Couldnt do it...someone needs to hear this tonight......I was going to wait until tomorrow to share this but I cannot. Do you know Bob Lily, I must admit I didnt, but you probably do he was one of the greatest football players for the Dallas Cowboys. After 11 seasons they finally won the Super Bowl, not even 24 hours later he felt empty and ask himself is this all that there is. He strived to be the best and was, however successful that people become in their lives it is never enough without God in our lives. Without Him you always want more and dont know why. In Luke 18:18, the rich young ruler wanted to know what he could do to inherit eternal life. In Matthew it gives an account of this same story and says he was rich and young a ruler....ruler in the Greek means he was recognized as an official with authority. But he was running after a false god of success. What must I do to inherit, acquire, earn, eternal life. The gods of success make us try and earn our salvation. Jesus said to him...why do you call me good, reading on in Luke 18:19-21. If we could earn our salvation...we would need to keep all of the ten commandments and remain sinless.....no one has ever done that but Jesus. However the rich young ruler said I have kept what you said from my youth. In other words he was religious, he wanted a check list and check off the dos and donts and earn salvation. Jesus told him, he lacked one thing...sell all that you have a give it to the poor. In Matthew 10 it says that Jesus looked at him and loved him. No matter how many times you try a fill your life with other gods or idols, He still loves us. And the rich young ruler went away sorrowful....why because he chose his money over following the Lord. In Matthew 6:24 it says we cannot serve two masters.....most of the time the greatest biding for our hearts is money or connected to money. It is not that God doesnt want us to have money or possessions, He just doesnt want it to control our hearts and lives. If we love God and follow we will be givers.....it is not a money issue, it is a heart issue. So that money and possessions become idols in our lives. So you see the story was not about the young ruler being rich...but that his riches and possessions were false gods and idols in his life, he would not give them up to follow Jesus. What is it in your life that is separating you from Jesus being #1 in your life...what does it look like that God is asking you to let go of and let Him hold number 1 place in your life.....is it money, possessions, trophys, children, and I could go on...but you understand. He wants to be Lord of all....#1 in your heart and life. The gods of success are powerful....we think if we could just do this or that or have this or that, or if we just had this much money we would be happy. Not so! True happiness comes from God. What do you look to, to make you feel secure? What do you look to prove you matter? What do you look to, to satisfy you. What do you look to, to save you We look to these false gods for satisfaction....when Jesus is the only answer. In Luke 18:24-25 speaks of it being easier for a camel to go through the eye of an needle than for a rich man to enter heaven. Why because they wont let go of the power of success, its a trap if it rules our lives. Now back to Bob Lily.....after winning the Super Bowl...he was empty inside and threw himself into the business world at the expense of his family and he by the worlds standard he was successful, but not happy, still felt empty inside. Then one day his wife asked him to go to a Valentines Day banquet with her at the church where she and their children had been attending. He agreed and when they got there a couple spoke about their life and it sounded a whole lot like his life and his wifes. Being all-pro....successful businessman and very powerful...but empty inside, he began to cry and he accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior. One of the things he said was....the more you try to fill the hole with the things of this world the bigger it gets.....until you fill it with Jesus. Nothing could fill the emptiness in his life but Jesus. Wow what a message, what a Savior. The Truth will set you free and fill your empty heart, wont you accept Jesus now?
Posted on: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 02:37:46 +0000
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