Scripture reading of the day

Mark 10:13-31

Once when some mothers were bringing their children to Jesus to bless them, the disciples shooed them away, telling them not to bother him.

But when Jesus saw what was happening he was very much displeased and said to them,  “Let the children come to me, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as they. Don’t send them away! I tell you as seriously as I know how that anyone who refused to come to God as a little child will never be allowed into his Kingdom.”

Then he took the children into his arms and placed his hands on their heads and he blessed them.

As he was starting out on a trip, a man came running to him and knelt down and asked,  “Good Teacher, what must I do to get to heaven?”

“Why do you call me good!?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good! But as for your questions—you know the commandments: don’t kill, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t lie, don’t cheat, respect your father and mother.”

“Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve never once broken a single one of those laws.”

Jesus felt  genuine love for this man as he looked at him. “You lack only one thing,” he told him; “Go and sell all you have and give money to the poor—and you shall have treasure in heaven–and come, follow me.”

The man’s face fell, and he went sadly away, for he was very rich.

Jesus watched him go, then turned around and said to his disciples, “It’s almost impossible for the rich to get into the Kingdom of God!”

This amazed them. So Jesus said it again: “Dear children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the Kingdom of God. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to Enter the Kingdom of God.”

The disciples were incredulous! “Then who in the world can be saved, if not a rich man?” they asked.

Jesus looked at them intently, then said, “Without God, it is utterly impossible. But with God Everything is possible.”

Then Peter began to mention all that he and the other disciples had left behind. “We’ve given up everything to follow you,” he said.

And Jesus replied,  “Let me assure you that no one has ever given up anything –home, brothers, sisters, mother , father, children or property—for love of me and to tell others the Good News, Who won’t be given back, a hundred times over, Homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land—with persecutions!

All these  will be here on earth, and in the world to come he shall have eternal life. But many people who seem to be important now will be the least important then; and many who are considered least here shall be greatest there.”

Sam’s Response.

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing the word of God.

Our minds will deceive us and discredit us. Through this analyzation ( a made up word) of the word of God, we can find ourselves doubting. We see the limitations of this world and forget that we have a Limitless God that created the heavens and earth. He has no limitations, yet we tend to box him in and in that place we are doubting his abilities.

In this world we are told that money will bring happiness, it is portrayed and fed off our greed. Greed is not a good thing. Show me any situation where Greed has brought Glory to God.

In the story above we see a man that was very wealthy and Jesus said you lack only one thing. He told the man to sell everything and give it to the poor.

What would you do if Jesus told you to sell everything and give it to the poor?

Once again, we see that this man’s unbelief in a limitless God caused him to stumble and fall away.

Jesus talks about money alot in the Bible. Why would he spend so much time on this?

Because he knew we would struggle with money. It is a great lure and there is barely a day that goes by that images and commercials and the internet are all telling us that happiness and freedom are found in riches.

This is just not true. Yet many of us, including myself have chased this false dream that says if you can just make tons of money than life will be good…

But As we read above, Jesus saw that money was going to keep us from following Jesus.

It is not that we cannot have and make money, but it is the heart in which we receive and give. Where is the focus?

I really sense that God has been wrestling we me on this one for a long time. To be used for his purpose self interest and desires need to be secondary. Our heart must be right and our faith also needs to stop putting limitations on what God Can do.

Until we come to the place where we completely and wholly trust God and our faith has been refined, then and only then, can God fulfilled and reveal our purposes.

Unwavering Faith..

Trusting God with Everything…

A heart for the people…

I hear him calling, come higher, come higher, Jesus has overcome the world and you can come higher, above what you see to a place where you can shine and be a light in the darkness. Come, Come to me.