What is the direction of your will? What consumes your time and energy?
Is it love for the world and the things of the world? Or is it love for
the people and the things of God?

We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the
brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. ... By this
we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought
to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world's
goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him,
how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not
love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. (1 John 3:14-18)

It does not say, "We know that we have passed from death to life
because we asked Jesus into our heart." How would you know whether He
accepted the invitation?[22] The validity of our belief is tested by
what we do[23] - by the direction of our will, not by what we think
or feel. It is according to whether we do the principal thing that the
Master said would distinguish us as His disciples:

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I
have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people
will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
(John 13:34-35)

How can you love your brothers just as Yahshua loved His disciples,
laying down your life for them, if you only see them once or twice a
week? Living your independent life insulates you from actually seeing
your brother in need (materially or otherwise) so that you can
comfortably withhold your life and livelihood from him and spend it on
yourself. But the true gospel produces a life of true community in
which it is possible to obey the commandments, the foremost of which is
to love one another - to lay down your life for your brothers each
and every day. It takes a community.

Apart from the common life of true believers dwelling together in
unity,[24] demonstrating that the love of the Father is in them,[25]
all that remains is the love of the world, and the things of the world
- the life of those who are...

...separated from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel and
strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God
in the world. (Ephesians 2:12)

So have you arrived at a conclusion? Are you a friend or an enemy of
God? Are you with Him or against Him, gathering or scattering?[26] What
is the direction of your will?
We would like you to gather with us in one of the places where He has
caused His name to dwell, where brothers are living together in unity.
Perhaps you didn't even know there was such a place. All our
communities worldwide are listed here. You are always welcome!

[*] For more on the name Yahshua, see What's in a Name

[1] John 15:14

[2] Hebrews 12:2

[3] John 13:34-35

[4] John 15:12-13; 1 John 3:16-17; Luke 9:23; Acts 2:46; Hebrews 3:13;
12:15

[5] Mark 10:29-30; Luke 14:33

[6] John 13:34-35; 15:12-13

[7] Matthew 6:31-33

[8] Romans 12:1-13; Ephesians 4:16; 2 Corinthians 5:15

[9] Ephesians 2:10

[10] Matthew 6:31-33

[11] 1 John 4:20; Colossians 1:24

[12] John 12:26

[13] John 15:12-15; 14:21

[14] 1 John 2:4

[15] John 12:25

[16] James 4:4

[17] John 12:25-26

[18] Matthew 10:34-39; Luke 12:51-53

[19] Matthew 6:24

[20] Even the Master Himself had to make this choice to risk offending
His earthly mother in order to do the will of His heavenly Father (Mark
3:21,31-35).

[21] Mark 10:28

[22] John 2:23-24

[23] John 13:17; Matthew 7:24; John 14:15,21,23,24; Rev 22:14 (NKJV)

[24] Psalm 133; John 17:20-23

[25] Romans 5:5; 1 John 3:17

[26] Matthew 12:30

Excerpted from "The Litmus Test" found at:
http://www.thelitmustest.org/friends-enemies.html