Bible Verse of the Week
 
Mark 8:34-38
When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
 
This Bible verse reminds me of a quote by Missionary Jim Elliot that was martyred back in the 1950s.  Jim said, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose."  Jim was so committed to Christ, that he was willing to die.  Are we that committed?  Are we even committed enough to open our Bibles and read or go to church or pray throughout the day.  Our bodies, our houses, our jobs, our stuff are only temporary...   Stop living for the here and now and consider eternity, consider Christ who loved you and died for you, pray to God today that you would get your heart right before him.  Every day 150,000 people die.  Are you ready for eternity?