1 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:12,320 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Studyheadquarters dot com. 3 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:17,320 Speaker 1: You're listening to Daily devotions with Pastor John. I'm John Stangey, 4 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:21,439 Speaker 1: and today's devotion is inspired by Mark chapter eight, verse 5 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:25,599 Speaker 1: thirty six, which says, for what does it profit a 6 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 1: man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 7 00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 1: We have all spent a portion of our life chasing something. 8 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:40,120 Speaker 1: Maybe we're chasing a dream or an ambition. Maybe we're 9 00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 1: chasing after material possessions or money. Maybe we're chasing after 10 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:49,240 Speaker 1: status or power. Maybe we're chasing after someone we think 11 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:53,559 Speaker 1: can make us feel complete. There are all sorts of 12 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:56,480 Speaker 1: things in this world we might be chasing after, and 13 00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:59,080 Speaker 1: it's likely that at some point we may have mistakenly 14 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:02,320 Speaker 1: believed we can all only be happy or content once 15 00:01:02,360 --> 00:01:06,400 Speaker 1: we obtained the object of our search. But the things 16 00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:10,080 Speaker 1: of this earth pass away. There is no logic in 17 00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 1: placing our ultimate hope in something that can wear out, fade, break, 18 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 1: or be taken from us. Is there something in this 19 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:22,399 Speaker 1: world that you've been telling yourself you need to obtain 20 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:26,640 Speaker 1: in order to truly be content? Is it worth more 21 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 1: to you than your relationship with Christ. The wealthiest people 22 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:34,640 Speaker 1: in the world still feel empty if they're missing a 23 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:39,760 Speaker 1: genuine relationship with Jesus. Christ. Jesus fills the void in 24 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 1: our souls. When we have Christ, we can be content. 25 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 1: He gives us a sense of lasting peace. He provides 26 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 1: rest for our souls. Until we're convinced that He is 27 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 1: all we truly need, there will always be a part 28 00:01:55,560 --> 00:02:03,720 Speaker 1: of us that feels empty and disjointed. Let's pray. Lord, 29 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 1: we thank you for your word, and we thank you 30 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 1: for the privilege that it is to be able to 31 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:09,920 Speaker 1: look at this portion of Scripture together today and to 32 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:13,120 Speaker 1: think about the things that you're communicating to us in it. 33 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:16,160 Speaker 1: And Lord, you reveal to us in your word that 34 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 1: so many of us are spending our lives chasing after 35 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:26,200 Speaker 1: worldly ambitions. We chase after prestige, we chase after possessions, 36 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:29,919 Speaker 1: we chase after other people, and we try to use 37 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:33,240 Speaker 1: the things that You've created to somehow fill a void 38 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:36,560 Speaker 1: in our soul. But Lord, we know that no created 39 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:39,680 Speaker 1: thing can fill that void. Lord, we know that that 40 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:43,440 Speaker 1: void can only be filled by you. You're the one 41 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 1: we truly need. And until we recognize that fact, we're 42 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:51,160 Speaker 1: always going to feel empty, We're always going to feel disjointed. 43 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:54,200 Speaker 1: There's always going to be something about us that feels off. 44 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 1: But Lord, we're grateful for your love, and we're grateful 45 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 1: for your presence. We're grateful for the fact fact that 46 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 1: through you we find true contentment. Lord, you've shown us 47 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 1: in your word that the things of this earth will 48 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:12,000 Speaker 1: not satisfy the longing of our hearts. So we pray 49 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:14,359 Speaker 1: Lord that we would realize that. We pray that we 50 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 1: would understand that fact, and that we would be content 51 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 1: in you, because you're the source of our hope, you're 52 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:25,520 Speaker 1: the source of our belonging, and you're the one word 53 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 1: of value most. So we thank you for these reminders 54 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 1: from your word today, and we thank you, Lord for 55 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 1: the fact that you have shown us that you alone 56 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:39,920 Speaker 1: meet our deepest needs. We commit this day to your care, 57 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 1: and we pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen.