Jesus, we acknowledge You as the Son of God, our personal Savior and our Advocate at the time of judgment. We have confidence that our love for You, by the grace given to us by God to be His chosen children, will result in our being with all believers in heaven, rejoicing forever.
Hey, do you need an attorney…This one is perfect!
We see that singing and rejoicing will characterize our arrival. What a joy filled scene that will be. Help us here and now to not forget that Your will is that we be joyful, knowing You are for us; You are the perfect Advocate. We could never enter into the Father’s presence without your advocacy. Your healing Spirit is both our hope and our reality.
Last here, first there. Disabled here, enabled there!
We could look at this teaching and say, “Boy, I am sure glad I don’t have much” believing little is expected of you. Money, fame intelligence, speaking ability, and dexterity are all gifts from God. But re-read the words of Jesus up above; do you think all of those gifts carry no particular obligation? What if you were the person with any or all of those gifts? What would you think that God expects of you?
My loving God angry? What’s up with that…
Father, we know that in the end, your righteous indignation with those who did not accept You nor Your Son, is promised. We do not know the specifics of their fate but we do not need to know. All we need to do Father is to be among those who are saved, whose salvation is assured.
Just how much license does our liberty give us?
You tell us that if we are insensitive to the needs of a weaker brother that we are sinning against You. That is a powerful reason for us to show patience when we are inclined to do otherwise.
Deny God? Not me, not ever!
The children are a special treasure in Your eyes. What is it Father that we adults lack? Do we lack the forthright nature of a child? Their innocence is genuine, not contrived. Their faith in Your love and the love of those around them is not like our faith as we mature. Our faith in other adults is usually conditional, based on how things are going at the moment
What does it mean to strain at a gnat and swallow a camel?
Jesus, these verses remind us of the phrase “you strain at a gnat and swallow a camel” wherein we focus on obedience in some small matter, in almost a compulsive way, believing that such obedience earns us points with You.
Sure, heaven is going to be great…but this is awful!
Father, Peter tells us a very important fact. We have been given a “living hope”. Yes, heaven awaits, but here we learn that our hope, made evident here and now, by our faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Savior, is a present reality.
God wills that all men live forever. Are you chosen?
Father, it could not be more clear. You chose us for salvation. We see that we are sanctified by the Spirit, as we decide to accept Your Son, Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and when we demonstrate our belief in that truth. And what is the truth but Your Holy word. That, Father, is the Good News in a nutshell. Your Spirit, and our spirit, becomes as one and the process of sanctification ensues.
An innocent child…the perfect example of faith.
When we observe the purity and innocence of a child, You tell us that these children and their innocence are a representation of persons who will inhabit Your kingdom. How, Jesus, can we ever achieve that kind of innocence? The answer comes from You. “I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.”