Means Nothing?

Means Nothing?

by David Brenneman 

It's interesting to observe people. It's interesting to listen to what they say about things from family life to personal life to politics and religion.  

We can read in the Bible in Mark 8:36 NASB "For what does it benefit a person to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?".

Another fantastic question is: "For what could a person give in exchange for his soul? in verse 37.

What will anyone do when they stand before Jesus, giving an account for what they did in their lives for Him...and after it's tested by fire...nothing remains?

Can anyone fathom the degree of shame that can possibly produce?

We have probably heard it said that we have but one life to live, there's no pause or rewind button.

We can waste what time we're given or we can choose to live it wisely.  

I honestly was heavily convicted by my perception of how little I was doing for Jesus in my life.  I was living for me in all reality. 

The passage about giving an account of my life before Jesus kept coming at me. It was getting more and more impossible to not consider the ramifications of a life not lived the way that He intended me to live it.

We face a great many temptations. We see a great many things that will take us off the road called life to tie us up.  

We who have come to Christ ought to be living life with respect to what it cost Jesus to give us life.   We were once dead in our trespasses and sins.  We were made alive in Christ by His sacrifice on the cross.  Our greatest temptations He has already faced and defeated.  

There's probably two of THE most horrific times possible in a human being's life. 

One is to die and wake up in Hell.

The second equally horrific thing is to stand before Jesus seeing that our lives did nothing for Him when we had all the opportunity afforded to do so. Granted some people die in Christ almost immediately after coming to Christ for salvation.  This isn't for such people. When it's God's will to have a life to live for Jesus and that life isn't lived for Jesus...this is for those people. 

We will indeed give an account of our lives before Jesus...for what we have done we give back to Jesus in our gratitude.  Will you have anything to give in gratitude for all He's done for you?  

The unbelieving will likewise have a review of their lives. It will sadly show that no matter the person their lives didn't measure up to the requirements established in salvation in Christ Jesus. 

Take a moment to look at what things you call important.  Are they important only to you or are they important to Jesus?  Are you being a light in this world or have you hidden that light in order to live how you want?

What kind of answer will you give to Jesus about how your life was spent?

Jesus came to give us life, but not just life, life more abundant.  Ask yourself if Jesus would like what you are doing in your life. 

As I have mentioned to many...as long as a person breathes, there's hope.