Your Refuge
“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.” Matthew 19:16-22.
Here was a man who believed in God. Who obeyed the Mosaic Law. Yet lacked complete faith in God. He trusted in his wealth more than God.
Now there’s nothing wrong with having wealth. It’s our relationship to our wealth that can cause problems. The apostle Paul tells us,
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 1 Timothy 6:10.
It’s the love of money that can cause problems and pull people away from their faith.
Jesus said,
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21.
As believers in Christ Jesus we need to truly decide where our faith lies. It’s easy to give lip service. It’s easy to say I believe God exists. It’s much harder to place your trust in God especially if you have wealth.
I strongly believe that we must put our complete trust in God and not our wealth. Joshua addressing the Israelites said this,
“Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.
But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24: 14,15.
Question, Who are you truly serving? Is your faith in God or the things of this world?
Please think about it.
“But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.”
Psalm 73:28.
Is God truly your refuge? Do you truly trust God to provide for you? Matthews gospel records this encounter between Jesus and a rich 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.” Matthew 19:16-22.
Here was a man who believed in God. Who obeyed the Mosaic Law. Yet lacked complete faith in God. He trusted in his wealth more than God.
Now there’s nothing wrong with having wealth. It’s our relationship to our wealth that can cause problems. The apostle Paul tells us,
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 1 Timothy 6:10.
It’s the love of money that can cause problems and pull people away from their faith.
Jesus said,
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21.
As believers in Christ Jesus we need to truly decide where our faith lies. It’s easy to give lip service. It’s easy to say I believe God exists. It’s much harder to place your trust in God especially if you have wealth.
I strongly believe that we must put our complete trust in God and not our wealth. Joshua addressing the Israelites said this,
“Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.
But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24: 14,15.
Question, Who are you truly serving? Is your faith in God or the things of this world?
Please think about it.
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