Devotional 134

Oct 27, 2014 1712

Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” ([tippy title=”Matthew 4:17″ class=”” showheader=”true” href=”” width=”450″ height=”50″]17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”[/tippy]).

Nobody can enter the kingdom of heaven without repentance. Repentance does not earn us the right to become citizens of Christ’s eternal kingdom, it simply removes the road-block between us and the door to Paradise that Jesushas opened for us.

The rich young ruler had a huge road-block between himself and Christ’s kingdom, and that road-block was his money for he loved his money more than he loved Jesus. Jesus told him to get rid of this road-block, and then to come and follow him ([tippy title=”Luke 18:18-30″ class=”” showheader=”true” href=”” width=”550″ height=”600″]

The Rich Ruler

18 And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” 21 And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 24 Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27 But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” 28 And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.”29 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

[/tippy]). He chose, however, to stick with his money with the result that he never entered Christ’s kingdom.

Is there a road-block between you and Jesus? If there is, what will you do about it?

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