Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.
1 Corinthians 15:1-5

First things first

If you returned from the dead, who would you want to see first? What message would you want to deliver? In our reading, Paul shares the short version of the “Jesus diary” of accomplishments for human kind.

Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection put his followers into a tailspin about his person and mission. But Jesus returned to reveal himself to the apostles he personally trained over his three years of ministry. Jesus first appeared to Peter, the person who betrayed him. Then he appeared to the rest of the apostles who turned and ran from him in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Which group would you fit? Would you be a “denier” or a “garden runner?” Who needed the most assurance of Christ’s forgiveness? Jesus chose to assure Peter that he was alive first. Perhaps it was because Peter felt responsible for letting his Savior down when Jesus needed his support.

“Of first importance”, Paul says, is this: “Christ died for our sins … was buried … was raised on the third day.” First things first, take your stand on those words! The one we hurt the most with our sins forgave us through his cross. Let that be your first thought every morning and last remembrance every night. With this understanding, may your appreciation grow for the one who makes YOU his first priority!

Prayer: Life-giving Lord, we praise you for giving us life at birth and then offering us second life through our baptism into faith. Your assurance of love through your death and resurrection constantly reminds us of your love for us and all humankind. Thank you for putting us first, so that through faith we can put you first in our lives and actions. Amen.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:25-26

From death to life

The message was urgent. “Lord, the one you love is sick!” Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were good friends of Jesus. Lazarus became gravely ill. His time was running out. So his sisters sent word to Jesus with the immediate plea, “Come quickly! Help!”

But he didn’t. He stayed where he was for two more days. By the time Jesus arrived at Bethany, Lazarus had died, and his body had been in a tomb for four days. Jesus was too late.

As Jesus approached their house, Martha went out to meet him. “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died,” she said to him. Why wasn’t he there when Lazarus was dying? But Martha also knew something else, “Even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Shining through her sorrow was the glimmer of faith in Jesus, the miracle worker.

To say that the death of a loved one is terribly painful is an understatement. Life is never the same after someone near and dear to us dies. Maybe you know that grief and pain all too well. Maybe someone near and dear to you is sick. You pray and ask Jesus for help and healing, “Lord, the one you love is sick!” But what if he doesn’t answer in the way you hope he will? Does the thought of dying make you afraid?

“Your brother will rise again,” Jesus said to Martha. Then he walked up to the tomb and shouted into it, “Lazarus, come out!” And Lazarus did. Jesus brought the dead one back to life. He was there after all! He did something even greater than Mary and Martha even could have imagined.

Jesus is the resurrection and the life. He holds and uses absolute power over death. He showed it in raising Lazarus from the dead, and he proved it when he rose from the dead himself. That’s what we see on this Resurrection Day! Jesus will do for you exactly what he did for Lazarus. “The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” He will do the same for all who believe in him. Jesus will raise all of his believers from the dead one day, and they will never die again! They will live with him in glory forever.

In this world, you will wrestle with grief over the death of a dear one. You will face the end of your own earthly life. You will face death, but in Jesus, you have eternal life! Don’t be afraid! He has resurrection power to reverse death. Someday, Jesus will shout to you, “Come out!” And his promise will come true, “You will not die, but live again!”

Prayer: Lord of life, in the face of sorrow and even death, give me joy, confidence, and hope in the fact that Christ is risen, he is risen indeed! You are my resurrection; you are my life. Resurrect my faith today until the day you take me into glory. Amen.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6

The only way

What are you going to do after graduation from high school? Are you going to college, or will you join the workforce or military? What occupation do you want to have? Is there a family business or line of work you can join, or will you blaze your own trail? What way are you going to take?

Answering questions like these is no small matter. Weighing those decisions can be confusing and overwhelming. The pressure of the decisions can give way to worry and fear: “What if I make the wrong choice? What if my life doesn’t go the way I want?” On top of all that, the pressure of these decisions can lead us to think only about the here and now, thinking that the most important thing in life is your career or your status. We can think only about earthly life instead of eternity and heaven.

On the day before Jesus died, he was together with his disciples. He only had a little time left with them. In that time, he comforted them. In John 14, Jesus told them, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions… I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me that you may also be where I am.”

The only way that truly and eternally matters is the way to the Father’s house in heaven. Jesus has gone there to prepare a place for you to be with him in glory forever. The most important question we can ask is the one asked by Jesus’ disciple Thomas, “…how can we know the way?” Jesus gives the answer, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus is your only way to heaven. The truth that he suffered and died to save you from sin is the only truth you need. The life he came to give you is life unending in heaven. He is the Way. He is the Truth. He is the Life.

