What does it profit a man

What does it profit a man?

What is profit? To some it is financial gain, we receive for investing our money. We can sometimes receive an expensive gift, for investing our spare time. Again it could be return on a favour we granted someone, whichever way we look at it, people the world over want profit.

They want our pounds, our pennies and anything that translates into cash; because the only profit they are interested in is –money!

How wrong can people be in one small lifetime? Money! The lust for it is a curse. People are killed for it every day, they die for a few pounds, a mobile phone; an empty purse, homes are broken into and lives ruined; and all so that people can make a profit, by fair means or foul.

Rich people are rarely robbed having all the protection they need, they are always insured against theft. The poor, the vulnerable old; the young mother with a small child in tow, easy targets, they are the ones who are brutalised on our streets. They have little or no defence. Why are they robbed? So that rich drug dealers, and millionaire brewers can become even richer, at their expense.

But what do these people gain? A larger car, a bigger house; a posh watch which tells the same time as a watch bought in a pound shop? There is no shame in them, there is no compassion, and there is no fear before the face of almighty God.

Proverbs chapter twenty-eight verses five and six say this. " Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.

Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a rich man whose ways are perverse."

Hundreds of years have passed since those words were written, little has changed. In many parts of the world starvation is normal, it is part of the day to day existence of millions of people. One could understand if they tried to steal for food, but from whom could they steal? Everyone being in the same position.

Again in proverbs twenty-eight verse eight we read "he who increases his wealth by exorbitant interest amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor."

But who will be kind to the poor? Arms raised now in a gesture of shock. Who is this person who asks such a question? Are we not all kind to the poor? Of course it depends on how you define poor.

There are no ‘poor’ in our land. There are many who miss – manage their money, simply because they have their priorities wrong. There is no contentment. People want cigarettes, a car; at least one foreign holiday a year; washing machine, fridge-freezer; a telephone a computer, to name but some of the things, without which people are considered to be living in poverty.

The people I consider poor, are the ones who have nothing! No home just a tattered old tent, dirt on the floor; a dirty old tin clutched in their hand, they beg for a measly helping of rice, that barely keeps body and soul together.

We, on the other hand, waste or feed our animals better, in fact the rats fare better than these people. People made by the same one God who made us all, the same Jesus Christ loves, and died for them, as he did for us.

In Romans eight verses eighteen to twenty three, St Paul says this. "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God."

In whom will the glory be revealed? The poor receiver of mean gifts or the mean giver of poor gifts?

St Paul told Timothy this, in one Timothy chapter six verses nine and ten. "People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many grief’s."

Jesus did not speak to people and send them on their way hungry. By blessing the five loaves and two fish, he was able to feed five thousand souls. God’s blessing is able to turn a raindrop into a river. A famine into a feast. So if we really want to help the poor in this world, we will pray that God will bless what we have, and bless what we give, that we may give more abundantly of what God in his grace gives us.

A kind woman will earn respect. She will care for her neighbours welfare helping out wherever she can. She will have a good name , in her street or village. She will be an example of the love and compassion of our Lord. She will neither contribute to, nor listen to malicious gossip. She will always steer people into the path of truth.

Again St Paul tells us this in one Timothy chapter six verses three to six. " If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out."

The Pharaoh’s thought that they could take their wealth, and their slaves; and animals, into the next world with them. They had great tombs made for themselves, to house their treasures, for what they thought was a journey into a godly afterlife. How disappointed they must have been when they came before God for judgement and realised the mistake they had made.

I have been told that there is a man in America, who is so wealthy, he has more money than the American treasury. How true that is, I do not really know, but his fortune is in excess of two hundred billion dollars and growing more every minute of the day. But I do know that it will not buy him a place in heaven, it will not buy him love or loyalty, if he has no faith in Jesus, he has nothing!

Ecclesiastes chapter five verse ten says, " whoever loves money never has money enough whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.

This too is meaningless."

So! Wealth is the greatest robber of them all. It robs us of our basic desire to be part of our community. It takes the fellowship out of life. It robs us of our ability to trust. For wealth brings with it, mistrust and suspicion: until we are isolated, surrounded by luxury, but isolated.

Again Ecclesiastes says in chapter four verse eight. " There was a man all alone: he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.

" For whom am I toiling," he asked,

" And why am I depriving myself

of enjoyment?"

this too is meaningless-----a miserable business."

