JULY 09 JQ#19-5 “For what profit is it to man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26) The Jesus Questions

LIVING FOR JESUS --- Daily Devotional

JULY 09   JQ#19-5  “For what profit is it to man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26) 

365 Prayers to JESUS 

Jesus, Lord and Savior, the Lamb of God that was slain before the foundation of the earth, God very God who became flesh and dwelt among us so that You could Teach us by example how to live in this world that has been defiled and filled with the sin of disobedience. Jesus I pray that my life will no longer be wasted on self but will grow daily in Your Grace, Compassion, and Wisdom — Lord Jesus may I live like You  and Love others as You demonstrated and commanded. Lord, I know that to live like you that it means to “serve” others and to sacrifice self in obedience to the Father’s will, keep me centered in Your Will and walking in Your Light that I may know Your Way.       AMEN

The Jesus Questions

JULY 09   JQ#19-5  “For what profit is it to man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26) Jesus uses JQ#19 to draw our attention inwardly to our “spiritual existence” and when He gets us to consider that we have a “soul” He brings our awareness to focus on considering the eternal battle being waged in the world to gain control of each individual “soul”! The “soul” is eternal and the “soul” is who we really are ——— this can be easily proved by us asking ourselves simple “physical” questions like “will I die if I lose an arm or a leg?” or at each birthday we celebrate (or curse) we must ask “am I a certain age?” or do we believe that our “weight” defines us, or our bank account, or the car we drive makes us who we are? No, as soon as one reflects on that universal question “who am I and what am I doing here?” we are aware that life is more than the body, or age, or any other “physical” characteristic and that is why we embrace the concept of “spirits” for we notice “spiritual” concepts in others like “attitudes” and recognize that our bodies are just a vessel that is carrying who we really are and we declare cliches like, “Don’t judge a book by its cover” and use terms like “true beauty is on the inside”. The one thing we often overlook is that is definitely “spiritual” is our “emotions”. Our body is a “physical” entity that expresses what we feel in our “spirit” as we see the same body cry, laugh, jump for joy, and in the same body we can mourn or we can rejoice — all our emotions are “inward” and are “spiritual” and are displayed “outwardly” by our “physical” body, so the same body is not defined so much by our “physical” characteristics as we are really defined by our “inward” or “spiritual characteristics” and therefore Jesus has been teaching His disciples how to “live” and the lessons all deal with our “spiritual response” to our “physical circumstances”. The fact that there is a battle for our “soul” can be seen in both “what” Jesus teaches and “how” He has lived His life while existing in the flesh. Jesus had previously taught the disciples by casting out “unclean spirits” and gave the disciples “power” to do the same: “And when [Jesus] had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.” (Matthew 10:1) So we must consider that there were twelve different physical bodies for the disciples so it was not the disciples physical characteristics that were going to accomplish “casting out…unclean spirits” or “to heal all kinds of sickness…”  which we recognize as “spiritual issues” being exhibited in different “physical forms” and we should also recognize that to accomplish  healing of the physical and the removal of unclean spirits that Jesus “gave them power” and that “power” was not in the form of any “physical” characteristic, it was not in any “physical” form whatsoever, but the “power” existed in “spiritual” form only and regardless of the disciples physical description, they all had the same “power” which had to exist as “spirit”. Also we must acknowledge that each of us possess a “spirit” within us that is recognizable by others and in this scripture the writer Matthew uses the term specifically calling the problem “unclean spirits” so it is reasonable that to “cast out unclean spirit” that the “power” over them must be a greater spiritual power! There is precedence in God’s creation to let us know that this “Supreme Power” is of God because we read in Genesis two verses that draw our attention to the ultimate “power” and they are: “The earth was without form and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” (Genesis 1:2) The next verse is how God used His Spirit to fix the darkness, the emptiness, and the lack of purpose as we read “Then God said, ‘Let there be light’, and there was light.” (Genesis 1:3) So at the very start of everything “physical” we see creation being accomplished by the “Spirit of God” and that the solution to physical issues God brought forth “light” and please note that this was accomplished not by any physical feat but by God “speaking” and immediately it was so. Before the “sun worshippers” start giving themselves high fives we must ask, what was this “light” that God spoke and it happened? If we read the creation account we find that it was on the fourth day of creation that God made the sun and the moon so what was the “light” God spoke into existence on day one? If the sun and moon are “physical” lights then it must be reasoned that the “light” in Genesis 1:3 was created by the “Spirit of God” therefore it could be considered as a “Spiritual Light” and could this “Light” on day 1 be “understanding”?  Consider John 1:1-5   

