How you doin? I love being free. This means something new nearly
everyday. I'm always amazed at how familiar stories in scripture sound
different every time I read them. Today, we read Mark 10.
As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on
his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to
inherit eternal life?”
18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You
know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit
adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you
shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’[d]”
20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is[e] to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”
27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
28 Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”
29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (Mark 10:17-31)
WOW! This is some major scripture for me. One of my
biggest battles is choosing the Kingdom's ways over the world's. The bad
stuff is easy, but the good stuff is tough. I've been praying for the
way to get the keys to the Eldorado. I believe this scripture is part of
the answer. By desiring to follow Jesus, I'm learning how to give
things of this world away. Good things that is. The process has begun.
Mark 10:18, stood out this morning. I get the feeling this rich man was seeing Jesus through human eyes instead of Spiritual eyes. Mark 10:21,
got me the most. Trading riches on earth for riches or treasures in
Heaven. This where the rubber meets the road for me. Jesus isn't
suggesting sacrifice, He's suggesting a trade. My desire for heavenly
treasures is starting to out weigh my desire for earthly treasures. In
several scriptures, Jesus tells His disciples to take less or none of
the world with them to follow Him. I truly believe that wants us to have
our hearts desire, but first we must be after his own heart. Mark 10:29-30,
make this very clear to me. Jesus promises that we will receive a 100
times of whatever we've left behind. He also mentions, "persecutions",
just to be sure we're investing in His Kingdom and not the world's. This
isn't a business deal. Mark 10:31,
describes Spiritual paradox or the upside down Kingdom. As Ricky
Bobby's father said, "If you ain't first... you're last". That's
something to life by for worldly treasures. However, when it comes to
following Jesus, it will put you last. I want to be close to Jesus. I
want to follow Him with everything I'm worth. The Kingdom of Heaven is
like, "bizzaro world" or "upside down world". The things that work here
on earth don't work in Heaven. Choose heaven today. COME
ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PS I had to make up for that very short email yesterday. Just kidding.
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