Here we have it! Profit making is a miserable business. We work so hard, and for what? For someone else to enjoy the profit we have spent a miserable life making. Our heirs only know how to spend our money, it does not have the same value to those that receive it, as to those who have had to work to earn it.

It is God who gives us the ideas we have, he plants the thought in our mind. He is creator of all things under heaven, and he creates through us, this can sometimes make us very wealthy. How generous are we toward God when this happens? God is not greedy. He does not want a hundred per cent of what we earn. He just asks a small amount that can be used by his servants, for charitable work: that will bring glory to his name. God has no need of money.

Being rich is not a sin. It becomes an offence before God when we underpay workers, charge extortionate rates of interest on money we lend to people in need, refuse to help the poor putting money before everything, and everybody else.

In Malachi chapter six verses eight to seventeen, The Lord Almighty says, " will a man rob God?" yet you rob me.

" But you ask, ‘ how do we rob you?’

" In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse – the whole nation of you – because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into my storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me on this" says the Lord Almighty, " and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruits," says the Lord Almighty.

" You have said harsh things against me, " says the Lord.

" Yet you ask, ‘what have we said against you?’

You have said, " it is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty? But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.’"

Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honoured his name.

" they will be mine" says the Lord Almighty " in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a man spares his son who serves him. And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not."

Surely God holds our riches in the palm of his hand? Our riches are the blessings God pours out on our daily life, each one beyond price and without measure.

What profit would you prefer? After all is said and done we only need enough money to cover our own needs and a little left over to share with those who have none.

God freely gives us all things in his Son Jesus. Surely it is better to sow the seeds of kindness and reap a harvest of love, than it is to see the flower cut off before the seeds are formed for the next generation of flowers.

WHAT DOES IT PROFIT A MAN, IF HE GAINS THE
WHOLE WORLD?

How many houses does a person need to live in? The answer is simple, it is one. People in business may need two, the reason being that business can put one under great stress. A small house in the country where one can relax is beneficial. But to buy up properties, when people have been evicted for non payment of their mortgage: through no fault of their own, and rent them out at high rents just for profit, is sad.

People pay millions of pounds for a painting to hang on a wall. It is kept in the dark for most of the time, in case it loses some of its colour; locked away out of sight in case it is stolen.

A painting cannot feel. It has no idea of the esteem in which it is held. The painter very likely died a pauper never dreaming that the devil would put his painting to such evil usage as to be locked away as a treasure, while little children starve.

Myself I prefer ‘heart treasures’ that gives dribbly kisses, and says ‘I love you right up to God’. It assures me of two things, one that this beautiful child is aware of God, and two, is capable of expressing love; priceless gifts from God.

How transient is our worldly wealth? An earthquake can swallow it, a volcano burn it up; a flood wash it away; a hurricane blow it away; even the gentle snowflakes can render it useless, and death makes paupers of us all.

I have heard it said ‘the only things we can take to heaven, are those we give away.’ It could be the reason Jesus said ‘where your treasure is there shall your heart be also and that we should store up our treasures in heaven,’ it is the only safe place.

Our treasures are the things we love most in this world. They are not always the costliest things we own. God does not want our ill-gotten gains, or that which costs us nothing. He wants us to give away the things we most want to keep, that way he knows that we are giving to please him, not just dumping our junk to a good cause.

We all have needs. Yours are no greater than mine. We all need Jesus! He is our grace in times of great trials, he is our strength in adversity and he is our peace at the end of the day.

Cash has no compassion, it has no loyalty, it would just as easily fall out of your pocket and down a drain, as it would be safe in your bank account – use it, or lose it!

Jesus never owned a home of his own. He was at home anywhere under heaven. In Matthew chapter nine verses nineteen – twenty, it is written, " then a teacher of the law came to him and said, ‘teacher I will follow you wherever you go.’

Jesus replied, ‘foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."

Jesus did not come into the world to amass a great fortune for himself, his jewels and treasures are the souls he redeems for God. He did not come to judge or to place blame, he came to seek out the lost ones, to offer them salvation for their souls.

The religions that abound in the world today, are more or less the same as they were when our Lord came. Many of them are older than Christianity, others are splinters of the cross. Christ is the only one who offers redemption and forgiveness of sin. He is the first one to be raised from the dead. He came to call all people to the one true God who created all things. He came as a man and was tempted by the things of the world more than we are, as we will see in Matthew chapter four verses two to eleven.

