My fellow brothers and sisters we do not belong to this world because YESHUA has called us out to be separate from the world. We live in the world but we are not supposed to be a part of the world. It’s time for followers of YESHUA to realize that we are sojourners which means a temporary stay, pilgrims, strangers, and aliens in this present life and will not be accepted by those who are of the world. Don’t seek acceptance from men but seek acceptance from our Father YAHWEH and His Son YESHUA!
Life on this earth is temporary and the sooner you recognize that this world is not our permanent home the better off you will be. Embrace and accept the fact that you will be rejected friends, coworkers even by family members who think that following our Father YAHWEH’s commands is bondage, legalistic, or even a cult. Those who speak such words are spiritually blinded and do not truly know our ELOHIM, but He is merciful, so continue to pray for them because on He can change their hearts. But to those who feel alone and feel like you are doing this in vain, keep going, remove yourself completely from the world and its ways and seek the citizenship of heaven and not the citizenship of the earth. The reward in the end is something the human mind cannot even fathom nor put into words.
Titus 2:11-13
“For the saving Gift of YAHWEH has appeared to all men, instructing us to RENOUNCE WICKEDNESS AND WORLDLY LUSTS, and live sensibly, righteously, and reverently in the present age, LOOKING for the blessed EXPECTATION and esteemed appearance of the great ELOHIM and our Savior YESHUA ha’Mashiach…”
James 4:4
“Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with ELOHIM? Whoever therefore intends to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of ELOHIM.”
1 John 2:15-17
“Do not LOVE THE WORLD nor that which is in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Because all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-is NOT OF the Father BUT IS OF THE WORLD. And the world passes away, and the lust of it, but the one doing the desire of ELOHIM remains forever.”
Romans 12:1-3
“I call upon you, therefore, brothers, through the compassion of ELOHIM to present your bodies a living offering-holy, well pleasing to ELOHIM-your reasonable worship. And do not be conformed to THIS WORLD, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you prove what is that good and well-pleasing and perfect desire of ELOHIM.”
Enoch 108:6-15
“And he said to me, “This place which you see: here are cast the spirits of sinners and blasphemers, and of those who work wickedness, and those who pervert everything that the Adon (Master) has spoken through the mouth of the prophets-even the things that shall be. For some of them are written and inscribed above in the heaven, in order that the messengers may read them and know what will happen to the sinners, and the spirits of the humble, and of those who have afflicted their bodies, and been repaid by ELOHIM; and of those who have been put to shame by wicked men, who LOVE ELOHIM AND DID NOT LOVE GOLD NOR SILVER NOR ANY OF THE GOOD THINGS WHICH ARE IN THE WORLD, but gave over their bodies to torture. Who, since they came into being, DID NOT Long AFTER EARTHY FOOD BUT REGARDED EVERYTHING AS A PASSING BREATH, AND LIVED ACCORDINDLY, and the Master tried them much, and their spirits were found pure so that they should bless His Name. And all the blessings destined for them I have recounted in the books. And he has assigned them their repayment, because they have been found to be such as LOVED HEAVEN MORE THAN THEIR LIFE IN THE WORLD, and though they were trodden under foot of wicked men, and experienced abuse and reviling from them and were put to shame, yet they blessed Me. And now I will summon the spirits of the good who belong to the generation of light, and I will transform those who were born in darkness, who in the flesh were not repaid with such honor as their faith deserved. And I will bring forth in shining light those who have loved My Holy Name, and I will seat each on the throne of his honor. And they shall be magnificent for times without number; for righteousness is the judgment of ELOHIM. For He will give faith to the faithful in the habitation of upright paths. And they shall see those who were born in darkness led into darkness, while the righteous shall be magnificent. And the sinners shall cry aloud and see them magnificent, and they indeed will go where days and seasons are prescribed for them.”
2 Timothy 4:10
“For Demas, having LOVED THIS PRESENT WORLD, has deserted me and went to Thessalonica, Kreskes to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.”
Don’t be like Demas who loved this world as many people do. There are many snares that believers get trapped in whether its sports, secular music, drunkedness, porn, cursing, horror movies, cars, clothes, money, fornication, partying, celebrating pagan holidays, dress half naked, cell phones, gluttony and all kinds of modern day idols. Keep your eyes toward those blessings and rewards that are laid up for those who forsake this world to receive better things in the next world! Let this be a reminder to seek the citizenship of heaven and not the citizenship being friends of the world.
