To get caught up in the luxuries of this world is vanity and not worthwhile. It is a great place that we live in but to fill up our own lives with the best things, while other people suffer is not good at all. The things we accumulate may seem good for a time but you will always need something better as time goes on. Nothing good will ever last, unless it is founded on Christ the Lord. Only Jesus, our Messiah and King, can deliver us joy that never ends. His peace has the power to change the atmosphere. We are built up to know and do great things with the Lord in our lives. Wealth will never substantiate the love that Christ gives us. Everything will eventually fail us, along with our bodies. As Solomon said, 1“then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” The question is, are you ready to meet your maker on judgement day? Know this for a fact that our riches will not help us as we are judged. So why not give to your church and to the poor and needy? Step up today and get them some food, drink, or clothes for those in need. Pay the bill for someone that cannot. These are the works of God and counted as good in His sight. However, doing such things just to lift oneself up is rejected by God altogether. So when we do God’s will, let it always be out of the kindness and generosity of one’s own heart and remember to give God all the glory.
If we are seeking God and allowing His love into our lives, then we will love as He loves. However, our own love is temporary and does not make a lasting difference in a person’s life. That is why we must be in prayer always, that His love may come inside of us. That way, the people we meet will be influenced by God’s love that indwells inside of us. Showcasing this great love with one another will then fulfill God’s two greatest commandments. Those two commandments are, 3“thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment” and 3“thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Obeying God’s commandments is essential to our relationship with God and our fellowmen. Jesus even said, 2“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” Solomon also said, 1“fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Therefore, our duty is to learn and obey the One who gave us life. This desire to do God’s will, will pay great dividends. Not only will we develop a relationship with the Lord God through reading the Bible and prayer, but it will influence us to do what is right. That is to not covet what we don’t need and instead give to those in need and care for the needy. This is loving our neighbor.
Let us pray:
Lord God, we come to You now in all humility. Teach us God, on how to serve You. Our flesh is weak but You can help us fight against all temptation. Your armor helps us live according to Your will. We know that our own will power will fail us over time but You are able to build us up and help us resist. Yes God, we do not wish to be influenced by the evils of this world and fall victim to sin and death. Even the riches of this world do not compare to the love found in You. So we come to You for forgiveness and mercy. We need You in our life Lord. We need Your love. Come and shine Your light upon us that this love may indwell inside of each of us. We know that Your commandments are important and with this love, we are more than capable of loving like You do. Your love is amazing and it changes us each day that we seek You. May this same love come from us and into other people’s lives, that they may also draw nearer to You. May this love influence us to give to those in need, including our church. Guide us to those that are needy that we may help them. This we do in order to serve You, my King. We give You all the glory. We love You Lord. Amen.
Let us read the Bible:
Note: Any Numbered References, found above, are listed below.
1Ecclesiastes 12 (KJV)
1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:
3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,
4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;
5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:
6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.
7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
8 Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.
9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.
11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
2Mark 12:28-31 (KJV)
28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
3John 14:15-24 (KJV)
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.
