other negative feelings that begin to ensue. Even to the point of hoping and praying for our untimely demise. Yet, when death does not come to our beck and call, many find themselves looking for it as if it were a google search engine with a Mortal Kombat theme hoping to “choose your destiny” and obtain a “flawless victory” over suffering (given it were an opponent) and something that would take away the pain we feel but in the most painless way. Yet we are commanded to refrain our actions, even our minds, from going on this compelling treasure hunt. To the extent that we aren’t even allowed to take pleasure in the “destruction” or harming of our bodies through our actions. Which means no cutting or self-harm.
John 15:16 KJVS
[16] Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
There is hope! Even abundantly! Did you ever take the time to consider that you are special! No really! And you have a purpose! You were chosen, handpicked by The Father! Handpicked! The Father; The Creator of all we see and can’t see. He chose you because He saw something special that He liked about you! And only a very small amount of all living creatures on earth, both past and present can say that! Which means you must allow Him to decide IF He will cause any physical harm to come to you. As He has the final say concerning your final judgement.
Matthew 10:22 KJVS
[22] And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
You must choose to endure until the end. Not at the starting line, not two thirds through the race. But endure until you officially cross that finish line. I know it sounds easier said than done, because it is. However, there is a purpose and reward.
Daniel 12:2 KJVS
[2] And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Before we can think that death is simply an escape, you may be better off simply likening it to a holding cell. We seem to forget that you still have to receive your final court date and receive your final sentencing. Could you imagine not repenting and dying in sin with no way of going back and changing anything? That would be the worst thing ever!
Ecclesiastes 9:4 KJVS
[4] For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
You still have hope in your life. You don’t live for you alone. You have the ability to live for your spouse, for your child, for someone who looks to you for hope! If you die it could mean the end for them as well! You must also endure for them. Imagine them now going down the wrong road and losing salvation because of your absence! You have a purpose with an end goal even if you lose sight of it!
2 Esdras 7:14 KJVA
If then they that live labour not to enter these strait and vain things, they can never receive those that are laid up for them.
So you must live! Live to die to this world so you may live eternally in the next! If you don’t live and fight to work your way into the kingdom of heaven and endure these vain trials you will never be able to partake of the reward that is laid up for us. Which means instead of eternal life, you receive eternal death, eternal suffering. If this present suffering were already bad what would an eternity of even worse suffering look like!?! Don’t allow Satan to deceive you into giving that up!
Wisdom 19:22 KJVA
For in all things, O Lord, thou didst magnify thy people, and glorify them, neither didst thou lightly regard them: but didst assist them in every time and place.
The Most High does not lightly regard you. You aren’t just some trend that is in season today and out of season tomorrow. You aren’t some old shoes that have served their purpose and now worthy of the trash bin. You are precious to Him. You are as precious rubies, diamonds and gold. He sees value in you and will assist you in every time and place if you trust in him and put in a little effort. A little bit goes a long way with him. Need it be a little bit of leaven unto sin, or a little bit of faith as small as a mustard seed. Just be mindful of the one you feed.
Proverbs 20:9 KJVS
[9] Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
No one on earth present or past can say their mind and spirit is clean and free from all sin. As we cannot purge ourselves from our errors. Or rather that it is The Most High that chooses to forgive us and clean us up or not. He chooses to say if you are perfect or not and what sins he charges you with. Unless He told you through a vision, dream, or His voice you are subject to your own belief, which may or may not be accurate. And as the scriptures guide us, best not to lean to our own understanding.
Romans 1:17 KJVS
[17] For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
We have faith that if we continue to walk in righteousness we will be saved. That is it… So we fight day in and day out to stay on the path knowing one day we will all be judged. But if we stop, if we don’t even try or just quit, how do we know what God would have chose had we continued to fight?
Zechariah 3:1-4 KJVS
[1] And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. [2] And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? [3] Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. [4] And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.
