Wholly Follow The Lord
A theme in both the Tanakh or Old Testament and the Brit Hadasha or New Testament is that everyone should wholly follow the Lord. This is a requirement of all people who accept Jesus into their hearts to raise their spirit from the dead and be their Lord. The theme didn't change from the two covenants and is a very basic theme that Christians are held to strictly by father God whether they realize it or not. Saying a prayer, having someone else say a prayer over you or doing one "thing", like baptism by a priest when you are an infant, as a statement of "faith" doesn't fulfill the expectation of "wholly following the Lord" your whole life. If you make a commitment to enter God's family by inviting Jesus to enter your "heart" and raise your spirit from the dead, then Jesus has nothing better to do than to involve himself in your life to guide you and mature you. Father God expects you to respect that you are his creation that was made to have relationship with him. In order to do that, you must pay attention to him through your whole life. As much as you exist, you must treat Christianity and your relationship with father God to be your whole life just like it is father God's whole life.
On the other side of this, we can think of how easy it is to follow the Lord rather than have to find our own way. Instead of us as lost sheep, Jesus promises to be made unto us knowledge and keep us up to date enough to be doing the right thing if we will listen. Jesus is perpetually making intercession for those humans that are following the Christian walk. He is also establishing his kingdom in advance of its full manifestation by guiding and training his followers to be leaders according to his standards. He considers these people to be his sheep and himself as the shepherd. Instead of viewing Christianity as a list of rules, we can see how much it becomes about relationship. We are on an adventure to become a mature child of the most high God. We might be attacked by any number of adversaries along the way that are bent on deceiving and misleading us or killing us. We need all the help we can get. Some scriptures will show how sensitive father God is towards us and how every little thing we say and do hangs in his mind as a representation of our relationship with him.
It may be hard to differentiate between father God and Jesus as to who is being called "Lord". They both are. They work so close together. Since all power and authority has been given to Jesus, we may be talking about him and since father God is who we may approach directly "in Jesus", we may be talking about him. There is also our counselor, the Holy Spirit, who also guides us. In the New Testament, when Jesus was here, he said "I and the father are one". Since Jesus was the image of father God that father God carefully created to represent him, in the flesh it was Jesus. This is usually a New Testament usage. We will try to just use the term used in any text.
1 Corinthians 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Let's look at the Tanach (Old Testament) examples that father God has given us to learn from.
Psalm 78:13 He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap. 14In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire. 15He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths. 16He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
This is the beginning of the Hebrew childrens journey in learning to wholly follow the Lord. We all have our beginning of our personal journey to the promise land that starts with learning to wholly follow the Lord. Hopefully the lesson learned will keep us from repeating their mistakes.
Psalm 78:17 And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness. 18And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust. 19Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? 20Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?
Speaking against God's provision is an example of not wholly following the Lord. On purpose, he may not provide what we want, or what we are used to in Egypt, but he promises to meet our needs if we wholly follow him. Remember, we are learning a new thing.
Psalm 78:21 Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel; 22Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation: 23Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven, 24And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the grain of heaven. 25Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full.
Jacob is the name of the father of the 12 children that became the 12 tribes of Israel. Jacobs name was changed to Israel. So, the 12 tribes are the 12 tribes of Jacob/Israel. In that the 12 children came out of Jacob/Israel, together they are still Jacob/Israel. The use of the name Jacob here is a throwback to Jacob the person, but still describes the 12 tribes of Israel.
We sometimes expect what we had in Egypt, but we are beginning a new life that will be more spiritual than carnal. Even the Hebrew children were expected to be more spiritual than they were in Egypt and they didn't have the advantage of the raised from the dead spirit that Christ gives us. The Lord got mad because they didn't trust him or believe him. The Lord felt insulted. He had just been cut off at the knees with the disbelief from the Hebrew children. If the Lord actually got mad at them, how would he feel about us acting like they did?
Psalm 78:29 So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire; 30They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths, 31The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel. 32For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works. 33Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble. 34When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God. 35And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.
If we persist in our lust and don't give it up and wholly follow the Lord, he might make an example out of enough of us. The choice people that made it all the way from Egypt through the Red Sea didn't make it past their appetite. They couldn't put their flesh behind them enough. On a personal level, he will continue to suppress other areas of our life until we give up the inappropriate lust.
Psalm 78:36 Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. 37For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant. 38But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. 39For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again. 40How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! 41Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.
This is a very precarious relationship. We can avoid this by focusing on wholly following the Lord rather than being considered and treated like dust. The Lord took this serious enough to feel anger and grief over the lack of trust and commitment. Like anyone else, he certainly won't take this kind of a relationship seriously. Limiting God and our relationship with him will keep us from maturing and receiving blessings. We must be steadfast in his covenant. Let God be God and don't limit him!
Jeremiah 5:23 But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone. 24Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear(morally speaking: to revere) the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest. 25Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.
Our own rebellion and sin withhold good things from us. If we are missing blessings, we might need to look for sin in our life.
Psalm 78:52 But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. 53And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
The people that are wholly following the Lord will be led right through the wilderness and they only have to act like sheep to get through. Fear is the opposite of faith. People who have fear of their enemies haven't come to trust in God.
