Sometimes people receive the Holy Spirit but they don’t get any particular evidence and they’re disappointed because it wasn’t manifested by some supernatural or physical experience right then and there. But it doesn’t matter how you feel; when you’ve asked God for the Holy Spirit, you have it.

You know you have it because He promised it. It’s just like salvation. How do you know you got saved when you received Jesus as your Savior?—Not because of whatever you may have felt or experienced at the time, but because of what He said about it in His Word. Your faith is built on fact—God’s Word—not on feelings.

Pray and ask Jesus to fill you with His Holy Spirit and He will. He’s promised to.

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Luke 11:10-13 - For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for[a] a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

John 14:26 - But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

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Jesus, please help us to receive your Holy Spirit, who will fill our lives with your spirit and the fruits of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

If there’s something we can do to help the situation and we ask Him what that is and how to go about it, He will show us and help us do it. But in the end, the thing that will help more than anything and without which all our labors are incomplete, is prayer—to pray for Him to do the work in the spirit.

He’s the only One who can change hearts and minds. He’s the only One who can bring people to the point where they’re willing to change or do whatever’s necessary to make progress or fix the problem. So the best thing we can do to help people who are having problems is to pray for them. We can’t do the miracle that’s needed, but the Lord can. Our prayers move His hand and make things happen in the spiritual realm that change things in our physical realm.

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Job 42:10 - And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.

Ephesians 6:18 - Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.

1 Timothy 2:1 - First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people.

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Jesus, please help us to support others in prayer, knowing that it’s not the least we can do for them, but the most.

What caused Jesus the greatest agony on the cross was not our sins, because He knew that we were going to be forgiven and saved. What broke His heart was thinking that His Father had turned His back on Him. He went through an experience that, thank God, we will never have to go through—not just crucifixion, not just the agony of the body, but the agony of mind and spirit, feeling that God had actually deserted Him. “My God, My God,” He cried out, “why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46). Had God forsaken Him? Yes, momentarily, that He might die the death of a sinner, without God.

Jesus loved us enough to give His own life for us and take the punishment of our sins upon Himself on that cross, so that we could be forgiven and be saved (Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:10). Such love!

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1 Peter 2:24 - He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

1 John 4:10 - In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Romans 5:8 – But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

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Jesus, thank you for dying for me, and thank you that you took my punishment for me, and wiped my sins clean.

When you first begin to give of yourself, it may look like you’re losing or sacrificing, but in the long run you’re going to find out you’re really not going to be sacrificing at all. You’re just going to be investing, and the returns are going to be far beyond anything you have invested and will far surpass any sacrifice you could possibly have made. Dr. David Livingstone (1813-1873), the Scottish missionary and explorer who pioneered the jungles of Africa and died there, said, “I never made a sacrifice.” He gave everything, but he knew that what he was getting in return was worth much more than everything he could possibly give. Although he gave his life, he reaped eternal life and dividends in immortal souls—thousands saved forever.

So invest your life and your all in the Rock, Christ Jesus, and invest it in God’s work, and you’ll have eternal dividends that you will never lose, but reap forever. God will bless you for it!

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Proverbs 21:3 To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

Hosea 6:6 - For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

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Jesus, please help me to remember this important truth, and know that everything will be worth it in the end.

No matter how sincere our motives or how faithful we are to His work, we must put Him first—not the work or even others. God doesn’t fit second place, and He won’t take it. “You shall have no other gods before Me. … For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God” (Deuteronomy 5:7,9). That is probably the greatest mistake of sincere Christians: to make a god of God’s service.

Your service is nothing if you don’t give the King your attention, your love, your time, your communion. He desires your love and intends for you to love Him first of all and above all. You cannot do the Master’s work without the Master’s power and guidance, and to get it you must spend time with the Master.

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Deuteronomy 5:7-9 - You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me.

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Jesus, please help us not to put your work before you and not to neglect our fellowship with you.

How could they do such a thing? How could they forsake their very living and their own family and friends without notice to follow this stranger and become part of His motley crew? Because He offered them a better life, a better job in a better place with a better boss, and greater rewards—and those simple fishermen wandered off with a perfect stranger and made history that has helped save countless millions of souls for eternity.

Doesn’t it seem ridiculous now to compare those few fish, a boat, and a business—all of which soon perished—with the millions of immortal souls who have been saved for eternity through the decision of those simple fishermen to put God first that day, drop everything, and follow Jesus? Now that we can see the results, it’s easy to know they made the right choice!