" Then Jesus was led by the spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, " if you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."

Jesus answered, " it is written: ‘ man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."

Then the devil took him to the Holy City and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. " If you are the Son of God, " he said, " throw yourself down. For it is written:

‘ he will command his angels

concerning you,

and they will lift you up in their

hands,

so you will not strike your foot

against a stone.’

Jesus answered him, " it is also written: ‘do not put the Lord your God to the test."

Again the devil took him up to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. ‘ All this will I give you,’ he said ‘if you will bow down and worship me."

Jesus said to him, " away from me Satan! For it is written: worship the Lord your God and serve him only:"

Then the devil left him and angels came and attended to him.

All the kingdoms of this world could not persuade our saviour to bow down to Satan! What strength of Spirit after fasting for forty days and nights. But think on this, Jesus loved you and I so much more than all the kingdoms of the world and their treasures.

If Jesus had given in to temptation, there would be no redemption, no forgiveness, anything in this world worth having. I thank God for the great and wonderful gift of his Son. He came from the only heaven there is, to invite you and I and anyone who believes to be there with him. He would not have given up one soul, for the whole world.

In Philippians chapter two verses four to eleven, St Paul said.

" Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

Who being in very nature God,

Did not consider equality with God

Something to be grasped,

But made himself nothing,

Taking the very nature of a servant,

Being made in human like4ness.

And being found in appearance as a man,

He humbled himself and became obedient

To death – even to death on the cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the

Highest place

And gave him the name that is

Above every name,

That at the name of Jesus every knee

Should bow,

In heaven and on earth and under

The earth

And every tongue confess that Jesus

Christ is Lord,

To the glory of God the Father."

It is God’s nature to love and have compassion and mercy. All through the Bible, he pleads with us to listen to him. Why? It is because he has foreknowledge, he has the plan for our eternal life; and he knows what we forfeit when we reject him.

God gets angry when we put our trust in what wealth we have, or in somebody we know that is high profile, whether they are kings or generals with a large army. God is the only one we can really depend upon; there is no one greater than God.

The psalmist who wrote psalm one hundred and nineteen, in verses thirty-three – forty titled; ‘He’ said this.

Teach me, O Lord, to follow your

Decrees;

Then I will keep them to the end.

Give me understanding, and I will keep

Your law

And obey it with all my heart.

Direct me in the path of your

Commands,

For there I find delight.

Turn my heart towards your statutes

And not towards selfish gain.

Turn my eyes away from worthless

Things;

Preserve my life according to your

Word.

Fulfil your promise to your servant,

So that you may be feared.

Take away the disgrace I dread,

For your laws are good.

How I long for your precepts!

Preserve my life in your

Righteousness."

When we need strength, and need to pray and don’t know what to say, we can use this psalm. It covers almost all the things we need to pray about. If we spend time looking at the psalm we see that the psalmist asks for a lot, but he also promises a lot to God.

God always keeps his promises, how good are we at keeping ours?

WHAT DOES IT PROFIT A MAN,

IF HE GAINS THE WHOLE WORLD,

AND LOSES HIS OWN SOUL?

What is our soul? Are we aware of it during our day to day existence? Do we feed and nurture it and care for it as we do our bodies? Does it feel pain? We know precious little about our bodies, we know nothing about our soul, except that it lives forever!

Jesus was not interested in saving our bodies. God has not promised eternal life to our physical being, all flesh must die and fall to the ground. You could say that this world is a testing ground where we accept or reject the Lord, and are accepted or rejected in turn.

People in business know all about methods of selection, they have people who work for them sorting out faulty goods. What are faulty goods? They are things that we make that do not come up to standard.

God made us, and if we don’t believe; we do not come up to standard either. There was such a gap between God and us, so far had we fallen from grace, that we were lost utterly and completely, with no way back to God.

Out of his great and awesome love for us God made a path for us to follow. He sent his Son Jesus Christ, into the world to bridge the gap between us and his own glorious self

Still people believe that science is the answer. We have all heard of ‘dolly’ the sheep that was cloned. Do sheep have souls? If they ever clone a human being, will it be the first soulless being?

Imagine a person without a soul. The English dictionary defines ‘ soul’ 1- the immortal and spiritual part of a human being, believed by many to be immortal. 2 the essential or animating principle of a person. 3a a persons emotional or moral nature, b, emotional sensitivity or depth." Friend to be without these attributes is to be indeed as one living but dead, without these things in our lives we have no love, we can give no love. It is by these very things that God feeds our soul, so that we would hear when he calls us.

