Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Good morning, Lord

Father in Heaven, I seek You first-the knowledge of Your limitless love in Christ and endless power. Build my trust and my passion. I take up my cross and follow...In Jesus' name…

Memory verse: Ephesians 2:6 “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.”

Verse of the day: Matthew 20:17-19

17 And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, 18 “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death 19 and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.”

Daily Reading: Judges 16-18 Luke 7:1-30

The Word of The Truth

Colossians 1:4–5 (ESV)

4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel,

>Because of the hope laid up for you in Heaven

1. We have heard of your faith

2. We have heard of your love for the saints

Paul tells these folks that he has heard of their faith and love and the reason behind it-their hope of Heaven.

What is Christian hope?

Christian hope is not weak and sniveling where we are tired and spent and are just hoping we can reach the end of all this.

Hope is strong and courageous.

Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Hope is the substance of faith rooted in evidence.

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

What Christ has done for us and His daily provision of wisdom, strength, peace-all the fruits of the Spirit. Evidence in substance. The Holy Spirit indwelling us constantly-His steadfast love.

Paul tells the Colossian church that their love for the saints is evident in the substantial work they have done for the saints and this comes from Divine hope laid up for them in Heaven.

We all have divine hope laid up for us in Heaven-a reality of God Himself for each of us that becomes more real every time we spend time with Him. This is another thing the enemy attempts to keep from us-to keep us from feeling the real hope laid up for us in Heaven.

How tragic it is if we do not feel this reality by our own lethargy-our own laziness-

We must get busy seeking God and learning from Him that which is His own Divine steadfast love which holds the deep feelings of His hope laid up for us with Him.

How sweet when we seek and find…

...because He loves us...He will do it…

Father in Heaven,

In Your great love, You have laid up hope for us in Heaven. Give me what I need today to realize how precious this is. Forgive me for ignoring this reality. Lead me away from the influence of the enemy in this.

God of all enduring and perfect hope,

In the name of Christ Jesus,

Amen