“Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life,” 1 Timothy 6:19.

“My Kingdom is not of this world….”

Those were the Words of Jesus Christ as He stood before Pontius Pilate at His trial, before He was crucified at Calvary.

Jesus was saying that the things of this world did not matter to Him — that they were held in His eyes of little value.

He did not belong here. His Kingdom was a place of Peace, Love, Joy, where there was no sorrow.

This present world was not where He would exercise dominion, at least not at the present time at hand.

He said that He willingly laid down His life and that no man could take it from Him.

John 1:10 says, “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.”

Jesus knew that He was not ordained to set up His kingdom at His first coming. The first time He would be The Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.

When He returns the second time, He will be The Lion of the Tribe of Judah!

But, Jesus’ main message during His ministry on earth was literally that of “laying hold on eternal life.”

He proclaimed in Matthew 6:19-21,

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

He went on later to say,

“But seek ye first The Kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” Matthew 6:33.

All throughout His ministry, Jesus alluded strongly to looking past this present, earthly life, and looking towards The Kingdom of Heaven.

Matthew 13:44-46 says,

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”

If you study The Gospels of the New Testament, it is clear to see that this was the underlying theme of His ministry.

Almost every one of His parables was teaching a lesson in the necessity of preparing for eternal life. Paul said to the Philippians that for him to live was Christ, and to die was gain.

He admonished the Colossians to, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2).

He exhorts in 1 Timothy 6:19, “Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”

But with all these words of warning regarding looking towards eternal things, many in the Church today are hardly even cognizant of such.

Men’s eyes are on the natural things of life, rather than the spiritual. A Christian’s life should be focused on the attainment of The Kingdom of Heaven.

This should be at the forefront of their thoughts, their goals, their priorities, and what their life is all about.

The Bible says that, in the last days, men would have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof.

Never in history has this Scripture been so evident as it is today. Many in The Church are caught up with the cares and affairs of this life, when the Word clearly tells us that “no man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life.”

Today, just about anything can be considered a part of the Church as long as it has had the proper “Christian label” put upon it. Anything that calls itself “Christian” is accepted at face value. This should not be!

Men’s consciences are being seared with a hot iron due to extreme worldliness and lustful pursuits.

Remember that not everyone who calls Him ‘Lord’, will inherit the kingdom of heaven, but those who do The Will of the Father, who is in heaven.

As mentioned, many groups have a form of godliness, but are denying the true Power of God.

The Power of God is found in Righteousness, Holiness, Meekness, Self-denial, Bearing the cross, and hastening and looking unto the coming of the great day of the Son of God.

Whoever does these things purifies himself. But so many are going down that broad way that leads to destruction. They desire to go the way of the world while claiming to be a Christian. As oil and water do not mix, nor do carnality and Christianity.

Just about any type of activity, agenda, movement, you name it, is taking place today, while still referring to itself as Christian in its basic tenets and practices.

We have “Christian” political groups, family value ministries, financial ministries, men’s movements, “Christian psychology”, “Christian” comedians, “Christian” lawyers trying to win court battles and take back America, and the latest on the horizon–nutrition and vitamin ministries.

I don’t hesitate to tell you that these are not Biblically-based, God fearing ministries. If they were, their focus would be on pleasing God, instead of pleasing their own fancies.

It was Jesus who said that He would spew the lukewarm out of His mouth –– that He would rather have you totally reject Him, than to have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof!

My friends, I must tell you that the so-called ministries which I have just mentioned, are the ones that Jesus is making reference to when He refers to lukewarm.

His warning is solemn and if you are involved in this type of lukewarm Christianity, then you better zealously therefore repent while you still can.

God’s wrath will soon be poured out on this apostate world. (Apostate means falling away from the faith!)

Remember that “judgment must begin at the House of God!”

When people claiming to be Christians are more interested in the things of this world, than they are in the things of God, then something is seriously lacking in their walk.

Jesus clearly said that “no man can serve two masters.” He’ll either love the one and despise the other or hate the one and cherish the other.

My LORD Jesus Christ did not bleed, suffer, and die on the rugged Cross of Calvary so that His own could win court battles! He didn’t die, so that a “Christian” could be sitting in The White House!

Remember, His Kingdom was, and still is, not of this world!

He didn’t suffer so that I could be financially well off, and know how to manage my money. Matter of fact, He stated that He didn’t even have anywhere to lay His head.

That was the least of His worries. Nor did He die so that He could have a Church unto Himself that is more interested in self-esteem than in self-denial.

Furthermore, He doesn’t say that we need to be focused on family values and issues, but rather that we are to seek first The Kingdom of God and He personally will add all these things unto us.

It grieves me deeply to hear so many professing Christians, to be far more concerned over the temporal things of this life than in the eternal things which cannot be seen.

It is the eternal things that we are instructed to be looking at in 2 Corinthians 4:18.

“While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal,” 2 Corinthians 4:18.

In reality, God did not necessarily ever intend that we really even be happy here in this world.

This only results in seeking after more worldly happiness. Rather, if you look right above verse 18 of 2 Corinthians 4, we read in verse 17,

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” 2 Corinthians 4:17.

