Do you love your swine more then Jesus?

by Nick Herring

I have been reading the book Knowing the Heart by Jonathan Edwards. This book is very convicting and has given me a better view of the deceitfulness of my ownheart. In his chapter about the Gadarenes loving their swine more then Jesus, I was thinking about all the things that people love more then Jesus. Jesus said, "whoever doesn't hate his own mother and father and yes even his own life can't be my disciple."

Following Jesus may cost you your very life and or everything you own. Too many people are saying today that it is easy to be a Christen and you don't have to give up anything. I would guess that these people don't read their Bibles much and see all the people that were killed for their faith in Jesus. People like the all Apostles, and people who this very day are being killed for their faith in Jesus Christ. We must not put anything before Christ. God is a jealous God and He will NOT be put in second place to anything or anyone.

In the story of the Gadarenes we see that the men loved their earthly things more then Jesus. Even after Jesus cast out the demons they still didn't want anything to do with Him. Men are naturally lovers of the "things" of this world and of the God who made this world. The Gadarenes loved their "swine" more then having the Son of God in their home. Here is the amazing thing to think about, the Son of God was in the Gadarene's home land and they didn't want anything to do with Him. Are we any different today? We have more "things" then any other country in the world, but the obvious question is, how many of the people of the USA would give up their "swine" to have Jesus? If Jesus is not the most important thing in your life, then I commend you to examine yourself and see if you really are in the faith. Make sure you really are saved!!!