JULY 08 JQ#19-4 “For what profit is it to man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26) The Jesus Questions

LIVING FOR JESUS --- Daily Devotional

JULY 08   JQ#19-4  “For what profit is it to man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26) 

365 Prayers to JESUS 

Jesus, You are forever “teaching” us of the Kingdom and leading us in paths of righteousness but Lord also keep us aware that these are done for “His name’s sake” and all that we do should be directed toward pleasing God by our obedience as You were Obedient, even unto death. Lord Jesus, the world is always pulling us into temptation by drawing our attention to ourselves so Lord keep reminding us to turn our eyes to You for You Lord always point us to the Father. Remind us daily that only God has created “eternal souls” and that it is God alone that will “judge” all souls and determine where that soul will dwell in eternity. Thank you Jesus for keeping the kingdom ever before us to open our spiritual eyes to the Truth of God and blind us  to the lies of the world.       AMEN

The Jesus Questions

JULY 08   JQ#19-4  “For what profit is it to man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26)  Jesus has “lived” each lesson that He has taught His disciples and Jesus uses questions to reveal the “Truth of God” by introducing terms and phrases that are “universal” in our understanding of things we live with in our day-to-day existence. Jesus knows all things so the questions are His Way to get us to turn our attention to things we know from the “physical” world and relate them to things Jesus is Teaching about the “Spiritual” world —Jesus asks questions but the reason they make so much sense is that He has lived out the Truth of the lesson and now He is opening our “spiritual” eyes to Kingdom Truth by drawing our attention to the “Way” He has lived His Life before them. With JQ#19 Jesus uses the term “soul” and He has set the term “soul” against the term “profit” and the phrase “gain the whole world” as He Masterfully gets our mind to consider something our hearts have desired from the world — “profit” — and as we are considering that with which we are familiar, Jesus hits us with a reality question like “OK, let’s say you ‘gain’ the ‘whole world’, but once you ‘possess’ all the wealth in the world you still don’t have ‘enough’ to keep from losing your soul?” One always thinks about what we could buy if we won the lottery and Jesus is saying here that instead of thinking about “physical” things we can “buy with money” that we should think about the “spiritual” things money cannot buy! The Truth of God is that everything was created by God, including money and wealth, but what we miss is that it is God that has also created “Value” and that is why Jesus has warned us repeatedly about accumulating “worldly treasures” (Matthew 6:19) and encourages us to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33)  as Jesus teaches that in God’s eyes we have “Spiritual value” and since God is Spirit (John 4:23-24) and Jesus is teaching us to consider our “value” from the “spiritual” viewpoint (see Matt 6:25-26 and 10:31) that we should consider why Jesus keeps directing our thoughts to our “soul”. Jesus has previously taught; {1} “It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teach, and a servant like his master. (Matthew 10:25) {2} “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him tho is ables to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28) {3} “Then [His disciples] understood [Jesus was teaching] … beware the doctrine of the Pharisees and the Sadducees [men]” (Matthew 16:12) Therefore in order to really “understand” the “value” of the “soul” to God we should not only listen to what Jesus teaches about the “soul” but we should look at the “Way” Jesus lived to understand “spiritual truth”, ——— or do you have a better “retirement” plan or insurance policy for the afterlife than the one being presented by God?

JULY 07 JQ#19-3 “For what profit is it to man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26) The Jesus Questions

LIVING FOR JESUS --- Daily Devotional

JULY 07   JQ#19-3  “For what profit is it to man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26) 

365 Prayers to JESUS 

Jesus, Lord Your Mercy is given new to us every morning and Your Grace is sufficient to take us through everything that we will encounter on our daily journey to the Kingdom. Lord Jesus, I do not know what trials, what tribulations, what temptations, or what mountain top victories that You have planned for us today but I do know that You have promised to never leave us nor forsake us and that You will take us “through” every valley, trial, and temptation safely so that we may have confidence that every thing works to our good if we but Love the Lord. Jesus, to You be the Glory and all Honor for Worthy is the Lamb of God that was slain, that we could be called the children of God!       AMEN

