By Andrew Williams – May 19, 2022
And Jesus called [to Him] the throng with His disciples and said to them, If anyone intends to come after Me, let him deny himself [forget, ignore, disown, and lose sight of himself and his own interests] and take up his cross, and [joining Me as a disciple and siding with My party] follow with Me [continually, cleaving steadfastly to Me]. For whoever wants to save his [higher, spiritual, eternal] life, will lose it [the lower, natural, temporal life which is lived only on earth]; and whoever gives up his life [which is lived only on earth] for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it [his higher, spiritual life in the eternal kingdom of God]. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life [in the eternal kingdom of God]? For what can a man give as an exchange (a compensation, a ransom, in return) for his [blessed] life [in the eternal kingdom of God]? For whoever is ashamed [here and now] of Me and My words in this adulterous (unfaithful) and [preeminently] sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when He comes in the glory (splendor and majesty) of His Father with the holy angels.
Mark 8:34-38 AMPC
Good morning fellow disciples.
Where is your focus? Is it on your life now or your life eternal?
Both lives are interrelated. The eternal depends on what you do in the temporal. How you live your life here on earth will determine whether you have an eternal life with God or not. Do you want to live eternally?
Then, you need to live your life here on earth in such a way that it pleases God. Become Jesus’ disciple and give up the sinful/fleshly way of living life so that you can gain the righteous eternal life.
Hear the words of Jesus:
“For whoever wants to save his [higher, spiritual, eternal] life, will lose it [the lower, natural, temporal life which is lived only on earth]; and whoever gives up his life [which is lived only on earth] for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it [his higher, spiritual life in the eternal kingdom of God]. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life [in the eternal kingdom of God]? For what can a man give as an exchange (a compensation, a ransom, in return) for his [blessed] life [in the eternal kingdom of God]?”
Use your life here on earth for the gospel’s sake and it will save you and give you spiritual life in God’s eternal Kingdom!
Shun the choices that will make you gain the whole world in this life, because you can never exchange it for the eternal life!