BBD 09.02.13 Gaining the World (Classic)

#1 · September 1, 2013, 8:37 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on September 1, 2013, 8:37 pm
Posted by: theburningbushdevotional <theburningbushdevotional@...>

Visit the
Burning Bush websites:

www.theburningbush.net

www.theburningbush.org

The
Burning Bush websites have received visits from more than 170 countries.
Celebrating 15 years online since January 31, 1998. Since June 8, 1998 the Burning
Bush Devotional has been spreading the truth of God's Word to more than 14,000
subscribers across the world.

You can
leave comments/feedback about the devotionals at www.theburningbush.net.

There is
a translation tool on theburningbush.net website in the top left hand corner of
all of the pages.

The Burning Bush Devotional

14,000 Subscribers
to the Email Devotional

Classic from 2006

09.02.13

Gaining the World

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after
Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever
desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake
will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world,
and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and
then He will reward each according to his works." - Matthew 16:24-27.

Here is a quote from Jim Carrey that is a quote I think everyone should read
or hear and take to heart.

Jim says, "I think
everybody should get rich and famous and (get) everything they ever dreamed of,
so they can see that it's not the answer. You get famous and say, 'Well, if I
do just one more thing that's really successful,' then one more thing after
that, and then you just start getting tired of being disappointed in the
outcome as far as your emotions go. 'That was a fantastic hit, but what now?'
'Thank God I learned that lesson. Only a moment with my daughter will make me
happy, or having dinner with people I love.'" Talking about one famous and indicted CEO, Carrey says, "I think there's a giant God shaped hole in him that can't be filled,
and he's trying to fill it with money."

Solomon in Ecclesiastes tells us much the same: "He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; nor he who
loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity. When goods increase, they
increase who eat them; so what profit have the owners except to see them with
their eyes? The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or
much; but the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep. There is a
severe evil which I have seen under the sun: Riches kept for their owner to his
hurt. But those riches perish through misfortune; when he begets a son, there
is nothing in his hand. As he came from his mother’s womb, naked shall he
return, to go as he came; and he shall take nothing from his labor which he may
carry away in his hand. And this also is a severe evil - just exactly as he
came, so shall he go. And what profit has he who has labored for the wind? All
his days he also eats in darkness, and he has much sorrow and sickness and
anger (Ecclesiastes 5:10-17)."

Money, possessions, and fame is not the ultimate
happiness maker. Arriving on Success Boulevard does not guarantee happiness and
satisfaction in life. For some, it has produced exactly the opposite as is seen
with so many suicides among the rich and famous (i.e. Jimi Hendrix, Marilyn
Monroe, Kurt Cobain, Ernest Hemingway, etc. For a surprisingly long and sad list,
you can go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_famous_suicides
).

Christian suicide prevention help: http://www.christiansuicideprevention.com/

What will bring you happiness, satisfaction, and joy?

Jesus tells us this, "Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and
tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of
little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What
shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the
Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things
shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will
worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble (Matthew
6:30-34)."

Gaining the whole world and everything in it, along with
great fame, will not give you happiness, satisfaction and joy. Seeking first
the Kingdom of God is the only way to fill up that God shaped hole in your
life. You were designed for God and only in Him will you find life, the abundant
life.

That is why Jesus came, to save all of us lost and
hurting people and in the process to give us life, real life. "…for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost
(Luke 19:10)."

"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more
abundantly (John 10:10b)."

Copyright © 2006-2013. Ed
Wrather. The Burning Bush website has been online since January 31, 1998. On
June 8, 1998 the email version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.
Ed Wrather began writing devotionals in the early 1990s. The distribution of
these first devotionals was primarily through the Burning Bush Newsletter sent
to prison facilities throughout the United States and Canada.

Ed Wrather has retired from
pastoring full-time and has more time to pursue other ministry opportunities.
No matter what the size your church, Ed will come on a love offering basis for
a revival or to share his testimony in the continental United States. You can
make contact at edwrather@yahoo.com or WratherEd@gmail.com
View LinkedIn profile with endorsements at
http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=92988105

Prayer Requests: Many prayer
needs are posted at the Burning Bush website on the Prayer Request page. You
can also post your prayer requests there (Of course, I am always in need of
prayer - please pray for me.).

Please join the Burning Bush Prayer Group.
The group began in 1998 and is made up of over 300 prayer warriors. Send prayer requests and receive prayer
requests. To join send an email to: bbpg-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

If you enjoy the devotional please recommend it to your friends. They may
subscribe by sending a blank email to burningbushdevo-join@welovegod.org

There is a complete devotional
archive at the old Burning Bush website. Here is the URL: http://www.theburningbush.org/33.html.

You can unsubscribe to the burningbushdevo
devotional group by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-leave@welovegod.org and then respond to the confirmation email.

You may
subscribe to the html text group (Because of time constraints the devotional is
only being sent now in html format) by sending a blank email to
burningbushhtml-join@welovegod.org and you may unsubscribe by sending a blank
email to burningbushhtml-leave@welovegod.org and then respond to the
confirmation email. If the link does not work, copy and paste the link.