Psalm 95:7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today if ye will hear his voice, 8Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation(testing) in the wilderness: 9When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. 10Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: 11Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.
The "rest" is the place of his provision God prepares for his people as though they were sheep in a pasture free to graze on good things. If you can hear God's voice, if you disobey his voice, you are searing your conscience and hardening your heart. You don't know what adventure the Most High God is preparing for you that he has chosen to speak to you about. Don't be a self willed "Christian" that is still walking after the flesh doing what they want to do. Go follow him and find out!
Numbers 14:21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD. 22Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; 23Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it: 24But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.
Numbers 32:6 And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here? 7And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD hath given them? 8Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadeshbarnea to see the land. 9For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them. 10And the LORD'S anger was kindled the same time, and he sware, saying, 11Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: 12Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD. 13And the LORD'S anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed.
Joshua 14:6 Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea. 7Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart. 8Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God. 9And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children's for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God. 10And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. 11As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. 12Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said. 13And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance. 14Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel. 15And the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba; which Arba was a great man among the Anakims. And the land had rest from war.
The Lord had promised for hundreds of years to lead his people into a land flowing with milk and honey. When 10 of the 12 spies that checked out the promise land came back with a bad report, he became very angry at the people that didn't believe he could and would be successful at leading them into there. He considered the unbelief to be evil. We have to believe the Lord can lead us successfully into our promise land and we must wholly follow him as he leads us there, or he won't lead us there.
Deuteronomy 9:7 Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the LORD thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against the LORD.
If we do not wholly follow the Lord, we will always have some kind of rebellion in anything we hold back from him. Anything we withhold from him will be a bondage to us and we will never enter into our personal promise land.
1 Kings 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt(hesitate) ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow(walk behind) him: but if Baal, then follow(walk behind) him. And the people answered him not a word.
We can pick either father God or a false god like Baal, the Phoenician deity, but not both. Father God will let us pick. We can not be luke warm though. Father God doesn't like mixture. Father God will not share our heart with a false god.
Hosea 6:1 Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn(plucked), and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. 2After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. 3Then shall we know, if we follow(pursue) on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.
Deuteronomy 10:20 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.
It may seem strange, but it's very childlike on our part to go to, rather than from, someone who hurts us if we want to be on their good side. With childlike innocence we should go to the Lord if he has smacked us. In doing so we are assuming we want the relationship enough to take the correction. If father God was trying to get rid of us he just would. Likewise, if we wanted to walk away we could but that would end the relationship. We are assuming in our heart that father God is our father and doing something good for us.
Ezekiel 13:3 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow(walk behind) their own spirit, and have seen nothing!
We won't be in touch with reality and the one true God if we follow after false or demonic spirits.
1 Kings 11:4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. 5For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father.
We will see several examples of how much father God enjoyed, appreciated and respected that King David fully followed the Lord. Notice father God is making decisions based on the status of Solomons heart. Not on how much money Solomon made or how many countries he conquered.
1 Kings 14:7 Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel, 8And rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed(walked behind) me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes; 9But hast done evil above all that were before thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back: 10Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone.
Jeroboam was given 10 of the 12 tribes of Israel to rule over after Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord. It seems Jeroboam didn't do much better. In fact he did worse. He cast the Lord behind his back and made fake gods. That is guaranteed to make the Lord very jealous and angry. As a leader we may never mislead the people under us with fake gods. We will probably be taken right out of our rulership.
1 Kings 15:1 Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah. 2Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom. 3And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father. 4Nevertheless for David's sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem: 5Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
Again King David gets recognition from father God in that his heart was right and he did what the Lord told him to do and what the Lord considered right all the days of his life. Abijam was pointed out for doing all the sins of his father. Judah and Jerusalem were allowed to remain for King Davids sake and not because Abijam was a good king. David became a standard against which other kings were judged just because his heart was right and he wholly followed the Lord. Let's look at a Psalm written by this David guy.
Psalm 38:1 A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance. O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. 2For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore. 3There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. 4For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. 5My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness. 6I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. 7For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh. 8I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart. 9Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee. 10My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me. 11My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off. 12They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long. 13But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth. 14Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs. 15For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God. 16For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me. 17For I am ready to halt(waver), and my sorrow is continually before me. 18For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin. 19But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied. 20They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow(pursue) the thing that good is. 21Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me. 22Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.
That's pretty syrupy. Look how much relationship there is in there. David expects rebuke but asks that it not be when the Lord is mad. David acknowledges his sin. He acknowledges he is over his head deep in sin. David acknowledges that his own foolishness adds to his wounds. He admits all his desire is visible to the Lord as are his emotions. David admits he's ready to cave in. He says he pursues good and therefore has enemies. He calls on the Lord with this leverage, relying on the Lords interest that good prevail. He asks the Lord for help, calling the Lord his salvation. This is a very heart felt prayer coming from David. The Lord can work with this kind of attitude. This is what it takes to become a king and have all the recognition that King David received from the Lord.
