PRAYER: LORD, someone needs Your comfort right now. I ask that You put this person at ease emotionally, physically and spiritually. That You show their heart that You are here for them. That in this time of pain, maybe anger and confusion that they see that You are a loving God that they can turn to at anytime. I ask that Your Spirit of peace enters into their heart and the heart of their family members. That Your love pushes out any crazy thoughts and ideas that the enemy can suggest in order to cause chaos, even simple chaos. I rebuke chaos from their lives right now in the name of Jesus. I pray that they do not center their focus on "lost" but on what You can do and are doing in their lives. I thank You for Your healing. Healing in the most perfect way that brings about Your glory in the entire situation. You are a healing God. By the blood of Jesus I call forth healing into the bodies of those who believe in Your Spirit. It's by their faith that they are healed. I pray that their faith is in You and nothing else. In the mighty name of our healing God, Jesus. Amen.
MATTHEW 19:16-30 part 2
THE RICH YOUNG MAN:
Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."
"Which ones?" the man inquired.
Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder,' 'do not commit adultery,' 'do not steal,' 'do not give false testimony,' 'honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.' "
"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"
Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, 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."
When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"
Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"
Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first."
So, first thing first: What is God telling you to do that you're not doing?
Have you asked and answered this for yourself yet? It's a good question to inquire of God to reveal to you. There's a lot of things on my list. LOL. But they all come back to one thing, OBEDIENCE! Why is it so hard to obey? The strange fact here is, if it was easy-it would become about my works and not about needing my awesome Father in heaven. So I have to be thankful for my struggle. It continuously reminds me that I can't do this alone and with God I do have the victory. I need to stop allowing the enemy and the "inner me" to discourage and defeat me. Whatever battle I'm going through, I'm going to make it through, because of my God.
Returning to our above reading, starting at verse 17. In response to the young man's question about how to have eternal life, Jesus told him to keep God's Ten Commandments. Jesus then listed six of them, referring to relationships with others. Now let's put this in context. We're not to take this one quote from Jesus and think that these 6 commandments are the most important ones to follow. Jesus was speaking directly to this young man's situation. He knew the young man had kept all of these, as he confirmed that he did. Jesus told him that he must do something more-sell everything and give the money to the poor. Jesus' statement exposed the man's weakness. In reality, his wealth was his god, his idol, and he would not give it up. Thus, he violated the first and greatest commandment: "You shall have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3), " 'Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' " (Matthew 22:37-38). What has become the god in your life? What is the one thing you're not willing to give up in order to serve God with your whole heart and soul?
WHAT WEAKNESS IS JESUS EXPOSING IN YOU?
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