So, no matter the direction you choose to go in life, follow the Way. Follow Jesus.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, when I am confused about the direction of my life, when I am confronted with the temptations to worry about everything or to forget about you, grant me your grace and remind me you gave your life and rose again to give me a mansion in your Father’s house. Help me always to trust in you as the Way. Amen.

Jesus said, “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world. … For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”
John 9:5,39

I am the Light of the World

“You believe in creation? Look at the scientific proof! Are you blind?”

“Why won’t you have sex with me? Look at what everyone else doing. If you watch The Bachelor, you’ll see that being a virgin is not a good thing for a relationship. Are you blind?”

“You think that just because I don’t believe that Jesus is the way to heaven, I am going to hell? Look at all the good, kind things I have done. Look at how loving I am. I know my loving God wouldn’t send me to hell. Are you blind?”

Do you ever feel blind? Do you ever feel like you can’t see what other people seem to clearly see?

Now let me ask this: is it better to see through the world’s eyes or to see God and view the world through his eyes? Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”

Jesus is the light of the world. He shows us God. We were walking around in darkness and uncertainty, but he has given us sight. We see the love the Father has for us in Jesus who died for our sins. We see our relationship with God restored so that we are his dearly loved children. We see the gates of heaven opened and the paradise that is waiting there for us. We see our lives in a new way. They aren’t for us to live for ourselves, but to live for God the way he calls us to live. We see everything clearly now. We were once blind, but now we see through Jesus.

So you—you stand in the light of Jesus. You clearly see your God, and he sees you. May this truth give you strength and encouragement to stay in the light as you walk through this world of darkness.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, you are the light of the world. I ask that you give me the strength to resist those things which try to pull me back into the darkness. Keep my eyes fixed on you until that day when I will spend eternity in your beautiful light in heaven. In your name I pray, Amen.

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
John 4:13-14

I am the Living Water

When your body gets thirsty, it starts quietly but then begins to shout, “Warning! We are lacking what we need to live.” It normally starts with a dry mouth or a dusty throat, but if the lack of hydration gets worse, the warning signs get stronger. The skin gets dry. The heart rate goes up. Eventually you might faint. All of these symptoms drive a person to look for relief. People are willing to do whatever it takes, even walk miles, just to find some water to relieve their thirst.

The same thing happens spiritually. We will often do just about anything to find relief. Some find relief in the satisfaction they get playing video games. Some find satisfaction in success with grades, sports, or work. Some find satisfaction in being a perfectionist.

Others find relief in the abuse of substances that give them an escape. Still others find satisfaction in feeling loved in a relationship, even if it means they find that in pornography or a damaging relationship. Like drinking salt water, all of these may give temporary relief from spiritual thirst but end up leaving a person thirstier than before. None of these things can give relief or satisfaction.

Instead, true relief and satisfaction for spiritual thirst comes from the one who gives real and perfect relief. Jesus says, “Whoever drinks that water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

When your spirit is lacking, go to the one who gives you relief. When you need to feel valued, go to the one who gives you value and self-worth. Your Savior values you so much, he gave his life for you.

When you seek perfection, go to the one who has made you perfect. Your Savior Jesus lived a perfect life and gives you credit for his life.

When you need to feel success, go to the one who has taken all of your failures away. Go to the one who gives you relief that overflows, like looking for a sip and instead getting a fountain. Go to the one who will give you perfect and eternal relief in heaven.

Prayer: Dear God, there have been times I sought personal escape from my problems through temporary ways that leave me thirsting for more in life. Thank you for offering to be the perfect relief my parched soul needs. Now quench me with your promises to never leave me or forsake me—today, tomorrow and forever. May the water of your Word always flow into my heart. Amen.

Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.
Ephesians 5:24-25

Love and Marriage

Is marriage a good or bad thing? More important is that it be a God thing. In the beginning of the world, God instituted marriage to be a safe place for husbands and wives to enjoy each other intimately and to provide a healthy and secure environment for children to grow up and be loved.

The further we get from Creation, the easier it is to forget God’s good design. The apostle Paul reminds us of that design in the book of Ephesians and uses God’s love for his church to describe it.

Wives are to submit—to put themselves under the authority and guidance of their husbands just like the church puts itself under the authority and guidance of Jesus. Husbands are to love their wives sacrificially, just like Jesus did when he died on the cross for his church.

Let’s be clear: it would be absolutely incorrect to say this passage makes husbands more important and wives merely side-kicks in marriage. If that’s what you’re thinking, repent of it!