The Jesus Questions

JULY 07   JQ#19-3  “For what profit is it to man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26)   Jesus knows how to get our attention and I am sure that the “attention-getter” word above is “profit” ——— and everyone must deal with “profit” in our daily world and the necessity of “earning a living”. These are the “ways” of the world and it is because that we have been taught for generations that we now look at this term “profit” as “money” and that as  we read the verse, we think only in terms of how big our bank account is. There is a reason that Jesus used the term “profit” and even in my limited intellect I can see the advantage of using a “universal” term to gain “universal” attention to teach a “universal” lesson. The lessons that we miss though are the really important ones that are overlooked when we lazily settle for the “low hanging fruit” for we have also been taught by the world that “instant gratification” is the Holy Grail of getting “more” so we grab that which is most easily reached and can quickly be consumed so that we, like locust,  can consume as much as our voracious appetites  for “more” demands. Jesus, being the Master Teacher therefore puts a “universally” known term into the question along with a terms lesser known by the world in order to get our attention away from the “physical world” to the “spiritual world” and in the comparison Jesus shows us the “True Value” of what we desire to possess. To make His point, Jesus uses the term “profit” at the beginning of the question but the way the question is asked we must start comparing the term “profit” with the term “soul”! In our daily lives we are always thinking about how we are going to “pay” for things like food, clothing, shelter, and the “really” important things like vacations, TVs, cell phones, data plans, and computers but very seldom we think of using anything but “money” to pay for all our worldly stuff — in fact, we are so consumed by “making a living” that we fail to understand the term “profit” correctly or to consider the “true value” of our possessions! Our attention on the world and money is by the enemy’s design, and Jesus knows that He must open our eyes or we will be blind to the TRUTH that the “world and money” can’t buy anything “Everlasting” — therefore Jesus grabs our attention with the word “profit” and immediately teaches with the phrase “if he gains the whole world” which defines the true meaning of “profit” as “gain”. So in the question is the start of the lesson of “what is it in our life that we must address to make ‘true gains’ in our life that have ‘everlasting’ or ‘eternal consequences’”??? — Jesus taught His disciples this lesson several different ways and we read the advice of “the disciple that  Jesus loved“ and also the disciple that wrote the final Jesus Lesson: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” as John teaches what He learned from Jesus about the world: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world ———the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life ——— is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:15-17)  That pretty much sums up where Jesus is going with this “profit of the world” verses our eternal “soul” lesson and we see that’s it by the followup question Jesus asks “Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul” (Matthew 16:26b — second part of JQ#19) that Jesus has Masterfully brought out the true meaning of “profit” to get us thinking straight about our “eternal reality”. And now Jesus diffuses the “money” myth by asking us what we think we have of any “spiritual value” that we can “exchange” for our “soul” — certainly it becomes obvious that Jesus is teaching that all the money in the world is worthless when it comes to purchasing “eternity” and that our “soul” is “not for sale” at any worldly price! This is a very important question for us to consider — “If money is worthless in the Kingdom, what will we use to “purchase” our “ticket”? Surely Jesus has given us a clue in the question and don’t you think that it may have something to do with our “soul” since He has used the terms “profit” and “exchange” and followed them both with the term “soul”? Jesus always gives the answer for every question so let’s look at the context in the verses Matthew 16:21 to Matthew 17:13 and see what Jesus was teaching when He asked this question about “…what profit is it to man if he gains the whole world?” Do you believe, like me, that Jesus gives us the answer by the way HE LIVED? 

JULY 06 JQ#19-2 “For what profit is it to man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26) The Jesus Questions

LIVING FOR JESUS --- Daily Devotional

JULY 06   JQ#19-2  “For what profit is it to man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26) 

365 Prayers to JESUS 

Jesus,  Lord of all creation, Giver of Life, You Lord are Victorious over “death and the grave” and Your expressed “Purpose” was “not to condemn the world”, but through Your Sacrifice the world would be saved from our sins, sins which of our own volition curse our eternity resulting in our eternal separation from God but because the Son was Obedient to the Will of the Father and endured the Cross for the sake of the sins of the world, we now have the HOPE and ASSURANCE based on the Promise of God that turning from our sin and seeking God’s Forgiveness that because of the Great Sacrifice of Jesus we are FORGIVEN! Thank You, Praise You, and Glory to God for we have heard the Words of Victory shouted out from that Cross, “It is FINISHED!!!”     AMEN