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Matthew 4:18-20 – While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

Luke 5:1-11 – On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

He even knows what things we have need of before we ask (Matthew 6:8), but He usually waits for us to ask. Jesus can solve our problems so easily when we ask Him, but He likes us to ask Him. Sometimes our own pride and independence get in the way. We don’t want to ask for help because we don’t want to admit that we don’t have the solution. So we try to do it ourselves to the point of frustration, when all we need to do is ask and receive His answer.

If you’re smart, you’ll be like the man who said, “I may not know all the answers, but I know the Answer Man!” God’s got all the answers. He is the answer!

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Matthew 6:8 - Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Psalm 66:17 – I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue.

James 1:6 – But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

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Jesus, please help me to pray prayers full of faith, knowing that you want what is best for me, and know my situation.

We who have found Jesus and faith in God have found heaven on earth, the promised land of His kingdom within. He’s made a heaven of our hearts. But those who don’t know God and have no faith have nothing but fear, and some have hell on earth.

Have you got a little bit of Heaven in your heart? If not, take Jesus into your heart and you’ll have Heaven here and now!

Heaven is here, is here right now.
Heaven is here and I’ll tell you how!
Jesus to know is Heaven below,
Heaven is here, is here and how!
—Author unknown

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Luke 17:20-21 – Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.

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Jesus, please help us to bring heaven into our midst by having faith in you, and having you in our hearts.

But these pearls of knowledge are nothing without the Holy Spirit. No matter how much you study, it takes the Spirit of God and the hand of God to string the pearls of His Word together in proper order, sorted out and made into a wonderful, beautiful string of truths to adorn your mind and heart in proper order, sequence, size, importance, and beauty. That’s the difference between knowledge and wisdom. Wisdom is knowing how to apply what you already know—in this case, knowing how to rightly use your knowledge of God’s Word.

So don’t neglect the beauties, riches, and treasures of the Word of God. Ask God for wisdom.

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Proverbs 4:7 - The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.

Proverbs 16:16 - How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

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Jesus, please help us to remember the importance of you Word and please help us to ask for wisdom as we read so that we can grow in faith.

The hardest person in the world to win to the Lord is the moral man who thinks he is good enough and thinks he doesn’t need God. Sometimes the guiltiest people are the most utterly deceived and actually think they are innocent and righteous. They’re “glad they’re not like the sinner,” when actually they’re worse because of their self-righteous pride that goes against God’s spirit of love (Luke 18:11).

But there are others who have hungry hearts and really want to hear the truth, and when you give it to them they receive it, believe it, accept it, and follow Jesus. Because they are willing to confess that they need answers, the Lord has an opportunity to give them answers. For those who are seeking, hungry, unhappy, and yearning for the spiritual, He has this promise: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6).

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Matthew 9:10-13 - And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

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Jesus, please help us to hunger and thirst after righteousness, so we can be filled.

The Lord knows that encouragement is very important. He appreciates us and commends us, and He promises to reward us for our good work. It has nothing to do with our salvation—we get salvation as a free gift by His mercy and grace and love—but He especially commends our service for Him. He really appreciates our service and our sacrifice and the things we do for Him beyond the call of duty, and He wants us to likewise show appreciation to those who give of themselves for Him and others.

“Whatever things are of good report, if there be any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8). We need to apply that to those around us, and try to remind ourselves constantly to think positively about others and to thank and praise them for their good qualities, just as the Lord does with us.

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Philippians 4:8 - Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

John 13:34-35 - A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

1 John 4:8 - Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

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Jesus, please help us not to miss opportunities to show appreciation for others. Please help us to put our thanks into words and lift up our fellow brethren in love.

You need to learn to stop and pray, “Now, God, what do You want me to do?” Seek the Lord. Don’t just lean to your own understanding, even when a course of action seems obvious. Ask the Lord and make sure (Proverbs 3:5-7).

Remember, God is hardly ever in a hurry. The greatest works of God take time. It takes God time to make a baby or grow a flower or even to paint a sunset. So when you haven’t yet made certain that a thing is God’s will, the best thing to do is to wait on the Lord until He reveals it to you one way or the other.

“Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart” (Psalm 27:14). “Those that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles” (Isaiah 40:31).

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Psalm 27:14 – Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord.

Proverbs 3:5-7 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.

