OPENING PRAYER by Robert  

Heavenly Father, I come before you as a humble servant and lay before your Throne my petitions for your intercession on behalf of those who are seeking to work out their walk in your footsteps. I pray Lord, you fill them with the spirit of knowledge, Truth, Self-appraisal, the sense of acceptance. I ask Lord, you would remove from them the spirits of pride, self-indulgence, vanity, haughtiness, worldly lusts, fill them with humility and the strength to control their will. Give them an open mind to hear the teaching and guidance of the Holy Spirit with discernment and acceptance.  I further ask Father, you fill them with the spirit of boldness and the spirit of fearlessness. I pray in the name of Yeshua Amen and Amen.

OPENING COMMENTS “I KEEP UNDER” by Robert

 If you’re wondering about the comment “I KEEP UNDER,” it is a technical term the Greeks used when preparing for the ISTHMIAN games, which were the most ancient glories of Corinth. They were celebrated every second year and fostered the feeling of brotherhood in the Hellenic race.

The athletes to enter these games had to be Greeks of pure blood and done nothing to forfeit their citizenship. Scarcely any more significant distinction could be earned by a Greek citizen than victory in these games. These games were the greatest of national gatherings, and even when one State was at war with another, hostilities became suspended.

So what does this have to do with our drawing closer to Yeshua and his teachings? If you recall, I made reference to a Crown in the closing comments of “The Ultimate Distraction Is It Worth It?”

That casual comment is the premise of this article, and what we as followers of Yeshua who are seeking to get our walk in order are going to learn about what it’s going to take to remain in this current footprint and earn that Crown and what it represents.     

So far, our lessons have been to self-analyze our walk learn about our weaknesses and strengths, assess where we believe we stand and reinforce our decision to follow God and return to His laws as He has called us to do. Well, with the knowledge we have gained about being distracted.

The Holy Spirit is showing me we are now going to leave the surface part of our walk and delve into what makes us tick as far as our commitment to Yahweh and Yeshua.  

Remember, I referred to God having Moses lead the people into the desert; they wandered for 40 years to rid themselves of the false gods and temptations.

During that time, God removed two generations to prepare them for their entry into the promised land. Here is where we step away from the Worldly teachings, myths and temptations and get right down to the nitty-gritty.

Here is where the Holy Spirit takes off the kid gloves bringing forward truths we need to know, which is going to become a part of our walk but don’t want to accept or do anything.

The Holy Spirit is going to show us we’re comfortable, even complacent. This footprint represents our cleansing of those worldly temptations our Body continually brings to us.

This footprint is our 40 years in the desert. For those who have done the audit, you will understand, for those who have not read the earlier writings may find this information a bit confusing.

I ask you to go to my site romboughrobert.com start with the first article in this series, Truth will be evil, Lies will be Truth, and then the others to catch up. Each item is a step bringing you closer to recognizing your strengths and weaknesses in your walk. They will reveal truths as tools in preparation for this article and the revelations about to be revealed.    

Here the Holy Spirit shows that subtle statement about our Body being a temple (1 Cor. 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?) comes into play, he is revealing a truth known or unknown by all.

The Holy Spirit points out many are taking our bodies for granted and shouldn’t be, as they are a Temple that houses our spirit and the Spirit of God.  

The question then is, “How well are you maintaining your Temple?” Next question, “Is the lusts of your body in control of you, or do you think you’re in control”?

Here should be our best reassessment of our position on caring for our temple. As Paul points out in 2 Cor 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk-in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

What comes to mind is the closing quote I offered from Isaiah 35:8, And a highway shall be there, and the way, and it shall be called “The Way of Holiness.” The unclean shall not Passover it, but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools shall not err therein. 

I believe in that passage, Isaiah was defining the narrow path Yeshua spoke of  Matt 7:14 “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be to find it .”

To travel this road according to Isaiah on our part will take hard work, determination and a passionate commitment on the part of those who desire the life Yeshua spoke of, as well as the Crown, offered in the victory of finding the narrow path.

Even Paul realized this Truth:  In opening Paul in previous chapters of 1 Corinthians has proven his right to claim remuneration from those to whom he preached the Gospel, and he has also given his reasons for declining to urge this assertion.

He was resolved that no one should have any ground for misapprehending his motive in preaching the Gospel. Paul had another reason, namely, “that he might be himself a partaker of the benefits he taught” (1 Corinthians 9:23).

Apostle though he was, he had his Salvation to work out. He was not himself saved by proclaiming Salvation to others, any more than the baker is fed making bread for others, or the physician kept in health by prescribing for others.

Paul was resolved persistently to do, lest that by any means when he had preached to others, he should be a castaway.”  This goes back to my description of Hell as I see it; even Paul an Apostle feared it “Godly Rejection” and “Eternal Separation” from YESHUA  because of being Distracted by worldly temptations.

Reflecting on the start of this journey, God called us to return to His Laws, did you throughout this journey not wonder why He called us back? What purpose was there in having us do an audit? Well, I believe the answers to these questions are right before us here.

