December 8th: Mark 8:35-37 -- GAIN OR LOSS?

“POINTS TO PONDER” – December 8th
Written by M. Hall
Please feel free to agree or disagree with points made, and feel free to comment if so desired.
If you would like, you could write your own thoughts on the verse of the day, and include that in your own comments below. Thank you and may you be blessed!! =)

GAIN OR LOSS? Your choice...

“For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mark 8:35-37 NIV

Losing and gaining… what a challenge. We just finished watching the BIGGEST LOSER FINALE, and it sure is a challenge to gain weight, and then to lose it. One of the past winners has unfortunately gained a lot of his weight back, and is now working on a personal challenge to be thin again for the finale of next season’s B.L. WOW! Winning and losing, it’s one of the only times you have to lose to win. CONGRATS to DANNY this season’s Biggest Loser, we were totally cheering for you! This has all got me thinking about this above verse in the Bible, about losing & gaining. What good is it to gain the whole world, yet lose my soul? Jesus means the world to me, and He is so much better than ANYTHING that the world can offer. Knowing Jesus as my King is the best gift ever!

We need to humble our own lives, and choose to pick up the life that God has for us. His will and His ways are so much better for us, then our own. However, sometimes we let our own fleshly desires take over, and slowly that kills us. Just like on Biggest Loser, we all allow our flesh to take over, and we feed it with so much food and stress, and we gain the world’s weight, and are closer to dying than really living. BUT… through Jesus we can live again! We can lose the world and gain an eternal life with Jesus. WOW! What an opportunity, and what a choice to make. Some people make the choice easily, and choose as a young person. Others however, it takes a lot to overcome the desires that the world throws at us, and some even choose not believe, and therefore have eternal death! It seems like an easy decision to me, but I guess that’s because I was one of those who chose this decision as a young person. At the age of 5, I chose to allow Jesus to have a special part in my life. Some people think that children should not be able to fully make that decision, because they do not understand, but they do. They understand a lot more than we give them credit for. Those are the years where the mind-shaping begins, and they need to be taught the truth. I think that’s part of the reason I love being a teacher so much. I love sharing Jesus with them, and having them understand who He is, and what He has done for them, and what He can still do for them.

The world has nothing really to offer us, and we have to come to accept that. No matter if the world offered me millions of dollars, I would still choose Jesus. No matter if someone had a gun to my head, or any other of the brutal things that have happened to Christians past, I would still choose Jesus! Good or bad, I choose to lose… lose the world and gain eternal life… gain the Heavenly blessings or lose the material blessings?

Really, what is more important in the end?

His PRESENCE or the PRESENTS the world has to offer?

“But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.” Philippians 3:7-9

Rubbish… I consider them rubbish. That is trash, garbage, things that are not important. WOW! Considering everything loss compared to the greatness of knowing Christ! Do you know this feeling? If not, then take time now to look at your life, and give it all to Christ. Lay it at the foot of His cross. He is not on that cross anymore, He has risen, and He sits at the right hand of the Father in Heaven. He is there petitioning for us, or in easier terms, telling the Father what we are asking for. He is the go-between, the gate for us to enter into the throne-room of our Heavenly Father. Thank you Lord!

I pray right now that as you read these words, that you are inspired to LOSE the things of this world, and to GAIN the Heavenly blessings that God wants to share with you today! Stop trying to gain the world, and what it has to offer you… your soul is much more important, and worth way more than that!

PRAYER: God in Heaven, we thank You for your unconditional love for us, that while we were still sinners You sent Your Son to die for us. Through You we can live that life of righteousness through our faith in Christ. Help us now turn to You, and to desire the things that You want for us and our families. Encourage us in times of trials where we look to our circumstances (like the recession, or job loss, or physical problems, etc…) and help us to look to you, our Saviour and Redeemer. As this Christmas season approaches, remind us of how Your Son humbled Himself and came to earth just for us. WOW! You and He want the best for us, and You have way more blessings up Your sleeve for us, if only we step out in faith. There is so much that You want to pour out on Your children, if only we converse with You in daily prayer, hear from You when we read Your Word daily, and if we seek Your face, and not the things from the world. Help us to love others like You love us, and not place conditions on our love. Guide us and direct us with Your Holy Spirit.
In Jesus’ precious name,
AMEN!

GOD BLESS YOU!