Gtcotr/ss022121
Every day or two I receive one or more texts or emails containing a link that will take me to someone giving a prophetic word for today. It seems many are looking for understanding of the times or direction for the future and some search for and listen to almost anyone who says they have a word, dream, vision, or revelation.
I don’t wish to follow in the footsteps of those who have missed it of late saying “God said” when evidently, He didn’t. God never apologizes for being wrong because He never is wrong.
Numbers 23:19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”
With that in mind, I actually have a prophetic Word from the Lord this morning. If you have been searching for understanding or asking for direction, you can receive it today. I am confident and I can definitely say, “Thus saith the Lord!” on this prophecy. Before I get to the prophecy, let’s set the stage as we continue our study in the Gospel of Mark.
Mark 10 NKJV
17 ¶ Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”
Matthew 19 and Luke 18 give us added details of this event. This man who came running and knelt before Jesus was, as Luke records, a rich ruler. By ruler Luke means that he was either a ruler of the synagogue or perhaps a member of the Jewish governmental ruling body of that day. He is a very wealthy man and from his position we conclude him to be of a notable family accustomed to power, privilege, and position.
Many scholars believe this man was young and it is certain he was eager and earnest in his anxious approach to Jesus. Both his address and his question show us what many believed about Jesus in that day. However, it also shows how people felt about heaven. It was believed that heaven was a place where good people who do good works get to go when they die.
“What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” he said.
18 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me
good? No one is good but One, that is, God.
19 “You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit
adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do
not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ”
20 And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.”
Notice what the scripture says about Jesus … no condemnation; no criticism; no rejection; no disproval. Jesus gave him nothing less than His full attention, heart-felt love, and honest encouragement.
21 Then Jesus, looking at
him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell
whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven;
and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”
22 But he was sad at this word, and went away
sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
23 Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!”
24 And the disciples were
astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children,
how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!”
25 “It is easier for a camel to go through the
eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?”
Their world had just been shattered. Almost everyone they knew was rich. They considered themselves to be rich. James and John’s dad owned a commercial fishing business and had hired servants; Matthew’s family were upper crust people who had the connections to get their son a very prominent position as a Tax Collector in the most fertile and wealthy part of the Galilee. The disciples were used to dining and interacting with people like Zacchaeus, Simon, Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, wealthy publicans, notorious sinners, and rulers of the people in every city …
Their question was in earnest … they were greatly astonished … If it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God … “Who then can be saved?”
27 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”
It’s not only impossible for rich men to be saved by their own merits, but also for anyone to be saved by themselves. As a group, Jesus said, rich people find it hard to trust God, they most often prefer their riches.
Peter is getting a little personally concerned about this time …
Bless Jesus’ heart. He is always having to stop what He is doing and deal with His disciples. If they weren’t interrupting Him, they were either asleep or missing the point. Now Peter is a letting his insecurities get the best of him here. He is wanting to be reassured Jesus wasn’t talking about him.
28 Then Peter began to say to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You.”
Remember I said I was going to share a prophetic word that would help you understand the times and give you direction for the future? Well here it is … Thus saith the Lord! That’s what it says in the next verse:
29 So Jesus answered and
said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers
or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and
the gospel’s,
30 who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time — houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions — and in the age to come, eternal life.”
31 “But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
Those who put their trust in riches, power, good works, or high positions will pierce themselves through with many sorrows for it is impossible to cover your sin with money or good works, let alone when motivated by selfish and evil ambition. Being first in this life means nothing in the next.
If
you miss heaven it will not be because:
·
Jesus
does not love you.
·
You
have not heard the truth.
· You are too poor to help others in their times of need.
You
won’t go to heaven because:
·
You
didn’t murder anyone.
·
You
didn’t commit adultery.
·
You
weren’t a thief.
·
You
didn’t falsely accuse or cheat people.
· Were nice to your parents …
If you miss heaven it will be because you refused to follow Christ.
Jesus told a rich man, who was a good man and a prominent leader in Jerusalem named Nicodemus:
John 3:7 Do not marvel that I said to you, “You must be born again.”
Hear the Word of the Lord! Thus saith the Lord:
“Many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
It’s not over … our hope is the hope of Christ that every rich ruler will leave all they have been given or achieved, (their title; their wealth; their power; their privilege; their position; their political affiliation; their personal and professional pursuits), to follow Jesus and come under His Lordship.
If this is not your hope and prayer, you may
not be listening to Jesus yourself. Jesus, looked on the young rich ruler,
loved him and had compassion on him and told him the truth. It is up to each
person what decision they will make but the future belongs to Jesus and those
who follow Him. Thus saith the Lord: “Take up the cross and follow Me!”
