I have lived my life seeking pleasure, comfort, not wanting to endure hardships. I would do just about anything to feel good, whether that was self abuse, drugs, porn, whatever would give me that euphoria I would do, and I realized that even though I considered myself a follower of God all my life, the truth us up until recently pleasure was my God. I through daily anxiety and denials have finally come to a conclusion on how to escape this life of pleasure and endless depravity, and the answer is God. Yes that answer seems obvious and a given but what does it mean to follow God, how many of us professing Christians actually follow God whole heartedly? How serious was God when he said narrow is the path to life and few find it, after all there are well over a billion professing Christians, but how many of us truly can be called children of God? Psalm 73:25 says, Whom have I in heaven but You And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. Can we confidently say we feel that way towards God? We are instructed to pick up our cross daily and to put our old self to death daily, every time we deny sin or something keeping us from God we crucify the flesh, saying God is more important than whatever it is you are getting rid of in your life. I do not believe we can work our way to heaven, for it is through grace not works, but I do believe we must battle sin and temptation daily. My question to you is what is standing in your way of becoming closer to God, is it your smart phone, video games, anime, and most importantly what are you willing to throw away in order to whole heartedly pursue God?
We commit to ruthlessly eliminating anything that stands between us and the joy, peace, and freedom of the Kingdom of Christ. Matthew 5 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. Hebrews 12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Hebrews 12:14-17 14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no "root of bitterness" springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.
