The Real Deal

Mark 8:^36-37 “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?”

R-E-L-A-X:AdjustYour Values. The question you need to ask yourself is, what am I trading my life for? King Solomon had everything we spend our lives chasing and this is what he had to say. Eccl. 2:^10-11(GN) “Anything I wanted, I got, I didn’t deny myself any pleasure. I was proudof everything I had worked for… Then I thought about all I had done, and how hard I had worked doing it, and I realized it didn’t mean a thing”[with emphasis]. If someone that has been with one thousand women says it is all vanity, it is true. Believe him. Just stick to your one wife, make her happy and you will be fine.

Key Question 4: Is it worthit? These things that you are killing yourself for, are they really worth it? You do not have to answer immediately; go and wrestle with it. Go and ruminate on it; is it really worth it? Eccl.4:9“This is the case of a man who is all alone, without a child or a brother, yet who works hard to gain as much wealth as he can. But then he asks himself, “Who am I working for? Why am I giving up so much pleasure now?” It is all so meaningless and depressing.”

R-E-L-A-X: ExpectGod’s care. Matt.6:^31-32“Do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat… Or drink… Or wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your Heavenly Father knows you need them.”I know we should save and I know we should invest, but security comes from investing in something that cannot be taken away from you. Even if all your savings is worth a billion dollars, it can be taken from you. But real security comes from what cannot be taken from you and that is your relationship with God.

Your relationship with Jesus is the only thing that cannot be taken from you, anything else can be taken away. Prov.14:³⁰(LB) “A relaxed attitudelengthens a man’s life”[with emphasis]. Wow! You want long life? God says just relax and your life will be lengthened. Someone said, “Don’t sweat the small stuff” and someone else added, “Realize that everything is small stuff; so just relax!”

Prayer: Lord Jesus, because You are The Good Shepard and my own Shepherd, I have all that I need, in Jesus Name. Amen!