Those who have had an ear to hear and an eye to see are possibly realizing they may have strayed but may be off base in working out there Salvation and maintaining their walk on the narrow path. 

Hard work, personal honesty, commitment to finish and the knowledge of what will be available to those willing to endure and go forward is what the Holy Spirit is revealing.

The hard work will be first gaining control over your body and cleaning up the temple, so it falls under our control, not control us through the lusts of the world the Body desires. It is essential to acknowledge the Body was not created for pleasure. It is a temple, and those who defile it will suffer its destruction.

Paul mentions the one enemy, namely our “BODY,”; which must be kept under, thereby brought into subjection. By the Body, we are to understand fleshly appetites and inclinations.

These the apostle set himself to curb and conquer, and in this, the Corinthians and as well ourselves are bound to imitate him.  Note: Those who would pursue the interests of their souls must beat down their bodies and keep them under control.

There must be hard combat with fleshly lusts, and not indulge a wanton appetite, and want for heathenish sacrifices, nor eat them, to please their flesh, at the hazard of their brethren’s souls. The Body must be made to serve the mind, not suffered to be lorded by it. 

The Apostle Paul chose “The ISTHMIAN games” as a comparison because the contestants were pure Greeks. As we are discovering, we need to be refined in our commitment to Yeshua and our desire to follow God’s laws to obtain the Crown promised.

These comments should give you an expectation of what is to come. If you recall in the first declaration made, what the Holy Spirit revealed, I did not fully comprehend the expectations of my commitment. Now I am discerning, recognizing and understanding what he meant. I was missing the mark and didn’t realize how much or more importantly [why]. 

Paul had evidently felt this danger to be a serious one. He had found himself tempted from time to time to rest in the name and call of an apostle, to take for granted that his Salvation was a thing past doubt and on which no more thought or effort need be extended.

He saw in a slightly altered form this temptation was common to all Christians. All have the name, not all the reality. And the mere possession of the name is a temptation to forget the Truth. 

Here I am wondering how many reading this article have honestly found themselves falling prey to this very same temptation? The Holy Spirits words are now echoing somewhat loud in my mind, how much I didn’t understand about my walk.  

I know, we must work out our Salvation daily; however, for some reason, never fully comprehended the depth of those words or completely understood the depth of why.

I knew I had Salvation and desired to draw closer to Yeshua by creating a deeper relationship. I lived giving all my love to the Lord with my heart, with my soul and with all my might.

It never dawned on me the actual reason behind that effort; I never questioned why I just believed and committed to it, believing I was fighting the good fight. When in reality, I was like those in the games who fought with each other who prepared themselves by beating the air, Paul says there is no room for such exercise in the Christian warfare. He points out Christians are ever in close combat. Our enemies make fierce and hearty opposition and are always at hand. 

Isaiah made it quite clear there is a highway that can be travelled on, but only those who are fully committed to God can travel “The Way of Holiness.” Yeshua spells out what alternative route is available for those who can’t or won’t move. “The Way of Holiness” is quite evident in Matt.7:13 Enter ye at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. 

We have a choice about which route we want to follow. For some, the broad path will be their choice because they have stopped working on their Salvation (distracted), others are not entirely committed, and for many, they just don’t believe.

What the Holy Spirit revealed there will be some who believe they are on the narrow path but, in reality, are on the broadway as they go forward in delusional false teachings.   

Earlier I had eluded to the fact, I believe Isaiah was defining, how we could travel the narrow path which Yeshua described, and as well revealed why many do not travel this road, “the unclean shall not Passover it.” Now Yeshua’s words “and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be to find it” is beginning to make sense.

It isn’t easy to find this road, but once you do to travel it, you must be of an obedient nature following God’s Laws. Suddenly His love for us is like a flashing neon sign showing us, “here is the path to Life” it’s your choice to travel it.

But recognize there’s a huge commitment, one that must be fulfilled right until we pass into Eternity. Isaiah spelled it out the “unclean shall not Passover it.”

Here is the reason God called us to follow His laws (Ten Commandments as a template to eternal life) and fulfilling the challenge to obtain the Crown of Eternal life. Are you up to it? Note Isaiah said the unclean; I take that to mean those who are not always working to deepen their Salvation and develop a personal relationship with Yeshua, who is the only way unto life.

The words work out your Salvation are now becoming even clearer. Paul’s efforts to work on his Salvation even though he was an Apostle make sense. You cannot, for one moment, believe that your position in heaven is ever guaranteed.

The Crown of Eternal life is there for those who are willing to earn it through obedience to our Father’s call to live in His laws (Ten Commandments as a template). Happy am I that I heard the Holy Spirit sound God’s Call to Return to His Laws and, as a Watchman, sound the Trumpet about God’s Call to Return. 

CLOSING COMMENTS by Robert 

Having placed my foot into Yeshua’s footprint and having the Holy Spirit reveal this Truth about his sacrifice. It guaranteed I have Salvation and, as a reborn spirit, can live under Salvation. While working out my Salvation, the Holy Spirit offers an opportunity to receive a heavenly prize of an Eternal crown and guidance by the Holy Spirit to find the narrow path which leads to Eternal life with Yeshua.

