Category: Uncategorized

Luke 12:32-33

“Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.”

Encouraging Words

It is our Father’s good pleasure to give us the Kingdom. God does not begrudgingly let us into heaven. He is eager for all of us to be participants in His love and residents in His Kingdom. Part of living in the Kingdom of heaven in this life is letting go of the stuff of this world and investing in that Kingdom where our treasure will never grow old and never be stolen or destroyed. Glory be to God!

Luke 12:22-23

Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.”

Personal challenge

There is a difference between worrying and planning. It is prudent to start saving for our retirement when we are young so that we will not be a burden to others when we are old. But if we slip into a mindset of hoarding because we are fearful that we will not have enough, then we are in a state of worry and not trusting God. This applies to every aspect of our lives. Do we worry about our job? It is in God’s hands. Do we worry about our finances and stuff? It all belongs to God anyway. Maybe we should give it back to Him. Are we worried about our health? What can we learn from God in times of sickness? The bottom line is that there is no room or excuse in the Christian’s life to worry, for we are to be trusting God and looking to Him for our all. Glory be to God!

Luke 10:9

And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’

Personal Challenge

One of the errors that we have grabbed on to in the church is that the Kingdom of God is coming… someday. Jesus taught us that with His incarnation, His being God and then becoming a human being, He threw open the gates to the Kingdom of God and made it possible for all of us to enter into it and experience it now, not sometime in the distant future. That is why He tells us to proclaim to the lost world that His Kingdom is here and that they too can participate in it. We too can heal the sick because we are residents in the Kingdom of God. Glory be to God!

Luke 7:13

When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”

Encouraging Words

Jesus is not some idle, out of reach, god that has been conceived in the mind of men. He walked upon this earth and changed the course of eternity by being both fully God and fully man. And while He was walking here amongst us He never lorded it over us. To the contrary, He had compassion for those whom He came into contact with and showed them God’s love for them. He did what He asks us to do. Just as He told this widow whose only son had just died, to not weep, He tells us to not weep, to not be sad because this world is harsh and spiteful towards us. Just as He raised her son back up to life, He raises us up to life day after day. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Luke 6:46

“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?”

Personal Challenge

If we really want to change our world for the better by introducing everyone to Christ, then we need to change our ways. We have become a people that proclaim Christ as our Lord, but don’t do any of His commandments, like loving our neighbor in word and deed. God does not want just our words, He also wants our actions. Lord, have mercy!

Revelation 22:17

And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

Encouraging Words

Another promise of the future that awaits us. A future where we will never thirst, not just for water, but for anything. We are not just told of this promised world but told to come and partake of it. Glory be to God!

Revelation 21:3-4

And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Encouraging Words

God, our creator and sustainer, promises to dwell with us. That promise includes creating for us a place in eternity where there will be no more tears, no more death, no more sorrow, no more crying, and no more pain. What a glorious and precious promise. Glory be to God!