Rich Man and God

If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. Ezekiel 33:15.
No sooner did Zacchaeus yield to the influence of the Holy Spirit than he cast aside every practice contrary to integrity. No repentance is genuine that does not work reformation. The righteousness of Christ is not a cloak to cover unconfessed and unforsaken sin….
Every converted soul will, like Zacchaeus, signalize the entrance of Christ into his heart by an abandonment of the unrighteous practices that have marked his life. Like the chief publican, he will give proof of his sincerity by making restitution….
If we have injured others through any unjust business transaction, … we should confess our wrong, and make restitution as far as lies in our power. It is right for us to restore not only that which we have taken, but all that it would have accumulated if put to a right and wise use during the time it has been in our possession.
To Zacchaeus the Saviour said, “This day is salvation come to this house.” Not only was Zacchaeus himself blessed, but all his household with him…. They had been shut out from the synagogues by the contempt of rabbis and worshipers; but now, the most favored household in all Jericho, they gathered in their own home about the divine Teacher, and heard for themselves the words of life.
It is when Christ is received as a personal Saviour that salvation comes to the soul. Zacchaeus had received Jesus, not merely as a passing guest in his home, but as One to abide in the soul temple.
When the rich young ruler had turned away from Jesus, the disciples had marveled at their Master’s saying, “How hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!” They had exclaimed one to another, “Who then can be saved?” Now they had a demonstration of the truth of Christ’s words, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” They saw how, through the grace of God, a rich man could enter into the kingdom.
Conflict and Courage p. 302
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—–Prayers for a friend please-that is basically falling apart at the seams-has almost lost everything-prayers that he may come to experience Christ in His life and be able to get back on his feet. Laura
—–Please pray for Delores with a brain tumor and her family. She hasn’t long to live.. she has been patient and sweet and longsuffering, but her young children and husband have so much to bear right now. It’s dreadful to watch your mom suffer and decline everyday. Angela
—–I am scheduled for foot surgery tomorrow morning, but I just received a call from my foot doctor’s office saying they might have to cancel surgery because they haven’t received my blood work and physical paperwork from my primary doctor’s office yet. Please pray with me that all these technicalities will get straightened out today and we can proceed with the foot surgery tomorrow morning. Thank you for your prayers. Jennifer
—–Please pray for a dear friend who is losing her marriage through no fault of her own; abuse…. Sylvia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends
Before my grandfather married my grandmother, he was married to a girl from Canada. He had two children, Dorothy and Edwin Harmon Jr. His wife had been a “mama’s girl” and was so homesick that she took their two little children and went back home to her mother. It nearly broke my grandfather’s heart. Dorothy and Ed came back to visit their father when they were in their teens. He was so happy to have all of his children with him. The picture that was taken on that occasion shows my grandfather smiling—something he rarely felt like doing.
Just as my grandfather’s heart broke when his first wife ran off with their children, so our Heavenly Father’s Great Heart of Love is broken because of our separation from Him. How He looks forward to the time when we will be reunited. Jesus is coming soon! The signs all foretell it! Soon, we “shall see the king in his beauty: [we] shall behold the land that is very far off.” Isa 33:17 Soon, our Great Redeemer will through back the New Jerusalem’s gates of pearl and exclaim, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Matt 25:34 Soon we will see the Great King of the Universe face to face! What a glorious day that will be!
In vision, Zephaniah saw that great reunion day. “The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty, he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy, he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.” Zeph 3:17 Think of it! The Great Creator, the Mighty King of the Universe will rejoice over us with singing! What glorious music that will be!
Moreover, we will dwell with Him throughout all eternity! We will be able to meet with Him and hear from His lips the reasons for all those things which have sorrowed and perplexed us for so long. We will see why we or our loved ones have had to suffer, why our path was full of trials and troubles that made our life hard to bear, why our dear ones were torn from us by death. “And God shall wipe away all tears from [our] eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” Rev 21:3, 4 As our Heavenly Father explains these questions, as He opens to us the record of His leading and guidance, and tender care, we will exclaim as did those who saw His miracles, “He hath done all things well!” Mark 7:37
May we soon see Jesus coming in the clouds of Heaven with the great sound of a trumpet calling the dead to life, gathering us and them to meet Him in the air, “for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thes 4:16,17 “Behold, I show you a mystery, We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. ” 1 Cor 15:51-54
If our Great King wants us to be with Him, why has He not come as yet? Peter gives the answer, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” 2 Peter 3:9-14 Amen!
Rose