Isaiah 40:31 – But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

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Jesus, please help us to have faith in you, and to wait on you. Please help us to fight in prayer and rest in your arms, and wait for you to give us victory.

A works salvation is no salvation at all. You cannot be good enough. No matter how many good deeds you do, they won’t save you. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). It’s impossible to save yourself. You have eternal life, which is the gift of God, and you cannot lose it, for He will keep you. You’re the Lord’s forever!

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John 3:36 – Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Titus 3:5 – He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.

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Jesus, thank you for your mercy, and for saving us, and that your salvation is a gift. Please help us to remember your sacrifice and love for us.

One of the main reasons we’re here in the first place, from the Garden of Eden to the present, is to learn how to make decisions under God’s guidance. All of life is that way. We must constantly make decisions and choices. If we know and love and want to please Him and do what’s right, this causes us to seek Him in prayer and ask Him for the answers. It makes us dependent on Him as we try to make the right decisions so we’ll go the right direction.

He put us here to make decisions. He tells us what’s right and wrong, but then He doesn’t make us do either; He lets us make the decisions. Are you choosing God’s way?

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Matthew 7:13-14 – Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Proverbs 19:21 - Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

Proverbs 16:9 - The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

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Jesus, thank you for the majesty of choice, and that we can choose to go our ways or yours. Please help us to learn from our experiences.and make the right decision to go your way, even if it’s difficult.

If you let the Devil get you down and use your mouth to speak doubt and discouragement and lies to others, you are preaching the Devil’s own doctrines. Don’t do it, or you’re just letting the Enemy in. Take a positive stand against the attacks of the Devil. Fight him and fight his doubts. The minute you feel discouraged, start praising the Lord. Go on the attack! As long as you have praise on your lips, you can’t complain or speak doubt.

The Devil hates praise. He hates songs that praise the Lord, and he hates God’s Word most of all, so keep full of it.

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Exodus 15:2 - The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; This is my God, and I will praise Him; my father’s God, and I will extol Him.

Exodus 15:11 - Who is like You among the gods, O Lord? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, awesome in praises, working wonders?

Deut 10:21 - He is your praise and He is your God, who has done these great and awesome things for you which your eyes have seen.

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Jesus, please help me to praise you more, to be more thankful and praise even though things seem bad, because I know you will make things better.

Most of the Lord’s blessings and rewards are dependent upon obedience and worthiness, on doing a good job faithfully. The Lord doesn’t reward loafing; He rewards faithful hard work. But the minute you start obeying and working, He will start doing His part. He will bless!

Believe His promises, His guarantees, and put your faith into action. Be a good and faithful servant, and He will reward you here and now and in Heaven when that time comes.

Go work in My vineyard; oh, work while it’s day!
Your strength I’ll supply, and your wages I’ll pay;
And bless with My best the diligent few
Who finish the labor I’ve given them to do.
—Tullius Clinton O’Kane (1830-1912), paraphrased

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Philippians 4:19 - And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 37:4 - Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

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Jesus, thank you for your supply and blessings and that it pays to serve you. Please help us to desire the things that you want for us and not to think that we should be repaid for our service to you with riches, but with the things you know are best for us.

1 When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:

2 And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.

5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

6 And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.

7 And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in.

8 Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.

9 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value;

10 And gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me.

11 And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.

12 And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.

13 Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?

14 And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.

15 Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.

16 And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.

17 Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?

18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.

19 When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.

20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.

21 The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.

22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.

23 And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.

24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.

25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

26 Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.

28 And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.

29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!

30 And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.

31 And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.

32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.

33 And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull,

34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.

35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

36 And sitting down they watched him there;

37 And set up over his head his accusation written, This Is Jesus The King Of The Jews.

38 Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.

39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,

40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,

42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.

43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.

44 The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.

46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

47 Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.

48 And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.

49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.

50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.

51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,

53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

55 And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:

56 Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedees children.

57 When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple:

58 He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.

59 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

60 And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.

61 And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.

62 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,

63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.

64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.

65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.

66 So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.

3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:

4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.

5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.

8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.

10 Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

11 Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.

12 And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,

13 Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.