“The Lord God said, it was NOT good for man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). It was essential that a woman be brought to Adam to be a part of his life. She would be someone that he could love and protect from his position as husband.

Maybe this illustration will help: Picture ballroom dancers. The man leads. The woman follows. But they both need each other for it to be a dance. He gives strength and direction. She provides grace and beauty. The beautiful dance doesn’t stay beautiful. You’ll step on each other’s toes and fall many times—sometimes hard and it will hurt—but in Christ there is forgiveness as we strive to sacrifice and submit.

What a breathtakingly beautiful image of the interdependent dance God intends between a husband and wife! It’s loving and leading. It’s being loved and protected—just as Christ loved and led us by humbly submitting himself to death on a cross. He gave it all for his bride, the Church, of which you and I are a part. To be loved, protected, and guided … it makes us so happy! Our dependence on Christ not only makes possible, but BEAUTIFUL, the interdependence of husbands and wives. What love! What beauty! Christ makes marriage a beautiful thing!

Prayer: Jesus, marriage is a good thing because it’s a God thing. If it’s your will to give me a spouse one day, help me to be the best husband or wife that I can possibly be! Amen.

Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
1 Corinthians 6:18-20

My body, God’s temple

Do you have a pet? If you do, that animal belongs to you. You paid for it, so you get to name it. You get to tell it what to do and where to go. It has to obey you. But your pet doesn’t just obey you because you have a receipt proving that you bought it. It obeys you because you love it and take care of it.

Just like we are our pets’ masters because they belong to us, we like to think that we’re our own masters and that we can do anything we want with our bodies because they belong to us. So why shouldn’t we be able to eat what we want, drink what we want, or engage in sexual activity if we want?

But, “You are not your own.” Your body doesn’t belong to you. It belongs to God Almighty. He bought you at a very high price. He paid for you with the life of his one and only Son, Jesus. Since you are God’s child, the Holy Spirit has set up his throne room in your heart. Your body is now the temple of the Holy Spirit.

God is your heavenly master who didn’t just pay a high price for you, but loves you and cares for you by giving you food to eat, a place to sleep, video games to play, friends to hang out with, sports to enjoy, and most importantly a spot in his family.

God deeply loves you. He lives in you. Therefore, honor God with your body. Looking at pornography and touching yourself inappropriately isn’t honoring God. Having sex of any kind with someone who is not your husband or wife does not honor God. It’s sinning against your body; the body that God gave you. It’s also sinning against your God, who lives in you.

So, if you struggle in any of these areas, ask God your heavenly master to help you honor him. He will do both. He will forgive you and will help you honor him with your body.

Prayer: God, my body is your temple. Forgive me for the times that I’ve trashed it with sexual thoughts or actions that were inappropriate. Help me to honor you with my body. Amen.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:1-2

Fresh start – #4 Be Transformed

There can be a ton of pressure to change and improve your life in a new year. There is pressure to improve your skills on the court or in the classroom. There is the constant challenge to maintain healthy, happy relationships with your parents or your friends. There may even be pressure to change your appearance or health.

There is just as much pressure to change and to improve in your spiritual life. There is pressure to grow in your relationship with God. There is pressure to get rid of certain sins and live a God-pleasing life.

Notice two words Paul uses in our reading that relieve the pressure—be transformed. Paul doesn’t say, “Transform yourself,” like Bumblebee when he morphs from car to robot in the “Transformers” movie. Rather than saying, “Change yourself,” Paul says in the strongest possible way, “Be transformed.”

The pressure of making a change is no longer on us. The power for making a change is no longer on us either. It is God who changes our wants. Driving this radical change is God’s divine mercy and pity for our pitiful state of being. He does it through Holy Spirit when you spend time in his Word. It is God who will change your actions. Again, he does this by his Spirit and his Word. God will transform and change you.

The pressure is officially off to change yourself. It was transferred to the cross. It was placed upon Jesus Christ. He earned our salvation and gives it to us as a gift. He transforms us so that our priorities and habits, even our lives, change for his glory.

Today, empowered by God’s mercy, we CAN have a new attitude, created and shaped by God! We CAN make right decisions and be certain what God’s will is, what is good, pleasing, and perfect (verse 2b). Live today in him! Live life for him!

Prayer: Lord God, change me by your Spirit and your Word so that my life is good and pleasing in your sight. Transform me to desire what you want and to think of your will. I ask this according to your mercy Amen.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Matthew 6:33

Fresh start – #2 Priorities

Have you ever noticed that life always seems to be busy? There is a reason that it is called a rat-race. We’re constantly on the run, constantly chasing from one thing to the next. But for what? The things that keep us busy are often really good things. But what is the meaning of it all?

