"Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.
You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’
”And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.” So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich." ~Luke 18:18-23
When God reveals an area of growth (His calling and will) in our lives, it is not the kind of truth "bomb" that is meant to leave us desolate; unless it is to be desolate-bankrupt of hope in ourselves and to cast our hope on Him.
God
Christ did not say (nor does He say to us, today): "Fulfill this calling and as for the resources you need to bring it about, 'you see to it' ." (Matthew 27:4) He does not empty us nor call us to empty ourselves, die to ourselves, without granting His own provision and life, in replacement for it.
Oh, if only the rich young ruler...if only we...had eyes to see the Provision standing before us. Jesus gave a unique, specific calling on the young ruler's life: Sell all you have and distribute it to the poor. What was the Provision? It was Himself; along with the reward of treasure in Heaven.
When God empties us, He does not leave us in that state. When God calls us, He does not withhold the tools of grace needed to fulfill that calling. When God calls us to die to ourselves (our Flesh), He replaces it with His resurrection Life.
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"And Jesus said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?” So they said, “Nothing.” " ~ Luke 22:35
"Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him.The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing." ~ Psalm 34:8-10
"And Moses said to the Lord, “The people whom I am among are six hundred thousand men on foot; yet You have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat for a whole month.’ Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to provide enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to provide enough for them?” And the Lord said to Moses, “Has the Lord’s arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not.” ~Numbers 11:21-23
"Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?”But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him,“There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?” Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. " ~John 6:5-11
"Does the plowman keep plowing all day to sow? Does he keep turning his soil and breaking the clods?When he has leveled its surface, Does he not sow the black cummin And scatter the cummin, Plant the wheat in rows, The barley in the appointed place, And the spelt in its place?For He instructs him in right judgment, His God teaches him.
For the black cummin is not threshed with a threshing sledge, Nor is a cartwheel rolled over the cummin; But the black cummin is beaten out with a stick, And the cummin with a rod. Bread flour must be ground; Therefore he does not thresh it forever, Break it with his cartwheel, Or crush it with his horsemen.
This also comes from the Lord of hosts, Who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance." ~Isaiah 28:24-29
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Different Things God is teaching Me
SpiritualWhen God shows His love, mercy, forgiveness, longsuffering, and grace towards you...it shouldn't stop with you. You are destined to pass it on to others and reflect faithfulness and devotion back to Him as the Divine Spouse. Cover Art by Maria Oosth...