At some point in time Joshua sinned and was spiritually defiled. Yet, The Most High chose to save him, to wash him from his sins and spiritual filth and give him change of raiment, a fresh start to be renewed in the spirit and be considered pure and righteous. Even though Satan tried to condemn him for his faults! But it was The Most High that rebuked Satan and told him that yeah I know he messed up but I chose to give him grace, mercy and repentance from his mistakes so he can be one with me! Don’t be fooled, you can fall short and others may be just as Satan is; “look father he/ she sinned. They are unworthy!” But YHWH is God and judge. He will give the judgement. For all you know you might have favor with the Most High God.
Sirach 4:28 KJVA
Strive for the truth unto death, and the Lord shall fight for thee.
This is a reason why we don’t give up! No matter what the mistake, no matter what the sin is. Unless you heard God himself tell you, “Depart from me, I never knew you.” You still have a chance. The problem is many people once they vier off of the path and realize how disconnected they are, instead of choosing to turn around and walk back to God they feel like since they already went this far I might as well keep going. When this wisdom is not of God unto spiritual but carnal and of man. You are to fight for the truth until you leave this earth by God’s choice.
2 Chronicles 15:2 KJVS
[2] And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.
The Most High is with you if you choose to be with him. If you abandon him then he abandons you. What chu trippin fo!
Proverbs 16:6 KJVS
[6] By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.
It is through God’s mercy and truth given to those that keep the law that your sins are forgiven, purged and you are renewed. But it is through fear of The Most High that you must depart from any evil you were doing at the time in order to be forgiven. This is why we pray and ask God to keep us on his path and protect us from Satan and all evil.
Psalm 34:22 KJVS
[22] The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.
The Most High saves your soul. All you have to do is trust in him. Find your way back to him, and look for him.
Job 33:24,28-29 KJVS
[24] Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom. [28] He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light. [29] Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man,
The Most High is amazing! He looks for reasons; good works, alms etc. to help aid in justifying your redemption. Saving us from both death and damnation. And He does this often times with us. This is why righteousness, alms, prayer, and fasting are important. It is a packaged deal that works toward pleasing the Most High and keeping us out of sin and saving us from sin in the event we ever sin.
Proverbs 21:18 KJVS
[18] The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.
Often times, the wicked are the ones who are a ransom for the righteous. Those who are not seeking The Most High, their lives will be taken as a sacrifice to redeem the souls of those who are trying to seek The Most High but fall short. Sometimes those people in the world die so that you may live. Don’t take that for granted.
Sirach 40:1-10
1 Great travail is created for every man, and an heavy yoke is upon the sons of Adam, from the day that they go out of their mother’s womb, till the day that they return to the mother of all things. 2Their imagination of things to come, and the day of death, [trouble] their thoughts, and [cause] fear of heart; 3From him that sitteth on a throne of glory, unto him that is humbled in earth and ashes; 4From him that weareth purple and a crown, unto him that is clothed with a linen frock. 5Wrath, and envy, trouble, and unquietness, fear of death, and anger, and strife, and in the time of rest upon his bed his night sleep, do change his knowledge. 6A little or nothing is his rest, and afterward he is in his sleep, as in a day of keeping watch, troubled in the vision of his heart, as if he were escaped out of a battle. 7When all is safe, he awaketh, and marvelleth that the fear was nothing. 8[Such things happen] unto all flesh, both man and beast, and that is sevenfold more upon sinners. 9Death, and bloodshed, strife, and sword, calamities, famine, tribulation, and the scourge; 10These things are created for the wicked, and for their sakes came the flood.
No matter who we are, we all go through hardships and problems. Sometimes we don’t have a choice in what befalls us. But no matter what happens to us we can control how we respond to the circumstances. And fight to become more responsive and less reactive. We know those hardships are magnified for the wicked and reduced for the righteous. So it is always best to be righteous and leave the decision up to The Most High.
Sirach 39:33-35KJVA
33 All the works of the Lord are good: and he will give every needful thing in due season. 34 So that a man cannot say, This is worse than that: for in time they shall all be well approved. 35 And therefore praise ye the Lord with the whole heart and mouth, and bless the name of the Lord.
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