--

To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: burningbushdevo-leave@welovegod.org

Posted by: theburningbushdevotional <theburningbushdevotional@...>

Visit the
Burning Bush websites:

http://www.theburningbush.net

http://www.theburningbush.org

The
Burning Bush websites have received visits from more than 170 countries.
Celebrating 15 years online since January 31, 1998. Since June 8, 1998 the Burning
Bush Devotional has been spreading the truth of God's Word to more than 14,000
subscribers across the world.

You can
leave comments/feedback about the devotionals at http://www.theburningbush.net.

There is
a translation tool on theburningbush.net website in the top left hand corner of
all of the pages.

The Burning Bush Devotional

14,000 Subscribers
to the Email Devotional

Classic from 2006

09.02.13

Gaining the World

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after
Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever
desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake
will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world,
and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and
then He will reward each according to his works." - Matthew 16:24-27.

Here is a quote from Jim Carrey that is a quote I think everyone should read
or hear and take to heart.

Jim says, "I think
everybody should get rich and famous and (get) everything they ever dreamed of,
so they can see that it's not the answer. You get famous and say, 'Well, if I
do just one more thing that's really successful,' then one more thing after
that, and then you just start getting tired of being disappointed in the
outcome as far as your emotions go. 'That was a fantastic hit, but what now?'
'Thank God I learned that lesson. Only a moment with my daughter will make me
happy, or having dinner with people I love.'" Talking about one famous and indicted CEO, Carrey says, "I think there's a giant God shaped hole in him that can't be filled,
and he's trying to fill it with money."

Solomon in Ecclesiastes tells us much the same: "He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; nor he who
loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity. When goods increase, they
increase who eat them; so what profit have the owners except to see them with
their eyes? The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or
much; but the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep. There is a
severe evil which I have seen under the sun: Riches kept for their owner to his
hurt. But those riches perish through misfortune; when he begets a son, there
is nothing in his hand. As he came from his mother’s womb, naked shall he
return, to go as he came; and he shall take nothing from his labor which he may
carry away in his hand. And this also is a severe evil - just exactly as he
came, so shall he go. And what profit has he who has labored for the wind? All
his days he also eats in darkness, and he has much sorrow and sickness and
anger (Ecclesiastes 5:10-17)."

Money, possessions, and fame is not the ultimate
happiness maker. Arriving on Success Boulevard does not guarantee happiness and
satisfaction in life. For some, it has produced exactly the opposite as is seen
with so many suicides among the rich and famous (i.e. Jimi Hendrix, Marilyn
Monroe, Kurt Cobain, Ernest Hemingway, etc. For a surprisingly long and sad list,
you can go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_famous_suicides
).

Christian suicide prevention help: http://www.christiansuicideprevention.com/

What will bring you happiness, satisfaction, and joy?

Jesus tells us this, "Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and
tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of
little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What
shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the
Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things
shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will
worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble (Matthew
6:30-34)."

Gaining the whole world and everything in it, along with
great fame, will not give you happiness, satisfaction and joy. Seeking first
the Kingdom of God is the only way to fill up that God shaped hole in your
life. You were designed for God and only in Him will you find life, the abundant
life.

That is why Jesus came, to save all of us lost and
hurting people and in the process to give us life, real life. "…for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost
(Luke 19:10)."

"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more
abundantly (John 10:10b)."

Copyright © 2006-2013. Ed
Wrather. The Burning Bush website has been online since January 31, 1998. On
June 8, 1998 the email version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.
Ed Wrather began writing devotionals in the early 1990s. The distribution of
these first devotionals was primarily through the Burning Bush Newsletter sent
to prison facilities throughout the United States and Canada.

Ed Wrather has retired from
pastoring full-time and has more time to pursue other ministry opportunities.
No matter what the size your church, Ed will come on a love offering basis for
a revival or to share his testimony in the continental United States. You can
make contact at edwrather@yahoo.com or WratherEd@gmail.com
View LinkedIn profile with endorsements at
http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=92988105

Prayer Requests: Many prayer
needs are posted at the Burning Bush website on the Prayer Request page. You
can also post your prayer requests there (Of course, I am always in need of
prayer - please pray for me.).

Please join the Burning Bush Prayer Group.
The group began in 1998 and is made up of over 300 prayer warriors. Send prayer requests and receive prayer
requests. To join send an email to: bbpg-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

If you enjoy the devotional please recommend it to your friends. They may
subscribe by sending a blank email to burningbushdevo-join@welovegod.org

There is a complete devotional
archive at the old Burning Bush website. Here is the URL: http://www.theburningbush.org/33.html.

You can unsubscribe to the burningbushdevo
devotional group by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-leave@welovegod.org and then respond to the confirmation email.

You may
subscribe to the html text group (Because of time constraints the devotional is
only being sent now in html format) by sending a blank email to
burningbushhtml-join@welovegod.org and you may unsubscribe by sending a blank
email to burningbushhtml-leave@welovegod.org and then respond to the
confirmation email. If the link does not work, copy and paste the link.

To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: burningbushdevo-leave@welovegod.org