Philippians 3:14-20
“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of ELOHIM in Messiah YESHUA. Verse 14-20 “For many-of whom I have often told you, and now say to you even weeping-walk as enemies of the stake of Messiah. Their end is destruction, their mighty one is their stomach, and their esteem is in their shame-they MIND THE EARTHLY. For OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN THE HEAVENS, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Adon YESHUA ha’Mashiach.”
2 Esdras 8:38-39
“For indeed I shall not think upon the works of those who have sinned before death, before judgment, before destruction; but I shall rejoice over the works of the righteous, and I shall also remember their SOJOURNINGS, and the deliverance, and the reward, that they shall have.”
Hebrews 11:9-16 the parenthesis are my commentary notes
“By belief, he (Abraham) SOJOURNED in the land of promise as a STRANGER, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise, for he was looking for the city having foundations (just as we await the New Jerusalem), whose Builder and Maker is ELOHIM. Verse 13-16 In belief all these died, not having received the promises, but seeing from a distance, welcomed and embraced them, and confessed that they were ALIENS AND STRANGERS ON THE EARTH. For those who speak this way make it clear that they seek a home country (just as we are in the New Jerusalem). And yet, if they had indeed kept remembering that from which they had come out, they would have had the chance to return (not looking back after you have gotten out of the world). But now they long for a better, that is, of the HEAVENS. Therefore, YAHWEH is not ashamed to be called their ELOHIM, for He has prepared a city forth them (The same way He has prepared a city for us to dwell for those who overcome, we all seek the same promise.)
Psalms 39:12
“Hear my prayer, O YAHWEH, and give ear to my cry; do not be silent at my tears; for I am a STRANGER with You, A SOJOURNER, as ALL MY ANCESTORS WERE.”
If we are citizens of Yisra’el and the seed of Abraham and heirs according to the promise, then that means we should be embracing that fact that ALL of our ancestors were strangers and sojourners on this earth. They all recognized that this is not their permanent home for they all sought the promise of what is to come. Keep your minds focused on that.
Psalms 119:19
“I am a SOJOURNER in the earth; do not hide Your Commands from me.”
1 Chronicles 29:15
“For we are SOJOURNERS and PILGRIMS before You, as were ALL of ancestors; our days on earth are as a shadow, and without permanence.”
Colossians 3:1-2
“If, then, you were raised with Messiah, seek those which are above, where Messiah is, seated at the right hand of YAHWEH. Mind those ABOVE, NOT THOSE ON THE EARTH.”
2 Corinthians 4:7-18
“And we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the excellence of the power might be of ELOHIM, and not of us-being hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; being perplexed, but not in despair; being persecuted, but not forsaken; being thrown down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Master YESHUA, that the life of YESHUA might also be manifested in our body. Verse 16-17 “Therefore we do not lose heart, but even if our outward man is perishing, yet that within is being renewed day by day. For this SLIGHT MOMENTARY PRESSURE, is working for us a far more exceeding and EVERLASTING WEIGHT OF ESTEEM. WE ARE NOT LOOKING ON WHAT IS SEEN, BUT ON WHAT IS NOT SEEN. For what is seen passes away, but what is not seen is EVERLASTING.”
