Gold vs Love

I receive many of my writings early in the morning upon my bed. This morning, I pictured myself holding out two hands and one was holding gold and the other God’s True Love. The gold was very beautiful and shiny and in the other hand was one familiar name, “Jesus Christ.”

I knew the gold could buy anything I desired, such as a chateau or cabin by sea whose waters were marvelously crystal clean in various blue hues and appearing to be pure and untouched by human hands. With gold I could buy any extravagant automobile I desired and hire a chauffeur to drive it. I might have a stable of the finest riding horse’s money could buy. There would be servants and maids to care for all my whims, all my pets and anything else my heart would desire. Then, I wondered; does gold make a man happy? If you put all your trust in gold, are you free from worry? Or do those who have it sleep good at night with peace? Do they worry about losing everything they have? From what I have heard, most do not get much sleep.

Then, I looked at the palm with Jesus Christ’s name upon it. The Son of God who was sent by God to be a sacrificed lamb for our sins. Scourging him tied to a post, it was common practice back then to first rip open his back until his bowels came out then, His blood began to gush out. The whips were made of cut glass and shells and called cat o nine tails. There were 9 whips to each set and before they slashed Him with 39 stripes the Roman army mocked him declaring, “Hail to the King of Jews!” They placed a crown of thorns upon His head, spat upon Him and plucked out his beard. Weak from His beatings and now unrecognizable he was commanded to carry His cross to a place called Golgotha. Because Jesus was extremely weak and losing so much blood, He kept falling and was unable to carry his heavy cross until a man called Simon from Cyrene was passing by was commanded to carry his cross for Him. They laid Him upon the cross as they tied his wrists and feet and the nails were pounded upon his palms and feet and when they lifted the cross the soldiers placed it into the hole they had dug, the sound of a huge thud was heard and felt while every main joint in His body was dismembered. He was placed upon a cross between two thieves. Jesus is the Son of God and He went through all that suffering for you and me. He was sinless and perfect in every way. On the third day He was raised from His tomb and was first seen by Mary Magdalene [Mk 16:9]. Jesus was seen by close to 500-600 people and continued to teach His followers about the Kingdom of God for 40 days and nights.  Those who saw Him and listened to Him were ecstatic with joy that He was alive. In fact, the Bible words it this way,

 “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”  Col. 2:15 kjv.

“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” Ber. 2:15 niv.

I like to think this was His way of giving those who plotted His death a black eye!

The religious [legalistic] people of that day who were scheming to put Jesus to death because of their jealousies and fears all backfired. Everything backfired like a boomerang.  They thought they were done with Him and all His talk about eternal life. Blind as they were, they did not realize Jesus was merely using them for our salvation, repentance, faith and the gift of GRACE for us who believe.  All for His Father God’s glory and our good.

Everything Jesus did was fulfilling Scripture that the Prophets had written down in the Old Testament.

You might ask,

 “Why did He have to go through such violence and suffering for us to have eternal life?”

I’m asking you a question. “Why do we go through so much suffering right here on earth? Why is there an epidemic of cancer? Autism? Suicides? Wars?”  I am not here to expose who is behind all these hideous events, but the earth is still under a curse due to the falling away in the garden of Eden. The Bible tells us that the last thing to go will be death itself. Jesus was the first fruit of eternal life.

God always requires a sacrifice. When we are obedient to Him, it is sacrificial. When we keep a closed mouth when we’d rather speak up is another sacrifice. There are times when we’d rather stay in bed and sleep instead of praying or studying is another sacrifice. Hands lifted up is a sacrifice of praise to Him.  He looks at the sacrifices in our hearts. Sacrifices are not to impress anyone, but because we love Him and want to glorify Him.

Gold vs Love. It is in your hands to choose.

Didn’t Jesus say, “If they persecute me, they will persecute you.”  

We go through sufferings because that is one way we learn the lessons he teaches us. Some of them are tough to go through, but if you have enough of the word inside of you, there will be His grace and faith to bring you where you need to be in His will. When you put all your trust in Him, He brings you through because you aren’t trusting in gold.

Our faith is tested, right here on earth. Are we going to be full of ourselves or full of His Spirit when that happens? The testing’s will always come, we must be ready.

 I believe He had to come down to our level for us to have a tiny fraction of understanding of what happened that day. Everything has to do with the motives in our hearts. Remember when He was placed between two thieves upon the cross? The thief on his left accusingly asked Him, “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”  But the other criminal rebuked him: “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” Lu. 23:39-43 niv.

Jesus will always read our hearts. He knows whether we are a sincere “good heart” or an evil-minded heart.” The theft on His right knew He was the Son of God and confessed it on the cross. He was rewarded by Jesus telling Him he would be in paradise with him right now! Today!

When Jesus arose, He conquered all death. Those who believe in Him and live for Him have transfigured lives. Every believer that you see is going through a transformation into the image of Christ as His children. Not cookie cutters, as we are all individuals with unique personalities that are God given. We are all walking miracles.  We learn love by doing and it takes a lifetime to learn how to love in the Holy way Jesus did. How to forgive quickly and allow God’s Holy Spirit to do the required work inside of you, that needs to be done. Not to judge others, but to use the discernment that has been given to us. Everyone one of us is climbing that ladder of knowledge, wisdom and understanding, but it takes compassion to absorb what God gives to you.

Scientists have proof that our hearts have our own small brain. Instead of the mind telling us what to do it is the heart that tells the mind. This matches the Word perfectly and explains so much. Does not the Bible declare for us to guard our hearts for out of it springs the issues of life? When we guard our hearts, we become the Overcomers we are called to be.

No matter where you are or who you are in your life, no matter your past or what you have gone through or are still going through; you have the opportunity to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God who went to the cross for your sins to be forgiven and for you to be set free from your past, all of your sins and yourself. You become a new person when you accept that Jesus in Lord. Everything looks new and The Holy Spirit begins a deep work inside of you.  

One of my favorite verses is: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Ga. 2:20 niv.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life, He who believes in me will live even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this:” John 11:25 niv.

You will never die! This means eternal life !

When you come to Him with the faith of a mustard seed, as a small child believing what He says, you will be saved.  

Pray with me:

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for your Son’s sacrifice on that cross. Thank you for moving me to read this article. Thank you for Your deep love for us. I do not understand it all and I know I have sinned. I need Your help. Please forgive me for [name your sins] ____________. Come into my life, my heart and take control of my mind, soul and all my steps. Lead me and direct me for the rest of my life. Today I publicly renounce all of my past and I choose Jesus. In the name of Jesus, amen.

If you have prayed this small prayer with a humble sincere heart, the Bible declares you to be born-again. If you do not have a Bible, you can either buy one or go to a thrift store as they give them away free. Hook up with a good Bible believing church and link into a study group who will pray for you when the tough times come. Welcome into the family of God!