The Jesus Questions

JULY 06   JQ#19-2  “For what profit is it to man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26)  Jesus is always using His last question and our current circumstances to take us “deeper still” into the knowledge and understanding of God and His Kingdom and along the “Way” He “motivates” us to look expectantly with Great Hope to our “Future” with Him in the Kingdom. JQ#18 was asked to get us thinking about “who” Jesus is “in Spirit and in Truth” for Jesus wants us to have the correct answer so that we can give the “correct answer” to God when we face Him in the “Final Judgement”. Jesus very clearly stated this as He was discussing this “Final Judgement” and making sure we know what to say and do when we find ourselves in God’s Presence and how to prepare with our day-to-day existence to “meet our maker” when Jesus said to the woman seeking Truth about God: “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23-24) Now in JQ#19 Jesus asks the next question which moves us from the “spiritual” realm into the the “physical” world and Jesus locks His Divine Laser beam on the main problem man faces on a day-to-day basis and that issue is “profit”! Let us stop and consider the world we live in and see if there is any basis to this “theory” that everything is “profit driven” — the first thing that comes to my mind when I think about “profit” is the Super Bowl! Now before you get off on a tangent about your favorite team, please consider this in terms of the phrase “…what profit is to man…”. I will submit these facts from Super Bowl 50 in 2016 : A “30 second advertising spot” sold for $4,600,000.00 to 5,000,000.00 and the 50 year total on advertising alone is officially at $5,900,000,000.00. This is for “advertising” only and is the “reported” numbers used for “tax” purposes. To make the point clear we must consider that the $5,900,000,000.00 (unreported expenses could easily be the same amount) represents an “investment” by the business and can you guess why so much money was “invested”? Business must make a “profit” from their”investments” or they cannot remain in business so it is safe to say that if a business is willing to invest such large sums of money, and they do it for 50 years, it is because there is a “lucrative” reward from their financial “investment” in the form of “profit” and in order to remain in business the “profit” must exceed the “investment”. So if Jesus asks about “profit” over 2000 years before the first Super Bowl then we must admit that Jesus obviously knows something about the future “ways” of the world and so it would be wise for us to listen to Him and consider how much time we spend in our day-to-day lives seeking “profit” and how much time we spend in our day-to-day lives seeking “divine purpose”. If Jesus “invested” His time into us, we should be seeking to understand what kind of “profit” Jesus is telling us is appropriate for our “soul”! Jesus keeps asking questions and we should keep thinking not only about answering His Questions honestly, but we should also consider what He is trying to accomplish and for JQ#18 and JQ#19 the comparison between the “physical” (our body) and the “spiritual” keeps coming to my mind. In Psalm 139, King David who God described as a “man after My own heart…” wrote: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24)  This verse seems to me to be a prayer that Jesus is answering by making us search our own heart to see if any wicked way such as “seeking physical profit instead of spiritual purpose”  exists in us and the reward for our effort is that if we follow Jesus we will find the “way everlasting”! One other verse was placed before me as a thought to consider about the upcoming “Final Judgement” for those that seek “spiritual purpose” ——— “There is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:8) When was the last time you went to take a “final exam” and didn’t study the material you knew would be on the test? I can tell you from experience that the results of such “foolish” behavior is “Failure” with a Capitol “F” !?!?!?! Jesus is preparing us to meet God and God has already spoken: “This is My Son in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him!” (Luke 9:35)

JULY 05 JQ#19-1 “For what profit is it to man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26) The Jesus Questions

LIVING FOR JESUS --- Daily Devotional

JULY 05   JQ#19-1  “For what profit is it to man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26) 

365 Prayers to JESUS 

Jesus, Lord and Savior, Redeemer and Friend, Praise be to the Son, Glory to the Father, and Honor to the Holy Spirit of God that comforts us in times of trouble. Lord, we seek daily to know the will of the Father for our daily lives as we look to Him for our daily bread, Jesus, You have commanded that we love one another as You Love the Church so help us understand that in order to “LOVE AS CHRIST LOVES” that we must also daily take up our cross and follow Him, knowing that our Way is narrow but the destination is eternal. Help us realize that Jesus demonstrated His Love by suffering on His cross that was daily before Him. Help us Holy Spirit to “understand” that the Work of God the Father was accomplished by the Obedience of the Son      upon that Cross and to know that our cross can only be carried by the strength given to us by God through Jesus Christ!        AMEN