Revealing just how much work lies ahead and what perils and hardships we are going to encounter and face.  “Remember, I said he was taking the kid gloves off.” “Well, they are off.”

“However,” there’s a feeling of peace, anticipated joy, and a sense of satisfaction. The Holy Spirit has opened my eyes as the past months have been a preparation period. So I would be prepared for what I’ve learned about the work involved to receive Eternal life and how much determination and use of my will it’s going to take. How many changes there must be in my life and personal walk and commitment to Yeshua. 

The Holy Spirit is about to show me what I didn’t know about my walk and what I didn’t realize I had blindly accepted. He is revealing a gap between Yeshua and Christians.

However, the Holy Spirit is also revealing that gap being closed, by using the discernment. He has brought to us over the last months, connecting it to our discernment and then applying it to those areas of our life and walk he is revealing which need His and our attention.  

Paul outlines the dangers of yielding to fleshly inclinations and pampering the Body and its lusts and appetites. He explains we need a Holy fear of ourselves and not presumptuous confidence, is the best security against apostasy from God, and final rejection by Him. As well as defining what Isaiah meant about “unclean”  now work out your Salvation is becoming clearly defined. 

To those who would win the Crown, Paul gives these directions: 

1. Be Temperate: Temperance must be continuous as well as complete. One day’s debauch was enough to undo the result of weeks during which the athlete had carefully attended to the rules prescribed. In comparison, one fraud spoils the character for honesty, which years of upright living have earned. Beware then of giving place to the world or the flesh at any point. Recognize that if you are to succeed in winning eternal life, all the spiritual energy discernment, understanding and wisdom you can command will regularly be required. You can’t be striking empty air; your blows must be sufficient at all times, keeping the Body under submission.  
2. Be Decided: To be among those who win as well as among those who run, we must know where we are going, and be quite sure we mean to be there. We have all some idea of what God offers and calls for. No man can run straight to a will-o’-the wisp. We must count the cost and see clearly what we are to gain and what we must lose by making for the incorruptible prize. We must be resolved to win and have no thought of defeat, of failure, of doing something better. It is the absence of deliberate choice and reasonable decision, which causes such “uncertain” running on the part of many who profess to be in the race. Paul set a personal example for us to live in the world but continue in the competition by not pursuing comfort, money, respect, position, but to seek first the Kingdom of God. Like Paul, we are to know where we are going and to what all our efforts tended. Paul shows every life is unsatisfactory until its owner has made up his mind what he means to do with it until governed by a conceived and firmly held aim. Then it flies like the arrow to its mark. He cautions we should not seek after worldly wisdom, which will lead us to foolishness and the broad way to destruction.  
3. Be in Earnest: In most Christian people, there is an enormous expenditure of thought and of feeling about sin; their spirit is probably more expended in the shape of shame, compunction, penitence, resolve, self-restraint, watchfulness, prayer. All this, were it brought directly to bear on some definite object, would produce a significant effect, but in many cases, no good whatever seems to result. Paul’s thoughts are the reason may be that there remains in the heart some reluctance entirely to kill and put an end to sin, to beat all the life out of it. The soul and life of every sin are some lust of our own, and while quite anxious to put an end to some of the evils this passion produces in our life, we may not be prepared to extinguish the desire itself. We pray God, for example, to preserve us from the evils of praise or of success, and yet we continue to court praise and success. We are unable to sacrifice the pleasure for the sake of safety. Therefore our warfare against sin becomes unreal.  Paul’s thoughts here reveal how victory will be accomplished by coming to the realization our Body is the real enemy instead of being his servant, it has become his master. The proper function of the Body is to serve the will to bring the inner man into contact with the outer world and enable him to influence it. Paul reveals when his Body presumed to dictate to his spirit and demand comforts and indulgences, and shrank from hardship; he beat it down. The word he uses is a powerful one: “I keep under”; it is a technical term of the games, and means to strike full in the face. It was the word used of the most damaging blow one boxer could give another. This unmerciful, overpowering blow Paul dealt his Body, resisting its assaults and making it helpless to tempt him. He thus brought it into subjection, made it his slave, as the winner in some of the games had a right to carry the vanquished into slavery.

CLOSING PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I lay before your Throne the gratefulness of those who have prospered from your teachings. I ask Father at this time for your blessings to be upon them and further strengthening their resolve to bring their bodies into submission.

I lay a further plea Father for your wisdom to flow over them, Lord bringing further recognition of the journey ahead as we follow your Son Yeshua’s footsteps. I pray in the name of Yeshua Amen and Amen.

Remember, I am only a humble servant of Yeshua doing His bidding as a messenger. In doing the research for this writing, I must admit I have been spiritually convicted and pray this message will do the same for you. Working out my Salvation has taken on a very new meaning and purpose. I want to walk on Isaiah’s “THE WAY OF HOLINESS.,” which is entirely up to me, so I submit this challenge to those who are reading these writings to desire the same a place on the narrow road. God’s blessings and strength be with you all.

Robert