Our eyes get us into trouble because we see the things of the world and we lust after them. If we are hungry and we pass a restaurant where people are dining out, we are envious. We see the food on their plates. Never did a slice of beef look more delicious, or the cabbage more green, and oh, there is a golden Yorkshire pudding put to one side, discarded; a dish full of carrots with only one spoonful taken out; what waste; crispy brown roasties two no three going on the plate, and that gravy not a lump to be seen! They do not deserve it.

You whisper against them under your breath. ‘ pigs, you don’t care about the starving millions overseas, all you care about is filling your own bellies.’ This is your envy speaking. It could be that the people eating, have saved a long time for a very special occasion, perhaps normally they would only have a cuppa soup for supper.

In Matthew fifteen verses ten to twenty, " Jesus called the crowd to him and said, ‘ listen and understand. What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him ‘unclean’, but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean’.

Then the disciples came to him and asked, " do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?"

He replied, " every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."

Peter said, " explain the parable to us."

" Are you still so dull?" Jesus asked them. Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean’. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man ‘ unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean’."

So, our heart cannot be trusted. It is full of wickedness, which lies like a heavy blanket, beneath which our soul struggles to see the light of salvation. Our soul knows that Jesus has come to redeem it. Our soul belongs to God alone. It is our immortal being, which will eventually spend eternity where God sends it, be it heaven or hell. One thing is sure, that we will know that it is our sinful nature that will deny our soul freedom while we live, and we will suffer for it when we die, for that knowledge will stay with us. It will serve to remind us of our God’s perfect justice, for to say we will be punished and then not to punish us, is a human trait, it will not apply to God. Where he says he will punish us, you can depend upon it that it will come to pass.

The psalmist David, wrote in psalm sixty two verses five to twelve,

" Find rest O my soul, in god alone,

My hope comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation;

He is my fortress, I shall not be

Shaken

My salvation and my honour

Depend on God;

He is my rock, my refuge.

Trust in him at all times, O people;

Pour your hearts out to him,

For God is our refuge.

Lowborn men are but a breath,

The highborn are but a lie;

If weighed on a balance they are

Nothing;

Together they are only a breath.

Do not trust in extortion

Or take pride in stolen goods;

Though your riches increase,

Do not set your heart on them.

One thing God has spoken,

Two things I have heard:

That you O God, are strong,

And that you O Lord, are loving

Surely you will reward each person

According to what he has done."

I was surprised to find ‘extortion and stolen goods’ in a psalm written before there were established businesses such as there are today. At that time there would have been traders that travelled around, buying in one place and selling in another. Caravans of camels travelling from one country to another to trade, joining together for safety. Still the robbers came and stole their goods. David feels that each person, should be rewarded according to what he has done. But God is indeed loving, and willing to forgive every confessed sin.

Our bodies were created for the short term. Even if we live to be two hundred years old, which in the light of eternity is nothing, it passes one day at a time: but pass it will and we will eventually come up before God for judgement.

In Ezekiel chapter eighteen verse four God said, "for every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the sun – both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die."

When guilt and fear bring us down low, and we feel unclean and unloved needing a new start in life, where can we turn for cleansing? To our Lord Jesus, that’s where. He will wash us clean, body and soul. He will give us another chance of a life that is wonderfully free from worldly fetters. He will give us a new perspective, we will see things differently; life will take on a new meaning.

We will come to know the Holy Spirit of God, he will touch our spirit with His Spirit, it is the most incredible wonderful feeling you will ever experience, it is a foretaste of his heavenly love. Go for it!

When God speaks to us, and teaches us the way we must go to gain heaven: we must give a positive response. If we harden our hearts to God’s appeals for believers, our soul will not function properly and fall into disuse.

Hebrews chapter four verses twelve and thirteen says this, "for the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account."

We have already had the English dictionary’s definition of ‘soul’, their definition of ‘spirit’ is this " 1a the immaterial intelligent or conscious part of a person." If the conscious intelligent part of our soul is separated from the emotional and moral part of our nature, God knows about it. No one has ever been out of reach of God’s mercy. God alone can keep our soul alive and God alone can kill it. He asks us to love him with all our heart, soul, mind, and body.

I believe with all my heart that Jesus died to save my soul, so my soul has great worth to God. I may never in this life understand why Jesus should suffer so for me, but he did; and how he suffered!