The Jesus Questions

JULY 05   JQ#19-1  “For what profit is it to man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26)  This question comes immediately after Jesus made us look inward at ourselves when He took us aside personally and asked us point blank in JQ#18, “Who do YOU say I am?” This juxtaposition of these two questions is very dramatic when one considers Jesus is first confronting us with what our inmost and most sincere belief about Him really is and then while we are dealing introspectively with “what” we truly believe about Jesus, He immediately throws in this question that brings our focus on “why” do we believe what we believe!?! Jesus had prefaced the “who-do-you” question with a “what-do-men” question which really made it serious and personal and took away the scapegoat-false-theology of “they say” which is and has been a curse upon our nation for the past several generations. Then immediately when Jesus has us on this personal level He goes for that “next level” of our “understanding” of God by making us not only consider “what” we believe but “why” we believe it?!?!   The big Hollywood phrase for actors when they try out for a part is the question, “What is your motivation?” (for this character to do the things that is written for that part) because the producers and directors want to know if the actor can convince the audience? The producers and directors know that if the actor can “sell” the part then the movie will be “profitable”! How easily does God get right to the point with each question and lesson that He has laid out with such Divine Precision ———  so we can quickly see in the question that God says that if we will stop and examine why we “act” the way we do, that we will gain an understanding  of who we we are in TRUTH and that Life is not a “play”. God desires us to know that our physical reality should be motivated by His Divine Spiritual Reality as we see His Great Wisdom in this question. I can hear God speaking in today’s language saying something like this, “Dude, is money all you think about? There is no amount of money that can buy your way into heaven, not all the money in the world, and besides, once you are dead your money goes to someone else. Can’t you see that history has proven without a doubt that your body and your money stay on the earth and will rot and decay because the law books are filled with laws that once your physical body is pronounced dead, your money first is taxed and taken by the government and what’s left goes to someone still alive and then your cold dead body must be either burned and your ashes scattered or you must be put into a cold dark grave. Either you believe you have a soul that is eternal or you are in hell already because your soul is spiritual and is a separate part of your physical existence! If you haven’t provided for you souls eternal existence then it must remain in the cold dark grave with your rotting body — not a good thought, huh? As the commercial says, your soul is “priceless” and if you sell your soul for any amount you have been cheated. Let me ask you this simple question, ‘If you could take all the wealth in the world with you when you die, then where do you think you can spend it and what do you think you can buy with it?’” Let us therefore, having brought our attention to “what” we believe about Jesus, let us then focus that attention on “why” we believe those things and what is our “motivation” for our actions as we consider the next Jesus Question: JQ#19  “For what profit is it to man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26) This would be a good time to consider taking inventory of  your “Spiritual Treasures” as you ponder “How much am I really worth?”  

JULY 05 JQ#19-1 “For what profit is it to man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26) The Jesus Questions

LIVING FOR JESUS --- Daily Devotional

JULY 05   JQ#19-1  “For what profit is it to man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26) 

365 Prayers to JESUS 

Jesus, Lord and Savior, Redeemer and Friend, Praise be to the Son, Glory to the Father, and Honor to the Holy Spirit of God that comforts us in times of trouble. Lord, we seek daily to know the will of the Father for our daily lives as we look to Him for our daily bread, Jesus, You have commanded that we love one another as You Love the Church so help us understand that in order to “LOVE AS CHRIST LOVES” that we must also daily take up our cross and follow Him, knowing that our Way is narrow but the destination is eternal. Help us realize that Jesus demonstrated His Love by suffering on His cross that was daily before Him. Help us Holy Spirit to “understand” that the Work of God the Father was accomplished by the Obedience of the Son      upon that Cross and to know that our cross can only be carried by the strength given to us by God through Jesus Christ!        AMEN

