Posted in Devotions

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven

Blessed is the one who seeks to store treasures in heaven; for God’s blessing will be upon them who do good and seek to give God the glory in all things. They will hunger and thirst no more. God will satisfy them and provide for all their needs.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

(Matthew 6:19-21)

We do not need to be anxious about the things of this world. One day all these things will pass away and all that will remain is our love for God and the reward He will bestow to His children on the great day of judgment. Blessed are those who have ears and understand.

What manner of people ought we to be if our reward is awaiting us in heaven? Be kind to one another. Give to the poor. Save the broken-hearted from their pain. Bless all with the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ the Savior.

Show everyone compassion, for the Lord shows compassion on us when we sin. Have mercy on those who do not know better, for they do not know what they do. God will reward us in the end, therefore, lay up treasures in heaven.

Posted in Devotions

Love God and Love Your Neighbor

Jesus taught that we ought to love God above all things and that we ought to love our neighbor as ourselves. By doing so, we will have demonstrated one of the fruits of the spirit; for we have crucified our sinful nature with its passions and desires.

“And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.’”

(Matthew 22:37-40)

How do we love God? We love Him by doing His will in our lives, which is upholding His word in all our dealings. By this, we glorify Him in all our thoughts and deeds; and He will remember us and never leave us nor forsake us.

How should we love our neighbor? Jesus said that no one has greater love than to give up one’s life for another. If our neighbor is in need, as we would be in need, we ought to minister to them with all we have. Give to them as we would give to ourselves.

If we truly love as God would have us love, we would also enjoy the rich blessings of joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. God will not hold anything back, therefore love God and love your neighbor.

Posted in Devotions

Rejoice, Pray and Give Thanks

God our Father’s will for us is that we partake in joy everlasting, pray to Him always and praise Him in thanksgiving. By doing these things, we are honoring Him and giving him glory through His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

We ought to rejoice always, praising God with our hands and with our hearts. By words and by deeds, we give glory to Him who created and molded us into His image. By doing so, great joy will never depart from our house, and God will be with us forever.

Let us pray without relent, for as we talk to God, He will reveal Himself to us. Our prayers are as sweet incense rising to His altar. He takes pleasure in every word we say. Continually offer sacrifices of prayer to the Lord our God.

Let us give thanks to God for all that He has done for us. He has blessed us with the gift of life everlasting. He has shown us great love by giving His Son Jesus on the cross so that we might live. Remember always to rejoice, pray and give thanks.

Posted in Devotions

The Present Things Will Pass Away

Our Lord Jesus Christ is preparing to one day come back soon. Let us be ready, for we will not know the day or the hour of His return. What we do know is that we will dwell with Him in our Father’s house forever, where there will be no more tears or suffering.

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

(Revelation 21:4)

The day will come when every knee will bow to the Lord our God. Everyone will go before God. Everyone will give an account to Him who sits on His throne; and judgment will fall on the wicked. Blessed are they who are the elect, for their reward is sure.

The heavens and the earth and everything in it will melt away. There will be nothing left of the former things, except for that which God has made us to become; that will remain. For the new heavens and the new earth will be here soon.

Rejoice and be glad; our Lord and Savior Jesus will return with a shout, the blast of a trumpet, and we will all reign with Him forever. Do not be troubled by this present age, for the day is coming when the present things will pass away.

Posted in Devotions

You Forgave the Iniquity of My Sin

Great is our God, for He has opened the doors to His throne room, providing us salvation from judgment. Great is He, again, to have given His Son Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins so that we would have eternal life.

“I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,’
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah”

(Psalms 32:5)

If we drop to our knees before God, acknowledge our sins to Him and truly repent of what we have done, which is not doing His will in our lives, then all that we have confessed, He will absolve; He will have no memory of our transgressions, but will have forgiven us fully.

God has not hidden Himself from us. He has blessed us with His kindness and His strength. We have no reason to fear any longer. His mercy is on us, and He has freely given His grace. We will not need to worry when we go before Him on the day of judgment.

Blessed is our God. Wonderful is He. Worship Him from the top of mountains. Worship Him from the depths of the sea. Worship Him from all over the world. Worship him always. He is our good, good God. He is our King. Blessed be the Father always, for you forgave the iniquity of my sin.

Posted in Devotions

Our Souls Long for the Lord’s Salvation

However many times we find ourselves lost and alone, God is there listening, waiting for us to draw near. He is our steadfast fortress, our rock and our salvation. No trial is too hard, no tribulation is too difficult for us to overcome with the Lord’s help.

“My soul longs for your salvation;
I hope in your word.
My eyes long for your promise;
I ask, ‘When will you comfort me?’”

(Psalms 119:81-82)

We long for the Lord’s comfort. His ways are perfect, righteous and just. He will never abandon us. He will never leave us by the wayside. He has promised to be there for us in our time of need. He will never give up on us, for He is the great God.

Wonderful is our God, who sacrificed His son Jesus so that we may live; our sins are no more and our iniquities shall never separate us from our Father’s love. We can humbly come before His throne asking for forgiveness, and He will forgive us.

Happy are we knowing God has our reward stored in heaven, as we wait for the day when we will be together with Him forever. Great is He who has given us hope. Wonderful is He who has promised us eternal life. Our souls long for the Lord’s salvation.

Posted in Devotions

Blessed Are the Forgiven

Blessed are we to have gone before the Lord and ask for forgiveness. Our iniquities are no longer a stumbling block to our salvation. We no longer need to be anxious for the day of judgment, for our reward is safe and secure in the hands of the Great God our Father.

“Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.”

(Psalms 32:1-2)

Through Jesus we can enter the great throne room and lay our troubles at the foot of the mercy seat, where God will provide us the strength we need to overcome. Our hope rests with the Lord, who gave His life so that our sins would be no more.

Rejoice in the blessing that lies within us; for by the Holy Spirit, which God gave us in our new birth, we have surety of one day dwelling with the Lord forever. Blessed be the name of the Lord, for He is good always.

By the many sorrows we had to endure, we now have gladness knowing our place will be with the Lord. No one can take away what God has given to us freely. By Christ’s holy and righteous name, we are to reign forever. Blessed are the forgiven.