Thank God for His gift allowing you to believe, in the three persons, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, the one and only God of the Bible. Thank God for His blessings to help you live your best to love Him in faith.
Deuteronomy 6:5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
Most people in the world are not Messianic Jews or true Christians, so the love for God spoken of in Deuteronomy 6:5 means nothing to them.
Most people on the planet live in this world of sight and have no sure hope for the perfect world after death called heaven.
Thank God for His promise to send the Savior, the Messiah, Jesus Christ His Son, who came, died and has risen.
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulders. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Might God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Most of those who call themselves Christians are self-deceived. Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are a few will find it.”
The self-deceived Christians live in this world of sight and like Jesus, they like going to church. But they do not love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Ephesians 6:24 Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.
The self-deceived Christians are sitting in the right place on Sunday morning. But their motives and priorities are not in line with the Bible’s command in Deuteronomy 6:5 requiring the whole person to love God.
Loving soccer games replaces liking Sunday worship. Loving business contacts are more important than honest humility and repentance before the Lord. Showing up on Sunday is a healthy outing for a young family to do together, but as the kids get older hearts change and grow cold.
Few Christians are obediently struggling to enter the narrow gate Jesus’s talks about in Matthew 7:14. They are living with the love of the word of God anchoring their longing hope for heaven. The Christian life is hard at times to stay the course “…and difficult is the way which leads to life,…” as the world becomes more confrontational.
Our Lord teaches the crowd in Matthew 11:12 “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.”
Again Jesus instructs the crowd in Luke 13:24 “Strive to enter through the narrow gate for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.”
Luke 16:16 “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.”
The apostle Paul exhorts Christians to rejoice in the Lord and to continue strong in the faith. Philippians 3:14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
2 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
2 Corinthians 4:18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Thank God this life that is seen, is not all there is. Thank God for His great plans and purpose to bring all those who believe in Jesus into the next life of eternity in heaven with Him.
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
Thank God, give Him honor and praise His holy name, give Him glory in the highest by loving His Son Jesus our Savior and Lord.
2 Corinthians 6:2 Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
Matthew 22:14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Thank God that He hears those who call to Him with a sincere heart asking for salvation in Christ Jesus.