The Jesus Questions

JULY 05   JQ#19-1  “For what profit is it to man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26)  This question comes immediately after Jesus made us look inward at ourselves when He took us aside personally and asked us point blank in JQ#18, “Who do YOU say I am?” This juxtaposition of these two questions is very dramatic when one considers Jesus is first confronting us with what our inmost and most sincere belief about Him really is and then while we are dealing introspectively with “what” we truly believe about Jesus, He immediately throws in this question that brings our focus on “why” do we believe what we believe!?! Jesus had prefaced the “who-do-you” question with a “what-do-men” question which really made it serious and personal and took away the scapegoat-false-theology of “they say” which is and has been a curse upon our nation for the past several generations. Then immediately when Jesus has us on this personal level He goes for that “next level” of our “understanding” of God by making us not only consider “what” we believe but “why” we believe it?!?!   The big Hollywood phrase for actors when they try out for a part is the question, “What is your motivation?” (for this character to do the things that is written for that part) because the producers and directors want to know if the actor can convince the audience? The producers and directors know that if the actor can “sell” the part then the movie will be “profitable”! How easily does God get right to the point with each question and lesson that He has laid out with such Divine Precision ———  so we can quickly see in the question that God says that if we will stop and examine why we “act” the way we do, that we will gain an understanding  of who we we are in TRUTH and that Life is not a “play”. God desires us to know that our physical reality should be motivated by His Divine Spiritual Reality as we see His Great Wisdom in this question. I can hear God speaking in today’s language saying something like this, “Dude, is money all you think about? There is no amount of money that can buy your way into heaven, not all the money in the world, and besides, once you are dead your money goes to someone else. Can’t you see that history has proven without a doubt that your body and your money stay on the earth and will rot and decay because the law books are filled with laws that once your physical body is pronounced dead, your money first is taxed and taken by the government and what’s left goes to someone still alive and then your cold dead body must be either burned and your ashes scattered or you must be put into a cold dark grave. Either you believe you have a soul that is eternal or you are in hell already because your soul is spiritual and is a separate part of your physical existence! If you haven’t provided for you souls eternal existence then it must remain in the cold dark grave with your rotting body — not a good thought, huh? As the commercial says, your soul is “priceless” and if you sell your soul for any amount you have been cheated. Let me ask you this simple question, ‘If you could take all the wealth in the world with you when you die, then where do you think you can spend it and what do you think you can buy with it?’” Let us therefore, having brought our attention to “what” we believe about Jesus, let us then focus that attention on “why” we believe those things and what is our “motivation” for our actions as we consider the next Jesus Question: JQ#19  “For what profit is it to man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26) This would be a good time to consider taking inventory of  your “Spiritual Treasures” as you ponder “How much am I really worth?”  

JULY 05 JQ#19-1 “For what profit is it to man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26) The Jesus Questions

LIVING FOR JESUS --- Daily Devotional

JULY 05   JQ#19-1  “For what profit is it to man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26) 

365 Prayers to JESUS 

Jesus, Lord and Savior, Redeemer and Friend, Praise be to the Son, Glory to the Father, and Honor to the Holy Spirit of God that comforts us in times of trouble. Lord, we seek daily to know the will of the Father for our daily lives as we look to Him for our daily bread, Jesus, You have commanded that we love one another as You Love the Church so help us understand that in order to “LOVE AS CHRIST LOVES” that we must also daily take up our cross and follow Him, knowing that our Way is narrow but the destination is eternal. Help us realize that Jesus demonstrated His Love by suffering on His cross that was daily before Him. Help us Holy Spirit to “understand” that the Work of God the Father was accomplished by the Obedience of the Son      upon that Cross and to know that our cross can only be carried by the strength given to us by God through Jesus Christ!        AMEN

