| Time Does Tell |
Time Does Tell
"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his
own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"
— Mark 8:36–37
A while ago, I ran into a guy that I once hung out with in school. I hadn't
seen him in 25 years. He called to say that he was coming to hear me
speak, so we arranged to meet beforehand.
As we talked, he told me he had been married twice and was presently
divorced. Then he said, "I basically drank my marriages away." He went
on to explain that he had gotten into that and never stopped. He said it
had ruined his life.
I told him, "You know, in the Bible, God says, 'You will seek Me and find
Me. . . .' "
"You can quote your book and I will quote mine," he said. "I am in
fellowship too. . . . I'm in a 12-step program."
We used to hang out and party together, but he never left that lifestyle. I
left it at age 17. As I look at the course his life has taken and the course
my life has taken, it is clear who really gave up the most.
There might be times as a Christian when you look at unbelievers and
think, I don't know. Maybe they are having the good time and I am not. It
might look like they are having fun today, but there is a price for sin. You
will reap what you sow.
If you live for Christ, if you determine to do things God's way, you won't
regret it. Because you won't find happiness or fulfillment through sex,
drugs, or drinking. You won't find it through relationships, success,
possessions, or accomplishments. You will find the happiness and
fulfillment you are looking for in life through a relationship with Jesus
Christ.
"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his
own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"
— Mark 8:36–37
A while ago, I ran into a guy that I once hung out with in school. I hadn't
seen him in 25 years. He called to say that he was coming to hear me
speak, so we arranged to meet beforehand.
As we talked, he told me he had been married twice and was presently
divorced. Then he said, "I basically drank my marriages away." He went
on to explain that he had gotten into that and never stopped. He said it
had ruined his life.
I told him, "You know, in the Bible, God says, 'You will seek Me and find
Me. . . .' "
"You can quote your book and I will quote mine," he said. "I am in
fellowship too. . . . I'm in a 12-step program."
We used to hang out and party together, but he never left that lifestyle. I
left it at age 17. As I look at the course his life has taken and the course
my life has taken, it is clear who really gave up the most.
There might be times as a Christian when you look at unbelievers and
think, I don't know. Maybe they are having the good time and I am not. It
might look like they are having fun today, but there is a price for sin. You
will reap what you sow.
If you live for Christ, if you determine to do things God's way, you won't
regret it. Because you won't find happiness or fulfillment through sex,
drugs, or drinking. You won't find it through relationships, success,
possessions, or accomplishments. You will find the happiness and
fulfillment you are looking for in life through a relationship with Jesus
Christ.
| C4W Devotions are used by permission from Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie P.O. Box 4000 Riverside , CA 92514 |