Someone that I know dearly had a near-death experience. He thought that he was going to die within the next 15 minutes. In those moments that might have been his last, he didn’t think about his calendar. He didn’t think about his job. He didn’t think about his friends. He mainly thought about his faith and his Savior. That’s the only thing that mattered to him in that moment.

This is true for us also. The only thing that matters in this life is your Savior and your faith.

The things of this life are only temporary. Your clothes will fade and wear out. Sporting opportunities will be here for a short while, but then go away. Work will come and go. Friends also come and go.

There is nothing wrong with any of these things. They are good. They are God’s gifts to enjoy while you have them. But don’t chase them. Don’t make your life so full that you can’t pursue and seek the one thing that matters. Don’t get so busy with the many good things that you forget about the one best thing—Jesus.

Seek your Savior and his kingdom. Follow him with your whole life.

Now is the time to start. Start every day seeking him first!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, you have filled my life with many good things. Keep me from filling up my life with so many good things that I forget about the best thing—you! Help me to make you and your kingdom my priority this year. Amen.

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
Ephesians 5:15-16

Fresh start – #1 Evaluate

A new year is a great time to think about our lives and where we’re headed. A new year means a fresh start. We can start brand new in 2019. We can start brand new in Jesus, because he has forgiven all of our sins. This month, our devotions will look at what God says to us about our new year and our life in Christ.

First, we need to evaluate our time. God gives each one of us the gift of twenty-four-hour days. Each one of us has been given the gift of life and breath today from the same God. Each one of us has been forgiven all of our sins by the same Savior. It’s a brand-new gift that our God gives us freely and daily.

How will we use this time? How will we use fresh set of twenty-four-hour days that our God gives us? What is the best way to use our days and to make the most of every opportunity?

It’s a time to look at how we’re using our phones. (Check out your phones and see how many hours per day or per week that you’re using your phone. My iPhone tracks my phone usage for individual tasks.)

It’s a time to consider how we’re using our time with family and friends. Do we live for ourselves or in service to others?

It’s a time to consider how we’re using our time to grow in our faith. Do we set aside time for God to speak to us in His Word?

It’s a time to consider how we can make the most of every moment in every day to seek God and to share him with the people in our lives. Do we know someone who really needs God’s gift of forgiveness?

So, take a look at your calendar. May your use of time reflect your appreciation for this gift as you joyfully serve him and others.

Prayer: Dear Lord, you have given me each moment of my day. Each moment is a gift from you. Help me to use every moment for you and for your glory. Amen.

Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
John 1:16-18

Grace upon grace

I’ve been wondering about something for a while. What’s the downside to following Jesus? What’s the downside to holding on to the faith and walking in it?

It is pretty easy to figure out a downside to just about everything else. For every medicine that helps me get better, there is often a nasty side-effect. Just read the warning label sometime. Exercise is good for me; but at the same time, it breaks my body down so that some body parts may wear out more quickly. I think you get the idea.

Everything else in my life has an upside and a downside. But not Jesus. Jesus came to live with us, and there is no downside to that. There is an upside. John explains it the verses in front of us today.

First, Jesus is full of grace and truth. We don’t always like to hear the truth, especially when the truth is painful and uncovers sin. (I know that I don’t!) But it is good. What if your doctor never told you that you had terminal cancer? Would that be good for you? Of course, not! It would hurt when he told you, but how else would you know about your sickness and need for treatment? It’s the same when Jesus comes with truth!

We also see that Jesus isn’t stingy with grace. In fact, he gives grace in place of grace already given. It’s like he gives us grace; and then he gives us grace again. And again. And again! He loves you and longs to forgive you over and over again. He deeply desires for you to know how good and gracious he really is.

Finally, he shows us God! If you really want to know who God is, get to know Jesus as he comes and walks on this earth. To know what God is like, get to know Jesus! He is the one who makes the Father known. He is the one came to reveal God to us.

This Christmas, see how good Jesus is for you. Instead of gift upon gift, he gives something eternally better—grace upon grace!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are the one thing I really need. Tell me the truth about my sin so that I can come to you for forgiveness and healing. Give me grace upon grace. I need your grace more and more every day. Keep showing me God. Thank you for coming to be that one thing I really need. Amen.

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
John 1:9-13

Rejection

Rejection is a natural part of our lives. You are rejected when you don’t make the team or get a call back for a second audition. You get rejected while dating and in so many other situations in life. Everyone experiences rejection in their life.