Psalm twenty-two tells us something of his physical suffering in verses six to sixteen.

" But I am a worm and not a man,

Scorned by men and despised by the

People.

All who see me mock me;

They hurl insults, shaking their heads:

He trusts in the LORD;

Let the LORD rescue him.

Let him deliver him,

Since he delights in him."

Yet you brought me out of the womb;

You made me trust in you

Even at my mother’s breast.

From birth I was cast upon you;

From my mother’s womb you have

Been my God.

Do not be far from me,

For trouble is near

And there is no one to help.

Many bulls surround me;

Strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.

Roaring lions tearing their prey

Open their mouths wide against me.

I am poured out like water,

And all my bones are out of joint.

My heart has turned to wax;

It has melted away within me.

My strength is dried up like a potsherd,

And my tongue sticks to the roof of

My mouth;

You lay me in the dust of death

Dogs have surrounded me;

A band of evil men has encircled me,

They pierced my hands and my

Feet.

I can count all my bones;

People stare and gloat over me.

They divide my garments among them

And cast lots for my clothing."

Jesus owned nothing but the clothes he stood up in during his lifetime, he was to be robbed of them in his dying moments. Not enough that they spat on him, pulled out his beard, whipped him and put a crown of thorns upon his head, piercing the skin to the bone; they had to take his dignity also. Jesus looked for someone to have pity on him, but he found no one.

Have pity I pray you. Your soul is your most priceless possession, God has given it to you for your life’s span and he alone knows how long that is. God does not want to destroy it, the choice is ours.

In Luke chapter twelve verses eight to twenty-one Jesus said,

" I tell you my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

When you are brought before the Synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say."

Someone in the crowd said to him, "teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."

Jesus replied, " man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?"

Then he said to them, " watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist of his possessions." And he told them this parable:

" The ground of a rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, ‘ what shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ Then he said, ‘ this is what I’ll do I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, ‘you have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry."

But God said to him, " you fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you/ then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?"

This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich towards God.

So far we have not gained anything, that is worth the loss of our soul. In fact the word of God encourages us to mend our ways, amend our bank balance and out of every pound we spend put a penny or two in a jar for service to God.

Praise be to our Lord God who not only guides us on our journey home, but gives us such reassurance; with his words of life.

Just that small portion of scripture, is so vibrant, so full of our Lord’s love for us. It both warns and encourages us.

It tells us we need only to fear God. The worst a man can do, is kill us. He may indulge in a little torment first, but he can do no more. God can send us to hell! Where we will be in torment for eternity. It will not happen if we do as God asks. No one under heaven is too insignificant, or small for God to love [like the sparrows].

If we deny Christ, we will be denied the kingdom of God. If we are persecuted for our faith in him, his Holy Spirit will open our mouths to speak words of his choosing.

Poor rich man. Poor because he did not for one moment consider sharing his goods with God, or giving one mouthful to the hungry poor. Instead he gloated about his good fortune and how long it was going to last him. That night he died. What had he gained? Nothing!

He was lost. Lost with no place for his soul to rest, his confidence was in his riches; his trust and faith in his fortune. What a mistake to make! To think that money can help us when death comes, it is like a starving man trying to feed himself on last weeks dinner, only an illusion of well being.

In Isaiah chapter fifty-five verses one to four, our gracious God gives us this invitation.

" come, all you who are thirsty,

come to the waters;

and you who have no money,

come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk

Without money and without cost.

Why spend money on what is not bread,

And your labour on what does not

Satisfy?

Listen, listen to me, and eat what is

Good,

And your soul will delight in the

Richest of fare.

Give ear and come to me;

Hear me, that your soul may live.

I will make an everlasting covenant with

You!

My faithful love promised to David."

This invitation, was there for the rich man, why, oh why did he not accept it? Why did he prefer corruptible mammon? Riches disappear like snowflakes over a bonfire, it is so sad.

God the faithful and most trustworthy one, he has kept his promise of unfailing love. It came in our saviour Jesus Christ. His invitation is still open, no need of money, for money cannot buy anything on offer from God.

In Matthew sixteen verse twenty-six, Jesus asks this question, "what good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?"

The answer my friend is nothing!!

We can only obey God’s word, believe in his Son, and then accept God’s invitation to join them in heaven.

For outside - - well we won’t talk about that, because we are going to say YES! YES! YES! Amen .