The Jesus Questions

JULY 05   JQ#19-1  “For what profit is it to man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26)  This question comes immediately after Jesus made us look inward at ourselves when He took us aside personally and asked us point blank in JQ#18, “Who do YOU say I am?” This juxtaposition of these two questions is very dramatic when one considers Jesus is first confronting us with what our inmost and most sincere belief about Him really is and then while we are dealing introspectively with “what” we truly believe about Jesus, He immediately throws in this question that brings our focus on “why” do we believe what we believe!?! Jesus had prefaced the “who-do-you” question with a “what-do-men” question which really made it serious and personal and took away the scapegoat-false-theology of “they say” which is and has been a curse upon our nation for the past several generations. Then immediately when Jesus has us on this personal level He goes for that “next level” of our “understanding” of God by making us not only consider “what” we believe but “why” we believe it?!?!   The big Hollywood phrase for actors when they try out for a part is the question, “What is your motivation?” (for this character to do the things that is written for that part) because the producers and directors want to know if the actor can convince the audience? The producers and directors know that if the actor can “sell” the part then the movie will be “profitable”! How easily does God get right to the point with each question and lesson that He has laid out with such Divine Precision ———  so we can quickly see in the question that God says that if we will stop and examine why we “act” the way we do, that we will gain an understanding  of who we we are in TRUTH and that Life is not a “play”. God desires us to know that our physical reality should be motivated by His Divine Spiritual Reality as we see His Great Wisdom in this question. I can hear God speaking in today’s language saying something like this, “Dude, is money all you think about? There is no amount of money that can buy your way into heaven, not all the money in the world, and besides, once you are dead your money goes to someone else. Can’t you see that history has proven without a doubt that your body and your money stay on the earth and will rot and decay because the law books are filled with laws that once your physical body is pronounced dead, your money first is taxed and taken by the government and what’s left goes to someone still alive and then your cold dead body must be either burned and your ashes scattered or you must be put into a cold dark grave. Either you believe you have a soul that is eternal or you are in hell already because your soul is spiritual and is a separate part of your physical existence! If you haven’t provided for you souls eternal existence then it must remain in the cold dark grave with your rotting body — not a good thought, huh? As the commercial says, your soul is “priceless” and if you sell your soul for any amount you have been cheated. Let me ask you this simple question, ‘If you could take all the wealth in the world with you when you die, then where do you think you can spend it and what do you think you can buy with it?’” Let us therefore, having brought our attention to “what” we believe about Jesus, let us then focus that attention on “why” we believe those things and what is our “motivation” for our actions as we consider the next Jesus Question: JQ#19  “For what profit is it to man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26) This would be a good time to consider taking inventory of  your “Spiritual Treasures” as you ponder “How much am I really worth?”  

JULY 04 JQ#18-8 “But who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15) The Jesus Questions

LIVING FOR JESUS --- Daily Devotional

JULY 04   JQ#18-8 “But who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15) 

365 Prayers to JESUS 

Jesus, I come before You today with a thankful heart that I can come before You today — Lord, I know that I take it for granted that any time I decide to pray to You that You will hear my prayer but Lord today it is evident to me that You being there any time I pray is another reason that we should give You Praise and Glory and Honor. In God’s Great Plan for the world He has ordained that Salvation and Prayer will be as free and abundant as air and water and through Jesus we will have our “daily bread” and “living water”  and the assurance of eternal life! Praise the Father who has Promised to NEVER leave nor forsake us and who gave us PRAYER that we may confidently approach the throne of Grace. Thank You Father that we can know that Jesus has finished the work You gave Him to do so that we have Blessed Assurance that You will hear our prayers as soon as they are lifted. Also we give thanks that Your Spirit  inhabits our Praise — So Lord Jesus, I lift my Prayer of Thanksgiving and give You Praise that You have chosen to be our God — may we never lose sight of the great Freedom Your Grace imparts to all men.      AMEN

The Jesus Questions

JULY 04   JQ#18-8    “But who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15)   Jesus never leaves us hanging once He asks a question. Jesus asked His disciples “who do men say…I am” (Matthew 16:13) and then made His lesson clear as He immediately responded to their answer of who men were saying Jesus was by asking the really important question “but who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15) thereby teaching the disciples that what they have witnessed Jesus doing and have heard Him declaring about Himself are the Truth and that we should Trust what God Himself reveals to us and not depend on doctrines of men. Jesus then responded to Peter when Peter answered the “who-do-you-say-I-am-question” by declaring Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). Jesus then acknowledged that our understanding of God comes directly from God Himself! Jesus confirmed several very important Truths of God through these questions and His immediate explanations — here are the Truths as they were revealed through these two “simple” questions: (1) What men say about God does not change the Truth of who God is. (2) God expects us to form our own opinion of who He is. (3) Jesus is the Christ. (4) Jesus is the Son of the living God. (5) God is not dead, He is living and is concerned about our eternal Salvation. (6) God will reveal His Truth to us. (8) God desires to be our “Father” which reveals His desire that we be His Sons and Daughters which He has Promised to Provide for if we but Trust Him, and believe in the “the Work of God” Jesus was sent to accomplish — the atonement of our sin that we may be clothed in the “Righteousness” of Jesus and can approach the Throne of Grace with great confidence that our “Father” desires us to come to Him with our every need and concern. (9) Jesus declared that on the revealed Truth from God that Jesus will build His Church. (10) Flesh and blood cannot reveal Truth but Truth will come by the Spirit of God to those that seek Him. (11) The foundation of the Church is the “rock” that is Jesus and the Truth that Jesus is the Christ and the TRUTH that (12) Jesus IS the Son of the living God and has been given “authority” by the “Father” and therefore, we should believe that Father God sent His Son Jesus as God’s Plan for our Salvation, as Jesus has declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) Only the Master Teacher and the Son of the Living God who has chosen to reveal Himself to us could Teach us so much Truth with two simple questions — perhaps we should stop one last time and look at  these two questions back to back and see what additional “Truths” God will reveal: (1) “Who do men say…[Jesus is]? ” and (2) “Who do [we ourselves] say … [Jesus is]?”  It’s worth a couple of extra minutes here at this point to know TRUTH or are you really to busy to “wait on the Lord” who has promised to “give you rest” and reveal His TRUTH to you while you’re waiting?!?!?

