From: Beverly French [frenchb@vcss.k12.ca.us]
Sent: Sunday, April 10, 2005 5:45 AM
To: Heritage
Subject: April 10, 2005 Greetings

"For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's shall save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?" Mark 8:35-36

This is a paradox and we see it also in Matthew 10: 39 and 16:25. We see another paradox in the Apostle Paul's writing to the Corinthians about his thorn in the flesh and the Lord's response to weakness. "And He (the Lord) said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness'." 2 Corinthians 12:9 Paul goes on to say ".For when I am weak, then I am strong." Vs.10b

So we see in Scripture that there is gain through loss! Though that seems strange, how well we know that God's thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways. (Isaiah 55:8-9) We can see it in the following: Loss of earthy treasures secures spiritual treasures: In speaking to the rich young ruler, "Jesus said to him, 'If you want to be perfect, go sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.'" Matthew 19:21

Self sacrifice is investment:
Jesus speaking to the disciples concerning leaving all to follow Him, "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sister or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit everlasting life." Matthew 19:29

Paul, a mighty example for us; he gave up all and pressed on to win the great prize as we see in Philippians 3: "But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ." Vs. 7 "But indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ." Vs. 8 ".But one things I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those thing which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Vs. 13-14

(Read the warning against confidence in the flesh and the exhortation to KNOW Christ. Philippians 3:1-14)

As we continue on with our thoughts on lose for gain, we see that: Humility leads to exaltation: Jesus speaking to the disciples concerning both who would be first and servant hood: "And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, 'If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all." Mark 9:35

Life comes out of death:
Jesus speaking says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." John 12 24

We know that this is true for man! It is only at the Cross of Jesus that man can find life. For at the Cross is God's 'divine exchange'; death for life. "Even when we were dead in trespasses, (God) made us alive together with Christ." Ephesians 2:5

All glory and praise to our Lord and Savior! Who died for sin and rose again that we might have life in Him!  And Jesus Himself said in John 10:10, ".I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

Hallelujah! Praise our great and merciful God forever.