Hello to you on this rainy Sunday afternoon. Today has been uneventful. This morning was church. I sat with my friends in our usual spot in row J. I like that spot because the floor is more level and it’s easier to stand. My back was not being my friend today! I was surprised to see Jeannie with Roy who has gotten so thin. He is determined to go to church and she is kind enough to help him! I’m always glad to sit with them and my other friends Terry and Cecil. God is definitely at work in Roy.
Today we were in Matthew 19:16-30:
Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” “Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “ ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’” “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.
https://youtu.be/m9-eKzm_yWw?si=18iVnOyzP7r_39Vk – Money, Money, Money – Pastor Jason Boyd
The take away from this sermon is that God doesn’t want our money or possessions. He wants our hearts. Jason asked what is it in our lives that keeps our hearts from him. This question calls for reflection and thought. What do I focus on more than God? Honestly it’s my body right now. I used to do more until I hurt my back and had the Weeble wobble stuff going on in my head. Every day I ask God to heal me so I might be a more fit vessel. I wonder what would happen if I stopped focusing on myself and just focused on Jesus! What we focus on gains more power and influence in our lives.
To be 