What Matters – Just One Thing ! Thoughts from the Edges while following Jesus.

The One Thing That Matters
Pastor Calvin Cook
August 27, 2025

Scripture: Mark 8:36 – “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”

These are some thoughts from my personal journey of faith.

Yesterday, I turned to a wise council for care, an independent a unknowing, listening ear to my daily situations. After going through a litany of frustrations, concern, and situations, I found comfort in his words “what really matters? What is consuming you? “I paused allowing this question to go deep like a two-edged sword aiming to cut away going in and coming out.

An article that I read recently about a person who had it all and lost it all has continued to be in my pondering. By the admission of the writer, she stated “I had gained the world but lost my soul—until I met Jesus.” It was brought to my attention yesterday through the quiet gentle words of a friend – to focus on what matters.

The work of satan is to seek, distract, and destroy us. These distractions of the evil one come in many ways, all with the purpose of destruction. Faith in Christ will be the only thing that matters and keeps us focused through all eternity.

These thoughts even these words this morning are not new or revolutionary, but these words are life giving and transforming. These words of focusing on what matters revert to the very beginnings of humanity. Every time the result of turning away from God and what is important comes up history the remedy has always been a turn back to God. This is the one truth we will find true in our personal lives, our family, community, and certainly within the church.

The cautionary thought is that many times we don’t know how distant we are from God until something comes up that needs us to remain steadfast, humble, and most of all kind and we lose or forget all of Jesus teachings. And friends it is not just spitting out a few lines of scripture but instead living it out.

Today, can we pray with and for each other to reaffirm our faith in God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is where we will find our treasure.

Prayer: Jesus, You are my everything. I choose You more than anything else, now, and forever.