14 And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and secure you.

15 So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.

17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

When God created the life cycle of butterflies, it was almost as though He was illustrating resurrection. They hatch from eggs into little wormlike caterpillars. Then, after a short life as an earthbound bug, they wrap themselves up in a cocoon called a chrysalis, almost like a coffin, and it seems they die. But then spring comes and suddenly the coffin splits open and out comes a beautiful butterfly. Once it was just a little crawling insect, the lowliest of all creatures, but all of a sudden it breaks out of its cocoon in the form of a beautiful butterfly that flies in the heavens—one of the prettiest of all creatures!

Like the difference between a grain of wheat and the full-grown, full-blown stalk and head that comes from that grain, or the flower that comes from one tiny seed, that’s how much better your new heavenly body is going to be (1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-58). You’re going to be like the angels of God (Luke 20:36).

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1 Corinthians 15:35-38 – But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body.

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Jesus, thank you that we have so much to look forward to. Thank you for saving us and preparing a wonderful place for us and that the future is bright if we know you.

Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Matthew 24:35). The Bible also tells us: “Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in Heaven” (Psalm 119:89). When God speaks to you right from His Book, you know it’s right. There’s no question or any doubt about it! It never fails!

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled!
—John Rippon, A Selection of Hymns from the Best Authors, 1787

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2 Timothy 3:16-17 – All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

Joshua 1:8 – This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Psalm 119:10-11 – With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

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Jesus, thank you for your Word. Please help me to use it as a guide and as a foundation for my decisions and actions.

But wherever people have problems, God has answers. And in this case it’s such a simple answer—love! Love is the key, love is the answer, and Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). He’s the only way they’ll ever find love, joy, peace, and heavenly happiness, both here and now and in the life to come.

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Mark 12:31 - The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.

Luke 6:31 - Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Luke 6:35 - But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

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Help us, Jesus, to be faithful to show Your love to others, to encourage and help them, to heal them and lift them by giving them the message of Your love that has the power to solve all their problems and heal their bodies, minds, and spirits. Thank You for giving us the opportunity to help others by giving them Your answer, and it’s such a simple answer, Jesus—just You and Your love!

But the coming thousand-year reign of Christ will be heaven on earth, like the Garden of Eden, only better. There will be worldwide peace, Satan and his forces will be bound, the Curse will be removed, and we’ll have Paradise regained. There will be no more of man’s cruelty toward man, no more of man’s inhumanity to man allowed. At last God will redeem the earth (Revelation 20:1-4).

The earth will blossom like a rose, and all of God’s creation will be in perfect peace and beautiful harmony. “You shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands” (Isaiah 55:12). Can you imagine such a thing? So beautiful!

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Romans 8:22-23 - For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Jesus said that it would be “as in the days before the flood [when] they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away.” What did He mean, they “did not know”? Noah had been telling them for 120 years! What He really meant is that they wouldn’t believe until it happened. “So also will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matthew 24:38-39).

Will you be ready when Jesus comes? If so, you won’t be taken by surprise and can actually look forward to that great day with hope and faith.

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Matthew 24:38-39 - For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

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Jesus, please help me to be ready when you come. Help me not to be as in the Bible story of foolish virgins who were not prepared and missed their bridegroom, help me to read your Word and know in my heart.

God is pictured in Jesus, a man who loved everybody, even the poorest and the worst of all. He came for love and lived in love and died for love that we might live and love forever. His death brings life, forgiveness, and eternal happiness to those who love Him in return.

God shared His love with the whole world, but He also loves everyone individually. God loves you so much that He gave His most priceless possession, the most cherished thing He had—“His only begotten Son”—so that you could have everlasting life (John 3:16). He loved you enough to send Jesus to take the punishment for your sins, if you’ll just receive Him and thank Him for it.

He loves you dearly, more dearly than the spoken word can tell. You can never understand the love of God. It’s too great; it passes all understanding (Ephesians 3:19). You just have to receive it and feel it with your heart.

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1 John 4:8 - Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

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Jesus, thank you for your love, and your example of love. Please help me to follow your example and to share your love with others.

Faithfulness is important, to endure as a good soldier and to work hard (2 Timothy 2:3), but if you don’t have love, you don’t have anything. If you don’t have love and show love for others, then in God’s eyes your good works don’t really count.

What’s the thing that proves we are Jesus’ disciples?—Love! Jesus said, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). That’s an order! He ordered us, His followers, to love one another, so love!

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1 Corinthians 13 - If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

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Jesus, please help me to remember that if I don’t have love, it’s not real, it doesn’t matter. All my works will just be for show if my intentions aren’t true and full of love. Please help me always to love.