In this passage Jesus is being very blunt…we can’t work our way into heaven. No amount of riches we’ve amassed will do…no worldly commodity, can be exchanged for the gift of salvation.
Tag: christ jesus
Matthew 16:24 ” Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.’ “
Jesus would ask you today…”Are you willing to give up yourself for Me? Are you willing to put into proper priority all things and people in your life so I’m first? Are you willing to endure the afflictions and trials of following Me and My teachings? Are you willing to give up yourself…in order to find Me? “
Luke 12: 15 ” Then He said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.’ “
Jesus was warning us to be careful of forsaking God in the pursuit of collecting wealth. We don’t exist for the sake of hoarding riches…and we will never save ourselves by the amount of property we’ve amassed. Our trust can never be in gold and riches. (Psalm 62:10)
Revelation 3:11 ” I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
In John’s letter to the church in Philadelphia, he urged the Believers to hold fast to and maintain their saving faith in Jesus Christ. That still holds true today. The world and its strong lure is ever trying to take us down a path of destruction and death. But we are more than victors…having been given the crown of life…the symbol of triumph and eternal life.
Luke 11: 34-35 ” Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad. your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness.”
When you look into someone’s eyes…what do you see? If they’re lying to you and have a guilty conscience, you can usually see it. If when you look into someone’s eyes and see evil, you realize what it is…darkness and wickedness. But if you look into some people’s eyes…you’ll see Jesus smiling back at you. Their eyes are shining beacons of light and truth… their only focus, fulfilling what God made them for.
Psalm 88: 2-3 ” May my prayer come before You; turn Your ear to my cry. For my soul is full of trouble and my life draws near the grave.”
There comes a time in everyone’s life when anguish, grief and heartache takes over our body. We truly feel that we are approaching death…the pain is that intense. But we can’t allow the pain to overwhelm and consume us…rather, we need to allow the Lord and others to help pull us from the abyss…until the darkness subsides.
Mark 1: 16-18 ” As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ‘Come, follow Me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men.’ At once they left their nets and followed Him.”
There was not a moment of hesitation…not one look of disbelief or word of doubt that came from the brothers when Jesus approached them with His request. Rather, they left all, giving up any claim to their property…turning from everything they knew to follow a stranger. And with that decision, began a journey for them of fellowship, faith, and eternal life.
Ephesians 6: 17 ” Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
The Roman soldier’s helmet was a defensive weapon…covering and protecting the head, while the sword was an offensive weapon…used to attack the enemy. Each day we need to intentionally cover our mind with the blood of Jesus…asking Him to guard what we look at, listen to, and think about. We need to then take up our sword – the Scriptures – and armed with that Truth, we are then able to cut through the deception of the enemy.
I Kings 8:27 ” But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain You. How much less this temple I have built! “
This verse is part of King Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication for the temple he had built for the Lord. He doubted that the Most High would live in something made by mortal men…for God’s magnificence can’t be limited by time and space. While the Lord may not be able to fit inside a building…you’ll find He fits just perfectly inside your heart.
Matthew 11:28 ” Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Do you find yourself burned-out and apathetic with life …”Come to Me.” He says. Do problems have you laden down and broken in spirit…”Come to Me.” He’s saying to you. The Lord is there to lift those burdens off your weakened shoulders and allow you to settle in to rest. He wants to support and sustain you through those tough times…He doesn’t want you to go it alone. The Lord is calling your name…”Come to Me.”
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