JULY 03 JQ#18-7 “But who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15) The Jesus Questions

LIVING FOR JESUS --- Daily Devotional

JULY 03   JQ#18-7 “But who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15) 

365 Prayers to JESUS 

Jesus, (from July 2004 but is Eternal Truth) ———“Jesus, Lord and Savior, our Redeemer and Friend, let us always magnify Your Holy Name. The Precious Name of Jesus, the Name we call on for comfort in times of crisis, the Name we name for the Author of our Salvation, the Name above all names — JESUS! Lord, teach me to praise Your Name all ways and always, that my lips may be in continuous worship towards the Prince of Peace, that my heart will embrace the Suffering Servant who died for all my iniquities that my filthy rags that the world has clothed me in can be made robes of Shining Righteousness through the Washing of the Blood of Jesus the Christ, shed for ALL the sins of all men, once and for all! Praise, Glory, and Honor to Jesus, Sweet JESUS!” From the Alpha to the Omega, God IS!     AMEN

The Jesus Questions

JULY 03   JQ#18-7    “But who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15)  This question brings into focus  a simple but everlasting TRUTH of GOD and that is that God was God before time was time, the TRUTH being that God created Time and that at the end of Time, God will be sitting on His Throne (probably the same throne He was sitting on when He created Time)! When we realize that our boundaries are both “Space” and “Time” and are therefore “Finite” we can appreciate the Infinitude of God who existed before He Created “Space and Time” for our existence! That being said, we are still faced with the highly personal question and the fact that we will have to stand and answer God the Father as to “who” Jesus is —and we will have to accept that it is God that we have to answer to and our chances of getting away with giving the “wrong” answer will be impossible! Standing outside time, we will have to admit we are out of time, and facing God Himself we will have to concede that God is TRUTH, and that the only acceptable answer to the God of Truth is the TRUTH of who Jesus IS!!! Therefore we should search every source available while we still have time and make every effort to know what God Himself says about Jesus, who Jesus was as He lived among us, what was written by those that witnessed the works of Jesus as He walked the earth and performed the Task that God the Father gave Him to accomplish with His earthly ministry, and then we must search our own soul for the “understanding” that God Himself has promised to put into our hearts if we seek Him. We can read the Words that Jesus spoke of Himself and the Father,  “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”  (John 5:24) That seems like a pretty good answer to me, to go ahead and believe now and when we die we will not have to face judgement!  Then again, Jesus is always going that “extra mile” to give us the “understanding” we need so that we can indeed give the “right answer” and this case and this question is the perfect example of Jesus making sure we KNOW the right answer as we read the answer that Peter gave Jesus immediately after Jesus asked the question: “Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You [Jesus] are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16) Then Jesus goes that “extra mile” in confirming that Peter has given the correct answer, “Jesus answered [Peter] and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood (other men) has not revealed this [TRUTH] to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 16:17) So there you have the CORRECT ANSWER as given by God Himself whom Jesus Himself referred to as “My Father in heaven”, and Jesus gave Peter passing marks by declaring Peter to be “Blessed” for having learned the TRUTH from God Himself. Can you think of anything better than for the Teacher to tell you are going to be tested and then not only does the Teacher give you the “Question” but as soon as you have the “Question” then the Teacher gives you the “Answer”?!?! And so that you have no chance to forget the correct answer, you are tested and graded immediately?  God is GOOD ALL THE TIME!!  God has PROMISED that He will never give us a “test” that He doesn’t first make sure we know the “answer”!! Now that is GOOD NEWS unless of course that you are one of those that knows a better way to spend eternity?!?!