There is someone who knows what rejection feels like—Jesus. From the very start of his life and ministry, he faced rejection and ridicule. People saw the miracles he performed and expected him to be their earthly king. When Jesus made it clear that he wasn’t an earthly king, they left him. Even his own family rejected him. Some of his brothers didn’t believe he was the Son of God.

Jesus was rejected throughout his entire life. Out of love for you and me, he chose to take our place and to take our sin on himself in order to suffer the death we deserved to give us the life he earned. That’s why Jesus came. He came to be rejected by men, so that we would be accepted by God. He came to be condemned by God for our sins, so that we would be forgiven. He even came to be rejected by God, so that we would be accepted by God. Because of Jesus and his rejection, God receives us as children of God. We will not be turned away or rejected by him.

Dear friend, receive the Word of God this Christmas: Jesus loves you! He has come to give you new life and to bring you into the family of God. Rejoice! You are an accepted child of God!

Prayer: Father, we confess that we often have rejected and rebelled against your Word. Forgive us. Thank you for restoring us daily as your children. We rejoice that in Christ our Savior, you accept us as children of God! Amen.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
James 1:17

Changing shapes

Have you ever looked in a mirror that distorts your body? Some of the mirrors make you look tall and skinny, and others make you seem short and fat. I was at the mall the other day and watched as a boy in a wheelchair came up to the mirrors. He sat there and rolled back and forth between the two mirrors. He seemed to be having such a great time. Even though he was not able to fully enjoy the effects of it, you could see the happiness in his eyes.

How could that boy be thankful for having to sit in a wheelchair for the rest of his life? Have you gone through times in life and sometimes found it hard to be thankful? When things don’t go our way, we tend to start blaming God for not providing. We may go as far as disowning God for a short time. When we do not know the outcome of our future, doubt starts to creep in and causes us to take matters into our own hands. The truth is that we do not deserve a God who gives us perfect gifts. We are lost and hopeless sinners.

Jesus never promised that being a Christian would mean freedom from problems. Our verses remind us to be thankful in all circumstances. We don’t know the plan God has for us in the future. We may even be in pain while going through a bad time in life, unable to see light at the end. We may even feel completely lost and feel abandoned by everyone, and God still tells us to give thanks! We have a reason to be glad because we have a way to handle problems. James tells us our God does not change like shifting shadows. Shadows come and go. Our God is forever. He promised to be with us forever whether walking or in a wheelchair. He knows your burdens. He will help you carry your burdens.

Stop and take a moment to thank God because you woke up this morning. Thank God for life. For each other. For friends. For parents. For house and home. For Christ and salvation. He is the satisfaction for my soul.

Prayer: Dear Savior, you hold me in the palm of your hand. Give me the faith to thank you even on the darkest days. Even when all hope seems lost, remind me to give thanks because you have washed us clean by the blood of your innocent Son. Amen.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
1 Peter 1:3

Joy

Before you begin to read this, make a list of things that make you happy. You can write it down or make a mental list. Try to get as many as you can.

Did you get them all? Now continue reading … .

In an episode of VeggieTales, Madame Blueberry says she has everything she could ever need, but she is not happy with what she has. On her way home from the store, after buying pretty much everything, she passes a girl who is with her mom and dad on her birthday. The girl does not have much, but she is happy. That’s when Madame Blueberry realizes that she does not need material items to be happy.

It is easy to get caught up in material things. Go back to your list of things that make you happy. What’s on it: A TV show? A book? Your pet? Mom, Dad, Aunt Sally, and Uncle Joe? Did God, church, or the Bible make your list? When we think of what makes us happy, it’s so easy to get caught up by the things we see and touch nearest to us. As long as we live, we face the temptation to place God who brings us his salvation on the backburner.

Remember to focus on the reason for that joy:

• God gave you “new birth” through baptism!
• God gave you “living hope” through Jesus’ resurrection!

Our hope is alive because Jesus is alive! Now we look forward to an eternity in heaven with him! That’s something to be happy about! No more trials. No more heartache. No more temptation. We will have the honor of standing at the feet of Jesus. He wiped away our sins with his death so that we can finally know what peace feels like. Resting our hope in Jesus Christ will bring us eternal happiness, no matter what struggles we are faced with here on earth.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for the joy of life everlasting in your arms. Continue to work through me so that I can help others find your joy. Guide me to hold tight to your Word when I am faced with trials, and help me to find joy here on earth, knowing that I will find eternal joy it is in heaven with you. Amen.