In Mark 10:21 we have Jesus speaking to the rich young man saying, "One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me."

But the church has gone much in the way of the world thinking that the way to prove they have faith and that they have favor with God is to accumulate toys and houses and cars and goods and cash and clothes, etc. God did not give us the ability to get wealth to accumulate for ourselves but to advance and expand his kingdom through the gospel of Christ. The rich young ruler had kept the commandments of God and God had blessed him abundantly. But the wealth had taken its hold upon the rich young ruler and he did not want to give up what he had accumulated.

Maybe you have used your faith to accumulate houses and cars and toys and clothes and food and cash and various other things. Answer this question honestly: can you take any of that to heaven with you? The answer is clearly "NO." But you can accumulate treasure for yourself in heaven by selling all you have and giving to the poor. You can sell your house so the homeless can have a place to reside. You can sell your car so that those who cannot get from here to there can now be transported. You can sell your clothes so those that are naked or destitute can be clothed. You can sell your food so that those who are hungry and thirsty can eat and drink. And instead of selling you could either sell as we have pointed out or you could simply donate the items. Either way you could sell what you have and give to the poor.

And then you could go and take up your cross because you have put your hand to the plow and you love not your life even unto the death and you could go and preach and minister the gospel of Christ. The question you have to brutally ask yourself is this: Am I in this world or is the world in me? We need to live in this world but the world need not live in us.

Also the Lord said to stop worrying about terrorists and what the government is doing. Stop trying to change this world through government or business or worldly institutions or wisdom or methods. None of these things amount to anything as far as the Lord is concerned and none of these efforts by the children of God will get them any reward in heaven. It is time to set aside this world and let God sanctify us spirit and soul and body. It is time to walk continually in righteousness and in holiness. It is time to start sowing the Word of God and the gospel of Christ by faith and with the love of God. It is time to sell what you have and give to the poor. Jesus is coming back sooner now than when the church started. Do you want him to find you shopping until your drop or sharing Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit without fear or trepidation? Do you want him to come back and find you committing those secret sins you commit and think no one knows about or do you want him to come back and find you living righteously and in holiness?

The children of Israel had to put away their idols several times and turn back to God. It is time for the church to put away this world and turn back to Jesus. I know that some of those in the body of Christ think that this is all foolishness. I am not your judge. We will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account of everything we did in the body whether good or bad. It is time to sell all you have and be sold out for Jesus Christ. It is time to sell all you have and sow the gospel of Christ to everyone around you. It is time to sell all you have and minister to the downtrodden and those in need. It is time to sell all you have and visit the sick. It is time to sell all you have and visit those in prison. It is time to sell all you have and give to the poor. It is time to take up your cross and follow Jesus. It is time to stop playing church and be the church.