Tough Love

Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lacked," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

Mark 10:21

What does money mean to you? Although Jesus wanted this man to sell everything and give his money to the poor, this does not mean that all believers should sell all their possessions. Most of his followers did not sell everything, although they did use their possessions to serve others. Instead, this story shows us that we must not let anything we have or desire keep us from following Jesus. We must remove all barriers to serving him fully. What if Jesus asked, could you give up your house? Your car? Your level of income? Your reaction may show your attitude toward money-whether it is your servant or your master. In addition, Jesus showed genuine love for this man, even though he knew that the man might not follow him. Love is able to give tough advice; it doesn't hedge around the truth. Christ loved us enough to die for us, and he also loves us enough to talk straight to us. If his love were superficial, he would give us only his approval; but because his love is complete, he gives us life-changing challenges. That is what God's love is all about.

God bless you,

J.H.

What Really Matters

Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God that dwell in the tents of the wicked. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.

Psalm 84:10-11

God does not promise to give us everything we think is good, but he will not withhold what is permanently good. He will give us the means to walk along his paths, but we must do the walking. When we obey him, he will not hold anything back, that will help us serve him. Serving the Lord and fulfilling our purpose in Him is better than any alternative on earth that we could possibly come up with. Where do we spend the bulk of our time? Where do we focus our energy? Is it in the things of the Lord, or is in the things that serve only to ingratiate our winsome desires? Wherever it is, there our heart lies also. We are relational people. Sometimes, we have to look at our relationship and attachment to things in order to properly judge our relationship with God. If we are too focused on one, then we are lacking in another. We must begin to focus on what really matters.

God Bless you,

J.H.

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Don't Give Up!

Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. O Lord, you are our God; do not let man prevail against you.

II Chronicles 14:11

If you are facing battles you feel you cannot win, don't give up. In the face of vast hordes of enemy soldiers, Asa prayed for God's help, recognizing his powerlessness against such a mighty army. The secret of victory is first to admit the futility of unaided human effort, and then to trust God to save you. His power works best through those who recognize their own limitations. It is those who think they can do it all on their own who are in the greatest danger. You must first surrender in order to win the ultimate victory. Let go and let God.

God bless you,

J.H.