This morning I got up and was reading in the book of Matthew. I came to chapter 19 and when I got to Matthew 19:21-25 I stopped.

“Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.  Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”          Matthew 19:21-25

I don’t think it’s any wonder why this would be presented before me this morning when all I hear all day on the radio or TV are commercials for sales going on. Everywhere I look when I’m on the computer whether working on social media or checking emails, all I see are advertisements for products being sold. It’s everywhere.

Consumerism.

We’re consuming everything.

And we consume everything we hear.

I heard recently someone asking a young man if he’d been keeping the commandments (he wanted to be baptized) and she said if he wanted to get into heaven he’d better start “obeying”.

We aren’t saved by keeping commandments, because we can’t be saved by our own acts, only by the redeeming blood of Jesus are we saved. I’m grieved that I allowed this conversation to go on before me. Yes, allowed. I could have stopped it. I could have chimed in. But I was sick and ready to get home myself.

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved”  Romans 10:9-10

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace”.  Ephesians 1:7

“Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”  Hebrews 9:28

Admit you’re a sinner, believe that Jesus died for you on that cross, and confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ IS Lord. He is. We must not just acknowledge Jesus but must confess Him as Lord of our lives. Even the demons acknowledge Him and tremble at His name. (James 2:19)