Key Thought

Today's Prayer

God, please give me the kind of heart that sees through the facades and feeble things of this world. With your Spirit, reset my heart so that it can find its focus and value in what is truly lasting and worthwhile in your sight. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

Jesus said, "There was a rich man that always dressed in the finest clothes. He was so rich that he was able to enjoy all the best things every day. There was also a very poor man named Lazarus. Lazarus' body was covered with sores. Lazarus was often put at the rich man's gate. Lazarus wanted only to eat the small pieces of food left from the rich man's table. And the dogs came and licked his sores! Later, Lazarus died. The angels took Lazarus and placed him in the arms of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. He was sent to the place of death and had much pain. The rich man saw Abraham far away with Lazarus in his arms. He called, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me! Send Lazarus to me so that he can dip his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am suffering in this fire!' But Abraham said, 'My child, remember when you lived? You had all the good things in life. But all the bad things happened to Lazarus. Now he is comforted here, and you are suffering. Also, there is a big pit (hole) between you and us. No person can cross over to help you. And no person can leave there and come here.' The rich man said, 'Then please, father {Abraham}, send Lazarus to my father's house on earth! I have five brothers. Lazarus could warn my brothers so that they will not come to this place of pain.' But Abraham said, 'They have the law of Moses and the writings of the prophets to read; let them learn from that!' But the rich man said, 'No, father Abraham! But if someone came to them from the dead, then they would change their hearts and lives.' But Abraham said to him, 'No! If your brothers won't listen to Moses and the prophets, then they won't listen to someone that comes back from death.'"

Related Scripture Readings

One of the men in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, {our father just died}. Tell my brother to share with me the things our father owned." But Jesus said to him, "Who said that I should be your judge or decide how to divide your father's things between you two?" Then Jesus said to them. "Be careful and guard against all kinds of greed. A person does not get life from the many things he owns." Then Jesus used this story: "There was a rich man that had some land. His land grew a very good crop of food. The rich man thought to himself, 'What will I do? I have no place to keep all my crops.' Then the rich man said, 'I know what I will do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger barns! I will put all my wheat and good things together in my new barns. Then I can say to myself, I have many good things stored. I have saved enough for many years. Rest, eat, drink, and enjoy life!' But God said to that man, 'Foolish man! Tonight you will die. So what about the things you prepared for yourself? Who will get those things now?' "This is how it will be for the person that saves things only for himself. To God that person is not rich."

Sell the things you have and give that money to people that need it. The riches of this world don't continue. So get the kind of riches that continue. Get the treasure of heaven. That treasure continues forever. Thieves can't steal your treasure in heaven, and moths can't destroy it. Your heart will be where your treasure is.

But the Lord said to Samuel, "Eliab is tall and handsome. But don't think about things like that. God does not look at the things people see. People look only at the outside of a person, but the Lord looks at his heart. Eliab is not the right man."