What does it profit a man to gain from this world? Are those things he obtains going to offer him any aid or bring his soul comfort when he reaches his final days, and heads to the hereafter apart from the Savior? Can a title, or massive wealth set his soul with the right disposition to satisfy the demands of sin? Could he appease the penalty of sin by any of the objects he owns, or can he find a pardon because of all the good he has done? Is there anything a man can do to save himself and be kept from experiencing utter darkness?
When the approach a man takes in life is reliance upon his possessions and wealth, he is stating that he himself holds the answer to these questions, believing everything he has or does (by comparison to the world around him), puts him in the place of “good standing”. For if he wears the right clothes or drives the right car, portraying a life that is the picture of success, surely that makes him upstanding, and entitles him to receive entrance through My gates.
But in all of his ambition to gather the important embellishments of this world, he has overlooked the truly valuable item he already possesses, the one thing he has carried within himself since his birth. For what price would a man pay to have his soul eternally acquitted of every charge against him, and have his life’s record expunged of every wrong he has done; even though there is nothing he owns or anything he does that will be enough to wash away the stain of his tarnished soul?
It is the folly of man to think there is anything in this world he procures that can cover up the dark mark he carries or remove the guilt from his inner being. Yet so many believe, because they have the ability to amass a great amount from this world, that I am somehow more pleased with their conduct, and as a result have shown them special treatment by blessing them with more than another.
Oh, the foolishness of man!
I am never charmed by his efforts. This is not what pleases Me. And just because he is able to purchase more luxurious items, that is not a sign of My favor. I do not want a man’s life to be built on this flimsy foundation, one that is temporary at best. For it cannot offer any real support to his inner man and will eventually crumble under the weight of what really matters. For there is nothing in this world that retains enough value to eternally purchase his soul: the part of a man that continues on beyond the ‘here and now’. For what could he offer that has this kind of power?
Therefore, this leaves man empty-handed, without anything of real value to use as barter: the key element that brings full redemption and puts to rest all of his wrongdoings by covering each of his missteps.
So then, without some sort of divine intervention, man is helpless to raise his soul to eternity’s standard, which says: “All have sinned and fall short of My glory”. That means that unless the mark of My Son is borne upon him, entrance into My Kingdom is forbidden. None can cross the threshold of My gates without first having accepted Jesus as Savior. For it is His name alone that opens the door to life everlasting; His perfect sacrifice having paved the way to salvation. This divine gift is freely given for man to receive: not as something to be earned or purchased, yet the value of this reward cannot be measured, as His act of love was the payment that fully squared the debt the world owed.
Unfortunately, there are many individuals that still think this obligation can be handled through their own efforts, thinking they can negotiate different terms for settling all that is outstanding against them. Yet, what could an individual possess that could satisfy the penalties against him, and why does he run after obtaining possessions and wealth if these things can do nothing for him in the end? It is much more beneficial for him to pursue what is eternal, and race towards the One who holds the power of life in His hands.
For owning a lot of empty commodities only leaves an individual’s soul in a poorer condition, possessing only an impoverished spirit, for there is nothing worthwhile to gain in this practice. Acquiring will just lead to more want, as a hunger for ownership is never satisfied when a heart lusts after the wares of this world. For the deeper need inside each human being goes beyond the here and now, as it is the eternal part of his makeup that is really crying out, longing to connect with My everlasting realm. But as he tries to use temporal items to pacify his spiritual need, he is attempting to mix oil and water, where the one is unable to combine with the other because these two substances are made up of entirely different components, and will not blend no matter the amounts concocted, for oil will always be seen floating on the surface.
And so, what is seen in the natural cannot flow into the unseen realm, and thereby, holds very little value. Possessing anything that carries a designer’s label may hold value in this life, but it won’t unlock the door to My kingdom, or elevate him in My society. These objects may be impressive to others, but to Me, they matter very little. So if this is My view on the perishable, then why elevate its importance? If My Son is the example of how to live, then having a Heavenly mindset is how all should live life, especially those who I call My own, those who are most beloved!
Though it is easy to become enticed by what the world has to offer, none of these trappings can gain what a heart is missing, for this kind of contentment can only be found by a soul that has been arrested in the glorious light of the Savior. Those who have seen the greater value of His gift have laid claim to His inheritance, as rightful heirs to the bountiful riches He has lavished upon those who choose Him. For once the incorruptible meets the corruptible, the treasures of man just can’t compare. For when a heart experiences the delight found in My Son, his soul will forever be satisfied and have no need for the trivial novelties of man.
Here is where true happiness lies, the everlasting kind, which isn’t held in a heart for a few fleeting moments (as when something brand new is purchased). No! It remains even beyond our first encounter, as this kind of emotion arises from deep inside and is centered upon who I am, and as a result, cannot be shaken off regardless of how many worldly things My children obtain, for the relationship with Me is more precious to them than anything they have acquired on their own.
“What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” – Mark 8:36-37