2 Corinthians 5:1-7
“For we know that if the tent of our earthy house, is destroyed, we have a building from ELOHIM, a house not made with hands, everlasting in the heavens. For indeed in this we groan, longing to put on our dwelling which is from heaven, so that, having put it on, we shall not be found naked. For indeed, we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to put it off, but to put on, so that what is to die might swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this same purpose is ELOHIM, who has given us the Spirit as a pledge of WHAT IS TO COME. Therefore being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Master-for we walk by belief, not by sight…”
2 Esdras 7:1-16
“And when I had finished speaking these words, the messenger who had been sent to me the nights before was sent to me. And he said to me, “Rise, Ezra, and hear the words that I have come to tell you.” And I said, “Speak on, my master.” Then he said to me, “The Sea is put in a wide place, that it might be deep and great. But if it were that the entrance were narrow, and like a river; who then could go into the sea to look upon it, and to navigate it? If he did no go through the narrow, how could he come to the wide? There is also another example: a city is built, and put on a broad field, and is filled with all good. Its entrance is narrow, and is put in a dangerous place to fall, so there is a fire on the right hand, and a deep moat on the left, and only one path between them both, even between the fire and the water, so narrow that only one man could go through at once. If this city now were given to a man as an inheritance, if he should never pass the danger placed before it, how shall he receive his inheritance? And I said, “It is so, master. “Then he said to me, “So also is Yisra’els portion. Because for their sakes I made the world; and when Adam transgressed My Laws, then what is now done was established. Then the entrances of this world were made narrow, full of sorrow and hardship. They are but few and evil, full of dangers and very laborsome. For the entrances of the greater world were wide and sure, and brought for incorruptible fruit. If then those who live do not strive to go through these distresses and futilities, they shall NEVER RECEIVE THAT WHICH IS LAID UP FOR THEM. Now therefore why do you worry yourself, seeing you are but a corruptible man? And why are you disturbed, for you are only mortal? Why have you not considered in your heart THAT WHICH IS TO COME, rather than that which is present?”
How can you receive your inheritance of eternal life, if you don’t go through the hardships in this life by entering the narrow gate that YESHUA spoke of in Mathew 7:13? Having one foot in the world and one foot serving YAHWEH is luke warmness and there is nothing distressing about that. Endure the hardships and reject the things of the world because there is treasure laid up for you. Due to Adams sin we became strangers in this life and we have to overcome through YESHUA and be led by the RUACH ha’Kodesh.
This will cost everything!
2 Corinthians 5:15
“And He died for all, that those who live SHOULD NO LONGER LIVE FOR THEMSELVES, but for Him who died for them and was raised.”
By no longer living for yourself, but rather living for YESHUA who died and rose again, means you have died to your fleshly desires and refrain from the thought of living your best life now because you have become a new creature.. No one who is a new creature and transformed by the blood of YESHUA continues to live in the world as the unbelievers do. Rather, they reject the things of this world to be filled with the guidelines and instructions that please our Father YAHWEH!
We choose to die to self in this life to gain the better reward in the next life, so choose the heavenly food! Even if you have to separate yourself from family and friends because they think you are crazy; or they believe that you are in a cult simply for being obedient to our ELOHIM. When you remove yourself from this world and its evil holidays and the lusts of this world, you can expect to be rejected and possibly be alone. This walk isn’t easy and you will never be alone because YESHUA is with you every step of the way. YESHUA words should pierce the hearts of many who are still holding on to this world or the people in it more than Him:
Luke 14:26-33
“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his dad and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, and his own life too, he is unable to be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his stake and come after Me is unable to be My disciple. Verse 33 “So, then, every one of you who does not give up all that he has is unable to be My disciple.”
You have to make this decision to get out of the world and stick with it for life. Most of your family and friends won’t understand why you have chosen this hard pressed path that leads to life because most people mainly Christians can’t fathom giving up everything in this life and completely dying to their own desires to completely live for YESHUA! How can this be?
1 John 3:1-2
“See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of ELOHIM! For this reason the world does not know us because it did not know Him. Beloved ones, now we are children of ELOHIM. And it has not yet been revealed what we should be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone having this expectation in Him cleanses himself, as He is clean.”
John 15:18-19
“If the world hates you, know that it hated Me before you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, yet I chose you out of the world, for that reason the world hates you.”
John 17:13-14
“And now I come to You. And I speak these in the world, so that they have My joy completed in them. I have given them Your Word, and the world hated them because they are not of the world, as I am not of the world.”
In conclusion, expect to be hated in this world, expect to give up everything in this world, and expect to be a stranger and sojourner because we are not of this world. But know that citizenship in the next world will be no comparison to those who hold onto to the present world.
2 Esdras 4:24-27
“And we pass away out of the world as grasshoppers, and our life is astonishment and fear, and we are not worthy to obtain kindness. What shall He then do for His Name by which we are called? Of these matters I have asked.” Then he answered me, and said, “The more you search, the more you shall marvel; for the world hastens to pass away, and cannot understand that which is promised to the righteous in time to come; for this world is full of unrighteousness and sickness.”
May our Father YAHWEH bless you in YESHUA’s Name!