Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 346

December 12;      Mark 8:36;      36/260;      ‘Deadly Distractions’

Mark 8:36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?

Fame and fortune are things virtually everyone in the world crave.  In and of themselves they are not evil.  Their importance in your life could be.   Our enemy, satan has great joy when a person has fame and fortune.  Why would he give you something that is good?  Because if he can keep you distracted with the things the world covets, so that you have no time for Jesus, then he wins. If all of your time is spent on you.  Delighting that the lives of many others revolve around you.  Consumed with the stuff your fortune can accumulate.  If this is the case, you are absolutely no threat to the kingdom of darkness.  The devil loves this because he hates those you could be leading to Jesus, if He is the priority of your life, instead of yourself.  The Lord does not mind if you have nice things.  He is blessed when you do.  When you are blessed as a Christian and others know that you are a Christian and are blessed, it is a tremendous witness for Jesus.  Nice things, hobbies, other interests can be a blessing in moderation or a curse if you are so involved with them that you have no time for the things of God.  Put Jesus first in your life.  Be diligent to spend quality time in the Word of God and prayer.  If your priorities are in line with the Bible you will always do well.  If they are not, the consequences could be devastating, for you and for all of the people you could have led to Jesus and didn’t.  Life is not about us.  It is about Jesus and doing all we can to help others get saved.  Serve Him and love Him.  Share the Lord, lead others to Jesus and nothing the world offers can compare with the joy you have to do His work.