Man: “Jesus, I just want to thank you so much for answering my prayers! Thank you so much for the awesome job you lined up for me! Thank you for the stable income so I can buy the sports car I’ve always wanted! Thank you so much for giving me such a beautiful wife last year! You’ve been showering me with so many blessings!”
Jesus: “Friend, I don’t know how to say this, but I am not
in those things and I did not answer your prayers. Didn’t I tell you? I am with
those of humble means, I am with the poor and needy, I am with those who are
crying, and I am with those who suffer for my name’s sake. It will be those who
are truly blessed. Seek me and you shall find me. If you remain in me, then I
will remain in you, but if you seek these worldly things, then you are not
with me, and I will have to cut off our relationship and admit I never knew you.
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Jesus: “Friend [1], I don’t know how to say this, but I am
not in those things and I did not answer your prayers [2]. Didn’t I tell you? I
am with those of humble means [3], I am with the poor and needy [4], I am with
those who are crying [5], and I am with those who suffer for my name’s sake [6].
It will be these who are truly blessed [7]. Seek me and you shall find me [8].
If you remain in me, then I will remain in you [9], but if you seek these
worldly things [10], then you are not with me [11], and I will have to cut off
our relationship [12] and admit I don’t know you [13].
[1] John 15:15 I no longer call you servants, because a
servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you
friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
[2] Luke 9:25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole
world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?
[3] James 9:11 But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in
his high position; and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation,
because like flowering grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with a
scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty
of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his
pursuits will fade away.
[4] Matthew 25:40 "The King will reply, 'Truly I tell
you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of
mine, you did for me.'
[5] Psalm 34:18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and
saves the crushed in spirit.
[6] 1 Peter 3:14 But even if you should suffer for what is
right, you are blessed. "Do not fear their threats; do not be
frightened."
1 Peter 4:14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you
are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
1 Peter 5:10 And after you have suffered a little while, the
God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will
himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
2 Corinthians 4:8-10 We are afflicted in every way, but not
crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken;
struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies
[7] Matthew 5:3-11 “Blessed are the poor
in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn,
for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the
earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they
shall be satisfied. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. “Blessed
are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called sons of God. “Blessed are those who have been persecuted
for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed
are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all
kinds of evil against you because of Me. “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward
in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were
before you.
[8] Matthew 7:7 “Ask,
and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be
opened to you.
[9] John 15:4 Remain in me, as I also remain
in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither
can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
John 14:23 Jesus replied, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.
[10] Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth
John 14:23 Jesus replied, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.
[10] Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth
1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world
or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father
is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the
desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from
the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever
does the will of God abides forever.
[11] Luke 16: 13 No servant can serve
two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be
devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
[12] John 15:6 If you do not remain in me,
you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked
up, thrown into the fire and burned.
[13] Matthew 7:23 Then I will tell them
plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!