4 . Don ’ t love money Money in itself is not evil , but the love of money will always lead to trouble . Jesus said in Matthew 6:24 , “ No one can serve two masters ; for either he will hate the one and love the other , or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other . You cannot serve God and mammon .” ( Mammon is another word for money .) Jesus understood the power money could have over the human heart .
Remember , if we love anything or anyone more than God , we make that person or thing “ god ” on the throne of our heart , and that ’ s idolatry . On the other hand , if we will guard ourselves from the love of money , we certainly can do many good things with it . The key is this : control your money ; don ’ t allow it to control you .
5 . Don ’ t worry about earthly needs — trust God to provide It ’ s easy to get concerned about the things we need , but instead of worrying , God asks us to trust Him to provide because He cares for us .
Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:24 , “ Therefore I say to you , do not worry about your life , what you will eat or what you will drink ; nor about your body , what you will put on . Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing ?” God is a good Father , and He will never let us down !
6 . Spiritual greatness is achieved through serving others and being humble The religious leaders of Jesus ’ day thought that being holy or spiritual meant praying loudly for everyone to hear , giving money for everyone to see , and avoiding sinners .
However , in Matthew 23:11-12 Jesus taught , “ But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant . And whoever exalts himself will be humbled , and he who humbles himself will be exalted .” Humbly serving people in the name of Christ is the greatest indication of one ’ s spirituality .
7 . Losing your soul to gain the world isn ’ t worth it In Matthew 16:26 Jesus asked , “ For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world , and loses his own soul ?” Clearly , we have a choice to make : if we choose the world , we lose our soul ; but if we choose Jesus , we gain life !
But choosing Jesus requires that we live differently than the world : “ Enter by the narrow gate ; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction , and there are many who go in by it . Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life , and there are few who find it ” ( Matthew 7:13-14 ).
Living narrowly means that we think differently , we talk differently , we respond differently and we live differently than the world ( non-believers ). We must not blend in but honor Christ by standing out .
8 . If you want forgiveness , first you must give it Receiving forgiveness for a wrong you ’ ve committed sure feels great . But in the Kingdom of God , to receive forgiveness , you must be willing to forgive others . In Matthew 6:14-15 Jesus teaches , “ For if you forgive men their trespasses , your heavenly Father will also forgive you . But if you do not forgive men their trespasses , neither will your Father forgive your trespasses .”
Forgiveness doesn ’ t mean that what someone did to you was okay but that you ’ re releasing them from repaying you for the wrong ( which they most likely cannot “ repay ” anyway ). Releasing them frees you to have peace and to enjoy your life .
9 . Religion alone doesn ’ t make you holy In Jesus ’ day , religious people were consumed with following rules and laws that were impossible to keep . They were obsessed with outward appearances and looking good to other people . But in Matthew 15:11 , Jesus taught , “ Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man ; but what comes out of the mouth , this defiles a man .”
This was a radical idea at that time because Jesus was challenging the idea that it wasn ’ t certain “ evil ” foods that contaminated them but the things that came from inside them that made them unholy ( like lust , pride , hatred , and jealousy which led them to do evil things ). Religion and beliefs are no good if they don ’ t transform the heart .
Continue ….
Jeremiah 30:17
' For I will restore you to health And I will heal you of your wounds ,' declares the LORD , ' Because they have called you an outcast , saying : " It is Zion ; no one cares for her ."
4 . Don ’ t love money Money in itself is not evil , but the love of money will always lead to trouble . Jesus said in Matthew 6:24 , “ No one can serve two masters ; for either he will hate the one and love the other , or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other . You cannot serve God and mammon .” ( Mammon is another word for money .) Jesus understood the power money could have over the human heart .
Remember , if we love anything or anyone more than God , we make that person or thing “ god ” on the throne of our heart , and that ’ s idolatry . On the other hand , if we will guard ourselves from the love of money , we certainly can do many good things with it . The key is this : control your money ; don ’ t allow it to control you .
5 . Don ’ t worry about earthly needs — trust God to provide It ’ s easy to get concerned about the things we need , but instead of worrying , God asks us to trust Him to provide because He cares for us .
Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:24 , “ Therefore I say to you , do not worry about your life , what you will eat or what you will drink ; nor about your body , what you will put on . Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing ?” God is a good Father , and He will never let us down !
6 . Spiritual greatness is achieved through serving others and being humble The religious leaders of Jesus ’ day thought that being holy or spiritual meant praying loudly for everyone to hear , giving money for everyone to see , and avoiding sinners .
However , in Matthew 23:11-12 Jesus taught , “ But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant . And whoever exalts himself will be humbled , and he who humbles himself will be exalted .” Humbly serving people in the name of Christ is the greatest indication of one ’ s spirituality .
7 . Losing your soul to gain the world isn ’ t worth it In Matthew 16:26 Jesus asked , “ For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world , and loses his own soul ?” Clearly , we have a choice to make : if we choose the world , we lose our soul ; but if we choose Jesus , we gain life !
But choosing Jesus requires that we live differently than the world : “ Enter by the narrow gate ; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction , and there are many who go in by it . Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life , and there are few who find it ” ( Matthew 7:13-14 ).
Living narrowly means that we think differently , we talk differently , we respond differently and we live differently than the world ( non-believers ). We must not blend in but honor Christ by standing out .
8 . If you want forgiveness , first you must give it Receiving forgiveness for a wrong you ’ ve committed sure feels great . But in the Kingdom of God , to receive forgiveness , you must be willing to forgive others . In Matthew 6:14-15 Jesus teaches , “ For if you forgive men their trespasses , your heavenly Father will also forgive you . But if you do not forgive men their trespasses , neither will your Father forgive your trespasses .”
Forgiveness doesn ’ t mean that what someone did to you was okay but that you ’ re releasing them from repaying you for the wrong ( which they most likely cannot “ repay ” anyway ). Releasing them frees you to have peace and to enjoy your life .
9 . Religion alone doesn ’ t make you holy In Jesus ’ day , religious people were consumed with following rules and laws that were impossible to keep . They were obsessed with outward appearances and looking good to other people . But in Matthew 15:11 , Jesus taught , “ Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man ; but what comes out of the mouth , this defiles a man .”
This was a radical idea at that time because Jesus was challenging the idea that it wasn ’ t certain “ evil ” foods that contaminated them but the things that came from inside them that made them unholy ( like lust , pride , hatred , and jealousy which led them to do evil things ). Religion and beliefs are no good if they don ’ t transform the heart .
Continue ….
Jeremiah 30:17
13
' For I will restore you to health And I will heal you of your wounds ,' declares the LORD , ' Because they have called you an outcast , saying : " It is Zion ; no one cares for her ."