You"); document.writeln("know the commandments: \'Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do"); document.writeln("not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.\' And he"); document.writeln("said to him, \'Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.\'1
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He considered himself a good person. He"); document.writeln("did good things, he made good decisions, all in all, he lived a good life. The"); document.writeln("Rich Young Ruler in Mark chapter 10 was convinced that eternal life was at his"); document.writeln("fingertips, after all he was good, like Jesus. And so, he approached Jesus with"); document.writeln("that very greeting, \'Good Teacher\'. But Jesus\' answer put a halt to his steps,"); document.writeln("\'Why do you call me Good?, No one is Good except God alone.\' The young man had"); document.writeln("everything money could buy and having obeyed all of the commandments, thought"); document.writeln("he might easily be able to acquire eternal life as well! But when Jesus told"); document.writeln("him that in order to obtain eternal life he had to sell all he had and give it"); document.writeln("to the poor and follow Him, the rich man grieved. He had spent his entire life playing"); document.writeln("the part of a good person. He would have followed Jesus without any problem, I"); document.writeln("am sure; but to give up what he cherished the most, his money and his"); document.writeln("possessions, it was just too much for him to bear.
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Is something holding you back from having"); document.writeln("eternal life today? You might be going through life playing the part also. We"); document.writeln("look good going to church every Sunday with our family by our side; We have"); document.writeln("never murdered, committed adultery, or stolen anything; we do not lie or cheat;"); document.writeln("and we have always taken care to honor our parents. But if Jesus asked you to"); document.writeln("give that something up and follow Him, could you? I encourage you to use these"); document.writeln("last couple weeks of Lent to truly examine your heart and ask God to show you"); document.writeln("what you need to let go of in your life to play the right part and follow Him. Let us get our hearts ready to"); document.writeln("wholeheartedly celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord!
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Dear God, Reveal to me the areas that are"); document.writeln("holding me back from following You today; and then give me the strength to"); document.writeln("leave them behind. In Jesus\' name, Amen.
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1. "); document.writeln("Mark 10:19-20 (ESV)."); document.writeln("
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Today\'s Encounter was written by: Veronica"); document.writeln("B.
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This and other devotionals by Richard (Dick) Innes can be read online.
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