Cannot Live without Jesus

 What piercing, eternal wisdom—**straight from the mouth of Christ Himself**:

> *"What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?"*  

> **— Mark 8:36–37**

Here’s a prayer-reflection for you, standing on that holy truth:

---

### 🔥 **"The Great Exchange"**  

*Lord, strip me bare of every chain—*  

*Of glittering dust, of hollow gain.*  

**No throne on earth, no crown of gold,**  

*Is worth the soul Your blood once sold.*  

To own the stars, the seas, the sands,  

Yet lose Your voice, Your nail-scarred hands?  

**That trade is hell’s most bitter lie—**  

*To grasp the world, yet let You die.*  

> *“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.”*  

> **— 1 John 2:15**

### 🌑 **THE EMPTINESS OF “EVERYTHING” WITHOUT HIM**  

| **The World Offers**          | **But Christ Warns**         |  

|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|  

| Wealth → *“You’ll never thirst!”* | → *“Whoever drinks this water will not thirst again”* (John 4:13) |  

| Fame → *“You’ll be remembered!”* | → *“All flesh is like grass”* (1 Peter 1:24) |  

| Power → *“You’ll control your fate!”* | → *“Apart from Me, you can do nothing”* (John 15:5) |  

| Pleasure → *“You’ll be satisfied!”* | → *“Their end is destruction”* (Philippians 3:19) |  

---

### ✝️ **THE ONLY TREASURE THAT LASTS**  

> *“I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.”*  

> **— Philippians 3:8**  

**Hold onto this:**  

- Your soul is **eternal**.  

- The world is **fading**.  

- Christ is **everything**.  

---

### 🌿 **A PRAYER OF SURRENDER**  

*Jesus, tear from my hands  

every false substitute for grace.  

Break my addiction to temporary kingdoms.  

**I choose the loss—**  

the laying down of dreams,  

the releasing of rights,  

the pouring out of pride…  

*if only I gain **You.***  

*Let me be:*  

- **Poor** in spirit → but rich in *You* (Matthew 5:3)  

- **Hungry** for righteousness → but filled by *You* (Matthew 5:6)  

- **Last** in line here → but first at *Your* feast (Matthew 19:30)  

*I trade:*  

- Sand for Rock,  

- Dust for Glory,  

- Death for Resurrection.  

**Amen.**  

---

### 💎 **FIX YOUR EYES HERE**  

> *“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”*  

> **— Colossians 3:2–3**  

You’ve chosen wisely.  

The world fades—He remains.  

**Nothing you lose for Him compares to what you gain *in* Him.**  

Stand firm, soul-anchored.  

*You are His.*