"So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'" And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth." Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."Mark 10:18-21

Yesterday, I shared from this same passage. But today, something even more powerful touched my heart about it -- and it was so humbling, I had to share it with you too. Yes, it's true that we as humans tend to compare ourselves with one another and think highly of our good works. And it is true that not one of us is good by God's standards and that our good works are like filthy rags according to Isaiah. However, seeing all this -- Jesus beheld this man…. and loved him. "Jesus loved him," it says. And then, only then did he tell him the hard-to-swallow truth. The Gospel is not just truth -- it is much more than that. It is the truth told in love. When we share this Good News, must behold, and truly love the person with whom we're sharing it! Brothers & Sisters, even to those who hated Jesus, He told it in love. How much more should we be sharing that way with our friends and family?? Jesus told the truth in love and that's the way we should strive do it too. Lord, help us! We want to love one another as You have commanded! Give us hearts of flesh for our hearts of stone and help us to truly love one another, that your Name may be glorified when we speak your truth! We want to do great things for You! ONE MORE IMPORTANT THING!

"So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'" And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth." Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."Mark 10:18-21

I can't begin to tell you. So many people I've shared the Gospel with have answered, "Well -- I don't need that, I'm a good person." No, we're not. We have a tendency to compare ourselves with our neighbor, thinking how nice or how giving we are compared to him or her. But none of us are good by God's standards. Our good works are like filthy rags, according to Isaiah. This guy thought he was a great guy. "Jesus, really, I've done all this stuff you say, even from my youth!" One thing he lacked, though. He needed to take up his cross and follow Him. Brothers & Sisters, we can do lots of good things. But have we truly taken up our taken up our cross today and followed Him today? It's time. Today is the day to take up our cross! Today is the day to give our lives for God's purposes and follow Him! ARE YOU A GOOD PERSON?

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."1 John 2:15

Have you ever noticed that when people are in love, they tend to forget everything else? Everything becomes secondary -- cars, houses, money -- nothing matters -- it is all secondary to love. Then, when they fall out of love, as in a divorce, all of a sudden those things mean everything! They argue about all the little meaningless things they ever owned together. Each wants it all for himself. The same is true with the Lord. Before we know Him, all we really have are possessions. But when we come to know God -- truly know Him -- those things mean very little -- we're in love! We're willing to give up everything. Those people who are most in love with God and filled with His love are the least possessive and the least materialistic. Brothers & Sisters, if we have been wrapped up in our possessions, we've lost sight of our greatest treasure! All that stuff means nothing. Let go of it. Return to your first love. Lighten your heart and fall in love again with the love of God! ARE YOU IN LOVE?

“The gods of the earth; and all the coastlands of the nations will bow down to Him, everyone from his own place.”Zephaniah 2:11

God knows what we think and do in secret. He also knows the actions of governments and kings…armies and businesses…atheists and terrorists. Nothing escapes His attention. And He promises to respond appropriately, in His time, and in His way. Those who know the Lord become sensitive to His Spirit and His Word, and they seek to conform to His will. But non-Believers don’t have this sensitivity. They tend to be governed by their personal interests and standards, seldom conscious of the eternal consequences of their actions. In his time, Zephaniah prophesied about the actions of many nations that surrounded Judah. God assured them that He knew those who had taunted His people. He promised action “in return for their pride.” In fact, “the gods of the earth; and all the coastlands of the nations will bow down to Him, everyone from his own place.” Zephaniah prophesied about “the earth” and “all the coastlands of the nations.” He cast a net over not only the world that he knew, but the world that was yet to be discovered. Wherever there were people, they eventually would bow down to Him. Wherever they were—“everyone from his own place”—they would know that He alone is God. Today, we are witnesses of the continuing fulfillment of this prophesy. Our perspective has expanded, and we see a world of many languages and cultures, many beliefs and traditions. Yet the Bible assures us that the day is coming when “the gods of the earth; and all the coastlands of the nations will bow down to Him, everyone from his own place.” We are called to serve Him so “all the coastlands of the nations” will know Him. Brothers & Sisters in your life, seek to do your part in bringing the Gospel to the whole world.

“When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.”Genesis 3:6

Satan’s ideas made perfect sense to Eve. While appealing to her senses, his arguments also seemed to be filled with logic. These ideas seemed desirable, and she wanted them to be true. Taking the form of the serpent, the devil promised tangible benefits from eating the fruit God had forbidden. In the process, Satan convinced her that there would be no penalty for disregarding God, and that God did not really mean what He said. Instead of being punished, her eyes would be opened. Eve willingly believed Satan’s interpretation. In her weaknesses and vulnerability, she was convinced that he was right. She never stopped to think about God or consider that she should ask Him about Satan’s claims. Instead, she became willing to ignore the Lord’s commands. Perhaps she simply knew that God would not confirm Satan’s interpretation. Reinforced by Satan’s encouragement, “she took from its fruit and ate.” Satan tempts each of us in similar ways. He presents us with ideas that seem to make sense, because they are consistent with our personal desires and we want them to be true. In these moments, we become vulnerable. Like Eve, we face the choice of staying true to God’s promises or listening to Satan’s crafty logic. As Believers, we are given these examples as warnings. We must be alert and realize that we will face the same kinds of temptations as Eve did. Brothers & Sisters in your life, remember that you will be tempted in many ways. These temptations may sound inviting and attractive. Make sure that you don’t just follow your feelings or do what seems to make sense. Always stay focused on God. If you have doubts, check His Word. Commit your questions to Him, and stay on guard.

If you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”Luke 16:12-13

It is natural for us to want our own possessions. It’s understandable that we would seek to be independent and live in our own homes. But Jesus said the way we demonstrate our readiness to be given our own things is through the way we handle things that belong to others. What does this mean? We remember that God looks at our hearts. He wants to see our attitude, not just toward Him but toward other people. He is watching us interact with a boss or a secretary…a neighbor or a store clerk. And He also looks at how we handle things that don’t belong to us. Are we responsible about things that belong to an employer? A friend? A relative? Yes, we must display responsibility toward material things that belong to others, but there is also another side to this. Jesus reminded us that we cannot serve two masters. It is possible to focus so intently on material things that we forget to seek first His Kingdom. We must not allow possessions, or the desire for wealth, to gain control over us. And in everything, we must remember that we are His servants. In your life, make sure that you keep the things of this world in proper perspective. Seek to have the attitude of a servant when you handle the possessions of others. Remember: You are demonstrating that you are responsible and faithful, proving that you are ready for God to give you the riches of His Kingdom. Brothers & Sisters show God that you have placed Him and His Kingdom first in your life. Be faithful with things that belong to others, and with everything you do.

“Therefore if you have not been faithful in the [case of] unrighteous mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions), who will entrust to you the true riches?”Luke 16:11

Jesus said it was very simple. We demonstrate our readiness to receive God’s true riches by the way we approach the small, practical things of our lives. In fact, if we want “true riches,” He said we can demonstrate that we’re ready by being faithful with “unrighteous mammon.” The Greek word here suggests wealth and property. Clearly, Jesus was describing material things. This means God is watching to see if we are responsible in the treatment of our possessions and the tangible, practical things of our daily lives. This includes our cars and clothes, homes and hobbies, jobs and finances. God cares about our appearance…the way we pay taxes and bills…how we handle our investments and bank accounts…and even the way we organize our desks, offices, and files. This kind of evaluation might seem like an unspiritual approach, and even the opposite of a life committed to following Jesus. But, in fact, Jesus was teaching that God looks at our hearts partly through the lens of our faithfulness in small matters. Indeed, who would entrust us with “true riches” if we are irresponsible in the little things? If we are not trustworthy with “unrighteous mammon,” we probably won’t be trustworthy with “true riches” either. Do you want spiritual riches? Then seek to be faithful in the practical things of your life. God looks to see what you do with your time, talent, and treasure. What are your priorities? Through these practical things, you demonstrate that you are worthy of trust and that the Lord can depend upon you. You show that you are ready to receive the blessings He has prepared for you. Brothers & Sisters Today, commit everything in your life to God. Seek first His Kingdom. Demonstrate your readiness for true riches by being a good steward of the things you have been given. And remain faithful in Sowing Seeds into His Kingdom.