Isaiah 51:1 Hearken to me, ye that follow(pursue) after righteousness, ye that seek(search out by any method) the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. 2Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him. 3For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.
Abraham was by himself when the Lord called him out and made a covenant with him. Most of Abrahams doings are with Abraham acting directly under the Lord. The Lord is willing to create on our behalf. He will create in waste places and wilderness's and deserts. If he can find someone that will wholly follow him he will create a garden of Eden out of a wilderness or a desert. Guaranteed he will expect credit for his work, but if we are part of his family and understand the authority structure in our relationship with him that should be no problem.
Deuteronomy 26:15 Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey. 16This day the LORD thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgments: thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. 17Thou hast avouched the LORD this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice: 18And the LORD hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments; 19And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the LORD thy God, as he hath spoken.
If we seriously make the Lord our God in our whole life and keep his word with our whole heart and our whole soul so that he is well represented, he will seriously set us high above all other peoples. This much relationship is exactly what father God is looking for. He wants us to be totally focused on him because he loves us that much and wants us to share everything with him. He knows, he knows, he knows everything. But he still wants to hear it from us because our life is about sharing to him. His goal isn't necessarily just getting there. He's already there. It's the journey.
Jeremiah 42:11 Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the LORD: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand. 12And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land. 13But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God, 14Saying, No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell: 15And now therefore hear the word of the LORD, ye remnant of Judah; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there; 16Then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were afraid, shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die. 17So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them. 18For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As mine anger and my fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem; so shall my fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt: and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach; and ye shall see this place no more. 19The LORD hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day.
The Lord will even have Babylon itself take care of us if we are obeying the voice of the Lord. If we are in the Lords will we don't need to be afraid. If we wholly turn away from the Lord and return to spiritual Egypt for our own security, he will cause everything bad that we wanted to avoid happening to happen to us in Egypt. We are admonished to stay where the Lord will save us and deliver us.
John 1:37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
The New Testament theme of following the Lord does not change.
John 1:43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.
Mark 2:14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.
Matthew 9:9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
Matthew 4:18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 19And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. 21And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. 22And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.
The Lord sought out his sheep to follow him. In the New Testament the purpose of following the Lord isn't just to enter the promise land, but to also bring others to that same place. We are in a harvest environment where peoples lives are at stake. We don't live forever. As we are built up in the Lord we have more to share with others. We have to be careful not to exceed our revelation or we will be sliced and diced. The 12 disciples had a good trainer. We can look to the same trainer for our counseling.
Luke 9:59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father. 60Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. 61And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. 62And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
The dead standing waiting to fall over can bury their own dead. There is a purpose in following the Lord. He is guiding us into maturing into sons and daughters of the most high God. Excuses won't get us to being trained to be new kingdom leaders. The Lord is prioritizing saving people. If we had to live with a little less now and promoted the kingdom more and received an eternal reward for it, would it be so bad?
John 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
The Lord lets us be with him wherever he goes if we will follow him. We will be honored by Father God if we follow the Lord.
Mark 10:17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? 18And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. 19Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. 20And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. 21Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. 22And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
This young man had received his blessings because he was following the Lord through the commandments. The Lord focused right in on where this persons heart was, both good and bad. The New Testament calling requires us to be willing to leave possessions behind. Following the Lord is also the source to the ability to create riches as needed. We can enter a state of not needing because we can create whatever we need. If we can create it as needed, what do we lack that we have to hold onto?
Mark 10:23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 24And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! 25It is easier for a camel/heavy rope to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Relying on riches rather than the raised from the dead Christ spirit that God gives us won't get us into walking in the kingdom of God. We don't need anything on the outside to save us. Nor can we use anything on the outside to save us.
The Lord is at the other end of this walk, and he will reward us for walking it.
Luke 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. 22And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it. 23And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.
The kingdom of God is within the raised from the dead human spirit. We don't need to look anywhere on the outside of ourself for it. It is given to us by God. We have it!
We shouldn't follow false shepherds. They will give us nothing from God because they don't have it.
John 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 4And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 5And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
We should always be aware there are false shepherds that have nothing for us but still want to lead us about. The Lord calls us by name and continuously leads us.
John 10:26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Not everyone is a disciple and not everyone will receive eternal life and not perish.
Mark 10:28 Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. 29And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, 30But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
Jesus promises wholly following him will return 100 times as much now and eternal life later.
Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 27For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
We are to lose our life now, which we will lose eventually, and receive eternal life. Your new soul will want a new outside life anyway.
We will be rewarded for our works that contributed towards establishing God's kingdom. We will share in the family and glory of the Father and the son as sons ourselves.
Revelation 14:4 these are they who with women were not defiled, for they are virgin; these are they who are following the Lamb whithersoever he may go; these were bought from among men--a first-fruit to God and to the Lamb--
We are bought from among men to be first-fruits if we follow the Lamb wherever he goes.
Revelation 14:13 And I heard a voice out of the heaven saying to me, `Write: Happy are the dead who in the Lord are dying from this time!' `Yes, (saith the Spirit,) That they may rest from their labours--and their works do follow them!'
We receive an eternal reward for our works that the Lord accepts as contributing to his kingdom.