Then, of course, immediately thereafter, we see how Paul stresses the lack of importance regarding the temporal things of this life.

Please notice above what I said about worldly happiness. Worldly happiness can have a destructive impact on one’s soul from an eternal perspective.

What God does fully intend for His children is that they bear the fruit of the Spirit–the attributes of which are far greater than happiness.

He desires that we have joy, peace, love, gentleness, self-control, patience, longsuffering, faith, meekness, temperance –– The Fruit of the Spirit — against such, there is no law.

When we diligently pursue these traits, then we are walking in accordance with the will of God–striving towards perfection. There is no law which can be violated. All things will then work out for our good.

Happiness is not the same thing as joy. Joy comes about, conversely, as a direct result of sorrow.

“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy,” Psalm 126:5.

Happiness is of the world, joy is from God.

“For The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” Romans 14:17.

Happiness causes sensuality, worldly pursuits, lusts, and causes one to be more focused on this present life than in the life to come.

“These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in The Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life,” Jude 19-21.

Joy, on the other hand, brings about the knowledge and revelation of God. It allows one to realize that,

“Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him,” 1 Corinthians 2:9.

When people’s minds are on eternal things, they will have joy. When they are on the earthly and temporal things, they will receive their comfort from happiness in worldly endeavors.

Therefore, happiness is derived from worldly pursuits. When the Church focuses more on the things of the world than on the things of God, the end result is soul threatening.

Jesus exhorts the overcoming Church in Revelation 3:5,

“He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life.”

Bear in mind that Jesus is addressing this word of exhortation to those who overcome — not to the lukewarm, caught up in the world.

To the lukewarm He openly reproves,

“So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked,” Revelation 3:16-17.

Doesn’t that sound like The Church at large today?

“Hey, I’ve got money; I’ve got my possessions; my candidate’s in office; my family’s doing fine; I helped get laws passed that legislates morality; I’ve got the American Dream: — wife, two kids, dog, two car garage — you name it, I’ve got it. Yeah, The LORD’s been good to me when I’ve needed him.”

All the while The LORD’s saying, “You did all these things. But, were they for Me, or for you? I never knew you; depart from Me you worker of iniquity.”

It will be like those in Luke 14, that “all with one consent began to make excuse.”

The end of the matter will be The LORD saying, “None of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper” (Luke 14:24).

It is absolutely required that our hearts be bent on Heaven — that we lay hold on eternal life with everything that is within us!

We must clutch to this great hope as if we were holding onto a rope that was holding us over a swamp of alligators!

As we approach the last and final days, much deception and delusion is going to be sweeping the world.

Only the very elect will not be deceived! We must “give diligence to make our calling and election sure!”

A great number of professing Christians will fall away in the days ahead. The closer and closer we get to the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ, the more people in The Church will be falling away.

Worldliness, lust, greed, carnality, and a love for the things of this world will cause many in The Church to fall away very shortly.

Only those who have separated themselves from this world and have shut themselves in with God will remain. It is going to take diligence and a deep, sincere, committed walk to remain standing.

The Bible tells us in 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12,

“And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

Now, here is a Word from The LORD.

The only way that the people of God are going to remain exempt from receiving this strong delusion is by having their eyes completely fastened on eternal life, and not on the things of the world!

Please remember again, what Jesus said about His Kingdom being not of this world. This will be the only protection from receiving this strong delusion.

Know that, “God will not be mocked. Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap,” (Galatians 6:7)

Only the very elect will remain standing, and only the very elect will be, “looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God.”

Their treasure will be in Heaven, not on the earth. You see, my friends, how can we expect to know the times and the seasons and also the mind of The LORD, if our thoughts and focuses are directed at worldly endeavors.

Lukewarm Christianity will be vomited out of the mouth of God.

God Himself will send the strong delusion to those which have chosen to have other gods before Him–even if those gods appear to have a form of godliness.

The next time that you begin to listen to a ministry that has not mentioned within the first ten minutes, such sacred absolutes as the Blood of Jesus, the Cross, the power of The Holy Ghost, righteousness, holiness, Godliness, the Kingdom of Heaven, eternal life, joy, peace, love, Cross bearing, self-denial, trials, tribulations, suffering, strength, spiritual growth, The Coming of Christ, being found faithful unto death, loving not your life unto the death, losing your life that you might keep it eternally, being found worthy to stand before The Son of Man, etc., then realize that you are not listening to a ministry at all.

You are heaping unto yourselves teachers having itching ears, (2 Timothy 4:3).

You are receiving strong delusion.

You are listening to a counterfeit ministry personally orchestrated by Satan, who “transforms himself into an angel of light.”

You could be setting yourself up to be one of those “in the latter times which shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” (2 Timothy 4:1).

The LORD cometh soon, Saints! Make your callings and elections sure! Hold on unto the end and He will give you the crown of life!

Blessed be The Name of The LORD!

 

~ Rich Fyke

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Rich Fyke of Eternal Life Ministries is a watchmen, pastor, and Bible teacher, with a specific calling to wake up the end time Church. His desire is to prepare the people of God for The Coming of The LORD and for the things leading up to His Coming.
Eternal Life Ministries also operates on YouTube and Facebook.

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